An information theory account of cognitive control

PubMed Central

Fan, Jin

2014-01-01

Our ability to efficiently process information and generate appropriate responses depends on the processes collectively called cognitive control. Despite a considerable focus in the literature on the cognitive control of information processing, neural mechanisms underlying control are still unclear, and have not been characterized by considering the quantity of information to be processed. A novel and comprehensive account of cognitive control is proposed using concepts from information theory, which is concerned with communication system analysis and the quantification of information. This account treats the brain as an information-processing entity where cognitive control and its underlying brain networks play a pivotal role in dealing with conditions of uncertainty. This hypothesis and theory article justifies the validity and properties of such an account and relates experimental findings to the frontoparietal network under the framework of information theory. PMID:25228875

Use of Play Therapy in Nursing Process: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Study.

PubMed

Sezici, Emel; Ocakci, Ayse Ferda; Kadioglu, Hasibe

2017-03-01

Play therapy is a nursing intervention employed in multidisciplinary approaches to develop the social, emotional, and behavioral skills of children. In this study, we aim to determine the effects of play therapy on the social, emotional, and behavioral skills of pre-school children through the nursing process. A single-blind, prospective, randomized controlled study was undertaken. The design, conduct, and reporting of this study adhere to the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) guidelines. The participants included 4- to 5-year-old kindergarten children with no oral or aural disabilities and parents who agreed to participate in the study. The Pre-school Child and Family Identification Form and Social Competence and the Behavior Evaluation Scale were used to gather data. Games in the play therapy literature about nursing diagnoses (fear, social disturbance, impaired social interactions, ineffective coping, anxiety), which were determined after the preliminary test, constituted the application of the study. There was no difference in the average scores of the children in the experimental and control groups in their Anger-Aggression (AA), Social Competence (SC), and Anxiety-Withdrawal (AW) scores beforehand (t = 0.015, p = .988; t = 0.084, p = .933; t = 0.214, p = .831, respectively). The difference between the average AA and SC scores in the post-test (t = 2.041, p = .045; t = 2.692, p = .009, respectively), and the retests were statistically significant in AA and SC average scores in the experimental and control groups (t = 4.538, p = .000; t = 4.693; p = .000, respectively). In AW average scores, no statistical difference was found in the post-test (t = 0.700, p = .486), whereas in the retest, a significant difference was identified (t = 5.839, p = .000). Play therapy helped pre-school children to improve their social, emotional, and behavioral skills. It also provided benefits for the children to decrease their fear and anxiety levels, to improve their communication and coping skills, and to increase their self-esteem. The study concluded that play therapy helps develop the social, emotional, and behavioral skills of pre-school children. It has also helped children lower their fear and anxiety levels, improve their communication and coping skills, and promote their self-esteem. Pediatric nurses are recommended to include play therapy in their profession and in the nursing process. © 2017 Sigma Theta Tau International.

Executive Control at an Early Age: Advance Planning in Solitary Play.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Besevegis, Elias; Neimark, Edith D.

Questions concerning the ontogeny of the planning process and its role in the regulation of behavior have been markedly absent from the literature. The present study examines the planning done during solitary play by middle-class children from four public nursery schools in Athens, Greece. One hundred preschool children in five age groups (42, 48,…

Tuning of PID controller using optimization techniques for a MIMO process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thulasi dharan, S.; Kavyarasan, K.; Bagyaveereswaran, V.

2017-11-01

In this paper, two processes were considered one is Quadruple tank process and the other is CSTR (Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor) process. These are majorly used in many industrial applications for various domains, especially, CSTR in chemical plants.At first mathematical model of both the process is to be done followed by linearization of the system due to MIMO process and controllers are the major part to control the whole process to our desired point as per the applications so the tuning of the controller plays a major role among the whole process. For tuning of parameters we use two optimizations techniques like Particle Swarm Optimization, Genetic Algorithm. The above techniques are majorly used in different applications to obtain which gives the best among all, we use these techniques to obtain the best tuned values among many. Finally, we will compare the performance of the each process with both the techniques.

Molecular controls of arterial morphogenesis

PubMed Central

Simons, Michael; Eichmann, Anne

2015-01-01

Formation of arterial vasculature, here termed arteriogenesis, is a central process in embryonic vascular development as well as in adult tissues. While the process of capillary formation, angiogenesis, is relatively well understood, much remains to be learned about arteriogenesis. Recent discoveries point to the key role played by vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) in control of this process and to newly identified control circuits that dramatically influence its activity. The latter can present particularly attractive targets for a new class of therapeutic agents capable of activation of this signaling cascade in a ligand-independent manner, thereby promoting arteriogenesis in diseased tissues. PMID:25953926

Diastereomeric process control in the synthesis of 2'-O-(2-methoxyethyl) oligoribonucleotide phosphorothioates as antisense drugs.

PubMed

Ravikumar, Vasulinga T; Cole, Douglas L

2003-01-01

Coupling of 2'-O-methoxyethylsubstituted nucleoside phosphoramidites to 5'-hydroxyl group of a nucleoside or nucleotide on solid support is under stereochemical process control and is independent of scale, concentration, synthesizer, ratio of amidite diastereomers, solid support etc. However, activators and phosphate protecting groups do play a role in influencing the ratio of phosphorothioate diesters obtained by sulfurization of phosphite triesters.

A System-Oriented Approach for the Optimal Control of Process Chains under Stochastic Influences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Senn, Melanie; Schäfer, Julian; Pollak, Jürgen; Link, Norbert

2011-09-01

Process chains in manufacturing consist of multiple connected processes in terms of dynamic systems. The properties of a product passing through such a process chain are influenced by the transformation of each single process. There exist various methods for the control of individual processes, such as classical state controllers from cybernetics or function mapping approaches realized by statistical learning. These controllers ensure that a desired state is obtained at process end despite of variations in the input and disturbances. The interactions between the single processes are thereby neglected, but play an important role in the optimization of the entire process chain. We divide the overall optimization into two phases: (1) the solution of the optimization problem by Dynamic Programming to find the optimal control variable values for each process for any encountered end state of its predecessor and (2) the application of the optimal control variables at runtime for the detected initial process state. The optimization problem is solved by selecting adequate control variables for each process in the chain backwards based on predefined quality requirements for the final product. For the demonstration of the proposed concept, we have chosen a process chain from sheet metal manufacturing with simplified transformation functions.

Action Video Gaming and Cognitive Control: Playing First Person Shooter Games Is Associated with Improved Action Cascading but Not Inhibition

PubMed Central

Steenbergen, Laura; Sellaro, Roberta; Stock, Ann-Kathrin; Beste, Christian; Colzato, Lorenza S.

2015-01-01

There is a constantly growing interest in developing efficient methods to enhance cognitive functioning and/or to ameliorate cognitive deficits. One particular line of research focuses on the possibly cognitive enhancing effects that action video game (AVG) playing may have on game players. Interestingly, AVGs, especially first person shooter games, require gamers to develop different action control strategies to rapidly react to fast moving visual and auditory stimuli, and to flexibly adapt their behaviour to the ever-changing context. This study investigated whether and to what extent experience with such videogames is associated with enhanced performance on cognitive control tasks that require similar abilities. Experienced action videogame-players (AVGPs) and individuals with little to no videogame experience (NVGPs) performed a stop-change paradigm that provides a relatively well-established diagnostic measure of action cascading and response inhibition. Replicating previous findings, AVGPs showed higher efficiency in response execution, but not improved response inhibition (i.e. inhibitory control), as compared to NVGPs. More importantly, compared to NVGPs, AVGPs showed enhanced action cascading processes when an interruption (stop) and a change towards an alternative response were required simultaneously, as well as when such a change had to occur after the completion of the stop process. Our findings suggest that playing AVGs is associated with enhanced action cascading and multi-component behaviour without affecting inhibitory control. PMID:26655929

Action Video Gaming and Cognitive Control: Playing First Person Shooter Games Is Associated with Improved Action Cascading but Not Inhibition.

PubMed

Steenbergen, Laura; Sellaro, Roberta; Stock, Ann-Kathrin; Beste, Christian; Colzato, Lorenza S

2015-01-01

There is a constantly growing interest in developing efficient methods to enhance cognitive functioning and/or to ameliorate cognitive deficits. One particular line of research focuses on the possibly cognitive enhancing effects that action video game (AVG) playing may have on game players. Interestingly, AVGs, especially first person shooter games, require gamers to develop different action control strategies to rapidly react to fast moving visual and auditory stimuli, and to flexibly adapt their behaviour to the ever-changing context. This study investigated whether and to what extent experience with such videogames is associated with enhanced performance on cognitive control tasks that require similar abilities. Experienced action videogame-players (AVGPs) and individuals with little to no videogame experience (NVGPs) performed a stop-change paradigm that provides a relatively well-established diagnostic measure of action cascading and response inhibition. Replicating previous findings, AVGPs showed higher efficiency in response execution, but not improved response inhibition (i.e. inhibitory control), as compared to NVGPs. More importantly, compared to NVGPs, AVGPs showed enhanced action cascading processes when an interruption (stop) and a change towards an alternative response were required simultaneously, as well as when such a change had to occur after the completion of the stop process. Our findings suggest that playing AVGs is associated with enhanced action cascading and multi-component behaviour without affecting inhibitory control.

National malaria vector control policy: an analysis of the decision to scale-up larviciding in Nigeria.

PubMed

Tesfazghi, Kemi; Hill, Jenny; Jones, Caroline; Ranson, Hilary; Worrall, Eve

2016-02-01

New vector control tools are needed to combat insecticide resistance and reduce malaria transmission. The World Health Organization (WHO) endorses larviciding as a supplementary vector control intervention using larvicides recommended by the WHO Pesticides Evaluation Scheme (WHOPES). The decision to scale-up larviciding in Nigeria provided an opportunity to investigate the factors influencing policy adoption and assess the role that actors and evidence play in the policymaking process, in order to draw lessons that help accelerate the uptake of new methods for vector control. A retrospective policy analysis was carried out using in-depth interviews with national level policy stakeholders to establish normative national vector control policy or strategy decision-making processes and compare these with the process that led to the decision to scale-up larviciding. The interviews were transcribed, then coded and analyzed using NVivo10. Data were coded according to pre-defined themes from an analytical policy framework developed a priori. Stakeholders reported that the larviciding decision-making process deviated from the normative vector control decision-making process. National malaria policy is normally strongly influenced by WHO recommendations, but the potential of larviciding to contribute to national economic development objectives through larvicide production in Nigeria was cited as a key factor shaping the decision. The larviciding decision involved a restricted range of policy actors, and notably excluded actors that usually play advisory, consultative and evidence generation roles. Powerful actors limited the access of some actors to the policy processes and content. This may have limited the influence of scientific evidence in this policy decision. This study demonstrates that national vector control policy change can be facilitated by linking malaria control objectives to wider socioeconomic considerations and through engaging powerful policy champions to drive policy change and thereby accelerate access to new vector control tools. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

The effects of an action video game on visual and affective information processing.

PubMed

Bailey, Kira; West, Robert

2013-04-04

Playing action video games can have beneficial effects on visuospatial cognition and negative effects on social information processing. However, these two effects have not been demonstrated in the same individuals in a single study. The current study used event-related brain potentials (ERPs) to examine the effects of playing an action or non-action video game on the processing of emotion in facial expression. The data revealed that 10h of playing an action or non-action video game had differential effects on the ERPs relative to a no-contact control group. Playing an action game resulted in two effects: one that reflected an increase in the amplitude of the ERPs following training over the right frontal and posterior regions that was similar for angry, happy, and neutral faces; and one that reflected a reduction in the allocation of attention to happy faces. In contrast, playing a non-action game resulted in changes in slow wave activity over the central-parietal and frontal regions that were greater for targets (i.e., angry and happy faces) than for non-targets (i.e., neutral faces). These data demonstrate that the contrasting effects of action video games on visuospatial and emotion processing occur in the same individuals following the same level of gaming experience. This observation leads to the suggestion that caution should be exercised when using action video games to modify visual processing, as this experience could also have unintended effects on emotion processing. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Active video games as a tool to prevent excessive weight gain in adolescents: rationale, design and methods of a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Simons, Monique; Chinapaw, Mai J M; van de Bovenkamp, Maaike; de Boer, Michiel R; Seidell, Jacob C; Brug, Johannes; de Vet, Emely

2014-03-24

Excessive body weight, low physical activity and excessive sedentary time in youth are major public health concerns. A new generation of video games, the ones that require physical activity to play the games--i.e. active games--may be a promising alternative to traditional non-active games to promote physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviors in youth. The aim of this manuscript is to describe the design of a study evaluating the effects of a family oriented active game intervention, incorporating several motivational elements, on anthropometrics and health behaviors in adolescents. The study is a randomized controlled trial (RCT), with non-active gaming adolescents aged 12-16 years old randomly allocated to a ten month intervention (receiving active games, as well as an encouragement to play) or a waiting-list control group (receiving active games after the intervention period). Primary outcomes are adolescents' measured BMI-SDS (SDS=adjusted for mean standard deviation score), waist circumference-SDS, hip circumference and sum of skinfolds. Secondary outcomes are adolescents' self-reported time spent playing active and non-active games, other sedentary activities and consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. In addition, a process evaluation is conducted, assessing the sustainability of the active games, enjoyment, perceived competence, perceived barriers for active game play, game context, injuries from active game play, activity replacement and intention to continue playing the active games. This is the first adequately powered RCT including normal weight adolescents, evaluating a reasonably long period of provision of and exposure to active games. Next, strong elements are the incorporating motivational elements for active game play and a comprehensive process evaluation. This trial will provide evidence regarding the potential contribution of active games in prevention of excessive weight gain in adolescents. Dutch Trial register NTR3228.

Active video games as a tool to prevent excessive weight gain in adolescents: rationale, design and methods of a randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Excessive body weight, low physical activity and excessive sedentary time in youth are major public health concerns. A new generation of video games, the ones that require physical activity to play the games –i.e. active games- may be a promising alternative to traditional non-active games to promote physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviors in youth. The aim of this manuscript is to describe the design of a study evaluating the effects of a family oriented active game intervention, incorporating several motivational elements, on anthropometrics and health behaviors in adolescents. Methods/Design The study is a randomized controlled trial (RCT), with non-active gaming adolescents aged 12 – 16 years old randomly allocated to a ten month intervention (receiving active games, as well as an encouragement to play) or a waiting-list control group (receiving active games after the intervention period). Primary outcomes are adolescents’ measured BMI-SDS (SDS = adjusted for mean standard deviation score), waist circumference-SDS, hip circumference and sum of skinfolds. Secondary outcomes are adolescents’ self-reported time spent playing active and non-active games, other sedentary activities and consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. In addition, a process evaluation is conducted, assessing the sustainability of the active games, enjoyment, perceived competence, perceived barriers for active game play, game context, injuries from active game play, activity replacement and intention to continue playing the active games. Discussion This is the first adequately powered RCT including normal weight adolescents, evaluating a reasonably long period of provision of and exposure to active games. Next, strong elements are the incorporating motivational elements for active game play and a comprehensive process evaluation. This trial will provide evidence regarding the potential contribution of active games in prevention of excessive weight gain in adolescents. Trial registration Dutch Trial register NTR3228. PMID:24661535

The Effectiveness of Neurofeedback on Enhancing Cognitive Process Involved in Entrepreneurship Abilities among Primary School Students in District No. 3 Tehran.

PubMed

Rahmati, Narges; Rostami, Reza; Zali, Mohammad Reza; Nowicki, Stephen; Zarei, Jamilah

2014-10-01

The aim of this study is to investigate the entrepreneurial traits of school children in the city of Tehran. For this purpose, 48 students were selected with an average IQ between 90 and 119. Ranging from 7th to 12th grades, all the subjects were assessed using Nowicki-Strickland's Locus of Control Scale (N-SLCS), Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT), and Hyperkinetic Syndrome Assessment Method (HKSD). The obtained results were then organized and categorized into three groups. One of the groups was randomly chosen as experimental and the other as the control group and the last play group. In this empirical study, the students received Sensory Motor Rhythm (SMR) and Beta neurofeedback for 20 sessions. The play group was assigned to play mind games for 20 sessions. At the same time, the control group received no experiments. After the end of the experiments, all the students in three groups were reassessed by Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking, Hyperkinetic Syndrome Assessment Method, and Nowicki-Strickland's Locus of Control Scale. The results from MANOVA showed that the neurofeedback group had demonstrated a meaningful change in creativity and locus of control while the adaptability of risk-taking was on a meaningful level for the experimental group. The results also indicate an improvement in creativity for the neurofeedback group in comparison with the play group on a 0.02 meaningful level. Similarly, the results suggest an improvement in creativity for the neurofeedback group on a 0.000 meaningful level in comparison with the control group. This is while the play group and the control group do not show any meaningful difference. The results also show an improvement in the internal locus of control for the neurofeedback group in comparison with the play group on a 0.032 meaningful level; while, it is meaningful on a 0.01 level for the neurofeedback group in comparison with the control group. The findings for the play group and control group do not show any meaningful difference. The paper concludes that neurofeedback training can be used for increasing the level of entrepreneurial traits in students.

Vitamin D deficiency: infertility and neurodevelopmental diseases (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism, and schizophrenia).

PubMed

Berridge, Michael J

2018-02-01

The process of development depends on a number of signaling systems that regulates the progressive sequence of developmental events. Infertility and neurodevelopmental diseases, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorders, and schizophrenia, are caused by specific alterations in these signaling processes. Calcium signaling plays a prominent role throughout development beginning at fertilization and continuing through early development, implantation, and organ differentiation such as heart and brain development. Vitamin D plays a major role in regulating these signaling processes that control development. There is an increase in infertility and an onset of neurodevelopmental diseases when vitamin D is deficient. The way in which vitamin D deficiency acts to alter development is a major feature of this review. One of the primary functions of vitamin D is to maintain the phenotypic stability of both the Ca 2+ and redox signaling pathways that play such a key role throughout development.

Real-Time Monitoring of Heterogeneous Catalysis with Mass Spectrometry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Mark A.

2009-01-01

Heterogeneous, gas-solid processes constitute an important class of catalytic reactions that play a key role in a variety of applications, such as industrial processing and environmental controls. Heterogeneous catalytic chemistry can be demonstrated in a simple heated flow reactor containing a fragment of the catalytic converter from a vehicular…

Molecular controls of arterial morphogenesis.

PubMed

Simons, Michael; Eichmann, Anne

2015-05-08

Formation of arterial vasculature, here termed arteriogenesis, is a central process in embryonic vascular development as well as in adult tissues. Although the process of capillary formation, angiogenesis, is relatively well understood, much remains to be learned about arteriogenesis. Recent discoveries point to the key role played by vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 in control of this process and to newly identified control circuits that dramatically influence its activity. The latter can present particularly attractive targets for a new class of therapeutic agents capable of activation of this signaling cascade in a ligand-independent manner, thereby promoting arteriogenesis in diseased tissues. © 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.

The endpoint detection technique for deep submicrometer plasma etching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Wei; Du, Zhi-yun; Zeng, Yong; Lan, Zhong-went

2009-07-01

The availability of reliable optical sensor technology provides opportunities to better characterize and control plasma etching processes in real time, they could play a important role in endpoint detection, fault diagnostics and processes feedback control and so on. The optical emission spectroscopy (OES) method becomes deficient in the case of deep submicrometer gate etching. In the newly developed high density inductively coupled plasma (HD-ICP) etching system, Interferometry endpoint (IEP) is introduced to get the EPD. The IEP fringe count algorithm is investigated to predict the end point, and then its signal is used to control etching rate and to call end point with OES signal in over etching (OE) processes step. The experiment results show that IEP together with OES provide extra process control margin for advanced device with thinner gate oxide.

Virtual and flexible digital signal processing system based on software PnP and component works

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Tao; Wu, Qinghua; Zhong, Fei; Li, Wei

2005-05-01

An idea about software PnP (Plug & Play) is put forward according to the hardware PnP. And base on this idea, a virtual flexible digital signal processing system (FVDSPS) is carried out. FVDSPS is composed of a main control center, many sub-function modules and other hardware I/O modules. Main control center sends out commands to sub-function modules, and manages running orders, parameters and results of sub-functions. The software kernel of FVDSPS is DSP (Digital Signal Processing) module, which communicates with the main control center through some protocols, accept commands or send requirements. The data sharing and exchanging between the main control center and the DSP modules are carried out and managed by the files system of the Windows Operation System through the effective communication. FVDSPS real orients objects, orients engineers and orients engineering problems. With FVDSPS, users can freely plug and play, and fast reconfigure a signal process system according to engineering problems without programming. What you see is what you get. Thus, an engineer can orient engineering problems directly, pay more attention to engineering problems, and promote the flexibility, reliability and veracity of testing system. Because FVDSPS orients TCP/IP protocol, through Internet, testing engineers, technology experts can be connected freely without space. Engineering problems can be resolved fast and effectively. FVDSPS can be used in many fields such as instruments and meter, fault diagnosis, device maintenance and quality control.

Robotic Attention Processing And Its Application To Visual Guidance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barth, Matthew; Inoue, Hirochika

1988-03-01

This paper describes a method of real-time visual attention processing for robots performing visual guidance. This robot attention processing is based on a novel vision processor, the multi-window vision system that was developed at the University of Tokyo. The multi-window vision system is unique in that it only processes visual information inside local area windows. These local area windows are quite flexible in their ability to move anywhere on the visual screen, change their size and shape, and alter their pixel sampling rate. By using these windows for specific attention tasks, it is possible to perform high speed attention processing. The primary attention skills of detecting motion, tracking an object, and interpreting an image are all performed at high speed on the multi-window vision system. A basic robotic attention scheme using the attention skills was developed. The attention skills involved detection and tracking of salient visual features. The tracking and motion information thus obtained was utilized in producing the response to the visual stimulus. The response of the attention scheme was quick enough to be applicable to the real-time vision processing tasks of playing a video 'pong' game, and later using an automobile driving simulator. By detecting the motion of a 'ball' on a video screen and then tracking the movement, the attention scheme was able to control a 'paddle' in order to keep the ball in play. The response was faster than that of a human's, allowing the attention scheme to play the video game at higher speeds. Further, in the application to the driving simulator, the attention scheme was able to control both direction and velocity of a simulated vehicle following a lead car. These two applications show the potential of local visual processing in its use for robotic attention processing.

Dynamic adjustments of cognitive control during economic decision making.

PubMed

Soutschek, Alexander; Schubert, Torsten

2014-10-01

Decision making in the Ultimatum game requires the resolution of conflicts between economic self-interest and fairness intuitions. Since cognitive control processes play an important role in conflict resolution, the present study examined how control processes that are triggered by conflicts between fairness and self-interest in unfair offers affect subsequent decisions in the Ultimatum game. Our results revealed that more unfair offers were accepted following previously unfair, compared to previously fair offers. Interestingly, the magnitude of this conflict adaptation effect correlated with the individual subjects' focus on economic self-interest. We concluded that conflicts between fairness and self-interest trigger cognitive control processes, which reinforce the focus on the current task goal. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dynamic Simulation and Static Matching for Action Prediction: Evidence from Body Part Priming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Springer, Anne; Brandstadter, Simone; Prinz, Wolfgang

2013-01-01

Accurately predicting other people's actions may involve two processes: internal real-time simulation (dynamic updating) and matching recently perceived action images (static matching). Using a priming of body parts, this study aimed to differentiate the two processes. Specifically, participants played a motion-controlled video game with…

Insights from Cognitive Neuroscience: The Importance of Executive Function for Early Reading Development and Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cartwright, Kelly B.

2012-01-01

Research Findings: Executive function begins to develop in infancy and involves an array of processes, such as attention, inhibition, working memory, and cognitive flexibility, which provide the means by which individuals control their own behavior, work toward goals, and manage complex cognitive processes. Thus, executive function plays a…

Controlling Nonpoint-Source Water Pollution: A Citizen's Handbook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen, Nancy Richardson; And Others

Citizens can play an important role in helping their states develop pollution control programs and spurring effective efforts to deal with nonpoint-source pollution. This guide takes the reader step-by-step through the process that states must follow to comply with water quality legislation relevant to nonpoint-source pollution. Part I provides…

COMBUSTION MODIFICATION CONTROL OF NITROGEN OXIDES (EPA/600/F-95/012)

EPA Science Inventory

EPA's efforts in research and development of nitrogen oxide (NOx) control technologies by
means of modifying the combustion process have played a major role in reducing stationary
source NOx emissions by over 3 million tons (2.73 x 10^6 tonnes) annually, and have led to at<...

Examining an online microbiology game as an effective tool for teaching the scientific process.

PubMed

Bowling, Kristi G; Klisch, Yvonne; Wang, Shu; Beier, Margaret

2013-01-01

This study investigates the effectiveness of the online Flash game Disease Defenders in producing knowledge gains for concepts related to the scientific process. Disease Defenders was specifically designed to model how the scientific process is central to a variety of disciplines and science careers. An additional question relates to the game's ability to shift attitudes toward science. Middle school classes from grades six to eight were assigned to the experimental group (n = 489) or control group (n = 367) and asked to participate in a three-session intervention. The sessions involved completing a pretest, a game play session, and taking a posttest. Students in the experimental group played Disease Defenders while students in the control group played an alternative science game. Results showed a significant increase in mean science knowledge scores for all grades in the experimental group, with sixth grade and seventh grade students gaining more knowledge than eighth grade students. Additionally, results showed a significant positive change in science attitudes only among sixth graders, who also rated their satisfaction with the game more favorably than students in higher grades. No differences in mean test scores were found between genders for science knowledge or science attitudes, suggesting that the game is equally effective for males and females.

A rugged landscape model for self-organization and emergent leadership in creative problem solving and production groups.

PubMed

Guastello, Stephen J; Craven, Joanna; Zygowicz, Karen M; Bock, Benjamin R

2005-07-01

The process by which an initially leaderless group differentiates into one containing leadership and secondary role structures was examined using the swallowtail catastrophe model and principles of selforganization. The objectives were to identify the control variables in the process of leadership emergence in creative problem solving groups and production groups. In the first of two experiments, groups of university students (total N = 114) played a creative problem solving game. Participants later rated each other on leadership behavior, styles, and variables related to the process of conversation. A performance quality measure was included also. Control parameters in the swallowtail catastrophe model were identified through a combination of factor analysis and nonlinear regression. Leaders displayed a broad spectrum of behaviors in the general categories of Controlling the Conversation and Creativity in their role-play. In the second experiment, groups of university students (total N = 197) engaged in a laboratory work experiment that had a substantial production goal component. The same system of ratings and modeling strategy was used along with a work production measure. Leaders in the production task emerged to the extent that they exhibited control over both the creative and production aspects of the task, they could keep tension low, and the externally imposed production goals were realistic.

Cognitive control and reward/loss processing in Internet gaming disorder: Results from a comparison with recreational Internet game-users.

PubMed

Dong, G; Li, H; Wang, L; Potenza, M N

2017-07-01

Although playing of Internet games may lead to Internet gaming disorder (IGD), most game-users do not develop problems and only a relatively small subset experiences IGD. Game playing may have positive health associations, whereas IGD has been repeatedly associated with negative health measures, and it is thus important to understand differences between individuals with IGD, recreational (non-problematic) game use (RGU) and non-/low-frequency game use (NLFGU). Individuals with IGD have shown differences in neural activations from non-gamers, yet few studies have examined neural differences between individuals with IGD, RGU and NLFGU. Eighteen individuals with IGD, 21 with RGU and 19 with NFLGU performed a color-word Stroop task and a guessing task assessing reward/loss processing. Behavioral and functional imaging data were collected and compared between groups. RGU and NLFGU subjects showed lower Stroop effects as compared with those with IGD. RGU subjects as compared to those with IGD demonstrated less frontal cortical activation brain activation during Stroop performance. During the guessing task, RGU subjects showed greater cortico-striatal activations than IGD subjects during processing of winning outcomes and greater frontal brain during processing of losing outcomes. Findings suggest that RGU as compared with IGD subjects show greater executive control and greater activations of brain regions implicated in motivational processes during reward processing and greater cortical activations during loss processing. These findings suggest neural and behavioral features distinguishing RGU from IGD and mechanisms by which RGU may be motivated to play online games frequently yet avoid developing IGD. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Context-dependent adaptation of visually-guided arm movements and vestibular eye movements: role of the cerebellum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lewis, Richard F.

2003-01-01

Accurate motor control requires adaptive processes that correct for gradual and rapid perturbations in the properties of the controlled object. The ability to quickly switch between different movement synergies using sensory cues, referred to as context-dependent adaptation, is a subject of considerable interest at present. The potential function of the cerebellum in context-dependent adaptation remains uncertain, but the data reviewed below suggest that it may play a fundamental role in this process.

Critical design of heterogeneous catalysts for biomass valorization: current thrust and emerging prospects

DOE PAGES

De, Sudipta; Dutta, Saikat; Saha, Basudeb

2016-01-01

Catalysis in the heterogeneous phase plays a crucial role in the valorization of biorenewable substrates with controlled reactivity, efficient mechanical process separation, greater recyclability and minimization of environmental effects.

Deep-Water Resedimented Carbonate Exploration Play Types: Controls and Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Minzoni, M.; Janson, X.; Kerans, C.; Playton, T.; Winefield, P.; Burgess, P. M.

2016-12-01

Deepwater resedimented deposits have been described in both modern and ancient carbonate sequences, many with good reservoir potential, for example the giant Cretaceous Poza Rica field in Mexico ( 40 MMBoe), the Mississippian Tangiz field in Kazakhstan, and several fields in the U.S. Permian basin (several Tcf gas). Nevertheless, carbonate slope and basin systems remain poorly understood when compared to their siliciclastic counterparts. Legacy published and unpublished work, combined with a global database of surface and sub-surface examples of resedimented carbonates, has highlighted that downslope resedimentation of carbonate material is in large part controlled by the evolution of the parent platform margin, which in turn is best characterized in terms of various controlling processes such as the carbonate factory type, tectonic setting, eustatic variations, and prevailing wind direction and ocean current patterns. Two generic play types emerge: (i) attached carbonate slope play -developed immediately adjacent to the parent carbonate platform and dominated by rock fall and platform collapse deposits or in situ boundstone; and (ii) detached carbonate slope play - deposited further from the platform margin via channelized turbidity currents and other mass-flow processes. High-rising, steep, bypass platform margins with collapse scars and grain-dominated factories have the highest potential to generate channelized and detached deep-water reservoirs with high initial porosity and permeability. Best reservoirs are aragonitic grainstones transported from the platform into the adjacent basin, and undergoing dissolution in submarine undersaturated water with early formation of secondary porosity to further enhance reservoir properties. Any exploration model aiming at identifying potential resedimented carbonate plays should be based on carbonate platform configurations and factory types favorable for re-sedimentation of large sedimentary bodies and preservation or enhancement of high original porosity. Using these proposed conceptual models in combination with global paleogeographic and paleotectonic maps, the explorer may be able to develop better predictions for the likely age and location of resedimented carbonate plays with the greatest potential for further evaluation.

Musical intervention enhances infants’ neural processing of temporal structure in music and speech

PubMed Central

Zhao, T. Christina; Kuhl, Patricia K.

2016-01-01

Individuals with music training in early childhood show enhanced processing of musical sounds, an effect that generalizes to speech processing. However, the conclusions drawn from previous studies are limited due to the possible confounds of predisposition and other factors affecting musicians and nonmusicians. We used a randomized design to test the effects of a laboratory-controlled music intervention on young infants’ neural processing of music and speech. Nine-month-old infants were randomly assigned to music (intervention) or play (control) activities for 12 sessions. The intervention targeted temporal structure learning using triple meter in music (e.g., waltz), which is difficult for infants, and it incorporated key characteristics of typical infant music classes to maximize learning (e.g., multimodal, social, and repetitive experiences). Controls had similar multimodal, social, repetitive play, but without music. Upon completion, infants’ neural processing of temporal structure was tested in both music (tones in triple meter) and speech (foreign syllable structure). Infants’ neural processing was quantified by the mismatch response (MMR) measured with a traditional oddball paradigm using magnetoencephalography (MEG). The intervention group exhibited significantly larger MMRs in response to music temporal structure violations in both auditory and prefrontal cortical regions. Identical results were obtained for temporal structure changes in speech. The intervention thus enhanced temporal structure processing not only in music, but also in speech, at 9 mo of age. We argue that the intervention enhanced infants’ ability to extract temporal structure information and to predict future events in time, a skill affecting both music and speech processing. PMID:27114512

Musical intervention enhances infants' neural processing of temporal structure in music and speech.

PubMed

Zhao, T Christina; Kuhl, Patricia K

2016-05-10

Individuals with music training in early childhood show enhanced processing of musical sounds, an effect that generalizes to speech processing. However, the conclusions drawn from previous studies are limited due to the possible confounds of predisposition and other factors affecting musicians and nonmusicians. We used a randomized design to test the effects of a laboratory-controlled music intervention on young infants' neural processing of music and speech. Nine-month-old infants were randomly assigned to music (intervention) or play (control) activities for 12 sessions. The intervention targeted temporal structure learning using triple meter in music (e.g., waltz), which is difficult for infants, and it incorporated key characteristics of typical infant music classes to maximize learning (e.g., multimodal, social, and repetitive experiences). Controls had similar multimodal, social, repetitive play, but without music. Upon completion, infants' neural processing of temporal structure was tested in both music (tones in triple meter) and speech (foreign syllable structure). Infants' neural processing was quantified by the mismatch response (MMR) measured with a traditional oddball paradigm using magnetoencephalography (MEG). The intervention group exhibited significantly larger MMRs in response to music temporal structure violations in both auditory and prefrontal cortical regions. Identical results were obtained for temporal structure changes in speech. The intervention thus enhanced temporal structure processing not only in music, but also in speech, at 9 mo of age. We argue that the intervention enhanced infants' ability to extract temporal structure information and to predict future events in time, a skill affecting both music and speech processing.

Analysis of glycoprotein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum using synthetic oligosaccharides.

PubMed

Ito, Yukishige; Takeda, Yoichi

2012-01-01

Protein quality control (QC) in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) comprises many steps, including folding and transport of nascent proteins as well as degradation of misfolded proteins. Recent studies have revealed that high-mannose-type glycans play a pivotal role in the QC process. To gain knowledge about the molecular basis of this process with well-defined homogeneous compounds, we achieved a convergent synthesis of high-mannose-type glycans and their functionalized derivatives. We focused on analyses of UDP-Glc: glycoprotein glucosyltransferase (UGGT) and ER Glucosidase II, which play crucial roles in glycoprotein QC; however, their specificities remain unclear. In addition, we established an in vitro assay system mimicking the in vivo condition which is highly crowded because of the presence of various biomacromolecules.

Violent video game players and non-players differ on facial emotion recognition.

PubMed

Diaz, Ruth L; Wong, Ulric; Hodgins, David C; Chiu, Carina G; Goghari, Vina M

2016-01-01

Violent video game playing has been associated with both positive and negative effects on cognition. We examined whether playing two or more hours of violent video games a day, compared to not playing video games, was associated with a different pattern of recognition of five facial emotions, while controlling for general perceptual and cognitive differences that might also occur. Undergraduate students were categorized as violent video game players (n = 83) or non-gamers (n = 69) and completed a facial recognition task, consisting of an emotion recognition condition and a control condition of gender recognition. Additionally, participants completed questionnaires assessing their video game and media consumption, aggression, and mood. Violent video game players recognized fearful faces both more accurately and quickly and disgusted faces less accurately than non-gamers. Desensitization to violence, constant exposure to fear and anxiety during game playing, and the habituation to unpleasant stimuli, are possible mechanisms that could explain these results. Future research should evaluate the effects of violent video game playing on emotion processing and social cognition more broadly. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Effectiveness of Neurofeedback on Enhancing Cognitive Process Involved in Entrepreneurship Abilities among Primary School Students in District No. 3 Tehran

PubMed Central

Rahmati, Narges; Rostami, Reza; Zali, Mohammad Reza; Nowicki, Stephen; Zarei, Jamilah

2014-01-01

Introduction: The aim of this study is to investigate the entrepreneurial traits of school children in the city of Tehran. Methods: For this purpose, 48 students were selected with an average IQ between 90 and 119. Ranging from 7th to 12th grades, all the subjects were assessed using Nowicki-Strickland’s Locus of Control Scale (N-SLCS), Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT), and Hyperkinetic Syndrome Assessment Method (HKSD). The obtained results were then organized and categorized into three groups. One of the groups was randomly chosen as experimental and the other as the control group and the last play group. In this empirical study, the students received Sensory Motor Rhythm (SMR) and Beta neurofeedback for 20 sessions. The play group was assigned to play mind games for 20 sessions. At the same time, the control group received no experiments. After the end of the experiments, all the students in three groups were reassessed by Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking, Hyperkinetic Syndrome Assessment Method, and Nowicki-Strickland’s Locus of Control Scale. Results: The results from MANOVA showed that the neurofeedback group had demonstrated a meaningful change in creativity and locus of control while the adaptability of risk-taking was on a meaningful level for the experimental group. The results also indicate an improvement in creativity for the neurofeedback group in comparison with the play group on a 0.02 meaningful level. Similarly, the results suggest an improvement in creativity for the neurofeedback group on a 0.000 meaningful level in comparison with the control group. This is while the play group and the control group do not show any meaningful difference. The results also show an improvement in the internal locus of control for the neurofeedback group in comparison with the play group on a 0.032 meaningful level; while, it is meaningful on a 0.01 level for the neurofeedback group in comparison with the control group. Discussion: The findings for the play group and control group do not show any meaningful difference. The paper concludes that neurofeedback training can be used for increasing the level of entrepreneurial traits in students. PMID:27284392

The 3D model control of image processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, An H.; Stark, Lawrence

1989-01-01

Telerobotics studies remote control of distant robots by a human operator using supervisory or direct control. Even if the robot manipulators has vision or other senses, problems arise involving control, communications, and delay. The communication delays that may be expected with telerobots working in space stations while being controlled from an Earth lab have led to a number of experiments attempting to circumvent the problem. This delay in communication is a main motivating factor in moving from well understood instantaneous hands-on manual control to less well understood supervisory control; the ultimate step would be the realization of a fully autonomous robot. The 3-D model control plays a crucial role in resolving many conflicting image processing problems that are inherent in resolving in the bottom-up approach of most current machine vision processes. The 3-D model control approach is also capable of providing the necessary visual feedback information for both the control algorithms and for the human operator.

The Commercialization and Functional Rationalization of College Football: Its Origins

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Westby, David L.; Sack, Allen

1976-01-01

The process of introducing commercialization and functional rationalization into a game originally played for fun and controlled by the participants is shown to have occurred at Yale as that institution was brought under the control of representatives of the newly rich class of bankers and industrialists coming to power in the nineteenth century.…

The Effect of Inhibitory Control on General Mathematics Achievement and Fraction Comparison in Middle School Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gómez, David Maximiliano; Jiménez, Abelino; Bobadilla, Roberto; Reyes, Cristián; Dartnell, Pablo

2015-01-01

Individual differences in inhibitory control have been shown to relate to general mathematics achievement, but whether this relation varies for specific areas within mathematics is a question that remains open. Here, we evaluate if inhibitory processes play a specific role in the particular case of fraction comparison, where learners must ignore…

The Role of Ankle Proprioception for Balance Control in relation to Sports Performance and Injury.

PubMed

Han, Jia; Anson, Judith; Waddington, Gordon; Adams, Roger; Liu, Yu

2015-01-01

Balance control improvement is one of the most important goals in sports and exercise. Better balance is strongly positively associated with enhanced athletic performance and negatively associated with lower limb sports injuries. Proprioception plays an essential role in balance control, and ankle proprioception is arguably the most important. This paper reviews ankle proprioception and explores synergies with balance control, specifically in a sporting context. Central processing of ankle proprioceptive information, along with other sensory information, enables integration for balance control. When assessing ankle proprioception, the most generalizable findings arise from methods that are ecologically valid, allow proprioceptive signals to be integrated with general vision in the central nervous system, and reflect the signal-in-noise nature of central processing. Ankle proprioceptive intervention concepts driven by such a central processing theory are further proposed and discussed for the improvement of balance control in sport.

The Role of Ankle Proprioception for Balance Control in relation to Sports Performance and Injury

PubMed Central

Han, Jia; Waddington, Gordon; Adams, Roger; Liu, Yu

2015-01-01

Balance control improvement is one of the most important goals in sports and exercise. Better balance is strongly positively associated with enhanced athletic performance and negatively associated with lower limb sports injuries. Proprioception plays an essential role in balance control, and ankle proprioception is arguably the most important. This paper reviews ankle proprioception and explores synergies with balance control, specifically in a sporting context. Central processing of ankle proprioceptive information, along with other sensory information, enables integration for balance control. When assessing ankle proprioception, the most generalizable findings arise from methods that are ecologically valid, allow proprioceptive signals to be integrated with general vision in the central nervous system, and reflect the signal-in-noise nature of central processing. Ankle proprioceptive intervention concepts driven by such a central processing theory are further proposed and discussed for the improvement of balance control in sport. PMID:26583139

Analysis of the Argonne distance tabletop exercise method.

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

Tanzman, E. A.; Nieves, L. A.; Decision and Information Sciences

2008-02-14

The purpose of this report is to summarize and evaluate the Argonne Distance Tabletop Exercise (DISTEX) method. DISTEX is intended to facilitate multi-organization, multi-objective tabletop emergency response exercises that permit players to participate from their own facility's incident command center. This report is based on experience during its first use during the FluNami 2007 exercise, which took place from September 19-October 17, 2007. FluNami 2007 exercised the response of local public health officials and hospitals to a hypothetical pandemic flu outbreak. The underlying purpose of the DISTEX method is to make tabletop exercising more effective and more convenient for playingmore » organizations. It combines elements of traditional tabletop exercising, such as scenario discussions and scenario injects, with distance learning technologies. This distance-learning approach also allows playing organizations to include a broader range of staff in the exercise. An average of 81.25 persons participated in each weekly webcast session from all playing organizations combined. The DISTEX method required development of several components. The exercise objectives were based on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Target Capabilities List. The ten playing organizations included four public health departments and six hospitals in the Chicago area. An extent-of-play agreement identified the objectives applicable to each organization. A scenario was developed to drive the exercise over its five-week life. Weekly problem-solving task sets were designed to address objectives that could not be addressed fully during webcast sessions, as well as to involve additional playing organization staff. Injects were developed to drive play between webcast sessions, and, in some cases, featured mock media stories based in part on player actions as identified from the problem-solving tasks. The weekly 90-minute webcast sessions were discussions among the playing organizations that were moderated by a highly-qualified public health physician, who reviewed key scenario developments and player actions, as well as solicited input from each playing organization. The exercise control structure included trusted agents who oversaw exercise planning, playing organization points of contact to ensure exercise coordination, and exercise controller/evaluators to initiate and oversee exercise play. A password-protected exercise website was designed for FluNami 2007 to serve as a compartmentalized central information source, and for transmitting exercise documents. During the course of FluNami 2007, feedback on its quality was collected from players and controller/evaluators. Player feedback was requested at the conclusion of each webcast, upon completion of each problem-solving task, and on October 17, 2007, after the final webcast session had ended. The overall average score given to FluNami 2008 by the responding players was 3.9 on a five-point scale. In addition, suggestions for improving the process were provided by Argonne controller/evaluators after the exercise concluded. A series of recommendations was developed based on feedback from the players and controller/evaluators. These included improvements to the exercise scope and objectives, the problem-solving tasks, the scenarios, exercise control, the webcast sessions, the exercise website, and the player feedback process.« less

Role of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor γ in Ocular Diseases

PubMed Central

Gu, Hongwei

2015-01-01

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPAR γ), a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily, is a ligand-activated transcription factor that plays an important role in the control of a variety of physiological processes. The last decade has witnessed an increasing interest for the role played by the agonists of PPAR γ in antiangiogenesis, antifibrosis, anti-inflammation effects and in controlling oxidative stress response in various organs. As the pathologic mechanisms of major blinding diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy (DR), keratitis, and optic neuropathy, often involve neoangiogenesis and inflammation- and oxidative stress-mediated cell death, evidences are accumulating on the potential benefits of PPAR γ to improve or prevent these vision threatening eye diseases. In this paper we describe what is known about the role of PPAR γ in the ocular pathophysiological processes and PPAR γ agonists as novel adjuvants in the treatment of eye diseases. PMID:26146566

Change in cognitive process during dance video game play with different appendages for motor output

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suzuki, Kota; Ono, Yumie; Shimada, Sotaro; Tachibana, Atsumichi; Noah, Jack Adam

2018-02-01

Playing a dance video game (DVG) requires fine temporal control of foot positions based on simultaneous visuoauditory integration. Despite the highly-demanding nature of its cognitive processes, DVG could offer promising exercise opportunities for elderly people to maintain their cognitive abilities due to its strong adherence. Using functional near-infrared spectroscopy, we have previously shown that DVG play with the foot activates prefrontal and temporoparietal cortices. However, it is still in debate whether this brain-stimulatory effect of DVG could also be maintained in case that DVG is played with the hand by people who have difficulty to play DVG in a standing position. We therefore investigated the regional brain activity of 12 healthy, right-handed young-adults when they played DVG with their dominant hand and foot. We found that the DVG-related hemodynamic activity was comparable in the prefrontal area regardless of the appendages while that was significantly smaller in case of playing with the hand related to the foot in the left superior/middle temporal gyrus (S/MTG). A similar trend was also observed in the right S/MTG. These results suggest that the motor preparatory function mediated by the prefrontal cortices is equally employed regardless of appendages while more cognitive load is required in the temporal cortices with foot-played DVG, possibly to integrate visual, auditory, and proprioceptive information. Hand-played DVG may partially substitute foot-played DVG in the sense of cognitive training in the elderly.

Multiscale computational modeling reveals a critical role for TNF-α receptor 1 dynamics in tuberculosis granuloma formation.

PubMed

Fallahi-Sichani, Mohammad; El-Kebir, Mohammed; Marino, Simeone; Kirschner, Denise E; Linderman, Jennifer J

2011-03-15

Multiple immune factors control host responses to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, including the formation of granulomas, which are aggregates of immune cells whose function may reflect success or failure of the host to contain infection. One such factor is TNF-α. TNF-α has been experimentally characterized to have the following activities in M. tuberculosis infection: macrophage activation, apoptosis, and chemokine and cytokine production. Availability of TNF-α within a granuloma has been proposed to play a critical role in immunity to M. tuberculosis. However, in vivo measurement of a TNF-α concentration gradient and activities within a granuloma are not experimentally feasible. Further, processes that control TNF-α concentration and activities in a granuloma remain unknown. We developed a multiscale computational model that includes molecular, cellular, and tissue scale events that occur during granuloma formation and maintenance in lung. We use our model to identify processes that regulate TNF-α concentration and cellular behaviors and thus influence the outcome of infection within a granuloma. Our model predicts that TNF-αR1 internalization kinetics play a critical role in infection control within a granuloma, controlling whether there is clearance of bacteria, excessive inflammation, containment of bacteria within a stable granuloma, or uncontrolled growth of bacteria. Our results suggest that there is an interplay between TNF-α and bacterial levels in a granuloma that is controlled by the combined effects of both molecular and cellular scale processes. Finally, our model elucidates processes involved in immunity to M. tuberculosis that may be new targets for therapy.

Reclaiming streets for outdoor play: A process and impact evaluation of “Juega en tu Barrio” (Play in your Neighborhood), an intervention to increase physical activity and opportunities for play

PubMed Central

Albagli, Andrea; Sadarangani, Kabir P.; Aguilar-Farias, Nicolas

2017-01-01

Background New strategies are required to create supportive physical and social environments for children and promote active free-play. Juega en tu Barrio (JETB; Play in your Neighborhood) was designed and implemented to explore the effectiveness of closing a street in a low-to-middle income neighborhood in order to increase children’s outside play and physical activity. Methods A pretest-posttest design with control group was employed to investigate the intervention effects in a subsample of 100 children, 51 from the intervention neighborhood and 49 from the control neighborhood. The children wore pedometers for one week, and their parents completed questionnaires at two time points: before the intervention began and during the last two weeks of the intervention. JETB was conducted in the intervention neighborhood from 17:30 to 20:30, twice a week, from September to December 2014. Stewards ensured that the children were safe. Children and adults were assessed using systematic observation. Results The intervention and control neighborhoods included 177 and 116 children respectively. The average attendance per event was 60 children (SD = 22, reach 34%). In the intervention neighborhood, a significant increase between baseline and final assessment was observed in after-school outdoor playtime (p = 0.02), steps during the 3-hour intervention (p = 0.004), and daily steps Monday to Sunday (p = 0.006). Meanwhile, no changes were observed in the control neighborhood for the same variables. The proportion of children who met recommended daily step counts increased from 27.5% to 53.0% in the intervention neighborhood (p = 0.007), while for control neighborhood no difference was observed (49.0% to 53.0% p = 0.804). Conclusions JETB showed high community engagement while offering opportunities for increased outdoor play in children. The intervention showed a significant effect on the number of children meeting the daily pedometer-derived physical activity recommendations. PMID:28671984

Reclaiming streets for outdoor play: A process and impact evaluation of "Juega en tu Barrio" (Play in your Neighborhood), an intervention to increase physical activity and opportunities for play.

PubMed

Cortinez-O'Ryan, Andrea; Albagli, Andrea; Sadarangani, Kabir P; Aguilar-Farias, Nicolas

2017-01-01

New strategies are required to create supportive physical and social environments for children and promote active free-play. Juega en tu Barrio (JETB; Play in your Neighborhood) was designed and implemented to explore the effectiveness of closing a street in a low-to-middle income neighborhood in order to increase children's outside play and physical activity. A pretest-posttest design with control group was employed to investigate the intervention effects in a subsample of 100 children, 51 from the intervention neighborhood and 49 from the control neighborhood. The children wore pedometers for one week, and their parents completed questionnaires at two time points: before the intervention began and during the last two weeks of the intervention. JETB was conducted in the intervention neighborhood from 17:30 to 20:30, twice a week, from September to December 2014. Stewards ensured that the children were safe. Children and adults were assessed using systematic observation. The intervention and control neighborhoods included 177 and 116 children respectively. The average attendance per event was 60 children (SD = 22, reach 34%). In the intervention neighborhood, a significant increase between baseline and final assessment was observed in after-school outdoor playtime (p = 0.02), steps during the 3-hour intervention (p = 0.004), and daily steps Monday to Sunday (p = 0.006). Meanwhile, no changes were observed in the control neighborhood for the same variables. The proportion of children who met recommended daily step counts increased from 27.5% to 53.0% in the intervention neighborhood (p = 0.007), while for control neighborhood no difference was observed (49.0% to 53.0% p = 0.804). JETB showed high community engagement while offering opportunities for increased outdoor play in children. The intervention showed a significant effect on the number of children meeting the daily pedometer-derived physical activity recommendations.

Oscillatory mechanisms of process binding in memory.

PubMed

Klimesch, Wolfgang; Freunberger, Roman; Sauseng, Paul

2010-06-01

A central topic in cognitive neuroscience is the question, which processes underlie large scale communication within and between different neural networks. The basic assumption is that oscillatory phase synchronization plays an important role for process binding--the transient linking of different cognitive processes--which may be considered a special type of large scale communication. We investigate this question for memory processes on the basis of different types of oscillatory synchronization mechanisms. The reviewed findings suggest that theta and alpha phase coupling (and phase reorganization) reflect control processes in two large memory systems, a working memory and a complex knowledge system that comprises semantic long-term memory. It is suggested that alpha phase synchronization may be interpreted in terms of processes that coordinate top-down control (a process guided by expectancy to focus on relevant search areas) and access to memory traces (a process leading to the activation of a memory trace). An analogous interpretation is suggested for theta oscillations and the controlled access to episodic memories. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The role of domain-general cognitive control in language comprehension

PubMed Central

Fedorenko, Evelina

2014-01-01

What role does domain-general cognitive control play in understanding linguistic input? Although much evidence has suggested that domain-general cognitive control and working memory resources are sometimes recruited during language comprehension, many aspects of this relationship remain elusive. For example, how frequently do cognitive control mechanisms get engaged when we understand language? And is this engagement necessary for successful comprehension? I here (a) review recent brain imaging evidence for the neural separability of the brain regions that support high-level linguistic processing vs. those that support domain-general cognitive control abilities; (b) define the space of possibilities for the relationship between these sets of brain regions; and (c) review the available evidence that constrains these possibilities to some extent. I argue that we should stop asking whether domain-general cognitive control mechanisms play a role in language comprehension, and instead focus on characterizing the division of labor between the cognitive control brain regions and the more functionally specialized language regions. PMID:24803909

Modeling of Depth Cue Integration in Manual Control Tasks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sweet, Barbara T.; Kaiser, Mary K.; Davis, Wendy

2003-01-01

Psychophysical research has demonstrated that human observers utilize a variety of visual cues to form a perception of three-dimensional depth. However, most of these studies have utilized a passive judgement paradigm, and failed to consider depth-cue integration as a dynamic and task-specific process. In the current study, we developed and experimentally validated a model of manual control of depth that examines how two potential cues (stereo disparity and relative size) are utilized in both first- and second-order active depth control tasks. We found that stereo disparity plays the dominate role for determining depth position, while relative size dominates perception of depth velocity. Stereo disparity also plays a reduced role when made less salient (i.e., when viewing distance is increased). Manual control models predict that position information is sufficient for first-order control tasks, while velocity information is required to perform a second-order control task. Thus, the rules for depth-cue integration in active control tasks are dependent on both task demands and cue quality.

CHANGING CLIMATE AND PHOTOBIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES IN AQUATIC ENVIRONMENTS

EPA Science Inventory

Global biogeochemistry plays a critical role in controlling life processes, climate and their interactions, including effects on atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations. Recent evidence indicates that the light-driven part of aquatic biogeochemical cycles is being altered by in...

Improved nondominant hand performance on a laparoscopic virtual reality simulator after playing the Nintendo Wii.

PubMed

Middleton, Kellie K; Hamilton, Travis; Tsai, Pei-Chien; Middleton, Dana B; Falcone, John L; Hamad, Giselle

2013-11-01

Video games have been shown to improve eye-hand coordination, spatial visualization, manual dexterity, and rapid mental processing, which are important in the acquisition of laparoscopic skills. This study investigated the relationship between playing Nintendo(®) Wii™ and virtual reality (VR) laparoscopic surgery simulator performance. We hypothesized that playing the Wii would improve surgical skills performance on a VR laparoscopic simulator and hoped to elucidate which tasks, in particular, would be most beneficial for nondominant hand training. This was a single-blinded, randomized, prospective study conducted with 23 student volunteers. VR laparoscopic skills were assessed at baseline on a Simbionix LapMentor™ Surgical Simulator (Simbionix Ltd., Israel) and after the gaming period of 2 weeks. Simulator performance metrics were compared between groups using nonparametric statistics and an alpha of 0.05. Compared with the control group, the Wii-playing group demonstrated greater improvement of six measures, including accuracy on the eye-hand coordination task (p = 0.04), faster completion time (p = 0.04), decreased number of left-handed movements (p = 0.03), decreased left handed total path length (p = 0.03), decreased total number of grasping attempts (p = 0.04), and improved left-handed economy of movement (p = 0.05) for the bimanual clipping and grasping task. When comparing the number of measures improved upon by the Wii-playing group and the control group for all three tasks, the Wii-playing group consistently outperformed the control group in 18 measures compared with the control group's improvement in 6. This study further characterizes the association between video game playing and surgical performance. Improvements following the intervention were made in the most basic of surgical skills, most notably with the nondominant hand, suggesting that short-term playing of the Wii could improve bimanual dexterity and expedite the acquisition of basic surgical skills.

The effect of group play therapy on social-emotional skills in pre-school children.

PubMed

Chinekesh, Ahdieh; Kamalian, Mehrnoush; Eltemasi, Masoumeh; Chinekesh, Shirin; Alavi, Manijeh

2013-12-24

Childhood is important and critical period in human life. The foundation of ego is shaped in childhood. Play therapy is one of the successful strategies to help children with inner conflicts problems. This method of psychotherapy is base on the normal learning processes of children, provides solutions to relieve feelings of stress, and expands self-expression. Group play therapy can enhance the self-awareness, self- regulation, social communication, empathy and adoptability in children. Present study investigated the effects of play therapy on relational and emotional skills of pre-school children. For this purpose, the total numbers of 372 pre-school children were randomly selected, and divided into two equal groups (case and control). In next step, the BUSSE-SR methodology was used for evaluation and comparison of self-awareness, self-regulation, social interaction, empathy, adoptability, and control groups. Pre-test were performed for both groups and case group was involved in-group play therapy. According to the results of post-test, correlation of variables between case-control groups was examined by multivariate analysis of covariance. Frequency of boys and girls in our sample were 51.3 and 48.7 percent, respectively. The mean age of children was 5.1±0.6 year. According to the results of present study, play therapy significantly enhanced the social-emotional skills (P< 0.001). Our findings are consistent with the results of previous studies in other nations with different environmental and cultural properties. In conclusion, it seems that play therapy can be used in pre-school centers to help children learn problem-solving skills and communicate with others.

Attacking invasive grasses

USGS Publications Warehouse

Keeley, Jon E.

2015-01-01

In grasslands fire may play a role in the plant invasion process, both by creating disturbances that potentially favour non-native invasions and as a possible tool for controlling alien invasions. Havill et al. (Applied Vegetation Science, 18, 2015, this issue) determine how native and non-native species respond to different fire regimes as a first step in understanding the potential control of invasive grasses.

USSR Report, Kommunist, No. 13, September 1986.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-01-07

all-union) program for specialization of NPO and industrial enterprises and their scientific research institutes and design bureaus could play a major...machine tools with numerical programming (ChPU), processing centers, automatic machines and groups of automatic machines controlled by computers, and...automatic lines, computer- controlled groups of equipment, comprehensively automated shops and sections) is the most important feature of high technical

Mitophagy is increased during erythroid differentiation in β-thalassemia.

PubMed

Wu, Limei; Xu, Wei; Xu, Luhong; Kong, Qian; Fang, Jianpei

2017-02-01

Mitophagy is a selective degradation of mitochondria, which also plays a critical role in hematopoiesis. However, it is unclear what role, if any, this process plays in the pathogenesis of β-thalassemia. To determine the role of mitophagy in β-thalassemia, CD34 + hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) were isolated from peripheral blood of β-thalassemia patients and healthy controls and differentiated into erythrocytes. We found that the ratio of mitochondrial membrane depolarization was significantly increased, and that mitochondria co-localize with lysosomes at a higher level in β-thalassemia compared with control. Furthermore, the expression of LC3-II and Nix, as well as degradation of p62, in β-thalassemia was higher than in the control. In sum, our data suggest that selective mitophagy is enhanced during erythrocyte differentiation in β-thalassemia.

Interoception drives increased rational decision-making in meditators playing the ultimatum game.

PubMed

Kirk, Ulrich; Downar, Jonathan; Montague, P Read

2011-01-01

Human decision-making is often conceptualized as a competition between cognitive and emotional processes in the brain. Deviations from rational processes are believed to derive from inclusion of emotional factors in decision-making. Here, we investigate whether experienced Buddhist meditators are better equipped to regulate emotional processes compared with controls during economic decision-making in the Ultimatum Game. We show that meditators accept unfair offers on more than half of the trials, whereas controls only accept unfair offers on one-quarter of the trials. By applying fMRI we show that controls recruit the anterior insula during unfair offers. Such responses are powerful predictors of rejecting offers in social interaction. By contrast, meditators display attenuated activity in high-level emotional representations of the anterior insula and increased activity in the low-level interoceptive representations of the posterior insula. In addition we show that a subset of control participants who play rationally (i.e., accepts >85% unfair offers) recruits the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex presumably reflecting increased cognitive demands, whereas rational meditators by contrast display elevated activity in the somatosensory cortex and posterior superior temporal cortex. In summary, when assessing unfairness in the Ultimatum Game, meditators activate a different network of brain areas compared with controls enabling them to uncouple negative emotional reactions from their behavior. These findings highlight the clinically and socially important possibility that sustained training in mindfulness meditation may impact distinct domains of human decision-making.

Dynamic engagement of cognitive control modulates recovery from misinterpretation during real-time language processing

PubMed Central

Hsu, Nina S.; Novick, Jared M.

2016-01-01

Speech unfolds swiftly, yet listeners keep pace by rapidly assigning meaning to what they hear. Sometimes though, initial interpretations turn out wrong. How do listeners revise misinterpretations of language input moment-by-moment, to avoid comprehension errors? Cognitive control may play a role by detecting when processing has gone awry, and then initiating behavioral adjustments accordingly. However, no research has investigated a cause-and-effect interplay between cognitive control engagement and overriding erroneous interpretations in real-time. Using a novel cross-task paradigm, we show that Stroop-conflict detection, which mobilizes cognitive control procedures, subsequently facilitates listeners’ incremental processing of temporarily ambiguous spoken instructions that induce brief misinterpretation. When instructions followed Stroop-incongruent versus-congruent items, listeners’ eye-movements to objects in a scene reflected more transient consideration of the false interpretation and earlier recovery of the correct one. Comprehension errors also decreased. Cognitive control engagement therefore accelerates sentence re-interpretation processes, even as linguistic input is still unfolding. PMID:26957521

Explaining seeing? Disentangling qualia from perceptual organization.

PubMed

Ibáñez, Agustin; Bekinschtein, Tristan

2010-09-01

Abstract Visual perception and integration seem to play an essential role in our conscious phenomenology. Relatively local neural processing of reentrant nature may explain several visual integration processes (feature binding or figure-ground segregation, object recognition, inference, competition), even without attention or cognitive control. Based on the above statements, should the neural signatures of visual integration (via reentrant process) be non-reportable phenomenological qualia? We argue that qualia are not required to understand this perceptual organization.

Role of optical computers in aeronautical control applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baumbick, R. J.

1981-01-01

The role that optical computers play in aircraft control is determined. The optical computer has the potential high speed capability required, especially for matrix/matrix operations. The optical computer also has the potential for handling nonlinear simulations in real time. They are also more compatible with fiber optic signal transmission. Optics also permit the use of passive sensors to measure process variables. No electrical energy need be supplied to the sensor. Complex interfacing between optical sensors and the optical computer is avoided if the optical sensor outputs can be directly processed by the optical computer.

Sensory gain control (amplification) as a mechanism of selective attention: electrophysiological and neuroimaging evidence.

PubMed Central

Hillyard, S A; Vogel, E K; Luck, S J

1998-01-01

Both physiological and behavioral studies have suggested that stimulus-driven neural activity in the sensory pathways can be modulated in amplitude during selective attention. Recordings of event-related brain potentials indicate that such sensory gain control or amplification processes play an important role in visual-spatial attention. Combined event-related brain potential and neuroimaging experiments provide strong evidence that attentional gain control operates at an early stage of visual processing in extrastriate cortical areas. These data support early selection theories of attention and provide a basis for distinguishing between separate mechanisms of attentional suppression (of unattended inputs) and attentional facilitation (of attended inputs). PMID:9770220

Morphological effects on the selectivity of intramolecular versus intermolecular catalytic reaction on Au nanoparticles.

PubMed

Wang, Dan; Sun, Yuanmiao; Sun, Yinghui; Huang, Jing; Liang, Zhiqiang; Li, Shuzhou; Jiang, Lin

2017-06-14

It is hard for metal nanoparticle catalysts to control the selectivity of a catalytic reaction in a simple process. In this work, we obtain active Au nanoparticle catalysts with high selectivity for the hydrogenation reaction of aromatic nitro compounds, by simply employing spine-like Au nanoparticles. The density functional theory (DFT) calculations further elucidate that the morphological effect on thermal selectivity control is an internal key parameter to modulate the nitro hydrogenation process on the surface of Au spines. These results show that controlled morphological effects may play an important role in catalysis reactions of noble metal NPs with high selectivity.

The development of attention skills in action video game players

PubMed Central

Dye, M.W.G.; Green, C.S.; Bavelier, D.

2009-01-01

Previous research suggests that action video game play improves attentional resources, allowing gamers to better allocate their attention across both space and time. In order to further characterize the plastic changes resulting from playing these video games, we administered the Attentional Network Test (ANT) to action game players and non-playing controls aged between 7 and 22 years. By employing a mixture of cues and flankers, the ANT provides measures of how well attention is allocated to targets as a function of alerting and orienting cues, and to what extent observers are able to filter out the influence of task irrelevant information flanking those targets. The data suggest that action video game players of all ages have enhanced attentional skills that allow them to make faster correct responses to targets, and leaves additional processing resources that spill over to process distractors flanking the targets. PMID:19428410

Congruence between Preferred and Actual Participation Roles Increases Satisfaction with Treatment Decision Making among Japanese Women with Breast Cancer

PubMed

Yamauchi, Keiko; Nakao, Motoyuki; Nakashima, Mitsuyo; Ishihara, Yoko

2017-04-01

Objective: This study investigated the correlation between participation in the treatment decision-making process and satisfaction with the process among Japanese women with breast cancer. The influence of sociodemographic and clinical characteristics on satisfaction with the treatment decision-making process was also examined. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, self-administered internet survey of 650 Japanese women with breast cancer in March 2016. Decisional role (active, collaborative, passive) in the treatment decision-making was elicited using the Japanese version of the Control Preference Scale. Satisfaction with the decision-making process was assessed. Result: About half of the participants preferred to play a collaborative role, while half of the participants perceived that they played an active role. Satisfaction among the participants who made their treatment choice collaboratively with their physicians was significantly higher than that of participants who made the choice by themselves or entrusted their physicians to make the decision. However, two-way ANOVA demonstrated that satisfaction level was associated with the congruence between the participants’ preferred and actual decisional roles, but not with the actual decisional roles that they played. This association had no interaction with sociodemographic and clinical status, except for education level. A majority of the participants who participated in the roles they preferred in choosing their treatment option indicated that they would participate in the same role if they were to face a similar decision-making situation in the future. Conclusion: Regardless of their role played in the cancer treatment decision-making process, and irrespective of their sociodemographic and clinical status, Japanese women with breast cancer are more satisfied with the treatment decision-making process when their participation in the process matches their preferred role in the process. Creative Commons Attribution License

Congruence between Preferred and Actual Participation Roles Increases Satisfaction with Treatment Decision Making among Japanese Women with Breast Cancer

PubMed Central

Yamauchi, Keiko; Nakao, Motoyuki; Nakashima, Mitsuyo; Ishihara, Yoko

2017-01-01

Objective: This study investigated the correlation between participation in the treatment decision-making process and satisfaction with the process among Japanese women with breast cancer. The influence of sociodemographic and clinical characteristics on satisfaction with the treatment decision-making process was also examined. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, self-administered internet survey of 650 Japanese women with breast cancer in March 2016. Decisional role (active, collaborative, passive) in the treatment decision-making was elicited using the Japanese version of the Control Preference Scale. Satisfaction with the decision-making process was assessed. Result: About half of the participants preferred to play a collaborative role, while half of the participants perceived that they played an active role. Satisfaction among the participants who made their treatment choice collaboratively with their physicians was significantly higher than that of participants who made the choice by themselves or entrusted their physicians to make the decision. However, two-way ANOVA demonstrated that satisfaction level was associated with the congruence between the participants’ preferred and actual decisional roles, but not with the actual decisional roles that they played. This association had no interaction with sociodemographic and clinical status, except for education level. A majority of the participants who participated in the roles they preferred in choosing their treatment option indicated that they would participate in the same role if they were to face a similar decision-making situation in the future. Conclusion: Regardless of their role played in the cancer treatment decision-making process, and irrespective of their sociodemographic and clinical status, Japanese women with breast cancer are more satisfied with the treatment decision-making process when their participation in the process matches their preferred role in the process. PMID:28545197

Altering sensorimotor feedback disrupts visual discrimination of facial expressions.

PubMed

Wood, Adrienne; Lupyan, Gary; Sherrin, Steven; Niedenthal, Paula

2016-08-01

Looking at another person's facial expression of emotion can trigger the same neural processes involved in producing the expression, and such responses play a functional role in emotion recognition. Disrupting individuals' facial action, for example, interferes with verbal emotion recognition tasks. We tested the hypothesis that facial responses also play a functional role in the perceptual processing of emotional expressions. We altered the facial action of participants with a gel facemask while they performed a task that involved distinguishing target expressions from highly similar distractors. Relative to control participants, participants in the facemask condition demonstrated inferior perceptual discrimination of facial expressions, but not of nonface stimuli. The findings suggest that somatosensory/motor processes involving the face contribute to the visual perceptual-and not just conceptual-processing of facial expressions. More broadly, our study contributes to growing evidence for the fundamentally interactive nature of the perceptual inputs from different sensory modalities.

Delay Discounting Mediates Parent-Adolescent Relationship Quality and Risky Sexual Behavior for Low Self-Control Adolescents

PubMed Central

Kahn, Rachel E.; Holmes, Christopher; Farley, Julee P.; Kim-Spoon, Jungmeen

2015-01-01

Parent-adolescent relationship quality and delay discounting may play important roles in adolescents’ sexual decision making processes, and levels of self-control during adolescence could act as a buffer within these factors. This longitudinal study included 219 adolescent (55% male; mean age = 12.66 years at Wave 1; mean age = 15.10 years at Wave 2) and primary caregiver dyads. Structural equation modeling was utilized to determine whether delay discounting mediated the association between parent-adolescent relationship quality and adolescents’ risky sexual behavior and how this mediated association may differ between those with high versus low self-control. The results revealed parent-adolescent relationship quality plays a role in the development of risky sexual behavior indirectly through levels of delay discounting, but only for adolescents with low self-control. These findings could inform sex education policies and health prevention programs that address adolescent risky sexual behavior. PMID:26202153

Interactions between metabolic, reward and cognitive processes in appetite control: Implications for novel weight management therapies

PubMed Central

Higgs, Suzanne; Spetter, Maartje S; Thomas, Jason M; Rotshtein, Pia; Lee, Michelle; Hallschmid, Manfred; Dourish, Colin T

2017-01-01

Traditional models of appetite control have emphasised the role of parallel homeostatic and hedonic systems, but more recently the distinction between independent homeostatic and hedonic systems has been abandoned in favour of a framework that emphasises the cross talk between the neurochemical substrates of the two systems. In addition, evidence has emerged more recently, that higher level cognitive functions such as learning, memory and attention play an important role in everyday appetite control and that homeostatic signals also play a role in cognition. Here, we review this evidence and present a comprehensive model of the control of appetite that integrates cognitive, homeostatic and reward mechanisms. We discuss the implications of this model for understanding the factors that may contribute to disordered patterns of eating and suggest opportunities for developing more effective treatment approaches for eating disorders and weight management. PMID:29072515

Interactions between metabolic, reward and cognitive processes in appetite control: Implications for novel weight management therapies.

PubMed

Higgs, Suzanne; Spetter, Maartje S; Thomas, Jason M; Rotshtein, Pia; Lee, Michelle; Hallschmid, Manfred; Dourish, Colin T

2017-11-01

Traditional models of appetite control have emphasised the role of parallel homeostatic and hedonic systems, but more recently the distinction between independent homeostatic and hedonic systems has been abandoned in favour of a framework that emphasises the cross talk between the neurochemical substrates of the two systems. In addition, evidence has emerged more recently, that higher level cognitive functions such as learning, memory and attention play an important role in everyday appetite control and that homeostatic signals also play a role in cognition. Here, we review this evidence and present a comprehensive model of the control of appetite that integrates cognitive, homeostatic and reward mechanisms. We discuss the implications of this model for understanding the factors that may contribute to disordered patterns of eating and suggest opportunities for developing more effective treatment approaches for eating disorders and weight management.

The relation of mothers' controlling vocalizations to children's intrinsic motivation.

PubMed

Deci, E L; Driver, R E; Hotchkiss, L; Robbins, R J; Wilson, I M

1993-04-01

Twenty-six mother-child dyads played together in a laboratory setting. Play sessions were surreptitiously videotaped (with mothers' permission), and each maternal vocalization was transcribed and coded, first into 1 of 24 categories and then ipso facto into one of three supercategories--namely, controlling, autonomy supportive, and neutral. The degree of mothers' controllingness was calculated as the percentage of vocalizations coded as controlling. This index was correlated with the intrinsic motivation of their 6- or 7-year-old children, as assessed primarily by the free-choice behavioral measure and secondarily by a child self-report measure of interest and liking for the task. Both correlations were significantly negative, thereby suggesting that the robust laboratory findings of a negative relation between controlling contexts and individuals' intrinsic motivation are directly generalizable to the domain of parenting. Results are discussed in terms of the processes that undermine intrinsic motivation and the means through which parental controllingness is communicated.

Autogenic Versus Allogenic Controls on the Evolution of a Coupled Fluvial Megafan-Mountainous Catchment System: Insight from Numerical Modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mouchene, M.; van der Beek, P.; Carretier, S.; Mouthereau, F.

2017-12-01

Alluvial megafans are sensitive recorders of landscape evolution, controlled by both autogenic processes and allogenic forcing, and they are influenced by the coupled dynamics of the fan with its mountainous catchment. The Mio-Pliocene Lannemezan megafan in the northern Pyrenean foreland (SW France) was abandoned by its mountainous feeder stream during the Quaternary and subsequently incised. The flight of alluvial terraces abandoned along the stream network may suggest a climatic control on the incision. We use a landscape evolution numerical model (CIDRE) to explore the relative roles of autogenic processes and external forcing in the building, abandonment and incision of a foreland megafan, and we compare the results with the inferred evolution of the Lannemezan megafan. Autogenic processes are sufficient to explain the building of a megafan and the long-term entrenchment of its feeding river on time and space scales that match the Lannemezan setting. Climate, through temporal variations in precipitation rate, may have played a role in the episodic pattern of incision on a shorter timescale. In contrast, base-level changes, tectonic activity in the mountain range or tilting of the foreland through flexural isostatic rebound do not appear to have played a role in the abandonment of the megafan.

Towards a three-dimensional framework of centrally regulated and goal-directed exercise behaviour: a narrative review.

PubMed

Venhorst, Andreas; Micklewright, Dominic; Noakes, Timothy D

2017-08-23

The Central Governor Model (CGM) ignited a paradigm shift from concepts of catastrophic failure towards central regulation of exercise performance. However, the CGM has focused on the central integration of afferent feedback in homeostatic control. Accordingly, it neglected the important role of volitional self-regulatory control and the integration of affective components inherently attached to all physiological cues. Another limitation is the large reliance on the Gestalt phenomenon of perceived exertion. Thus, progress towards a comprehensive multidimensional model of perceived fatigability and exercise regulation is needed. Drawing on Gate Control Theory of pain, we propose a three-dimensional framework of centrally regulated and goal-directed exercise behaviour, which differentiates between sensory, affective and cognitive processes shaping the perceptual milieu during exercise. We propose that: (A) perceived mental strain and perceived physical strain are primary determinants of pacing behaviour reflecting sensory-discriminatory processes necessary to align planned behaviour with current physiological state, (B) core affect plays a primary and mediatory role in exercise and performance regulation, and its underlying two dimensions hedonicity and arousal reflect affective-motivational processes triggering approach and avoidance behaviour, and (C) the mindset-shift associated with an action crisis plays a primary role in volitional self-regulatory control reflecting cognitive-evaluative processes between further goal-pursuit and goal-disengagement. The proposed framework has the potential to enrich theory development in centrally regulated and goal-directed exercise behaviour by emphasising the multidimensional dynamic processes underpinning perceived fatigability and provides a practical outline for investigating the complex interplay between the psychophysiological determinants of pacing and performance during prolonged endurance exercise. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Joint Attention in Parent-Child Dyads Involving Children with Selective Mutism: A Comparison between Anxious and Typically Developing Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nowakowski, Matilda E.; Tasker, Susan L.; Cunningham, Charles E.; McHolm, Angela E.; Edison, Shannon; St. Pierre, Jeff; Boyle, Michael H.; Schmidt, Louis A.

2011-01-01

Although joint attention processes are known to play an important role in adaptive social behavior in typical development, we know little about these processes in clinical child populations. We compared early school age children with selective mutism (SM; n = 19) versus mixed anxiety (MA; n = 18) and community controls (CC; n = 26) on joint…

The Effect of Group Play Therapy on Social-Emotional Skills in Pre-School Children

PubMed Central

Chinekesh, Ahdieh; Kamalian, Mehrnoush; Eltemasi, Masoumeh; Chinekesh, Shirin; Alavi, Manijeh

2014-01-01

Background: Childhood is important and critical period in human life. The foundation of ego is shaped in childhood. Play therapy is one of the successful strategies to help children with inner conflicts problems. This method of psychotherapy is base on the normal learning processes of children, provides solutions to relieve feelings of stress, and expands self-expression. Group play therapy can enhance the self-awareness, self- regulation, social communication, empathy and adoptability in children. Methods: Present study investigated the effects of play therapy on relational and emotional skills of pre-school children. For this purpose, the total numbers of 372 pre-school children were randomly selected, and divided into two equal groups (case and control). In next step, the BUSSE-SR methodology was used for evaluation and comparison of self-awareness, self-regulation, social interaction, empathy, adoptability, and control groups. Pre-test were performed for both groups and case group was involved in-group play therapy. According to the results of post-test, correlation of variables between case-control groups was examined by multivariate analysis of covariance. Results: Frequency of boys and girls in our sample were 51.3 and 48.7 percent, respectively. The mean age of children was 5.1±0.6 year. According to the results of present study, play therapy significantly enhanced the social-emotional skills (P< 0.001). Our findings are consistent with the results of previous studies in other nations with different environmental and cultural properties. In conclusion, it seems that play therapy can be used in pre-school centers to help children learn problem-solving skills and communicate with others. PMID:24576376

Stop of loss of cognitive performance during rehabilitation after total hip arthroplasty-prospective controlled study.

PubMed

Brem, Matthias H; Lehrl, Siegfried; Rein, Anna K; Massute, Sylvia; Schulz-Drost, Stefan; Gelse, Kolja; Schlechtweg, Phillip M; Hennig, Friedrich F; Olk, Alexander; Jacob, Harald J; Gusinde, Johannes

2010-01-01

Prolonged hospitalization is known to be associated with a loss of cognitive performance. Does playing video games (VGs) developed to improve cognitive properties delay this loss or even lead to an increase in cognitive performance? We performed a 10-day longitudinal study of patients who received total hip arthroplasty. We compared 16 patients (6 male) aged 66 ± 9 years (mean ± standard deviation) who played Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training: How Old Is Your Brain? (Nintendo; Redmond, Washington) on a Nintendo DS handheld console with 16 control patients (6 male) aged 69 ± 14 years. We measured cognitive performance 1 day preoperation, as well as on days 2 and 9 postoperation. With the daily exercise of a specific VG by the play group, the patients' fluid intelligence (median intelligence quotient 99-106), working memory capacity, and rate of information processing significantly improved over the course of 7 postoperative days. The cognitive performance of the control group did not increase. However, the memory spans of both groups did not systematically change. Exercise with VGs can prevent the loss of cognitive performance during prolonged hospitalization.

Malignant transformation of oral lichen planus by a chronic inflammatory process. Use of topical corticosteroids to prevent this progression?

PubMed

Otero-Rey, Eva Maria; Suarez-Alen, Fatima; Peñamaria-Mallon, Manuel; Lopez-Lopez, Jose; Blanco-Carrion, Andres

2014-11-01

Oral lichen planus is a potentially malignant disorder with a capacity, although low, for malignant transformation. Of all the factors related to the process of malignant transformation, it is believed that the chronic inflammatory process plays a key role in the development of oral cancer. This inflammatory process is capable of providing a microenvironment based on different inflammatory cells and molecules that affect cellular growth, proliferation and differentiation. The objectives of our study are: to review the available evidence about the possible relationship between the chronic inflammatory process present in oral lichen planus and its malignant transformation, to discuss the potential therapeutic implications derived from this relationship and to study the role that topical corticosteroids play in the control of oral lichen planus inflammation and its possible progression to malignant transformation. The maintenance of a minimum dose of topical corticosteroids could prevent the inflammatory progression of oral lichen planus to oral cancer.

Mentalizing and motivation neural function during social interactions in autism spectrum disorders☆

PubMed Central

Assaf, Michal; Hyatt, Christopher J.; Wong, Christina G.; Johnson, Matthew R.; Schultz, Robert T.; Hendler, Talma; Pearlson, Godfrey D.

2013-01-01

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) are characterized by core deficits in social functions. Two theories have been suggested to explain these deficits: mind-blindness theory posits impaired mentalizing processes (i.e. decreased ability for establishing a representation of others' state of mind), while social motivation theory proposes that diminished reward value for social information leads to reduced social attention, social interactions, and social learning. Mentalizing and motivation are integral to typical social interactions, and neuroimaging evidence points to independent brain networks that support these processes in healthy individuals. However, the simultaneous function of these networks has not been explored in individuals with ASDs. We used a social, interactive fMRI task, the Domino game, to explore mentalizing- and motivation-related brain activation during a well-defined interval where participants respond to rewards or punishments (i.e. motivation) and concurrently process information about their opponent's potential next actions (i.e. mentalizing). Thirteen individuals with high-functioning ASDs, ages 12–24, and 14 healthy controls played fMRI Domino games against a computer-opponent and separately, what they were led to believe was a human-opponent. Results showed that while individuals with ASDs understood the game rules and played similarly to controls, they showed diminished neural activity during the human-opponent runs only (i.e. in a social context) in bilateral middle temporal gyrus (MTG) during mentalizing and right Nucleus Accumbens (NAcc) during reward-related motivation (Pcluster < 0.05 FWE). Importantly, deficits were not observed in these areas when playing against a computer-opponent or in areas related to motor and visual processes. These results demonstrate that while MTG and NAcc, which are critical structures in the mentalizing and motivation networks, respectively, activate normally in a non-social context, they fail to respond in an otherwise identical social context in ASD compared to controls. We discuss implications to both the mind-blindness and social motivation theories of ASD and the importance of social context in research and treatment protocols. PMID:24273716

II. Model building: an electrical theory of control of growth and development in animals, prompted by studies of exogenous magnetic field effects (paper I), and evidence of DNA current conduction, in vitro.

PubMed

Elson, Edward

2009-01-01

A theory of control of cellular proliferation and differentiation in the early development of metazoan systems, postulating a system of electrical controls "parallel" to the processes of molecular biochemistry, is presented. It is argued that the processes of molecular biochemistry alone cannot explain how a developing organism defies a stochastic universe. The demonstration of current flow (charge transfer) along the long axis of DNA through the base-pairs (the "pi-way) in vitro raises the question of whether nature may employ such current flows for biological purposes. Such currents might be too small to be accessible to direct measurement in vivo but conduction has been measured in vitro, and the methods might well be extended to living systems. This has not been done because there is no reasonable model which could stimulate experimentation. We suggest several related, but detachable or independent, models for the biological utility of charge transfer, whose scope admittedly outruns current concepts of thinking about organization, growth, and development in eukaryotic, metazoan systems. The ideas are related to explanations proposed to explain the effects demonstrated on tumors and normal tissues described in Article I (this issue). Microscopic and mesoscopic potential fields and currents are well known at sub-cellular, cellular, and organ systems levels. Not only are such phenomena associated with internal cellular membranes in bioenergetics and information flow, but remarkable long-range fields over tissue interfaces and organs appear to play a role in embryonic development (Nuccitelli, 1992 ). The origin of the fields remains unclear and is the subject of active investigation. We are proposing that similar processes could play a vital role at a "sub-microscopic level," at the level of the chromosomes themselves, and could play a role in organizing and directing fundamental processes of growth and development, in parallel with the more discernible fields and currents described.

High Energy Density in Azobenzene-based Materials for Photo-Thermal Batteries via Controlled Polymer Architecture and Polymer-Solvent Interactions.

PubMed

Jeong, Seung Pyo; Renna, Lawrence A; Boyle, Connor J; Kwak, Hyunwook S; Harder, Edward; Damm, Wolfgang; Venkataraman, Dhandapani

2017-12-19

Energy densities of ~510 J/g (max: 698 J/g) have been achieved in azobenzene-based syndiotactic-rich poly(methacrylate) polymers. The processing solvent and polymer-solvent interactions are important to achieve morphologically optimal structures for high-energy density materials. This work shows that morphological changes of solid-state syndiotactic polymers, driven by different solvent processings play an important role in controlling the activation energy of Z-E isomerization as well as the shape of the DSC exotherm. Thus, this study shows the crucial role of processing solvents and thin film structure in achieving higher energy densities.

Evidences for dry deintercalation in layered compounds upon controlled surface charging in x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feldman, Y.; Zak, A.; Tenne, R.; Cohen, H.

2003-09-01

Pronounced surface diffusion is observed during x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements of 2H platelets and inorganic fullerene-like (IF) MS2 (M=W,Mo) powders, intercalated with alkaline (A=K,Na) elements. Using controlled surface charging the intercalants migrate towards the surface, where they oxidize. This dry deintercalation is controllable via external charging parameters, yet showing that internal chemical and structural parameters play an important role in the process. Diffusion rates out of 2H matrixes are generally higher than in corresponding IF samples. Clear differences are also found between Mo and W-based systems. Application of this approach into surface modification and processing is proposed.

Modeling Elevation and Aspect Controls on Emerging Ecohydrologic Processes and Ecosystem Patterns Using the Component-based Landlab Framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nudurupati, S. S.; Istanbulluoglu, E.; Adams, J. M.; Hobley, D. E. J.; Gasparini, N. M.; Tucker, G. E.; Hutton, E. W. H.

2014-12-01

Topography plays a commanding role on the organization of ecohydrologic processes and resulting vegetation patterns. In southwestern United States, climate conditions lead to terrain aspect- and elevation-controlled ecosystems, with mesic north-facing and xeric south-facing vegetation types; and changes in biodiversity as a function of elevation from shrublands in low desert elevations, to mixed grass/shrublands in mid elevations, and forests at high elevations and ridge tops. These observed patterns have been attributed to differences in topography-mediated local soil moisture availability, micro-climatology, and life history processes of plants that control chances of plant establishment and survival. While ecohydrologic models represent local vegetation dynamics in sufficient detail up to sub-hourly time scales, plant life history and competition for space and resources has not been adequately represented in models. In this study we develop an ecohydrologic cellular automata model within the Landlab component-based modeling framework. This model couples local vegetation dynamics (biomass production, death) and plant establishment and competition processes for resources and space. This model is used to study the vegetation organization in a semiarid New Mexico catchment where elevation and hillslope aspect play a defining role on plant types. Processes that lead to observed plant types across the landscape are examined by initializing the domain with randomly assigned plant types and systematically changing model parameters that couple plant response with soil moisture dynamics. Climate perturbation experiments are conducted to examine the plant response in space and time. Understanding the inherently transient ecohydrologic systems is critical to improve predictions of climate change impacts on ecosystems.

Air Traffic Complexity Measurement Environment (ACME): Software User's Guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

A user's guide for the Air Traffic Complexity Measurement Environment (ACME) software is presented. The ACME consists of two major components, a complexity analysis tool and user interface. The Complexity Analysis Tool (CAT) analyzes complexity off-line, producing data files which may be examined interactively via the Complexity Data Analysis Tool (CDAT). The Complexity Analysis Tool is composed of three independently executing processes that communicate via PVM (Parallel Virtual Machine) and Unix sockets. The Runtime Data Management and Control process (RUNDMC) extracts flight plan and track information from a SAR input file, and sends the information to GARP (Generate Aircraft Routes Process) and CAT (Complexity Analysis Task). GARP in turn generates aircraft trajectories, which are utilized by CAT to calculate sector complexity. CAT writes flight plan, track and complexity data to an output file, which can be examined interactively. The Complexity Data Analysis Tool (CDAT) provides an interactive graphic environment for examining the complexity data produced by the Complexity Analysis Tool (CAT). CDAT can also play back track data extracted from System Analysis Recording (SAR) tapes. The CDAT user interface consists of a primary window, a controls window, and miscellaneous pop-ups. Aircraft track and position data is displayed in the main viewing area of the primary window. The controls window contains miscellaneous control and display items. Complexity data is displayed in pop-up windows. CDAT plays back sector complexity and aircraft track and position data as a function of time. Controls are provided to start and stop playback, adjust the playback rate, and reposition the display to a specified time.

Neural mechanisms underlying ecstasy-related attentional bias.

PubMed

Roberts, Gloria M P; Garavan, Hugh

2013-08-30

Conditioned responses to cues associated with drug taking play a pivotal role in a number of theories of drug addiction. This study examined whether attentional biases towards drug-related cues exist in recreational drug users who predominantly used ecstasy (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine). Experiment 1 compared 30 ecstasy users, 25 cannabis users, and 30 controls in an attentional distraction task in which neutral, evocative, and ecstasy-related pictures were presented within a coloured border, requiring participants to respond as quickly as possible to the border colour. Experiment 2 employed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and the attentional distraction task and tested 20 ecstasy users and 20 controls. Experiment 1 revealed significant response speed interference by the ecstasy-related pictures in the ecstasy users only. Experiment 2 revealed increased prefrontal and occipital activity in ecstasy users in all conditions. Activations in response to the ecstasy stimuli in these regions showed an apparent antagonism whereby ecstasy users, relative to controls, showed increased occipital but decreased right prefrontal activation. These results are interpreted to reflect increased visual processing of, and decreased prefrontal control over, the irrelevant but salient ecstasy-related stimuli. These results suggest that right inferior frontal cortex may play an important role in controlling drug-related attentional biases and may thus play an important role in mediating control over drug usage. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Computational Models of Cognitive Control

PubMed Central

O’Reilly, Randall C.; Herd, Seth A.; Pauli, Wolfgang M.

2010-01-01

Cognitive control refers to the ability to perform task-relevant processing in the face of other distractions or other forms of interference, in the absence of strong environmental support. It depends on the integrity of the prefrontal cortex and associated biological structures (e.g., the basal ganglia). Computational models have played an influential role in developing our understanding of this system, and we review current developments in three major areas: dynamic gating of prefrontal representations, hierarchies in the prefrontal cortex, and reward, motivation, and goal-related processing in prefrontal cortex. Models in these and other areas are advancing the field further forward. PMID:20185294

An Analysis of the Time Course of Lexical Processing During Reading

PubMed Central

Sheridan, Heather; Reichle, Erik D.

2016-01-01

Reingold, Reichle, Glaholt, and Sheridan (2012) reported a gaze-contingent eye-movement experiment in which survival-curve analyses were used to examine the effects of word frequency, the availability of parafoveal preview, and initial fixation location on the time course of lexical processing. The key results of these analyses suggest that lexical processing begins very rapidly (after approximately 120 ms), and is supported by substantial parafoveal processing (more than 100 ms). Because it is not immediately obvious that these results are congruent with the theoretical assumption that words are processed and identified in a strictly serial manner, we attempted to simulate the experiment using the E-Z Reader model of eye-movement control (Reichle, 2011). These simulations were largely consistent with the empirical results, suggesting that parafoveal processing does play an important functional role by allowing lexical processing to occur rapidly enough to mediate direct control over when the eyes move during reading. PMID:25939443

Age-Related Changes in Bimanual Instrument Playing with Rhythmic Cueing

PubMed Central

Kim, Soo Ji; Cho, Sung-Rae; Yoo, Ga Eul

2017-01-01

Deficits in bimanual coordination of older adults have been demonstrated to significantly limit their functioning in daily life. As a bimanual sensorimotor task, instrument playing has great potential for motor and cognitive training in advanced age. While the process of matching a person’s repetitive movements to auditory rhythmic cueing during instrument playing was documented to involve motor and attentional control, investigation into whether the level of cognitive functioning influences the ability to rhythmically coordinate movement to an external beat in older populations is relatively limited. Therefore, the current study aimed to examine how timing accuracy during bimanual instrument playing with rhythmic cueing differed depending on the degree of participants’ cognitive aging. Twenty one young adults, 20 healthy older adults, and 17 older adults with mild dementia participated in this study. Each participant tapped an electronic drum in time to the rhythmic cueing provided using both hands simultaneously and in alternation. During bimanual instrument playing with rhythmic cueing, mean and variability of synchronization errors were measured and compared across the groups and the tempo of cueing during each type of tapping task. Correlations of such timing parameters with cognitive measures were also analyzed. The results showed that the group factor resulted in significant differences in the synchronization errors-related parameters. During bimanual tapping tasks, cognitive decline resulted in differences in synchronization errors between younger adults and older adults with mild dimentia. Also, in terms of variability of synchronization errors, younger adults showed significant differences in maintaining timing performance from older adults with and without mild dementia, which may be attributed to decreased processing time for bimanual coordination due to aging. Significant correlations were observed between variability of synchronization errors and performance of cognitive tasks involving executive control and cognitive flexibility when asked for bimanual coordination in response to external timing cues at adjusted tempi. Also, significant correlations with cognitive measures were more prevalent in variability of synchronization errors during alternative tapping compared to simultaneous tapping. The current study supports that bimanual tapping may be predictive of cognitive processing of older adults. Also, tempo and type of movement required for instrument playing both involve cognitive and motor loads at different levels, and such variables could be important factors for determining the complexity of the task and the involved task requirements for interventions using instrument playing. PMID:29085309

Small Acute Benefits of 4 Weeks Processing Speed Training Games on Processing Speed and Inhibition Performance and Depressive Mood in the Healthy Elderly People: Evidence from a Randomized Control Trial

PubMed Central

Nouchi, Rui; Saito, Toshiki; Nouchi, Haruka; Kawashima, Ryuta

2016-01-01

Background: Processing speed training using a 1-year intervention period improves cognitive functions and emotional states of elderly people. Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether short-term processing speed training such as 4 weeks can benefit elderly people. This study was designed to investigate effects of 4 weeks of processing speed training on cognitive functions and emotional states of elderly people. Methods: We used a single-blinded randomized control trial (RCT). Seventy-two older adults were assigned randomly to two groups: a processing speed training game (PSTG) group and knowledge quiz training game (KQTG) group, an active control group. In PSTG, participants were asked to play PSTG (12 processing speed games) for 15 min, during five sessions per week, for 4 weeks. In the KQTG group, participants were asked to play KQTG (four knowledge quizzes) for 15 min, during five sessions per week, for 4 weeks. We measured several cognitive functions and emotional states before and after the 4 week intervention period. Results: Our results revealed that PSTG improved performances in processing speed and inhibition compared to KQTG, but did not improve performance in reasoning, shifting, short term/working memory, and episodic memory. Moreover, PSTG reduced the depressive mood score as measured by the Profile of Mood State compared to KQTG during the 4 week intervention period, but did not change other emotional measures. Discussion: This RCT first provided scientific evidence related to small acute benefits of 4 week PSTG on processing speed, inhibition, and depressive mood in healthy elderly people. We discuss possible mechanisms for improvements in processing speed and inhibition and reduction of the depressive mood. Trial registration: This trial was registered in The University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN000022250). PMID:28066229

Small Acute Benefits of 4 Weeks Processing Speed Training Games on Processing Speed and Inhibition Performance and Depressive Mood in the Healthy Elderly People: Evidence from a Randomized Control Trial.

PubMed

Nouchi, Rui; Saito, Toshiki; Nouchi, Haruka; Kawashima, Ryuta

2016-01-01

Background: Processing speed training using a 1-year intervention period improves cognitive functions and emotional states of elderly people. Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether short-term processing speed training such as 4 weeks can benefit elderly people. This study was designed to investigate effects of 4 weeks of processing speed training on cognitive functions and emotional states of elderly people. Methods: We used a single-blinded randomized control trial (RCT). Seventy-two older adults were assigned randomly to two groups: a processing speed training game (PSTG) group and knowledge quiz training game (KQTG) group, an active control group. In PSTG, participants were asked to play PSTG (12 processing speed games) for 15 min, during five sessions per week, for 4 weeks. In the KQTG group, participants were asked to play KQTG (four knowledge quizzes) for 15 min, during five sessions per week, for 4 weeks. We measured several cognitive functions and emotional states before and after the 4 week intervention period. Results: Our results revealed that PSTG improved performances in processing speed and inhibition compared to KQTG, but did not improve performance in reasoning, shifting, short term/working memory, and episodic memory. Moreover, PSTG reduced the depressive mood score as measured by the Profile of Mood State compared to KQTG during the 4 week intervention period, but did not change other emotional measures. Discussion: This RCT first provided scientific evidence related to small acute benefits of 4 week PSTG on processing speed, inhibition, and depressive mood in healthy elderly people. We discuss possible mechanisms for improvements in processing speed and inhibition and reduction of the depressive mood. Trial registration: This trial was registered in The University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN000022250).

Chess knowledge predicts chess memory even after controlling for chess experience: Evidence for the role of high-level processes.

PubMed

Lane, David M; Chang, Yu-Hsuan A

2018-04-01

The expertise effect in memory for chess positions is one of the most robust effects in cognitive psychology. One explanation of this effect is that chess recall is based on the recognition of familiar patterns and that experts have learned more and larger patterns. Template theory and its instantiation as a computational model are based on this explanation. An alternative explanation is that the expertise effect is due, in part, to stronger players having better and more conceptual knowledge, with this knowledge facilitating memory performance. Our literature review supports the latter view. In our experiment, a sample of 79 chess players were given a test of memory for chess positions, a test of declarative chess knowledge, a test of fluid intelligence, and a questionnaire concerning the amount of time they had played nontournament chess and the amount of time they had studied chess. We determined the numbers of tournament games the players had played from chess databases. Chess knowledge correlated .67 with chess memory and accounted for 16% of the variance after controlling for chess experience. Fluid intelligence accounted for an additional 13% of the variance. These results support the conclusion that both high-level conceptual processing and low-level recognition of familiar patterns play important roles in memory for chess positions.

Examining an Online Microbiology Game as an Effective Tool for Teaching the Scientific Process†

PubMed Central

Bowling, Kristi G.; Klisch, Yvonne; Wang, Shu; Beier, Margaret

2013-01-01

This study investigates the effectiveness of the online Flash game Disease Defenders in producing knowledge gains for concepts related to the scientific process. Disease Defenders was specifically designed to model how the scientific process is central to a variety of disciplines and science careers. An additional question relates to the game’s ability to shift attitudes toward science. Middle school classes from grades six to eight were assigned to the experimental group (n = 489) or control group (n = 367) and asked to participate in a three-session intervention. The sessions involved completing a pretest, a game play session, and taking a posttest. Students in the experimental group played Disease Defenders while students in the control group played an alternative science game. Results showed a significant increase in mean science knowledge scores for all grades in the experimental group, with sixth grade and seventh grade students gaining more knowledge than eighth grade students. Additionally, results showed a significant positive change in science attitudes only among sixth graders, who also rated their satisfaction with the game more favorably than students in higher grades. No differences in mean test scores were found between genders for science knowledge or science attitudes, suggesting that the game is equally effective for males and females. PMID:23858354

[Progress in the study on mammalian diacylgycerol acyltransgerase (DGAT) gene and its biological function].

PubMed

Wang, Yan; Xu, Heng-Yong; Zhu, Qing

2007-10-01

Diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT; EC 2.3.1.20) is a microsomal enzyme that plays a central role in the metabolism of cellular glycerolipids. DGAT catalyzes the final step in triacylglycerol (TAG) biosynthesis by converting diacylgycerol (DAG) and fatty acyl-coenzyme A (CoA) into triacylglycero1. DGAT plays a fundamental role in the metabolism of cellular diacylglycerol and is important in higher eukaryotes for physiologic processes involving triacylglycerol metabolism such as intestinal fat absorption, lipoprotein assembly, adipose tissue formation, and lactation. Therefore, DGAT is not only an key factor for control triglycerides and fatty acids, but also may play a key modulatory role in animal fat deposition.

Using play therapy in paediatric palliative care: listening to the story and caring for the body.

PubMed

van Breemen, Camara

2009-10-01

To be truly comprehensive, palliative care for children must address more than pain control and symptom management. Holistic care also encompasses attention to the child's relationships, hopes, fears and wishes. Parents and caregivers of dying children are generally the primary decision-makers in the child's care and can find the transition from active, to palliative care, particularly difficult. Nurses who understand the parents' perspective can better support them. Children reveal their hopes and fears through play. By being attuned to symbols and themes in play, nurses can better interpret the dying child's journey. Nurses can facilitate communication and connection between parents and child and thereby promote healing during the dying process.

The DISAM Journal of International Security Assistance Management. Volume 23, Number 3, Summer 2001

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-01-01

of subjects from enemy troop movements to control of an airborne armada. They enable commanders to cut through the fog of war and achieve decisive...and various engineers to begin the requirements definition and FMS acquisition process. The focus of the NAVAIDS Country Study Team is to: The DISAM...and recommendations process, and definitions are provided. The modernization recommendations of this report usually play an

Leptin and the central nervous system control of glucose metabolism.

PubMed

Morton, Gregory J; Schwartz, Michael W

2011-04-01

The regulation of body fat stores and blood glucose levels is critical for survival. This review highlights growing evidence that leptin action in the central nervous system plays a key role in both processes. Investigation into underlying mechanisms has begun to clarify the physiological role of leptin in the control of glucose metabolism and raises interesting new possibilities for the treatment of diabetes and related disorders.

Leptin and the CNS Control of Glucose Metabolism

PubMed Central

Morton, Gregory J.; Schwartz, Michael W.

2012-01-01

The regulation of body fat stores and blood glucose levels is critical for survival. This review highlights growing evidence that leptin action in the central nervous system (CNS) plays a key role in both processes. Investigation into underlying mechanisms has begun to clarify the physiological role of leptin in the control of glucose metabolism and raises interesting new possibilities for the treatment of diabetes and related disorders. PMID:21527729

CONTROL CHART DASHBOARDS MANAGING YOUR NUMBERS INSTEAD OF YOU NUMBER MANAGING YOU

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

PREVETTE, S.S.

2006-11-15

This paper, which documents Fluor Hanford's application of Statistical Process Control (SPC) and Dashboards to support planning and decision making, is a sequel to ''Leading with Leading Indicators'' that was presented at WM 05. This year's paper provides more detail on management's use of SPC and control charts and discusses their integration into an executive summary using the popular color-cod3ed dashboard methodology. Fluor Hanford has applied SPC in a non-traditional (that is non-manufacturing) manner. Dr. Shewhart's 75-year-old control-chart methodologies have been updated to modern data processing, but are still founded on his sound, tried and true principles. These methods aremore » playing a key role in safety and quality at what has been called the world's largest environmental cleanup project. The US Department of Energy's (DOE's) Hanford Site played a pivotal role in the nation's defense, beginning in the 1940s when it was established as part of the Manhattan Project. After more than 50 years of producing nuclear weapons, Hanford--which covers 586 square miles in southeastern Washington state--is now focused on three outcomes: (1) restoring the Columbia River corridor for multiple uses; (2) transitioning the central plateau to support long-term waste management; and (3) putting DOE assets to work for the future.« less

Dynamic Engagement of Cognitive Control Modulates Recovery From Misinterpretation During Real-Time Language Processing.

PubMed

Hsu, Nina S; Novick, Jared M

2016-04-01

Speech unfolds swiftly, yet listeners keep pace by rapidly assigning meaning to what they hear. Sometimes, though, initial interpretations turn out to be wrong. How do listeners revise misinterpretations of language input moment by moment to avoid comprehension errors? Cognitive control may play a role by detecting when processing has gone awry and then initiating behavioral adjustments accordingly. However, no research to date has investigated a cause-and-effect interplay between cognitive-control engagement and the overriding of erroneous interpretations in real time. Using a novel cross-task paradigm, we showed that Stroop-conflict detection, which mobilizes cognitive-control procedures, subsequently facilitates listeners' incremental processing of temporarily ambiguous spoken instructions that induce brief misinterpretation. When instructions followed incongruent Stroop items, compared with congruent Stroop items, listeners' eye movements to objects in a scene reflected more transient consideration of the false interpretation and earlier recovery of the correct one. Comprehension errors also decreased. Cognitive-control engagement therefore accelerates sentence-reinterpretation processes, even as linguistic input is still unfolding. © The Author(s) 2016.

Complexity and Control: The Organisational Background of Credentialism.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tyler, William

1982-01-01

Examines the role of organizational processes in generating the demand for qualified personnel. Neo-Weberian theorists point to the importance of contextual features of organizations such as size and national prominence as predictors of educational demand. Neo-Marxist historians examine the role played by credentials. (AM)

Exploring the neural substrates of attentional control and human intelligence: Diffusion tensor imaging of prefrontal white matter tractography in healthy cognition.

PubMed

Ohtani, Toshiyuki; Nestor, Paul G; Bouix, Sylvain; Newell, Dominick; Melonakos, Eric D; McCarley, Robert W; Shenton, Martha E; Kubicki, Marek

2017-01-26

We combined diffusion tension imaging (DTI) of prefrontal white matter integrity and neuropsychological measures to examine the functional neuroanatomy of human intelligence. Healthy participants completed the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Third Edition (WAIS-III) along with neuropsychological tests of attention and executive control, as measured by Trail Making Test (TMT) and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). Stochastic tractography, considered the most effective DTI method, quantified white matter integrity of the medial orbital frontal cortex (mOFC) and rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC) circuitry. Based on prior studies, we hypothesized that posterior mOFC-rACC connections may play a key structural role linking attentional control processes and intelligence. Behavioral results provided strong support for this hypothesis, specifically linking attentional control processes, measured by Trails B and WCST perseverative errors, to intelligent quotient (IQ). Hierarchical regression results indicated left posterior mOFC-rACC fractional anisotropy (FA) and Trails B performance time, but not WCST perseverative errors, each contributed significantly to IQ, accounting for approximately 33.95-51.60% of the variance in IQ scores. These findings suggested that left posterior mOFC-rACC white matter connections may play a key role in supporting the relationship of executive functions of attentional control and general intelligence in healthy cognition. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Enhanced High Performance Power Compensation Methodology by IPFC Using PIGBT-IDVR

PubMed Central

Arumugom, Subramanian; Rajaram, Marimuthu

2015-01-01

Currently, power systems are involuntarily controlled without high speed control and are frequently initiated, therefore resulting in a slow process when compared with static electronic devices. Among various power interruptions in power supply systems, voltage dips play a central role in causing disruption. The dynamic voltage restorer (DVR) is a process based on voltage control that compensates for line transients in the distributed system. To overcome these issues and to achieve a higher speed, a new methodology called the Parallel IGBT-Based Interline Dynamic Voltage Restorer (PIGBT-IDVR) method has been proposed, which mainly spotlights the dynamic processing of energy reloads in common dc-linked energy storage with less adaptive transition. The interline power flow controller (IPFC) scheme has been employed to manage the power transmission between the lines and the restorer method for controlling the reactive power in the individual lines. By employing the proposed methodology, the failure of a distributed system has been avoided and provides better performance than the existing methodologies. PMID:26613101

Structural brain correlates associated with professional handball playing.

PubMed

Hänggi, Jürgen; Langer, Nicolas; Lutz, Kai; Birrer, Karin; Mérillat, Susan; Jäncke, Lutz

2015-01-01

There is no doubt that good bimanual performance is very important for skilled handball playing. The control of the non-dominant hand is especially demanding since efficient catching and throwing needs both hands. We investigated training-induced structural neuroplasticity in professional handball players using several structural neuroimaging techniques and analytic approaches and also provide a review of the literature about sport-induced structural neuroplastic alterations. Structural brain adaptations were expected in regions relevant for motor and somatosensory processing such as the grey matter (GM) of the primary/secondary motor (MI/supplementary motor area, SMA) and somatosensory cortex (SI/SII), basal ganglia, thalamus, and cerebellum and in the white matter (WM) of the corticospinal tract (CST) and corpus callosum, stronger in brain regions controlling the non-dominant left hand. Increased GM volume in handball players compared with control subjects were found in the right MI/SI, bilateral SMA/cingulate motor area, and left intraparietal sulcus. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and axial diffusivity were increased within the right CST in handball players compared with control women. Age of handball training commencement correlated inversely with GM volume in the right and left MI/SI and years of handball training experience correlated inversely with radial diffusivity in the right CST. Subcortical structures tended to be larger in handball players. The anatomical measures of the brain regions associated with handball playing were positively correlated in handball players, but not interrelated in control women. Training-induced structural alterations were found in the somatosensory-motor network of handball players, more pronounced in the right hemisphere controlling the non-dominant left hand. Correlations between handball training-related measures and anatomical differences suggest neuroplastic adaptations rather than a genetic predisposition for a ball playing affinity. Investigations of neuroplasticity specifically in sportsmen might help to understand the neural mechanisms of expertise in general.

Generation of control sequences for a pilot-disassembly system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seliger, Guenther; Kim, Hyung-Ju; Keil, Thomas

2002-02-01

Closing the product and material cycles has emerged as a paradigm for industry in the 21st century. Disassembly plays a key role in a life cycle economy since it enables the recovery of resources. A partly automated disassembly system should adapt to a large variety of products and different degrees of devaluation. Also the amounts of products to be disassembled can vary strongly. To cope with these demands an approach to generate on-line disassembly control sequences will be presented. In order to react on these demands the technological feasibility is considered within a procedure for the generation of disassembly control sequences. Procedures are designed to find available and technologically feasible disassembly processes. The control system is formed by modularised and parameterised control units in the cell level within the entire control architecture. In the first development stage product and process analyses at the sample product washing machine were executed. Furthermore a generalized disassembly process was defined. Afterwards these processes were structured in primary and secondary functions. In the second stage the disassembly control at the technological level was investigated. Factors were the availability of the disassembly tools and the technological feasibility of the disassembly processes within the disassembly system. Technical alternative disassembly processes are determined as a result of availability of the tools and technological feasibility of processes. The fourth phase was the concept for the generation of the disassembly control sequences. The approach will be proved in a prototypical disassembly system.

Neuroscientific Model of Motivational Process

PubMed Central

Kim, Sung-il

2013-01-01

Considering the neuroscientific findings on reward, learning, value, decision-making, and cognitive control, motivation can be parsed into three sub processes, a process of generating motivation, a process of maintaining motivation, and a process of regulating motivation. I propose a tentative neuroscientific model of motivational processes which consists of three distinct but continuous sub processes, namely reward-driven approach, value-based decision-making, and goal-directed control. Reward-driven approach is the process in which motivation is generated by reward anticipation and selective approach behaviors toward reward. This process recruits the ventral striatum (reward area) in which basic stimulus-action association is formed, and is classified as an automatic motivation to which relatively less attention is assigned. By contrast, value-based decision-making is the process of evaluating various outcomes of actions, learning through positive prediction error, and calculating the value continuously. The striatum and the orbitofrontal cortex (valuation area) play crucial roles in sustaining motivation. Lastly, the goal-directed control is the process of regulating motivation through cognitive control to achieve goals. This consciously controlled motivation is associated with higher-level cognitive functions such as planning, retaining the goal, monitoring the performance, and regulating action. The anterior cingulate cortex (attention area) and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (cognitive control area) are the main neural circuits related to regulation of motivation. These three sub processes interact with each other by sending reward prediction error signals through dopaminergic pathway from the striatum and to the prefrontal cortex. The neuroscientific model of motivational process suggests several educational implications with regard to the generation, maintenance, and regulation of motivation to learn in the learning environment. PMID:23459598

Neuroscientific model of motivational process.

PubMed

Kim, Sung-Il

2013-01-01

Considering the neuroscientific findings on reward, learning, value, decision-making, and cognitive control, motivation can be parsed into three sub processes, a process of generating motivation, a process of maintaining motivation, and a process of regulating motivation. I propose a tentative neuroscientific model of motivational processes which consists of three distinct but continuous sub processes, namely reward-driven approach, value-based decision-making, and goal-directed control. Reward-driven approach is the process in which motivation is generated by reward anticipation and selective approach behaviors toward reward. This process recruits the ventral striatum (reward area) in which basic stimulus-action association is formed, and is classified as an automatic motivation to which relatively less attention is assigned. By contrast, value-based decision-making is the process of evaluating various outcomes of actions, learning through positive prediction error, and calculating the value continuously. The striatum and the orbitofrontal cortex (valuation area) play crucial roles in sustaining motivation. Lastly, the goal-directed control is the process of regulating motivation through cognitive control to achieve goals. This consciously controlled motivation is associated with higher-level cognitive functions such as planning, retaining the goal, monitoring the performance, and regulating action. The anterior cingulate cortex (attention area) and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (cognitive control area) are the main neural circuits related to regulation of motivation. These three sub processes interact with each other by sending reward prediction error signals through dopaminergic pathway from the striatum and to the prefrontal cortex. The neuroscientific model of motivational process suggests several educational implications with regard to the generation, maintenance, and regulation of motivation to learn in the learning environment.

Bringing baby home together: examining the impact of a couple-focused intervention on the dynamics within family play.

PubMed

Shapiro, Alyson F; Nahm, Eun Young; Gottman, John M; Content, Kristi

2011-07-01

The transition to parenthood brings with it challenges to a couple's relationship, which in turn are likely to negatively impact coparenting and overall family process. The focus of the current study was to examine the effects of the Bringing Baby Home psycho-educational intervention at the first postintervention follow-up for promoting positive coparenting and family process within the mother-father-baby family system. Expectant parents (N = 181) were recruited from the greater Seattle area to participate in a longitudinal random clinical trials study. Families were randomly assigned to a control, workshop, or workshop plus support group. Observational coding indexed both parent and baby contribution to family interaction during the Lausanne Triadic Play procedure. Principal components analysis was used to create summary factors describing the family play. Results of intent-to-treat analyses indicated that the Bringing Baby Home program was successful in promoting less competition during family play. There also was an effect of workshop timing, suggesting that fathers who took the workshop prebirth were less likely to exhibit intrusiveness during mother-baby focused play than those who received it postbirth. Implications for promoting the formation of positive family-level relations are discussed. © 2011 American Orthopsychiatric Association.

Role of syn-eruptive plagioclase disequilibrium crystallization in basaltic magma ascent dynamics.

PubMed

La Spina, G; Burton, M; De' Michieli Vitturi, M; Arzilli, F

2016-12-12

Timescales of magma ascent in conduit models are typically assumed to be much longer than crystallization and gas exsolution for basaltic eruptions. However, it is now recognized that basaltic magmas may rise fast enough for disequilibrium processes to play a key role on the ascent dynamics. The quantification of the characteristic times for crystallization and exsolution processes are fundamental to our understanding of such disequilibria and ascent dynamics. Here we use observations from Mount Etna's 2001 eruption and a magma ascent model to constrain timescales for crystallization and exsolution processes. Our results show that plagioclase reaches equilibrium in 1-2 h, whereas ascent times were <1 h. Using these new constraints on disequilibrium plagioclase crystallization we also reproduce observed crystal abundances for different basaltic eruptions. The strong relation between magma ascent rate and disequilibrium crystallization and exsolution plays a key role in controlling eruption dynamics in basaltic volcanism.

Role of syn-eruptive plagioclase disequilibrium crystallization in basaltic magma ascent dynamics

PubMed Central

La Spina, G.; Burton, M.; de' Michieli Vitturi, M.; Arzilli, F.

2016-01-01

Timescales of magma ascent in conduit models are typically assumed to be much longer than crystallization and gas exsolution for basaltic eruptions. However, it is now recognized that basaltic magmas may rise fast enough for disequilibrium processes to play a key role on the ascent dynamics. The quantification of the characteristic times for crystallization and exsolution processes are fundamental to our understanding of such disequilibria and ascent dynamics. Here we use observations from Mount Etna's 2001 eruption and a magma ascent model to constrain timescales for crystallization and exsolution processes. Our results show that plagioclase reaches equilibrium in 1–2 h, whereas ascent times were <1 h. Using these new constraints on disequilibrium plagioclase crystallization we also reproduce observed crystal abundances for different basaltic eruptions. The strong relation between magma ascent rate and disequilibrium crystallization and exsolution plays a key role in controlling eruption dynamics in basaltic volcanism. PMID:27941750

Brain glucose sensing, glucokinase and neural control of metabolism and islet function.

PubMed

Ogunnowo-Bada, E O; Heeley, N; Brochard, L; Evans, M L

2014-09-01

It is increasingly apparent that the brain plays a central role in metabolic homeostasis, including the maintenance of blood glucose. This is achieved by various efferent pathways from the brain to periphery, which help control hepatic glucose flux and perhaps insulin-stimulated insulin secretion. Also, critically important for the brain given its dependence on a constant supply of glucose as a fuel--emergency counter-regulatory responses are triggered by the brain if blood glucose starts to fall. To exert these control functions, the brain needs to detect rapidly and accurately changes in blood glucose. In this review, we summarize some of the mechanisms postulated to play a role in this and examine the potential role of the low-affinity hexokinase, glucokinase, in the brain as a key part of some of this sensing. We also discuss how these processes may become altered in diabetes and related metabolic diseases. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Brain glucose sensing, glucokinase and neural control of metabolism and islet function

PubMed Central

Ogunnowo-Bada, E O; Heeley, N; Brochard, L; Evans, M L

2014-01-01

It is increasingly apparent that the brain plays a central role in metabolic homeostasis, including the maintenance of blood glucose. This is achieved by various efferent pathways from the brain to periphery, which help control hepatic glucose flux and perhaps insulin-stimulated insulin secretion. Also, critically important for the brain given its dependence on a constant supply of glucose as a fuel – emergency counter-regulatory responses are triggered by the brain if blood glucose starts to fall. To exert these control functions, the brain needs to detect rapidly and accurately changes in blood glucose. In this review, we summarize some of the mechanisms postulated to play a role in this and examine the potential role of the low-affinity hexokinase, glucokinase, in the brain as a key part of some of this sensing. We also discuss how these processes may become altered in diabetes and related metabolic diseases. PMID:25200293

Extensive video-game experience alters cortical networks for complex visuomotor transformations.

PubMed

Granek, Joshua A; Gorbet, Diana J; Sergio, Lauren E

2010-10-01

Using event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we examined the effect of video-game experience on the neural control of increasingly complex visuomotor tasks. Previously, skilled individuals have demonstrated the use of a more efficient movement control brain network, including the prefrontal, premotor, primary sensorimotor and parietal cortices. Our results extend and generalize this finding by documenting additional prefrontal cortex activity in experienced video gamers planning for complex eye-hand coordination tasks that are distinct from actual video-game play. These changes in activation between non-gamers and extensive gamers are putatively related to the increased online control and spatial attention required for complex visually guided reaching. These data suggest that the basic cortical network for processing complex visually guided reaching is altered by extensive video-game play. Crown Copyright © 2009. Published by Elsevier Srl. All rights reserved.

The Role of Career Adaptabilities for Mid-Career Changers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Alan; Bimrose, Jenny; Barnes, Sally-Anne; Hughes, Deirdre

2012-01-01

Career adaptability is mediated by personality factors and socio-psychological processes, with learning playing an important role. Using a five-fold career adapt-abilities competency framework (defined here as control, curiosity, commitment, confidence and concern), which was developed from the international quantitative study that is the focus of…

The tomato UV-damaged DNA binding protein 1 (DDB1) plays a role in organ size control via an epigenetic manner

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Epigenetic regulation, including various covalent modifications of histone proteins and methylation of cytosine bases in DNA, participates broadly in many fundamentally physiological and developmental processes. The repressed or active states of transcription resulted from epigenetic modifications a...

78 FR 29387 - Government-Owned Inventions, Available for Licensing

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-20

... System for Physiologically Modulating Action Role-playing Open World Video Games and Simulations Which... Deposition Measurement for the Electron Beam Free Form Fabrication (EBF3) Process; NASA Case No.: LAR-17887-1... Modulating Videogames and Simulations Which Use Gesture and Body Image Sensing Control Input Devices; NASA...

Implicit Attitudes toward Violence among Male Perpetrators of Intimate Partner Violence: A Preliminary Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eckhardt, Christopher I.; Samper, Rita; Suhr, Laura; Holtzworth-Munroe, Amy

2012-01-01

Whereas cognitive variables are hypothesized to play an important role in intimate partner violence (IPV) etiology and intervention, cognitive assessment methods have largely targeted offenders' explicit, controlled cognitive processing using paper-and-pencil questionnaires prone to social desirability biases. Using an implicit measure of…

Delay Discounting Mediates Parent-Adolescent Relationship Quality and Risky Sexual Behavior for Low Self-Control Adolescents.

PubMed

Kahn, Rachel E; Holmes, Christopher; Farley, Julee P; Kim-Spoon, Jungmeen

2015-09-01

Parent-adolescent relationship quality and delay discounting may play important roles in adolescents' sexual decision making processes, and levels of self-control during adolescence could act as a buffer within these factors. This longitudinal study included 219 adolescent (55 % male; mean age = 12.66 years at Wave 1; mean age = 15.10 years at Wave 2) and primary caregiver dyads. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was utilized to determine whether delay discounting mediated the association between parent-adolescent relationship quality and adolescents' risky sexual behavior and how this mediated association may differ between those with high versus low self-control. The results revealed parent-adolescent relationship quality plays a role in the development of risky sexual behavior indirectly through levels of delay discounting, but only for adolescents with low self-control. These findings could inform sex education policies and health prevention programs that address adolescent risky sexual behavior.

Enhancing cognition with video games: a multiple game training study.

PubMed

Oei, Adam C; Patterson, Michael D

2013-01-01

Previous evidence points to a causal link between playing action video games and enhanced cognition and perception. However, benefits of playing other video games are under-investigated. We examined whether playing non-action games also improves cognition. Hence, we compared transfer effects of an action and other non-action types that required different cognitive demands. We instructed 5 groups of non-gamer participants to play one game each on a mobile device (iPhone/iPod Touch) for one hour a day/five days a week over four weeks (20 hours). Games included action, spatial memory, match-3, hidden- object, and an agent-based life simulation. Participants performed four behavioral tasks before and after video game training to assess for transfer effects. Tasks included an attentional blink task, a spatial memory and visual search dual task, a visual filter memory task to assess for multiple object tracking and cognitive control, as well as a complex verbal span task. Action game playing eliminated attentional blink and improved cognitive control and multiple-object tracking. Match-3, spatial memory and hidden object games improved visual search performance while the latter two also improved spatial working memory. Complex verbal span improved after match-3 and action game training. Cognitive improvements were not limited to action game training alone and different games enhanced different aspects of cognition. We conclude that training specific cognitive abilities frequently in a video game improves performance in tasks that share common underlying demands. Overall, these results suggest that many video game-related cognitive improvements may not be due to training of general broad cognitive systems such as executive attentional control, but instead due to frequent utilization of specific cognitive processes during game play. Thus, many video game training related improvements to cognition may be attributed to near-transfer effects.

Foreword

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bergheau, Jean-Michel; Drapier, Sylvain; Feulvarch, Éric; Ponthot, Jean-Philippe

2016-04-01

In the face of increasingly fierce global competition, industrial companies must develop products more and more quickly and cheaply. In such a context, the numerical simulation of manufacturing processes is a big challenge and a key factor for success. Indeed, numerical simulation enables the control of manufacturing processes and of the consequences that they induce on the manufactured parts in terms of material modifications, geometrical changes or residual stresses, each of them playing an important role in the lifetime of the component.

Modelling aspects regarding the control in 13C isotope separation column

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boca, M. L.

2016-08-01

Carbon represents the fourth most abundant chemical element in the world, having two stable and one radioactive isotope. The 13Carbon isotopes, with a natural abundance of 1.1%, plays an important role in numerous applications, such as the study of human metabolism changes, molecular structure studies, non-invasive respiratory tests, Alzheimer tests, air pollution and global warming effects on plants [9] A manufacturing control system manages the internal logistics in a production system and determines the routings of product instances, the assignment of workers and components, the starting of the processes on not-yet-finished product instances. Manufacturing control does not control the manufacturing processes themselves, but has to cope with the consequences of the processing results (e.g. the routing of products to a repair station). In this research it was fulfilled some UML (Unified Modelling Language) diagrams for modelling the C13 Isotope Separation column, implement in STARUML program. Being a critical process and needing a good control and supervising, the critical parameters in the column, temperature and pressure was control using some PLC (Programmable logic controller) and it was made some graphic analyze for this to observe some critical situation than can affect the separation process. The main parameters that need to be control are: -The liquid nitrogen (N2) level in the condenser. -The electrical power supplied to the boiler. -The vacuum pressure.

Action video games and improved attentional control: Disentangling selection- and response-based processes.

PubMed

Chisholm, Joseph D; Kingstone, Alan

2015-10-01

Research has demonstrated that experience with action video games is associated with improvements in a host of cognitive tasks. Evidence from paradigms that assess aspects of attention has suggested that action video game players (AVGPs) possess greater control over the allocation of attentional resources than do non-video-game players (NVGPs). Using a compound search task that teased apart selection- and response-based processes (Duncan, 1985), we required participants to perform an oculomotor capture task in which they made saccades to a uniquely colored target (selection-based process) and then produced a manual directional response based on information within the target (response-based process). We replicated the finding that AVGPs are less susceptible to attentional distraction and, critically, revealed that AVGPs outperform NVGPs on both selection-based and response-based processes. These results not only are consistent with the improved-attentional-control account of AVGP benefits, but they suggest that the benefit of action video game playing extends across the full breadth of attention-mediated stimulus-response processes that impact human performance.

Anxiety and selective attention in obsessive-compulsive disorder.

PubMed

Cohen, Yoav; Lachenmeyer, Juliana Rasic; Springer, Craig

2003-11-01

Recently, there has been increasing evidence for information-processing deficits in individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). While impairments in selective attention have been identified to be central to the symptomatology of OCD, the role that situational anxiety plays in attentional processes has not been fully explored. Previous research findings were limited to tasks containing anxiety-relevant materials, only permitting for the evaluation of the impact of anxiety on simultaneous cognitive processing. Furthermore, it has not yet been determined whether the impact of anxiety is limited to selective attention or is indicative of a more general cognitive impairment. This study was designed to examine the role that situational anxiety plays in selective attention impairments. OCD participants and controls were presented with an anxiety producing statement and a neutral statement, followed by the Stroop Task. Results indicated that situational anxiety plays a significant role in the performance of tasks that require selective attention in OCD. A significant deterioration was detected in performance on selective attention tasks for the OCD participants after confronting anxiety-provoking scenarios, as compared to neutral scenarios. Anxiety did not impair performance on simple reading tasks. Possible explanations are discussed.

Playing an action video game reduces gender differences in spatial cognition.

PubMed

Feng, Jing; Spence, Ian; Pratt, Jay

2007-10-01

We demonstrate a previously unknown gender difference in the distribution of spatial attention, a basic capacity that supports higher-level spatial cognition. More remarkably, we found that playing an action video game can virtually eliminate this gender difference in spatial attention and simultaneously decrease the gender disparity in mental rotation ability, a higher-level process in spatial cognition. After only 10 hr of training with an action video game, subjects realized substantial gains in both spatial attention and mental rotation, with women benefiting more than men. Control subjects who played a non-action game showed no improvement. Given that superior spatial skills are important in the mathematical and engineering sciences, these findings have practical implications for attracting men and women to these fields.

Can mechanics control pattern formation in plants?

PubMed

Dumais, Jacques

2007-02-01

Development of the plant body entails many pattern forming events at scales ranging from the cellular level to the whole plant. Recent evidence suggests that mechanical forces play a role in establishing some of these patterns. The development of cellular configurations in glandular trichomes and the rippling of leaf surfaces are discussed in depth to illustrate how intricate patterns can emerge from simple and well-established molecular and cellular processes. The ability of plants to sense and transduce mechanical signals suggests that complex interactions between mechanics and chemistry are possible during plant development. The inclusion of mechanics alongside traditional molecular controls offers a more comprehensive view of developmental processes.

KSC-99pd0279

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-03-06

Student teams behind protective walls operate remote controls to maneuver their robots around the playing field during the 1999 FIRST Southeastern Regional robotic competition held at KSC. The robotic gladiators spent two minutes each trying to grab, claw and hoist large, satin pillows onto their machines. Teams played defense by taking away competitors' pillows and generally harassing opposing machines. On the side of the field are the judges, including (far left) Deputy Director for Launch and Payload Processing Loren Shriver and former KSC Director of Shuttle Processing Robert Sieck. A giant screen TV displays the action on the field. The competition comprised 27 teams, pairing high school students with engineer mentors and corporations. The FIRST robotics competition is designed to provide students with a hands-on, inside look at engineering and other professional careers

Reactivation of emergent task-related ensembles during slow-wave sleep after neuroprosthetic learning

PubMed Central

Gulati, Tanuj; Ramanathan, Dhakshin; Wong, Chelsea; Ganguly, Karunesh

2017-01-01

Brain-Machine Interfaces can allow neural control over assistive devices. They also provide an important platform to study neural plasticity. Recent studies indicate that optimal engagement of learning is essential for robust neuroprosthetic control. However, little is known about the neural processes that may consolidate a neuroprosthetic skill. Based on the growing body of evidence linking slow-wave activity (SWA) during sleep to consolidation, we examined if there is ‘offline’ processing after neuroprosthetic learning. Using a rodent model, here we show that after successful learning, task-related units specifically experienced increased locking and coherency to SWA during sleep. Moreover, spike-spike coherence among these units was significantly enhanced. These changes were not present with poor skill acquisition or after control awake periods, demonstrating specificity of our observations to learning. Interestingly, time spent in SWA predicted performance gains. Thus, SWA appears to play a role in offline processing after neuroprosthetic learning. PMID:24997761

The Role of Hybrid Make-to-Stock (MTS) - Make-to-Order (MTO) and Economic Order Quantity (EOQ) Inventory Control Models in Food and Beverage Processing Industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Najhan Mohd Nagib, Ahmad; Naufal Adnan, Ahmad; Ismail, Azianti; Halim, Nurul Hayati Abdul; Syuhadah Khusaini, Nurul

2016-11-01

The inventory model had been utilized since the early 1900s. The implementation of the inventory management model is generally to ensure that an organisation is able to fulfil customer's demand at the lowest possible cost to improve profitability. This paper focuses on reviewing previous published papers regarding inventory control model mainly in the food and beverage processing industry. The author discusses four inventory models, which are the make-to-stock (MTS), make-to-order (MTO), economic order quantity (EOQ), and hybrid of MTS-MTO models. The issues raised by the researchers on the above techniques as well as the elements need to be considered upon selection have been discussed in this paper. The main objective of the study is to highlight the important role played by these inventory control models in the food and beverage processing industry.

Advances in food crystallization.

PubMed

Hartel, Richard W

2013-01-01

Crystals often play an important role in food product quality and shelf life. Controlling crystallization to obtain the desired crystal content, size distribution, shape, and polymorph is key to manufacturing products with desired functionality and shelf life. Technical developments in the field have improved the tools with which we study and characterize crystals in foods. These developments also help our understanding of the physico-chemical phenomena that govern crystallization and improve our ability to control it during processing and storage. In this review, some of the more important recent developments in measuring and controlling crystallization are discussed.

Brain training game improves executive functions and processing speed in the elderly: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Nouchi, Rui; Taki, Yasuyuki; Takeuchi, Hikaru; Hashizume, Hiroshi; Akitsuki, Yuko; Shigemune, Yayoi; Sekiguchi, Atsushi; Kotozaki, Yuka; Tsukiura, Takashi; Yomogida, Yukihito; Kawashima, Ryuta

2012-01-01

The beneficial effects of brain training games are expected to transfer to other cognitive functions, but these beneficial effects are poorly understood. Here we investigate the impact of the brain training game (Brain Age) on cognitive functions in the elderly. Thirty-two elderly volunteers were recruited through an advertisement in the local newspaper and randomly assigned to either of two game groups (Brain Age, Tetris). This study was completed by 14 of the 16 members in the Brain Age group and 14 of the 16 members in the Tetris group. To maximize the benefit of the interventions, all participants were non-gamers who reported playing less than one hour of video games per week over the past 2 years. Participants in both the Brain Age and the Tetris groups played their game for about 15 minutes per day, at least 5 days per week, for 4 weeks. Each group played for a total of about 20 days. Measures of the cognitive functions were conducted before and after training. Measures of the cognitive functions fell into four categories (global cognitive status, executive functions, attention, and processing speed). Results showed that the effects of the brain training game were transferred to executive functions and to processing speed. However, the brain training game showed no transfer effect on any global cognitive status nor attention. Our results showed that playing Brain Age for 4 weeks could lead to improve cognitive functions (executive functions and processing speed) in the elderly. This result indicated that there is a possibility which the elderly could improve executive functions and processing speed in short term training. The results need replication in large samples. Long-term effects and relevance for every-day functioning remain uncertain as yet. UMIN Clinical Trial Registry 000002825.

Crucial role of gamma interferon-producing CD4+ Th1 cells but dispensable function of CD8+ T cell, B cell, Th2, and Th17 responses in the control of Brucella melitensis infection in mice.

PubMed

Vitry, Marie-Alice; De Trez, Carl; Goriely, Stanislas; Dumoutier, Laure; Akira, Shizuo; Ryffel, Bernhard; Carlier, Yves; Letesson, Jean-Jacques; Muraille, Eric

2012-12-01

Brucella spp. are facultative intracellular bacterial pathogens responsible for brucellosis, a worldwide zoonosis that causes abortion in domestic animals and chronic febrile disease associated with serious complications in humans. There is currently no approved vaccine against human brucellosis, and antibiotic therapy is long and costly. Development of a safe protective vaccine requires a better understanding of the roles played by components of adaptive immunity in the control of Brucella infection. The importance of lymphocyte subsets in the control of Brucella growth has been investigated separately by various research groups and remains unclear or controversial. Here, we used a large panel of genetically deficient mice to compare the importance of B cells, transporter associated with antigen processing (TAP-1), and major histocompatibility complex class II-dependent pathways of antigen presentation as well as T helper 1 (Th1), Th2, and Th17-mediated responses on the immune control of Brucella melitensis 16 M infection. We clearly confirmed the key function played by gamma interferon (IFN-γ)-producing Th1 CD4(+) T cells in the control of B. melitensis infection, whereas IFN-γ-producing CD8(+) T cells or B cell-mediated humoral immunity plays only a modest role in the clearance of bacteria during primary infection. In the presence of a Th1 response, Th2 or Th17 responses do not really develop or play a positive or negative role during the course of B. melitensis infection. On the whole, these results could improve our ability to develop protective vaccines or therapeutic treatments against brucellosis.

UCP2 regulates mitochondrial fission and ventromedial nucleus control of glucose responsiveness

PubMed Central

Toda, Chitoku; Kim, Jung Dae; Impellizzeri, Daniela; Cuzzocrea, Salvatore; Liu, Zhong-Wu; Diano, Sabrina

2016-01-01

Summary The ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMH) plays a critical role in regulating systemic glucose homeostasis. How neurons in this brain area adapt to the changing metabolic environment to regulate circulating glucose levels is ill-defined. Here we show that glucose load results in mitochondrial fission and reduced reactive oxygen species in VMH neurons mediated by dynamin-related peptide 1 (DRP1) under the control of uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2). Probed by genetic manipulations and chemical-genetic control of VMH neuronal circuitry, we unmasked that this mitochondrial adaptation determines the size of the pool of glucose-excited neurons in the VMH, and, that this process regulates systemic glucose homoeostasis. Thus, our data unmasked a critical cellular biological process controlled by mitochondrial dynamics in VMH regulation of systemic glucose homeostasis. PMID:26919426

UCP2 Regulates Mitochondrial Fission and Ventromedial Nucleus Control of Glucose Responsiveness.

PubMed

Toda, Chitoku; Kim, Jung Dae; Impellizzeri, Daniela; Cuzzocrea, Salvatore; Liu, Zhong-Wu; Diano, Sabrina

2016-02-25

The ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMH) plays a critical role in regulating systemic glucose homeostasis. How neurons in this brain area adapt to the changing metabolic environment to regulate circulating glucose levels is ill defined. Here, we show that glucose load results in mitochondrial fission and reduced reactive oxygen species in VMH neurons mediated by dynamin-related peptide 1 (DRP1) under the control of uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2). Probed by genetic manipulations and chemical-genetic control of VMH neuronal circuitry, we unmasked that this mitochondrial adaptation determines the size of the pool of glucose-excited neurons in the VMH and that this process regulates systemic glucose homeostasis. Thus, our data unmasked a critical cellular biological process controlled by mitochondrial dynamics in VMH regulation of systemic glucose homeostasis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Imbalanced functional link between executive control network and reward network explain the online-game seeking behaviors in Internet gaming disorder.

PubMed

Dong, Guangheng; Lin, Xiao; Hu, Yanbo; Xie, Chunming; Du, Xiaoxia

2015-03-17

Literatures have shown that Internet gaming disorder (IGD) subjects show impaired executive control and enhanced reward sensitivities than healthy controls. However, how these two networks jointly affect the valuation process and drive IGD subjects' online-game-seeking behaviors remains unknown. Thirty-five IGD and 36 healthy controls underwent a resting-states scan in the MRI scanner. Functional connectivity (FC) was examined within control and reward network seeds regions, respectively. Nucleus accumbens (NAcc) was selected as the node to find the interactions between these two networks. IGD subjects show decreased FC in the executive control network and increased FC in the reward network when comparing with the healthy controls. When examining the correlations between the NAcc and the executive control/reward networks, the link between the NAcc - executive control network is negatively related with the link between NAcc - reward network. The changes (decrease/increase) in IGD subjects' brain synchrony in control/reward networks suggest the inefficient/overly processing within neural circuitry underlying these processes. The inverse proportion between control network and reward network in IGD suggest that impairments in executive control lead to inefficient inhibition of enhanced cravings to excessive online game playing. This might shed light on the mechanistic understanding of IGD.

Surface hardening of Al alloys through controlled ball-milling and sintering.

PubMed

Kim, Seek Hyeoun; Kim, Yong Jin; Ahn, Jung-Ho

2012-07-01

One of the drawbacks of aluminum and its alloys is the lack of proper heat-treatment for surface-hardening. In the present work, a new and simple method of hardening the surface of aluminum and its alloys was developed. Low-energy ball-milling using specific process control agents (PCAs) was employed, using subsequent sintering in a controlled atmosphere. The PCAs in the present work were very effective both for milling and the formation of hard nanocrystalline dispersoids during sintering. The residual oxygen in a sintering atmosphere also played an important role in the formation of AIN or Al-O-N dispersoids. Through the proper control of the processing atmosphere and PCAs, the hardness and thickness of the hardened layers could be adjusted. The results of the wear test showed that the present aluminum alloys can be effectively utilized as light-weight components with a good wear resistance. Furthermore, the present method involves a simple forming process of die-compaction and sintering.

Plug-and -Play Model Architecture and Development Environment for Powertrain/Propulsion System - Final CRADA Report

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

Rousseau, Aymeric

2013-02-01

Several tools already exist to develop detailed plant model, including GT-Power, AMESim, CarSim, and SimScape. The objective of Autonomie is not to provide a language to develop detailed models; rather, Autonomie supports the assembly and use of models from design to simulation to analysis with complete plug-and-play capabilities. Autonomie provides a plug-and-play architecture to support this ideal use of modeling and simulation for math-based automotive control system design. Models in the standard format create building blocks, which are assembled at runtime into a simulation model of a vehicle, system, subsystem, or component to simulate. All parts of the graphical usermore » interface (GUI) are designed to be flexible to support architectures, systems, components, and processes not yet envisioned. This allows the software to be molded to individual uses, so it can grow as requirements and technical knowledge expands. This flexibility also allows for implementation of legacy code, including models, controller code, processes, drive cycles, and post-processing equations. A library of useful and tested models and processes is included as part of the software package to support a full range of simulation and analysis tasks, immediately. Autonomie also includes a configuration and database management front end to facilitate the storage, versioning, and maintenance of all required files, such as the models themselves, the model’s supporting files, test data, and reports. During the duration of the CRADA, Argonne has worked closely with GM to implement and demonstrate each one of their requirements. A use case was developed by GM for every requirement and demonstrated by Argonne. Each of the new features were verified by GM experts through a series of Gate. Once all the requirements were validated they were presented to the directors as part of GM Gate process.« less

Spatial and temporal controls on watershed ecohydrology in the northern Rocky Mountains

Treesearch

Ryan E. Emanuel; Howard E. Epstein; Brian L. McGlynn; Daniel L. Welsch; Daniel J. Muth; Paulo D& #65533; fOdorico

2010-01-01

Vegetation water stress plays an important role in the movement of water through the soil�]plant�]atmosphere continuum. However, the effects of water stress on evapotranspiration (ET) and other hydrological processes at the watershed scale remain poorly understood due in part to spatially and temporally heterogeneous conditions within the...

Sociocognitive Correlates of Gender-Linked Conduct.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bussey, Kay

This study of the processes guiding children's gender-linked conduct focused on ages prior to the development of self-regulatory control through the exercise of self-evaluative reactions. The study sample consisted of 29 boys and 33 girls in Australia between 17 and 48 months old. Measures included: (1) a videotaped toy play session in which…

Land and atmospheric controls on initiation and intensity of moist convection: CAPE dynamics and LCL crossings

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The local role that land-atmosphere interactions play in the rainfall process has been explored by investigating the initiation of moist convection as the top of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) crosses the lifting condensation level (LCL). However, this LCL crossing alone is not a sufficient in...

Critical role of fatty acid metabolism in ILC2 mediated barrier protection during malnutrition and helminth infection

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) play an important role in many immune processes, including control of infections, inflammation and tissue repair. To date little is known about the metabolism of ILCs under steady-state conditions and infection, and whether these cells can metabolically adapt in response...

Chapter 5. Borderlands fire regimes

Treesearch

Margot Wilkinson-Kaye; Thomas Swetnam; Christopher R. Baisan

2006-01-01

Fire is a keystone process in most natural, terrestrial ecosystems. The vital role that fire plays in controlling the structure of an ecosystem underscores the need for us to increase our knowledge of past and current fire regimes (Morgan and others 1994). Dendrochronological reconstructions of fire histories provide descriptions of past fire regimes across a range of...

A Mechanism for Error Detection in Speeded Response Time Tasks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holroyd, Clay B.; Yeung, Nick; Coles, Michael G. H.; Cohen, Jonathan D.

2005-01-01

The concept of error detection plays a central role in theories of executive control. In this article, the authors present a mechanism that can rapidly detect errors in speeded response time tasks. This error monitor assigns values to the output of cognitive processes involved in stimulus categorization and response generation and detects errors…

A Critical Role for Ubiquitination in the Endocytosis of Glutamate Receptors.

PubMed

Gulia, Ravinder; Sharma, Rohan; Bhattacharyya, Samarjit

2017-01-27

Group I metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) play important roles in various neuronal processes and elicit changes in synaptic efficacy through AMPA receptor (AMPAR) endocytosis. Trafficking of mGluRs plays an important role in controlling the precise localization of these receptors at specific region of the cell; it also regulates the activity of these receptors. Despite this obvious significance, we know very little about the cellular mechanisms that control the trafficking of group I mGluRs. We show here that ligand-mediated internalization of group I mGluRs is ubiquitination-dependent. A lysine residue (Lys 1112 ) at the C-terminal tail of mGluR1 (a member of the group I mGluR family) plays crucial role in this process. Our data suggest that Lys 63 -linked polyubiquitination is involved in the ligand-mediated endocytosis of mGluR1. We also show here that the mGluR1 internalization is dependent on a specific E3 ubiquitin ligase, Siah-1A. Furthermore, acute knockdown of Siah-1A enhances the mGluR-mediated AMPAR endocytosis. These studies reveal a novel function of ubiquitination in the regulation of group I mGluRs, as well as its role in mGluR-dependent AMPAR endocytosis. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Self-Ignition in Porous Media: Critical Phenomena

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shchepakina, E.

2018-01-01

The self-ignition of flammable liquid in an inert porous medium is studied. We obtained the complete classification of the possible scenarios of the process using asymptotic and geometrical techniques. This approach allows us to reveal a critical regime which plays a role of a watershed between the safe processes and self-accelerating regimes that lead to the explosion. The realizability conditions for the critical regime are obtained as the explicit asymptotic expression for the control parameter.

Anterioposterior spinal curvatures and magnitude of asymmetry in the trunk in musicians playing the violin compared with nonmusicians.

PubMed

Barczyk-Pawelec, Katarzyna; Sipko, Tomasz; Demczuk-Włodarczyk, Ewa; Boczar, Agata

2012-05-01

Playing an instrument often requires a certain posture and asymmetric position that may affect the anteroposterior spinal curvatures and may lead to postural asymmetry. The aim of the study was to evaluate the spinal curvatures in the sagittal plane and the magnitude of asymmetries in the trunk in the frontal plane in a group of music students in comparison with a control group. The group of 67 students aged 20 to 26 years was made up of 2 subgroups: the musicians (violin playing students of the Academy of Music in Wroclaw) and the control group (physical therapy students who played no instruments). The examination included an interview, measuring of somatic characteristics, and evaluation of body posture by means of the photogrammetric method. The spinal curvatures of the instrumentalists in the sagittal plane differ from the control group mainly in terms of length and depth parameters. Compared with the control group, the musicians were characterized by statistically more significantly longer and deeper thoracic kyphosis (P < .01) and more shallow lumbar lordosis (P < .05), a greater angle of thoracic kyphosis (P < .005), and a smaller inclination angle of the thoracolumbar and lumbosacral section of the spine (P < .01). In the group of musicians, the asymmetries in the area of shoulders and waist triangles as well as the distance of the spinous processes from the C7 to S1 line were more frequent. Copyright © 2012 National University of Health Sciences. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

An Analysis of the Time Course of Lexical Processing During Reading.

PubMed

Sheridan, Heather; Reichle, Erik D

2016-04-01

Reingold, Reichle, Glaholt, and Sheridan (2012) reported a gaze-contingent eye-movement experiment in which survival-curve analyses were used to examine the effects of word frequency, the availability of parafoveal preview, and initial fixation location on the time course of lexical processing. The key results of these analyses suggest that lexical processing begins very rapidly (after approximately 120 ms) and is supported by substantial parafoveal processing (more than 100 ms). Because it is not immediately obvious that these results are congruent with the theoretical assumption that words are processed and identified in a strictly serial manner, we attempted to simulate the experiment using the E-Z Reader model of eye-movement control (Reichle, 2011). These simulations were largely consistent with the empirical results, suggesting that parafoveal processing does play an important functional role by allowing lexical processing to occur rapidly enough to mediate direct control over when the eyes move during reading. Copyright © 2015 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Parametric Optimization Of Gas Metal Arc Welding Process By Using Grey Based Taguchi Method On Aisi 409 Ferritic Stainless Steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, Nabendu; Kumar, Pradip; Nandi, Goutam

2016-10-01

Welding input process parameters play a very significant role in determining the quality of the welded joint. Only by properly controlling every element of the process can product quality be controlled. For better quality of MIG welding of Ferritic stainless steel AISI 409, precise control of process parameters, parametric optimization of the process parameters, prediction and control of the desired responses (quality indices) etc., continued and elaborate experiments, analysis and modeling are needed. A data of knowledge - base may thus be generated which may be utilized by the practicing engineers and technicians to produce good quality weld more precisely, reliably and predictively. In the present work, X-ray radiographic test has been conducted in order to detect surface and sub-surface defects of weld specimens made of Ferritic stainless steel. The quality of the weld has been evaluated in terms of yield strength, ultimate tensile strength and percentage of elongation of the welded specimens. The observed data have been interpreted, discussed and analyzed by considering ultimate tensile strength ,yield strength and percentage elongation combined with use of Grey-Taguchi methodology.

Effectiveness of adaptive pretend play on affective expression and imagination of children with cerebral palsy.

PubMed

Hsieh, Hsieh-Chun

2012-01-01

Children with cerebral palsy (CP) have difficulty participating in role-pretending activities. The concept of adaptive play makes play accessible by modifying play materials for different needs or treatment goals for children with CP. This study examines the affective expressions and imagination in children with CP as a function of ordinary versus adaptive pretend play. The Affect in Play Scale-Brief Rating measured the affective expression and imagination for 29 children with CP and 29 typically developing children (mean age=7.34 years). Two groups of children were observed while playing with a standard set of ordinary toys for ten times and with a standard procedure of adaptive pretend play for ten times. The results show significantly different affective expressions and imagination between the two groups. Typically developing children displayed much more affective expression and imagination. However, a more positive influence of affective expression and imagination occurred in children with CP than in typically developing children. In repeated measures analysis, the frequency of positive affective expression and imagination of children with CP was higher when pretending with adaptive toys. Adaptive pretend play can promote more role-pretending behaviors and a sense of environmental control during the manipulating process for children with CP. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Six-sigma application in tire-manufacturing company: a case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Vikash; Jain, Rahul; Meena, M. L.; Dangayach, G. S.

2017-09-01

Globalization, advancement of technologies, and increment in the demand of the customer change the way of doing business in the companies. To overcome these barriers, the six-sigma define-measure-analyze-improve-control (DMAIC) method is most popular and useful. This method helps to trim down the wastes and generating the potential ways of improvement in the process as well as service industries. In the current research, the DMAIC method was used for decreasing the process variations of bead splice causing wastage of material. This six-sigma DMAIC research was initiated by problem identification through voice of customer in the define step. The subsequent step constitutes of gathering the specification data of existing tire bead. This step was followed by the analysis and improvement steps, where the six-sigma quality tools such as cause-effect diagram, statistical process control, and substantial analysis of existing system were implemented for root cause identification and reduction in process variation. The process control charts were used for systematic observation and control the process. Utilizing DMAIC methodology, the standard deviation was decreased from 2.17 to 1.69. The process capability index (C p) value was enhanced from 1.65 to 2.95 and the process performance capability index (C pk) value was enhanced from 0.94 to 2.66. A DMAIC methodology was established that can play a key role for reducing defects in the tire-manufacturing process in India.

Design and Validation of a Virtual Player for Studying Interpersonal Coordination in the Mirror Game.

PubMed

Zhai, Chao; Alderisio, Francesco; Slowinski, Piotr; Tsaneva-Atanasova, Krasimira; di Bernardo, Mario

2018-03-01

The mirror game has been recently proposed as a simple, yet powerful paradigm for studying interpersonal interactions. It has been suggested that a virtual partner able to play the game with human subjects can be an effective tool to affect the underlying neural processes needed to establish the necessary connections between the players, and also to provide new clinical interventions for rehabilitation of patients suffering from social disorders. Inspired by the motor processes of the central nervous system (CNS) and the musculoskeletal system in the human body, in this paper we develop a novel interactive cognitive architecture based on nonlinear control theory to drive a virtual player (VP) to play the mirror game with a human player (HP) in different configurations. Specifically, we consider two cases: 1) the VP acts as leader and 2) the VP acts as follower. The crucial problem is to design a feedback control architecture capable of imitating and following or leading an HP in a joint action task. The movement of the end-effector of the VP is modeled by means of a feedback controlled Haken-Kelso-Bunz (HKB) oscillator, which is coupled with the observed motion of the HP measured in real time. To this aim, two types of control algorithms (adaptive control and optimal control) are used and implemented on the HKB model so that the VP can generate a human-like motion while satisfying certain kinematic constraints. A proof of convergence of the control algorithms is presented together with an extensive numerical and experimental validation of their effectiveness. A comparison with other existing designs is also discussed, showing the flexibility and the advantages of our control-based approach.

CRPS: A contingent hypothesis with prostaglandins as crucial conversion factor.

PubMed

van der Veen, Phe

2015-11-01

CRPS is an acute pain disease expressed as chronic pain with a severe loss of tissue and function. CRPS usually occurs after minor injuries and then progresses in a way that is scarcely controllable, or completely uncontrollable. This article addresses the functional control mechanism of a biological organism, a comparison of techniques, and the way the negative feedback mechanisms fail in regulated feedback systems. The measurement and regulation system is controlled at the local, regional, and central levels in a biological system. Locally generated substances such as prostaglandins and hormones, as well as the central nervous system, play important roles in this process. Prostaglandins fulfil many conversion functions and are involved in vasoactive processes, pain, and inflammation. They play an intermediating role between the activity of the autonomic nervous system and local occurrences. The insufficiently explored conversion function of prostaglandins as a ubiquitously present cofactor may be related to the development of CRPS at sites which have had minor injuries in the past. Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is a moderately prevalent disease, which occurs more frequently with age. Even though there are diseases known to have a precipitating effect on the aetiology of CRPS, for example Carpal tunnel syndrome, the mechanism of onset is unknown. The disease falls under the category of chronic pain, and seldom has an effective treatment based on scientific research. The economic and psychosocial aspects of the disease are substantial. CRPS is the final position of a positive feedback measurement and control system. Homoeostasis is directed by measurement and control processes. In electronics, a rapid conversion system, which quickly adapts to changing circumstances, superimposed with a delayed conversion system, which ensures a stable basis of homoeostasis. Measured changes are compensatorily controlled. An analogy is expected for a Complex Adaptive System such as a living organism. Hormonal systems are slow systems, suitable for stabilising activity. Neural reflex systems function quickly. Prostaglandins that come from local tissue may be the link between the slow and rapid control. In electronics, negative feedback can convert into a feedback loop which results in the dysregulation, which is what prostaglandins do in biochemistry. A dysregulated feedback control mechanism only has two positions: a zero position and a final position. The process is not easily influenced by other factors. Only phase shifting and signal weakness can affect the feedback process. Theoretically, prostaglandins can also affect this process. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Experimental realization of a feedback optical parametric amplifier with four-wave mixing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Xiaozhou; Chen, Hui; Wei, Tianxiang; Zhang, Jun; Marino, Alberto M.; Treps, Nicolas; Glasser, Ryan T.; Jing, Jietai

2018-04-01

Optical parametric amplifiers (OPAs) play a fundamental role in the generation of quantum correlation for quantum information processing and quantum metrology. In order to increase the communication fidelity of the quantum information protocol and the measurement precision of quantum metrology, it requires a high degree of quantum correlation. In this Rapid Communication we report a feedback optical parametric amplifier that employs a four-wave mixing (FWM) process as the underlying OPA and a beam splitter as the feedback controller. We first construct a theoretical model for this feedback-based FWM process and experimentally study the effect of the feedback control on the quantum properties of the system. Specifically, we find that the quantum correlation between the output fields can be enhanced by tuning the strength of the feedback.

Neurodynamics of executive control processes in bilinguals: evidence from ERP and source reconstruction analyses.

PubMed

Heidlmayr, Karin; Hemforth, Barbara; Moutier, Sylvain; Isel, Frédéric

2015-01-01

The present study was designed to examine the impact of bilingualism on the neuronal activity in different executive control processes namely conflict monitoring, control implementation (i.e., interference suppression and conflict resolution) and overcoming of inhibition. Twenty-two highly proficient but non-balanced successive French-German bilingual adults and 22 monolingual adults performed a combined Stroop/Negative priming task while event-related potential (ERP) were recorded online. The data revealed that the ERP effects were reduced in bilinguals in comparison to monolinguals but only in the Stroop task and limited to the N400 and the sustained fronto-central negative-going potential time windows. This result suggests that bilingualism may impact the process of control implementation rather than the process of conflict monitoring (N200). Critically, our study revealed a differential time course of the involvement of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in conflict processing. While the ACC showed major activation in the early time windows (N200 and N400) but not in the latest time window (late sustained negative-going potential), the PFC became unilaterally active in the left hemisphere in the N400 and the late sustained negative-going potential time windows. Taken together, the present electroencephalography data lend support to a cascading neurophysiological model of executive control processes, in which ACC and PFC may play a determining role.

Neurodynamics of executive control processes in bilinguals: evidence from ERP and source reconstruction analyses

PubMed Central

Heidlmayr, Karin; Hemforth, Barbara; Moutier, Sylvain; Isel, Frédéric

2015-01-01

The present study was designed to examine the impact of bilingualism on the neuronal activity in different executive control processes namely conflict monitoring, control implementation (i.e., interference suppression and conflict resolution) and overcoming of inhibition. Twenty-two highly proficient but non-balanced successive French–German bilingual adults and 22 monolingual adults performed a combined Stroop/Negative priming task while event-related potential (ERP) were recorded online. The data revealed that the ERP effects were reduced in bilinguals in comparison to monolinguals but only in the Stroop task and limited to the N400 and the sustained fronto-central negative-going potential time windows. This result suggests that bilingualism may impact the process of control implementation rather than the process of conflict monitoring (N200). Critically, our study revealed a differential time course of the involvement of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in conflict processing. While the ACC showed major activation in the early time windows (N200 and N400) but not in the latest time window (late sustained negative-going potential), the PFC became unilaterally active in the left hemisphere in the N400 and the late sustained negative-going potential time windows. Taken together, the present electroencephalography data lend support to a cascading neurophysiological model of executive control processes, in which ACC and PFC may play a determining role. PMID:26124740

Final matches of the FIRST regional robotic competition at KSC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

Student teams behind protective walls operate remote controls to maneuver their robots around the playing field during the 1999 FIRST Southeastern Regional robotic competition held at KSC. The robotic gladiators spent two minutes each trying to grab, claw and hoist large, satin pillows onto their machines. Teams played defense by taking away competitors' pillows and generally harassing opposing machines. On the side of the field are the judges, including (far left) Deputy Director for Launch and Payload Processing Loren Shriver and former KSC Director of Shuttle Processing Robert Sieck. A giant screen TV displays the action on the field. The competition comprised 27 teams, pairing high school students with engineer mentors and corporations. The FIRST robotics competition is designed to provide students with a hands-on, inside look at engineering and other professional careers.

Exciton Dynamics, Transport, and Annihilation in Atomically Thin Two-Dimensional Semiconductors.

PubMed

Yuan, Long; Wang, Ti; Zhu, Tong; Zhou, Mingwei; Huang, Libai

2017-07-20

Large binding energy and unique exciton fine structure make the transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) an ideal platform to study exciton behaviors in two-dimensional (2D) systems. While excitons in these systems have been extensively researched, there currently lacks a consensus on mechanisms that control dynamics. In this Perspective, we discuss extrinsic and intrinsic factors in exciton dynamics, transport, and annihilation in 2D TMDCs. Intrinsically, dark and bright exciton energy splitting is likely to play a key role in modulating the dynamics. Extrinsically, defect scattering is prevalent in single-layer TMDCs, which leads to rapid picosecond decay and limits exciton transport. The exciton-exciton annihilation process in single-layer TMDCs is highly efficient, playing an important role in the nonradiative recombination rate in the high exciton density regime. Future challenges and opportunities to control exciton dynamics are discussed.

A whole process quality control system for energy measuring instruments inspection based on IOT technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, Bo; Liu, Li; Wang, Jiahan; Li, Xiran; Liu, Zhenbo; Li, Dewei; Wang, Jun; Liu, Lu; Wu, Jun; Xu, Tingting; Cui, He

2017-10-01

Electric energy measurement as a basic work, an accurate measurements play a vital role for the economic interests of both parties of power supply, the standardized management of the measurement laboratory at all levels is a direct factor that directly affects the fairness of measurement. Currently, the management of metering laboratories generally uses one-dimensional bar code as the recognition object, advances the testing process by manual management, most of the test data requires human input to generate reports. There are many problems and potential risks in this process: Data cannot be saved completely, cannot trace the status of inspection, the inspection process isn't completely controllable and so on. For the provincial metrology center's actual requirements of the whole process management for the performance test of the power measuring appliances, using of large-capacity RF tags as a process management information media, we developed a set of general measurement experiment management system, formulated a standardized full performance test process, improved the raw data recording mode of experimental process, developed a storehouse automatic inventory device, established a strict test sample transfer and storage system, ensured that all the raw data of the inspection can be traced back, achieved full life-cycle control of the sample, significantly improved the quality control level and the effectiveness of inspection work.

Enumeration versus multiple object tracking: the case of action video game players

PubMed Central

Green, C.S.; Bavelier, D.

2010-01-01

Here, we demonstrate that action video game play enhances subjects’ ability in two tasks thought to indicate the number of items that can be apprehended. Using an enumeration task, in which participants have to determine the number of quickly flashed squares, accuracy measures showed a near ceiling performance for low numerosities and a sharp drop in performance once a critical number of squares was reached. Importantly, this critical number was higher by about two items in video game players (VGPs) than in non-video game players (NVGPs). A following control study indicated that this improvement was not due to an enhanced ability to instantly apprehend the numerosity of the display, a process known as subitizing, but rather due to an enhancement in the slower more serial process of counting. To confirm that video game play facilitates the processing of multiple objects at once, we compared VGPs and NVGPs on the multiple object tracking task (MOT), which requires the allocation of attention to several items over time. VGPs were able to successfully track approximately two more items than NVGPs. Furthermore, NVGPs trained on an action video game established the causal effect of game playing in the enhanced performance on the two tasks. Together, these studies confirm the view that playing action video games enhances the number of objects that can be apprehended and suggest that this enhancement is mediated by changes in visual short-term memory skills. PMID:16359652

Enumeration versus multiple object tracking: the case of action video game players.

PubMed

Green, C S; Bavelier, D

2006-08-01

Here, we demonstrate that action video game play enhances subjects' ability in two tasks thought to indicate the number of items that can be apprehended. Using an enumeration task, in which participants have to determine the number of quickly flashed squares, accuracy measures showed a near ceiling performance for low numerosities and a sharp drop in performance once a critical number of squares was reached. Importantly, this critical number was higher by about two items in video game players (VGPs) than in non-video game players (NVGPs). A following control study indicated that this improvement was not due to an enhanced ability to instantly apprehend the numerosity of the display, a process known as subitizing, but rather due to an enhancement in the slower more serial process of counting. To confirm that video game play facilitates the processing of multiple objects at once, we compared VGPs and NVGPs on the multiple object tracking task (MOT), which requires the allocation of attention to several items over time. VGPs were able to successfully track approximately two more items than NVGPs. Furthermore, NVGPs trained on an action video game established the causal effect of game playing in the enhanced performance on the two tasks. Together, these studies confirm the view that playing action video games enhances the number of objects that can be apprehended and suggest that this enhancement is mediated by changes in visual short-term memory skills.

Multiprotein DNA Looping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vilar, Jose M. G.; Saiz, Leonor

2006-06-01

DNA looping plays a fundamental role in a wide variety of biological processes, providing the backbone for long range interactions on DNA. Here we develop the first model for DNA looping by an arbitrarily large number of proteins and solve it analytically in the case of identical binding. We uncover a switchlike transition between looped and unlooped phases and identify the key parameters that control this transition. Our results establish the basis for the quantitative understanding of fundamental cellular processes like DNA recombination, gene silencing, and telomere maintenance.

Modal control theory and application to aircraft lateral handling qualities design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Srinathkumar, S.

1978-01-01

A multivariable synthesis procedure based on eigenvalue/eigenvector assignment is reviewed and is employed to develop a systematic design procedure to meet the lateral handling qualities design objectives of a fighter aircraft over a wide range of flight conditions. The closed loop modal characterization developed provides significant insight into the design process and plays a pivotal role in the synthesis of robust feedback systems. The simplicity of the synthesis algorithm yields an efficient computer aided interactive design tool for flight control system synthesis.

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

Carruth, R.C.; Sotos, W.G.

As the nation`s nuclear power plants age, the need to consider upgrading of their electronic protection and control systems becomes more urgent. Hardware obsolescence and mechanical wear out resulting from frequent calibration and surveillance play a major role in defining their useful life. At Cook Nuclear Plant, a decision was made to replace a major portion of the plant`s protection and control systems with newer technology. This paper describes the engineering processes involved in this successful upgrade and explains the basis for many decisions made while performing the digital upgrade.

Cellular activation in limbic brain systems during social play behaviour in rats.

PubMed

van Kerkhof, Linda W M; Trezza, Viviana; Mulder, Tessa; Gao, Ping; Voorn, Pieter; Vanderschuren, Louk J M J

2014-07-01

Positive social interactions during the juvenile and adolescent phases of life are essential for proper social and cognitive development in mammals, including humans. During this developmental period, there is a marked increase in peer-peer interactions, signified by the abundance of social play behaviour. Despite its importance for behavioural development, our knowledge of the neural underpinnings of social play behaviour is limited. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to map the neural circuits involved in social play behaviour in rats. This was achieved by examining cellular activity after social play using the immediate early gene c-Fos as a marker. After a session of social play behaviour, pronounced increases in c-Fos expression were observed in the medial prefrontal cortex, medial and ventral orbitofrontal cortex, dorsal striatum, nucleus accumbens core and shell, lateral amygdala, several thalamic nuclei, dorsal raphe and the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus. Importantly, the cellular activity patterns after social play were topographically organized in this network, as indicated by play-specific correlations in c-Fos activity between regions with known direct connections. These correlations suggest involvement in social play behaviour of the projections from the medial prefrontal cortex to the striatum, and of amygdala and monoaminergic inputs to frontal cortex and striatum. The analyses presented here outline a topographically organized neural network implicated in processes such as reward, motivation and cognitive control over behaviour, which mediates social play behaviour in rats.

The logic of communication: roles for mobile transcription factors in plants.

PubMed

Long, Yuchen; Scheres, Ben; Blilou, Ikram

2015-02-01

Mobile transcription factors play many roles in plant development. Here, we compare the use of mobile transcription factors as signals with some canonical signal transduction processes in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. After an initial survey, we focus on the SHORT-ROOT pathway in Arabidopsis roots to show that, despite the simplicity of the concept of mobile transcription factor signalling, many lines of evidence reveal a surprising complexity in control mechanisms linked to this process. We argue that these controls bestow precision, robustness, and versatility on mobile transcription factor signalling. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Coherent Manipulation of Phonons at the Nanoscale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Shangjie; Ouyang, Min

Phonons play a key role in almost every physical process, including for example dephasing phenomena of electronic quantum states, electric and heat transports. Therefore, understanding and even manipulating phonons represent a pre-requisite for tailoring phonons-mediated physical processes. In this talk, we will first present how to employ ultrafast optical spectroscopy to probe acoustic phonon modes in colloidal metallic nanoparticles. Furthermore, we have developed various phonon manipulation schemes that can be achieved by a train of optical pulses in time domain to allow selective control of phonon modes. Our theoretical modeling and simulation demonstrates an excellent agreement with experimental results, thus providing a future guideline on more complex phononic control at the nanoscale.

Dotette: Programmable, high-precision, plug-and-play droplet pipetting.

PubMed

Fan, Jinzhen; Men, Yongfan; Hao Tseng, Kuo; Ding, Yi; Ding, Yunfeng; Villarreal, Fernando; Tan, Cheemeng; Li, Baoqing; Pan, Tingrui

2018-05-01

Manual micropipettes are the most heavily used liquid handling devices in biological and chemical laboratories; however, they suffer from low precision for volumes under 1  μ l and inevitable human errors. For a manual device, the human errors introduced pose potential risks of failed experiments, inaccurate results, and financial costs. Meanwhile, low precision under 1  μ l can cause severe quantification errors and high heterogeneity of outcomes, becoming a bottleneck of reaction miniaturization for quantitative research in biochemical labs. Here, we report Dotette, a programmable, plug-and-play microfluidic pipetting device based on nanoliter liquid printing. With automated control, protocols designed on computers can be directly downloaded into Dotette, enabling programmable operation processes. Utilizing continuous nanoliter droplet dispensing, the precision of the volume control has been successfully improved from traditional 20%-50% to less than 5% in the range of 100 nl to 1000 nl. Such a highly automated, plug-and-play add-on to existing pipetting devices not only improves precise quantification in low-volume liquid handling and reduces chemical consumptions but also facilitates and automates a variety of biochemical and biological operations.

Research on single-chip microcomputer controlled rotating magnetic field mineralization model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yang; Qi, Yulin; Yang, Junxiao; Li, Na

2017-08-01

As one of the method of selecting ore, the magnetic separation method has the advantages of stable operation, simple process flow, high beneficiation efficiency and no chemical environment pollution. But the existing magnetic separator are more mechanical, the operation is not flexible, and can not change the magnetic field parameters according to the precision of the ore needed. Based on the existing magnetic separator is mechanical, the rotating magnetic field can be used for single chip microcomputer control as the research object, design and trial a rotating magnetic field processing prototype, and through the single-chip PWM pulse output to control the rotation of the magnetic field strength and rotating magnetic field speed. This method of using pure software to generate PWM pulse to control rotary magnetic field beneficiation, with higher flexibility, accuracy and lower cost, can give full play to the performance of single-chip.

Blaming the brain for obesity: Integration of hedonic and homeostatic mechanisms

PubMed Central

Berthoud, Hans-Rudolf; Münzberg, Heike; Morrison, Christopher D.

2017-01-01

The brain plays a key role in the controls of energy intake and expenditure and many genes associated with obesity are expressed in the central nervous system. Technological and conceptual advances in both basic and clinical neurosciences have expanded the traditional view of homeostatic regulation of body weight by mainly the hypothalamus to include hedonic controls of appetite by cortical and subcortical brain areas processing external sensory information, reward, cognition, and executive functions. Thus, hedonic controls interact with homeostatic controls to regulate body weight in a flexible and adaptive manner that takes environmental conditions into account. This new conceptual framework has several important implications for the treatment of obesity. Because much of this interactive neural processing is outside awareness, cognitive restraint in a world of plenty is made difficult and prevention and treatment of obesity should be more rationally directed to the complex and often redundant mechanisms underlying this interaction. PMID:28192106

Nutritional controls of food reward.

PubMed

Fernandes, Maria F; Sharma, Sandeep; Hryhorczuk, Cecile; Auguste, Stephanie; Fulton, Stephanie

2013-08-01

The propensity to select and consume palatable nutrients is strongly influenced by the rewarding effects of food. Neural processes integrating reward, emotional states and decision-making can supersede satiety signals to promote excessive caloric intake and weight gain. While nutritional habits are influenced by reward-based neural mechanisms, nutrition and its impact on energy metabolism, in turn, plays an important role in the control of food reward. Feeding modulates the release of metabolic hormones that have an important influence on central controls of appetite. Nutrients themselves are also an essential source of energy fuel, while serving as key metabolites and acting as signalling molecules in the neural pathways that control feeding and food reward. Along these lines, this review discusses the impact of nutritionally regulated hormones and select macronutrients on the behavioural and neural processes underlying the rewarding effects of food. Copyright © 2013 Canadian Diabetes Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Interacting effects of insects and flooding on wood decomposition.

Treesearch

Michael Ulyshen

2014-01-01

Saproxylic arthropods are thought to play an important role in wood decomposition but very few efforts have been made to quantify their contributions to the process and the factors controlling their activities are not well understood. In the current study, mesh exclusion bags were used to quantify how arthropods affect loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) decomposition rates...

Water in the critical zone: soil, water and life from profile to planet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirkby, Mike

2015-04-01

Water is essential to the critical zone between bedrock and the atmosphere, and without water the soil is dead. Water provides the basis for the abundant life within the soil and, interacting with micro-organisms, drives the key processes in the critical zone. This review looks at the balances that control the flow of water through the soil, and how water movement is one of the major controls on the fluxes and transformations that control the formation, evolution and loss of material that controls the 'life' and 'health' of the soil. At regional scales, climate, acting largely through the soil hydrology, plays a major part in determining the type of soils developed - from hyper arid soils dominated by aeolian inputs, through arid and semi-arid soils with largely vertical water exchanges with the atmosphere, to temperate soils with substantial lateral drainage, and humid soils dominated by organic peats. Soil water balance controls the partition of precipitation between evaporative loss, lateral subsurface flow and groundwater recharge, and, in turn, has a major influence on the potential for plant growth and on the lateral connectivity between soils on a hillslope. Sediment and solute balances distinguish soils of accumulation from soils that tend towards a stable chemical depletion ratio. Reflecting the availability of water and the soil material, carbon balance plays a major role in soil horizonation and distinguishes soils dominated by mineral or organic components. At finer catena and catchment scales, lateral connectivity, or its absence, determines how soils evolve through the transfer of water and sediment downslope, creating more or less integrated landscapes in a balance between geomorphological and pedological processes. Within single soil profiles, the movement of water controls the processes of weathering and soil horizonation by ion diffusion, advective leaching and bioturbation, creating horizonation that, in turn, modifies the hydrological responses of both soil and landscape. For example, the soil hydrological regime helps to contrast soils that accumulate more and less soluble constituents of the parent material.

Structural Brain Correlates Associated with Professional Handball Playing

PubMed Central

Hänggi, Jürgen; Langer, Nicolas; Lutz, Kai; Birrer, Karin; Mérillat, Susan; Jäncke, Lutz

2015-01-01

Background There is no doubt that good bimanual performance is very important for skilled handball playing. The control of the non-dominant hand is especially demanding since efficient catching and throwing needs both hands. Methodology/Hypotheses We investigated training-induced structural neuroplasticity in professional handball players using several structural neuroimaging techniques and analytic approaches and also provide a review of the literature about sport-induced structural neuroplastic alterations. Structural brain adaptations were expected in regions relevant for motor and somatosensory processing such as the grey matter (GM) of the primary/secondary motor (MI/supplementary motor area, SMA) and somatosensory cortex (SI/SII), basal ganglia, thalamus, and cerebellum and in the white matter (WM) of the corticospinal tract (CST) and corpus callosum, stronger in brain regions controlling the non-dominant left hand. Results Increased GM volume in handball players compared with control subjects were found in the right MI/SI, bilateral SMA/cingulate motor area, and left intraparietal sulcus. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and axial diffusivity were increased within the right CST in handball players compared with control women. Age of handball training commencement correlated inversely with GM volume in the right and left MI/SI and years of handball training experience correlated inversely with radial diffusivity in the right CST. Subcortical structures tended to be larger in handball players. The anatomical measures of the brain regions associated with handball playing were positively correlated in handball players, but not interrelated in control women. Discussion/Conclusion Training-induced structural alterations were found in the somatosensory-motor network of handball players, more pronounced in the right hemisphere controlling the non-dominant left hand. Correlations between handball training-related measures and anatomical differences suggest neuroplastic adaptations rather than a genetic predisposition for a ball playing affinity. Investigations of neuroplasticity specifically in sportsmen might help to understand the neural mechanisms of expertise in general. PMID:25915906

Identifying Hydrogeological Controls of Catchment Low-Flow Dynamics Using Physically Based Modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cochand, F.; Carlier, C.; Staudinger, M.; Seibert, J.; Hunkeler, D.; Brunner, P.

2017-12-01

Identifying key catchment characteristics and processes which control the hydrological response under low-flow conditions is important to assess the catchments' vulnerability to dry periods. In the context of a Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) project, the low-flow behaviours of two mountainous catchments were investigated. These neighboring catchments are characterized by the same meteorological conditions, but feature completely different river flow dynamics. The Roethenbach is characterized by high peak flows and low mean flows. Conversely, the Langete is characterized by relatively low peak flows and high mean flow rates. To understand the fundamentally different behaviour of the two catchments, a physically-based surface-subsurface flow HydroGeoSphere (HGS) model for each catchment was developed. The main advantage of a physically-based model is its ability to realistically reproduce processes which play a key role during low-flow periods such as surface-subsurface interactions or evapotranspiration. Both models were calibrated to reproduce measured groundwater heads and the surface flow dynamics. Subsequently, the calibrated models were used to explore the fundamental physics that control hydrological processes during low-flow periods. To achieve this, a comparative sensitivity analysis of model parameters of both catchments was carried out. Results show that the hydraulic conductivity of the bedrock (and weathered bedrock) controls the catchment water dynamics in both models. Conversely, the properties of other geological formations such as alluvial aquifer or soil layer hydraulic conductivity or porosity play a less important role. These results change significantly our perception of the streamflow catchment dynamics and more specifically the way to assess catchment vulnerability to dry period. This study suggests that by analysing catchment scale bedrock properties, the catchment dynamics and the vulnerability to dry period may be assessed.

The polygalacturonase FaPG1 gene plays a key role in strawberry fruit softening

PubMed Central

García-Gago, Juan A; Posé, Sara; Muñoz-Blanco, Juan; Quesada, Miguel A

2009-01-01

The loss of firm texture is one of the most characteristic physiological processes that occur during the ripening of fleshy fruits. It is generally accepted that the disassembly of primary cell wall and middle lamella is the main factor involved in fruit softening. In this process, polygalacturonase (PG) has been implicated in the degradation of the polyuronide network in several fruits. However, the minor effect of PG downregulation on tomato softening, reported during the nineties, minimized the role of this enzyme in softening. Further works in other fruits are challenging this general assumption, as is occurring in strawberry. The strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) fruit undergoes an extensive and fast softening that limit its shelf life and postharvest. Traditionally, it has also been considered that PG plays a minor role on this process, due to the low PG activity found in ripened strawberry fruits. Transgenic strawberry plants expressing an antisense sequence of the ripening-specific PG gene FaPG1 have been generated to get an insight into the role of this gene in softening. Half of the transgenic lines analyzed yielded fruits significantly firmer than control, without being affected other fruit parameters such as weight, color or soluble solids. The increase on firmness was maintained after several days of posharvest. In these firmer lines, FaPG1 was silenced to 95%, but total PG activity was only minor reduced. At the cell wall level, transgenic fruits contained a higher amount of covalently bound pectins whereas the soluble fraction was diminished. A microarray analysis of genes expressed in ripened receptacle did not show any significant change between control and transgenic fruits. Thus, contrary to the most accepted view, it is concluded that PG plays a key role on pectin metabolism and softening of strawberry fruit. PMID:19820312

The polygalacturonase FaPG1 gene plays a key role in strawberry fruit softening.

PubMed

García-Gago, Juan A; Posé, Sara; Muñoz-Blanco, Juan; Quesada, Miguel A; Mercado, José A

2009-08-01

The loss of firm texture is one of the most characteristic physiological processes that occur during the ripening of fleshy fruits. It is generally accepted that the disassembly of primary cell wall and middle lamella is the main factor involved in fruit softening. In this process, polygalacturonase (PG) has been implicated in the degradation of the polyuronide network in several fruits. However, the minor effect of PG downregulation on tomato softening, reported during the nineties, minimized the role of this enzyme in softening. Further works in other fruits are challenging this general assumption, as is occurring in strawberry. The strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa) fruit undergoes an extensive and fast softening that limit its shelf life and postharvest. Traditionally, it has also been considered that PG plays a minor role on this process, due to the low PG activity found in ripened strawberry fruits. Transgenic strawberry plants expressing an antisense sequence of the ripening-specific PG gene FaPG1 have been generated to get an insight into the role of this gene in softening. Half of the transgenic lines analyzed yielded fruits significantly firmer than control, without being affected other fruit parameters such as weight, color or soluble solids. The increase on firmness was maintained after several days of posharvest. In these firmer lines, FaPG1 was silenced to 95%, but total PG activity was only minor reduced. At the cell wall level, transgenic fruits contained a higher amount of covalently bound pectins whereas the soluble fraction was diminished. A microarray analysis of genes expressed in ripened receptacle did not show any significant change between control and transgenic fruits. Thus, contrary to the most accepted view, it is concluded that PG plays a key role on pectin metabolism and softening of strawberry fruit.

Chemical kinetics on extrasolar planets.

PubMed

Moses, Julianne I

2014-04-28

Chemical kinetics plays an important role in controlling the atmospheric composition of all planetary atmospheres, including those of extrasolar planets. For the hottest exoplanets, the composition can closely follow thermochemical-equilibrium predictions, at least in the visible and infrared photosphere at dayside (eclipse) conditions. However, for atmospheric temperatures approximately <2000K, and in the uppermost atmosphere at any temperature, chemical kinetics matters. The two key mechanisms by which kinetic processes drive an exoplanet atmosphere out of equilibrium are photochemistry and transport-induced quenching. I review these disequilibrium processes in detail, discuss observational consequences and examine some of the current evidence for kinetic processes on extrasolar planets.

Next generation mothers: Maternal control of germline development in zebrafish.

PubMed

Dosch, Roland

2015-01-01

In many animals, factors deposited by the mother into the egg control the earliest events in development of the zygote. These maternal RNAs and proteins play critical roles in oocyte development and the earliest steps of embryogenesis such as fertilization, cell division and embryonic patterning. Here, this article summarizes recent discoveries made on the maternal control of germline specification in zebrafish. Moreover, this review will discuss the major gaps remaining in our understanding of this process and highlight recent technical innovations in zebrafish, which allow tackling some of these questions in the near future.

Understanding Cooperative Chirality at the Nanoscale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Shangjie; Wang, Pengpeng; Govorov, Alexander; Ouyang, Min

Controlling chirality of organic and inorganic structures plays a key role in many physical, chemical and biochemical processes, and may offer new opportunity to create technology applications based on chiroptical effect. In this talk, we will present a theoretical model and simulation to demonstrate how to engineer nanoscale chirality in inorganic nanostructures via synergistic control of electromagnetic response of both lattice and geometry, leading to rich tunability of chirality at the nanoscale. Our model has also been applied to understand recent materials advancement of related control with excellent agreement, and can elucidate physical origins of circular dichroism features in the experiment.

Pretend Play: Antecedent of Adult Creativity.

PubMed

Russ, Sandra W

2016-01-01

This article reviews the theoretical and empirical literature in the area of pretend play as a predictor of adult creativity. There is strong evidence that processes expressed in pretend play are associated with measures of creativity, especially with divergent thinking. There is some evidence from longitudinal studies that this association is stable over time. Converging evidence suggests that cognitive and affective processes in pretend play are involved in adult creative production. However, there is a lack of consensus in the field as to whether engaging in pretend play actually facilitates creative thinking. In addition, many other variables (opportunity, tolerance for failure, motivation, work ethic, etc.) determine whether children with creative potential are actually creative in adulthood. In spite of the many methodological challenges in conducting research in the play area, it is important to continue investigating specific processes expressed in play and their developmental trajectories. Large samples in multisite studies would be ideal in investigating the ability of specific play processes to predict these creative processes and creative productivity in adulthood. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Active Play in After-school Programmes: development of an intervention and description of a matched-pair cluster-randomised trial assessing physical activity play in after-school programmes.

PubMed

Riiser, Kirsti; Helseth, Sølvi; Ellingsen, Hanna; Fallang, Bjørg; Løndal, Knut

2017-08-04

Interventions delivered in after-school programmes (ASPs) have the potential to become a means of ensuring adequate physical activity among schoolchildren. This requires a motivational climate, allowing for self-determined play. If trained, ASP staff may represent a valuable resource for supporting such play. Increasing knowledge and supportive skills among ASP staff may also potentially increase their motivation for work. The purpose of this article is to describe the development of the 'Active Play in ASP' intervention, which aims to promote physical activity among first graders attending ASP, and to present a protocol for a matched-pair cluster-randomised trial to evaluate the intervention. Informed by experiences from practice, evidence-based knowledge and theory, the intervention was developed in a stepwise process including focus group meetings and a small-scale pilot test. The intervention contains a course programme for ASP staff to increase their skills in how to support physical activity through play. In a cluster randomised controlled trial, the ASPs will be matched and randomly allocated to receive the 7-month intervention or to a control group. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline, after 7 and 19 months. First graders attending the ASPs included are eligible. The primary outcome will be accelerometer-determined minutes in moderate to vigorous physical activity in the ASP. The study uses a mixed methods approach including observations and interviews to provide rich descriptions of the concept of children's physical activity in ASP. Moreover, the trial will assess whether the ASP staff benefits from participation in the intervention in terms of increased work motivation. Lastly, process evaluations of programme fidelity, satisfaction and suggestions on improvement will be performed. The study is approved by the Data Protection Official for Research (reference no 46008). Results will be presented in conferences and peer-reviewed journals. Clinical Trials (NCT02954614), pre-results. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

ENERGY SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT AND LOAD MANAGEMENT THROUGH THE REHABILITATION AND RETURN TO PLAY PROCESS.

PubMed

Morrison, Scot; Ward, Patrick; duManoir, Gregory R

2017-08-01

Return-to-play from injury is a complex process involving many factors including the balancing of tissue healing rates with the development of biomotor abilities. This process requires interprofessional cooperation to ensure success. An often-overlooked aspect of return-to-play is the development and maintenance of sports specific conditioning while monitoring training load to ensure that the athlete's training stimulus over the rehabilitation period is appropriate to facilitate a successful return to play. The purpose of this clinical commentary is to address the role of energy systems training as part of the return-to-play process. Additionally the aim is to provide practitioners with an overview of practical sports conditioning training methods and monitoring strategies to allow them to direct and quantify the return-to-play process. 5.

A Control System and Streaming DAQ Platform with Image-Based Trigger for X-ray Imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stevanovic, Uros; Caselle, Michele; Cecilia, Angelica; Chilingaryan, Suren; Farago, Tomas; Gasilov, Sergey; Herth, Armin; Kopmann, Andreas; Vogelgesang, Matthias; Balzer, Matthias; Baumbach, Tilo; Weber, Marc

2015-06-01

High-speed X-ray imaging applications play a crucial role for non-destructive investigations of the dynamics in material science and biology. On-line data analysis is necessary for quality assurance and data-driven feedback, leading to a more efficient use of a beam time and increased data quality. In this article we present a smart camera platform with embedded Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) processing that is able to stream and process data continuously in real-time. The setup consists of a Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) sensor, an FPGA readout card, and a readout computer. It is seamlessly integrated in a new custom experiment control system called Concert that provides a more efficient way of operating a beamline by integrating device control, experiment process control, and data analysis. The potential of the embedded processing is demonstrated by implementing an image-based trigger. It records the temporal evolution of physical events with increased speed while maintaining the full field of view. The complete data acquisition system, with Concert and the smart camera platform was successfully integrated and used for fast X-ray imaging experiments at KIT's synchrotron radiation facility ANKA.

Enhancing Cognition with Video Games: A Multiple Game Training Study

PubMed Central

Oei, Adam C.; Patterson, Michael D.

2013-01-01

Background Previous evidence points to a causal link between playing action video games and enhanced cognition and perception. However, benefits of playing other video games are under-investigated. We examined whether playing non-action games also improves cognition. Hence, we compared transfer effects of an action and other non-action types that required different cognitive demands. Methodology/Principal Findings We instructed 5 groups of non-gamer participants to play one game each on a mobile device (iPhone/iPod Touch) for one hour a day/five days a week over four weeks (20 hours). Games included action, spatial memory, match-3, hidden- object, and an agent-based life simulation. Participants performed four behavioral tasks before and after video game training to assess for transfer effects. Tasks included an attentional blink task, a spatial memory and visual search dual task, a visual filter memory task to assess for multiple object tracking and cognitive control, as well as a complex verbal span task. Action game playing eliminated attentional blink and improved cognitive control and multiple-object tracking. Match-3, spatial memory and hidden object games improved visual search performance while the latter two also improved spatial working memory. Complex verbal span improved after match-3 and action game training. Conclusion/Significance Cognitive improvements were not limited to action game training alone and different games enhanced different aspects of cognition. We conclude that training specific cognitive abilities frequently in a video game improves performance in tasks that share common underlying demands. Overall, these results suggest that many video game-related cognitive improvements may not be due to training of general broad cognitive systems such as executive attentional control, but instead due to frequent utilization of specific cognitive processes during game play. Thus, many video game training related improvements to cognition may be attributed to near-transfer effects. PMID:23516504

Brain training game boosts executive functions, working memory and processing speed in the young adults: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Nouchi, Rui; Taki, Yasuyuki; Takeuchi, Hikaru; Hashizume, Hiroshi; Nozawa, Takayuki; Kambara, Toshimune; Sekiguchi, Atsushi; Miyauchi, Carlos Makoto; Kotozaki, Yuka; Nouchi, Haruka; Kawashima, Ryuta

2013-01-01

Do brain training games work? The beneficial effects of brain training games are expected to transfer to other cognitive functions. Yet in all honesty, beneficial transfer effects of the commercial brain training games in young adults have little scientific basis. Here we investigated the impact of the brain training game (Brain Age) on a wide range of cognitive functions in young adults. We conducted a double-blind (de facto masking) randomized controlled trial using a popular brain training game (Brain Age) and a popular puzzle game (Tetris). Thirty-two volunteers were recruited through an advertisement in the local newspaper and randomly assigned to either of two game groups (Brain Age, Tetris). Participants in both the Brain Age and the Tetris groups played their game for about 15 minutes per day, at least 5 days per week, for 4 weeks. Measures of the cognitive functions were conducted before and after training. Measures of the cognitive functions fell into eight categories (fluid intelligence, executive function, working memory, short-term memory, attention, processing speed, visual ability, and reading ability). Our results showed that commercial brain training game improves executive functions, working memory, and processing speed in young adults. Moreover, the popular puzzle game can engender improvement attention and visuo-spatial ability compared to playing the brain training game. The present study showed the scientific evidence which the brain training game had the beneficial effects on cognitive functions (executive functions, working memory and processing speed) in the healthy young adults. Our results do not indicate that everyone should play brain training games. However, the commercial brain training game might be a simple and convenient means to improve some cognitive functions. We believe that our findings are highly relevant to applications in educational and clinical fields. UMIN Clinical Trial Registry 000005618.

Brain Training Game Boosts Executive Functions, Working Memory and Processing Speed in the Young Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Nouchi, Rui; Taki, Yasuyuki; Takeuchi, Hikaru; Hashizume, Hiroshi; Nozawa, Takayuki; Kambara, Toshimune; Sekiguchi, Atsushi; Miyauchi, Carlos Makoto; Kotozaki, Yuka; Nouchi, Haruka; Kawashima, Ryuta

2013-01-01

Background Do brain training games work? The beneficial effects of brain training games are expected to transfer to other cognitive functions. Yet in all honesty, beneficial transfer effects of the commercial brain training games in young adults have little scientific basis. Here we investigated the impact of the brain training game (Brain Age) on a wide range of cognitive functions in young adults. Methods We conducted a double-blind (de facto masking) randomized controlled trial using a popular brain training game (Brain Age) and a popular puzzle game (Tetris). Thirty-two volunteers were recruited through an advertisement in the local newspaper and randomly assigned to either of two game groups (Brain Age, Tetris). Participants in both the Brain Age and the Tetris groups played their game for about 15 minutes per day, at least 5 days per week, for 4 weeks. Measures of the cognitive functions were conducted before and after training. Measures of the cognitive functions fell into eight categories (fluid intelligence, executive function, working memory, short-term memory, attention, processing speed, visual ability, and reading ability). Results and Discussion Our results showed that commercial brain training game improves executive functions, working memory, and processing speed in young adults. Moreover, the popular puzzle game can engender improvement attention and visuo-spatial ability compared to playing the brain training game. The present study showed the scientific evidence which the brain training game had the beneficial effects on cognitive functions (executive functions, working memory and processing speed) in the healthy young adults. Conclusions Our results do not indicate that everyone should play brain training games. However, the commercial brain training game might be a simple and convenient means to improve some cognitive functions. We believe that our findings are highly relevant to applications in educational and clinical fields. Trial Registration UMIN Clinical Trial Registry 000005618. PMID:23405164

Cognitive distortions and gambling near-misses in Internet Gaming Disorder: A preliminary study

PubMed Central

Sescousse, Guillaume; Yu, Hongbo; Clark, Luke; Li, Hong

2018-01-01

Increased cognitive distortions (i.e. biased processing of chance, probability and skill) are a key psychopathological process in disordered gambling. The present study investigated state and trait aspects of cognitive distortions in 22 individuals with Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) and 22 healthy controls. Participants completed the Gambling Related Cognitions Scale as a trait measure of cognitive distortions, and played a slot machine task delivering wins, near-misses and full-misses. Ratings of pleasure (“liking”) and motivation to play (“wanting”) were taken following the different outcomes, and gambling persistence was measured after a mandatory phase. IGD was associated with elevated trait cognitive distortions, in particular skill-oriented cognitions. On the slot machine task, the IGD group showed increased “wanting” ratings compared with control participants, while the two groups did not differ regarding their “liking” of the game. The IGD group displayed increased persistence on the slot machine task. Near-miss outcomes did not elicit stronger motivation to play compared to full-miss outcomes overall, and there was no group difference on this measure. However, a near-miss position effect was observed, such that near-misses stopping before the payline were rated as more motivating than near-misses that stopped after the payline, and this differentiation was attenuated in the IGD group, suggesting possible counterfactual thinking deficits in this group. These data provide preliminary evidence for increased incentive motivation and cognitive distortions in IGD, at least in the context of a chance-based gambling environment. PMID:29346434

Cognitive distortions and gambling near-misses in Internet Gaming Disorder: A preliminary study.

PubMed

Wu, Yin; Sescousse, Guillaume; Yu, Hongbo; Clark, Luke; Li, Hong

2018-01-01

Increased cognitive distortions (i.e. biased processing of chance, probability and skill) are a key psychopathological process in disordered gambling. The present study investigated state and trait aspects of cognitive distortions in 22 individuals with Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) and 22 healthy controls. Participants completed the Gambling Related Cognitions Scale as a trait measure of cognitive distortions, and played a slot machine task delivering wins, near-misses and full-misses. Ratings of pleasure ("liking") and motivation to play ("wanting") were taken following the different outcomes, and gambling persistence was measured after a mandatory phase. IGD was associated with elevated trait cognitive distortions, in particular skill-oriented cognitions. On the slot machine task, the IGD group showed increased "wanting" ratings compared with control participants, while the two groups did not differ regarding their "liking" of the game. The IGD group displayed increased persistence on the slot machine task. Near-miss outcomes did not elicit stronger motivation to play compared to full-miss outcomes overall, and there was no group difference on this measure. However, a near-miss position effect was observed, such that near-misses stopping before the payline were rated as more motivating than near-misses that stopped after the payline, and this differentiation was attenuated in the IGD group, suggesting possible counterfactual thinking deficits in this group. These data provide preliminary evidence for increased incentive motivation and cognitive distortions in IGD, at least in the context of a chance-based gambling environment.

A Simple Method for Constructing Artificial Promoters Activated in Response to Ultrasound Stimulation.

PubMed

Ogawa, Ryohei; Kagiya, Go; Watanabe, Akihiko; Morii, Akihiro; Cui, Zheng-Guo; Kondo, Takashi

2017-01-01

It has been pointed out that ultrasound could be used as a controller for bioprocesses including gene expression since its energy can noninvasively reach deep in the body. Gene expression may be timely and spatially controlled by ultrasound, thus providing necessary bioactive proteins for the targeted tissue in a timely fashion. Although there are many processes involved in gene expression control, one of the most important processes is transcription, and the promoter plays an essential role in it. There are several promoters known to be activated in response to ultrasound irradiation . However, in our opinion, an artificial promoter is more suitable for clinical use. We herein describe simple methods to construct promoters that are responsive to ultrasound irradiation by randomly combining cis-elements (transcription factor binding motifs) and thereby improve its reactivity to ultrasound irradiation .

Respiration in a changing environment.

PubMed

Perry, Steven F; Spinelli Oliveira, Elisabeth

2010-08-31

Multidisciplinary respiratory research highlighted in the present symposium uses existing and new models from all Kingdoms in both basic and applied research and bears upon molecular signaling processes that have been present from the beginning of life and have been maintained as an integral part of it. Many of these old mechanisms are still recognizable as ROS and oxygen-dependent pathways that probably were in place even before photosynthesis evolved. These processes are not only recognizable through relatively small molecules such as nucleotides and their derivatives. Also some DNA sequences such as the hypoxia response elements and pas gene family are ancient and have been co-opted in various functions. The products of pas genes, in addition to their function in regulating nuclear response to hypoxia as part of the hypoxia-inducible factor HIF, play key roles in development, phototransduction, and control of circadian rhythmicity. Also RuBisCO, an enzyme best known for incorporating CO(2) into organic substrates in plants also has an ancient oxygenase function, which plays a key role in regulating peroxide balance in cells. As life forms became more complex and aerobic metabolism became dominant in multicellular organisms, the signaling processes also took on new levels of complexity but many ancient elements remained. The way in which they are integrated into remodeling processes involved in tradeoffs between respiration and nutrition or in control of aging in complex organisms is an exciting field for future research. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Enhancing the Induction Skill of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children with Virtual Reality Technology.

PubMed

Passig, D; Eden, S

2000-01-01

Many researchers have found that for reasoning and reaching a reasoned conclusion, particularly when the process of induction is required, deaf and hard-of-hearing children have unusual difficulty. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the practice of rotating virtual reality (VR) three-dimensional (3D) objects will have a positive effect on the ability of deaf and hard-of-hearing children to use inductive processes when dealing with shapes. Three groups were involved in the study: (1) experimental group, which included 21 deaf and hard-of-hearing children, who played a VR 3D game; (2) control group I, which included 23 deaf and hard-of-hearing children, who played a similar two-dimensional (2D) game (not VR game); and (3) control group II of 16 hearing children for whom no intervention was introduced. The results clearly indicate that practicing with VR 3D spatial rotations significantly improved inductive thinking used by the experimental group for shapes as compared with the first control group, who did not significantly improve their performance. Also, prior to the VR 3D experience, the deaf and hard-of-hearing children attained lower scores in inductive abilities than the children with normal hearing, (control group II). The results for the experimental group, after the VR 3D experience, improved to the extent that there was no noticeable difference between them and the children with normal hearing.

Interpersonal relationship modulates brain responses to outcome evaluation when gambling for/against others: an electrophysiological analysis.

PubMed

Leng, Yue; Zhou, Xiaolin

2014-10-01

When individuals play a gambling task and their actions have consequences for observers, how are the brain responses of the performers modulated by their interpersonal relationship with the observers? To address this issue, we examined the event-related potentials responses in performers while they played two gambling games: one during which they tried to earn money for the observers instead of themselves (i.e., Experiment 1) and another gambling game during which they attempted to earn money from the observers (i.e., Experiment 2). In Experiment 1, ERP results showed that when gambling for either the friends or the strangers, the feedback-related negativity (FRN) responses were more negative-going to the losses than to the gains. The FRN effect (loss minus gain) was significantly larger when gambling for the friends than for the strangers. The general P300 response was more positive-going when gambling for the friends than for the strangers. These results suggested that gambling for others enables individuals to assess the outcome from the interests of the other people, consequently, the FRN response may be driven by the evaluative process related to interests of the others. Because one׳s own economic interests were not involved, the performers׳ brain responses during both the early, semi-automatic stage (i.e., the FRN) and the later, controlled stage (i.e., the P300) of outcome evaluation were modulated by the interpersonal relationship between the performers and the observers. In Experiment 2, ERP results revealed that when gambling against others, the FRN response was more negative-going to the losses than to the gains, as well. However, neither the FRN effect nor the general FRN response was modulated by interpersonal relationship. The general P300 response was more positive-going when gambling against the stranger than against the friend. These results suggested that when gambling against others, the performers׳ FRN response may be driven by two evaluative processes: one is related to the interests of their own, and another is related to the interests of the other people; and the former one plays a dominant role. Because of highly self-involvement, only the performers׳ brain responses during the later controlled stage of outcome evaluation were modulated by interpersonal relationship. The present study extended previous research on brain responses to outcome evaluation when decision making actions have consequences for the other people by suggesting that the FRN response in the performer could also be driven by two evaluative processes. In addition, whether the FRN in the performer was modulated by interpersonal relationship depends on which evaluative process plays a dominant role. However, the P300 in the performer could always be modulated by interpersonal relationship. These findings provide evidence on outcome evaluation being composed of an early semi-automatic primitive process and a later controlled cognitive/affective appraisal process. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Working memory influences processing speed and reading fluency in ADHD.

PubMed

Jacobson, Lisa A; Ryan, Matthew; Martin, Rebecca B; Ewen, Joshua; Mostofsky, Stewart H; Denckla, Martha B; Mahone, E Mark

2011-01-01

Processing-speed deficits affect reading efficiency, even among individuals who recognize and decode words accurately. Children with ADHD who decode words accurately can still have inefficient reading fluency, leading to a bottleneck in other cognitive processes. This "slowing" in ADHD is associated with deficits in fundamental components of executive function underlying processing speed, including response selection. The purpose of the present study was to deconstruct processing speed in order to determine which components of executive control best explain the "processing" speed deficits related to reading fluency in ADHD. Participants (41 ADHD, 21 controls), ages 9-14 years, screened for language disorders, word reading deficits, and psychiatric disorders, were administered measures of copying speed, processing speed, reading fluency, working memory, reaction time, inhibition, and auditory attention span. Compared to controls, children with ADHD showed reduced oral and silent reading fluency and reduced processing speed-driven primarily by deficits on WISC-IV Coding. In contrast, groups did not differ on copying speed. After controlling for copying speed, sex, severity of ADHD-related symptomatology, and GAI, slowed "processing" speed (i.e., Coding) was significantly associated with verbal span and measures of working memory but not with measures of response control/inhibition, lexical retrieval speed, reaction time, or intrasubject variability. Further, "processing" speed (i.e., Coding, residualized for copying speed) and working memory were significant predictors of oral reading fluency. Abnormalities in working memory and response selection (which are frontally mediated and enter into the output side of processing speed) may play an important role in deficits in reading fluency in ADHD, potentially more than posteriorally mediated problems with orienting of attention or perceiving the stimulus.

A game theoretic approach to a finite-time disturbance attenuation problem

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rhee, Ihnseok; Speyer, Jason L.

1991-01-01

A disturbance attenuation problem over a finite-time interval is considered by a game theoretic approach where the control, restricted to a function of the measurement history, plays against adversaries composed of the process and measurement disturbances, and the initial state. A zero-sum game, formulated as a quadratic cost criterion subject to linear time-varying dynamics and measurements, is solved by a calculus of variation technique. By first maximizing the quadratic cost criterion with respect to the process disturbance and initial state, a full information game between the control and the measurement residual subject to the estimator dynamics results. The resulting solution produces an n-dimensional compensator which expresses the controller as a linear combination of the measurement history. A disturbance attenuation problem is solved based on the results of the game problem. For time-invariant systems it is shown that under certain conditions the time-varying controller becomes time-invariant on the infinite-time interval. The resulting controller satisfies an H(infinity) norm bound.

Differential effects of bilingualism and culture on early attention: a longitudinal study in the U.S., Argentina, and Vietnam.

PubMed

Tran, Crystal D; Arredondo, Maria M; Yoshida, Hanako

2015-01-01

A large body of literature suggests that bilingualism strongly influences attentional processes among a variety of age groups. Increasing studies, however, indicate that culture may also have measurable effects on attentional processes. Bilinguals are often exposed to multiple cultural backgrounds, therefore, it is unclear if being exposed to multiple languages and culture together influence attentional processes, or if the effect themselves are uniquely linked to different attentional processes. The present study explores the relevancy of different attentional processes-alerting, orienting, and executive control-to language and to culture. In the present study, 97 3-years-old (Mean age = 38.78 months) monolingual and bilingual children from three countries (the U.S., Argentina, and Vietnam) were longitudinally tested for a total of five time points on a commonly used non-linguistic attentional paradigm-the Attention Network Test. Results demonstrate that when other factors are controlled (e.g., socio-economic status, vocabulary knowledge, age), culture plays an important role on the development of the alerting and executive control attentional network, while language status was only significant on the executive control attentional network. The present study indicates that culture may interact with bilingualism to further explain previous reported advantages, as well as elucidate the increasing disparity surrounding cognitive advantages in bilingual literature.

Prefrontal cortical response to conflict during semantic and phonological tasks.

PubMed

Snyder, Hannah R; Feigenson, Keith; Thompson-Schill, Sharon L

2007-05-01

Debates about the function of the prefrontal cortex are as old as the field of neuropsychology--often dated to Paul Broca's seminal work. Theories of the functional organization of the prefrontal cortex can be roughly divided into those that describe organization by process and those that describe organization by material. Recent studies of the function of the posterior, left inferior frontal gyrus (pLIFG) have yielded two quite different interpretations: One hypothesis holds that the pLIFG plays a domain-specific role in phonological processing, whereas another hypothesis describes a more general function of the pLIFG in cognitive control. In the current study, we distinguish effects of increasing cognitive control demands from effects of phonological processing. The results support the hypothesized role for the pLIFG in cognitive control, and more task-specific roles for posterior areas in phonology and semantics. Thus, these results suggest an alternative explanation of previously reported phonology-specific effects in the pLIFG.

Investigating the illusion of control in mildly depressed and nondepressed individuals during video-poker play.

PubMed

Dannewitz, Holly; Weatherly, Jeffrey N

2007-05-01

Cognitive fallacies, such as the illusion of control, and psychological disorders, such as depression, may perpetuate gambling and thus contribute to problem gambling (e.g., R. Ladouceur, C. Sylvan, C. Boutin, & C. Doucet, 2002). Gender differences may exist across these variables (e.g., N. M. Petry, 2005). The authors investigated these possibilities by recruiting mildly depressed and nondepressed individuals to play jacks or better, 5-card draw, video poker. Across three poker sessions, participants were given (a) no choice of which cards to play, (b) information on the best cards to play but control over which cards were played, or (c) no information and complete control over which cards were played. The total amount of money gambled increased as control over the game decreased, but this result correlated with an increase in the rate of play. Depressed and nondepressed participants did not differ in how they gambled, but men gambled significantly more and sometimes made more mistakes during play than did women. These results question the role of the illusion of control and depression in perpetuating gambling. They also suggest that providing players information about which cards to play may indirectly promote gambling and provide insight as to why men are more prone to suffer from gambling problems than are women.

Neural correlates of atomoxetine improving inhibitory control and visual processing in Drug-naïve adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

PubMed

Fan, Li-Ying; Chou, Tai-Li; Gau, Susan Shur-Fen

2017-10-01

Atomoxetine improves inhibitory control and visual processing in healthy volunteers and adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, little is known about the neural correlates of these two functions after chronic treatment with atomoxetine. This study aimed to use the counting Stroop task with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) to investigate the changes related to inhibitory control and visual processing in adults with ADHD. This study is an 8-week, placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized clinical trial of atomoxetine in 24 drug-naïve adults with ADHD. We investigated the changes of treatment with atomoxetine compared to placebo-treated counterparts using the counting Stroop fMRI and two CANTAB tests: rapid visual information processing (RVP) for inhibitory control and delayed matching to sample (DMS) for visual processing. Atomoxetine decreased activations in the right inferior frontal gyrus and anterior cingulate cortex, which were correlated with the improvement in inhibitory control assessed by the RVP. Also, atomoxetine increased activation in the left precuneus, which was correlated with the improvement in the mean latency of correct responses assessed by the DMS. Moreover, anterior cingulate activation in the pre-treatment was able to predict the improvements of clinical symptoms. Treatment with atomoxetine may improve inhibitory control to suppress interference and may enhance the visual processing to process numbers. In addition, the anterior cingulate cortex might play an important role as a biological marker for the treatment effectiveness of atomoxetine. Hum Brain Mapp 38:4850-4864, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Interaction between EphrinB1 and CNK1 Found to Play Role in Tumor Progression | Poster

Cancer.gov

By Nancy Parrish, Staff Writer The family of proteins known as ephrins plays a critical role in a variety of biological processes. In a recent article in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, Hee Jun Cho, Ph.D., and colleagues report on the interaction between proteins CNK1 and ephrinB1 that promotes cell movement. Their findings may have an important implication in developing new therapeutics for reducing metastases in certain cancers. “Eph and ephrin signaling has become an area of intense interest due to the influence these molecules exert on the control of cell adhesion and cell movement,” Cho said. “This signaling affects the formation of tissues during development and has been shown to play an instructive role in angiogenesis, as well as tumor cell invasion.”

Joint attention in parent-child dyads involving children with selective mutism: a comparison between anxious and typically developing children.

PubMed

Nowakowski, Matilda E; Tasker, Susan L; Cunningham, Charles E; McHolm, Angela E; Edison, Shannon; Pierre, Jeff St; Boyle, Michael H; Schmidt, Louis A

2011-02-01

Although joint attention processes are known to play an important role in adaptive social behavior in typical development, we know little about these processes in clinical child populations. We compared early school age children with selective mutism (SM; n = 19) versus mixed anxiety (MA; n = 18) and community controls (CC; n = 26) on joint attention measures coded from direct observations with their parent during an unstructured free play task and two structured tasks. As predicted, the SM dyads established significantly fewer episodes of joint attention through parental initiation acts than the MA and CC dyads during the structured tasks. Findings suggest that children with SM may withdraw from their parents during stressful situations, thus missing out on opportunities for learning other coping skills. We discuss the implications of the present findings for understanding the maintenance and treatment of SM.

Multiple cognitive control mechanisms associated with the nature of conflict.

PubMed

Kim, Chobok; Chung, Chongwook; Kim, Jeounghoon

2010-06-07

Cognitive control is required to regulate conflict. The conflict monitoring theory suggests that the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) is involved in detecting response conflict and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) plays a critical role in regulating conflict. Recent studies, however, have suggested that rostral dACC (rdACC) responds to response conflict whereas caudal dACC (cdACC) is associated with perceptual conflict. Moreover, DLPFC has been engaged only in regulation of response conflict. A neural network involved in perceptual conflict, however, remains unclear. In this study, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in an attempt to reveal monitor-controller networks corresponding to either perceptual conflict or response conflict. A version of the Stroop color matching task was used to manipulate perceptual conflict, response conflict was manipulated by an arrow. The results demonstrated that rdACC and DLPFC were engaged in response conflict whereas cdACC and the dorsal portion of premotor cortex (pre-PMd) were involved in perceptual conflict. Interestingly, the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) was activated by both types of conflict. Correlation analyses between behavioral conflict effects and neural responses demonstrated that rdACC and DLPFC were associated with response conflict whereas cdACC and pre-PMd were associated with perceptual conflict. PPC was not correlated with either perceptual conflict or response conflict. We suggest that cdACC and pre-PMd play critical roles in perceptual conflict processing, and this network is independent from the rdACC/DLPFC network for response conflict processing. We also discussed the function of PPC in conflict processing. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gastric pH distribution and mixing of soft and rigid food particles in the stomach using a dual-marker technique

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Mixing of a particle-laden material during peristaltic flow in the stomach has not been quantified in vivo. Gastric mixing plays a key role in the overall gastric digestion process; it determines the availability of acid and enzymes to individual solid food particles and controls the length of time ...

Promoting Creativity and Self-Efficacy of Elementary Students through a Collaborative Research Task in Mathematics: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katz, Sara; Stupel, Moshe

2015-01-01

There is a consensus among mathematicians and mathematics educators that creativity plays an essential role in doing mathematics. Creative students are self-regulated students who take control over processes and experience high self-efficacy beliefs. The aim of this case study was to promote mathematical creativity and self-efficacy of elementary…

Subgrouping Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients by Genetic and Immune Profiling

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-01

system play as well as the differences between CFS cases and Controls. All team members are aware of the goals for this DOD Grant and we look forward...process of being completed. All PCR were done as in Dough Levinson (i.e. A, B, C, DPA, DPB, DRB with old conditions and DQA, DQB with modified dNTPs and

Seeing Change in Time: Video Games to Teach about Temporal Change in Scientific Phenomena

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corredor, Javier; Gaydos, Matthew; Squire, Kurt

2014-01-01

This article explores how learning biological concepts can be facilitated by playing a video game that depicts interactions and processes at the subcellular level. Particularly, this article reviews the effects of a real-time strategy game that requires players to control the behavior of a virus and interact with cell structures in a way that…

Historic and future extent of wildfires in the Southern Rockies Ecoregion, USA

Treesearch

Sandra E. Litschert; Thomas C. Brown; David M. Theobald

2012-01-01

Wildfires play a formative role in the processes that have created the ecosystems of the Southern Rockies Ecoregion (SRE). The extent of wildfires is influenced mainly by precipitation and temperature, which control biomass growth and fuel moisture. Forecasts of climate change in the SRE show an increase in temperatures, bringing warmer springs with earlier runoff and...

Terrestrial biosphere models need better representation of vegetation phenology: results from the North American Carbon Program Site Synthesis

Treesearch

Andrew D. Richardson; Ryan S. Anderson; M. Altaf Arain; Alan G. Barr; Gil Bohrer; Guangsheng Chen; Jing M. Chen; Philippe Ciais; Kenneth J. David; Ankur R. Desai; Michael C. Dietze; Danilo Dragoni; Steven R. Garrity; Christopher M. Gough; Robert Grant; David Hollinger; Hank A. Margolis; Harry McCaughey; Mirco Migliavacca; Russel K. Monson; J. William Munger; Benjamin Poulter; Brett M. Raczka; Daniel M. Ricciuto; Alok K. Sahoo; Kevin Schaefer; Hanqin Tian; Rodrigo Vargas; Hans Verbeeck; Jingfeng Xiao; Yongkang Xue

2012-01-01

Phenology, by controlling the seasonal activity of vegetation on the land surface, plays a fundamental role in regulating photosynthesis and other ecosystem processes, as well as competitive interactions and feedbacks to the climate system. We conducted an analysis to evaluate the representation of phenology, and the associated seasonality of ecosystem-scale CO

An Assessment of the Effect of Compressibility on Dynamic Stall

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carr, Lawrence W.; Chandrasekhara, M. S.; David, Sanford S. (Technical Monitor)

1994-01-01

Compressibility plays a significant role in the development of separation on airfoils experiencing unsteady motion, even at moderately compressible free-stream flow velocities. This effect can result in completely changed stall characteristics compared to those observed at incompressible speed, and can dramatically affect techniques used to control separation. There has been a significant effort in recent years directed toward better understanding; of this process, and its impact on possible techniques for control of separation in this complex environment. A review of existing research in this area will be presented, with emphasis on the physical mechanisms that play such an important role in the development of separation on airfoils. The increasing impact of compressibility on the stall process will be discussed as a function of free-stream Mach number, and an analysis of the changing flow physics will be presented. Examples of the effect of compressibility on dynamic stall will be selected from both recent and historical efforts by members of the aerospace community, as well as from the ongoing research program of the present authors. This will include a presentation of a sample of high speed filming of compressible dynamic stall which has recently been created using real-time interferometry.

Engineering functionality gradients by dip coating process in acceleration mode.

PubMed

Faustini, Marco; Ceratti, Davide R; Louis, Benjamin; Boudot, Mickael; Albouy, Pierre-Antoine; Boissière, Cédric; Grosso, David

2014-10-08

In this work, unique functional devices exhibiting controlled gradients of properties are fabricated by dip-coating process in acceleration mode. Through this new approach, thin films with "on-demand" thickness graded profiles at the submillimeter scale are prepared in an easy and versatile way, compatible for large-scale production. The technique is adapted to several relevant materials, including sol-gel dense and mesoporous metal oxides, block copolymers, metal-organic framework colloids, and commercial photoresists. In the first part of the Article, an investigation on the effect of the dip coating speed variation on the thickness profiles is reported together with the critical roles played by the evaporation rate and by the viscosity on the fluid draining-induced film formation. In the second part, dip-coating in acceleration mode is used to induce controlled variation of functionalities by playing on structural, chemical, or dimensional variations in nano- and microsystems. In order to demonstrate the full potentiality and versatility of the technique, original graded functional devices are made including optical interferometry mirrors with bidirectional gradients, one-dimensional photonic crystals with a stop-band gradient, graded microfluidic channels, and wetting gradient to induce droplet motion.

ATM-Dependent Phosphorylation of All Three Members of the MRN Complex: From Sensor to Adaptor.

PubMed

Lavin, Martin F; Kozlov, Sergei; Gatei, Magtouf; Kijas, Amanda W

2015-10-23

The recognition, signalling and repair of DNA double strand breaks (DSB) involves the participation of a multitude of proteins and post-translational events that ensure maintenance of genome integrity. Amongst the proteins involved are several which when mutated give rise to genetic disorders characterised by chromosomal abnormalities, cancer predisposition, neurodegeneration and other pathologies. ATM (mutated in ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) and members of the Mre11/Rad50/Nbs1 (MRN complex) play key roles in this process. The MRN complex rapidly recognises and locates to DNA DSB where it acts to recruit and assist in ATM activation. ATM, in the company of several other DNA damage response proteins, in turn phosphorylates all three members of the MRN complex to initiate downstream signalling. While ATM has hundreds of substrates, members of the MRN complex play a pivotal role in mediating the downstream signalling events that give rise to cell cycle control, DNA repair and ultimately cell survival or apoptosis. Here we focus on the interplay between ATM and the MRN complex in initiating signaling of breaks and more specifically on the adaptor role of the MRN complex in mediating ATM signalling to downstream substrates to control different cellular processes.

[Descending control of quiet standing and walking: a plausible neurophysiological basis of falls in elderly people].

PubMed

Nakajima, Masashi

2011-03-01

Quiet standing and walking are generally considered to be an automatic process regulated by sensory feedback. In our report "Astasia without abasia due to peripheral neuropathy," which was published in 1994, we proposed that forced stepping in patients lacking the ankle torque is a compensatory motor control in order to maintain an upright posture. A statistical-biomechanics approach to the human postural control system has revealed open-loop (descending) control as well as closed-loop (feedback) control in quiet standing, and fractal dynamics in stride-to-stride fluctuations of walking. The descending control system of bipedal upright posture and gait may have a functional link to cognitive domains. Increasing dependence on the descending control system with aging may play a role in falls in elderly people.

Cellular activation in limbic brain systems during social play behaviour in rats

PubMed Central

van Kerkhof, Linda W.M.; Trezza, Viviana; Mulder, Tessa; Gao, Ping; Voorn, Pieter; Vanderschuren, Louk J.M.J.

2013-01-01

Positive social interactions during the juvenile and adolescent phases of life are essential for proper social and cognitive development in mammals, including humans. During this developmental period, there is a marked increase in peer-peer interactions, signified by the abundance of social play behaviour. Despite its importance for behavioural development, our knowledge of the neural underpinnings of social play behaviour is limited. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to map the neural circuits involved in social play behaviour in rats. This was achieved by examining cellular activity after social play using the immediate early gene c-fos as a marker. After a session of social play behaviour, pronounced increases in c-fos expression were observed in the medial prefrontal cortex, medial and ventral orbitofrontal cortex, dorsal striatum, nucleus accumbens core and shell, lateral amygdala, several thalamic nuclei, dorsal raphe and the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus. Importantly, the cellular activity patterns after social play were topographically organised in this network, as indicated by play-specific correlations in c-fos activity between regions with known direct connections. These correlations suggest involvement in social play behaviour of the projections from the medial prefrontal cortex to the striatum, and of amygdala and monoaminergic inputs to frontal cortex and striatum. The analyses presented here outline a topographically organised neural network implicated in processes such as reward, motivation and cognitive control over behaviour, which mediates social play behaviour in rats. PMID:23670540

A critical role of temporoparietal junction in the integration of top-down and bottom-up attentional control

PubMed Central

Wu, Qiong; Chang, Chi-Fu; Xi, Sisi; Huang, I-Wen; Liu, Zuxiang; Juan, Chi-Hung; Wu, Yanhong; Fan, Jin

2015-01-01

Information processing can be biased toward behaviorally relevant and salient stimuli by top-down (goal-directed) and bottom-up (stimulus-driven) attentional control processes. However, the neural basis underlying the integration of these processes is not well understood. We employed functional magnetic resonance imaging and transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) in humans to examine the brain mechanisms underlying the interaction between these two processes. We manipulated the cognitive load involved in top-down processing and stimulus surprise involved in bottom-up processing in a factorial design by combining a majority function task and an oddball paradigm. We found that high cognitive load and high surprise level were associated with prolonged reaction time compared to low cognitive load and low surprise level, with a synergistic interaction effect which was accompanied by a greater deactivation of bilateral temporoparietal junction (TPJ). In addition, the TPJ displayed negative functional connectivity with right middle occipital gyrus involved in bottom-up processing (modulated by the interaction effect) and the right frontal eye field (FEF) involved in top-down control. The enhanced negative functional connectivity between the TPJ and right FEF was accompanied by a larger behavioral interaction effect across subjects. Application of cathodal tDCS over the right TPJ eliminated the interaction effect. These results suggest that the TPJ plays a critical role in processing bottom-up information for top-down control of attention. PMID:26308973

Social Play Behavior in Adolescent Rats is Mediated by Functional Activity in Medial Prefrontal Cortex and Striatum

PubMed Central

van Kerkhof, Linda WM; Damsteegt, Ruth; Trezza, Viviana; Voorn, Pieter; Vanderschuren, Louk JMJ

2013-01-01

Social play behavior is a characteristic, vigorous form of social interaction in young mammals. It is highly rewarding and thought to be of major importance for social and cognitive development. The neural substrates of social play are incompletely understood, but there is evidence to support a role for the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and striatum in this behavior. Using pharmacological inactivation methods, ie, infusions of GABA receptor agonists (baclofen and muscimol; B&M) or the AMPA/kainate receptor antagonist 6,7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3(1H,4H)-dione (DNQX), we investigated the involvement of several subregions of the medial PFC and striatum in social play. Inactivation of the prelimbic cortex, infralimbic cortex, and medial/ventral orbitofrontal cortex using B&M markedly reduced frequency and duration of social play behavior. Local administration of DNQX into the dorsomedial striatum increased the frequency and duration of social play, whereas infusion of B&M tended to have the same effect. Inactivation of the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) core using B&M increased duration but not frequency of social play, whereas B&M infusion into the NAcc shell did not influence social play behavior. Thus, functional integrity of the medial PFC is important for the expression of social play behavior. Glutamatergic inputs into the dorsomedial striatum exert an inhibitory influence on social play, and functional activity in the NAcc core acts to limit the length of playful interactions. These results highlight the importance of prefrontal and striatal circuits implicated in cognitive control, decision making, behavioral inhibition, and reward-associated processes in social play behavior. PMID:23568326

Numerical continuation and bifurcation analysis in aircraft design: an industrial perspective.

PubMed

Sharma, Sanjiv; Coetzee, Etienne B; Lowenberg, Mark H; Neild, Simon A; Krauskopf, Bernd

2015-09-28

Bifurcation analysis is a powerful method for studying the steady-state nonlinear dynamics of systems. Software tools exist for the numerical continuation of steady-state solutions as parameters of the system are varied. These tools make it possible to generate 'maps of solutions' in an efficient way that provide valuable insight into the overall dynamic behaviour of a system and potentially to influence the design process. While this approach has been employed in the military aircraft control community to understand the effectiveness of controllers, the use of bifurcation analysis in the wider aircraft industry is yet limited. This paper reports progress on how bifurcation analysis can play a role as part of the design process for passenger aircraft. © 2015 The Author(s).

The expanding universe of ribonucleoproteins: of novel RNA-binding proteins and unconventional interactions.

PubMed

Beckmann, Benedikt M; Castello, Alfredo; Medenbach, Jan

2016-06-01

Post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression plays a critical role in almost all cellular processes. Regulation occurs mostly by RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) that recognise RNA elements and form ribonucleoproteins (RNPs) to control RNA metabolism from synthesis to decay. Recently, the repertoire of RBPs was significantly expanded owing to methodological advances such as RNA interactome capture. The newly identified RNA binders are involved in diverse biological processes and belong to a broad spectrum of protein families, many of them exhibiting enzymatic activities. This suggests the existence of an extensive crosstalk between RNA biology and other, in principle unrelated, cell functions such as intermediary metabolism. Unexpectedly, hundreds of new RBPs do not contain identifiable RNA-binding domains (RBDs), raising the question of how they interact with RNA. Despite the many functions that have been attributed to RNA, our understanding of RNPs is still mostly governed by a rather protein-centric view, leading to the idea that proteins have evolved to bind to and regulate RNA and not vice versa. However, RNPs formed by an RNA-driven interaction mechanism (RNA-determined RNPs) are abundant and offer an alternative explanation for the surprising lack of classical RBDs in many RNA-interacting proteins. Moreover, RNAs can act as scaffolds to orchestrate and organise protein networks and directly control their activity, suggesting that nucleic acids might play an important regulatory role in many cellular processes, including metabolism.

Emotion and Theory of Mind in Schizophrenia-Investigating the Role of the Cerebellum.

PubMed

Mothersill, Omar; Knee-Zaska, Charlotte; Donohoe, Gary

2016-06-01

Social cognitive dysfunction, including deficits in facial emotion recognition and theory of mind, is a core feature of schizophrenia and more strongly predicts functional outcome than neurocognition alone. Although traditionally considered to play an important role in motor coordination, the cerebellum has been suggested to play a role in emotion processing and theory of mind, and also shows structural and functional abnormalities in schizophrenia. The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the specific role of the cerebellum in emotion and theory of mind deficits in schizophrenia using previously published functional neuroimaging studies. PubMed and PsycINFO were used to search for all functional neuroimaging studies reporting altered cerebellum activity in schizophrenia patients during emotion processing or theory of mind tasks, published until December 2014. Overall, 14 functional neuroimaging studies were retrieved. Most emotion studies reported lower cerebellum activity in schizophrenia patients relative to healthy controls. In contrast, the theory of mind studies reported mixed findings. Altered activity was observed across several posterior cerebellar regions involved in emotion and cognition. Weaker cerebellum activity in schizophrenia patients relative to healthy controls during emotion processing may contribute to blunted affect and reduced ability to recognise emotion in others. This research could be expanded by examining the relationship between cerebellum function, symptomatology and behaviour, and examining cerebellum functional connectivity in patients during emotion and theory of mind tasks.

Redox biology and the interface between bioenergetics, autophagy and circadian control of metabolism.

PubMed

Wende, Adam R; Young, Martin E; Chatham, John; Zhang, Jianhua; Rajasekaran, Namakkal S; Darley-Usmar, Victor M

2016-11-01

Understanding molecular mechanisms that underlie the recent emergence of metabolic diseases such as diabetes and heart failure has revealed the need for a multi-disciplinary research integrating the key metabolic pathways which change the susceptibility to environmental or pathologic stress. At the physiological level these include the circadian control of metabolism which aligns metabolism with temporal demand. The mitochondria play an important role in integrating the redox signals and metabolic flux in response to the changing activities associated with chronobiology, exercise and diet. At the molecular level this involves dynamic post-translational modifications regulating transcription, metabolism and autophagy. In this review we will discuss different examples of mechanisms which link these processes together. An important pathway capable of linking signaling to metabolism is the post-translational modification of proteins by O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc). This is a nutrient regulated protein modification that plays an important role in impaired cellular stress responses. Circadian clocks have also emerged as critical regulators of numerous cardiometabolic processes, including glucose/lipid homeostasis, hormone secretion, redox status and cardiovascular function. Central to these pathways are the response of autophagy, bioenergetics to oxidative stress, regulated by Keap1/Nrf2 and mechanisms of metabolic control. The extension of these ideas to the emerging concept of bioenergetic health will be discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Brain Training Game Improves Executive Functions and Processing Speed in the Elderly: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Nouchi, Rui; Taki, Yasuyuki; Takeuchi, Hikaru; Hashizume, Hiroshi; Akitsuki, Yuko; Shigemune, Yayoi; Sekiguchi, Atsushi; Kotozaki, Yuka; Tsukiura, Takashi; Yomogida, Yukihito; Kawashima, Ryuta

2012-01-01

Background The beneficial effects of brain training games are expected to transfer to other cognitive functions, but these beneficial effects are poorly understood. Here we investigate the impact of the brain training game (Brain Age) on cognitive functions in the elderly. Methods and Results Thirty-two elderly volunteers were recruited through an advertisement in the local newspaper and randomly assigned to either of two game groups (Brain Age, Tetris). This study was completed by 14 of the 16 members in the Brain Age group and 14 of the 16 members in the Tetris group. To maximize the benefit of the interventions, all participants were non-gamers who reported playing less than one hour of video games per week over the past 2 years. Participants in both the Brain Age and the Tetris groups played their game for about 15 minutes per day, at least 5 days per week, for 4 weeks. Each group played for a total of about 20 days. Measures of the cognitive functions were conducted before and after training. Measures of the cognitive functions fell into four categories (global cognitive status, executive functions, attention, and processing speed). Results showed that the effects of the brain training game were transferred to executive functions and to processing speed. However, the brain training game showed no transfer effect on any global cognitive status nor attention. Conclusions Our results showed that playing Brain Age for 4 weeks could lead to improve cognitive functions (executive functions and processing speed) in the elderly. This result indicated that there is a possibility which the elderly could improve executive functions and processing speed in short term training. The results need replication in large samples. Long-term effects and relevance for every-day functioning remain uncertain as yet. Trial Registration UMIN Clinical Trial Registry 000002825 PMID:22253758

Short-term escitalopram treatment normalizes aberrant self-referential processing in major depressive disorder.

PubMed

Komulainen, Emma; Heikkilä, Roope; Nummenmaa, Lauri; Raij, Tuukka T; Harmer, Catherine J; Isometsä, Erkki; Ekelund, Jesper

2018-04-22

Increased self-focus and negative self-concept play an important role in depression. Antidepressants influence self-referential processing in healthy volunteers, but their function in self-processing of depressed patients remains unknown. Thirty-two depressed patients were randomly allocated to receive either escitalopram 10 mg or placebo for one week. After one week, neural responses to positive and negative self-referential adjectives and neutral control stimuli were assessed with functional magnetic resonance imaging. A group of matched healthy volunteers served as a control group. Escitalopram decreased responses of medial fronto-parietal regions to self-referential words relative to non-emotional control stimuli, driven by increased responses to the control condition. Escitalopram also increased responses in the pre-defined region of the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) to positive relative to negative words. Importantly, the changes in neural responses occurred before any effect on depressive symptoms, implying a direct effect of escitalopram. Furthermore, the placebo group had decreased responses of the MPFC and the ACC to positive self-referential processing relative to the matched healthy controls. However, neural responses of the escitalopram group and the healthy unmedicated controls were similar. Differences between the groups in self-reported depression symptoms and personality traits may have influenced the results. One-week treatment with escitalopram normalized aberrant self-referential processing in depressed patients, shifting the focus from the self to the external environment and potentiating positive self-referential processing. This may be an important factor in mechanism of action of antidepressants. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Lexical Processing in Toddlers with ASD: Does Weak Central Coherence Play a Role?

PubMed

Ellis Weismer, Susan; Haebig, Eileen; Edwards, Jan; Saffran, Jenny; Venker, Courtney E

2016-12-01

This study investigated whether vocabulary delays in toddlers with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) can be explained by a cognitive style that prioritizes processing of detailed, local features of input over global contextual integration-as claimed by the weak central coherence (WCC) theory. Thirty toddlers with ASD and 30 younger, cognition-matched typical controls participated in a looking-while-listening task that assessed whether perceptual or semantic similarities among named images disrupted word recognition relative to a neutral condition. Overlap of perceptual features invited local processing whereas semantic overlap invited global processing. With the possible exception of a subset of toddlers who had very low vocabulary skills, these results provide no evidence that WCC is characteristic of lexical processing in toddlers with ASD.

Posttraumatic growth after cancer: The role of perceived threat and cognitive processing.

PubMed

Caspari, Jennifer M; Raque-Bogdan, Trisha L; McRae, Cynthia; Simoneau, Teresa L; Ash-Lee, Susan; Hultgren, Kristin

2017-01-01

This study examines the relation between perceived cognitive and physical threat after a cancer diagnosis and posttraumatic growth (PTG). In total, 169 breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer survivors completed questionnaires. Hierarchical regression models found after controlling for demographic and medical variables, depression, anxiety, and perceived threat account for 41.8% of the variance of positive cognitive processing, and these variables along with positive cognitive processing accounted for 42.7% of the variance of PTG. Positive cognitive processing mediated the pathways between perceived physical threat and PTG. Cognitive processing appears to play a key role in the emergence of PTG following cancer. By exploring survivors' cognitions and perceived threat, psychosocial providers may help cancer survivors cultivate PTG.

Relationship Between Sensory Processing and Pretend Play in Typically Developing Children.

PubMed

Roberts, Tara; Stagnitti, Karen; Brown, Ted; Bhopti, Anoo

We sought to investigate the relationship between sensory processing and pretend play in typically developing children. Forty-two typically developing children ages 5-7 yr were assessed with the Child Initiated Pretend Play Assessment and the Home and Main Classroom forms of the Sensory Processing Measure (SPM). There were significant relationships between elaborate pretend play and body awareness (r = .62, p < .01), balance (r = .42, p < .01), and touch (r = .47, p < .01). Object substitution was associated with social participation (r = .42, p < .05). The sensory processing factors (from the SPM)-namely, Body Awareness, Balance, Touch, and Social Participation-were predictive of the quality of children's engagement in pretend play in the home environment. The results indicated that, to engage and participate in play, children are involving sensory processing abilities, especially body awareness, balance, and touch. Copyright © 2018 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

Reducing electronic media use in 2-3 year-old children: feasibility and efficacy of the Family@play pilot randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Hinkley, Trina; Cliff, Dylan P; Okely, Anthony D

2015-08-14

Participation in electronic media use among 2-3 year olds is high and associated with adverse health and developmental outcomes. This study sought to test the feasibility and potential efficacy of a family-based program to decrease electronic media (EM) use in 2-3-year-old children. Family@play was a six-session pilot randomised controlled trial delivered to parents of 2-3 year-old children from August to September 2012 in a community environment in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. Development of program content was guided by Social Cognitive and Family Systems Theories. The primary outcome was children's electronic media use. Secondary outcomes included children's time in sitting, standing and stepping. Data collectors were blinded to group allocation. Parents completed comprehensive process evaluation measures and participated in focus group discussions following completion of the program. Regression analyses were undertaken and effect sizes calculated using principles of intention to treat. Twenty-two participants (n = 12 intervention; n = 10 control) provided complete baseline data; complete data from 16 participants (n = 6 intervention; n = 10 control) were available post-intervention. Process evaluation results were high, showing the acceptability of the program. Compared with children in the control group, there were greater decreases in total EM use among children in the intervention group (adjusted difference [95 % CI] = -31.2 mins/day [-71.0-8.6] Cohen's d = 0.70). Differences for other outcomes were in the hypothesised direction and ranged from small for postural (sitting, standing, stepping) outcomes to moderate to large for individual electronic media (e.g. TV viewing, DVD/video viewing). This is the first family-based study to engage families of 2-3 year old children outside the United States and target multiple EM behaviours. Family@play was shown to be a feasible and acceptable intervention to deliver to families of 2-3 year old children. Potential efficacy is evident from moderate to large effect sizes. A larger trial is warranted to test the efficacy of the program. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ( ACTRN12612000470897 ).

Representing and Learning Complex Object Interactions

PubMed Central

Zhou, Yilun; Konidaris, George

2017-01-01

We present a framework for representing scenarios with complex object interactions, in which a robot cannot directly interact with the object it wishes to control, but must instead do so via intermediate objects. For example, a robot learning to drive a car can only indirectly change its pose, by rotating the steering wheel. We formalize such complex interactions as chains of Markov decision processes and show how they can be learned and used for control. We describe two systems in which a robot uses learning from demonstration to achieve indirect control: playing a computer game, and using a hot water dispenser to heat a cup of water. PMID:28593181

Neural substrates of the influence of emotional cues on cognitive control in risk-taking adolescents.

PubMed

Lee, Nikki C; Weeda, Wouter D; Insel, Catherine; Somerville, Leah H; Krabbendam, Lydia; Huizinga, Mariëtte

2018-06-01

Adolescence is a period characterised by increases in risk-taking. This behaviour has been associated with an imbalance in the integration of the networks involved in cognitive control and motivational processes. We examined whether the influence of emotional cues on cognitive control differs between adolescents who show high or low levels of risk-taking behaviour. Participants who scored especially high or low on a risky decision task were subsequently administered an emotional go/no-go fMRI task comprising angry, happy and calm faces. Both groups showed decreased cognitive control when confronted with appetitive and aversive emotional cues. Activation in the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) increased in line with the cognitive control demands of the task. Though the risk taking groups did not differ in their behavioural performance, functional connectivity analyses revealed the dorsal striatum plays a more central role in the processing of cognitive control in high than low risk-takers. Overall, these findings suggest that variance in fronto-striatal circuitry may underlie individual differences in risk-taking behaviour. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Surface micro- and nano-texturing of stainless steel by femtosecond laser for the control of cell migration.

PubMed

Martínez-Calderon, M; Manso-Silván, M; Rodríguez, A; Gómez-Aranzadi, M; García-Ruiz, J P; Olaizola, S M; Martín-Palma, R J

2016-11-02

The precise control over the interaction between cells and the surface of materials plays a crucial role in optimizing the integration of implanted biomaterials. In this regard, material surface with controlled topographic features at the micro- and nano-scales has been proved to affect the overall cell behavior and therefore the final osseointegration of implants. Within this context, femtosecond (fs) laser micro/nano machining technology was used in this work to modify the surface structure of stainless steel aiming at controlling cell adhesion and migration. The experimental results show that cells tend to attach and preferentially align to the laser-induced nanopatterns oriented in a specific direction. Accordingly, the laser-based fabrication method here described constitutes a simple, clean, and scalable technique which allows a precise control of the surface nano-patterning process and, subsequently, enables the control of cell adhesion, migration, and polarization. Moreover, since our surface-patterning approach does not involve any chemical treatments and is performed in a single step process, it could in principle be applied to most metallic materials.

Surface micro- and nano-texturing of stainless steel by femtosecond laser for the control of cell migration

PubMed Central

Martínez-Calderon, M.; Manso-Silván, M.; Rodríguez, A.; Gómez-Aranzadi, M.; García-Ruiz, J. P.; Olaizola, S. M.; Martín-Palma, R. J.

2016-01-01

The precise control over the interaction between cells and the surface of materials plays a crucial role in optimizing the integration of implanted biomaterials. In this regard, material surface with controlled topographic features at the micro- and nano-scales has been proved to affect the overall cell behavior and therefore the final osseointegration of implants. Within this context, femtosecond (fs) laser micro/nano machining technology was used in this work to modify the surface structure of stainless steel aiming at controlling cell adhesion and migration. The experimental results show that cells tend to attach and preferentially align to the laser-induced nanopatterns oriented in a specific direction. Accordingly, the laser-based fabrication method here described constitutes a simple, clean, and scalable technique which allows a precise control of the surface nano-patterning process and, subsequently, enables the control of cell adhesion, migration, and polarization. Moreover, since our surface-patterning approach does not involve any chemical treatments and is performed in a single step process, it could in principle be applied to most metallic materials. PMID:27805063

Numerical Simulation of Transient Liquid Phase Bonding under Temperature Gradient

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghobadi Bigvand, Arian

Transient Liquid Phase bonding under Temperature Gradient (TG-TLP bonding) is a relatively new process of TLP diffusion bonding family for joining difficult-to-weld aerospace materials. Earlier studies have suggested that in contrast to the conventional TLP bonding process, liquid state diffusion drives joint solidification in TG-TLP bonding process. In the present work, a mass conservative numerical model that considers asymmetry in joint solidification is developed using finite element method to properly study the TG-TLP bonding process. The numerical results, which are experimentally verified, show that unlike what has been previously reported, solid state diffusion plays a major role in controlling the solidification behavior during TG-TLP bonding process. The newly developed model provides a vital tool for further elucidation of the TG-TLP bonding process.

A concept of volume rendering guided search process to analyze medical data set.

PubMed

Zhou, Jianlong; Xiao, Chun; Wang, Zhiyan; Takatsuka, Masahiro

2008-03-01

This paper firstly presents an approach of parallel coordinates based parameter control panel (PCP). The PCP is used to control parameters of focal region-based volume rendering (FRVR) during data analysis. It uses a parallel coordinates style interface. Different rendering parameters represented with nodes on each axis, and renditions based on related parameters are connected using polylines to show dependencies between renditions and parameters. Based on the PCP, a concept of volume rendering guided search process is proposed. The search pipeline is divided into four phases. Different parameters of FRVR are recorded and modulated in the PCP during search phases. The concept shows that volume visualization could play the role of guiding a search process in the rendition space to help users to efficiently find local structures of interest. The usability of the proposed approach is evaluated to show its effectiveness.

Controlling Synfire Chain by Inhibitory Synaptic Input

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shinozaki, Takashi; Câteau, Hideyuki; Urakubo, Hidetoshi; Okada, Masato

2007-04-01

The propagation of highly synchronous firings across neuronal networks, called the synfire chain, has been actively studied both theoretically and experimentally. The temporal accuracy and remarkable stability of the propagation have been repeatedly examined in previous studies. However, for such a mode of signal transduction to play a major role in processing information in the brain, the propagation should also be controlled dynamically and flexibly. Here, we show that inhibitory but not excitatory input can bidirectionally modulate the propagation, i.e., enhance or suppress the synchronous firings depending on the timing of the input. Our simulations based on the Hodgkin-Huxley neuron model demonstrate this bidirectional modulation and suggest that it should be achieved with any biologically inspired modeling. Our finding may help describe a concrete scenario of how multiple synfire chains lying in a neuronal network are appropriately controlled to perform significant information processing.

[MAP kinases--molecular transistors in animals and plants].

PubMed

Petersen, Morten; Brodersen, Peter; Mundy, John

2002-06-10

The survival of multicellular organisms depends on the ability of their cells to communicate with each other and to respond to environmental changes. A goal of modern biology is to uncover the processes by which these cellular signals are transduced. Recent studies have shown that MAP-kinases (MAPKs) are important constituents of such signal transduction pathways. MAPKs function as modules in phosphorelay cascades to activate or repress the activity of downstream target proteins. For example, recent research with knockout mice has shown that mammalian MAPKs are involved in the control of neuronal apoptosis and the activation of immune responses. These mammalian MAPKs exert their control by both promoting and inhibiting specific processes. Surprisingly, plants also use MAPKs to control their immune responses, and plant MAPKs also seem to play dual roles as positive and negative regulators. Such mechanistic similarities provide the basis for fruitful conceptual exchange between molecular research on animals and plants.

Designing Security-Hardened Microkernels For Field Devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hieb, Jeffrey; Graham, James

Distributed control systems (DCSs) play an essential role in the operation of critical infrastructures. Perimeter field devices are important DCS components that measure physical process parameters and perform control actions. Modern field devices are vulnerable to cyber attacks due to their increased adoption of commodity technologies and that fact that control networks are no longer isolated. This paper describes an approach for creating security-hardened field devices using operating system microkernels that isolate vital field device operations from untrusted network-accessible applications. The approach, which is influenced by the MILS and Nizza architectures, is implemented in a prototype field device. Whereas, previous microkernel-based implementations have been plagued by poor inter-process communication (IPC) performance, the prototype exhibits an average IPC overhead for protected device calls of 64.59 μs. The overall performance of field devices is influenced by several factors; nevertheless, the observed IPC overhead is low enough to encourage the continued development of the prototype.

Drawing cure: children's drawings as a psychoanalytic instrument.

PubMed

Wittmann, Barbara

2010-01-01

This essay deals with the special case of drawings as psychoanalytical instruments. It aims at a theoretical understanding of the specific contribution made by children's drawings as a medium of the psychical. In the influential play technique developed by Melanie Klein, drawing continuously interacts with other symptomatic (play) actions. Nonetheless, specific functions of drawing within the play technique can be identified. The essay will discuss four crucial aspects in-depth: 1) the strengthening of the analysis's recursivity associated with the graphic artifact; 2) the opening of the analytic process facilitated by drawing; 3) the creation of a genuinely graphic mode of producing meaning that allows the child to develop a "theory" of the workings of his own psychic apparatus; and 4) the new possibilities of symbolization associated with the latter. In contrast to classical definitions of the psychological instrument, the child's drawing is a weakly structured tool that does not serve to reproduce psychic processes in an artificial, controlled setting. The introduction of drawing into the psychoanalytic cure is by no means interested in replaying past events, but in producing events suited to effecting a transformation of the synchronic structures of the unconscious.

Arabidopsis DAYU/ABERRANT PEROXISOME MORPHOLOGY9 Is a Key Regulator of Peroxisome Biogenesis and Plays Critical Roles during Pollen Maturation and Germination in Planta[W

PubMed Central

Li, Xin-Ran; Li, Hong-Ju; Yuan, Li; Liu, Man; Shi, Dong-Qiao; Liu, Jie; Yang, Wei-Cai

2014-01-01

Pollen undergo a maturation process to sustain pollen viability and prepare them for germination. Molecular mechanisms controlling these processes remain largely unknown. Here, we report an Arabidopsis thaliana mutant, dayu (dau), which impairs pollen maturation and in vivo germination. Molecular analysis indicated that DAU encodes the peroxisomal membrane protein ABERRANT PEROXISOME MORPHOLOGY9 (APEM9). DAU is transiently expressed from bicellular pollen to mature pollen during male gametogenesis. DAU interacts with peroxisomal membrane proteins PEROXIN13 (PEX13) and PEX16 in planta. Consistently, both peroxisome biogenesis and peroxisome protein import are impaired in dau pollen. In addition, the jasmonic acid (JA) level is significantly decreased in dau pollen, and the dau mutant phenotype is partially rescued by exogenous application of JA, indicating that the male sterility is mainly due to JA deficiency. In addition, the phenotypic survey of peroxin mutants indicates that the PEXs most likely play different roles in pollen germination. Taken together, these data indicate that DAU/APEM9 plays critical roles in peroxisome biogenesis and function, which is essential for JA production and pollen maturation and germination. PMID:24510720

The role of inheritance in structuring hyperextended rift systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manatschal, Gianreto; Lavier, Luc; Chenin, Pauline

2015-04-01

A long-standing question in Earth Sciences is related to the importance of inheritance in controlling tectonic processes. In contrast to physical processes that are generally applicable, assessing the role of inheritance suffers from two major problems: firstly, it is difficult to appraise without having insights into the history of a geological system; and secondly all inherited features are not reactivated during subsequent deformation phases. Therefore, the aim of our presentation is to give some conceptual framework about how inheritance may control the architecture and evolution of hyperextended rift systems. We use the term inheritance to refer to the difference between an "ideal" layer-cake type lithosphere and a "real" lithosphere containing heterogeneities and we define 3 types of inheritance, namely structural, compositional and thermal inheritance. Moreover, we assume that the evolution of hyperextended rift systems reflects the interplay between their inheritance (innate/"genetic code") and the physical processes at play (acquired/external factors). Thus, by observing the architecture and evolution of hyperextended rift systems and integrating the physical processes, one my get hints on what may have been the original inheritance of a system. Using this approach, we focus on 3 well-studied rift systems that are the Alpine Tethys, Pyrenean-Bay of Biscay and Iberia-Newfoundland rift systems. For the studied examples we can show that: 1) strain localization on a local scale and during early stages of rifting is controlled by inherited structures and weaknesses 2) the architecture of the necking zone seems to be influenced by the distribution and importance of ductile layers during decoupled deformation and is consequently controlled by the thermal structure and/or the inherited composition of the curst 3) the location of breakup in the 3 examples is not significantly controlled by the inherited structures 4) inherited mantle composition and rift-related mantle processes may control the rheology of the mantle, the magmatic budget, the thermal structure and the localization of final rifting Conversely, the deformation in hyperextended domains is strongly controlled by weak hydrated minerals (e.g. clay, serpentinite) that result form the breakdown of feldspar and olivine due to fluid and reaction assisted deformation and is consequently not inherited but the result of rift induced processes. These key observations show that both inheritance and rift-induced processes play a significant role in the development of magma-poor rift systems and that the role of inheritance may change as the physical conditions vary during the evolving rifting and as rift-induced processes (serpentinization; magma) become more important. Thus, it is not only important to determine the "genetic code" of a rift system, but also to understand how it interacts and evolves during rifting. Understand how far these new ideas and concepts derived from the southern North Atlantic and Alpine Tethys can be translated to other less explored hyperextended rift systems will be one of the challenges of the future research in rifted margins.

Fostering the Foundations of Self-Determination in Early Childhood: A Process for Enhancing Child Outcomes across Home and School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erwin, Elizabeth J.; Maude, Susan P.; Palmer, Susan B.; Summers, Jean Ann; Brotherson, Mary Jane; Haines, Shana J.; Stroup-Rentier, Vera; Zheng, Yuzhu; Peck, Nancy F.

2016-01-01

Early childhood practitioners can play a vital role in the development of early self-determination in partnership with families. Self-determination has been generally considered to be about personal agency or control that can also relate to the quality of one's life. Young children with disabilities start to develop a range of critical skills such…

New Method for Producing Significant Amounts of RNA Labeled at Specific Sites | Center for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

Among biomacromolecules, RNA is the most versatile, and it plays indispensable roles in almost all aspects of biology. For example, in addition to serving as mRNAs coding for proteins, RNAs regulate gene expression, such as controlling where, when, and how efficiently a gene gets expressed, participate in RNA processing, encode the genetic information of some viruses, serve as

Children's Teaching Skills: The Role of Theory of Mind and Executive Function

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis-Unger, Angela C.; Carlson, Stephanie M.

2008-01-01

Teaching others effectively may rely on knowledge about the mind as well as self-control processes. The goal of this investigation was to explore the role of theory of mind (ToM) and executive function (EF) in children's developing teaching skills. Children 3.5-5.5 years of age (N = 82) were asked to teach a confederate learner how to play a board…

Hydrology and microtopography control carbon dynamics in wetlands: Implications in partitioning ecosystem respiration in a coastal plain forested wetland

Treesearch

Guofang Miao; Asko Noormets; Jean-Christophe Domec; Montserrat Fuentes; Carl C. Trettin; Ge Sun; Steve G. McNulty; John S. King

2017-01-01

Wetlands store a disproportionately large fraction of organic carbon relative to their areal coverage, and thus play an important role in global climate mitigation. As destabilization of these stores through land use or en- vironmental change represents a signi fi cant climate feedback, it is important to understand the functional regulation of respiratory processes...

Time under control: time perspective and desire for control in substance use.

PubMed

Fieulaine, Nicolas; Martinez, Frederic

2010-08-01

To investigate the role of time perspective and desire for control in self-reported substance use and to test for a moderating effect of desire for control in the relation between time perspective and substance use. A random sample of 240 persons, aged 15 years and over, selected in various public spaces in an urban region in central France. Time perspective was measured using subscales of the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ZTPI, Zimbardo & Boyd, 1999), Desire for control was measured using a translated version of the Desire for Control Scale (DCS, Burger & Cooper, 1979), and substance use was self-reported. After controlling for age and gender, significant links were found between time perspective and substance use. Desire for control did not appear to be directly related to substance use. The interaction effect between TP and desire for control appeared to be related to substance use. There was evidence that the relation between TP and substance use is buffered by low desire for control. This study converges with previous studies demonstrating the relation between TP and substance use, but provides evidence of the moderating role played by desire for control. Desire for control thus appears as worthy of interest in the analysis of self-regulatory process, and further research on the links between TP and various aspects of control is required. In order to be more effective, the design of future studies and interventions based on time-related issues should consider how desire for control plays a part in establishing vulnerability profiles. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Regulatory Roles of MicroRNAs in Bone Remodeling and Perspectives as Biomarkers in Osteoporosis

PubMed Central

Sun, Mengge; Zhou, Xiaoya; Chen, Lili; Huang, Shishu; Leung, Victor; Wu, Nan; Pan, Haobo; Zhen, Wanxin; Lu, William; Peng, Songlin

2016-01-01

MicroRNAs are involved in many cellular and molecular activities and played important roles in many biological and pathological processes, such as tissue formation, cancer development, diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, and cardiovascular diseases. Recently, it has been reported that microRNAs can modulate the differentiation and activities of osteoblasts and osteoclasts, the key cells that are involved in bone remodeling process. Meanwhile, the results from our and other research groups showed that the expression profiles of microRNAs in the serum and bone tissues are significantly different in postmenopausal women with or without fractures compared to the control. Therefore, it can be postulated that microRNAs might play important roles in bone remodeling and that they are very likely to be involved in the pathological process of postmenopausal osteoporosis. In this review, we will present the updated research on the regulatory roles of microRNAs in osteoblasts and osteoclasts and the expression profiles of microRNAs in osteoporosis and osteoporotic fracture patients. The perspective of serum microRNAs as novel biomarkers in bone loss disorders such as osteoporosis has also been discussed. PMID:27073801

What is the role of induction and deduction in reasoning and scientific inquiry?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lawson, Anton E.

2005-08-01

A long-standing and continuing controversy exists regarding the role of induction and deduction in reasoning and in scientific inquiry. Given the inherent difficulty in reconstructing reasoning patterns based on personal and historical accounts, evidence about the nature of human reasoning in scientific inquiry has been sought from a controlled experiment designed to identify the role played by enumerative induction and deduction in cognition as well as from the relatively new field of neural modeling. Both experimental results and the neurological models imply that induction across a limited set of observations plays no role in task performance and in reasoning. Therefore, support has been obtained for Popper's hypothesis that enumerative induction does not exist as a psychological process. Instead, people appear to process information in terms of increasingly abstract cycles of hypothetico-deductive reasoning. Consequently, science instruction should provide students with opportunities to generate and test increasingly complex and abstract hypotheses and theories in a hypothetico-deductive manner. In this way students can be expected to become increasingly conscious of their underlying hypothetico-deductive thought processes, increasingly skilled in their application, and hence increasingly scientifically literate.

Rhythm in joint action: psychological and neurophysiological mechanisms for real-time interpersonal coordination

PubMed Central

Keller, Peter E.; Novembre, Giacomo; Hove, Michael J.

2014-01-01

Human interaction often requires simultaneous precision and flexibility in the coordination of rhythmic behaviour between individuals engaged in joint activity, for example, playing a musical duet or dancing with a partner. This review article addresses the psychological processes and brain mechanisms that enable such rhythmic interpersonal coordination. First, an overview is given of research on the cognitive-motor processes that enable individuals to represent joint action goals and to anticipate, attend and adapt to other's actions in real time. Second, the neurophysiological mechanisms that underpin rhythmic interpersonal coordination are sought in studies of sensorimotor and cognitive processes that play a role in the representation and integration of self- and other-related actions within and between individuals' brains. Finally, relationships between social–psychological factors and rhythmic interpersonal coordination are considered from two perspectives, one concerning how social-cognitive tendencies (e.g. empathy) affect coordination, and the other concerning how coordination affects interpersonal affiliation, trust and prosocial behaviour. Our review highlights musical ensemble performance as an ecologically valid yet readily controlled domain for investigating rhythm in joint action. PMID:25385772

The RNA polymerase II CTD coordinates transcription and RNA processing

PubMed Central

Hsin, Jing-Ping; Manley, James L.

2012-01-01

The C-terminal domain (CTD) of the RNA polymerase II largest subunit consists of multiple heptad repeats (consensus Tyr1–Ser2–Pro3–Thr4–Ser5–Pro6–Ser7), varying in number from 26 in yeast to 52 in vertebrates. The CTD functions to help couple transcription and processing of the nascent RNA and also plays roles in transcription elongation and termination. The CTD is subject to extensive post-translational modification, most notably phosphorylation, during the transcription cycle, which modulates its activities in the above processes. Therefore, understanding the nature of CTD modifications, including how they function and how they are regulated, is essential to understanding the mechanisms that control gene expression. While the significance of phosphorylation of Ser2 and Ser5 residues has been studied and appreciated for some time, several additional modifications have more recently been added to the CTD repertoire, and insight into their function has begun to emerge. Here, we review findings regarding modification and function of the CTD, highlighting the important role this unique domain plays in coordinating gene activity. PMID:23028141

ESEEM of industrial quartz powders: insights into crystal chemistry of Al defects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romanelli, Maurizio; Di Benedetto, Francesco; Bartali, Laura; Innocenti, Massimo; Fornaciai, Gabriele; Montegrossi, Giordano; Pardi, Luca A.; Zoleo, Alfonso; Capacci, Fabio

2012-06-01

A set of raw industrial materials, that is, pure quartz and quartz-rich mixtures, were investigated through electron paramagnetic resonance and electron spin echo-envelope modulation spectroscopies, with the aim of evaluating the effective role played by defect centres and of assessing whether they can be used to monitor changes in the physical properties of quartz powders with reference to their health effects. The obtained results point to two interactions of the Al defect centres with H+, hosted in sites within the channels parallel and perpendicular to the c axis of quartz, respectively. These two Al/H+ (hAl) centres exhibit a weak chemical bond, and their relative amounts appear to be modified/controlled by the thermo-mechanical processes underwent by powders. Indeed, a mechanically promoted inter-conversion between the two kinds of site is suggested. As a consequence, the hAl centres are effective in monitoring even modest activations of powders, through thermal or mechanical processes, and they are also supposed to play a specific, relevant role in quartz reactivity during the considered industrial processes.

Probing sensorimotor integration during musical performance.

PubMed

Furuya, Shinichi; Furukawa, Yuta; Uehara, Kazumasa; Oku, Takanori

2018-03-10

An integration of afferent sensory information from the visual, auditory, and proprioceptive systems into execution and update of motor programs plays crucial roles in control and acquisition of skillful sequential movements in musical performance. However, conventional behavioral and neurophysiological techniques that have been applied to study simplistic motor behaviors limit elucidating online sensorimotor integration processes underlying skillful musical performance. Here, we propose two novel techniques that were developed to investigate the roles of auditory and proprioceptive feedback in piano performance. First, a closed-loop noninvasive brain stimulation system that consists of transcranial magnetic stimulation, a motion sensor, and a microcomputer enabled to assess time-varying cortical processes subserving auditory-motor integration during piano playing. Second, a force-field system capable of manipulating the weight of a piano key allowed for characterizing movement adaptation based on the feedback obtained, which can shed light on the formation of an internal representation of the piano. Results of neurophysiological and psychophysics experiments provided evidence validating these systems as effective means for disentangling computational and neural processes of sensorimotor integration in musical performance. © 2018 New York Academy of Sciences.

Adaptive Skeletal Muscle Action Requires Anticipation and “Conscious Broadcasting”

PubMed Central

Poehlman, T. Andrew; Jantz, Tiffany K.; Morsella, Ezequiel

2012-01-01

Historically, the conscious and anticipatory processes involved in voluntary action have been associated with the loftiest heights of nervous function. Concepts like mental time travel, “theory of mind,” and the formation of “the self” have been at the center of many attempts to determine the purpose of consciousness. Eventually, more reductionistic accounts of consciousness emerged, proposing rather that conscious states play a much more basic role in nervous function. Though the widely held integration consensus proposes that conscious states integrate information-processing structures and events that would otherwise be independent, Supramodular Interaction Theory (SIT) argues that conscious states are necessary for the integration of only certain kinds of information. As revealed in this selective review, this integration is related to what is casually referred to as “voluntary” action, which is intimately related to the skeletal muscle output system. Through a peculiar form of broadcasting, conscious integration often controls and guides action via “ideomotor” mechanisms, where anticipatory processes play a central role. Our selective review covers evidence (including findings from anesthesia research) for the integration consensus, SIT, and ideomotor theory. PMID:23264766

Adipose tissue macrophages in the Development of Obesity-induced Inflammation, Insulin Resistance and Type 2 Diabetes

PubMed Central

Lee, Jongsoon

2014-01-01

It has been increasingly accepted that chronic subacute inflammation plays an important role in the development of insulin resistance and Type 2 Diabetes in animals and humans. Particularly supporting this is that suppression of systemic inflammation in Type 2 Diabetes improves glycemic control; this also points to a new potential therapeutic target for the treatment of Type 2 Diabetes. Recent studies strongly suggest that obesity-induced inflammation is mainly mediated by tissue resident immune cells, with particular attention being focused on adipose tissue macrophages (ATMs). This review delineates the current progress made in understanding obesity-induced inflammation and the roles ATMs play in this process. PMID:23397293

DAVE: A plug and play model for distributed multimedia application development

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

Mines, R.F.; Friesen, J.A.; Yang, C.L.

1994-07-01

This paper presents a model being used for the development of distributed multimedia applications. The Distributed Audio Video Environment (DAVE) was designed to support the development of a wide range of distributed applications. The implementation of this model is described. DAVE is unique in that it combines a simple ``plug and play`` programming interface, supports both centralized and fully distributed applications, provides device and media extensibility, promotes object reuseability, and supports interoperability and network independence. This model enables application developers to easily develop distributed multimedia applications and create reusable multimedia toolkits. DAVE was designed for developing applications such as videomore » conferencing, media archival, remote process control, and distance learning.« less

Silk Self-Assembly Mechanisms and Control-From Thermodynamics to Kinetics

PubMed Central

Lu, Qiang; Zhu, Hesun; Zhang, Cencen; Zhang, Feng; Zhang, Bing; Kaplan, David L.

2012-01-01

Silkworms and spiders generate fibres that exhibit high strength and extensibility. The underlying mechanisms involved in processing silk proteins into fiber form remain incompletely understood, resulting in the failure to fully recapitulate the remarkable properties of native fibers in vitro from regenerated silk solutions. In the present study, the extensibility and high strength of regenerated silks were achieved by mimicking the natural spinning process. Conformational transitions inside micelles, followed by aggregation of micelles and their stabilization as they relate to the metastable structure of silk are described. Subsequently, the mechanisms to control the formation of nanofibrous structures were elucidated. The results clarify that the self-assembly of silk in aqueous solution is a thermodynamically driven process where kinetics also play a key role. Four key factors, molecular mobility, charge, hydrophilic interactions and concentration underlie the process. Adjusting these factors can balance nanostructure and conformational composition, and be used to achieve silk-based materials with properties comparable to native fibers. These mechanisms suggest new directions to design silk-based multifunctional materials. PMID:22320432

The transcriptional control machinery as well as the cell wall integrity and its regulation are involved in the detoxification of the organic solvent dimethyl sulfoxide in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

PubMed

Zhang, Lilin; Liu, Ningning; Ma, Xiao; Jiang, Linghuo

2013-03-01

In the present study, we have identified 339 dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)-sensitive and nine DMSO-tolerant gene mutations in Saccharomyces cerevisiae through a functional genomics approach. Twelve of these identified DMSO-sensitive mutations are of genes involved in the general control of gene expression mediated by the SWR1 complex and the RNA polymerase II mediator complex, whereas 71 of them are of genes involved in the protein trafficking and vacuolar sorting processes. In addition, twelve of these DMSO-sensitive mutations are of genes involved in the cell wall integrity (CWI) and its regulation. DMSO-tolerant mutations are of genes mainly involved in the metabolism and the gene expression control. Therefore, the transcriptional control machinery, the CWI and its regulation as well as the protein trafficking and sorting process play critical roles in the DMSO detoxification in yeast cells. © 2012 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and video games: a comparative study of hyperactive and control children.

PubMed

Bioulac, Stéphanie; Arfi, Lisa; Bouvard, Manuel P

2008-03-01

This study describes and compares the behavior of hyperactive and control children playing video games. The sample consisted of 29 ADHD children and 21 controls aged between 6 and 16 years playing video games. We used the Child Behavior Checklist and the Problem Videogame Playing scale (PVP scale). This instrument gives objective measures of problem use, which can be considered as an indication of addictive videogame playing. We designed a questionnaire for the parents, eliciting qualitative information about their child's videogame playing. There were no significant differences concerning frequency or duration of play between ADHD children and controls but differences were observed on the PVP scale. None of the controls scored above four whereas 10 hyperactive children answered affirmatively to five or more questions. These children presented a greater intensity of the disorder than the other ADHD children. While no differences concerning video game use were found, ADHD children exhibited more problems associated with videogame playing. It seems that a subgroup of ADHD children could be vulnerable to developing dependence upon video games.

Associations of object control motor skill proficiency, game play competence, physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness among primary school children.

PubMed

Miller, Andrew; Eather, Narelle; Duncan, Mitch; Lubans, David Revalds

2018-06-18

This study investigated if object control relates to children's game play competence, and examined these competencies as correlates of physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness. Game play (Game Performance Assessment Instrument), object control (The Test Gross Motor Development-3), moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (Accelerometry), and cardiorespiratory fitness (20-metre shuttle) assessments were completed for 107 children (57% Female, 43% Male) aged 9-12 years (M 10.53, SD 0.65). Two-level regression of object control on game play competence, and object control and game play competence on physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness assessed associations. Object control competence was positively associated with game play competence (Std. B = 0.25, t (104.77) = 2.38, p = 0.001). Game play competence (Std. B = 0.33, t (99.81) = 5.21, p < 0.000) was more strongly associated with moderate-to-vigorous physical activity than object control competence (Std. B = 0.20, t (106.93) = 2.96, p = 0.003). Likewise, game competence (Std. B = 0.39, t (104.41) = 4.36, p < 0.000) was more strongly associated with cardiorespiratory fitness than object control competence (Std. B = 0.22, t (106.69) = 2.63, p = 0.002). Object control and game competence are both important as correlates of physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness in children.

Play and Developmental Outcomes in Infant Siblings of Children with Autism

PubMed Central

Hutman, Ted; Rozga, Agata; Young, Gregory S.; Ozonoff, Sally; Rogers, Sally J.; Baker, Bruce; Sigman, Marian

2010-01-01

We observed infant siblings of children with autism later diagnosed with ASD (ASD siblings; n = 17), infant siblings of children with autism with and without other delays (Other Delays and No Delays siblings; n = 12 and n = 19, respectively) and typically developing controls (TD controls; n = 19) during a free-play task at 18 months of age. Functional, symbolic, and repeated play actions were coded. ASD siblings showed fewer functional and more non-functional repeated play behaviors than TD controls. Other Delays and No Delays siblings showed more non-functional repeated play than TD controls. Group differences disappeared with the inclusion of verbal mental age. Play as an early indicator of autism and its relationship to the broader autism phenotype is discussed. PMID:20112084

Working Memory Influences Processing Speed and Reading Fluency in ADHD

PubMed Central

Jacobson, Lisa A.; Ryan, Matthew; Martin, Rebecca B.; Ewen, Joshua; Mostofsky, Stewart H.; Denckla, Martha B.; Mahone, E. Mark

2012-01-01

Processing speed deficits affect reading efficiency, even among individuals who recognize and decode words accurately. Children with ADHD who decode words accurately can still have inefficient reading fluency, leading to a bottleneck in other cognitive processes. This “slowing” in ADHD is associated with deficits in fundamental components of executive function underlying processing speed, including response selection. The purpose of the present study was to deconstruct processing speed in order to determine which components of executive control best explain the “processing” speed deficits related to reading fluency in ADHD. Participants (41 ADHD, 21 controls), ages 9-14, screened for language disorders, word reading deficits, and psychiatric disorders, were administered measures of copying speed, processing speed, reading fluency, working memory, reaction time, inhibition, and auditory attention span. Compared to controls, children with ADHD showed reduced oral and silent reading fluency, and reduced processing speed—driven primarily by deficits on WISC-IV Coding. In contrast, groups did not differ on copying speed. After controlling for copying speed, sex, severity of ADHD-related symptomatology, and GAI, slowed “processing” speed (i.e., Coding) was significantly associated with verbal span and measures of working memory, but not with measures of response control/inhibition, lexical retrieval speed, reaction time, or intra-subject variability. Further, “processing” speed (i.e., Coding, residualized for copying speed) and working memory were significant predictors of oral reading fluency. Abnormalities in working memory and response selection (which are frontally-mediated and enter into the output side of processing speed) may play an important role in deficits in reading fluency in ADHD, potentially more than posteriorally-mediated problems with orienting of attention or perceiving the stimulus. PMID:21287422

Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) [video

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-05-09

MMS Spacecraft Animation The Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission is a Solar Terrestrial Probes mission comprising four identically instrumented spacecraft that will use Earth's magnetosphere as a laboratory to study the microphysics of three fundamental plasma processes: magnetic reconnection, energetic particle acceleration, and turbulence. These processes occur in all astrophysical plasma systems but can be studied in situ only in our solar system and most efficiently only in Earth's magnetosphere, where they control the dynamics of the geospace environment and play an important role in the processes known as "space weather." Learn more about MMS at www.nasa.gov/mms Learn more about MMS at www.nasa.gov/mms Credit NASA/Goddard The Magnetospheric Multiscale, or MMS, will study how the sun and the Earth's magnetic fields connect and disconnect, an explosive process that can accelerate particles through space to nearly the speed of light. This process is called magnetic reconnection and can occur throughout all space. NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS)

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

MMS Spacecraft Animation The Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission is a Solar Terrestrial Probes mission comprising four identically instrumented spacecraft that will use Earth's magnetosphere as a laboratory to study the microphysics of three fundamental plasma processes: magnetic reconnection, energetic particle acceleration, and turbulence. These processes occur in all astrophysical plasma systems but can be studied in situ only in our solar system and most efficiently only in Earth's magnetosphere, where they control the dynamics of the geospace environment and play an important role in the processes known as "space weather." Learn more about MMS at www.nasa.gov/mms Learn more about MMS at www.nasa.gov/mms Credit NASA/Chris Gunn The Magnetospheric Multiscale, or MMS, will study how the sun and the Earth's magnetic fields connect and disconnect, an explosive process that can accelerate particles through space to nearly the speed of light. This process is called magnetic reconnection and can occur throughout all space. NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

Process-aware EHR BPM systems: two prototypes and a conceptual framework.

PubMed

Webster, Charles; Copenhaver, Mark

2010-01-01

Systematic methods to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of electronic health record-mediated processes will be key to EHRs playing an important role in the positive transformation of healthcare. Business process management (BPM) systematically optimizes process effectiveness, efficiency, and flexibility. Therefore BPM offers relevant ideas and technologies. We provide a conceptual model based on EHR productivity and negative feedback control that links EHR and BPM domains, describe two EHR BPM prototype modules, and close with the argument that typical EHRs must become more process-aware if they are to take full advantage of BPM ideas and technology. A prediction: Future extensible clinical groupware will coordinate delivery of EHR functionality to teams of users by combining modular components with executable process models whose usability (effectiveness, efficiency, and user satisfaction) will be systematically improved using business process management techniques.

Stochasticity, succession, and environmental perturbations in a fluidic ecosystem.

PubMed

Zhou, Jizhong; Deng, Ye; Zhang, Ping; Xue, Kai; Liang, Yuting; Van Nostrand, Joy D; Yang, Yunfeng; He, Zhili; Wu, Liyou; Stahl, David A; Hazen, Terry C; Tiedje, James M; Arkin, Adam P

2014-03-04

Unraveling the drivers of community structure and succession in response to environmental change is a central goal in ecology. Although the mechanisms shaping community structure have been intensively examined, those controlling ecological succession remain elusive. To understand the relative importance of stochastic and deterministic processes in mediating microbial community succession, a unique framework composed of four different cases was developed for fluidic and nonfluidic ecosystems. The framework was then tested for one fluidic ecosystem: a groundwater system perturbed by adding emulsified vegetable oil (EVO) for uranium immobilization. Our results revealed that groundwater microbial community diverged substantially away from the initial community after EVO amendment and eventually converged to a new community state, which was closely clustered with its initial state. However, their composition and structure were significantly different from each other. Null model analysis indicated that both deterministic and stochastic processes played important roles in controlling the assembly and succession of the groundwater microbial community, but their relative importance was time dependent. Additionally, consistent with the proposed conceptual framework but contradictory to conventional wisdom, the community succession responding to EVO amendment was primarily controlled by stochastic rather than deterministic processes. During the middle phase of the succession, the roles of stochastic processes in controlling community composition increased substantially, ranging from 81.3% to 92.0%. Finally, there are limited successional studies available to support different cases in the conceptual framework, but further well-replicated explicit time-series experiments are needed to understand the relative importance of deterministic and stochastic processes in controlling community succession.

Self-referential processing influences functional activation during cognitive control: an fMRI study

PubMed Central

Koch, Kathrin; Schachtzabel, Claudia; Peikert, Gregor; Schultz, Carl Christoph; Reichenbach, Jürgen R.; Sauer, Heinrich; Schlösser, Ralf G.

2013-01-01

Rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC) plays a central role in the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD). As we reported in our previous study (Wagner et al., 2006), patients with MDD were characterized by an inability to deactivate this region during cognitive processing leading to a compensatory prefrontal hyperactivation. This hyperactivation in rACC may be related to a deficient inhibitory control of negative self-referential processes, which in turn may interfere with cognitive control task execution and the underlying fronto-cingulate network activation. To test this assumption, a functional magnetic resonance imaging study was conducted in 34 healthy subjects. Univariate and functional connectivity analyses in statistical parametric mapping software 8 were used. Self-referential stimuli and the Stroop task were presented in an event-related design. As hypothesized, rACC was specifically engaged during negative self-referential processing (SRP) and was significantly related to the degree of depressive symptoms in participants. BOLD signal in rACC showed increased valence-dependent (negative vs neutral SRP) interaction with BOLD signal in prefrontal and dorsal anterior cingulate regions during Stroop task performance. This result provides strong support for the notion that enhanced rACC interacts with brain regions involved in cognitive control processes and substantiates our previous interpretation of increased rACC and prefrontal activation in patients during Stroop task. PMID:22798398

Is altered central pain processing related to disease stage in chronic pancreatitis patients with pain? An exploratory study.

PubMed

Bouwense, Stefan A W; Olesen, Søren S; Drewes, Asbjørn M; Frøkjær, Jens B; van Goor, Harry; Wilder-Smith, Oliver H G

2013-01-01

The most dominant feature in chronic pancreatitis is intense abdominal pain. Changes in spinal and/or supraspinal central nervous system pain processing due to visceral nociceptive input play an important role in this pain. How altered pain processing is related to disease stage still needs study. Sixty chronic pancreatitis patients were compared to 15 healthy controls. Two subgroups of pancreatitis patients were defined based on the M-ANNHEIM severity index of chronic pancreatitis; i.e. moderate and severe. Pain detection and tolerance thresholds for pressure and electric stimuli were measured in six selected dermatomes (C5, T4, T10, L1, L4 and T10BACK). In addition, the conditioned pain modulation response to cold pressor task was determined. These measures were compared between the healthy controls and chronic pancreatitis patients. Severe pancreatitis patients showed lower pain thresholds than moderate pancreatitis patients or healthy volunteers. Healthy controls showed a significantly larger conditioned pain modulation response compared to all chronic pancreatitis patients taken together. The present study confirms that chronic pancreatitis patients show signs of altered central processing of nociception compared to healthy controls. The study further suggests that these changes, i.e. central sensitization, may be influenced by disease stage. These findings underline the need to take altered central pain processing into account when managing the pain of chronic pancreatitis.

Toward a Developmentally-Informed Approach to Parenting Interventions: Seeking Hidden Effects

PubMed Central

Brock, Rebecca L.; Kochanska, Grazyna

2015-01-01

Drawing from developmental psychology and psychopathology, we propose a new, developmentally-informed approach to parenting interventions that focuses on elucidating changes in the unfolding developmental process between the parent and child. We present data from 186 low-income mothers of toddlers, randomly assigned to Child-Oriented Play group or Play-as-Usual group. We examined the maladaptive cascade from child difficulty to mother adversarial, negative parenting to child maladjustment, well documented in the literature. The measures incorporated multiple observations and reports. As expected, the sequence from child difficulty (Pretest) to mother adversarial, negative parenting (Posttest 1, after 3-month intervention) to child maladjustment (Posttest 2, 6 months later) was present in Play-as-Usual group, but absent, or defused, in Child-Oriented Play group. The findings are consistent with a view of intervention presumably enhancing the mother-child relationship, which in turn served to moderate future mother-child dynamics, altering its otherwise anticipated negative trajectory. A closer examination of the cascade revealed that, at Posttest 1, mothers in Play-as-Usual group engaged in more adversarial, negative parenting (controlling for Pretest) than mothers in Child-Oriented Play group when their children were of high difficulty. The intervention appears to exert its primary influence on the cascade by weakening the link between child difficulty and maternal adversarial, negative parenting. PMID:27063895

A novel patterning control strategy based on real-time fingerprint recognition and adaptive wafer level scanner optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cekli, Hakki Ergun; Nije, Jelle; Ypma, Alexander; Bastani, Vahid; Sonntag, Dag; Niesing, Henk; Zhang, Linmiao; Ullah, Zakir; Subramony, Venky; Somasundaram, Ravin; Susanto, William; Matsunobu, Masazumi; Johnson, Jeff; Tabery, Cyrus; Lin, Chenxi; Zou, Yi

2018-03-01

In addition to lithography process and equipment induced variations, processes like etching, annealing, film deposition and planarization exhibit variations, each having their own intrinsic characteristics and leaving an effect, a `fingerprint', on the wafers. With ever tighter requirements for CD and overlay, controlling these process induced variations is both increasingly important and increasingly challenging in advanced integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing. For example, the on-product overlay (OPO) requirement for future nodes is approaching <3nm, requiring the allowable budget for process induced variance to become extremely small. Process variance control is seen as an bottleneck to further shrink which drives the need for more sophisticated process control strategies. In this context we developed a novel `computational process control strategy' which provides the capability of proactive control of each individual wafer with aim to maximize the yield, without introducing a significant impact on metrology requirements, cycle time or productivity. The complexity of the wafer process is approached by characterizing the full wafer stack building a fingerprint library containing key patterning performance parameters like Overlay, Focus, etc. Historical wafer metrology is decomposed into dominant fingerprints using Principal Component Analysis. By associating observed fingerprints with their origin e.g. process steps, tools and variables, we can give an inline assessment of the strength and origin of the fingerprints on every wafer. Once the fingerprint library is established, a wafer specific fingerprint correction recipes can be determined based on its processing history. Data science techniques are used in real-time to ensure that the library is adaptive. To realize this concept, ASML TWINSCAN scanners play a vital role with their on-board full wafer detection and exposure correction capabilities. High density metrology data is created by the scanner for each wafer and on every layer during the lithography steps. This metrology data will be used to obtain the process fingerprints. Also, the per exposure and per wafer correction potential of the scanners will be utilized for improved patterning control. Additionally, the fingerprint library will provide early detection of excursions for inline root cause analysis and process optimization guidance.

Gaming across different consoles: exploring the influence of control scheme on game-player enjoyment.

PubMed

Limperos, Anthony M; Schmierbach, Michael G; Kegerise, Andrew D; Dardis, Frank E

2011-06-01

Many studies have investigated how different technological features impact the experience of playing video games, yet few have focused on how control schemes may affect the play experience. This research employed a between-subjects design to explore the relationship between the type of console played (Nintendo Wii, Playstation 2) and feelings of flow and enjoyment during the game-play experience. Results indicated that participants reported greater feelings of control and enjoyment with a traditional control scheme (Playstation 2) than with the more technologically advanced control scheme (Nintendo Wii). Further mediation analysis showed that enjoyment was driven by the sense of control that participants experienced and not simply by whether they won the game. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Structural approaches to the study of oligosaccharides in glycoprotein quality control.

PubMed

Ito, Yukishige; Hagihara, Shinya; Matsuo, Ichiro; Totani, Kiichiro

2005-10-01

High-mannose-type oligosaccharides have been shown to play important roles in protein quality control. Several intracellular proteins, such as lectins, chaperones and glycan-processing enzymes, are involved in this process. These include calnexin/calreticulin, UDP-glucose:glycoprotein glucosyltransferase (UGGT), cargo receptors (such as VIP36 and ERGIC-53), mannosidase-like proteins (e.g. EDEM and Htm1p) and ubiquitin ligase (Fbs). They are thought to recognize high-mannose-type glycans with subtly different structures, although the precise specificities are yet to be clarified. In order to gain a clear understanding of these protein-carbohydrate interactions, comprehensive synthesis of high-mannose-type glycans was conducted. In addition, two approaches to the synthesis of artificial glycoproteins with homogeneous oligosaccharides were investigated. Furthermore, a novel substrate of UGGT was discovered.

Solvent-induced controllable synthesis, single-crystal to single-crystal transformation and encapsulation of Alq3 for modulated luminescence in (4,8)-connected metal-organic frameworks.

PubMed

Lan, Ya-Qian; Jiang, Hai-Long; Li, Shun-Li; Xu, Qiang

2012-07-16

In this work, for the first time, we have systematically demonstrated that solvent plays crucial roles in both controllable synthesis of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and their structural transformation process. With solvent as the only variable, five new MOFs with different structures have been constructed, in which one MOF undergoes solvent-induced single-crystal to single-crystal (SCSC) transformation that involves not only solvent exchange but also the cleavage and formation of coordination bonds. Particularly, a significant crystallographic change has been realized through an unprecedented three-step SCSC transformation process. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that the obtained MOF could be an excellent host for chromophores such as Alq3 for modulated luminescent properties.

Polarization modulation based on the hybrid waveguide of graphene sandwiched structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Junbo; Chen, Dingbo; Zhang, Jingjing; Zhang, Zhaojian; Huang, Jie

2017-09-01

Polarization beam splitter (PBS) plays an important role to realize beam control and modulation. A novel hybrid structure of graphene sandwiched waveguide is proposed to fulfill polarization manipulation and selection based on the refractive index engineering techniques. The fundamental mode of TM cannot be supported in this case. However, both TE and TM mode are excited and transmitting in the hybrid waveguide if the design parameters, including the waveguide width and the waveguide height, are changed. The incident wavelength largely affects the effective index, which results in supporting/not supporting the TM mode. The proposed design exhibits high extinction ratio, compact in size, flexible to control, compatible with CMOS process, and easy to be integrated with other optoelectronic devices, allowing it to be used in optical communication and optical information processing.

Deliberate Play and Preparation Jointly Benefit Motor and Cognitive Development: Mediated and Moderated Effects

PubMed Central

Pesce, Caterina; Masci, Ilaria; Marchetti, Rosalba; Vazou, Spyridoula; Sääkslahti, Arja; Tomporowski, Phillip D.

2016-01-01

In light of the interrelation between motor and cognitive development and the predictive value of the former for the latter, the secular decline observed in motor coordination ability as early as preschool urges identification of interventions that may jointly impact motor and cognitive efficiency. The aim of this study was twofold. It (1) explored the outcomes of enriched physical education (PE), centered on deliberate play and cognitively challenging variability of practice, on motor coordination and cognitive processing; (2) examined whether motor coordination outcomes mediate intervention effects on children’s cognition, while controlling for moderation by lifestyle factors as outdoor play habits and weight status. Four hundred and sixty children aged 5–10 years participated in a 6-month group randomized intervention in PE, with or without playful coordinative and cognitive enrichment. The weight status and spontaneous outdoor play habits of children (parental report of outdoor play) were evaluated at baseline. Before and after the intervention, motor developmental level (Movement Assessment Battery for Children) was evaluated in all children, who were then assessed either with a test of working memory (Random Number Generation task), or with a test of attention (from the Cognitive Assessment System). Children assigned to the ‘enriched’ intervention showed more pronounced improvements in all motor coordination assessments (manual dexterity, ball skills, static/dynamic balance). The beneficial effect on ball skills was amplified by the level of spontaneous outdoor play and weight status. Among indices of executive function and attention, only that of inhibition showed a differential effect of intervention type. Moderated mediation showed that the better outcome of the enriched PE on ball skills mediated the better inhibition outcome, but only when the enrichment intervention was paralleled by a medium-to-high level of outdoor play. Results suggest that specifically tailored physical activity (PA) games provide a unique form of enrichment that impacts children’s cognitive development through motor coordination improvement, particularly object control skills, which are linked to children’s PA habits later in life. Outdoor play appears to offer the natural ground for the stimulation by designed PA games to take root in children’s mind. PMID:27014155

Design and Kinematic Evaluation of a Novel Joint-Specific Play Controller: Application for Wrist and Forearm Therapy

PubMed Central

Schwartz, Joel B.; Wilcox, Bethany; Costa, Laura; Kerman, Karen

2015-01-01

Background The wrist extensors and flexors are profoundly affected in most children with hemiparetic cerebral palsy (CP) and are the major target of physical therapists' and occupational therapists' efforts to restore useful hand functions. A limitation of any therapeutic or exercise program can be the level of the child's engagement or adherence. The proposed approach capitalizes on the primary learning avenue for children: toy play. Objective This study aimed to develop and evaluate the measurement accuracy of innovative, motion-specific play controllers that are engaging rehabilitative devices for enhancing therapy and promoting neural plasticity and functional recovery in children with CP. Design Design objectives of the play controller included a cost-effective, home-based supplement to physical therapy, the ability to calibrate the controller so that play can be accomplished with any active range of motion, and the capability of logging play activity and wrist motion over week-long periods. Methods Accuracy of the play controller in measuring wrist flexion-extension was evaluated in 6 children who were developing in a typical manner, using optical motion capture of the wrist and forearm as the gold standard. Results The error of the play controller was estimated at approximately 5 degrees in both maximum wrist flexion and extension. Limitations Measurements were taken during a laboratory session, with children without CP, and no toy or computer game was interfaced with the play controller. Therefore, the potential engagement of the proposed approach for therapy remains to be evaluated. Conclusions This study presented the concept, development, and wrist tracking accuracy of an inexpensive approach to extremity therapy that may have a health benefit for children with hemiparesis, and potentially for patients of any age with a wide range of extremity neuromotor impairments. PMID:25573759

Lexical Processing in Toddlers with ASD: Does Weak Central Coherence Play a Role?

PubMed Central

Weismer, Susan Ellis; Haebig, Eileen; Edwards, Jan; Saffran, Jenny; Venker, Courtney E.

2016-01-01

This study investigated whether vocabulary delays in toddlers with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) can be explained by a cognitive style that prioritizes processing of detailed, local features of input over global contextual integration – as claimed by the weak central coherence (WCC) theory. Thirty toddlers with ASD and 30 younger, cognition-matched typical controls participated in a looking-while-listening task that assessed whether perceptual or semantic similarities among named images disrupted word recognition relative to a neutral condition. Overlap of perceptual features invited local processing whereas semantic overlap invited global processing. With the possible exception of a subset of toddlers who had very low vocabulary skills, these results provide no evidence that WCC is characteristic of lexical processing in toddlers with ASD. PMID:27696177

Preparation and physicochemical characterization of matrix pellets containing APIs with different solubility via extrusion process.

PubMed

Hegyesi, Diána; Thommes, Markus; Kleinebudde, Peter; Sovány, Tamás; Kása, Péter; Kelemen, András; Pintye-Hódi, Klára; Regdon, Géza

2017-03-01

In this study, a multiparticulate matrix system was produced, containing two different active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs): enalapril-maleate and hydrochlorothiazide. The critical control points of the process were investigated by means of factorial design. Beside the generally used microcrystalline cellulose, ethylcellulose was used as matrix former to achieve modified drug release ensured by diffusion. The matrix pellets were made by extrusion-spheronization using a twin-screw extruder. Some pellet properties (aspect ratio, 10% interval fraction, hardness, deformation process) were determined. The aim of our study was to investigate how the two different APIs with different solubility and particle size influence the process. The amount of the granulation liquid plays a key role in the pellet shaping. A higher liquid feed rate is preferred in the pelletization process.

The Status of the Quality Control in Acupuncture-Neuroimaging Studies

PubMed Central

Qiu, Ke; Jing, Miaomiao; Liu, Xiaoyan; Gao, Feifei; Liang, Fanrong; Zeng, Fang

2016-01-01

Using neuroimaging techniques to explore the central mechanism of acupuncture gains increasing attention, but the quality control of acupuncture-neuroimaging study remains to be improved. We searched the PubMed Database during 1995 to 2014. The original English articles with neuroimaging scan performed on human beings were included. The data involved quality control including the author, sample size, characteristics of the participant, neuroimaging technology, and acupuncture intervention were extracted and analyzed. The rigorous inclusion and exclusion criteria are important guaranty for the participants' homogeneity. The standard operation process of acupuncture and the stricter requirement for acupuncturist play significant role in quality control. More attention should be paid to the quality control in future studies to improve the reproducibility and reliability of the acupuncture-neuroimaging studies. PMID:27242911

Mammalian play: training for the unexpected.

PubMed

Spinka, M; Newberry, R C; Bekoff, M

2001-06-01

In this review, we present a new conceptual framework for the study of play behavior, a hitherto puzzling array of seemingly purposeless and unrelated behavioral elements that are recognizable as play throughout the mammalian lineage. Our major new functional hypothesis is that play enables animals to develop flexible kinematic and emotional responses to unexpected events in which they experience a sudden loss of control. Specifically, we propose that play functions to increase the versatility of movements used to recover from sudden shocks such as loss of balance and falling over, and to enhance the ability of animals to cope emotionally with unexpected stressful situations. To obtain this "training for the unexpected," we suggest that animals actively seek and create unexpected situations in play through self-handicapping; that is, deliberately relaxing control over their movements or actively putting themselves into disadvantageous positions and situations. Thus, play is comprised of sequences in which the players switch rapidly between well-controlled movements similar to those used in "serious" behavior and self-handicapping movements that result in temporary loss of control. We propose that this playful switching between in-control and out-of-control elements is cognitively demanding, setting phylogenetic and ontogenetic constraints on play, and is underlain by neuroendocrinological responses that produce a complex emotional state known as "having fun." Furthermore, we propose that play is often prompted by relatively novel or unpredictable stimuli, and is thus related to, although distinct from, exploration. We present 24 predictions that arise from our new theoretical framework, examining the extent to which they are supported by the existing empirical evidence and contrasting them with the predictions of four major alternative hypotheses about play. We argue that our "training for the unexpected" hypothesis can account for some previously puzzling kinematic, structural, motivational, emotional, cognitive, social, ontogenetic, and phylogenetic aspects of play. It may also account for a diversity of individual methods for coping with unexpected misfortunes.

Assessment of processes controlling the regional distribution of fluoride and arsenic in groundwater of the Pampeano Aquifer in the Del Azul Creek basin (Argentina)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zabala, M. E.; Manzano, M.; Vives, L.

2016-10-01

Groundwater in the upper 50 m of the Pampeano Aquifer in the Del Azul Creek basin (Argentina) has F and As contents above the WHO safe drinking levels. This basin is situated to the SE of the Chaco-Pampean plain, in Buenos Aires Province. The Pampeano Aquifer is a major water source for all uses. The aim of the study is to assess the primary processes controlling the regional distribution of F and As in the most exploited part of the aquifer. The study involved sampling for chemical and isotopic analyses, interpretation of data with different methods (diagrams, bivariate analyses, mineral saturation states, Principal Component Analysis) and deduction of leading processes. Information about aquifer mineralogy and hydrogeochemical processes involved in F and As solubilization in the aquifer has been taken from previous works of the same and other authors. Groundwater salinity increases to the NE, in the direction of the regional groundwater flow. Chemical types evolve from Ca/Mg-HCO3 in the upper part of the basin, to Na-HCO3 in the middle part and to Na-ClSO4 and Na-Cl in the lower part. The regional distribution of F is controlled by hydrogeochemical processes. The distribution of As is controlled by two types of processes dominating in different areas: hydrogeochemical controls prevail in the low to moderately mineralized groundwater of the middle and lower parts of the basin; hydrogeological controls lead to the NE of the lower basin and beyond it. In the last zone there are abundant lagoons and seasonal flooding is frequent, making evapoconcentration an important process for groundwater mineralization. The main hydrogeochemical processes involved in both F and As distribution are cation exchange, with Na release and Ca uptake, carbonate dissolution and pH increase. Arsenic release induced by redox processes may play to the NE, but its results would be masked by the effect of evaporation.

Mechanisms mediating parallel action monitoring in fronto-striatal circuits.

PubMed

Beste, Christian; Ness, Vanessa; Lukas, Carsten; Hoffmann, Rainer; Stüwe, Sven; Falkenstein, Michael; Saft, Carsten

2012-08-01

Flexible response adaptation and the control of conflicting information play a pivotal role in daily life. Yet, little is known about the neuronal mechanisms mediating parallel control of these processes. We examined these mechanisms using a multi-methodological approach that integrated data from event-related potentials (ERPs) with structural MRI data and source localisation using sLORETA. Moreover, we calculated evoked wavelet oscillations. We applied this multi-methodological approach in healthy subjects and patients in a prodromal phase of a major basal ganglia disorder (i.e., Huntington's disease), to directly focus on fronto-striatal networks. Behavioural data indicated, especially the parallel execution of conflict monitoring and flexible response adaptation was modulated across the examined cohorts. When both processes do not co-incide a high integrity of fronto-striatal loops seems to be dispensable. The neurophysiological data suggests that conflict monitoring (reflected by the N2 ERP) and working memory processes (reflected by the P3 ERP) differentially contribute to this pattern of results. Flexible response adaptation under the constraint of high conflict processing affected the N2 and P3 ERP, as well as their delta frequency band oscillations. Yet, modulatory effects were strongest for the N2 ERP and evoked wavelet oscillations in this time range. The N2 ERPs were localized in the anterior cingulate cortex (BA32, BA24). Modulations of the P3 ERP were localized in parietal areas (BA7). In addition, MRI-determined caudate head volume predicted modulations in conflict monitoring, but not working memory processes. The results show how parallel conflict monitoring and flexible adaptation of action is mediated via fronto-striatal networks. While both, response monitoring and working memory processes seem to play a role, especially response selection processes and ACC-basal ganglia networks seem to be the driving force in mediating parallel conflict monitoring and flexible adaptation of actions. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The loop structure and the RNA helicase p72/DDX17 influence the processing efficiency of the mice miR-132

PubMed Central

Remenyi, Judit; Bajan, Sarah; Fuller-Pace, Frances V.; Arthur, J. Simon C.; Hutvagner, Gyorgy

2016-01-01

miRNAs are small RNAs that are key regulators of gene expression in eukaryotic organisms. The processing of miRNAs is regulated by structural characteristics of the RNA and is also tightly controlled by auxiliary protein factors. Among them, RNA binding proteins play crucial roles to facilitate or inhibit miRNA maturation and can be controlled in a cell, tissue and species-specific manners or in response to environmental stimuli. In this study we dissect the molecular mechanism that promotes the overexpression of miR-132 in mice over its related, co-transcribed and co-regulated miRNA, miR-212. We have shown that the loop structure of miR-132 is a key determinant for its efficient processing in cells. We have also identified a range of RNA binding proteins that recognize the loop of miR-132 and influence both miR-132 and miR-212 processing. The DEAD box helicase p72/DDX17 was identified as a factor that facilitates the specific processing of miR-132. PMID:26947125

Study of aroma formation and transformation during the manufacturing process of Biluochun green tea in Yunnan Province by HS-SPME and GC-MS.

PubMed

Wang, Chen; Lv, Shidong; Wu, Yuanshuang; Lian, Ming; Gao, Xuemei; Meng, Qingxiong

2016-10-01

Biluochun is a typical non-fermented tea and is also famous for its unique aroma in China. Few studies have been performed to evaluate the effect of the manufacturing process on the formation and content of its aroma. The volatile components were extracted at different manufacturing process steps of Biluochun green tea using fully automated headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and further characterised by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Among 67 volatile components collected, the fractions of linalool oxides, β-ionone, phenylacetaldehyde, aldehydes, ketones, and nitrogen compounds were increased while alcohols and hydrocarbons declined during the manufacturing process. The aroma compounds decreased the most during the drying steps. We identified a number of significantly changed components that can be used as markers and quality control during the producing process of Biluochun. The drying step played a major role in the aroma formation of green tea products and should be the most important step for quality control. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

The remote supervisory and controlling experiment system of traditional Chinese medicine production based on Fieldbus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhan, Jinliang; Lu, Pei

2006-11-01

Since the quality of traditional Chinese medicine products are affected by raw material, machining and many other factors, it is difficult for traditional Chinese medicine production process especially the extracting process to ensure the steady and homogeneous quality. At the same time, there exist some quality control blind spots due to lacking on-line quality detection means. But if infrared spectrum analysis technology was used in traditional Chinese medicine production process on the basis of off-line analysis to real-time detect the quality of semi-manufactured goods and to be assisted by advanced automatic control technique, the steady and homogeneous quality can be obtained. It can be seen that the on-line detection of extracting process plays an important role in the development of Chinese patent medicines industry. In this paper, the design and implement of a traditional Chinese medicine extracting process monitoring experiment system which is based on PROFIBUS-DP field bus, OPC, and Internet technology is introduced. The system integrates intelligence node which gathering data, superior sub-system which achieving figure configuration and remote supervisory, during the process of traditional Chinese medicine production, monitors the temperature parameter, pressure parameter, quality parameter etc. And it can be controlled by the remote nodes in the VPN (Visual Private Network). Experiment and application do have proved that the system can reach the anticipation effect fully, and with the merits of operational stability, real-time, reliable, convenient and simple manipulation and so on.

Yeast prions are useful for studying protein chaperones and protein quality control.

PubMed

Masison, Daniel C; Reidy, Michael

2015-01-01

Protein chaperones help proteins adopt and maintain native conformations and play vital roles in cellular processes where proteins are partially folded. They comprise a major part of the cellular protein quality control system that protects the integrity of the proteome. Many disorders are caused when proteins misfold despite this protection. Yeast prions are fibrous amyloid aggregates of misfolded proteins. The normal action of chaperones on yeast prions breaks the fibers into pieces, which results in prion replication. Because this process is necessary for propagation of yeast prions, even small differences in activity of many chaperones noticeably affect prion phenotypes. Several other factors involved in protein processing also influence formation, propagation or elimination of prions in yeast. Thus, in much the same way that the dependency of viruses on cellular functions has allowed us to learn much about cell biology, the dependency of yeast prions on chaperones presents a unique and sensitive way to monitor the functions and interactions of many components of the cell's protein quality control system. Our recent work illustrates the utility of this system for identifying and defining chaperone machinery interactions.

Effect of external plasma flows on the interaction between turbulence and convective cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uzawa, Ken; Li, Jiquan

2005-10-01

It is widely recognized that large scale structures, such as zonal flows, streamers and also long wavelength Kelvin-Helmholtz modes are nonlinearly generated from maternal turbulence through modulational instability process and play a crucial role in regulating the transport in tokamaks. In order to control the transport, it is desirable to control such structures and/or modulational process. One of control parameters may be mean flow which intrinsically exists in tokamak plasmas. Besides the direct influence on the transport through vortex decorrelation, the mean flow may indirectly change the zonal flow generation by acting on the modulational process itself. In this work, we theoretically investigate the characteristics of zonal flow generation due to the electron temperature gradient (ETG) turbulence in the presence of long wavelength ITG driven zonal flow. This was done by extending our previous modulational analyses[1]. We have numerically analyzed the influence of mean flow on zonal flow generation. The main result is that the zonal flow generation is suppressed by the presence of the mean flow. [1]J. Li, Y. Kishimoto, Physics of Plasmas, 9, 1241 (2002)

Fine-tuned SRF activity controls asymmetrical neuronal outgrowth: implications for cortical migration, neural tissue lamination and circuit assembly

PubMed Central

Scandaglia, Marilyn; Benito, Eva; Morenilla-Palao, Cruz; Fiorenza, Anna; del Blanco, Beatriz; Coca, Yaiza; Herrera, Eloísa; Barco, Angel

2015-01-01

The stimulus-regulated transcription factor Serum Response Factor (SRF) plays an important role in diverse neurodevelopmental processes related to structural plasticity and motile functions, although its precise mechanism of action has not yet been established. To further define the role of SRF in neural development and distinguish between cell-autonomous and non cell-autonomous effects, we bidirectionally manipulated SRF activity through gene transduction assays that allow the visualization of individual neurons and their comparison with neighboring control cells. In vitro assays showed that SRF promotes survival and filopodia formation and is required for normal asymmetric neurite outgrowth, indicating that its activation favors dendrite enlargement versus branching. In turn, in vivo experiments demonstrated that SRF-dependent regulation of neuronal morphology has important consequences in the developing cortex and retina, affecting neuronal migration, dendritic and axonal arborization and cell positioning in these laminated tissues. Overall, our results show that the controlled and timely activation of SRF is essential for the coordinated growth of neuronal processes, suggesting that this event regulates the switch between neuronal growth and branching during developmental processes. PMID:26638868

Effects of methylphenidate during emotional processing in amphetamine users: preliminary findings.

PubMed

Bottelier, M A; Schouw, M L J; de Ruiter, M B; Ruhe, H G; Lindauer, R J L; Reneman, L

2015-12-01

D-amphetamine (dAMPH) and methylphenidate (MPH) are stimulants used in the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Preclinical studies have shown that in healthy animals, dAMPH induces dopamine (DA) dysfunction, as evidenced for instance by loss of DA levels and its transporters. It has also been suggested that DA plays an important role in emotional processing, and that altered DA-ergic intervention may modulate amygdala function. To explore the role of the DA system in emotional processing we examined emotional processing using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in eight male recreational users of dAMPH and eight male healthy controls. We compared brain activation between both groups during an emotional face-processing task with and without an oral MPH challenge. All subjects were abstinent for at least 2 weeks during the baseline scan. The second scan was performed on the same day 1½ hours after receiving an oral dose of 35 mg MPH. A significant Valence*Group interaction (p = .037) indicated amygdala hyperreactivity to fearful facial expressions in dAMPH users that was robust against adjustment for age (p = .015). Furthermore, duration of amphetamine use in years was positively correlated with amygdala reactivity in dAMPH users (r = .76; p = .029). These exploratory findings are in line with previous findings suggesting that DA plays a role in emotional processing.

Differential effects of ADORA2A gene variations in pre-attentive visual sensory memory subprocesses.

PubMed

Beste, Christian; Stock, Ann-Kathrin; Ness, Vanessa; Epplen, Jörg T; Arning, Larissa

2012-08-01

The ADORA2A gene encodes the adenosine A(2A) receptor that is highly expressed in the striatum where it plays a role in modulating glutamatergic and dopaminergic transmission. Glutamatergic signaling has been suggested to play a pivotal role in cognitive functions related to the pre-attentive processing of external stimuli. Yet, the precise molecular mechanism of these processes is poorly understood. Therefore, we aimed to investigate whether ADORA2A gene variation has modulating effects on visual pre-attentive sensory memory processing. Studying two polymorphisms, rs5751876 and rs2298383, in 199 healthy control subjects who performed a partial-report paradigm, we find that ADORA2A variation is associated with differences in the efficiency of pre-attentive sensory memory sub-processes. We show that especially the initial visual availability of stimulus information is rendered more efficiently in the homozygous rare genotype groups. Processes related to the transfer of information into working memory and the duration of visual sensory (iconic) memory are compromised in the homozygous rare genotype groups. Our results show a differential genotype-dependent modulation of pre-attentive sensory memory sub-processes. Hence, we assume that this modulation may be due to differential effects of increased adenosine A(2A) receptor signaling on glutamatergic transmission and striatal medium spiny neuron (MSN) interaction. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. and ECNP. All rights reserved.

Electrostatics in pharmaceutical aerosols for inhalation.

PubMed

Wong, Jennifer; Chan, Hak-Kim; Kwok, Philip Chi Lip

2013-08-01

Electrostatics continues to play an important role in pharmaceutical aerosols for inhalation. Despite its ubiquitous nature, the charging process is complex and not well understood. Nonetheless, significant advances in the past few years continue to improve understanding and lead to better control of electrostatics. The purpose of this critical review is to present an overview of the literature, with an emphasis on how electrostatic charge can be useful in improving pulmonary drug delivery.

Neutrinos in astrophysics and cosmology

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

Balantekin, A. B.

Neutrinos play a crucial role in many aspects of astrophysics and cosmology. Since they control the electron fraction, or equivalently neutron-to-proton ratio, neutrino properties impact yields of r-process nucleosynthesis. Similarly the weak decoupling temperature in the Big Bang Nucleosynthesis epoch is exponentially dependent on the neutron-to-proton ratio. In these conference proceedings, I briefly summarize some of the recent work exploring the role of neutrinos in astrophysics and cosmology.

Can entomophagous nematodes slow the spread of invasive pest populations? The case study of Beddingia siricidicola released for the management of Sirex noctilio

Treesearch

Juan C. Corley; José M. Villacide; Andrew M. Liebhold

2014-01-01

Though rarely used in this way, biological control could potentially be exploited for managing spread of invasive species. Because spread of invasive species emerges from the combined action of population growth and dispersal, natural enemies that affect either of these processes should also affect spread. Dispersal of parasitoid species plays a key role in determining...

The Media and the Presidential Marathon.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-09-16

party-controlled caucuses. The small contributor and the individual voter now play a far more significant role in the nominating process than they...McGovern’s 1972 campaign, and is currently president of National Public Radio. Herbert Baus and William Ross formed a professional campaign management firm...professor of communi- cations research at Syracuse University. Thomas Patterson and Robert McClure’s 1972 study of television and voter behavior in the

Export Control and the U.S. Defense Industrial Base - Revised. Volume 1: Summary Report and Volume 2: Appendices

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-10-01

advanced materials, US producers still have a reservoir of intellectual property , product capabilities and process know-how built over several...while providing remarkable properties superior to conventional materials (ultra lightweight, high strength and stiffness). Characteristics of these...investor and tax environment; and • A level playing field, with enforcement of trade agreements and intellectual property (IP) rights. Accordingly, the

Sensorimotor integration and psychopathology: motor control abnormalities related to psychiatric disorders.

PubMed

Velasques, Bruna; Machado, Sergio; Paes, Flávia; Cunha, Marlo; Sanfim, Antonio; Budde, Henning; Cagy, Mauricio; Anghinah, Renato; Basile, Luis F; Piedade, Roberto; Ribeiro, Pedro

2011-12-01

Recent evidence is reviewed to examine relationships among sensorimotor and cognitive aspects in some important psychiatry disorders. This study reviews the theoretical models in the context of sensorimotor integration and the abnormalities reported in the most common psychiatric disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease, autism spectrum disorder and squizophrenia. The bibliographical search used Pubmed/Medline, ISI Web of Knowledge, Cochrane data base and Scielo databases. The terms chosen for the search were: Alzheimer's disease, AD, autism spectrum disorder, and Squizophrenia in combination with sensorimotor integration. Fifty articles published in English and were selected conducted from 1989 up to 2010. We found that the sensorimotor integration process plays a relevant role in elementary mechanisms involved in occurrence of abnormalities in most common psychiatric disorders, participating in the acquisition of abilities that have as critical factor the coupling of different sensory data which will constitute the basis of elaboration of consciously goal-directed motor outputs. Whether these disorders are associated with an abnormal peripheral sensory input or defective central processing is still unclear, but some studies support a central mechanism. Sensorimotor integration seems to play a significant role in the disturbances of motor control, like deficits in the feedforward mechanism, typically seen in AD, autistic and squizophrenic patients.

Cognitive Attentional Syndrome and Metacognitive Beliefs in Male Sexual Dysfunction: An Exploratory Study.

PubMed

Giuri, Simona; Caselli, Gabriele; Manfredi, Chiara; Rebecchi, Daniela; Granata, Antonio; Ruggiero, Giovanni Maria; Veronese, Guido

2017-05-01

Erectile dysfunction (ED) and premature ejaculation (PE) are two forms of male sexual disorder with both psychological and physical features. While their cognitive, attentional, and affective components have been investigated separately, there is a lack of knowledge about the role played by cognitive attentional syndrome in their onset and maintenance. The aim of the present study was to investigate the possible contribution of perseverative thinking styles and thought control strategies to the development and maintenance of ED and PE. The authors hypothesized that such modes of processing might constitute a cognitive attentional syndrome specific to these disorders and sustained by particular metacognitive beliefs. A semistructured interview was administered to 11 participants with ED and 10 with PE in order to assess their metacognitive beliefs and cognitive attentional processes. The results suggest that individuals with ED and PE adopt a range of cognitive attentional strategies aimed at improving their sexual performance, and endorse both positive and negative metacognitive beliefs about these thinking responses. Overall, their cognitive and attentional patterns worsened negative internal states, reduced sexual excitement, detached them from their bodily sensations, and hindered sexual functioning. These preliminary findings suggest that perseverative thinking, thought control strategies, and metacognitive beliefs may play a key role in the onset and maintenance of male sexual dysfunction.

Neural systems for social cognition in Klinefelter syndrome (47,XXY): evidence from fMRI.

PubMed

van Rijn, Sophie; Swaab, Hanna; Baas, Daan; de Haan, Edward; Kahn, René S; Aleman, André

2012-08-01

Klinefelter syndrome (KS) is a chromosomal condition (47, XXY) that may help us to unravel gene-brain behavior pathways to psychopathology. The phenotype includes social cognitive impairments and increased risk for autism traits. We used functional MRI to study neural mechanisms underlying social information processing. Eighteen nonclinical controls and thirteen men with XXY were scanned during judgments of faces with regard to trustworthiness and age. While judging faces as untrustworthy in comparison to trustworthy, men with XXY displayed less activation than controls in (i) the amygdala, which plays a key role in screening information for socio-emotional significance, (ii) the insula, which plays a role in subjective emotional experience, as well as (iii) the fusiform gyrus and (iv) the superior temporal sulcus, which are both involved in the perceptual processing of faces and which were also less involved during age judgments in men with XXY. This is the first study showing that KS can be associated with reduced involvement of the neural network subserving social cognition. Studying KS may increase our understanding of the genetic and hormonal basis of neural dysfunctions contributing to abnormalities in social cognition and behavior, which are considered core abnormalities in psychiatric disorders such as autism and schizophrenia.

ATM-Dependent Phosphorylation of All Three Members of the MRN Complex: From Sensor to Adaptor

PubMed Central

Lavin, Martin F.; Kozlov, Sergei; Gatei, Magtouf; Kijas, Amanda W.

2015-01-01

The recognition, signalling and repair of DNA double strand breaks (DSB) involves the participation of a multitude of proteins and post-translational events that ensure maintenance of genome integrity. Amongst the proteins involved are several which when mutated give rise to genetic disorders characterised by chromosomal abnormalities, cancer predisposition, neurodegeneration and other pathologies. ATM (mutated in ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) and members of the Mre11/Rad50/Nbs1 (MRN complex) play key roles in this process. The MRN complex rapidly recognises and locates to DNA DSB where it acts to recruit and assist in ATM activation. ATM, in the company of several other DNA damage response proteins, in turn phosphorylates all three members of the MRN complex to initiate downstream signalling. While ATM has hundreds of substrates, members of the MRN complex play a pivotal role in mediating the downstream signalling events that give rise to cell cycle control, DNA repair and ultimately cell survival or apoptosis. Here we focus on the interplay between ATM and the MRN complex in initiating signaling of breaks and more specifically on the adaptor role of the MRN complex in mediating ATM signalling to downstream substrates to control different cellular processes. PMID:26512707

Clustering of Nuclei in Multinucleated Hyphae Is Prevented by Dynein-Driven Bidirectional Nuclear Movements and Microtubule Growth Control in Ashbya gossypii ▿ †

PubMed Central

Grava, Sandrine; Keller, Miyako; Voegeli, Sylvia; Seger, Shanon; Lang, Claudia; Philippsen, Peter

2011-01-01

During filamentous fungus development, multinucleated hyphae employ a system for long-range nuclear migration to maintain an equal nuclear density. A decade ago the microtubule motor dynein was shown to play a central role in this process. Previous studies with Ashbya gossypii revealed extensive bidirectional movements and bypassings of nuclei, an autonomous cytoplasmic microtubule (cMT) cytoskeleton emanating from each nucleus, and pulling of nuclei by sliding of cMTs along the cortex. Here, we show that dynein is the sole motor for bidirectional movements and bypassing because these movements are concomitantly decreased in mutants carrying truncations of the dynein heavy-chain DYN1 promoter. The dynactin component Jnm1, the accessory proteins Dyn2 and Ndl1, and the potential dynein cortical anchor Num1 are also involved in the dynamic distribution of nuclei. In their absence, nuclei aggregate to different degrees, whereby the mutants with dense nuclear clusters grow extremely long cMTs. As in budding yeast, we found that dynein is delivered to cMT plus ends, and its activity or processivity is probably controlled by dynactin and Num1. Together with its role in powering nuclear movements, we propose that dynein also plays (directly or indirectly) a role in the control of cMT length. Those combined dynein actions prevent nuclear clustering in A. gossypii and thus reveal a novel cellular role for dynein. PMID:21642510

Clustering of nuclei in multinucleated hyphae is prevented by dynein-driven bidirectional nuclear movements and microtubule growth control in Ashbya gossypii.

PubMed

Grava, Sandrine; Keller, Miyako; Voegeli, Sylvia; Seger, Shanon; Lang, Claudia; Philippsen, Peter

2011-07-01

During filamentous fungus development, multinucleated hyphae employ a system for long-range nuclear migration to maintain an equal nuclear density. A decade ago the microtubule motor dynein was shown to play a central role in this process. Previous studies with Ashbya gossypii revealed extensive bidirectional movements and bypassings of nuclei, an autonomous cytoplasmic microtubule (cMT) cytoskeleton emanating from each nucleus, and pulling of nuclei by sliding of cMTs along the cortex. Here, we show that dynein is the sole motor for bidirectional movements and bypassing because these movements are concomitantly decreased in mutants carrying truncations of the dynein heavy-chain DYN1 promoter. The dynactin component Jnm1, the accessory proteins Dyn2 and Ndl1, and the potential dynein cortical anchor Num1 are also involved in the dynamic distribution of nuclei. In their absence, nuclei aggregate to different degrees, whereby the mutants with dense nuclear clusters grow extremely long cMTs. As in budding yeast, we found that dynein is delivered to cMT plus ends, and its activity or processivity is probably controlled by dynactin and Num1. Together with its role in powering nuclear movements, we propose that dynein also plays (directly or indirectly) a role in the control of cMT length. Those combined dynein actions prevent nuclear clustering in A. gossypii and thus reveal a novel cellular role for dynein.

Solving gas-processing problems. Part 8. Expansion processes, turboexpander efficiency vital for predicting liquid-recovery levels

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

Erbar, J.H.; Maddox, R.N.

1981-07-06

Expansion processes, using either Joule-Thomson or isentropic principles play an important role in the processing of natural gas streams for liquid recovery and/or hydrocarbon-dewpoint control. Constant-enthalpy expansion has been an integral part of gas processing schemes for many years. The constant entropy, or isentropic, process is more recent but has achieved wide-spread popularity. In typcial flow sheets for expansion processess, the expansion device is shown to be a value or choke. It also could be an expansion turbine to indicate an isentropic expansion. The expansion may be to lower pressure; or, in the case of turboexpansion, it could recover materialmore » or produce work. More frequently, the aim of the expansion is to produce low temperature and enhance liquid recovery.« less

[Application of traditional Chinese medicine reference standards in quality control of Chinese herbal pieces].

PubMed

Lu, Tu-Lin; Li, Jin-Ci; Yu, Jiang-Yong; Cai, Bao-Chang; Mao, Chun-Qin; Yin, Fang-Zhou

2014-01-01

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) reference standards plays an important role in the quality control of Chinese herbal pieces. This paper overviewed the development of TCM reference standards. By analyzing the 2010 edition of Chinese pharmacopoeia, the application of TCM reference standards in the quality control of Chinese herbal pieces was summarized, and the problems exiting in the system were put forward. In the process of improving the quality control level of Chinese herbal pieces, various kinds of advanced methods and technology should be used to research the characteristic reference standards of Chinese herbal pieces, more and more reasonable reference standards should be introduced in the quality control system of Chinese herbal pieces. This article discussed the solutions in the aspect of TCM reference standards, and future development of quality control on Chinese herbal pieces is prospected.

Game-Based Rehabilitation for Myoelectric Prosthesis Control

PubMed Central

Vujaklija, Ivan; Kayali, Fares; Purgathofer, Peter; Aszmann, Oskar C

2017-01-01

Background A high number of upper extremity myoelectric prosthesis users abandon their devices due to difficulties in prosthesis control and lack of motivation to train in absence of a physiotherapist. Virtual training systems, in the form of video games, provide patients with an entertaining and intuitive method for improved muscle coordination and improved overall control. Complementary to established rehabilitation protocols, it is highly beneficial for this virtual training process to start even before receiving the final prosthesis, and to be continued at home for as long as needed. Objective The aim of this study is to evaluate (1) the short-term effects of a commercially available electromyographic (EMG) system on controllability after a simple video game-based rehabilitation protocol, and (2) different input methods, control mechanisms, and games. Methods Eleven able-bodied participants with no prior experience in EMG control took part in this study. Participants were asked to perform a surface EMG test evaluating their provisional maximum muscle contraction, fine accuracy and isolation of electrode activation, and endurance control over at least 300 seconds. These assessments were carried out (1) in a Pregaming session before interacting with three EMG-controlled computer games, (2) in a Postgaming session after playing the games, and (3) in a Follow-Up session two days after the gaming protocol to evaluate short-term retention rate. After each game, participants were given a user evaluation survey for the assessment of the games and their input mechanisms. Participants also received a questionnaire regarding their intrinsic motivation (Intrinsic Motivation Inventory) at the end of the last game. Results Results showed a significant improvement in fine accuracy electrode activation (P<.01), electrode separation (P=.02), and endurance control (P<.01) from Pregaming EMG assessments to the Follow-Up measurement. The deviation around the EMG goal value diminished and the opposing electrode was activated less frequently. Participants had the most fun playing the games when collecting items and facing challenging game play. Conclusions Most upper limb amputees use a 2-channel myoelectric prosthesis control. This study demonstrates that this control can be effectively trained by employing a video game-based rehabilitation protocol. PMID:28183689

To Think without Thinking: The Implications of Combinatory Play and the Creative Process for Neuroaesthetics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stevens, Victoria

2014-01-01

The author considers combinatory play as an intersection between creativity, play, and neuroaesthetics. She discusses combinatory play as vital to the creative process in art and science, particularly with regard to the incubation of new ideas. She reviews findings from current neurobiological research and outlines the way that the brain activates…

Ochrobactrum anthropi used to control ammonium for nitrate removal by starch-stabilized nanoscale zero valent iron.

PubMed

Zhou, Jun; Sun, Qianyu; Chen, Dan; Wang, Hongyu; Yang, Kai

2017-10-01

In this study, the hydrogenotrophic denitrifying bacterium Ochrobactrum anthropi was added in to the process of nitrate removal by starch-stabilized nanoscale zero valent iron (nZVI) to minimize undesirable ammonium. The ammonium control performance and cooperative mechanism of this combined process were investigated, and batch experiments were conducted to discuss the effects of starch-stabilized nZVI dose, biomass, and pH on nitrate reduction and ammonium control of this system. The combined system achieved satisfactory performance because the anaerobic iron corrosion process generates H 2 , which is used as an electron donor for the autohydrogenotrophic bacterium Ochrobactrum anthropi to achieve the autohydrogenotrophic denitrification process converting nitrate to N 2 . When starch-stabilized nZVI dose was increased from 0.5 to 2.0 g/L, nitrate reduction rate gradually increased, and ammonium yield also increased from 9.40 to 60.51 mg/L. Nitrate removal rate gradually decreased and ammonium yield decreased from 14.93 to 2.61 mg/L with initial OD 600 increasing from 0.015 to 0.080. The abiotic Fe 0 reduction process played a key role in nitrate removal in an acidic environment and generated large amounts of ammonium. Meanwhile, the nitrate removal rate decreased and ammonium yield also reduced in an alkaline environment.

Encoding deficit during face processing within the right fusiform face area in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Walther, Sebastian; Federspiel, Andrea; Horn, Helge; Bianchi, Piero; Wiest, Roland; Wirth, Miranka; Strik, Werner; Müller, Thomas Jörg

2009-06-30

Face processing is crucial to social interaction, but is impaired in schizophrenia patients, who experience delays in face recognition, difficulties identifying others, and misperceptions of affective content. The right fusiform face area plays an important role in the early stages of human face processing and thus may be affected in schizophrenia. The aim of the study was therefore to investigate whether face processing deficits are related to dysfunctions of the right fusiform face area in schizophrenia patients compared with controls. In a rapid, event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) design, we investigated the encoding of new faces, as well as the recognition of newly learned, famous, and unfamiliar faces, in 13 schizophrenia patients and 21 healthy controls. We applied region of interest analysis to each individual's right fusiform face area and tested for group differences. Controls displayed higher blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) activation during the memorization of faces that were later successfully recognized. In schizophrenia patients, this effect was not observed. During the recognition task, schizophrenia patients exhibited lower BOLD responses, less accuracy, and longer reaction times to famous and unfamiliar faces. Our results support the hypothesis that impaired face processing in schizophrenia is related to early-stage deficits during the encoding and recognition of faces.

The influence of work characteristics, emotional display rules and affectivity on burnout and job satisfaction: A survey among geriatric care workers.

PubMed

Rouxel, Géraldine; Michinov, Estelle; Dodeler, Virginie

2016-10-01

Previous studies have demonstrated that geriatric care employees are exposed to a large number of factors that can affect their levels of job satisfaction and occupational stress. Although working with elderly people is emotionally demanding, little research has been done on the role played by perceptions of emotional display rules, alongside more traditional work characteristics and individual factors, in the prediction of geriatric care employees' wellbeing. The aim of the present study was to examine the role played by work characteristics (job demands, job control, emotional display rules) and individual (affectivity) factors to predict job satisfaction and burnout among French geriatric care nurses. Questionnaires were sent to 891 employees working in 32 geriatric care centers in France. A total of 371 valid questionnaires (response rate: 41.60%) were analyzed using structural equation modeling techniques. Results revealed two main processes of burnout and job satisfaction among women geriatric care workers, namely a salutogenic process and a pathogenic process. As expected, negative affectivity, low job status, perceived negative display rules and job demands are involved in the pathogenic process; while positive affectivity, perceived positive display rules and job control are implied in the salutogenic one. More specifically, as expected, negative affectivity is a positive predictor of burnout, both directly and indirectly through its impact on perceived negative display rules and job demands. Moreover, negative affectivity was negatively related to job satisfaction. Simultaneously, positive affectivity can predict job satisfaction, both directly and indirectly through its impact on perceived positive display rules and job control. Positive affectivity is also a negative predictor of burnout. Practical implications are discussed to support intervention programs that develop healthy workplaces, and also to inform nurses about how to manage emotional display rules in retirement homes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The sydney playground project: popping the bubblewrap - unleashing the power of play: a cluster randomized controlled trial of a primary school playground-based intervention aiming to increase children's physical activity and social skills

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background In the Westernised world, numerous children are overweight and have problems with bullying and mental health. One of the underlying causes for all three is postulated to be a decrease in outdoor free play. The aim of the Sydney Playground Project is to demonstrate the effectiveness of two simple interventions aimed to increase children's physical activity and social skills. Methods/Design This study protocol describes the design of a 3-year cluster randomised controlled trial (CRCT), in which schools are the clusters. The study consists of a 13-week intervention and 1 week each of pre-and post-testing. We are recruiting 12 schools (6 control; 6 intervention), with 18 randomly chosen participants aged 5 to 7 years in each school. The two intervention strategies are: (1) Child-based intervention: Unstructured materials with no obvious play value introduced to the playground; and (2) Adult-based intervention: Risk reframing sessions held with parents and teachers with the aim of exploring the benefits of allowing children to engage in activities with uncertain outcomes. The primary outcome of the study, physical activity as measured by accelerometer counts, is assessed at baseline and post-intervention. Additional assessments include social skills and interactions, self-concept, after school time use and anthropometric data. Qualitative data (i.e., transcriptions of audio recordings from the risk reframing sessions and of interviews with selected teacher and parent volunteers) are analysed to understand their perceptions of risk in play. The control schools have recess as usual. In addition to outcome evaluation, regular process evaluation sessions are held to monitor fidelity to the treatment. Discussion These simple interventions, which could be adopted in every primary school, have the potential of initiating a self-sustaining cycle of prevention for childhood obesity, bullying and mental ill health. Trial registration Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registration Number ACTRN12611000089932. PMID:21884603

The Sydney playground project: popping the bubblewrap--unleashing the power of play: a cluster randomized controlled trial of a primary school playground-based intervention aiming to increase children's physical activity and social skills.

PubMed

Bundy, Anita C; Naughton, Geraldine; Tranter, Paul; Wyver, Shirley; Baur, Louise; Schiller, Wendy; Bauman, Adrian; Engelen, Lina; Ragen, Jo; Luckett, Tim; Niehues, Anita; Stewart, Gabrielle; Jessup, Glenda; Brentnall, Jennie

2011-09-01

In the Westernised world, numerous children are overweight and have problems with bullying and mental health. One of the underlying causes for all three is postulated to be a decrease in outdoor free play. The aim of the Sydney Playground Project is to demonstrate the effectiveness of two simple interventions aimed to increase children's physical activity and social skills. This study protocol describes the design of a 3-year cluster randomised controlled trial (CRCT), in which schools are the clusters. The study consists of a 13-week intervention and 1 week each of pre-and post-testing. We are recruiting 12 schools (6 control; 6 intervention), with 18 randomly chosen participants aged 5 to 7 years in each school. The two intervention strategies are: (1) Child-based intervention: Unstructured materials with no obvious play value introduced to the playground; and (2) Adult-based intervention: Risk reframing sessions held with parents and teachers with the aim of exploring the benefits of allowing children to engage in activities with uncertain outcomes. The primary outcome of the study, physical activity as measured by accelerometer counts, is assessed at baseline and post-intervention. Additional assessments include social skills and interactions, self-concept, after school time use and anthropometric data. Qualitative data (i.e., transcriptions of audio recordings from the risk reframing sessions and of interviews with selected teacher and parent volunteers) are analysed to understand their perceptions of risk in play. The control schools have recess as usual. In addition to outcome evaluation, regular process evaluation sessions are held to monitor fidelity to the treatment. These simple interventions, which could be adopted in every primary school, have the potential of initiating a self-sustaining cycle of prevention for childhood obesity, bullying and mental ill health. Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registration Number ACTRN12611000089932.

Experimental validation of a numerical model predicting the charging characteristics of Teflon and Kapton under electron beam irradiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hazelton, R. C.; Yadlowsky, E. J.; Churchill, R. J.; Parker, L. W.; Sellers, B.

1981-01-01

The effect differential charging of spacecraft thermal control surfaces is assessed by studying the dynamics of the charging process. A program to experimentally validate a computer model of the charging process was established. Time resolved measurements of the surface potential were obtained for samples of Kapton and Teflon irradiated with a monoenergetic electron beam. Results indicate that the computer model and experimental measurements agree well and that for Teflon, secondary emission is the governing factor. Experimental data indicate that bulk conductivities play a significant role in the charging of Kapton.

Long noncoding RNAs(lncRNAs) and the molecular hallmarks of aging.

PubMed

Grammatikakis, Ioannis; Panda, Amaresh C; Abdelmohsen, Kotb; Gorospe, Myriam

2014-12-01

During aging, progressive deleterious changes increase the risk of disease and death. Prominent molecular hallmarks of aging are genomic instability, telomere attrition, epigenetic alterations, loss of proteostasis, cellular senescence, stem cell exhaustion, and altered intercellular communication. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in a wide range of biological processes, including age-related diseases like cancer, cardiovascular pathologies, and neurodegenerative disorders. Evidence is emerging that lncRNAs influence the molecular processes that underlie age-associated phenotypes. Here, we review our current understanding of lncRNAs that control the development of aging traits.

Integrating evolutionary game theory into epigenetic study of embryonic development. Comment on ;Epigenetic game theory: How to compute the epigenetic control of maternal-to-zygotic transition; by Qian Wang et al.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zuoheng

2017-03-01

DNA methylation is an essential component in the epigenetic regulation of embryonic development, and plays a crucial role in various biological processes, including repression of gene transcription, parent-of-origin genomic imprinting, and X-chromosome inactivation [1-5]. Understanding the epigenetic processes in different stages of embryo development has become an important research topic in the field. It has potential to offer new insight into reproductive medicine and contribute to the improvement of long-term health outcomes.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and the molecular hallmarks of aging

PubMed Central

Abdelmohsen, Kotb; Gorospe, Myriam

2014-01-01

During aging, progressive deleterious changes increase the risk of disease and death. Prominent molecular hallmarks of aging are genomic instability, telomere attrition, epigenetic alterations, loss of proteostasis, cellular senescence, stem cell exhaustion, and altered intercellular communication. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in a wide range of biological processes, including age-related diseases like cancer, cardiovascular pathologies, and neurodegenerative disorders. Evidence is emerging that lncRNAs influence the molecular processes that underlie age-associated phenotypes. Here, we review our current understanding of lncRNAs that control the development of aging traits. PMID:25543668

A risk analysis approach applied to field surveillance in utility meters in legal metrology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodrigues Filho, B. A.; Nonato, N. S.; Carvalho, A. D.

2018-03-01

Field surveillance represents the level of control in metrological supervision responsible for checking the conformity of measuring instruments in-service. Utility meters represent the majority of measuring instruments produced by notified bodies due to self-verification in Brazil. They play a major role in the economy once electricity, gas and water are the main inputs to industries in their production processes. Then, to optimize the resources allocated to control these devices, the present study applied a risk analysis in order to identify among the 11 manufacturers notified to self-verification, the instruments that demand field surveillance.

Memory: Organization and Control

PubMed Central

Eichenbaum, Howard

2017-01-01

A major goal of memory research is to understand how cognitive processes in memory are supported at the level of brain systems and network representations. Especially promising in this direction are new findings in humans and animals that converge in indicating a key role for the hippocampus in the systematic organization of memories. New findings also indicate that the prefrontal cortex may play an equally important role in the active control of memory organization during both encoding and retrieval. Observations about the dialog between the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex provide new insights into the operation of the larger brain system that serves memory. PMID:27687117

Stratification and salt-wedge in the Seomjin river estuary under the idealized tidal influence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hwang, Jin Hwan; Jang, Dongmin; Kim, Yong Hoon

2017-12-01

Advection, straining, and vertical mixing play primary roles in the process of estuarine stratification. Estuaries can be classified as salt-wedge, partially-mixed or well-mixed depending on the vertical density structure determined by the balancing of advection, mixing and straining. In particular, straining plays a major role in the stratification of the estuarine water body along the estuarine channel. Also, the behavior of a salt wedge with a halocline shape in a stratified channel can be controlled by the competition between straining and mixing induced by buoyancy from the riverine source and tidal forcing. The present study uses Finite Volume Coastal Ocean Model (FVCOM) to show that straining and vertical mixing play major roles in controlling along-channel flow and stratification structures in the Seomjin river estuary (SRE) under idealized conditions. The Potential Energy Anomaly (PEA) dynamic equation quantifies the governing processes thereby enabling the determination of the stratification type. By comparing terms in the equation, we examined how the relative strengths of straining and mixing alter the stratification types in the SRE due to changes in river discharge and the depth resulting from dredging activities. SRE under idealized tidal forcing tends to be partially-mixed based on an analysis of the balance between terms and the vertical structure of salinity, and the morphological and hydrological change in SRE results in the shift of stratification type. While the depth affects the mixing, the freshwater discharge mainly controls the straining, and the balance between mixing and straining determines the final state of the stratification in an estuarine channel. As a result, the development and location of a salt wedge along the channel in a partially mixed and highly stratified condition is also determined by the ratio of straining to mixing. Finally, our findings confirm that the contributions of mixing and straining can be assessed by using the conventional non-dimensional parameters with respect to salt-wedge behavior.

Self-eating and self-defense: autophagy controls innate immunity and adaptive immunity.

PubMed

Liu, Guangwei; Bi, Yujing; Wang, Ruoning; Wang, Xianghui

2013-04-01

Autophagy (macroautophagy; "self-eating") is a degradation process, in which cytoplasmic content is engulfed and degraded by the lysosome. And, immunity is an important mechanism of the "self-defense" system. Autophagy has long been recognized as a stress response to nutrient deprivation. This will provide energy and anabolic building blocks to maintain cellular bioenergetic homeostasis. Thus, autophagy plays critical roles in regulating a wide variety of pathophysiological processes, including tumorigenesis, embryo development, tissue remodeling, and most recently, immunity. The latter shows that a self-eating (autophagy) process could regulate a self-defense (immune) system. In this review, we summarize the recent findings regarding the regulatory and mechanistic insights of the autophagy pathway in immunity.

Alternative Polyadenylation in Human Diseases

PubMed Central

Chang, Jae-Woong; Yeh, Hsin-Sung

2017-01-01

Varying length of messenger RNA (mRNA) 3′-untranslated region is generated by alternating the usage of polyadenylation sites during pre-mRNA processing. It is prevalent through all eukaryotes and has emerged as a key mechanism for controlling gene expression. Alternative polyadenylation (APA) plays an important role for cell growth, proliferation, and differentiation. In this review, we discuss the functions of APA related with various physiological conditions including cellular metabolism, mRNA processing, and protein diversity in a variety of disease models. We also discuss the molecular mechanisms underlying APA regulation, such as variations in the concentration of mRNA processing factors and RNA-binding proteins, as well as global transcriptome changes under cellular signaling pathway. PMID:29271615

[Recent progress of mitochondrial quality control in ischemic heart disease and its role in cardio-protection of vagal nerve].

PubMed

Xue, Run-Qing; Xu, Man; Yu, Xiao-Jiang; Liu, Long-Zhu; Zang, Wei-Jin

2017-10-25

Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is the life-threatening cardiovascular disease. Mitochondria have emerged as key participants and regulators of cellular energy demands and signal transduction. Mitochondrial quality is controlled by a number of coordinated mechanisms including mitochondrial fission, fusion and mitophagy, which plays an important role in maintaining healthy mitochondria and cardiac function. Recently, dysfunction of each process in mitochondrial quality control has been observed in the ischemic hearts. This review describes the mechanism of mitochondrial dynamics and mitophagy as well as its performance linked to myocardial ischemia. Moreover, in combination with our study, we will discuss the effect of vagal nerve on mitochondria in cardio-protection.

Proposed MIL Standard and Handbook - Flying Qualities of Air Vehicles. Volume I. Proposed MIL Standard

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-11-01

control 4centering and breakout forces 21 3.2.9.6 Pitch axis control forces- free play 21 3.2.9.7 Pitch axis control force limits 21 3.2.9.7.1 Pitch axis...axis control forces - control centering and breakout forces 31 *3.5.10.5 Roll axis control forces -- free play 31 3.5.10.6 Roll axis control force limits...vs. deflection 3.2.9.5 Control centering and -- no(-) to homin and hOax breakout forces no(*) 3.2.9.6 Free play I 3.2.9.7.1 Force limits -- takeoff

Methylphenidate and Atomoxetine Inhibit Social Play Behavior through Prefrontal and Subcortical Limbic Mechanisms in Rats

PubMed Central

Achterberg, E.J. Marijke; van Kerkhof, Linda W.M.; Damsteegt, Ruth; Trezza, Viviana

2015-01-01

Positive social interactions during the juvenile and adolescent phases of life, in the form of social play behavior, are important for social and cognitive development. However, the neural mechanisms of social play behavior remain incompletely understood. We have previously shown that methylphenidate and atomoxetine, drugs widely used for the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), suppress social play in rats through a noradrenergic mechanism of action. Here, we aimed to identify the neural substrates of the play-suppressant effects of these drugs. Methylphenidate is thought to exert its effects on cognition and emotion through limbic corticostriatal systems. Therefore, methylphenidate was infused into prefrontal and orbitofrontal cortical regions as well as into several subcortical limbic areas implicated in social play. Infusion of methylphenidate into the anterior cingulate cortex, infralimbic cortex, basolateral amygdala, and habenula inhibited social play, but not social exploratory behavior or locomotor activity. Consistent with a noradrenergic mechanism of action of methylphenidate, infusion of the noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor atomoxetine into these same regions also reduced social play. Methylphenidate administration into the prelimbic, medial/ventral orbitofrontal, and ventrolateral orbitofrontal cortex, mediodorsal thalamus, or nucleus accumbens shell was ineffective. Our data show that the inhibitory effects of methylphenidate and atomoxetine on social play are mediated through a distributed network of prefrontal and limbic subcortical regions implicated in cognitive control and emotional processes. These findings increase our understanding of the neural underpinnings of this developmentally important social behavior, as well as the mechanism of action of two widely used treatments for ADHD. PMID:25568111

Concerted actions of distinct nonmuscle myosin II isoforms drive intracellular membrane remodeling in live animals

PubMed Central

Milberg, Oleg; Shitara, Akiko; Ebrahim, Seham; Tora, Muhibullah; Tran, Duy T.; Chen, Yun; Conti, Mary Anne; Ten Hagen, Kelly G.

2017-01-01

Membrane remodeling plays a fundamental role during a variety of biological events. However, the dynamics and the molecular mechanisms regulating this process within cells in mammalian tissues in situ remain largely unknown. In this study, we use intravital subcellular microscopy in live mice to study the role of the actomyosin cytoskeleton in driving the remodeling of membranes of large secretory granules, which are integrated into the plasma membrane during regulated exocytosis. We show that two isoforms of nonmuscle myosin II, NMIIA and NMIIB, control distinct steps of the integration process. Furthermore, we find that F-actin is not essential for the recruitment of NMII to the secretory granules but plays a key role in the assembly and activation of NMII into contractile filaments. Our data support a dual role for the actomyosin cytoskeleton in providing the mechanical forces required to remodel the lipid bilayer and serving as a scaffold to recruit key regulatory molecules. PMID:28600434

Effect of the amino acid histidine on the uptake of cadmium from the digestive system of the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus

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

Pecon, J.; Powell, E.N.

1981-07-01

The digestive tract functions in the storage, metabolism, and excretion of heavy metals in invertebrates. The importance of the digestive tract and the processes governing digestion and absorption of nutrients in heavy metal uptake is becoming increasingly clear. The results of this study suggest that in order to understand the processes controlling heavy metal uptake in invertebrates, it will be necessary to investigate the role that digestion and absorption play in determining the transport rate of metals across the gut wall into the blood. For example, some amino acids increase metal absorption rates, whereas other compounds, such as phytate, decreasemore » metal absorption rates. The results also suggest that experimental designs to investigate metal absorption must include an appreciation of the significant role that the feeding state of the animal (e.g. fed or starved) and the role chelators, particularly those produced by the organisms themselves during digestion, may play in the observed uptake rates of metal ions.« less

The Role of Linkers in the Excited-State Dynamic Planarization Processes of Macrocyclic Oligothiophene 12-Mers.

PubMed

Kim, Woojae; Sung, Jooyoung; Park, Kyu Hyung; Shimizu, Hideyuki; Imamura, Mika; Han, Minwoo; Sim, Eunji; Iyoda, Masahiko; Kim, Dongho

2015-11-05

Linkers adjoining chromophores play an important role in modulating the structure of conjugated systems, which is bound up with their photophysical properties. However, to date, the focus of works dealing with linker effects was limited only to linear π-conjugated materials, and there have been no detailed studies on cyclic counterparts. Herein we report the linker effects on the dynamic planarization processes of π-conjugated macrocyclic oligothiophene 12-mers, where the different ratio between ethynylene and vinylene linkers was chosen to control the backbone rigidity. By analyzing transient fluorescence spectra, we demonstrate that the connecting linkers play a crucial role in the excited-state dynamics of cyclic conjugated systems. Faster dynamic planarization, longer exciton delocalization length, and higher degree of planarity were observed in vinylene inserted cyclic oligothiophenes. Molecular dynamics simulations and density functional theory calculations also stress the importance of the role of linkers in modulating the structure of cyclic oligothiophenes.

Joint-Specific Play Controller for Upper Extremity Therapy: Feasibility Study in Children With Wrist Impairment

PubMed Central

Wilkins, Megan M.; Basseches, Benjamin; Schwartz, Joel B.; Kerman, Karen; Trask, Christine; Brideau, Holly; Crisco, Joseph J.

2016-01-01

Background Challenges with any therapeutic program for children include the level of the child's engagement or adherence. Capitalizing on one of the primary learning avenues of children, play, the approach described in this article is to develop therapeutic toy and game controllers that require specific and repetitive joint movements to trigger toy/game activation. Objective The goal of this study was to evaluate a specially designed wrist flexion and extension play controller in a cohort of children with upper extremity motor impairments (UEMIs). The aim was to understand the relationship among controller play activity, measures of wrist and forearm range of motion (ROM) and spasticity, and ratings of fun and difficulty. Design This was a cross-sectional study of 21 children (12 male, 9 female; 4–12 years of age) with UEMIs. Methods All children participated in a structured in-clinic play session during which measurements of spasticity and ROM were collected. The children were fitted with the controller and played with 2 toys and 2 computer games for 5 minutes each. Wrist flexion and extension motion during play was recorded and analyzed. In addition, children rated the fun and difficulty of play. Results Flexion and extension goal movements were repeatedly achieved by children during the play session at an average frequency of 0.27 Hz. At this frequency, 15 minutes of play per day would result in approximately 1,700 targeted joint motions per week. Play activity was associated with ROM measures, specifically supination, but toy perception ratings of enjoyment and difficulty were not correlated with clinical measures. Limitations The reported results may not be representative of children with more severe UEMIs. Conclusions These outcomes indicate that the therapeutic controllers elicited repetitive goal movements and were adaptable, enjoyable, and challenging for children of varying ages and UEMIs. PMID:27197824

Joint-Specific Play Controller for Upper Extremity Therapy: Feasibility Study in Children With Wrist Impairment.

PubMed

Wilcox, Bethany J; Wilkins, Megan M; Basseches, Benjamin; Schwartz, Joel B; Kerman, Karen; Trask, Christine; Brideau, Holly; Crisco, Joseph J

2016-11-01

Challenges with any therapeutic program for children include the level of the child's engagement or adherence. Capitalizing on one of the primary learning avenues of children, play, the approach described in this article is to develop therapeutic toy and game controllers that require specific and repetitive joint movements to trigger toy/game activation. The goal of this study was to evaluate a specially designed wrist flexion and extension play controller in a cohort of children with upper extremity motor impairments (UEMIs). The aim was to understand the relationship among controller play activity, measures of wrist and forearm range of motion (ROM) and spasticity, and ratings of fun and difficulty. This was a cross-sectional study of 21 children (12 male, 9 female; 4-12 years of age) with UEMIs. All children participated in a structured in-clinic play session during which measurements of spasticity and ROM were collected. The children were fitted with the controller and played with 2 toys and 2 computer games for 5 minutes each. Wrist flexion and extension motion during play was recorded and analyzed. In addition, children rated the fun and difficulty of play. Flexion and extension goal movements were repeatedly achieved by children during the play session at an average frequency of 0.27 Hz. At this frequency, 15 minutes of play per day would result in approximately 1,700 targeted joint motions per week. Play activity was associated with ROM measures, specifically supination, but toy perception ratings of enjoyment and difficulty were not correlated with clinical measures. The reported results may not be representative of children with more severe UEMIs. These outcomes indicate that the therapeutic controllers elicited repetitive goal movements and were adaptable, enjoyable, and challenging for children of varying ages and UEMIs. © 2016 American Physical Therapy Association.

Reduction of Aspergillus spp. and aflatoxins in peanut sauce processing by oil-less frying of chilli powder and retort processing.

PubMed

Farawahida, A H; Jinap, S; Nor-Khaizura, M A R; Samsudin, N I P

2017-12-01

Among the many roles played by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the food industry is the production of heritage foods such as peanut sauce. Unfortunately, the safety of peanut sauce is not always assured as the processing line is not controlled. Peanut sauce is usually made of peanuts and chilli, and these commodities are normally contaminated with Aspergillus spp. and aflatoxins (AFs). Hence, the objective of this study was to evaluate the practices related to reduction of AF hazard and the effect of interventions in peanut sauce processing. Peanut samples were collected from each step of peanut sauce processing from a small peanut sauce company according to four designs: (1) control; (2) oil-less frying of chilli powder; (3) addition of retort processing; and (4) combination of oil-less frying of chilli powder and retort processing. Oil-less frying of chilli powder (Design 2) reduced total AFs by 33-41%, retort processing (Design 3) reduced total AFs by 49%, while combination of these two thermal processes (Design 4) significantly reduced total AFs, by 57%. The present work demonstrated that Design 4 yielded the highest reduction of total AFs and is therefore recommended to be employed by SME companies.

Quantum interference control of an isolated resonance lifetime in the weak-field limit.

PubMed

García-Vela, A

2015-11-21

Resonance states play an important role in a large variety of physical and chemical processes. Thus, controlling the resonance behavior, and particularly a key property like the resonance lifetime, opens up the possibility of controlling those resonance mediated processes. While such a resonance control is possible by applying strong-field approaches, the development of flexible weak-field control schemes that do not alter significantly the system dynamics still remains a challenge. In this work, one such control scheme within the weak-field regime is proposed for the first time in order to modify the lifetime of an isolated resonance state. The basis of the scheme suggested is quantum interference between two pathways induced by laser fields, that pump wave packet amplitude to the target resonance under control. The simulations reported here show that the scheme allows for both enhancement and quenching of the resonance survival lifetime, being particularly flexible to achieve large lifetime enhancements. Control effects on the resonance lifetime take place only while the pulse is operating. In addition, the conditions required to generate the two interfering quantum pathways are found to be rather easy to meet for general systems, which makes the experimental implementation straightforward and implies the wide applicability of the control scheme.

The therapeutic power of play: examining the play of young children with leukaemia.

PubMed

Gariépy, N; Howe, N

2003-11-01

The therapeutic function of play has been investigated in relation to recognized stressors such as hospitalization, illness and medical treatments for ill children. While medical treatments in the past 30 years have improved survival rates, children's psychological experiences and quality of life during and after their illness have received limited attention. The present study investigated the therapeutic effects of play on 3- to 5-year-old children with leukaemia compared with a control group of healthy children. The participants with leukaemia (n = 11) were from the external oncology clinic of an urban children's hospital; control children (n = 11) attended a day care centre. Measures included children's experience of stress, social and cognitive play behaviours, and daily mood. A series of manova revealed that the children with leukaemia, compared with the control children, engaged in (a) significantly fewer total play behaviours, and in particular less (b) parallel, (c) group and (d) dramatic play. Pearson correlations revealed significant relationships between reports of 'being happy' and play only for children with leukaemia. Quantitative and qualitative analyses revealed a pattern of repetitive play activities week after week for children with leukaemia, but not controls. Findings are discussed in light of the theoretical and practical implications for children undergoing treatment for leukaemia.

Insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling through type 1 IGF receptor plays an important role in remyelination.

PubMed

Mason, Jeffrey L; Xuan, Shouhong; Dragatsis, Ioannis; Efstratiadis, Argiris; Goldman, James E

2003-08-20

We examined the role of IGF signaling in the remyelination process by disrupting the gene encoding the type 1 IGF receptor (IGF1R) specifically in the mouse brain by Cre-mediated recombination and then exposing these mutants and normal siblings to cuprizone. This neurotoxicant induces a demyelinating lesion in the corpus callosum that is reversible on termination of the insult. Acute demyelination and oligodendrocyte depletion were the same in mutants and controls, but the mutants did not remyelinate adequately. We observed that oligodendrocyte progenitors did not accumulate, proliferate, or survive within the mutant mice, compared with wild type, indicating that signaling through the IGF1R plays a critical role in remyelination via effects on oligodendrocyte progenitors.

U.S. Geological Survey coastal and marine geology research; recent highlights and achievements

USGS Publications Warehouse

Williams, S. Jeffress; Barnes, Peter W.; Prager, Ellen J.

2000-01-01

The USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program has large-scale national and regional research projects that focus on environmental quality, geologic hazards, natural resources, and information transfer. This Circular highlights recent scientific findings of the program, which play a vital role in the USGS endeavor to understand human interactions with the natural environment and to determine how the fundamental geologic processes controlling the Earth work. The scientific knowledge acquired through USGS research and monitoring is critically needed by planners, government agencies, and the public. Effective communication of the results of this research will enable the USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program to play an integral part in assisting the Nation in responding the pressing Earth science challenges of the 21st century.

Video game performances are preserved in ADHD children compared with controls.

PubMed

Bioulac, Stéphanie; Lallemand, Stéphanie; Fabrigoule, Colette; Thoumy, Anne-Laure; Philip, Pierre; Bouvard, Manuel Pierre

2014-08-01

Although ADHD and excessive video game playing have received some attention, few studies have explored the performances of ADHD children when playing video games. The authors hypothesized that performances of ADHD children would be as good as those of control children in motivating video games tasks but not in the Continuous Performance Test II (CPT II). The sample consisted of 26 ADHD children and 16 control children. Performances of ADHD and control children were compared on three commercially available games, on the repetition of every game, and on the CPT II. ADHD children had lower performances on the CPT II than did controls, but they exhibited equivalent performances to controls when playing video games at both sessions and on all three games. When playing video games, ADHD children present no difference in inhibitory performances compared with control children. This demonstrates that cognitive difficulties in ADHD are task dependent. © 2012 SAGE Publications.

Nonlinear aeroservoelastic analysis of a controlled multiple-actuated-wing model with free-play

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Rui; Hu, Haiyan; Zhao, Yonghui

2013-10-01

In this paper, the effects of structural nonlinearity due to free-play in both leading-edge and trailing-edge outboard control surfaces on the linear flutter control system are analyzed for an aeroelastic model of three-dimensional multiple-actuated-wing. The free-play nonlinearities in the control surfaces are modeled theoretically by using the fictitious mass approach. The nonlinear aeroelastic equations of the presented model can be divided into nine sub-linear modal-based aeroelastic equations according to the different combinations of deflections of the leading-edge and trailing-edge outboard control surfaces. The nonlinear aeroelastic responses can be computed based on these sub-linear aeroelastic systems. To demonstrate the effects of nonlinearity on the linear flutter control system, a single-input and single-output controller and a multi-input and multi-output controller are designed based on the unconstrained optimization techniques. The numerical results indicate that the free-play nonlinearity can lead to either limit cycle oscillations or divergent motions when the linear control system is implemented.

Different involvement of medial prefrontal cortex and dorso-lateral striatum in automatic and controlled processing of a future conditioned stimulus.

PubMed

Pérez-Díaz, Francisco; Díaz, Estrella; Sánchez, Natividad; Vargas, Juan Pedro; Pearce, John M; López, Juan Carlos

2017-01-01

Recent studies support the idea that stimulus processing in latent inhibition can vary during the course of preexposure. Controlled attentional mechanisms are said to be important in the early stages of preexposure, while in later stages animals adopt automatic processing of the stimulus to be used for conditioning. Given this distinction, it is possible that both types of processing are governed by different neural systems, affecting differentially the retrieval of information about the stimulus. In the present study we tested if a lesion to the dorso-lateral striatum or to the medial prefrontal cortex has a selective effect on exposure to the future conditioned stimulus (CS). With this aim, animals received different amounts of exposure to the future CS. The results showed that a lesion to the medial prefrontal cortex enhanced latent inhibition in animals receiving limited preexposure to the CS, but had no effect in animals receiving extended preexposure to the CS. The lesion of the dorso-lateral striatum produced a decrease in latent inhibition, but only in animals with an extended exposure to the future conditioned stimulus. These results suggest that the dorsal striatum and medial prefrontal cortex play essential roles in controlled and automatic processes. Automatic attentional processes appear to be impaired by a lesion to the dorso-lateral striatum and facilitated by a lesion to the prefrontal cortex.

Different involvement of medial prefrontal cortex and dorso-lateral striatum in automatic and controlled processing of a future conditioned stimulus

PubMed Central

Pérez-Díaz, Francisco; Díaz, Estrella; Sánchez, Natividad; Vargas, Juan Pedro; Pearce, John M.

2017-01-01

Recent studies support the idea that stimulus processing in latent inhibition can vary during the course of preexposure. Controlled attentional mechanisms are said to be important in the early stages of preexposure, while in later stages animals adopt automatic processing of the stimulus to be used for conditioning. Given this distinction, it is possible that both types of processing are governed by different neural systems, affecting differentially the retrieval of information about the stimulus. In the present study we tested if a lesion to the dorso-lateral striatum or to the medial prefrontal cortex has a selective effect on exposure to the future conditioned stimulus (CS). With this aim, animals received different amounts of exposure to the future CS. The results showed that a lesion to the medial prefrontal cortex enhanced latent inhibition in animals receiving limited preexposure to the CS, but had no effect in animals receiving extended preexposure to the CS. The lesion of the dorso-lateral striatum produced a decrease in latent inhibition, but only in animals with an extended exposure to the future conditioned stimulus. These results suggest that the dorsal striatum and medial prefrontal cortex play essential roles in controlled and automatic processes. Automatic attentional processes appear to be impaired by a lesion to the dorso-lateral striatum and facilitated by a lesion to the prefrontal cortex. PMID:29240804

To Punish or to Leave: Distinct Cognitive Processes Underlie Partner Control and Partner Choice Behaviors

PubMed Central

Martin, Justin W.; Cushman, Fiery

2015-01-01

When a cooperative partner defects, at least two types of response are available: Punishment, aimed at modifying behavior, and ostracism, aimed at avoiding further social interaction with the partner. These options, termed partner control and partner choice, have been distinguished at behavioral and evolutionary levels. However, little work has compared their cognitive bases. Do these disparate behaviors depend on common processes of moral evaluation? Specifically, we assess whether they show identical patterns of dependence on two key dimensions of moral evaluation: A person’s intentions, and the outcomes that they cause. We address this issue in a “trembling hand” economic game. In this game, an allocator divides a monetary stake between themselves and a responder based on a stochastic mechanism. This allows for dissociations between the allocator’s intent and the actual outcome. Responders were either given the opportunity to punish or reward the allocator (partner control) or to switch to a different partner for a subsequent round of play (partner choice). Our results suggest that partner control and partner choice behaviors are supported by distinct underlying cognitive processes: Partner control exhibits greater sensitivity to the outcomes a partner causes, while partner choice is influenced almost exclusively by a partner’s intentions. This cognitive dissociation can be understood in light of the unique adaptive functions of partner control and partner choice. PMID:25915550

Human Consciousness: Where Is It From and What Is It for

PubMed Central

Kotchoubey, Boris

2018-01-01

Consciousness is not a process in the brain but a kind of behavior that, of course, is controlled by the brain like any other behavior. Human consciousness emerges on the interface between three components of animal behavior: communication, play, and the use of tools. These three components interact on the basis of anticipatory behavioral control, which is common for all complex forms of animal life. All three do not exclusively distinguish our close relatives, i.e., primates, but are broadly presented among various species of mammals, birds, and even cephalopods; however, their particular combination in humans is unique. The interaction between communication and play yields symbolic games, most importantly language; the interaction between symbols and tools results in human praxis. Taken together, this gives rise to a mechanism that allows a creature, instead of performing controlling actions overtly, to play forward the corresponding behavioral options in a “second reality” of objectively (by means of tools) grounded symbolic systems. The theory possesses the following properties: (1) It is anti-reductionist and anti-eliminativist, and yet, human consciousness is considered as a purely natural (biological) phenomenon. (2) It avoids epiphenomenalism and indicates in which conditions human consciousness has evolutionary advantages, and in which it may even be disadvantageous. (3) It allows to easily explain the most typical features of consciousness, such as objectivity, seriality and limited resources, the relationship between consciousness and explicit memory, the feeling of conscious agency, etc. PMID:29740366

Human Consciousness: Where Is It From and What Is It for.

PubMed

Kotchoubey, Boris

2018-01-01

Consciousness is not a process in the brain but a kind of behavior that, of course, is controlled by the brain like any other behavior. Human consciousness emerges on the interface between three components of animal behavior: communication, play, and the use of tools. These three components interact on the basis of anticipatory behavioral control, which is common for all complex forms of animal life. All three do not exclusively distinguish our close relatives, i.e., primates, but are broadly presented among various species of mammals, birds, and even cephalopods; however, their particular combination in humans is unique. The interaction between communication and play yields symbolic games, most importantly language; the interaction between symbols and tools results in human praxis. Taken together, this gives rise to a mechanism that allows a creature, instead of performing controlling actions overtly, to play forward the corresponding behavioral options in a "second reality" of objectively (by means of tools) grounded symbolic systems. The theory possesses the following properties: (1) It is anti-reductionist and anti-eliminativist, and yet, human consciousness is considered as a purely natural (biological) phenomenon. (2) It avoids epiphenomenalism and indicates in which conditions human consciousness has evolutionary advantages, and in which it may even be disadvantageous. (3) It allows to easily explain the most typical features of consciousness, such as objectivity, seriality and limited resources, the relationship between consciousness and explicit memory, the feeling of conscious agency, etc.

Parent-child relationships and self‑control in male university students' desire to play video games.

PubMed

Karbasizadeh, Sina; Jani, Masih; Keshvari, Mahtab

2018-06-12

To determine the relationship between the parent-child relationship, self-control and demographic characteristics and the desire to play video games among male university students at one university in Iran. This was a correlational, descriptive, applied study. A total of 103 male students were selected randomly as a study sample from the population of male students at Isfahan University in Iran. Data collection tools used were the Video Games Questionnaire, Tanji's Self-Control Scale, Parent-Child Relationship Questionnaire, and Demographic Questionnaire. Data were analysed using stepwise regression analysis. This study found several factors increased male students' desire to play video games. Demographic characteristics associated with increased tendency to play video games among male students in Iran are older age, larger number of family members, lower parental level of education and higher socio-economic class, while other significant factors are a lower level of self‑control and a poorer parent-child relationship. PARTICIPANTS': higher socio-economic class, lower level of self-control and older age explained 8.2%, 5.2% and 5.9% of their desire to play video games, respectively. These three variables together accounted for significantly 16.9% of a male student's desire to play video games in this study ( P <0.05). These results suggest that the family's socio-economic status plays a significant role in young men's desire to play video games in Iran. Moreover, lower levels of self-control and a poorer parent-child relationship were found to be accompanied by a greater desire to play video games among male university students. © 2018 RCN Publishing Company Ltd. All rights reserved. Not to be copied, transmitted or recorded in any way, in whole or part, without prior permission of the publishers.

Exercise-related cognitive effects on sensory-motor control in athletes and drummers compared to non-athletes and other musicians.

PubMed

Bianco, V; Berchicci, M; Perri, R L; Quinzi, F; Di Russo, F

2017-09-30

Both playing a musical instrument and playing sport produce brain adaptations that might affect sensory-motor functions. While the benefits of sport practice have traditionally been attributed to aerobic fitness, it is still unknown whether playing an instrument might induce similar brain adaptations, or if a specific musical instrument like drums might be associated to specific benefits because of its high energy expenditure. Since the aerobic costs of playing drums was estimated to be comparable to those of average sport activities, we hypothesized that these two groups might show both behavioral and neurocognitive similarities. To test this hypothesis, we recruited 48 young adults and divided them into four age-matched groups: 12 drummers, 12 athletes, 12 no-drummer musicians and 12 non-athletes. Participants performed a visuo-motor discriminative response task, namely the Go/No-go, and their cortical activity was recorded by means of a 64-channel electroencephalography (EEG). Behavioral performance showed that athletes and drummers were faster than the other groups. Electrophysiological results showed that the pre-stimulus motor preparation (i.e. the Bereitschaftspotential or BP) and attentional control (i.e., the prefrontal negativity or pN), and specific post-stimulus components like the P3 and the pP2 (reflecting the stimulus categorization process) were enhanced in the athletes and drummers' groups. Overall, these results suggest that playing sport and drums led to similar benefits at behavioral and cognitive level as detectable in a cognitive task. Explanations of these findings, such as on the difference between drummers and other musicians, are provided in terms of long-term neural adaptation mechanisms and increased visuo-spatial abilities. Copyright © 2017 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of Playing Exergames on Mood States: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Huang, Han-Chung; Wong, May-Kuen; Yang, Ya-Hui; Chiu, Hsin-Ying; Teng, Ching-I

2017-04-01

To examine how playing exergames impacts the mood states of university students and staff, and whether such an impact depends on gender and players' previous exercise time. This study was designed as a randomized controlled trial. It enrolled 337 participants and randomly assigned them to an intervention group (n = 168) or a control group (n = 167). A 2-week exergame program was designed for the participants in the intervention group. They were required to play exergames for 30 consecutive minutes each week for 2 weeks and respond to the items measuring vigor, happiness, and perceived stress. All measures were administered before and after the study. Repeated measures analysis of variances were conducted. Playing exergames enhanced vigor and happiness for participants in the intervention group. This group exhibited more positive change in vigor and happiness than the control group. This effect of playing exergames was not moderated by gender, age, occupation (student or staff), or previous exercise time. Playing exergames may induce positive mood states among university students and staff.

Stochasticity, succession, and environmental perturbations in a fluidic ecosystem

PubMed Central

Zhou, Jizhong; Deng, Ye; Zhang, Ping; Xue, Kai; Liang, Yuting; Van Nostrand, Joy D.; Yang, Yunfeng; He, Zhili; Wu, Liyou; Stahl, David A.; Hazen, Terry C.; Tiedje, James M.; Arkin, Adam P.

2014-01-01

Unraveling the drivers of community structure and succession in response to environmental change is a central goal in ecology. Although the mechanisms shaping community structure have been intensively examined, those controlling ecological succession remain elusive. To understand the relative importance of stochastic and deterministic processes in mediating microbial community succession, a unique framework composed of four different cases was developed for fluidic and nonfluidic ecosystems. The framework was then tested for one fluidic ecosystem: a groundwater system perturbed by adding emulsified vegetable oil (EVO) for uranium immobilization. Our results revealed that groundwater microbial community diverged substantially away from the initial community after EVO amendment and eventually converged to a new community state, which was closely clustered with its initial state. However, their composition and structure were significantly different from each other. Null model analysis indicated that both deterministic and stochastic processes played important roles in controlling the assembly and succession of the groundwater microbial community, but their relative importance was time dependent. Additionally, consistent with the proposed conceptual framework but contradictory to conventional wisdom, the community succession responding to EVO amendment was primarily controlled by stochastic rather than deterministic processes. During the middle phase of the succession, the roles of stochastic processes in controlling community composition increased substantially, ranging from 81.3% to 92.0%. Finally, there are limited successional studies available to support different cases in the conceptual framework, but further well-replicated explicit time-series experiments are needed to understand the relative importance of deterministic and stochastic processes in controlling community succession. PMID:24550501

The glycoconjugate sugar residues of the sessile and motile cells in the thymus of normal and cyclosporin-A-treated rats: lectin histochemistry.

PubMed

Gheri, G; Gheri Bryk, S; Riccardi, R; Sgambati, E; Cirri Borghi, M B

2002-01-01

It is well known that cell surface glycoconjugates play a determinant role in cellular recognition, cell-to-cell adhesion and serve as receptor molecules. T-lymphocytes are in strict contact with the thymic epithelial cells, which control their process of maturation and proliferation. On the other hand the normal maturation of the epithelial cells is believed to be induced by T-lymphocytes. For these reasons we have studied the glycoconjugates saccharidic moieties of the sessile and motile cells in the thymus of normal male albino Wistar rats and their changes following cyclosporin-A treatment, using a battery of seven HRP-lectins. Cytochemical controls were performed for specificity of lectin-sugar reaction. Some sections were pre-treated with neuraminidase prior to staining with HRP-lectins. Our results have demonstrated, in the control rats, a large amount and a variety of terminal and subterminal oligosaccharides within and/or on the epithelial thymic cells and in macrophages. After cyclosporin-A treatment, among the thymic epithelial cells, the subcapsular, paraseptal and perivascular cells showed the loss of some sugar residues, which characterized the same cells in the intact thymus. Some hypotheses are reported on the role played by the glycoconjugate sugar residues in control and cyclosporin-A treated rats.

Size and morphology controlled NiSe nanoparticles as efficient catalyst for the reduction reactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Subbarao, Udumula; Marakatti, Vijaykumar S.; Amshumali, Mungalimane K.; Loukya, B.; Singh, Dheeraj Kumar; Datta, Ranjan; Peter, Sebastian C.

2016-12-01

Facile and efficient ball milling and polyol methods were employed for the synthesis of nickel selenide (NiSe) nanoparticle. The particle size of the NiSe nanoparticle has been controlled mechanically by varying the ball size in the milling process. The role of the surfactants in the formation of various morphologies was studied. The compounds were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The efficiency of the NiSe nanoparticle as a catalyst was tested for the reduction of para-nitroaniline (PNA) to para-phenyldiamine (PPD) and para-nitrophenol (PNP) to para-aminophenol (PAP) using NaBH4 as the reducing agent. Particle size, morphology and the presence of surfactant played a crucial role in the reduction process.

The BRENDA enzyme information system-From a database to an expert system.

PubMed

Schomburg, I; Jeske, L; Ulbrich, M; Placzek, S; Chang, A; Schomburg, D

2017-11-10

Enzymes, representing the largest and by far most complex group of proteins, play an essential role in all processes of life, including metabolism, gene expression, cell division, the immune system, and others. Their function, also connected to most diseases or stress control makes them interesting targets for research and applications in biotechnology, medical treatments, or diagnosis. Their functional parameters and other properties are collected, integrated, and made available to the scientific community in the BRaunschweig ENzyme DAtabase (BRENDA). In the last 30 years BRENDA has developed into one of the most highly used biological databases worldwide. The data contents, the process of data acquisition, data integration and control, the ways to access the data, and visualizations provided by the website are described and discussed. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

On the role of conflict and control in social cognition: event-related brain potential investigations.

PubMed

Bartholow, Bruce D

2010-03-01

Numerous social-cognitive models posit that social behavior largely is driven by links between constructs in long-term memory that automatically become activated when relevant stimuli are encountered. Various response biases have been understood in terms of the influence of such "implicit" processes on behavior. This article reviews event-related potential (ERP) studies investigating the role played by cognitive control and conflict resolution processes in social-cognitive phenomena typically deemed automatic. Neurocognitive responses associated with response activation and conflict often are sensitive to the same stimulus manipulations that produce differential behavioral responses on social-cognitive tasks and that often are attributed to the role of automatic associations. Findings are discussed in the context of an overarching social cognitive neuroscience model in which physiological data are used to constrain social-cognitive theories.

Structural and Functional Integrity of the Intraparietal Sulcus in Moderate and Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

PubMed Central

Sours, Chandler; Raghavan, Prashant; Medina, Alexandre E.; Roys, Steven; Jiang, Li; Zhuo, Jiachen

2017-01-01

Abstract Severe and moderate traumatic brain injury (sTBI) often results in long-term cognitive deficits such as reduced processing speed and attention. The intraparietal sulcus (IPS) is a neocortical structure that plays a crucial role in the deeply interrelated processes of multi-sensory processing and top down attention. Therefore, we hypothesized that disruptions in the functional and structural connections of the IPS may play a role in the development of such deficits. To examine these connections, we used resting state magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI and diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) in a cohort of 27 patients with sTBI (29.3 ± 8.9 years) and 27 control participants (29.8 ± 10.3 years). Participants were prospectively recruited and received rsfMRI and neuropsychological assessments including the Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics (ANAM) at greater than 6 months post-injury. A subset of participants received a DKI scan. Results suggest that patients with sTBI performed worse than control participants on multiple subtests of the ANAM suggesting reduced cognitive performance. Reduced resting state functional connectivity between the IPS and cortical regions associated with multi-sensory processing and the dorsal attention network was observed in the patients with sTBI. The patients also showed reduced structural integrity of the superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), a key white matter tract connecting the IPS to anterior frontal areas, as measured by reduced mean kurtosis (MK) and fractional anisotropy (FA) and increased mean diffusivity (MD). Further, this reduced structural integrity of the SLF was associated with a reduction in overall cognitive performance. These findings suggest that disruptions in the structural and functional connectivity of the IPS may contribute to chronic cognitive deficits experienced by these patients. PMID:27931179

Structural and Functional Integrity of the Intraparietal Sulcus in Moderate and Severe Traumatic Brain Injury.

PubMed

Sours, Chandler; Raghavan, Prashant; Medina, Alexandre E; Roys, Steven; Jiang, Li; Zhuo, Jiachen; Gullapalli, Rao P

2017-04-01

Severe and moderate traumatic brain injury (sTBI) often results in long-term cognitive deficits such as reduced processing speed and attention. The intraparietal sulcus (IPS) is a neocortical structure that plays a crucial role in the deeply interrelated processes of multi-sensory processing and top down attention. Therefore, we hypothesized that disruptions in the functional and structural connections of the IPS may play a role in the development of such deficits. To examine these connections, we used resting state magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI and diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) in a cohort of 27 patients with sTBI (29.3 ± 8.9 years) and 27 control participants (29.8 ± 10.3 years). Participants were prospectively recruited and received rsfMRI and neuropsychological assessments including the Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics (ANAM) at greater than 6 months post-injury. A subset of participants received a DKI scan. Results suggest that patients with sTBI performed worse than control participants on multiple subtests of the ANAM suggesting reduced cognitive performance. Reduced resting state functional connectivity between the IPS and cortical regions associated with multi-sensory processing and the dorsal attention network was observed in the patients with sTBI. The patients also showed reduced structural integrity of the superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), a key white matter tract connecting the IPS to anterior frontal areas, as measured by reduced mean kurtosis (MK) and fractional anisotropy (FA) and increased mean diffusivity (MD). Further, this reduced structural integrity of the SLF was associated with a reduction in overall cognitive performance. These findings suggest that disruptions in the structural and functional connectivity of the IPS may contribute to chronic cognitive deficits experienced by these patients.

Antibodies Targeting EMT

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-01

impact substrate usage in AKRs . The blue residues are variable positions between AKR1C1-4. These residues are near the active site and may play a ...with a collection of information if it does not display a currently valid OMB control number. PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR FORM TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS...and diagnostic biomarkers. We have developed a new technique allowing for discovery of new antibodies that disrupt a key process in cancer progression

Control of Maillard Reactions in Foods: Strategies and Chemical Mechanisms.

PubMed

Lund, Marianne N; Ray, Colin A

2017-06-14

Maillard reactions lead to changes in food color, organoleptic properties, protein functionality, and protein digestibility. Numerous different strategies for controlling Maillard reactions in foods have been attempted during the past decades. In this paper, recent advances in strategies for controlling the Maillard reaction and subsequent downstream reaction products in food systems are critically reviewed. The underlying mechanisms at play are presented, strengths and weaknesses of each strategy are discussed, and reasonable reaction mechanisms are proposed to reinforce the evaluations. The review includes strategies involving addition of functional ingredients, such as plant polyphenols and vitamins, as well as enzymes. The resulting trapping or modification of Maillard targets, reactive intermediates, and advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) are presented with their potential unwanted side effects. Finally, recent advances in processing for control of Maillard reactions are discussed.

Effect and process evaluation of a kindergarten-based, family-involved intervention with a randomized cluster design on sedentary behaviour in 4- to 6- year old European preschool children: The ToyBox-study.

PubMed

Latomme, Julie; Cardon, Greet; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse; Iotova, Violeta; Koletzko, Berthold; Socha, Piotr; Moreno, Luis; Androutsos, Odysseas; Manios, Yannis; De Craemer, Marieke

2017-01-01

The aim of the present study evaluated the effect and process of the ToyBox-intervention on proxy-reported sedentary behaviours in 4- to 6-year-old preschoolers from six European countries. In total, 2434 preschoolers' parents/primary caregivers (mean age: 4.7±0.4 years, 52.2% boys) filled out a questionnaire, assessing preschoolers' sedentary behaviours (TV/DVD/video viewing, computer/video games use and quiet play) on weekdays and weekend days. Multilevel repeated measures analyses were conducted to measure the intervention effects. Additionally, process evaluation data were included to better understand the intervention effects. Positive intervention effects were found for computer/video games use. In the total sample, the intervention group showed a smaller increase in computer/video games use on weekdays (ß = -3.40, p = 0.06; intervention: +5.48 min/day, control: +8.89 min/day) and on weekend days (ß = -5.97, p = 0.05; intervention: +9.46 min/day, control: +15.43 min/day) from baseline to follow-up, compared to the control group. Country-specific analyses showed similar effects in Belgium and Bulgaria, while no significant intervention effects were found in the other countries. Process evaluation data showed relatively low teachers' and low parents' process evaluation scores for the sedentary behaviour component of the intervention (mean: 15.6/24, range: 2.5-23.5 and mean: 8.7/17, range: 0-17, respectively). Higher parents' process evaluation scores were related to a larger intervention effect, but higher teachers' process evaluation scores were not. The ToyBox-intervention had a small, positive effect on European preschoolers' computer/video games use on both weekdays and weekend days, but not on TV/DVD/video viewing or quiet play. The lack of larger effects can possibly be due to the fact that parents were only passively involved in the intervention and to the fact that the intervention was too demanding for the teachers. Future interventions targeting preschoolers' behaviours should involve parents more actively in both the development and the implementation of the intervention and, when involving schools, less demanding activities for teachers should be developed. clinicaltrials.gov NCT02116296.

Effect and process evaluation of a kindergarten-based, family-involved intervention with a randomized cluster design on sedentary behaviour in 4- to 6- year old European preschool children: The ToyBox-study

PubMed Central

Latomme, Julie; Cardon, Greet; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse; Iotova, Violeta; Koletzko, Berthold; Socha, Piotr; Moreno, Luis; Androutsos, Odysseas; Manios, Yannis; De Craemer, Marieke

2017-01-01

Background The aim of the present study evaluated the effect and process of the ToyBox-intervention on proxy-reported sedentary behaviours in 4- to 6-year-old preschoolers from six European countries. Methods In total, 2434 preschoolers’ parents/primary caregivers (mean age: 4.7±0.4 years, 52.2% boys) filled out a questionnaire, assessing preschoolers’ sedentary behaviours (TV/DVD/video viewing, computer/video games use and quiet play) on weekdays and weekend days. Multilevel repeated measures analyses were conducted to measure the intervention effects. Additionally, process evaluation data were included to better understand the intervention effects. Results Positive intervention effects were found for computer/video games use. In the total sample, the intervention group showed a smaller increase in computer/video games use on weekdays (ß = -3.40, p = 0.06; intervention: +5.48 min/day, control: +8.89 min/day) and on weekend days (ß = -5.97, p = 0.05; intervention: +9.46 min/day, control: +15.43 min/day) from baseline to follow-up, compared to the control group. Country-specific analyses showed similar effects in Belgium and Bulgaria, while no significant intervention effects were found in the other countries. Process evaluation data showed relatively low teachers’ and low parents’ process evaluation scores for the sedentary behaviour component of the intervention (mean: 15.6/24, range: 2.5–23.5 and mean: 8.7/17, range: 0–17, respectively). Higher parents’ process evaluation scores were related to a larger intervention effect, but higher teachers’ process evaluation scores were not. Conclusions The ToyBox-intervention had a small, positive effect on European preschoolers’ computer/video games use on both weekdays and weekend days, but not on TV/DVD/video viewing or quiet play. The lack of larger effects can possibly be due to the fact that parents were only passively involved in the intervention and to the fact that the intervention was too demanding for the teachers. Future interventions targeting preschoolers' behaviours should involve parents more actively in both the development and the implementation of the intervention and, when involving schools, less demanding activities for teachers should be developed. Trial registration clinicaltrials.gov NCT02116296 PMID:28380053

Miro1 Regulates Activity-Driven Positioning of Mitochondria within Astrocytic Processes Apposed to Synapses to Regulate Intracellular Calcium Signaling

PubMed Central

Stephen, Terri-Leigh; Higgs, Nathalie F.; Sheehan, David F.; Al Awabdh, Sana; López-Doménech, Guillermo; Arancibia-Carcamo, I. Lorena

2015-01-01

It is fast emerging that maintaining mitochondrial function is important for regulating astrocyte function, although the specific mechanisms that govern astrocyte mitochondrial trafficking and positioning remain poorly understood. The mitochondrial Rho-GTPase 1 protein (Miro1) regulates mitochondrial trafficking and detachment from the microtubule transport network to control activity-dependent mitochondrial positioning in neurons. However, whether Miro proteins are important for regulating signaling-dependent mitochondrial dynamics in astrocytic processes remains unclear. Using live-cell confocal microscopy of rat organotypic hippocampal slices, we find that enhancing neuronal activity induces transient mitochondrial remodeling in astrocytes, with a concomitant, transient reduction in mitochondrial trafficking, mediated by elevations in intracellular Ca2+. Stimulating neuronal activity also induced mitochondrial confinement within astrocytic processes in close proximity to synapses. Furthermore, we show that the Ca2+-sensing EF-hand domains of Miro1 are important for regulating mitochondrial trafficking in astrocytes and required for activity-driven mitochondrial confinement near synapses. Additionally, activity-dependent mitochondrial positioning by Miro1 reciprocally regulates the levels of intracellular Ca2+ in astrocytic processes. Thus, the regulation of intracellular Ca2+ signaling, dependent on Miro1-mediated mitochondrial positioning, could have important consequences for astrocyte Ca2+ wave propagation, gliotransmission, and ultimately neuronal function. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Mitochondria are key cellular organelles that play important roles in providing cellular energy and buffering intracellular calcium ions. The mechanisms that control mitochondrial distribution within the processes of glial cells called astrocytes and the impact this may have on calcium signaling remains unclear. We show that activation of glutamate receptors or increased neuronal activity leads to the altered transport of mitochondria and their positioning at synapses dependent on a key mitochondrial trafficking protein called Miro1. We also show that, the control of mitochondrial movement and stopping by Miro plays an important role in regulating astrocyte calcium responses. Thus the regulation of intracellular calcium signaling, by Miro-mediated mitochondrial positioning, could have important consequences for astrocyte signaling and neuron–glial interactions. PMID:26631479

Offline modeling for product quality prediction of mineral processing using modeling error PDF shaping and entropy minimization.

PubMed

Ding, Jinliang; Chai, Tianyou; Wang, Hong

2011-03-01

This paper presents a novel offline modeling for product quality prediction of mineral processing which consists of a number of unit processes in series. The prediction of the product quality of the whole mineral process (i.e., the mixed concentrate grade) plays an important role and the establishment of its predictive model is a key issue for the plantwide optimization. For this purpose, a hybrid modeling approach of the mixed concentrate grade prediction is proposed, which consists of a linear model and a nonlinear model. The least-squares support vector machine is adopted to establish the nonlinear model. The inputs of the predictive model are the performance indices of each unit process, while the output is the mixed concentrate grade. In this paper, the model parameter selection is transformed into the shape control of the probability density function (PDF) of the modeling error. In this context, both the PDF-control-based and minimum-entropy-based model parameter selection approaches are proposed. Indeed, this is the first time that the PDF shape control idea is used to deal with system modeling, where the key idea is to turn model parameters so that either the modeling error PDF is controlled to follow a target PDF or the modeling error entropy is minimized. The experimental results using the real plant data and the comparison of the two approaches are discussed. The results show the effectiveness of the proposed approaches.

Abnormal processing of deontological guilt in obsessive-compulsive disorder.

PubMed

Basile, Barbara; Mancini, Francesco; Macaluso, Emiliano; Caltagirone, Carlo; Bozzali, Marco

2014-07-01

Guilt plays a significant role in the occurrence and maintenance of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Two major types of guilt have been identified: one deriving from the transgression of a moral rule (deontological guilt DG), another (altruistic guilt AG), relying on the assumption of having compromised a personal altruistic goal. Clinical evidence suggests that OCD patients are particularly sensitive to DG, but not AG. In this functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study, we investigated brain response of OCD patients while processing DG and AG stimuli. A previously validated fMRI paradigm was used to selectively evoke DG and AG, and anger and sadness, as control emotions in 13 OCD patients and 19 healthy controls. Patients' behavioral results showed a prominent attitude to experience guilt, compared to controls, while accomplishing task. fMRI results revealed that patients have reduced activation in the anterior cingulate (ACC) and frontal gyrus when experiencing guilt, regardless of its specific type (DG or AG). When separately considering each type of guilt (against each of its control), patients showed decreased activation in the ACC, the insula and the precuneus, for DG. No significant differences were observed between groups when processing AG, anger or sad stimuli. This study provides evidence for an abnormal processing of guilt, and specifically DG, in OCD patients. We suggest that decreased activation may reflect patients' cerebral efficiency, which derives from their frequent exposure to guilty feelings ("neural efficiency hypothesis"). In conclusion, our study confirms a selective abnormal processing of guilt, and specifically DG, in OCD.

Toward a developmentally informed approach to parenting interventions: Seeking hidden effects.

PubMed

Brock, Rebecca L; Kochanska, Grazyna

2016-05-01

Drawing from developmental psychology and psychopathology, we propose a new, developmentally informed approach to parenting interventions that focuses on elucidating changes in the unfolding developmental process between the parent and child. We present data from 186 low-income mothers of toddlers, randomly assigned to a child-oriented play group or a play-as-usual group. We examined the maladaptive cascade from child difficulty to mother adversarial, negative parenting to child maladjustment, well documented in the literature. The measures incorporated multiple observations and reports. As expected, the sequence from child difficulty (pretest) to mother adversarial, negative parenting (Posttest 1, after 3-month intervention) to child maladjustment (Posttest 2, 6 months later) was present in the play-as-usual group, but absent, or defused, in the child-oriented play group. The findings are consistent with a view of intervention presumably enhancing the mother-child relationship, which in turn served to moderate future mother-child dynamics, altering its otherwise anticipated negative trajectory. A closer examination of the cascade revealed that, at Posttest 1, mothers in the play-as-usual group engaged in more adversarial, negative parenting (controlling for pretest) than did mothers in the child-oriented play group when their children were of high difficulty. The intervention appears to exert its primary influence on the cascade by weakening the link between child difficulty and maternal adversarial, negative parenting.

The oral microbiome in dental caries.

PubMed

Struzycka, Izabela

2014-01-01

Dental caries is one of the most common chronic and multifactorial diseases affecting the human population. The appearance of a caries lesion is determined by the coexistence of three main factors: acidogenic and acidophilic microorganisms, carbohydrates derived from the diet, and host factors. Socio-economic and behavioral factors also play an important role in the etiology of the disease. Caries develops as a result of an ecological imbalance in the stable oral microbiom. Oral microorganisms form dental plaque on the surfaces of teeth, which is the cause of the caries process, and shows features of the classic biofilm. Biofilm formation appears to be influenced by large scale changes in protein expression over time and under genetic control Cariogenic microorganisms produce lactic, formic, acetic and propionic acids, which are a product of carbohydrate metabolism. Their presence causes a decrease in pH level below 5.5, resulting in demineralization of enamel hydroxyapatite crystals and proteolytic breakdown of the structure of tooth hard tissues. Streptococcus mutans, other streptococci of the so-called non-mutans streptococci group, Actinomyces and Lactobacillus play a key role in this process. Dental biofilm is a dynamic, constantly active metabolically structure. The alternating processes of decrease and increase of biofilm pH occur, which are followed by the respective processes of de- and remineralisation of the tooth surface. In healthy conditions, these processes are in balance and no permanent damage to the tooth enamel surface occurs.

Job-Seeking Interview Skills Training: A Comparison of Four Instructional Techniques.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Speas, Carol Mendenhall

1979-01-01

Compared model exposure (MOD), role playing (RP), model exposure plus role playing (MRP), and model exposure role playing with videotape feedback (VIDEO). MRP and VIDEO treatments were greater than control procedures. RP treatment was more effective than control procedures on two criteria. (Author/BEF)

Complement in the Initiation and Evolution of Rheumatoid Arthritis

PubMed Central

Holers, V. Michael; Banda, Nirmal K.

2018-01-01

The complement system is a major component of the immune system and plays a central role in many protective immune processes, including circulating immune complex processing and clearance, recognition of foreign antigens, modulation of humoral and cellular immunity, removal of apoptotic and dead cells, and engagement of injury resolving and tissue regeneration processes. In stark contrast to these beneficial roles, however, inadequately controlled complement activation underlies the pathogenesis of human inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA) where the cartilage, bone, and synovium are targeted. Recent studies of this disease have demonstrated that the autoimmune response evolves over time in an asymptomatic preclinical phase that is associated with mucosal inflammation. Notably, experimental models of this disease have demonstrated that each of the three major complement activation pathways plays an important role in recognition of injured joint tissue, although the lectin and amplification pathways exhibit particularly impactful roles in the initiation and amplification of damage. Herein, we review the complement system and focus on its multi-factorial role in human patients with RA and experimental murine models. This understanding will be important to the successful integration of the emerging complement therapeutics pipeline into clinical care for patients with RA. PMID:29892280

Rhythm in joint action: psychological and neurophysiological mechanisms for real-time interpersonal coordination.

PubMed

Keller, Peter E; Novembre, Giacomo; Hove, Michael J

2014-12-19

Human interaction often requires simultaneous precision and flexibility in the coordination of rhythmic behaviour between individuals engaged in joint activity, for example, playing a musical duet or dancing with a partner. This review article addresses the psychological processes and brain mechanisms that enable such rhythmic interpersonal coordination. First, an overview is given of research on the cognitive-motor processes that enable individuals to represent joint action goals and to anticipate, attend and adapt to other's actions in real time. Second, the neurophysiological mechanisms that underpin rhythmic interpersonal coordination are sought in studies of sensorimotor and cognitive processes that play a role in the representation and integration of self- and other-related actions within and between individuals' brains. Finally, relationships between social-psychological factors and rhythmic interpersonal coordination are considered from two perspectives, one concerning how social-cognitive tendencies (e.g. empathy) affect coordination, and the other concerning how coordination affects interpersonal affiliation, trust and prosocial behaviour. Our review highlights musical ensemble performance as an ecologically valid yet readily controlled domain for investigating rhythm in joint action. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Assessment of body parameters' symmetry in child violinists.

PubMed

Cygańska, Anna; Truszczyńska-Baszak, Aleksandra; Drzał-Grabiec, Justyna; Tarnowski, Adam

2017-09-22

Playing violin may lead to overload of the locomotor system. The aim of this study was to assess body parameters for trunk symmetry in child violinists and compare with the control group. We analyzed body posture of 101 children aged 7-12 years, mean age 11.09 ± 9.46, 49 child violinists and control group of 52 children. We found statistically significant differences for the difference in depth of the lower corners of scapulae and upper posterior spina iliaca, though greater asymmetries were found in the clinical control group. The remaining parameter values are close to significance, which may suggest that the process of postural change among the children had just started and that the existing asymmetries were easy to correct. We found positive correlation between body height and the difference in distance of the lower corners of scapulae from the spine: OL (p= 0.029, correlation coefficient value was 0.167) and the Thales triangle height: (p= 0.018, correlation coefficient was 0.214). Position maintained while playing the violin changed some parameters characterizing the curvature of the spine in frontal plane. We found the importance of detailed analysis of children body posture and its critical assessment.

Basic Timing Abilities Stay Intact in Patients with Musician's Dystonia

PubMed Central

van der Steen, M. C.; van Vugt, Floris T.; Keller, Peter E.; Altenmüller, Eckart

2014-01-01

Task-specific focal dystonia is a movement disorder that is characterized by the loss of voluntary motor control in extensively trained movements. Musician's dystonia is a type of task-specific dystonia that is elicited in professional musicians during instrumental playing. The disorder has been associated with deficits in timing. In order to test the hypothesis that basic timing abilities are affected by musician's dystonia, we investigated a group of patients (N = 15) and a matched control group (N = 15) on a battery of sensory and sensorimotor synchronization tasks. Results did not show any deficits in auditory-motor processing for patients relative to controls. Both groups benefited from a pacing sequence that adapted to their timing (in a sensorimotor synchronization task at a stable tempo). In a purely perceptual task, both groups were able to detect a misaligned metronome when it was late rather than early relative to a musical beat. Overall, the results suggest that basic timing abilities stay intact in patients with musician's dystonia. This supports the idea that musician's dystonia is a highly task-specific movement disorder in which patients are mostly impaired in tasks closely related to the demands of actually playing their instrument. PMID:24667273

Staff Training for Business Process Improvement: The Benefit of Role-Plays in the Case of KreditSim

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borner, Rene; Moormann, Jurgen; Wang, Minhong

2012-01-01

Purpose: The paper aims to explore staff's experience with role-plays using the example of training bank employees in Six Sigma as a major methodology for business process improvement. Design/methodology/approach: The research is based on a case study. A role-play, KreditSim, is used to simulate a loan approval process that has to be improved by…

Where is the action? Action sentence processing in Parkinson's disease

PubMed Central

Fernandino, Leonardo; Conant, Lisa L.; Binder, Jeffrey R.; Blindauer, Karen; Hiner, Bradley; Spangler, Katie; Desai, Rutvik H.

2013-01-01

According to an influential view of conceptual representation, action concepts are understood through motoric simulations, involving motor networks of the brain. A stronger version of this embodied account suggests that even figurative uses of action words (e.g., grasping the concept) are understood through motoric simulations. We investigated these claims by assessing whether Parkinson's disease (PD), a disorder affecting the motor system, is associated with selective deficits in comprehending action-related sentences. Twenty PD patients and 21 age-matched controls performed a sentence comprehension task, where sentences belonged to one of four conditions: literal action, non-idiomatic metaphoric action, idiomatic action, and abstract. The same verbs (referring to hand/arm actions) were used in the three action-related conditions. Patients, but not controls, were slower to respond to literal and idiomatic action than to abstract sentences. These results indicate that sensory-motor systems play a functional role in semantic processing, including processing of figurative action language. PMID:23624313

RNA search engines empower the bacterial intranet.

PubMed

Dendooven, Tom; Luisi, Ben F

2017-08-15

RNA acts not only as an information bearer in the biogenesis of proteins from genes, but also as a regulator that participates in the control of gene expression. In bacteria, small RNA molecules (sRNAs) play controlling roles in numerous processes and help to orchestrate complex regulatory networks. Such processes include cell growth and development, response to stress and metabolic change, transcription termination, cell-to-cell communication, and the launching of programmes for host invasion. All these processes require recognition of target messenger RNAs by the sRNAs. This review summarizes recent results that have provided insights into how bacterial sRNAs are recruited into effector ribonucleoprotein complexes that can seek out and act upon target transcripts. The results hint at how sRNAs and their protein partners act as pattern-matching search engines that efficaciously regulate gene expression, by performing with specificity and speed while avoiding off-target effects. The requirements for efficient searches of RNA patterns appear to be common to all domains of life. © 2017 The Author(s).

RNA search engines empower the bacterial intranet

PubMed Central

Dendooven, Tom

2017-01-01

RNA acts not only as an information bearer in the biogenesis of proteins from genes, but also as a regulator that participates in the control of gene expression. In bacteria, small RNA molecules (sRNAs) play controlling roles in numerous processes and help to orchestrate complex regulatory networks. Such processes include cell growth and development, response to stress and metabolic change, transcription termination, cell-to-cell communication, and the launching of programmes for host invasion. All these processes require recognition of target messenger RNAs by the sRNAs. This review summarizes recent results that have provided insights into how bacterial sRNAs are recruited into effector ribonucleoprotein complexes that can seek out and act upon target transcripts. The results hint at how sRNAs and their protein partners act as pattern-matching search engines that efficaciously regulate gene expression, by performing with specificity and speed while avoiding off-target effects. The requirements for efficient searches of RNA patterns appear to be common to all domains of life. PMID:28710287

Modeling Negotiation by a Paticipatory Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torii, Daisuke; Ishida, Toru; Bousquet, François

In a participatory approach by social scientists, role playing games (RPG) are effectively used to understand real thinking and behavior of stakeholders, but RPG is not sufficient to handle a dynamic process like negotiation. In this study, a participatory simulation where user-controlled avatars and autonomous agents coexist is introduced to the participatory approach for modeling negotiation. To establish a modeling methodology of negotiation, we have tackled the following two issues. First, for enabling domain experts to concentrate interaction design for participatory simulation, we have adopted the architecture in which an interaction layer controls agents and have defined three types of interaction descriptions (interaction protocol, interaction scenario and avatar control scenario) to be described. Second, for enabling domain experts and stakeholders to capitalize on participatory simulation, we have established a four-step process for acquiring negotiation model: 1) surveys and interviews to stakeholders, 2) RPG, 3) interaction design, and 4) participatory simulation. Finally, we discussed our methodology through a case study of agricultural economics in the northeast Thailand.

Optogenetic control of RhoA reveals zyxin-mediated elasticity of stress fibres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oakes, Patrick W.; Wagner, Elizabeth; Brand, Christoph A.; Probst, Dimitri; Linke, Marco; Schwarz, Ulrich S.; Glotzer, Michael; Gardel, Margaret L.

2017-06-01

Cytoskeletal mechanics regulates cell morphodynamics and many physiological processes. While contractility is known to be largely RhoA-dependent, the process by which localized biochemical signals are translated into cell-level responses is poorly understood. Here we combine optogenetic control of RhoA, live-cell imaging and traction force microscopy to investigate the dynamics of actomyosin-based force generation. Local activation of RhoA not only stimulates local recruitment of actin and myosin but also increased traction forces that rapidly propagate across the cell via stress fibres and drive increased actin flow. Surprisingly, this flow reverses direction when local RhoA activation stops. We identify zyxin as a regulator of stress fibre mechanics, as stress fibres are fluid-like without flow reversal in its absence. Using a physical model, we demonstrate that stress fibres behave elastic-like, even at timescales exceeding turnover of constituent proteins. Such molecular control of actin mechanics likely plays critical roles in regulating morphodynamic events.

Transcriptional network control of normal and leukaemic haematopoiesis

PubMed Central

Sive, Jonathan I.; Göttgens, Berthold

2014-01-01

Transcription factors (TFs) play a key role in determining the gene expression profiles of stem/progenitor cells, and defining their potential to differentiate into mature cell lineages. TF interactions within gene-regulatory networks are vital to these processes, and dysregulation of these networks by TF overexpression, deletion or abnormal gene fusions have been shown to cause malignancy. While investigation of these processes remains a challenge, advances in genome-wide technologies and growing interactions between laboratory and computational science are starting to produce increasingly accurate network models. The haematopoietic system provides an attractive experimental system to elucidate gene regulatory mechanisms, and allows experimental investigation of both normal and dysregulated networks. In this review we examine the principles of TF-controlled gene regulatory networks and the key experimental techniques used to investigate them. We look in detail at examples of how these approaches can be used to dissect out the regulatory mechanisms controlling normal haematopoiesis, as well as the dysregulated networks associated with haematological malignancies. PMID:25014893

Transcriptional network control of normal and leukaemic haematopoiesis.

PubMed

Sive, Jonathan I; Göttgens, Berthold

2014-12-10

Transcription factors (TFs) play a key role in determining the gene expression profiles of stem/progenitor cells, and defining their potential to differentiate into mature cell lineages. TF interactions within gene-regulatory networks are vital to these processes, and dysregulation of these networks by TF overexpression, deletion or abnormal gene fusions have been shown to cause malignancy. While investigation of these processes remains a challenge, advances in genome-wide technologies and growing interactions between laboratory and computational science are starting to produce increasingly accurate network models. The haematopoietic system provides an attractive experimental system to elucidate gene regulatory mechanisms, and allows experimental investigation of both normal and dysregulated networks. In this review we examine the principles of TF-controlled gene regulatory networks and the key experimental techniques used to investigate them. We look in detail at examples of how these approaches can be used to dissect out the regulatory mechanisms controlling normal haematopoiesis, as well as the dysregulated networks associated with haematological malignancies. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Presynaptic Gain Control Mechanism Fine-Tunes Olfactory Behavior

PubMed Central

Root, Cory M.; Masuyama, Kaoru; Green, David S.; Enell, Lina E.; Nässel, Dick R.; Lee, Chi-Hon; Wang, Jing W.

2008-01-01

Early sensory processing can play a critical role in sensing environmental cues. We have investigated the physiological and behavioral function of gain control at the first synapse of olfactory processing in Drosophila. We report that olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) express the GABAB receptor (GABABR) and its expression expands the dynamic range of ORN synaptic transmission that is preserved in projection neuron responses. Strikingly, we find that different ORN channels have unique baseline levels of GABABR expression. ORNs that sense the aversive odorant CO2 do not express GABABRs nor exhibit any presynaptic inhibition. In contrast, pheromone-sensing ORNs express a high level of GABABRs and exhibit strong presynaptic inhibition. Furthermore, a behavioral significance of presynaptic inhibition was revealed by a courtship behavior in which pheromone-dependent mate localization is impaired in flies that lack GABABRs in specific ORNs. Together, these findings indicate that different olfactory receptor channels may employ heterogeneous presynaptic gain control as a mechanism to allow an animal’s innate behavioral responses to match its ecological needs. PMID:18667158

RNA splicing process analysis for identifying antisense oligonucleotide inhibitors with padlock probe-based isothermal amplification.

PubMed

Ren, Xiaojun; Deng, Ruijie; Wang, Lida; Zhang, Kaixiang; Li, Jinghong

2017-08-01

RNA splicing, which mainly involves two transesterification steps, is a fundamental process of gene expression and its abnormal regulation contributes to serious genetic diseases. Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) are genetic control tools that can be used to specifically control genes through alteration of the RNA splicing pathway. Despite intensive research, how ASOs or various other factors influence the multiple processes of RNA splicing still remains obscure. This is largely due to an inability to analyze the splicing efficiency of each step in the RNA splicing process with high sensitivity. We addressed this limitation by introducing a padlock probe-based isothermal amplification assay to achieve quantification of the specific products in different splicing steps. With this amplified assay, the roles that ASOs play in RNA splicing inhibition in the first and second steps could be distinguished. We identified that 5'-ASO could block RNA splicing by inhibiting the first step, while 3'-ASO could block RNA splicing by inhibiting the second step. This method provides a versatile tool for assisting efficient ASO design and discovering new splicing modulators and therapeutic drugs.

Cognitive Processes in Alcohol Binges: A Review and Research Agenda

PubMed Central

Field, Matt; Schoenmakers, Tim; Wiers, Reinout W.

2010-01-01

Alcohol abuse is associated with a cluster of long-term changes in cognitive processes, as predicted by contemporary models of addiction. In this paper we review evidence which suggests that similar changes may occur during an alcohol binge, and as such they may play an important role in explaining the loss of control over alcohol consumption that occurs during alcohol binges. As a consequence of both acute alcohol intoxication (alcohol ‘priming’ effects) and exposure to environmental alcohol-related cues, we suggest that a number of changes in cognitive processes are likely. These include increased subjective craving for alcohol, increased positive and arousing outcome expectancies and implicit associations for alcohol use, increased attentional bias for alcohol-related cues, increased action tendencies to approach alcohol, increased impulsive decision-making, and impaired inhibitory control over drives and behaviour. Potential reciprocal relationships between these different aspects of cognition during an alcohol binge are discussed. Finally, we discuss the relationship between the current model and existing models of cognitive processes in substance abuse, and we speculate on the implications of the model for the reduction binge drinking and its consequences. PMID:19630725

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

Xiong, W; Zhou, Yunshen; Hou, Wenjia

Direct formation of graphene with controlled number of graphitic layers on dielectric surfaces is highly desired for practical applications. Despite significant progress achieved in understanding the formation of graphene on metallic surfaces through chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of hydrocarbons, very limited research is available elucidating the graphene formation process via rapid thermal processing (RTP) of solid-state amorphous carbon, through which graphene is formed directly on dielectric surfaces accompanied by autonomous nickel evaporation. It is suggested that a metastable hexagonal nickel carbide (Ni 3C) intermediate phase plays a critical role in transforming amorphous carbon to 2D crystalline graphene and contributing tomore » the autonomous Ni evaporation. Temperature resolved carbon and nickel evolution in the RTP process is investigated using Auger electron spectroscopic (AES) depth profiling and glancing-angle X-ray diffraction (GAXRD). Formation, migration and decomposition of the hexagonal Ni 3C are confirmed to be responsible for the formation of graphene and the evaporation of Ni at 1100 °C. The Ni 3C-assisted graphene formation mechanism expands the understanding of Ni-catalyzed graphene formation, and provides insightful guidance for controlled growth of graphene through the solid-state transformation process.« less

Characterization and control of fungal morphology for improved production performance in biotechnology.

PubMed

Krull, Rainer; Wucherpfennig, Thomas; Esfandabadi, Manely Eslahpazir; Walisko, Robert; Melzer, Guido; Hempel, Dietmar C; Kampen, Ingo; Kwade, Arno; Wittmann, Christoph

2013-01-20

Filamentous fungi have been widely applied in industrial biotechnology for many decades. In submerged culture processes, they typically exhibit a complex morphological life cycle that is related to production performance--a link that is of high interest for process optimization. The fungal forms can vary from dense spherical pellets to viscous mycelia. The resulting morphology has been shown to be influenced strongly by process parameters, including power input through stirring and aeration, mass transfer characteristics, pH value, osmolality and the presence of solid micro-particles. The surface properties of fungal spores and hyphae also play a role. Due to their high industrial relevance, the past years have seen a substantial development of tools and techniques to characterize the growth of fungi and obtain quantitative estimates on their morphological properties. Based on the novel insights available from such studies, more recent studies have been aimed at the precise control of morphology, i.e., morphology engineering, to produce superior bio-processes with filamentous fungi. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Alterations in the Emotional Regulation Process in Gambling Addiction: The Role of Anger and Alexithymia.

PubMed

Maniaci, Giuseppe; Picone, Francesca; van Holst, Ruth J; Bolloni, Corinna; Scardina, Silvana; Cannizzaro, Carla

2017-06-01

This study aims at the assessment of alexithymia and anger levels in 100 treatment-seeking pathological gamblers compared with controls, who were matched for age, gender and education. Furthermore a positive correlation between alexithymia, anger and severity of gambling disorder and a relationship between gambling behaviour and anger after controlling for alexithymia, are investigated. Finally the role that gender plays in anger in pathological gamblers was also evaluated. Psychological assessment includes the South Oaks Gambling Screen, State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory-2 and the twenty-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale. Statistical analysis of the results shows a higher level of anger in pathological gamblers than in controls, together with alterations in emotional processing. Severity of gambling behaviour positively correlates with alexithymia scores, state-anger and trait-anger. Moreover, a significant contribution of anger in predicting gambling behaviour was suggested after controlling for alexithymia. In conclusion, anger and alexithymia must be regarded as relevant components of the assessment of pathological gamblers, in order to select the best therapeutical strategies to prevent self-defeating behaviours and to reduce drop-out from treatments.

Improving executive function in childhood: evaluation of a training intervention for 5-year-old children

PubMed Central

Traverso, Laura; Viterbori, Paola; Usai, Maria Carmen

2015-01-01

Executive function (EF) refers to a set of higher order cognitive processes that control and modulate cognition under continuously changing and multiple task demands. EF plays a central role in early childhood, is associated and predictive of important cognitive achievements and has been recognized as a significant aspect of school readiness. This study examines the efficacy of a group based intervention for 5-year-old children that focuses on basic components of EF (working memory, inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility). The intervention included 12 sessions, lasted 1 month and used low-cost materials. Seventy-five children took part in the study. The results indicate that the children who attended the intervention outperformed controls in simple and more complex EF tasks. Specifically, these children exhibited increased abilities to delay gratification, to control on-going responses, to process and update information, and to manage high cognitive conflict. These results suggest the possibility that this intervention, which may be easily implemented in educational services, can promote EF during preschool period before the entrance in primary school. PMID:25983706

Improving executive function in childhood: evaluation of a training intervention for 5-year-old children.

PubMed

Traverso, Laura; Viterbori, Paola; Usai, Maria Carmen

2015-01-01

Executive function (EF) refers to a set of higher order cognitive processes that control and modulate cognition under continuously changing and multiple task demands. EF plays a central role in early childhood, is associated and predictive of important cognitive achievements and has been recognized as a significant aspect of school readiness. This study examines the efficacy of a group based intervention for 5-year-old children that focuses on basic components of EF (working memory, inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility). The intervention included 12 sessions, lasted 1 month and used low-cost materials. Seventy-five children took part in the study. The results indicate that the children who attended the intervention outperformed controls in simple and more complex EF tasks. Specifically, these children exhibited increased abilities to delay gratification, to control on-going responses, to process and update information, and to manage high cognitive conflict. These results suggest the possibility that this intervention, which may be easily implemented in educational services, can promote EF during preschool period before the entrance in primary school.

Strategies for tonal and atonal musical interpretation in blind and normally sighted children: an fMRI study.

PubMed

Guerrero Arenas, Coral; Hidalgo Tobón, Silvia S; Dies Suarez, Pilar; Barragán Pérez, Eduardo; Castro Sierra, Eduardo; García, Julio; de Celis Alonso, Benito

2016-04-01

Early childhood is known to be a period when cortical plasticity phenomena are at a maximum. Music is a stimulus known to modulate these mechanisms. On the other hand, neurological impairments like blindness are also known to affect cortical plasticity. Here, we address how tonal and atonal musical stimuli are processed in control and blind young children. We aimed to understand the differences between the two groups when processing this physiological information. Atonal stimuli produced larger activations in cerebellum, fusiform, and temporal lobe structures than tonal. In contrast, tonal stimuli induced larger frontal lobe representations than atonal. Control participants presented large activations in cerebellum, fusiform, and temporal lobe. A correlation/connectivity study showed that the blind group incorporated larger amounts of perceptual information (somatosensory and motor) into tonal processing through the function of the anterior prefrontal cortex (APC). They also used the visual cortex in conjunction with the Wernicke's area to process this information. In contrast, controls processed sound with perceptual stimuli from auditory cortex structures (including Wernicke's area). In this case, information was processed through the dorsal posterior cingulate cortex and not the APC. The orbitofrontal cortex also played a key role for atonal interpretation in this group. Wernicke's area, known to be involved in speech, was heavily involved for both groups and all stimuli. The two groups presented clear differences in strategies for music processing, with very different recruitment of brain regions.

Brain response to visual sexual stimuli in homosexual pedophiles

PubMed Central

Schiffer, Boris; Krueger, Tillmann; Paul, Thomas; de Greiff, Armin; Forsting, Michael; Leygraf, Norbert; Schedlowski, Manfred; Gizewski, Elke

2008-01-01

Objective The neurobiological mechanisms of deviant sexual preferences such as pedophilia are largely unknown. The objective of this study was to analyze whether brain activation patterns of homosexual pedophiles differed from those of a nonpedophile homosexual control group during visual sexual stimulation. Method A consecutive sample of 11 pedophile forensic inpatients exclusively attracted to boys and 12 age-matched homosexual control participants from a comparable socioeconomic stratum underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging during a visual sexual stimulation procedure that used sexually stimulating and emotionally neutral photographs. Sexual arousal was assessed according to a subjective rating scale. Results In contrast to sexually neutral pictures, in both groups sexually arousing pictures having both homosexual and pedophile content activated brain areas known to be involved in processing visual stimuli containing emotional content, including the occipitotemporal and prefrontal cortices. However, during presentation of the respective sexual stimuli, the thalamus, globus pallidus and striatum, which correspond to the key areas of the brain involved in sexual arousal and behaviour, showed significant activation in pedophiles, but not in control subjects. Conclusions Central processing of visual sexual stimuli in homosexual pedophiles seems to be comparable to that in nonpedophile control subjects. However, compared with homosexual control subjects, activation patterns in pedophiles refer more strongly to subcortical regions, which have previously been discussed in the context of processing reward signals and also play an important role in addictive and stimulus-controlled behaviour. Thus future studies should further elucidate the specificity of these brain regions for the processing of sexual stimuli in pedophilia and should address the generally weaker activation pattern in homosexual men. PMID:18197269

Brain response to visual sexual stimuli in homosexual pedophiles.

PubMed

Schiffer, Boris; Krueger, Tillmann; Paul, Thomas; de Greiff, Armin; Forsting, Michael; Leygraf, Norbert; Schedlowski, Manfred; Gizewski, Elke

2008-01-01

The neurobiological mechanisms of deviant sexual preferences such as pedophilia are largely unknown. The objective of this study was to analyze whether brain activation patterns of homosexual pedophiles differed from those of a nonpedophile homosexual control group during visual sexual stimulation. A consecutive sample of 11 pedophile forensic inpatients exclusively attracted to boys and 12 age-matched homosexual control participants from a comparable socioeconomic stratum underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging during a visual sexual stimulation procedure that used sexually stimulating and emotionally neutral photographs. Sexual arousal was assessed according to a subjective rating scale. In contrast to sexually neutral pictures, in both groups sexually arousing pictures having both homosexual and pedophile content activated brain areas known to be involved in processing visual stimuli containing emotional content, including the occipitotemporal and prefrontal cortices. However, during presentation of the respective sexual stimuli, the thalamus, globus pallidus and striatum, which correspond to the key areas of the brain involved in sexual arousal and behaviour, showed significant activation in pedophiles, but not in control subjects. Central processing of visual sexual stimuli in homosexual pedophiles seems to be comparable to that in nonpedophile control subjects. However, compared with homosexual control subjects, activation patterns in pedophiles refer more strongly to subcortical regions, which have previously been discussed in the context of processing reward signals and also play an important role in addictive and stimulus-controlled behaviour. Thus future studies should further elucidate the specificity of these brain regions for the processing of sexual stimuli in pedophilia and should address the generally weaker activation pattern in homosexual men.

The Fractal Self at Play

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marks-Tarlow, Terry

2010-01-01

In this article, the author draws on contemporary science to illuminate the relationship between early play experiences, processes of self-development, and the later emergence of the fractal self. She argues that orientation within social space is a primary function of early play and developmentally a two-step process. With other people and with…

Plasma E-selectin levels can play a role in the development of diabetic retinopathy.

PubMed

Kasza, Márta; Meleg, J; Vardai, J; Nagy, B; Szalai, E; Damjanovich, J; Csutak, A; Ujhelyi, B; Nagy, V

2017-01-01

Diabetic retinopathy is one of the leading causes of blindness. There are several risk factors, such as the duration of diabetes or glycemic control of the patient; however, several biochemical factors also alter the process. Our aim was to investigate the role of soluble E-selectin in the formation of diabetic retinopathy. Fifty-seven patients (37 female and 20 male, aged 61.71 ± 12.31 years) and 14 healthy control subjects (ten female and four male, aged 63.06 ± 10.46 years) were enrolled in the study. We measured the soluble E-selectin level in the plasma of patients by ELISA. All patients underwent careful ophthalmological examination, including ophthalmoscopy and color fundus photography, while diabetic retinopathy grading was performed in line with the 2012 classification of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO). The soluble E-selectin level was significantly higher in patients with diabetes compared to controls (32.95 ng/ml vs. 26.55 ng/ml, p = 0.03). Dividing patients into groups by the presence of retinopathy, the E-selectin level was also significantly higher in the retinopathy group (p < 0.05). When we examined diabetic patients by the severity of retinopathy (groups A, B, and C, by the guidelines of the AAO), however, we did not find any significant difference in soluble E-selectin levels, although it tended to be higher in group B. An elevated E-selectin level can play a role in the development of diabetic retinopathy, but it does not seem to alter disease severity. However, glycemic control and the reduction of cardiovascular risk factors may also alter the level of E-selectin that might play a role in the prevention of diabetic retinopathy.

Neurotrophins, growth-factor-regulated genes and the control of energy balance.

PubMed

Salton, Stephen R J

2003-03-01

Neurotrophic growth factors are proteins that control neuronal differentiation and survival, and consequently play important roles in the developing and adult stages of the nervous system. Study of the genes that are regulated by these growth factors has provided insight into the proteins that are critical to the maturation of the nervous system, suggesting that select neurotrophins may play a role in the control of body homeostasis by the brain and peripheral nervous system. Our understanding of the mechanisms of action of neurotrophic growth factors has increased through experimental manipulation of cultured neurons and neuronal cell lines. In particular, the PC12 pheochromocytoma cell line, which displays many properties of adrenal chromaffin cells and undergoes differentiation into sympathetic neuron-like cells when treated with nerve growth factor, has been extensively investigated to identify components of neurotrophin signaling pathways as well as the genes that they regulate. VGF was one of the first neurotrophin-regulated clones identified in NGF-treated PC12 cells. Subsequent studies indicate that the vgf gene is regulated in vivo in the nervous system by neurotrophins, by electrical activity, in response to injury or seizure, and by feeding and the circadian clock. The vgf gene encodes a polypeptide rich in paired basic amino acids; this polypeptide is differentially processed in neuronal and neuroendocrine cells and is released via the regulated secretory pathway. Generation and analysis of knockout mice that fail to synthesize VGF indicate that this protein plays a critical, non-redundant role in the regulation of energy homeostasis, providing a possible link between neurotrophin function in the nervous system and the peripheral control of feeding and metabolic activity. Future experiments should clarify the sites and mechanisms of action of this neurotrophin-regulated neuronal and neuroendocrine protein.

Seeking Balance in Motion: The Role of Spontaneous Free Play in Promoting Social and Emotional Health in Early Childhood Care and Education

PubMed Central

Hewes, Jane

2014-01-01

There is accumulating scientific evidence of the potential of play and playfulness to enhance human capacity to respond to adversity and cope with the stresses of everyday life. In play we build a repertoire of adaptive, flexible responses to unexpected events, in an environment separated from the real consequences of those events. Playfulness helps us maintain social and emotional equilibrium in times of rapid change and stress. Through play, we experience flow—A feeling of being taken to another place, out of time, where we have controlled of the world. This paper argues that spontaneous free play, controlled and directed by children and understood from the child’s perspective, contributes to children’s subjective experience of well-being, building a foundation for life-long social and emotional health. The paradoxical nature of young children’s spontaneous free play is explored. Adaptability, control, flexibility, resilience and balance result from the experience of uncertainty, unpredictability, novelty and non-productivity. These essential dimensions of young children’s spontaneous free play typically produce play which is experienced by adults as chaotic, nonsensical and disruptive. The article concludes with a preliminary discussion of the challenges and possibilities of providing for spontaneous free play indoors, in early childhood care and education programs. PMID:27417480

Seeking Balance in Motion: The Role of Spontaneous Free Play in Promoting Social and Emotional Health in Early Childhood Care and Education.

PubMed

Hewes, Jane

2014-10-01

There is accumulating scientific evidence of the potential of play and playfulness to enhance human capacity to respond to adversity and cope with the stresses of everyday life. In play we build a repertoire of adaptive, flexible responses to unexpected events, in an environment separated from the real consequences of those events. Playfulness helps us maintain social and emotional equilibrium in times of rapid change and stress. Through play, we experience flow-A feeling of being taken to another place, out of time, where we have controlled of the world. This paper argues that spontaneous free play, controlled and directed by children and understood from the child's perspective, contributes to children's subjective experience of well-being, building a foundation for life-long social and emotional health. The paradoxical nature of young children's spontaneous free play is explored. Adaptability, control, flexibility, resilience and balance result from the experience of uncertainty, unpredictability, novelty and non-productivity. These essential dimensions of young children's spontaneous free play typically produce play which is experienced by adults as chaotic, nonsensical and disruptive. The article concludes with a preliminary discussion of the challenges and possibilities of providing for spontaneous free play indoors, in early childhood care and education programs.

Bio-functionalization of conductive textile materials with redox enzymes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kahoush, M.; Behary, N.; Cayla, A.; Nierstrasz, V.

2017-10-01

In recent years, immobilization of oxidoreductase enzymes on electrically conductive materials has played an important role in the development of sustainable bio-technologies. Immobilization process allows the re-use of these bio-catalysts in their final applications. In this study, different methods of immobilizing redox enzymes on conductive textile materials were used to produce bio-functionalized electrodes. These electrodes can be used for bio-processes and bio-sensing in eco-designed applications in domains such as medicine and pollution control. However, the main challenge facing the stability and durability of these electrodes is the maintenance of the enzymatic activity after the immobilization. Hence, preventing the enzyme’s denaturation and leaching is a critical factor for the success of the immobilization processes.

Foods and risk of bladder cancer: a case-control study in Uruguay.

PubMed

Balbi, J C; Larrinaga, M T; De Stefani, E; Mendilaharsu, M; Ronco, A L; Boffetta, P; Brennan, P

2001-10-01

A case-control study on 144 cases of transitional cell bladder carcinoma and 576 hospitalized controls was conducted in Montevideo, Uruguay. Barbecued meat, salted meat and fried eggs were associated with significant increased risks of bladder cancer (odds ratio (OR) for high intake of salted meat 4.04, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.24-7.27). On the other hand, all fruits, cooked vegetables, potatoes and cheese were associated with inverse associations (OR for high consumption of potatoes 0.38, 95% CI 0.23-0.64). The associations with salted and barbecued meat suggest that the way of preserving or cooking meat play a role in bladder carcinogenesis. More precisely, N-nitroso compounds and heterocyclic amines could be involved in this process.

Mechanisms of selective attention and space motion sickness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kohl, R. L.

1987-01-01

The neural mismatch theory of space motion sickness asserts that the central and peripheral autonomic sequelae of discordant sensory input arise from central integrative processes falling to reconcile patterns of incoming sensory information with existing memory. Stated differently, perceived novelty reaches a stress level as integrative mechanisms fail to return a sense of control to the individual in the new environment. Based on evidence summarized here, the severity of the neural mismatch may be dependent upon the relative amount of attention selectively afforded to each sensory input competing for control of behavior. Components of the limbic system may play important roles in match-mismatch operations, be therapeutically modulated by antimotion sickness drugs, and be optimally positioned to control autonomic output.

Electrochemical synthesis of copper nanoparticles using cuprous oxide as a precursor in choline chloride-urea deep eutectic solvent: nucleation and growth mechanism.

PubMed

Zhang, Q B; Hua, Y X

2014-12-28

The electrochemical nucleation and growth kinetics of copper nanoparticles on a Ni electrode have been studied with cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry in the choline chloride (ChCl)-urea based deep eutectic solvent (DES). The copper source was introduced into the solvent by the dissolution of Cu(I) oxide (Cu2O). Cyclic voltammetry indicates that the electroreduction of Cu(I) species in the DES is a diffusion-controlled quasi-reversible process. The analysis of the chronoamperometric transient behavior during electrodeposition suggests that the deposition of copper on the Ni electrode at low temperatures follows a progressive nucleation and three-dimensional growth controlled by diffusion. The effect of temperature on the diffusion coefficient of Cu(I) species that is present in the solvent and electron transfer rate constant obeys the Arrhenius law, according to which the activation energies are estimated to be 49.20 and 21.72 kJ mol(-1), respectively. The initial stage of morphological study demonstrates that both electrode potential and temperature play important roles in controlling the nucleation and growth kinetics of the nanocrystals during the electrodeposition process. Electrode potential is observed to affect mainly the nucleation process, whereas temperature makes a major contribution to the growth process.

Differential effects of bilingualism and culture on early attention: a longitudinal study in the U.S., Argentina, and Vietnam

PubMed Central

Tran, Crystal D.; Arredondo, Maria M.; Yoshida, Hanako

2015-01-01

A large body of literature suggests that bilingualism strongly influences attentional processes among a variety of age groups. Increasing studies, however, indicate that culture may also have measurable effects on attentional processes. Bilinguals are often exposed to multiple cultural backgrounds, therefore, it is unclear if being exposed to multiple languages and culture together influence attentional processes, or if the effect themselves are uniquely linked to different attentional processes. The present study explores the relevancy of different attentional processes—alerting, orienting, and executive control—to language and to culture. In the present study, 97 3-years-old (Mean age = 38.78 months) monolingual and bilingual children from three countries (the U.S., Argentina, and Vietnam) were longitudinally tested for a total of five time points on a commonly used non-linguistic attentional paradigm—the Attention Network Test. Results demonstrate that when other factors are controlled (e.g., socio-economic status, vocabulary knowledge, age), culture plays an important role on the development of the alerting and executive control attentional network, while language status was only significant on the executive control attentional network. The present study indicates that culture may interact with bilingualism to further explain previous reported advantages, as well as elucidate the increasing disparity surrounding cognitive advantages in bilingual literature. PMID:26150793

Mathematical modeling and characteristic analysis for over-under turbine based combined cycle engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Jingxue; Chang, Juntao; Ma, Jicheng; Bao, Wen; Yu, Daren

2018-07-01

The turbine based combined cycle engine has become the most promising hypersonic airbreathing propulsion system for its superiority of ground self-starting, wide flight envelop and reusability. The simulation model of the turbine based combined cycle engine plays an important role in the research of performance analysis and control system design. In this paper, a turbine based combined cycle engine mathematical model is built on the Simulink platform, including a dual-channel air intake system, a turbojet engine and a ramjet. It should be noted that the model of the air intake system is built based on computational fluid dynamics calculation, which provides valuable raw data for modeling of the turbine based combined cycle engine. The aerodynamic characteristics of turbine based combined cycle engine in turbojet mode, ramjet mode and mode transition process are studied by the mathematical model, and the influence of dominant variables on performance and safety of the turbine based combined cycle engine is analyzed. According to the stability requirement of thrust output and the safety in the working process of turbine based combined cycle engine, a control law is proposed that could guarantee the steady output of thrust by controlling the control variables of the turbine based combined cycle engine in the whole working process.

Playing Action Video Games Improves Visuomotor Control.

PubMed

Li, Li; Chen, Rongrong; Chen, Jing

2016-08-01

Can playing action video games improve visuomotor control? If so, can these games be used in training people to perform daily visuomotor-control tasks, such as driving? We found that action gamers have better lane-keeping and visuomotor-control skills than do non-action gamers. We then trained non-action gamers with action or nonaction video games. After they played a driving or first-person-shooter video game for 5 or 10 hr, their visuomotor control improved significantly. In contrast, non-action gamers showed no such improvement after they played a nonaction video game. Our model-driven analysis revealed that although different action video games have different effects on the sensorimotor system underlying visuomotor control, action gaming in general improves the responsiveness of the sensorimotor system to input error signals. The findings support a causal link between action gaming (for as little as 5 hr) and enhancement in visuomotor control, and suggest that action video games can be beneficial training tools for driving. © The Author(s) 2016.

"A phony way to show sincerity, as we all well know": tobacco industry lobbying against tobacco control in Hong Kong

PubMed Central

Knight, J; Chapman, S

2004-01-01

Objective: To examine the tobacco industry's efforts to influence public policy and block the legislative process on tobacco control in Hong Kong, 1973 to 1997. Method: Systematic review of relevant tobacco industry documents made public via the Master Settlement Agreement. Results: The tobacco industry in Hong Kong has sought to manipulate the policymaking process and delay the introduction of tobacco control legislation in Hong Kong from at least 1973. The industry ensured that each of the government's initial meagre steps toward tobacco control were delayed and thwarted by drawn out "cooperation" followed by voluntary concessions on issues the industry regarded as minor. By the 1980s the government had became increasingly active in tobacco control and introduced a number of initiatives, resulting in some of the tightest legislative restrictions on smoking in Asia. The tobacco industry was successful in thwarting only one of these initiatives. Conclusions: Throughout the 1980s and 1990s two factors played a significant role in hindering the tobacco industry from successfully blocking policy initiatives: a growing political imperative, and an active and sophisticated tobacco control movement. Political will to promote public health and a strong tobacco control advocacy presence can enable governments to resist the enormous pressure exerted upon them by multinational tobacco companies. PMID:15564215

Is trait resilience characterized by specific patterns of attentional bias to emotional stimuli and attentional control?

PubMed

Schäfer, Judith; Wittchen, Hans-Ulrich; Höfler, Michael; Heinrich, Anke; Zimmermann, Peter; Siegel, Stefan; Schönfeld, Sabine

2015-09-01

Attentional processes have been suggested to play a crucial role in resilience defined as positive adaptation facing adversity. However, research is lacking on associations between attentional biases to positive and threat-related stimuli, attentional control and trait resilience. Data stem from the follow-up assessment of a longitudinal study investigating mental health and related factors among German soldiers. Trait resilience was assessed with the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale and attentional control with the Attentional Control Scale. A subset of n = 198 soldiers also completed a dot probe task with happy, neutral and threatening faces. Attentional control was positively related to trait resilience. Results revealed no associations between both attentional biases and trait resilience. However, there was a negative association between attentional bias to threat and trait resilience when attentional control was low and a positive association between attentional bias to threat and trait resilience when attentional control was high. No such associations were found for attentional bias to positive stimuli. Generalizability to other populations may be limited since we exclusively focused on male soldiers. Also, the cross-sectional design does not allow for causal conclusions. Findings suggest that attentional processing may promote trait resilience. Future research on preventive interventions should consider these findings. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis on electronic control unit of continuously variable transmission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Shuanggui

Continuously variable transmission system can ensure that the engine work along the line of best fuel economy, improve fuel economy, save fuel and reduce harmful gas emissions. At the same time, continuously variable transmission allows the vehicle speed is more smooth and improves the ride comfort. Although the CVT technology has made great development, but there are many shortcomings in the CVT. The CVT system of ordinary vehicles now is still low efficiency, poor starting performance, low transmission power, and is not ideal controlling, high cost and other issues. Therefore, many scholars began to study some new type of continuously variable transmission. The transmission system with electronic systems control can achieve automatic control of power transmission, give full play to the characteristics of the engine to achieve optimal control of powertrain, so the vehicle is always traveling around the best condition. Electronic control unit is composed of the core processor, input and output circuit module and other auxiliary circuit module. Input module collects and process many signals sent by sensor and , such as throttle angle, brake signals, engine speed signal, speed signal of input and output shaft of transmission, manual shift signals, mode selection signals, gear position signal and the speed ratio signal, so as to provide its corresponding processing for the controller core.

[Adaptation of control mechanisms involved in upright undisturbed stance maintenance during prolonged darkness].

PubMed

Rougier, P

2003-04-01

To assess to which extent the non visual somato-sensorial information may, through a recalibration process, induce a reorganisation by the central nervous system to control undisturbed upright stance. Ten healthy adults were placed in complete darkness for a 24 min period. Their postural performance was recorded through a force platform on which they were required to stand still at regular intervals. Centre of Pressure (CP) displacements, recorded from the platform, were modelled as fractional brownian motion. Through this analysis, one may objectively assess from which distance and for how long the corrective process is initiated with the aim of slowing and retrace its steps. In addition, the degree to which the CP trajectories are successively controlled was determined. Once in complete darkness, an increase of the mean time intervals (Delta(t)) before the corrective process intervenes was observed, the effect being mostly significant for the mediolateral direction. In parallel, the mean distances covered at this Delta(t) were slightly affected for both mediolateral and anteroposterior directions. Lastly, the degree to which the CP trajectories are controlled tended to decrease. These data suggest a reorganisation of the control mechanisms called into play for maintaining an undisturbed upright stance, thus implying participation of the central nervous system. This short-term adaptation is discussed on the basis of our knowledge of long term adaptations previously observed in blind individuals, and also in a rehabilitation perspective.

Exploring Play/Playfulness and Learning in the Adult and Higher Education Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tanis, David J.

2012-01-01

Play and playfulness and their role in learning are researched extensively in early childhood education. However, as the child matures into an adult, play and playfulness are given less attention in the teaching and learning process. In adult education, there is very little research about play/playfulness and its significance for learning. Despite…

Biogeochemical redox processes and their impact on contaminant dynamics

USGS Publications Warehouse

Borch, Thomas; Kretzschmar, Ruben; Kappler, Andreas; Van Cappellen, Philippe; Ginder-Vogel, Matthew; Campbell, Kate M.

2010-01-01

Life and element cycling on Earth is directly related to electron transfer (or redox) reactions. An understanding of biogeochemical redox processes is crucial for predicting and protecting environmental health and can provide new opportunities for engineered remediation strategies. Energy can be released and stored by means of redox reactions via the oxidation of labile organic carbon or inorganic compounds (electron donors) by microorganisms coupled to the reduction of electron acceptors including humic substances, iron-bearing minerals, transition metals, metalloids, and actinides. Environmental redox processes play key roles in the formation and dissolution of mineral phases. Redox cycling of naturally occurring trace elements and their host minerals often controls the release or sequestration of inorganic contaminants. Redox processes control the chemical speciation, bioavailability, toxicity, and mobility of many major and trace elements including Fe, Mn, C, P, N, S, Cr, Cu, Co, As, Sb, Se, Hg, Tc, and U. Redox-active humic substances and mineral surfaces can catalyze the redox transformation and degradation of organic contaminants. In this review article, we highlight recent advances in our understanding of biogeochemical redox processes and their impact on contaminant fate and transport, including future research needs.

The neural correlates of impaired attentional control in social anxiety: an ERP study of inhibition and shifting.

PubMed

Judah, Matt R; Grant, DeMond M; Mills, Adam C; Lechner, William V

2013-12-01

Cognitive models of social anxiety disorder posit that maladaptive thought processes play an etiological role in symptoms. The current study tested whether socially anxious individuals (HSAs) demonstrated impaired processing efficiency at the neural and behavioral level, and whether this was exacerbated by self-focused attention. Thirty-two (16 socially anxious, 16 nonanxious controls) subjects completed a mixed-antisaccade task with an oddball instructional cue. To manipulate self-focus, participants were told that the oddball cue indicated elevated heart rate. The HSA group demonstrated delayed saccade onset compared with controls, but made fewer errors. HSAs also had lower P3b amplitude compared with controls, suggesting reduced availability of resources for discriminating cues, and later P3b latency during self-focus trials, suggesting delayed cue categorization. Additionally, HSAs had greater CNV negativity compared with controls, suggesting greater effort in response preparation, and this negativity was reduced during self-focus trials, supporting the hypothesis that self-focused attention preoccupies executive resources. The current study supports and expands cognitive theories by documenting impaired neural and behavioral functioning in social anxiety and the role of self-focused attention in these deficits.

Maternal Touch Moderates Sex Differences in Juvenile Social Play Behavior

PubMed Central

Edelmann, Michelle N.; Demers, Catherine H.; Auger, Anthony P.

2013-01-01

Additional somatosensory contact of preterm human infants improves a variety of developmental assessment scores, but less is known about its lasting consequences. In rodents, maternal contact may influence the programming of juvenile social play behavior. Therefore, we used a paradigm where we can control the levels of somatosensory contact associated with maternal care. We find that additional somatosensory contact of offspring can have lasting consequences on juvenile social play behavior in a sex-dependent manner. Specifically, additional somatosensory stimuli reduced male social play behavior, but did not change female play behavior. We then examined if this additional infant contact altered some neurobiological substrates associated with play within the juvenile amygdala. Control males had lower levels of 5HT2a receptor mRNA levels contrasted to females; however, similar to its sex-dependent effect on juvenile social play, males that received additional somatosensory contact had higher serotonin 5HT2a receptor mRNA levels than control males. No difference was found in females. As serotonin signaling typically opposes juvenile play behavior, these data suggest that maternal touch can program lasting differences in juvenile social play and 5HT2a receptors mRNA levels within the juvenile amygdala. PMID:23460849

Teacher's Guide to Canal. The Middlesex Canal: A Role Playing Exercise.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holmes, Cary W.; Tedesco, Paul H.

The document consists of a role-playing game and related teacher's guide designed to illustrate decision-making processes leading to the building of the Middlesex Canal in Massachusetts in 1793. The primary educational objective is to involve students in the decision-making process through role play. The game is designed to facilitate…

The Effects of Play Therapy: A Case Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hannah, Gregory L.; Rave, Elizabeth J.

Play therapy has been employed by therapists to alleviate children's emotional stress. Most research dealing with this type of intervention has been in the form of case studies, focusing on therapy outcome rather than on the therapeutic process. The process of one child in individual play therapy was analyzed through the use of time-series…

Cyclin-dependent kinases: engines, clocks, and microprocessors.

PubMed

Morgan, D O

1997-01-01

Cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks) play a well-established role in the regulation of the eukaryotic cell division cycle and have also been implicated in the control of gene transcription and other processes. Cdk activity is governed by a complex network of regulatory subunits and phosphorylation events whose precise effects on Cdk conformation have been revealed by recent crystallographic studies. In the cell, these regulatory mechanisms generate an interlinked series of Cdk oscillators that trigger the events of cell division.

Implications of China’s Growing Military Diplomatic Clout for the United States: Cooperation, Competition or Conflict

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-01

conflicts and wars; • Stands for effective disarmament and arms control that are just, reasonable, comprehensive and balanced in nature; • Opposes nuclear ...proliferation, and endeavors to advance the process of international nuclear disarmament; • Observes the purposes and principles of the UN Charter... disaster relief operations; and • Plays an active part in maintaining global and regional peace and stability.16 The CPC, Foreign Ministry, and

PIP2: choreographer of actin-adaptor proteins in the HIV-1 dance

PubMed Central

Rocha-Perugini, Vera; Gordon-Alonso, Mónica; Sánchez-Madrid, Francisco

2014-01-01

The actin cytoskeleton plays a key role during the replication cycle of human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1). HIV-1 infection is affected by cellular proteins that influence the clustering of viral receptors or the subcortical actin cytoskeleton. Several of these actin-adaptor proteins are controlled by the second messenger phosphatidylinositol 4,5-biphosphate (PIP2), an important regulator of actin organization. PIP2 production is induced by HIV-1 attachment and facilitates viral infection. However, the importance of PIP2 in regulating cytoskeletal proteins and thus HIV-1 infection has been overlooked. This review examines recent reports describing the roles played by actin-adaptor proteins during HIV-1 infection of CD4+ T cells, highlighting the influence of the signaling lipid PIP2 in this process. PMID:24768560

Role of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors in Inflammation Control

PubMed Central

Badr, Mostafa

2004-01-01

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) were discovered over a decade ago, and were classified as orphan members of the nuclear receptor superfamily. To date, three PPAR subtypes have been discovered and characterized (PPARα, β/δ, γ). Different PPAR subtypes have been shown to play crucial roles in important diseases and conditions such as obesity, diabetes, atherosclerosis, cancer, and fertility. Among the most studied roles of PPARs is their involvement in inflammatory processes. Numerous studies have revealed that agonists of PPARα and PPARγ exert anti-inflammatory effects both in vitro and in vivo. Using the carrageenan-induced paw edema model of inflammation, a recent study in our laboratories showed that these agonists hinder the initiation phase, but not the late phase of the inflammatory process. Furthermore, in the same experimental model, we recently also observed that activation of PPARδ exerted an anti-inflammatory effect. Despite the fact that exclusive dependence of these effects on PPARs has been questioned, the bulk of evidence suggests that all three PPAR subtypes, PPARα, δ, γ, play a significant role in controlling inflammatory responses. Whether these subtypes act via a common mechanism or are independent of each other remains to be elucidated. However, due to the intensity of research efforts in this area, it is anticipated that these efforts will result in the development of PPAR ligands as therapeutic agents for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. PMID:15292582

Size and morphology controlled NiSe nanoparticles as efficient catalyst for the reduction reactions

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

Subbarao, Udumula; Marakatti, Vijaykumar S.; Amshumali, Mungalimane K.

Facile and efficient ball milling and polyol methods were employed for the synthesis of nickel selenide (NiSe) nanoparticle. The particle size of the NiSe nanoparticle has been controlled mechanically by varying the ball size in the milling process. The role of the surfactants in the formation of various morphologies was studied. The compounds were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The efficiency of the NiSe nanoparticle as a catalyst was tested for the reduction of para-nitroaniline (PNA) to para-phenyldiamine (PPD) and para-nitrophenol (PNP) to para-aminophenol (PAP)more » using NaBH{sub 4} as the reducing agent. Particle size, morphology and the presence of surfactant played a crucial role in the reduction process. - Graphical abstract: NiSe nanoparticles in different size and morphology were synthesized using facile ball milling and polyol methods. Particle size, morphology and the presence of surfactant in these materials played a crucial role in the hydrogenation of PNA and PNP. - Highlights: • NiSe nanoparticles synthesized using ball milling and solution phase methods. • NiSe nanoparticle is an efficient catalyst for the reduction of PNA and PNP. • NiSe is found to be better than the best reported noble metal catalysts.« less

Along the Central Dogma-Controlling Gene Expression with Small Molecules.

PubMed

Schneider-Poetsch, Tilman; Yoshida, Minoru

2018-05-04

The central dogma of molecular biology, that DNA is transcribed into RNA and RNA translated into protein, was coined in the early days of modern biology. Back in the 1950s and 1960s, bacterial genetics first opened the way toward understanding life as the genetically encoded interaction of macromolecules. As molecular biology progressed and our knowledge of gene control deepened, it became increasingly clear that expression relied on many more levels of regulation. In the process of dissecting mechanisms of gene expression, specific small-molecule inhibitors played an important role and became valuable tools of investigation. Small molecules offer significant advantages over genetic tools, as they allow inhibiting a process at any desired time point, whereas mutating or altering the gene of an important regulator would likely result in a dead organism. With the advent of modern sequencing technology, it has become possible to monitor global cellular effects of small-molecule treatment and thereby overcome the limitations of classical biochemistry, which usually looks at a biological system in isolation. This review focuses on several molecules, especially natural products, that have played an important role in dissecting gene expression and have opened up new fields of investigation as well as clinical venues for disease treatment. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Biochemistry Volume 87 is June 20, 2018. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

Does excessive play of violent first-person-shooter-video-games dampen brain activity in response to emotional stimuli?

PubMed

Montag, Christian; Weber, Bernd; Trautner, Peter; Newport, Beate; Markett, Sebastian; Walter, Nora T; Felten, Andrea; Reuter, Martin

2012-01-01

The present case-control study investigated the processing of emotional pictures in excessive first-person-shooter-video-players and control persons. All participants of the fMRI experiment were confronted with pictures from four categories including pleasant, unpleasant, neutral content and pictures from the first-person-shooter-video-game 'Counterstrike'. Compared to controls, gamers showed a significantly lower activation of the left lateral medial frontal lobe while processing negative emotions. Another interesting finding of the study represents the higher activation of frontal and temporal brain areas in gamers when processing screen-shots from the first-person-shooter-video-game 'Counterstrike'. Higher brain activity in the lateral prefrontal cortex could represent a protection mechanism against experiencing negative emotions by down-regulating limbic brain activity. Due to a frequent confrontation with violent scenes, the first-person-shooter-video-gamers might have habituated to the effects of unpleasant stimuli resulting in lower brain activation. Individual differences in brain activations of the contrast Counterstrike>neutral pictures potentially resemble the activation of action-scripts related to the video-game. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Neural responses to facial expressions support the role of the amygdala in processing threat

PubMed Central

Sormaz, Mladen; Flack, Tessa; Asghar, Aziz U. R.; Fan, Siyan; Frey, Julia; Manssuer, Luis; Usten, Deniz; Young, Andrew W.; Andrews, Timothy J.

2014-01-01

The amygdala is known to play an important role in the response to facial expressions that convey fear. However, it remains unclear whether the amygdala’s response to fear reflects its role in the interpretation of danger and threat, or whether it is to some extent activated by all facial expressions of emotion. Previous attempts to address this issue using neuroimaging have been confounded by differences in the use of control stimuli across studies. Here, we address this issue using a block design functional magnetic resonance imaging paradigm, in which we compared the response to face images posing expressions of fear, anger, happiness, disgust and sadness with a range of control conditions. The responses in the amygdala to different facial expressions were compared with the responses to a non-face condition (buildings), to mildly happy faces and to neutral faces. Results showed that only fear and anger elicited significantly greater responses compared with the control conditions involving faces. Overall, these findings are consistent with the role of the amygdala in processing threat, rather than in the processing of all facial expressions of emotion, and demonstrate the critical importance of the choice of comparison condition to the pattern of results. PMID:24097376

Electrochemical preparation of nanostructured lanthanum using lanthanum chloride as a precursor in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide ionic liquid.

PubMed

Zhang, Q B; Yang, C; Hua, Y X; Li, Y; Dong, P

2015-02-14

Nanostructured lanthanum was electrochemically prepared on a platinum (Pt) substrate in the room temperature ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide (BMI-DCA) containing anhydrous LaCl3 at 333 K. The electrochemical reduction behavior of La(iii) was investigated using cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry techniques. Cyclic voltammogram revealed that the reduction of La(iii) in BMI-DCA involved an irreversible process controlled by diffusion. Chronoamperometric transient analysis confirmed the diffusion controlled electrodeposition process with the diffusion coefficient of La(iii) species in the range of 10(-10) cm(2) s(-1). The strong complexing capability of DCA(-) anions facilitated the displacement of chloride ligands and induced the solubility of LaCl3. The subsequent coordination of La(iii) and DCA(-) anions forming [La(DCA)4](-) complex anions was monitored by designing amperometric titration experiments. Potentiostatically deposited La-deposits with different nanostructures were characterized by SEM, XRD and XPS analyses. The electrodeposition potential was found to play an important role in controlling the nucleation and growth kinetics of the nanocrystal during the electrodeposition process. Depending on the deposition potential, metallic lanthanum with either nanoparticles or nanoporous structures was obtained.

Can contingency learning alone account for item-specific control? Evidence from within- and between-language ISPC effects.

PubMed

Atalay, Nart Bedin; Misirlisoy, Mine

2012-11-01

The item-specific proportion congruence (ISPC) manipulation (Jacoby, Lindsay, & Hessels, 2003) produces larger Stroop interference for mostly congruent items than mostly incongruent items. This effect has been attributed to dynamic control over word-reading processes. However, proportion congruence of an item in the ISPC manipulation is completely confounded with response contingency, suggesting the alternative hypothesis, that the ISPC effect is a result of learning response contingencies (Schmidt & Besner, 2008). The current study asks whether the ISPC effect can be explained by a pure stimulus-response contingency-learning account, or whether other control processes play a role as well, by comparing within- and between-language conditions in a bilingual task. Experiment 1 showed that contingency learning for noncolor words was larger for the within-language than the between-language condition. Experiment 2 revealed significant ISPC effects for both within- and between-language conditions; importantly, the effect was larger in the former. The results of the contingency analyses for Experiment 2 were parallel to that of Experiment 1 and did not show an interaction between contingency and congruency. Put together, these sets of results support the view that contingency-learning processes dominate color-word ISPC effects.

[Evaluation of angiogenic activity in sera from patients with interstitial lung diseases].

PubMed

Zielonka, T M; Demkow, U; Kowalski, J; Kuś, J; Krychniak-Soszka, A; Radzikowska, E; Skopińska-Rózewska, E; Rowińska-Zakrzewska, E

1997-01-01

Angiogenesis is a process of new blood vessels' formation occurring in many physiological and pathological conditions. Neovascularisation is the principal vascular response in chronic inflammation and concomitant fibrotic process. Microvascular changes in various organ sites in sarcoidosis (BBS) and some of the symptoms of the disease may be related to microangiopathy. Moreover, vascular alterations were also observed in lung specimens from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and avian fanciers lung (AFL) patients. The present study was aimed at testing the effects of serum from 43 patients with ILD (24 BBS, 8 AFL, 8 IPF, 3 DIPF--drug induced pulmonary fibrosis) and 11 healthy controls on angiogenic capability of normal blood peripheral mononuclear cells (PBMC) in the murine intradermal angiogenesis assay (according to Sidky and Auerbach). The data demonstrated that sera from ILD patients significantly enhanced angiogenic capacity of normal PBMC as compared to control sera (p < 0.001). The effect was more pronounced for AFL patients than for BBS and IPF ones (p < 0.05). Sera from DIPF did not stimulate angiogenesis compared to control sera. The data showed that sera from ILD patients constitute sources of mediators participating in angiogenesis. This phenomenon may play role in pathogenesis of chronic immunological processes in lung.

Convergent microRNA actions coordinate neocortical development.

PubMed

Barca-Mayo, Olga; De Pietri Tonelli, Davide

2014-08-01

Neocortical development is a complex process that, at the cellular level, involves tight control of self-renewal, cell fate commitment, survival, differentiation and delamination/migration. These processes require, at the molecular level, the precise regulation of intrinsic signaling pathways and extrinsic factors with coordinated action in a spatially and temporally specific manner. Transcriptional regulation plays an important role during corticogenesis; however, microRNAs (miRNAs) are emerging as important post-transcriptional regulators of various aspects of central nervous system development. miRNAs are a class of small, single-stranded noncoding RNA molecules that control the expression of the majority of protein coding genes (i.e., targets). How do different miRNAs achieve precise control of gene networks during neocortical development? Here, we critically review all the miRNA-target interactions validated in vivo, with relevance to the generation and migration of pyramidal-projection glutamatergic neurons, and for the initial formation of cortical layers in the embryonic development of rodent neocortex. In particular, we focus on convergent miRNA actions, which are still a poorly understood layer of complexity in miRNA signaling, but potentially one of the keys to disclosing how miRNAs achieve the precise coordination of complex biological processes such as neocortical development.

Understanding protein synthesis: a role-play approach in large undergraduate human anatomy and physiology classes.

PubMed

Sturges, Diana; Maurer, Trent W; Cole, Oladipo

2009-06-01

This study investigated the effectiveness of role play in a large undergraduate science class. The targeted population consisted of 298 students enrolled in 2 sections of an undergraduate Human Anatomy and Physiology course taught by the same instructor. The section engaged in the role-play activity served as the study group, whereas the section presented with a traditional lecture served as the control group. A pretest/posttest assessment and a survey were administered to both sections and used in data analysis. In addition, overall test scores and item analysis were examined. The analysis revealed that participants in both groups improved significantly from pretest to posttest, but there were no significant differences between the groups in posttest scores. Neither group showed a significant change from posttest to the exam. However, there was a moderate positive effect on engagement and satisfaction survey questions from being in the study group (based on 255 total surveys returned by both groups). The role-play activity was at least as effective as the lecture in terms of student performance on the above-mentioned assessments. In addition, it proved successful in engaging students in the learning process and increasing their satisfaction.

Adequacy of Current State Setbacks for Directional High-Volume Hydraulic Fracturing in the Marcellus, Barnett, and Niobrara Shale Plays.

PubMed

Haley, Marsha; McCawley, Michael; Epstein, Anne C; Arrington, Bob; Bjerke, Elizabeth Ferrell

2016-09-01

There is an increasing awareness of the multiple potential pathways leading to human health risks from hydraulic fracturing. Setback distances are a legislative method to mitigate potential risks. We attempted to determine whether legal setback distances between well-pad sites and the public are adequate in three shale plays. We reviewed geography, current statutes and regulations, evacuations, thermal modeling, air pollution studies, and vapor cloud modeling within the Marcellus, Barnett, and Niobrara Shale Plays. The evidence suggests that presently utilized setbacks may leave the public vulnerable to explosions, radiant heat, toxic gas clouds, and air pollution from hydraulic fracturing activities. Our results suggest that setbacks may not be sufficient to reduce potential threats to human health in areas where hydraulic fracturing occurs. It is more likely that a combination of reasonable setbacks with controls for other sources of pollution associated with the process will be required. Haley M, McCawley M, Epstein AC, Arrington B, Bjerke EF. 2016. Adequacy of current state setbacks for directional high-volume hydraulic fracturing in the Marcellus, Barnett, and Niobrara Shale Plays. Environ Health Perspect 124:1323-1333; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1510547.

High User Control in Game Design Elements Increases Compliance and In-game Performance in a Memory Training Game.

PubMed

Nagle, Aniket; Riener, Robert; Wolf, Peter

2015-01-01

Computer games are increasingly being used for training cognitive functions like working memory and attention among the growing population of older adults. While cognitive training games often include elements like difficulty adaptation, rewards, and visual themes to make the games more enjoyable and effective, the effect of different degrees of afforded user control in manipulating these elements has not been systematically studied. To address this issue, two distinct implementations of the three aforementioned game elements were tested among healthy older adults (N = 21, 69.9 ± 6.4 years old) playing a game-like version of the n-back task on a tablet at home for 3 weeks. Two modes were considered, differentiated by the afforded degree of user control of the three elements: user control of difficulty vs. automatic difficulty adaptation, difficulty-dependent rewards vs. automatic feedback messages, and user choice of visual theme vs. no choice. The two modes ("USER-CONTROL" and "AUTO") were compared for frequency of play, duration of play, and in-game performance. Participants were free to play the game whenever and for however long they wished. Participants in USER-CONTROL exhibited significantly higher frequency of playing, total play duration, and in-game performance than participants in AUTO. The results of the present study demonstrate the efficacy of providing user control in the three game elements, while validating a home-based study design in which participants were not bound by any training regimen, and could play the game whenever they wished. The results have implications for designing cognitive training games that elicit higher compliance and better in-game performance, with an emphasis on home-based training.

The influence of the COMT genotype in the underlying functional brain activity of context processing in schizophrenia and in relatives.

PubMed

Lopez-Garcia, Pilar; Cristobal-Huerta, Alexandra; Young Espinoza, Leslie; Molero, Patricio; Ortuño Sanchez-Pedreño, Felipe; Hernández-Tamames, Juan Antonio

2016-11-03

Context processing deficits have been shown to be present in chronic and first episode schizophrenia patients and in their relatives. This cognitive process is linked to frontal functioning and is highly dependent on dopamine levels in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). The catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) enzyme plays a prominent role in regulating dopamine levels in PFC. Genotypic variations in the functional polymorphism Val(158)Met COMT appear to have an impact in dopamine signaling in the PFC of healthy subjects and schizophrenia patients. We aimed to explore the effect of the Val(158)Met COMT polymorphism on brain activation during the performance of a context processing task in healthy subjects, schizophrenia spectrum patients and their healthy relatives. 56 participants performed the Dot Probe Expectancy task (DPX) during the fMRI session. Subjects were genotyped and only the Val and Met homozygotes participated in the study. Schizophrenia spectrum patients and their relatives showed worse performance on context processing measures than healthy control subjects. The Val allele was associated with more context processing errors in healthy controls and in relatives compared to patients. There was a greater recruitment of frontal areas (supplementary motor area/cingulate gyrus) during context processing in patients relative to healthy controls. Met homozygotes subjects activated more frontal areas than Val homozygotes subjects. The Val(158)Met COMT polymorphism influences context processing and on its underlying brain activation, showing less recruitment of frontal areas in the subjects with the genotype associated to lower dopamine availability in PFC. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The development of inhibitory control in preschool children: effects of "executive skills" training.

PubMed

Dowsett, S M; Livesey, D J

2000-03-01

As one of several processes involved in the executive functioning of the cognitive system, inhibitory control plays a significant role in determining how various mental processes work together in the successful performance of a task. Studies of response inhibition have shown that although 3-year-old children have the cognitive capacity to learn the rules required for response control, indicated by the correct verbal response, developmental constraints prevent them from withholding the correct response (Bell & Livesey, 1985; Livesey & Morgan, 1991). Some argue that these abulic dissociations are relative to children's ability to reflect on the rules required for response control (Zelazo, Reznick, & Pinon, 1995). The current study showed that repeated exposure to tasks facilitating the acquisition of increasingly complex rule structures could improve inhibitory control (as measured by a go/no-go discrimination learning task), even in children aged 3 years. These tasks included a variant of Diamond and Boyer's (1989) modified version of the Wisconsin Card Sort Task and a simplification of the change paradigm (Logan & Burkell, 1986). It is argued that experience with these tasks increased the acquisition of complex rules by placing demands on executive processes. This includes response control and other executive functions, such as representational flexibility, the ability to maintain information in working memory, the selective control of attention, and proficiency at error correction. The role of experiential variables in the development of inhibitory control is discussed in terms of the interaction between neural development and appropriate executive task experience in the early years. Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Are there parental socialization effects on the sex-typed behavior of individuals with congenital adrenal hyperplasia?

PubMed

Wong, Wang I; Pasterski, Vickie; Hindmarsh, Peter C; Geffner, Mitchell E; Hines, Melissa

2013-04-01

Influences of prenatal androgen exposure on human sex-typical behavior have been established largely through studies of individuals with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). However, evidence that addresses the potential confounding influence of parental socialization is limited. Parental socialization and its relationship to sex-typical toy play and spatial ability were investigated in two samples involving 137 individuals with CAH and 107 healthy controls. Females with CAH showed more boy-typical toy play and better targeting performance than control females, but did not differ in mental rotations performance. Males with CAH showed worse mental rotations performance than control males, but did not differ in sex-typical toy play or targeting. Reported parental encouragement of girl-typical toy play correlated with girl-typical toy play in all four groups. Moreover, parents reported encouraging less girl-typical, and more boy-typical, toy play in females with CAH than in control females and this reported encouragement partially mediated the relationship between CAH status and sex-typical toy play. Other evidence suggests that the reported parental encouragement of sex-atypical toy play in girls with CAH may be a response to the girls' preferences for boys' toys. Nevertheless, this encouragement could further increase boy-typical behavior in girls with CAH. In contrast to the results for toy play, we found no differential parental socialization for spatial activities and little evidence linking parental socialization to spatial ability. Overall, evidence suggests that prenatal androgen exposure and parental socialization both contribute to sex-typical toy play.

[Play as a care strategy for children with cancer].

PubMed

Lima, Kálya Yasmine Nunes de; Santos, Viviane Euzébia Pereira

2015-06-01

To understand the influence of play in the care process as perceived by children with cancer. A descriptive, exploratory and qualitative study conducted in a children's cancer unit in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. Data were collected between October 2013 and January 2014 by means of photographic records and semi-structured interviews with eight children, and content analysis with emphasis on two categories: Auxiliary instruments during play; and The influence of play in the process of care. Recreational activities involve watching television, using computers, games and toys, drawing, the playroom and the clown, which provide fun, feelings of joy, distraction and interaction with other people. There are several activities at the hospital that are considered play-related and, for the children, they all benefit their care process.

Toward Game-Based Digital Mental Health Interventions: Player Habits and Preferences

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Background Designers of digital interventions for mental health often leverage interactions from games because the intrinsic motivation that results from game-based interventions may increase participation and translate into improved treatment efficacy. However, there are outstanding questions about the suitability (eg, are desktop or mobile interventions more appropriate?) and intervention potential (eg, do people with depression activate enough to play?) of games for mental health. Objective In this paper, we aimed to describe the presently unknown relationship between gaming activity and indicators of well-being so that designers make informed choices when designing game-based interventions for mental health. Methods We gathered validated scales of well-being (Beck’s Depression Inventory [BDI-II], Patient Health Questionnaire [PHQ-9], trait anxiety [TA], and basic psychological needs satisfaction [BPNS]), play importance (control over game behavior: control; gamer identity: identity), and play behavior (play frequency, platform preferences, and genre preferences) in a Web-based survey (N=491). Results The majority of our participants played games a few times a week (45.3%, 222/490) or daily (34.3%, 168/490). In terms of depression, play frequency was associated with PHQ-9 (P=.003); PHQ-9 scores were higher for those who played daily than for those who played a few times a week or less. Similarly, for BDI-II (P=.01), scores were higher for those who played daily than for those who played once a week or less. Genre preferences were not associated with PHQ-9 (P=.32) or BDI-II (P=.68); however, platform preference (ie, mobile, desktop, or console) was associated with PHQ-9 (P=.04); desktop-only players had higher PHQ-9 scores than those who used all platforms. Platform preference was not associated with BDI-II (P=.18). In terms of anxiety, TA was not associated with frequency (P=.23), platform preference (P=.07), or genre preference (P=.99). In terms of needs satisfaction, BPNS was not associated with frequency (P=.25) or genre preference (P=.53), but it was associated with platform preference (P=.01); desktop-only players had lower needs satisfaction than those who used all platforms. As expected, play frequency was associated with identity (P<.001) and control (P<.001); those who played more had identified more as a gamer and had less control over their gameplay. Genre preference was associated with identity (P<.001) and control (P<.001); those who played most common genres had higher control over their play and identified most as gamers. Platform preference was not associated with control (P=.80), but was with identity (P=.001); those who played on all devices identified more as a gamer than those who played on mobiles or consoles only. Conclusions Our results suggest that games are a suitable approach for mental health interventions as they are played broadly by people across a range of indicators of mental health. We further unpack the platform preferences and genre preferences of players with varying levels of well-being. PMID:28428161

Toward Game-Based Digital Mental Health Interventions: Player Habits and Preferences.

PubMed

Mandryk, Regan Lee; Birk, Max Valentin

2017-04-20

Designers of digital interventions for mental health often leverage interactions from games because the intrinsic motivation that results from game-based interventions may increase participation and translate into improved treatment efficacy. However, there are outstanding questions about the suitability (eg, are desktop or mobile interventions more appropriate?) and intervention potential (eg, do people with depression activate enough to play?) of games for mental health. In this paper, we aimed to describe the presently unknown relationship between gaming activity and indicators of well-being so that designers make informed choices when designing game-based interventions for mental health. We gathered validated scales of well-being (Beck's Depression Inventory [BDI-II], Patient Health Questionnaire [PHQ-9], trait anxiety [TA], and basic psychological needs satisfaction [BPNS]), play importance (control over game behavior: control; gamer identity: identity), and play behavior (play frequency, platform preferences, and genre preferences) in a Web-based survey (N=491). The majority of our participants played games a few times a week (45.3%, 222/490) or daily (34.3%, 168/490). In terms of depression, play frequency was associated with PHQ-9 (P=.003); PHQ-9 scores were higher for those who played daily than for those who played a few times a week or less. Similarly, for BDI-II (P=.01), scores were higher for those who played daily than for those who played once a week or less. Genre preferences were not associated with PHQ-9 (P=.32) or BDI-II (P=.68); however, platform preference (ie, mobile, desktop, or console) was associated with PHQ-9 (P=.04); desktop-only players had higher PHQ-9 scores than those who used all platforms. Platform preference was not associated with BDI-II (P=.18). In terms of anxiety, TA was not associated with frequency (P=.23), platform preference (P=.07), or genre preference (P=.99). In terms of needs satisfaction, BPNS was not associated with frequency (P=.25) or genre preference (P=.53), but it was associated with platform preference (P=.01); desktop-only players had lower needs satisfaction than those who used all platforms. As expected, play frequency was associated with identity (P<.001) and control (P<.001); those who played more had identified more as a gamer and had less control over their gameplay. Genre preference was associated with identity (P<.001) and control (P<.001); those who played most common genres had higher control over their play and identified most as gamers. Platform preference was not associated with control (P=.80), but was with identity (P=.001); those who played on all devices identified more as a gamer than those who played on mobiles or consoles only. Our results suggest that games are a suitable approach for mental health interventions as they are played broadly by people across a range of indicators of mental health. We further unpack the platform preferences and genre preferences of players with varying levels of well-being. ©Regan Lee Mandryk, Max Valentin Birk. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 20.04.2017.

Emotional metacontrol of attention: Top-down modulation of sensorimotor processes in a robotic visual search task.

PubMed

Belkaid, Marwen; Cuperlier, Nicolas; Gaussier, Philippe

2017-01-01

Emotions play a significant role in internal regulatory processes. In this paper, we advocate four key ideas. First, novelty detection can be grounded in the sensorimotor experience and allow higher order appraisal. Second, cognitive processes, such as those involved in self-assessment, influence emotional states by eliciting affects like boredom and frustration. Third, emotional processes such as those triggered by self-assessment influence attentional processes. Last, close emotion-cognition interactions implement an efficient feedback loop for the purpose of top-down behavior regulation. The latter is what we call 'Emotional Metacontrol'. We introduce a model based on artificial neural networks. This architecture is used to control a robotic system in a visual search task. The emotional metacontrol intervenes to bias the robot visual attention during active object recognition. Through a behavioral and statistical analysis, we show that this mechanism increases the robot performance and fosters the exploratory behavior to avoid deadlocks.

Processes regulating nitric oxide emissions from soils.

PubMed

Pilegaard, Kim

2013-07-05

Nitric oxide (NO) is a reactive gas that plays an important role in atmospheric chemistry by influencing the production and destruction of ozone and thereby the oxidizing capacity of the atmosphere. NO also contributes by its oxidation products to the formation of acid rain. The major sources of NO in the atmosphere are anthropogenic emissions (from combustion of fossil fuels) and biogenic emission from soils. NO is both produced and consumed in soils as a result of biotic and abiotic processes. The main processes involved are microbial nitrification and denitrification, and chemodenitrification. Thus, the net result is complex and dependent on several factors such as nitrogen availability, organic matter content, oxygen status, soil moisture, pH and temperature. This paper reviews recent knowledge on processes forming NO in soils and the factors controlling its emission to the atmosphere. Schemes for simulating these processes are described, and the results are discussed with the purpose of scaling up to global emission.

Delegation control of multiple unmanned systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flaherty, Susan R.; Shively, Robert J.

2010-04-01

Maturing technologies and complex payloads coupled with a future objective to reduce the logistics burden of current unmanned aerial systems (UAS) operations require a change to the 2-crew employment paradigm. Increased automation and operator supervisory control of unmanned systems have been advocated to meet the objective of reducing the crew requirements, while managing future technologies. Specifically, a delegation control employment strategy has resulted in reduced workload and higher situation awareness for single operators controlling multiple unmanned systems in empirical studies1,2. Delegation control is characterized by the ability for an operator to call a single "play" that initiates prescribed default actions for each vehicle and associated sensor related to a common mission goal. Based upon the effectiveness of delegation control in simulation, the U.S. Army Aeroflightdynamics Directorate (AFDD) developed a Delegation Control (DelCon) operator interface with voice recognition implementation for play selection, real-time play modification, and play status with automation transparency to enable single operator control of multiple unmanned systems in flight. AFDD successfully demonstrated delegation control in a Troops-in-Contact mission scenario at Ft. Ord in 2009. This summary showcases the effort as a beneficial advance in single operator control of multiple UAS.

Detail design of empennage of an unmanned aerial vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarker, Md. Samad; Panday, Shoyon; Rasel, Md; Salam, Md. Abdus; Faisal, Kh. Md.; Farabi, Tanzimul Hasan

2017-12-01

In order to maintain the operational continuity of air defense systems, unmanned autonomous or remotely controlled unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) plays a great role as a target for the anti-aircraft weapons. The aerial vehicle must comply with the requirements of high speed, remotely controlled tracking and navigational aids, operational sustainability and sufficient loiter time. It can also be used for aerial reconnaissance, ground surveillance and other intelligence operations. This paper aims to develop a complete tail design of an unmanned aerial vehicle using Systems Engineering approach. The design fulfils the requirements of longitudinal and directional trim, stability and control provided by the horizontal and vertical tail. Tail control surfaces are designed to provide sufficient control of the aircraft in critical conditions. Design parameters obtained from wing design are utilized in the tail design process as required. Through chronological calculations and successive iterations, optimum values of 26 tail design parameters are determined.

The cerebellum mediates conflict resolution.

PubMed

Schweizer, Tom A; Oriet, Chris; Meiran, Nachshon; Alexander, Michael P; Cusimano, Michael; Stuss, Donald T

2007-12-01

Regions within the frontal and parietal cortex have been implicated as important neural correlates for cognitive control during conflict resolution. Despite the extensive reciprocal connectivity between the cerebellum and these putatively critical cortical areas, a role for the cerebellum in conflict resolution has never been identified. We used a task-switching paradigm that separates processes related to task-set switching and the management of response conflict independent of motor processing. Eleven patients with chronic, focal lesions to the cerebellum and 11 healthy controls were compared. Patients were slower and less accurate in conditions involving conflict resolution. In the absence of response conflict, however, tasks-witching abilities were not impaired in our patients. The cerebellum may play an important role in coordinating with other areas of cortex to modulate active response states. These results are the first demonstration of impaired conflict resolution following cerebellar lesions in the presence of an intact prefrontal cortex.

External cues challenging the internal appetite control system-Overview and practical implications.

PubMed

Bilman, Els; van Kleef, Ellen; van Trijp, Hans

2017-09-02

Inadequate regulation of food intake plays an important role in the development of overweight and obesity, and is under the influence of both the internal appetite control system and external environmental cues. Especially in environments where food is overly available, external cues seem to override and/or undermine internal signals, which put severe challenges on the accurate regulation of food intake. By structuring these external cues around five different phases in the food consumption process this paper aims to provide an overview of the wide range of external cues that potentially facilitate or hamper internal signals and with that influence food intake. For each of the five phases of the food consumption process, meal initiation, meal planning, consumption phase, end of eating episode and time till next meal, the most relevant internal signals are discussed and it is explained how specific external cues exert their influence.

tDCS Over DLPFC Leads to Less Utilitarian Response in Moral-Personal Judgment.

PubMed

Zheng, Haoli; Lu, Xinbo; Huang, Daqiang

2018-01-01

The profound nature of moral judgment has been discussed and debated for centuries. When facing the trade-off between pursuing moral rights and seeking better consequences, most people make different moral choices between two kinds of dilemmas. Such differences were explained by the dual-process theory involving an automatic emotional response and a controlled application of utilitarian decision-rules. In neurocognitive studies, the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) has been demonstrated to play an important role in cognitive "rational" control processes in moral dilemmas. However, the profile of results across studies is not entirely consistent. Although one transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) study revealed that disrupting the right DLPFC led to less utilitarian responses, other TMS studies indicated that inhibition of the right DLPFC led to more utilitarian choices. Moreover, the right temporoparietal junction (TPJ) is essential for its function of integrating belief and intention in moral judgment, which is related to the emotional process according to the dual-process theory. Relatively few studies have reported the causal relationship between TPJ and participants' moral responses, especially in moral dilemmas. In the present study, we aimed to demonstrate a direct link between the neural and behavioral results by application of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in the bilateral DLPFC or TPJ of our participants. We observed that activating the right DLPFC as well as inhibiting the left DLPFC led to less utilitarian judgments, especially in moral-personal conditions, indicating that the right DLPFC plays an essential role, not only through its function of moral reasoning but also through its information integrating process in moral judgments. It was also revealed that altering the excitability of the bilateral TPJ using tDCS negligibly altered the moral response in non-moral, moral-impersonal and moral-personal dilemmas, indicating that bilateral TPJ may have little influence over moral judgments in moral dilemmas.

tDCS Over DLPFC Leads to Less Utilitarian Response in Moral-Personal Judgment

PubMed Central

Zheng, Haoli; Lu, Xinbo; Huang, Daqiang

2018-01-01

The profound nature of moral judgment has been discussed and debated for centuries. When facing the trade-off between pursuing moral rights and seeking better consequences, most people make different moral choices between two kinds of dilemmas. Such differences were explained by the dual-process theory involving an automatic emotional response and a controlled application of utilitarian decision-rules. In neurocognitive studies, the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) has been demonstrated to play an important role in cognitive “rational” control processes in moral dilemmas. However, the profile of results across studies is not entirely consistent. Although one transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) study revealed that disrupting the right DLPFC led to less utilitarian responses, other TMS studies indicated that inhibition of the right DLPFC led to more utilitarian choices. Moreover, the right temporoparietal junction (TPJ) is essential for its function of integrating belief and intention in moral judgment, which is related to the emotional process according to the dual-process theory. Relatively few studies have reported the causal relationship between TPJ and participants' moral responses, especially in moral dilemmas. In the present study, we aimed to demonstrate a direct link between the neural and behavioral results by application of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in the bilateral DLPFC or TPJ of our participants. We observed that activating the right DLPFC as well as inhibiting the left DLPFC led to less utilitarian judgments, especially in moral-personal conditions, indicating that the right DLPFC plays an essential role, not only through its function of moral reasoning but also through its information integrating process in moral judgments. It was also revealed that altering the excitability of the bilateral TPJ using tDCS negligibly altered the moral response in non-moral, moral-impersonal and moral-personal dilemmas, indicating that bilateral TPJ may have little influence over moral judgments in moral dilemmas. PMID:29632472

Learning by playing: A cross-sectional descriptive study of nursing students' experiences of learning clinical reasoning.

PubMed

Koivisto, Jaana-Maija; Multisilta, Jari; Niemi, Hannele; Katajisto, Jouko; Eriksson, Elina

2016-10-01

Clinical reasoning is viewed as a problem-solving activity; in games, players solve problems. To provide excellent patient care, nursing students must gain competence in clinical reasoning. Utilising gaming elements and virtual simulations may enhance learning of clinical reasoning. To investigate nursing students' experiences of learning clinical reasoning process by playing a 3D simulation game. Cross-sectional descriptive study. Thirteen gaming sessions at two universities of applied sciences in Finland. The prototype of the simulation game used in this study was single-player in format. The game mechanics were built around the clinical reasoning process. Nursing students from the surgical nursing course of autumn 2014 (N=166). Data were collected by means of an online questionnaire. In terms of the clinical reasoning process, students learned how to take action and collect information but were less successful in learning to establish goals for patient care or to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions. Learning of the different phases of clinical reasoning process was strongly positively correlated. The students described that they learned mainly to apply theoretical knowledge while playing. The results show that those who played digital games daily or occasionally felt that they learned clinical reasoning by playing the game more than those who did not play at all. Nursing students' experiences of learning the clinical reasoning process by playing a 3D simulation game showed that such games can be used successfully for learning. To ensure that students follow a systematic approach, the game mechanics need to be built around the clinical reasoning process. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bidirectional control of spike timing by GABA(A) receptor-mediated inhibition during theta oscillation in CA1 pyramidal neurons.

PubMed

Kwag, Jeehyun; Paulsen, Ole

2009-08-26

Precisely controlled spike times relative to theta-frequency network oscillations play an important role in hippocampal memory processing. Here we study how inhibitory synaptic input during theta oscillation contributes to the control of spike timing. Using whole-cell patch-clamp recordings from CA1 pyramidal cells in vitro with dynamic clamp to simulate theta-frequency oscillation (5 Hz), we show that gamma-aminobutyric acid-A (GABA(A)) receptor-mediated inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs) can not only delay but also advance the postsynaptic spike depending on the timing of the inhibition relative to the oscillation. Spike time advancement with IPSP was abolished by the h-channel blocker ZD7288 (10 microM), suggesting that IPSPs can interact with intrinsic membrane conductances to yield bidirectional control of spike timing.

Game-Based Rehabilitation for Myoelectric Prosthesis Control.

PubMed

Prahm, Cosima; Vujaklija, Ivan; Kayali, Fares; Purgathofer, Peter; Aszmann, Oskar C

2017-02-09

A high number of upper extremity myoelectric prosthesis users abandon their devices due to difficulties in prosthesis control and lack of motivation to train in absence of a physiotherapist. Virtual training systems, in the form of video games, provide patients with an entertaining and intuitive method for improved muscle coordination and improved overall control. Complementary to established rehabilitation protocols, it is highly beneficial for this virtual training process to start even before receiving the final prosthesis, and to be continued at home for as long as needed. The aim of this study is to evaluate (1) the short-term effects of a commercially available electromyographic (EMG) system on controllability after a simple video game-based rehabilitation protocol, and (2) different input methods, control mechanisms, and games. Eleven able-bodied participants with no prior experience in EMG control took part in this study. Participants were asked to perform a surface EMG test evaluating their provisional maximum muscle contraction, fine accuracy and isolation of electrode activation, and endurance control over at least 300 seconds. These assessments were carried out (1) in a Pregaming session before interacting with three EMG-controlled computer games, (2) in a Postgaming session after playing the games, and (3) in a Follow-Up session two days after the gaming protocol to evaluate short-term retention rate. After each game, participants were given a user evaluation survey for the assessment of the games and their input mechanisms. Participants also received a questionnaire regarding their intrinsic motivation (Intrinsic Motivation Inventory) at the end of the last game. Results showed a significant improvement in fine accuracy electrode activation (P<.01), electrode separation (P=.02), and endurance control (P<.01) from Pregaming EMG assessments to the Follow-Up measurement. The deviation around the EMG goal value diminished and the opposing electrode was activated less frequently. Participants had the most fun playing the games when collecting items and facing challenging game play. Most upper limb amputees use a 2-channel myoelectric prosthesis control. This study demonstrates that this control can be effectively trained by employing a video game-based rehabilitation protocol. ©Cosima Prahm, Ivan Vujaklija, Fares Kayali, Peter Purgathofer, Oskar C Aszmann. Originally published in JMIR Serious Games (http://games.jmir.org), 09.02.2017.

Target size matters: target errors contribute to the generalization of implicit visuomotor learning.

PubMed

Reichenthal, Maayan; Avraham, Guy; Karniel, Amir; Shmuelof, Lior

2016-08-01

The process of sensorimotor adaptation is considered to be driven by errors. While sensory prediction errors, defined as the difference between the planned and the actual movement of the cursor, drive implicit learning processes, target errors (e.g., the distance of the cursor from the target) are thought to drive explicit learning mechanisms. This distinction was mainly studied in the context of arm reaching tasks where the position and the size of the target were constant. We hypothesize that in a dynamic reaching environment, where subjects have to hit moving targets and the targets' dynamic characteristics affect task success, implicit processes will benefit from target errors as well. We examine the effect of target errors on learning of an unnoticed perturbation during unconstrained reaching movements. Subjects played a Pong game, in which they had to hit a moving ball by moving a paddle controlled by their hand. During the game, the movement of the paddle was gradually rotated with respect to the hand, reaching a final rotation of 25°. Subjects were assigned to one of two groups: The high-target error group played the Pong with a small ball, and the low-target error group played with a big ball. Before and after the Pong game, subjects performed open-loop reaching movements toward static targets with no visual feedback. While both groups adapted to the rotation, the postrotation reaching movements were directionally biased only in the small-ball group. This result provides evidence that implicit adaptation is sensitive to target errors. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

What role does the anterior temporal lobe play in sentence-level processing? Neural correlates of syntactic processing in semantic variant primary progressive aphasia.

PubMed

Wilson, Stephen M; DeMarco, Andrew T; Henry, Maya L; Gesierich, Benno; Babiak, Miranda; Mandelli, Maria Luisa; Miller, Bruce L; Gorno-Tempini, Maria Luisa

2014-05-01

Neuroimaging and neuropsychological studies have implicated the anterior temporal lobe (ATL) in sentence-level processing, with syntactic structure-building and/or combinatorial semantic processing suggested as possible roles. A potential challenge to the view that the ATL is involved in syntactic aspects of sentence processing comes from the clinical syndrome of semantic variant primary progressive aphasia (semantic PPA; also known as semantic dementia). In semantic PPA, bilateral neurodegeneration of the ATLs is associated with profound lexical semantic deficits, yet syntax is strikingly spared. The goal of this study was to investigate the neural correlates of syntactic processing in semantic PPA to determine which regions normally involved in syntactic processing are damaged in semantic PPA and whether spared syntactic processing depends on preserved functionality of intact regions, preserved functionality of atrophic regions, or compensatory functional reorganization. We scanned 20 individuals with semantic PPA and 24 age-matched controls using structural MRI and fMRI. Participants performed a sentence comprehension task that emphasized syntactic processing and minimized lexical semantic demands. We found that, in controls, left inferior frontal and left posterior temporal regions were modulated by syntactic processing, whereas anterior temporal regions were not significantly modulated. In the semantic PPA group, atrophy was most severe in the ATLs but extended to the posterior temporal regions involved in syntactic processing. Functional activity for syntactic processing was broadly similar in patients and controls; in particular, whole-brain analyses revealed no significant differences between patients and controls in the regions modulated by syntactic processing. The atrophic left ATL did show abnormal functionality in semantic PPA patients; however, this took the unexpected form of a failure to deactivate. Taken together, our findings indicate that spared syntactic processing in semantic PPA depends on preserved functionality of structurally intact left frontal regions and moderately atrophic left posterior temporal regions, but no functional reorganization was apparent as a consequence of anterior temporal atrophy and dysfunction. These results suggest that the role of the ATL in sentence processing is less likely to relate to syntactic structure-building and more likely to relate to higher-level processes such as combinatorial semantic processing.

Modeling Perceptual Decision Processes

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-17

Ratcliff, & Wagenmakers, in press). Previous research suggests that playing action video games improves performance on sensory, perceptual, and...estimate the contribution of several underlying psychological processes. Their analysis indicated that playing action video games leads to faster...third condition in which no video games were played at all. Behavioral data and diffusion model parameters showed similar practice effects for the

Education, Globalization, and the State in the Age of Terrorism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peters, Michael A.

2004-01-01

Education plays an important role in challenging, combating and in understanding terrorism in its different forms, whether as counter-terrorism or as a form of human rights education. Just as education has played a significant role in the process of nation-building, so education also plays a strong role in the process of empire, globalization and…

User Input Devices’ Impact on Virtual Desktop Trainers

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-07-01

effectiveness?” 3 Background • Literature Review – Evolution of game controllers – Use of Game controllers outside of video games – Personnel...computers verses console video games • Virtual Battlespace 2 (VBS2TM) • Sony PlayStation 3 game controller • Natural Point TrackIR 5 4 Methodology • Phases...gamers” averaged 4.6 years of experience playing video games at 2.1 hours per week – The “Gamers” averaged 10.4 years of experience playing PC Games

Facilitating pragmatic skills through role-play in learners with language learning disability.

PubMed

Abdoola, Fareeaa; Flack, Penelope S; Karrim, Saira B

2017-07-26

Role-based learning involves the process whereby learners acquire skills, knowledge and understanding through the assumption of roles within real-life settings. Role-play holds potential as an effective learning strategy for children; however, there is limited research on the use of role-play as a therapy method within the field of speech-language pathology. Children with language learning disability (LLD) typically present with difficulties in social communication, which can negatively affect their social and academic achievement. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of role-play as a therapy approach targeting the pragmatic skills of stylistic variation and requesting for clarification in learners with LLD. The use of combined positivist and interpretivist paradigms allowed for the implementation of an embedded mixed methods design. An experimental pretest-posttest design was implemented. Eight participants, who were learners with a diagnosis of LLD, were purposefully selected. Data collection was conducted over five phases, utilising the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals (4th Ed.) Pragmatics Profile, discourse completion tasks, session plans and session records. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and were supplemented by qualitative data from session records. Results revealed improvements in stylistic variation and requesting for clarification post role-play intervention, with minimal changes in the control group. Limitations of the study have been reported for consideration when interpreting results. Role-play as a therapy approach targeting two pragmatic skills, stylistic variation and requesting for clarification, was found to be beneficial for learners with LLD. Recommendations for the implementation of role-play as a therapy approach were made.

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

Attention processes in chronic fatigue syndrome: attentional bias for health-related threat and the role of attentional control.

PubMed

Hou, Ruihua; Moss-Morris, Rona; Risdale, Anna; Lynch, Jeannette; Jeevaratnam, Preshan; Bradley, Brendan P; Mogg, Karin

2014-01-01

Cognitive behavioural models of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) propose that attention processes, specifically, enhanced selective attention to health-threat related cues, may play an important role in symptom maintenance. The current study investigated attentional bias towards health-threat stimuli in CFS. It also examined whether individuals with CFS have impaired executive attention, and whether this was related to attentional bias. 27 participants with CFS and 35 healthy controls completed a Visual Probe Task measuring attentional bias, and an Attention Network Test measuring executive attention, alerting and orienting. Participants also completed self-report measures of CFS and mood symptoms. Compared to the control group, the CFS group showed greater attentional bias for health-threat words than pictures; and the CFS group was significantly impaired in executive attention. Furthermore, CFS individuals with poor executive attention showed greater attentional bias to health-threat related words, compared not only to controls but also to CFS individuals with good executive attention. Thus, this study revealed a significant relationship between attentional bias and executive attention in CFS: attentional bias to threat was primarily evident in those with impaired executive attention control. Taking account of individual differences in executive attention control in current intervention models may be beneficial for CFS. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enzymes Involved in Post-transcriptional RNA Metabolism in Gram-negative bacteria

PubMed Central

Mohanty, Bijoy K.

2018-01-01

Gene expression in Gram-negative bacteria is regulated at many levels, including transcription initiation, RNA processing, RNA/RNA interactions, mRNA decay, and translational controls involving enzymes that alter translational efficiency. In this chapter we discuss the various enzymes that control transcription, translation and RNA stability through RNA processing and degradation. RNA processing is essential to generate functional RNAs, while degradation helps control the steady-state level of each individual transcript. For example, all the pre-tRNAs are transcribed with extra nucleotides at both their 5′ and 3′ termini, which are subsequently processed to produce mature tRNAs that can be aminoacylated. Similarly, rRNAs that are transcribed as part of a 30S polycistronic transcript, are matured to individual 16S, 23S and 5S rRNAs. Decay of mRNAs plays a key role in gene regulation through controlling the steady-state level of each transcript, which is essential for maintaining appropriate protein levels. In addition, degradation of both translated and non-translated RNAs recycles nucleotides to facilitate new RNA synthesis. To carry out all these reactions Gram-negative bacteria employ a large number of endonucleases, exonucleases, RNA helicases, and poly(A) polymerase as well as proteins that regulate the catalytic activity of particular ribonucleases. Under certain stress conditions an additional group of specialized endonucleases facilitate the cell’s ability to adapt and survive. Many of the enzymes, such as RNase E, RNase III, polynucleotide phosphorylase, RNase R, and poly(A) polymerase I participate in multiple RNA processing and decay pathways. PMID:29676246

Does playing a sports active video game improve young children's ball skill competence?

PubMed

Johnson, Tara M; Ridgers, Nicola D; Hulteen, Ryan M; Mellecker, Robin R; Barnett, Lisa M

2016-05-01

Actual and perceived object control (commonly ball) skill proficiency is associated with higher physical activity in children and adolescents. Active video games (AVGs) encourage whole body movement to control/play the electronic gaming system and therefore provide an opportunity for screen time to become more active. The purpose of this study was to determine whether playing sports AVGs has a positive influence on young children's actual and perceived object control skills. Two group pre/post experimental design study. Thirty-six children aged 6-10 years old from one school were randomly allocated to a control or intervention condition. The Test of Gross Motor Development-3 assessed object control skill. The Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence for Young Children assessed perceived object control skill. The intervention consisted of 6×50min lunchtime AVG sessions on the Xbox Kinect. Two to three sport games were chosen for participants to play each session. General linear models with either perceived object control or actual object control skill as the outcome variables were conducted. Each base model adjusted for intervention status and pre-score of the respective outcome variable. Additional models adjusted for potential confounding variables (sex of child and game at home). No significant differences between the control and intervention groups were observed for both outcomes. This study found that playing the Xbox Kinect does not significantly influence children's perceived or actual object control skills, suggesting that the utility of the Xbox Kinect for developing perceived and actual object control skill competence is questionable. Copyright © 2015 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

BIN1/M-Amphiphysin2 induces clustering of phosphoinositides to recruit its downstream partner dynamin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Picas, Laura; Viaud, Julien; Schauer, Kristine; Vanni, Stefano; Hnia, Karim; Fraisier, Vincent; Roux, Aurélien; Bassereau, Patricia; Gaits-Iacovoni, Frédérique; Payrastre, Bernard; Laporte, Jocelyn; Manneville, Jean-Baptiste; Goud, Bruno

2014-12-01

Phosphoinositides play a central role in many physiological processes by assisting the recruitment of proteins to membranes through specific phosphoinositide-binding motifs. How this recruitment is coordinated in space and time is not well understood. Here we show that BIN1/M-Amphiphysin2, a protein involved in T-tubule biogenesis in muscle cells and frequently mutated in centronuclear myopathies, clusters PtdIns(4,5)P2 to recruit its downstream partner dynamin. By using several mutants associated with centronuclear myopathies, we find that the N-BAR and the SH3 domains of BIN1 control the kinetics and the accumulation of dynamin on membranes, respectively. We show that phosphoinositide clustering is a mechanism shared by other proteins that interact with PtdIns(4,5)P2, but do not contain a BAR domain. Our numerical simulations point out that clustering is a diffusion-driven process in which phosphoinositide molecules are not sequestered. We propose that this mechanism plays a key role in the recruitment of downstream phosphoinositide-binding proteins.

Xenopus egg extract: A powerful tool to study genome maintenance mechanisms.

PubMed

Hoogenboom, Wouter S; Klein Douwel, Daisy; Knipscheer, Puck

2017-08-15

DNA repair pathways are crucial to maintain the integrity of our genome and prevent genetic diseases such as cancer. There are many different types of DNA damage and specific DNA repair mechanisms have evolved to deal with these lesions. In addition to these repair pathways there is an extensive signaling network that regulates processes important for repair, such as cell cycle control and transcription. Despite extensive research, DNA damage repair and signaling are not fully understood. In vitro systems such as the Xenopus egg extract system, have played, and still play, an important role in deciphering the molecular details of these processes. Xenopus laevis egg extracts contain all factors required to efficiently perform DNA repair outside a cell, using mechanisms conserved in humans. These extracts have been used to study several genome maintenance pathways, including mismatch repair, non-homologous end joining, ICL repair, DNA damage checkpoint activation, and replication fork stability. Here we describe how the Xenopus egg extract system, in combination with specifically designed DNA templates, contributed to our detailed understanding of these pathways. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Morphological evolution of prussian yellow Fe[Fe(CN){sub 6}] colloidal nanospheres

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

Gu, Jianmin, E-mail: jmgu@ysu.edu.cn; Fu, Shaoyan; Jin, Cuihong

2016-07-15

A simple hydrothermal system was developed for controllable morphologies of the Prussian yellow Fe[Fe(CN){sub 6}] nanostructures in the presence of organic additives. Hollow and solid nanospheres of the Prussian yellow materials were successfully synthesized with suitable experimental conditions. It is found that the amounts of organic additives CTAB could result in the formation of the spherical nanocrystals and the hydrolysis of phosphate in the solution could play a role in the final morphology of the products. A possible formation mechanism of the Prussian yellow nanostructures is proposed. - Graphical abstract: A hydrothermal process was developed for controllable fabrication of themore » Prussian yellow hollow and solid nanospheres with the employment of different phosphate. The hydrolysis of phosphate in the solution could play a role in the morphology of the Prussian yellow nanomaterials. The acid phosphate (NaH{sub 2}PO{sub 4}) could result in the formation of the solid nanoparticles. The alkalescent phosphate (Na{sub 2}HPO{sub 4}) could result in the formation of the hollow nanoparticles. Display Omitted.« less

Adsorption Processes in Spacecraft Environmental Control and Life Support Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bauman, Liese Dall; Finn, John E.; Kliss, Mark (Technical Monitor)

1998-01-01

The environmental control and life support system on a spacecraft must maintain a safe and comfortable environment in which the crew can live and work. The system's functions include supplying the crew with oxygen and water as well as removing carbon dioxide, water vapor, and trace contaminants from cabin air. Although open-loop systems have been used in the past, logistics and safety factors of current and future missions in space make near-complete recycling of the cabin's air and water imperative. The recycling process may include separation and reduction of carbon dioxide, removal of trace gas-phase contaminants, recovery and purification of humidity condensate, purification and polishing of wastewater streams, and other processes. Several of these operations can be performed totally or in part by adsorption processes. These processes are frequently good candidates to perform separations and purifications in space due to their gravity independence, high reliability, relatively high energy efficiency, design flexibility, technological maturity, and regenerability. For these reasons, adsorption has historically played a key role in life support on U.S. and Russian piloted spacecraft. This article focuses on three current spacecraft life support applications that often use adsorption technology: gas-phase trace contaminant control, carbon dioxide removal from cabin air, and potable water recovery from waste streams. In each application, adsorption technology has been selected for use on the International Space Station. The requirements, science, and hardware for each of these applications are discussed. Eventually, human space exploration may lead to construction of planetary habitats. These habitats may provide additional opportunities for use of adsorption processes, such as control of greenhouse gas composition, and may have different requirements and resources available to them, such as gases present in the planetary atmosphere. Adsorption separation and purification processes can be expected to continue to fulfill environmental control and life support needs on future missions.

Preschool Gender-Typed Play Behavior at Age 3.5 Years Predicts Physical Aggression at Age 13 Years.

PubMed

Kung, Karson T F; Li, Gu; Golding, Jean; Hines, Melissa

2018-05-01

Gender differences in play behavior and physical aggression have been consistently reported. Theoretical perspectives concerning evolutionary, social, and social-cognitive mechanisms suggest that male-typical play behavior during childhood increases subsequent physical aggression. The evidence supporting these connections is limited, however. The present study investigated the association between gender-typed play behavior in early childhood and physical aggression in early adolescence using a sample drawn from a longitudinal, population study, the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Based on gender-typed play behavior as measured by the Pre-School Activities Inventory at age 3.5 years, samples of masculine (64 boys, 60 girls), feminine (80 boys, 66 girls), and randomly selected control children (55 boys, 67 girls) were recruited at age 13 years and administered the Reinisch Aggression Inventory. After controlling for a range of sociodemographic variables, maternal characteristics, and behavioral problems, including hyperactivity and conduct problems at age 3.5, significant group differences in physical aggression at age 13 were found among children classified as masculine, control, and feminine at age 3.5. Masculine children exhibited significantly more physical aggression than control children or feminine children, and control children exhibited significantly more physical aggression than feminine children. The association between gender-typed play behavior and physical aggression was not moderated by sex. These results suggest that the degree of childhood gender-typed play behavior independently predicts the degree of physical aggression at adolescence in boys and in girls.

Task-dependent response conflict monitoring and cognitive control in anterior cingulate and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices.

PubMed

Kim, Chobok; Chung, Chongwook; Kim, Jeounghoon

2013-11-06

Previous experience affects our behavior in terms of adjustments. It has been suggested that the conflict monitor-controller system implemented in the prefrontal cortex plays a critical role in such adjustments. Previous studies suggested that there exists multiple conflict monitor-controller systems associated with the level of information (i.e., stimulus and response levels). In this study, we sought to test whether different types of conflicts occur at the same information processing level (i.e., response level) are independently processed. For this purpose, we designed a task paradigm to measure two different types of response conflicts using color-based and location-based conflict stimuli and measured the conflict adaptation effects associated with the two types of conflicts either independently (i.e., single conflict conditions) or simultaneously (i.e., a double-conflict condition). The behavioral results demonstrated that performance on current incongruent trials was faster only when the preceding trial was the same type of response conflict regardless of whether they included a single- or double-conflict. Imaging data also showed that anterior cingulate and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices operate in a task-specific manner. These findings suggest that there may be multiple monitor-controller loops for color-based and location-based conflicts even at the same response level. Importantly, our results suggest that double-conflict processing is qualitatively different from single-conflict processing although double-conflict shares the same sources of conflict with two single-conflict conditions. © 2013 Published by Elsevier B.V.

An energy-optimal solution for transportation control of cranes with double pendulum dynamics: Design and experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Ning; Wu, Yiming; Chen, He; Fang, Yongchun

2018-03-01

Underactuated cranes play an important role in modern industry. Specifically, in most situations of practical applications, crane systems exhibit significant double pendulum characteristics, which makes the control problem quite challenging. Moreover, most existing planners/controllers obtained with standard methods/techniques for double pendulum cranes cannot minimize the energy consumption when fulfilling the transportation tasks. Therefore, from a practical perspective, this paper proposes an energy-optimal solution for transportation control of double pendulum cranes. By applying the presented approach, the transportation objective, including fast trolley positioning and swing elimination, is achieved with minimized energy consumption, and the residual oscillations are suppressed effectively with all the state constrains being satisfied during the entire transportation process. As far as we know, this is the first energy-optimal solution for transportation control of underactuated double pendulum cranes with various state and control constraints. Hardware experimental results are included to verify the effectiveness of the proposed approach, whose superior performance is reflected by being experimentally compared with some comparative controllers.

Development of distinct control networks through segregation and integration

PubMed Central

Fair, Damien A.; Dosenbach, Nico U. F.; Church, Jessica A.; Cohen, Alexander L.; Brahmbhatt, Shefali; Miezin, Francis M.; Barch, Deanna M.; Raichle, Marcus E.; Petersen, Steven E.; Schlaggar, Bradley L.

2007-01-01

Human attentional control is unrivaled. We recently proposed that adults depend on distinct frontoparietal and cinguloopercular networks for adaptive online task control versus more stable set control, respectively. During development, both experience-dependent evoked activity and spontaneous waves of synchronized cortical activity are thought to support the formation and maintenance of neural networks. Such mechanisms may encourage tighter “integration” of some regions into networks over time while “segregating” other sets of regions into separate networks. Here we use resting state functional connectivity MRI, which measures correlations in spontaneous blood oxygenation level-dependent signal fluctuations between brain regions to compare previously identified control networks between children and adults. We find that development of the proposed adult control networks involves both segregation (i.e., decreased short-range connections) and integration (i.e., increased long-range connections) of the brain regions that comprise them. Delay/disruption in the developmental processes of segregation and integration may play a role in disorders of control, such as autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and Tourette's syndrome. PMID:17679691

Improving the delivery of global tobacco control.

PubMed

Bitton, Asaf; Green, Carol; Colbert, James

2011-01-01

Tobacco control must remain a critical global health priority given the growing burden of tobacco-induced disease in the developing world. Insights from the emerging field of global health delivery suggest that tobacco control could be improved through a systematic, granular analysis of the processes through which it is promoted, implemented, and combated. Using this framework, a critical bottleneck to the delivery of proven health promotion emerges in the role that the tobacco industry plays in promoting tobacco use and blocking effective tobacco-control policies. This "corporate bottleneck" can also be understood as a root cause of massive disease and suffering upon vulnerable populations worldwide, for the goal of maximizing corporate profit. Naming, understanding, and responding to this corporate bottleneck is crucial to the success of tobacco-control policies. Three case studies of tobacco-control policy--South Africa, the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, and Uruguay--are presented to explore and understand the implications of this analysis. © 2011 Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

Biomechanics as a window into the neural control of movement

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Abstract Biomechanics and motor control are discussed as parts of a more general science, physics of living systems. Major problems of biomechanics deal with exact definition of variables and their experimental measurement. In motor control, major problems are associated with formulating currently unknown laws of nature specific for movements by biological objects. Mechanics-based hypotheses in motor control, such as those originating from notions of a generalized motor program and internal models, are non-physical. The famous problem of motor redundancy is wrongly formulated; it has to be replaced by the principle of abundance, which does not pose computational problems for the central nervous system. Biomechanical methods play a central role in motor control studies. This is illustrated with studies with the reconstruction of hypothetical control variables and those exploring motor synergies within the framework of the uncontrolled manifold hypothesis. Biomechanics and motor control have to merge into physics of living systems, and the earlier this process starts the better. PMID:28149390

Risk-Sensitivity in Sensorimotor Control

PubMed Central

Braun, Daniel A.; Nagengast, Arne J.; Wolpert, Daniel M.

2011-01-01

Recent advances in theoretical neuroscience suggest that motor control can be considered as a continuous decision-making process in which uncertainty plays a key role. Decision-makers can be risk-sensitive with respect to this uncertainty in that they may not only consider the average payoff of an outcome, but also consider the variability of the payoffs. Although such risk-sensitivity is a well-established phenomenon in psychology and economics, it has been much less studied in motor control. In fact, leading theories of motor control, such as optimal feedback control, assume that motor behaviors can be explained as the optimization of a given expected payoff or cost. Here we review evidence that humans exhibit risk-sensitivity in their motor behaviors, thereby demonstrating sensitivity to the variability of “motor costs.” Furthermore, we discuss how risk-sensitivity can be incorporated into optimal feedback control models of motor control. We conclude that risk-sensitivity is an important concept in understanding individual motor behavior under uncertainty. PMID:21283556

Origin of sphinx, a young chimeric RNA gene in Drosophila melanogaster

PubMed Central

Wang, Wen; Brunet, Frédéric G.; Nevo, Eviatar; Long, Manyuan

2002-01-01

Non-protein-coding RNA genes play an important role in various biological processes. How new RNA genes originated and whether this process is controlled by similar evolutionary mechanisms for the origin of protein-coding genes remains unclear. A young chimeric RNA gene that we term sphinx (spx) provides the first insight into the early stage of evolution of RNA genes. spx originated as an insertion of a retroposed sequence of the ATP synthase chain F gene at the cytological region 60DB since the divergence of Drosophila melanogaster from its sibling species 2–3 million years ago. This retrosequence, which is located at 102F on the fourth chromosome, recruited a nearby exon and intron, thereby evolving a chimeric gene structure. This molecular process suggests that the mechanism of exon shuffling, which can generate protein-coding genes, also plays a role in the origin of RNA genes. The subsequent evolutionary process of spx has been associated with a high nucleotide substitution rate, possibly driven by a continuous positive Darwinian selection for a novel function, as is shown in its sex- and development-specific alternative splicing. To test whether spx has adapted to different environments, we investigated its population genetic structure in the unique “Evolution Canyon” in Israel, revealing a similar haplotype structure in spx, and thus similar evolutionary forces operating on spx between environments. PMID:11904380

Elucidating dominant pathways of the nano-particle self-assembly process.

PubMed

Zeng, Xiangze; Li, Bin; Qiao, Qin; Zhu, Lizhe; Lu, Zhong-Yuan; Huang, Xuhui

2016-09-14

Self-assembly processes play a key role in the fabrication of functional nano-structures with widespread application in drug delivery and micro-reactors. In addition to the thermodynamics, the kinetics of the self-assembled nano-structures also play an important role in determining the formed structures. However, as the self-assembly process is often highly heterogeneous, systematic elucidation of the dominant kinetic pathways of self-assembly is challenging. Here, based on mass flow, we developed a new method for the construction of kinetic network models and applied it to identify the dominant kinetic pathways for the self-assembly of star-like block copolymers. We found that the dominant pathways are controlled by two competing kinetic parameters: the encounter time Te, characterizing the frequency of collision and the transition time Tt for the aggregate morphology change from rod to sphere. Interestingly, two distinct self-assembly mechanisms, diffusion of an individual copolymer into the aggregate core and membrane closure, both appear at different stages (with different values of Tt) of a single self-assembly process. In particular, the diffusion mechanism dominates the middle-sized semi-vesicle formation stage (with large Tt), while the membrane closure mechanism dominates the large-sized vesicle formation stage (with small Tt). Through the rational design of the hydrophibicity of the copolymer, we successfully tuned the transition time Tt and altered the dominant self-assembly pathways.

Reduced functional connectivity to the frontal cortex during processing of social cues in autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Hoffmann, Elgin; Brück, Carolin; Kreifelts, Benjamin; Ethofer, Thomas; Wildgruber, Dirk

2016-08-01

People diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) characteristically present with severe difficulties in interpreting every-day social signals. Currently it is assumed that these difficulties might have neurobiological correlates in alterations in activation as well as in connectivity in and between regions of the social perception network suggested to govern the processing of social cues. In this study, we conducted functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)-based activation and connectivity analyses focusing on face-, voice-, and audiovisual-processing brain regions as the most important subareas of the social perception network. Results revealed alterations in connectivity among regions involved in the processing of social stimuli in ASD subjects compared to typically developed (TD) controls-specifically, a reduced connectivity between the left temporal voice area (TVA) and the superior and medial frontal gyrus. Alterations in connectivity, moreover, were correlated with the severity of autistic traits: correlation analysis indicated that the connectivity between the left TVA and the limbic lobe, anterior cingulate and the medial frontal gyrus as well as between the right TVA and the frontal lobe, anterior cingulate, limbic lobe and the caudate decreased with increasing symptom severity. As these frontal regions are understood to play an important role in interpreting and mentalizing social signals, the observed underconnectivity might be construed as playing a role in social impairments in ASD.

Dimensions of Play Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mansell, Maureen

1980-01-01

Draws the connection between childhood play and the unifying, actualizing effects of play in human experience. Examines the concept of play and its integrative function from multidisciplinary perspectives, giving a paradigm for looking at the play process in other expressive forms such as ritual, art, and aesthetic experience. (JMF)

Emotion regulation, attention to emotion, and the ventral attentional network

PubMed Central

Viviani, Roberto

2013-01-01

Accounts of the effect of emotional information on behavioral response and current models of emotion regulation are based on two opposed but interacting processes: automatic bottom-up processes (triggered by emotionally arousing stimuli) and top-down control processes (mapped to prefrontal cortical areas). Data on the existence of a third attentional network operating without recourse to limited-capacity processes but influencing response raise the issue of how it is integrated in emotion regulation. We summarize here data from attention to emotion, voluntary emotion regulation, and on the origin of biases against negative content suggesting that the ventral network is modulated by exposure to emotional stimuli when the task does not constrain the handling of emotional content. In the parietal lobes, preferential activation of ventral areas associated with “bottom-up” attention by ventral network theorists is strongest in studies of cognitive reappraisal. In conditions when no explicit instruction is given to change one's response to emotional stimuli, control of emotionally arousing stimuli is observed without concomitant activation of the dorsal attentional network, replaced by a shift of activation toward ventral areas. In contrast, in studies where emotional stimuli are placed in the role of distracter, the observed deactivation of these ventral semantic association areas is consistent with the existence of proactive control on the role emotional representations are allowed to take in generating response. It is here argued that attentional orienting mechanisms located in the ventral network constitute an intermediate kind of process, with features only partially in common with effortful and automatic processes, which plays an important role in handling emotion by conveying the influence of semantic networks, with which the ventral network is co-localized. Current neuroimaging work in emotion regulation has neglected this system by focusing on a bottom-up/top-down dichotomy of attentional control. PMID:24223546

Neural Correlates of Emotion Regulation in the Ventral Prefrontal Cortex and the Encoding of Subjective Value and Economic Utility

PubMed Central

Viviani, Roberto

2014-01-01

In many studies of the interaction between cognitive control and emotion, the orbitofrontal cortex/ventromedial prefrontal cortex (mOFC/vmPFC) has been associated with an inhibitory function on limbic areas activated by emotionally arousing stimuli, such as the amygdala. This has led to the hypothesis of an inhibitory or regulatory role of mOFC/vmPFC. In studies of cognition and executive function, however, this area is deactivated by focused effort, raising the issue of the nature of the putative regulatory process associated with mOFC/vmPFC. This issue is here revisited in light of findings in the neuroeconomics field demonstrating the importance of mOFC/vmPFC to encoding the subjective value of stimuli or their economic utility. Many studies show that mOFC/vmPFC activity may affect response by activating personal preferences, instead of resorting to effortful control mechanisms typically associated with emotion regulation. Based on these findings, I argue that a simple automatic/controlled dichotomy is insufficient to describe the data on emotion and control of response adequately. Instead, I argue that the notion of subjective value from neuroeconomics studies and the notion of attentional orienting may play key roles in integrating emotion and cognition. mOFC/vmPFC may work together with the inferior parietal lobe, the cortical region associated with attentional orienting, to convey information about motivational priorities and facilitate processing of inputs that are behaviorally relevant. I also suggest that the dominant mode of function of this ventral network may be a distinct type of process with intermediate properties between the automatic and the controlled, and which may co-operate with effortful control processes in order to steer response. PMID:25309459

Atmospheric System Research Marine Low Clouds Workshop Report, January 27-29,2016

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

Jensen, M.; Wang, J.; Wood, R.

Marine low clouds are a major determinant of the Earth?s albedo and are a major source of uncertainty in how the climate responds to changing greenhouse gas levels and anthropogenic aerosol. Marine low clouds are particularly difficult to simulate accurately in climate models, and their remote locations present a significant observational challenge. A complex set of interacting controlling processes determine the coverage, condensate loading, and microphysical and radiative properties of marine low clouds. Marine low clouds are sensitive to atmospheric aerosol in several ways. Interactions at microphysical scales involve changes in the concentration of cloud droplets and precipitation, which inducemore » cloud dynamical impacts including changes in entrainment and mesoscale organization. Marine low clouds are also impacted by atmospheric heating changes due to absorbing aerosols. The response of marine low clouds to aerosol perturbations depends strongly upon the unperturbed aerosol-cloud state, which necessitates greater understanding of processes controlling the budget of aerosol in the marine boundary layer. Entrainment and precipitation mediate the response of low clouds to aerosols but these processes also play leading roles in controlling the aerosol budget. The U.S. Department of Energy Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility and Atmospheric System Research (ASR) program are making major recent investments in observational data sets from fixed and mobile sites dominated by marine low clouds. This report provides specific action items for how these measurements can be used together with process modeling to make progress on understanding and quantifying the key cloud and aerosol controlling processes in the next 5-10 years. Measurements of aerosol composition and its variation with particle size are needed to advance a quantitative, process-level understanding of marine boundary-layer aerosol budget. Quantitative precipitation estimates that combine radar and lidar measurements are becoming available, and these could be used to test process models, quantify precipitation responses to aerosol, and constrain climate models. Models and observations can be used to constrain how clouds respond dynamically to changing precipitation. New measurements of turbulence from ground-based remote sensing could be used to attempt to relate entrainment to the vertical and horizontal structure of turbulence in the boundary layer. Cloud-top entrainment plays a major role in modulating how low clouds respond to both aerosols and to greenhouse gases, so investment in promising new observational estimates would be beneficial. Precipitation formation and radiative cooling both help marine low clouds to organize on the mesoscale. More work is needed to develop metrics to characterize mesoscale organization, to elucidate mechanisms that determine the type and spatial scale of mesoscale cellular convection, and to understand the role of mesoscale structures in the stratocumulus-to-cumulus transition.« less

[Disorders of emotional control in schizophrenia and unilateral brain damage].

PubMed

Kucharska-Pietura, K; Kopacz, G

2001-01-01

Although, emotions play a crucial role in schizophrenia, the changes in emotional dimension still remain controversial. The aim of our work was: 1) to compare the disorders of emotional control between the examined groups: S--non-chronic schizophrenic patients (n = 50), CS--chronic schizophrenic patients (n = 50), N--healthy controls (n = 50), R--right brain-damaged patients (n = 30), and L--left brain-damaged patients (n = 30), 2) to assess a level of impairment of emotional control, its relation to lateralised hemisphere damage and chronicity of schizophrenic process. All psychiatric subjects were diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenics according to DSM-IV criteria and were scored on the PANSS scale after four weeks of neuroleptic treatment. Brain-damaged patients were included if they experienced single-episode cerebrovascular accidents causing right or left hemisphere damage (confirmed in CT scan reports). The neurological patients were examined at least 3 weeks after the onset of cerebrovascular episode. Emotional control was assessed using Brzeziński Questionnaire of Emotional Control aimed at the evaluation of: 1) control in perception and interpretation of emotive situation, 2) emotional arousal, 3) emotional-rational motivation, and 4) acting caused by emotions. Our results revealed significantly greater impairment of emotional control in schizophrenics (chronic schizophrenics, in particular) compared to healthy volunteers. Chronicity of the schizophrenic process seemed to intensify emotional control impairment. Interestingly, no significant qualitative and quantitative differences in emotional control mechanism between unilateral brain-damaged patients and the control group were found.

Video game training enhances cognitive control in older adults.

PubMed

Anguera, J A; Boccanfuso, J; Rintoul, J L; Al-Hashimi, O; Faraji, F; Janowich, J; Kong, E; Larraburo, Y; Rolle, C; Johnston, E; Gazzaley, A

2013-09-05

Cognitive control is defined by a set of neural processes that allow us to interact with our complex environment in a goal-directed manner. Humans regularly challenge these control processes when attempting to simultaneously accomplish multiple goals (multitasking), generating interference as the result of fundamental information processing limitations. It is clear that multitasking behaviour has become ubiquitous in today's technologically dense world, and substantial evidence has accrued regarding multitasking difficulties and cognitive control deficits in our ageing population. Here we show that multitasking performance, as assessed with a custom-designed three-dimensional video game (NeuroRacer), exhibits a linear age-related decline from 20 to 79 years of age. By playing an adaptive version of NeuroRacer in multitasking training mode, older adults (60 to 85 years old) reduced multitasking costs compared to both an active control group and a no-contact control group, attaining levels beyond those achieved by untrained 20-year-old participants, with gains persisting for 6 months. Furthermore, age-related deficits in neural signatures of cognitive control, as measured with electroencephalography, were remediated by multitasking training (enhanced midline frontal theta power and frontal-posterior theta coherence). Critically, this training resulted in performance benefits that extended to untrained cognitive control abilities (enhanced sustained attention and working memory), with an increase in midline frontal theta power predicting the training-induced boost in sustained attention and preservation of multitasking improvement 6 months later. These findings highlight the robust plasticity of the prefrontal cognitive control system in the ageing brain, and provide the first evidence, to our knowledge, of how a custom-designed video game can be used to assess cognitive abilities across the lifespan, evaluate underlying neural mechanisms, and serve as a powerful tool for cognitive enhancement.

Fluid Mixing in the Eye Under Rapid Eye Movement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Jinglin; Gharib, Morteza

2017-11-01

Drug injection is an important technique in certain treatments of eye diseases. The efficacy of chemical mixing plays an important role in determining pharmacokinetics of injected drugs. In this study, we build a device to study the chemical mixing behavior in a spherical structure. The mixing process is visualized and analyzed qualitatively. We hope to understand the chemical convection and diffusion behaviors in correlation with controlled rapid mechanical movements. The results will have potential applications in treatment of eye diseases. Resnick Institute at Caltech.

Evaluating Ammonium, Nitrate and Sulfate Aerosols in 3-Dimensions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mezuman, Keren; Bauer, Susanne E.; Tsigaridis, Kostas

2015-01-01

The effect aerosols have on climate and air quality is a func-on of their chemical composi-on, concentra-on and spa-al distribu-on. These parameters are controlled by emissions, heterogeneous and homogeneous chemistry, where thermodynamics plays a key role, transport, which includes stratospheric-­- tropospheric exchange, and deposi-onal sinks. In this work we demonstrate the effect of some of these processes on the SO4-NH4­-NO3 system using the GISS ModelE2 Global Circula-on Model (GCM).

The Joint Program Dilemma: Analyzing the Pervasive Role that Social Dilemmas Play in Undermining Acquisition Success

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-04-01

from the University of Rochester. Marchetti has worked in digital image processing at Eastman Kodak and in digital control systems at Contraves USA...which was based on a weighted sum of the gain for self and the perceived gain of other stakeholder programs. o A more recent perception of gains weighs...handled with a weighted formula. To the extent that understanding is incomplete (i.e., knowledge of other’s gain is less than 1), a stakeholder program

Event-related brain potentials to emotional images and gonadal steroid hormone levels in patients with schizophrenia and paired controls

PubMed Central

Champagne, Julie; Mendrek, Adrianna; Germain, Martine; Hot, Pascal; Lavoie, Marc E.

2014-01-01

Prominent disturbances in the experience, expression, and emotion recognition in patients with schizophrenia have been relatively well documented over the last few years. Furthermore, sex differences in behavior and brain activity, associated with the processing of various emotions, have been reported in the general population and in schizophrenia patients. Others proposed that sex differences should be rather attributed to testosterone, which may play a role in the etiology of schizophrenia. Also, it had been suggested that estradiol may play a protective role in schizophrenia. Surprisingly, few studies investigating this pathology have focused on both brain substrates and gonadal steroid hormone levels, in emotional processing. In the present study, we investigated electrocortical responses related to emotional valence and arousal as well as gonadal steroid hormone levels in patients with schizophrenia. Event-Related Potentials (ERP) were recorded during exposition to emotional pictures in 18 patients with schizophrenia and in 24 control participants paired on intelligence, manual dominance and socioeconomic status. Given their previous sensitivity to emotional and attention processes, the P200, N200 and the P300 were selected for analysis. More precisely, emotional valence generally affects early components (N200), which reflect early process of selective attention, whereas emotional arousal and valence both influences the P300 component, which is related to memory context updating, and stimulus categorization. Results showed that, in the control group, the amplitude of the N200 was significantly more lateralized over the right hemisphere, while there was no such lateralization in patients with schizophrenia. In patients with schizophrenia, significantly smaller anterior P300 amplitude was observed to the unpleasant, compared to the pleasant. That anterior P300 reduction was also correlated with negative symptoms. The N200 and P300 amplitudes were positively correlated with the estradiol level in all conditions, revealing that the N200 and the P300 were reduced, when estradiol level was higher. Conversely, only the P300 amplitude showed positive correlation with the testosterone level. PMID:24966840

Event-related brain potentials to emotional images and gonadal steroid hormone levels in patients with schizophrenia and paired controls.

PubMed

Champagne, Julie; Mendrek, Adrianna; Germain, Martine; Hot, Pascal; Lavoie, Marc E

2014-01-01

Prominent disturbances in the experience, expression, and emotion recognition in patients with schizophrenia have been relatively well documented over the last few years. Furthermore, sex differences in behavior and brain activity, associated with the processing of various emotions, have been reported in the general population and in schizophrenia patients. Others proposed that sex differences should be rather attributed to testosterone, which may play a role in the etiology of schizophrenia. Also, it had been suggested that estradiol may play a protective role in schizophrenia. Surprisingly, few studies investigating this pathology have focused on both brain substrates and gonadal steroid hormone levels, in emotional processing. In the present study, we investigated electrocortical responses related to emotional valence and arousal as well as gonadal steroid hormone levels in patients with schizophrenia. Event-Related Potentials (ERP) were recorded during exposition to emotional pictures in 18 patients with schizophrenia and in 24 control participants paired on intelligence, manual dominance and socioeconomic status. Given their previous sensitivity to emotional and attention processes, the P200, N200 and the P300 were selected for analysis. More precisely, emotional valence generally affects early components (N200), which reflect early process of selective attention, whereas emotional arousal and valence both influences the P300 component, which is related to memory context updating, and stimulus categorization. Results showed that, in the control group, the amplitude of the N200 was significantly more lateralized over the right hemisphere, while there was no such lateralization in patients with schizophrenia. In patients with schizophrenia, significantly smaller anterior P300 amplitude was observed to the unpleasant, compared to the pleasant. That anterior P300 reduction was also correlated with negative symptoms. The N200 and P300 amplitudes were positively correlated with the estradiol level in all conditions, revealing that the N200 and the P300 were reduced, when estradiol level was higher. Conversely, only the P300 amplitude showed positive correlation with the testosterone level.

An fMRI Study of the Impact of Block Building and Board Games on Spatial Ability

PubMed Central

Newman, Sharlene D.; Hansen, Mitchell T.; Gutierrez, Arianna

2016-01-01

Previous studies have found that block play, board games, and puzzles result in better spatial ability. This study focused on examining the differential impact of structured block play and board games on spatial processing. Two groups of 8-year-old children were studied. One group participated in a five session block play training paradigm and the second group had a similar training protocol but played a word/spelling board game. A mental rotation task was assessed before and after training. The mental rotation task was performed during fMRI to observe the neural changes associated with the two play protocols. Only the block play group showed effects of training for both behavioral measures and fMRI measured brain activation. Behaviorally, the block play group showed improvements in both reaction time and accuracy. Additionally, the block play group showed increased involvement of regions that have been linked to spatial working memory and spatial processing after training. The board game group showed non-significant improvements in mental rotation performance, likely related to practice effects, and no training related brain activation differences. While the current study is preliminary, it does suggest that different “spatial” play activities have differential impacts on spatial processing with structured block play but not board games showing a significant impact on mental rotation performance. PMID:27621714

The effect of a program to promote play to reduce children's post-surgical pain: with plush toys, it hurts less.

PubMed

Ullán, Ana M; Belver, Manuel H; Fernández, Esperanza; Lorente, Felix; Badía, Marta; Fernández, Beatriz

2014-03-01

Various nonpharmacological strategies to relieve hospitalized children's pain propose play as a central element. Play is considered an essential resource to improve the negative psychosocial effects of the disease and the hospitalization itself. However, the empirical research of play in health settings has not received much attention. The goal of this study was to determine the effect of a program to promote play in the hospital on postsurgical pain in pediatric patients. The research hypothesis was that children will manifest less pain if they are distracted through play during the postsurgical period. We carried out a randomized parallel trial with two groups, an experimental group and a control group. The control group did not receive any specific treatment, only the standard attention contemplated in the hospital. The parents of the children from the experimental group received instructions to play with their children in the postsurgical period and specific play material with which to play. The results obtained support the research hypothesis. On average, the children from the experimental group scored lower on a pain scale than the children from the control group. This occurred in the three postsurgical measurements of pain. It is concluded that the program to promote play can decrease children's perception of pain. Copyright © 2014 American Society for Pain Management Nursing. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Innovations in Play Therapy: Issues, Process, and Special Populations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Landreth, Garry L., Ed.

This book is a compilation of discussions on current issues in play therapy. It is designed to help therapists fill in the gaps about working with special populations, which is often not directly addressed in other play therapy resources. The object of the book is to bring together information related to issues and dynamics of the process of this…

Implementation and characterization of a controllable dephasing channel based on coupling polarization and spatial degrees of freedom of light.

PubMed

Urrego, Daniel F; Álvarez, Juan-Rafael; Calderón-Losada, Omar; Svozilík, Jiří; Nuñez, Mayerlin; Valencia, Alejandra

2018-04-30

We present the experimental implementation and theoretical model of a controllable dephasing quantum channel using photonic systems. The channel is implemented by coupling the polarization and the spatial distribution of light that play, in the perspective of open quantum systems, the role of quantum system and environment, respectively. The capability of controlling our channel allows us to visualize its effects in a quantum system. Different from standard dephasing channels, our channel presents an exotic behavior in the sense that the evolution of a state, from a pure to a mixed state, shows an oscillatory behavior if tracked in the Bloch sphere. Additionally, we report the evolution of the purity and perform a quantum process tomography to obtain the χ matrix associated to our channel.

Promoting tissue regeneration by modulating the immune system.

PubMed

Julier, Ziad; Park, Anthony J; Briquez, Priscilla S; Martino, Mikaël M

2017-04-15

The immune system plays a central role in tissue repair and regeneration. Indeed, the immune response to tissue injury is crucial in determining the speed and the outcome of the healing process, including the extent of scarring and the restoration of organ function. Therefore, controlling immune components via biomaterials and drug delivery systems is becoming an attractive approach in regenerative medicine, since therapies based on stem cells and growth factors have not yet proven to be broadly effective in the clinic. To integrate the immune system into regenerative strategies, one of the first challenges is to understand the precise functions of the different immune components during the tissue healing process. While remarkable progress has been made, the immune mechanisms involved are still elusive, and there is indication for both negative and positive roles depending on the tissue type or organ and life stage. It is well recognized that the innate immune response comprising danger signals, neutrophils and macrophages modulates tissue healing. In addition, it is becoming evident that the adaptive immune response, in particular T cell subset activities, plays a critical role. In this review, we first present an overview of the basic immune mechanisms involved in tissue repair and regeneration. Then, we highlight various approaches based on biomaterials and drug delivery systems that aim at modulating these mechanisms to limit fibrosis and promote regeneration. We propose that the next generation of regenerative therapies may evolve from typical biomaterial-, stem cell-, or growth factor-centric approaches to an immune-centric approach. Most regenerative strategies have not yet proven to be safe or reasonably efficient in the clinic. In addition to stem cells and growth factors, the immune system plays a crucial role in the tissue healing process. Here, we propose that controlling the immune-mediated mechanisms of tissue repair and regeneration may support existing regenerative strategies or could be an alternative to using stem cells and growth factors. The first part of this review we highlight key immune mechanisms involved in the tissue healing process and marks them as potential target for designing regenerative strategies. In the second part, we discuss various approaches using biomaterials and drug delivery systems that aim at modulating the components of the immune system to promote tissue regeneration. Copyright © 2017 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dramatic pretend play games uniquely improve emotional control in young children.

PubMed

Goldstein, Thalia R; Lerner, Matthew D

2017-09-15

Pretense is a naturally occurring, apparently universal activity for typically developing children. Yet its function and effects remain unclear. One theorized possibility is that pretense activities, such as dramatic pretend play games, are a possible causal path to improve children's emotional development. Social and emotional skills, particularly emotional control, are critically important for social development, as well as academic performance and later life success. However, the study of such approaches has been criticized for potential bias and lack of rigor, precluding the ability to make strong causal claims. We conducted a randomized, component control (dismantling) trial of dramatic pretend play games with a low-SES group of 4-year-old children (N = 97) to test whether such practice yields generalized improvements in multiple social and emotional outcomes. We found specific effects of dramatic play games only on emotional self-control. Results suggest that dramatic pretend play games involving physicalizing emotional states and traits, pretending to be animals and human characters, and engaging in pretend scenarios in a small group may improve children's emotional control. These findings have implications for the function of pretense and design of interventions to improve emotional control in typical and atypical populations. Further, they provide support for the unique role of dramatic pretend play games for young children, particularly those from low-income backgrounds. A video abstract of this article can be viewed at: https://youtu.be/2GVNcWKRHPk. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

High User Control in Game Design Elements Increases Compliance and In-game Performance in a Memory Training Game

PubMed Central

Nagle, Aniket; Riener, Robert; Wolf, Peter

2015-01-01

Computer games are increasingly being used for training cognitive functions like working memory and attention among the growing population of older adults. While cognitive training games often include elements like difficulty adaptation, rewards, and visual themes to make the games more enjoyable and effective, the effect of different degrees of afforded user control in manipulating these elements has not been systematically studied. To address this issue, two distinct implementations of the three aforementioned game elements were tested among healthy older adults (N = 21, 69.9 ± 6.4 years old) playing a game-like version of the n-back task on a tablet at home for 3 weeks. Two modes were considered, differentiated by the afforded degree of user control of the three elements: user control of difficulty vs. automatic difficulty adaptation, difficulty-dependent rewards vs. automatic feedback messages, and user choice of visual theme vs. no choice. The two modes (“USER-CONTROL” and “AUTO”) were compared for frequency of play, duration of play, and in-game performance. Participants were free to play the game whenever and for however long they wished. Participants in USER-CONTROL exhibited significantly higher frequency of playing, total play duration, and in-game performance than participants in AUTO. The results of the present study demonstrate the efficacy of providing user control in the three game elements, while validating a home-based study design in which participants were not bound by any training regimen, and could play the game whenever they wished. The results have implications for designing cognitive training games that elicit higher compliance and better in-game performance, with an emphasis on home-based training. PMID:26635681

Dietary Factors in the Modulation of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Activity

PubMed Central

Shah, Shinil

2007-01-01

Context As patients look to complementary therapies for management of their diseases, it is important that the physician know the effectiveness and/or lack of effectiveness of a variety of dietary approaches/interventions. Although the pathogenesis of the inflammatory bowel diseases (ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease) is not fully understood, many suspect that diet and various dietary factors may play a modulating role in the disease process. Evidence Acquisition The purpose of this article is to present some of what is known about various dietary/nutritional factors in inflammatory bowel disease, with inclusion of evidence from various studies regarding their putative effect. MedLINE was searched (1965-present) using combinations of the following search terms: diet, inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis. Additionally, references of the articles obtained were searched to identify further potential sources of information. Evidence Synthesis While much information is available regarding various dietary interventions/supplements in regard to inflammatory bowel disease, the lack of controlled trials limits broad applicability. Probiotics are one of the few interventions with promising results and controlled trials. Conclusion While there are many potential and promising dietary factors that may play a role in the modulation of inflammatory bowel disease, it is prudent to await further controlled studies before broad application/physician recommendation in the noted patient population. PMID:17435660

The olfactory pathway mediates sheltering behavior of Caribbean spiny lobsters, Panulirus argus, to conspecific urine signals.

PubMed

Horner, Amy J; Weissburg, Marc J; Derby, Charles D

2008-03-01

The "noses" of diverse taxa are organized into different subsystems whose functions are often not well understood. The "nose" of decapod crustaceans is organized into two parallel pathways that originate in different populations of antennular sensilla and project to specific neuropils in the brain-the aesthetasc/olfactory lobe pathway and the non-aesthetasc/lateral antennular neuropil pathway. In this study, we investigated the role of these pathways in mediating shelter selection of Caribbean spiny lobsters, Panulirus argus, in response to conspecific urine signals. We compared the behavior of ablated animals and intact controls. Our results show that control and non-aesthetasc ablated lobsters have a significant overall preference for shelters emanating urine over control shelters. Thus the non-aesthetasc pathway does not play a critical role in shelter selection. In contrast, spiny lobsters with aesthetascs ablated did not show a preference for either shelter, suggesting that the aesthetasc/olfactory pathway is important for processing social odors. Our results show a difference in the function of these dual chemosensory pathways in responding to social cues, with the aesthetasc/olfactory lobe pathway playing a major role. We discuss our results in the context of why the noses of many animals contain multiple parallel chemosensory systems.

Alterations of the default mode network connectivity in obsessive-compulsive personality disorder: A pilot study.

PubMed

Coutinho, Joana; Goncalves, Oscar Filipe; Soares, José Miguel; Marques, Paulo; Sampaio, Adriana

2016-10-30

Obsessive-compulsive personality (OCPD) disorder is characterized by a pattern of excessive self-control, perfectionism and behavioral and cognitive rigidity. Despite the fact that OCPD is the most common personality disorder in the general population, published studies looking at the brain correlates of this disorder are practically nonexistent. The main goal of this study was to analyze the presence of brain alterations in OCPD when compared to healthy controls, specifically at the level of the Default Mode Network (DMN). The DMN is a well-established resting state network which was found to be associated with psychological processes that may play a key role in OCPD (e.g., self-awareness, episodic future thinking and mental simulation). Ten individuals diagnosed with OCPD and ten healthy controls underwent a clinical assessment interview and a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) acquisition. The results show that OCPD patients presented an increased functional connectivity in the precuneus (i.e., a posterior node of the DMN), known to be involved in the retrieval manipulation of past events in order to solve current problems and develop plans for the future. These results suggest that this key node of the DMN may play an important role in the pathophysiology of OCPD. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Performance following a first professional concussion among National Basketball Association players.

PubMed

Yengo-Kahn, Aaron M; Zuckerman, Scott L; Stotts, Jeff; Zalneraitis, Brian H; Gardner, Ryan M; Kerr, Zachary Y; Solomon, Gary S

2016-09-01

Basketball is a physical game played on a hardwood floor among high-jumping athletes at risk for injury. It is currently unknown how sport-related concussion (SRC) affects player performance after injury among professional basketball players. The objective of this study was to explore the impact of SRC on basketball performance among National Basketball Association (NBA) players. A retrospective, archival cohort study was performed that compared NBA player performance following concussion to pre-concussive performance. A comprehensive NBA injury database, compiled from publically available sources, was queried for NBA players who suffered concussion from 2005-06 to 2014-15 (10 seasons). Intra-and inter-player analyses were performed against a matched control group of players who missed playing time for personal reasons. Following application of inclusion/exclusion criteria and a matching process, 51 concussed players and 51 control players were included in analysis. There were no statistically significant decrements in baseline to post-concussion performance metrics in intra-player or player vs. controls after 5 return games. Our findings suggest that at the NBA level, an athlete's performance in the initial 5 games following injury does not suffer from the after-effects of concussive injury. These results may be useful in counseling professional athletes following a concussion.

Structural neuroplasticity in expert pianists depends on the age of musical training onset.

PubMed

Vaquero, Lucía; Hartmann, Karl; Ripollés, Pablo; Rojo, Nuria; Sierpowska, Joanna; François, Clément; Càmara, Estela; van Vugt, Floris Tijmen; Mohammadi, Bahram; Samii, Amir; Münte, Thomas F; Rodríguez-Fornells, Antoni; Altenmüller, Eckart

2016-02-01

In the last decade, several studies have investigated the neuroplastic changes induced by long-term musical training. Here we investigated structural brain differences in expert pianists compared to non-musician controls, as well as the effect of the age of onset (AoO) of piano playing. Differences with non-musicians and the effect of sensitive periods in musicians have been studied previously, but importantly, this is the first time in which the age of onset of music-training was assessed in a group of musicians playing the same instrument, while controlling for the amount of practice. We recruited a homogeneous group of expert pianists who differed in their AoO but not in their lifetime or present amount of training, and compared them to an age-matched group of non-musicians. A subset of the pianists also completed a scale-playing task in order to control for performance skill level differences. Voxel-based morphometry analysis was used to examine gray-matter differences at the whole-brain level. Pianists showed greater gray matter (GM) volume in bilateral putamen (extending also to hippocampus and amygdala), right thalamus, bilateral lingual gyri and left superior temporal gyrus, but a GM volume shrinkage in the right supramarginal, right superior temporal and right postcentral gyri, when compared to non-musician controls. These results reveal a complex pattern of plastic effects due to sustained musical training: a network involved in reinforcement learning showed increased GM volume, while areas related to sensorimotor control, auditory processing and score-reading presented a reduction in the volume of GM. Behaviorally, early-onset pianists showed higher temporal precision in their piano performance than late-onset pianists, especially in the left hand. Furthermore, early onset of piano playing was associated with smaller GM volume in the right putamen and better piano performance (mainly in the left hand). Our results, therefore, reveal for the first time in a single large dataset of healthy pianists the link between onset of musical practice, behavioral performance, and putaminal gray matter structure. In summary, skill-related plastic adaptations may include decreases and increases in GM volume, dependent on an optimization of the system caused by an early start of musical training. We believe our findings enrich the plasticity discourse and shed light on the neural basis of expert skill acquisition. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An early-branching microbialite cyanobacterium forms intracellular carbonates.

PubMed

Couradeau, Estelle; Benzerara, Karim; Gérard, Emmanuelle; Moreira, David; Bernard, Sylvain; Brown, Gordon E; López-García, Purificación

2012-04-27

Cyanobacteria have affected major geochemical cycles (carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen) on Earth for billions of years. In particular, they have played a major role in the formation of calcium carbonates (i.e., calcification), which has been considered to be an extracellular process. We identified a cyanobacterium in modern microbialites in Lake Alchichica (Mexico) that forms intracellular amorphous calcium-magnesium-strontium-barium carbonate inclusions about 270 nanometers in average diameter, revealing an unexplored pathway for calcification. Phylogenetic analyses place this cyanobacterium within the deeply divergent order Gloeobacterales. The chemical composition and structure of the intracellular precipitates suggest some level of cellular control on the biomineralization process. This discovery expands the diversity of organisms capable of forming amorphous calcium carbonates.

Making RISC.

PubMed

Kawamata, Tomoko; Tomari, Yukihide

2010-07-01

It is well established that 20- to 30-nt small RNAs, including small interfering RNAs, microRNAs and Piwi-interacting RNAs, play crucial roles in regulating gene expression and control a surprisingly diverse array of biological processes. These small RNAs cannot work alone: they must form effector ribonucleoprotein complexes - RNA-induced silencing complexes (RISCs) - to exert their function. Thus, RISC assembly is a key process in small RNA-mediated silencing. Recent biochemical analyses of RISC assembly, together with new structural studies of Argonaute, the core protein component of RISC, suggest a revised view of how mature RISC, which contains single-stranded guide RNA, is built from small RNAs that are born double-stranded. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Micronutrients and diabetes, the case of minerals].

PubMed

Granados-Silvestre, María de Los Ángeles; Ortiz-López, María Guadalupe; Montúfar-Robles, Isela; Menjívar-Iraheta, Marta

2014-01-01

Minerals are essential nutrients for the body, are of inorganic nature which gives them the characteristic of being resistant to heat, are involved in a lot of chemical reactions in metabolism, regulating electrolyte balance, in maintaining bone, in the process of blood clotting and the transmission of nerve impulses, particularly its role as enzyme cofactors confers a key role in various physiological processes. Glucose homeostasis involves a fine coordination of events where hormonal control by insulin plays a key role. However, the role of minerals like magnesium, zinc, chromium, iron and selenium in the diabetes is less obvious and in some cases may be controversial. This review shows the knowledge of these five elements and their correlation with diabetes.

Bubble Induced Disruption of a Planar Solid-Liquid Interface During Controlled Directional Solidification in a Microgravity Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grugel, Richard N.; Brush, Lucien N.; Anilkumar, Amrutur V.

2013-01-01

Pore Formation and Mobility Investigation (PFMI) experiments were conducted in the microgravity environment aboard the International Space Station with the intent of better understanding the role entrained porosity/bubbles play during controlled directional solidification. The planar interface in a slowing growing succinonitrile - 0.24 wt% water alloy was being observed when a nitrogen bubble traversed the mushy zone and remained at the solid-liquid interface. Breakdown of the interface to shallow cells subsequently occurred, and was later evaluated using down-linked data from a nearby thermocouple. These results and other detrimental effects due to the presence of bubbles during solidification processing in a microgravity environment are presented and discussed.

Accumulation of neutral mutations in growing cell colonies with competition.

PubMed

Sorace, Ron; Komarova, Natalia L

2012-12-07

Neutral mutations play an important role in many biological processes including cancer initiation and progression, the generation of drug resistance in bacterial and viral diseases as well as cancers, and the development of organs in multicellular organisms. In this paper we study how neutral mutants are accumulated in nonlinearly growing colonies of cells subject to growth constraints such as crowding or lack of resources. We investigate different types of growth control which range from "division-controlled" to "death-controlled" growth (and various mixtures of both). In division-controlled growth, the burden of handling overcrowding lies with the process of cell-divisions, the divisions slow down as the carrying capacity is approached. In death-controlled growth, it is death rate that increases to slow down expansion. We show that division-controlled growth minimizes the number of accumulated mutations, and death-controlled growth corresponds to the maximum number of mutants. We check that these results hold in both deterministic and stochastic settings. We further develop a general (deterministic) theory of neutral mutations and achieve an analytical understanding of the mutant accumulation in colonies of a given size in the absence of back-mutations. The long-term dynamics of mutants in the presence of back-mutations is also addressed. In particular, with equal forward- and back-mutation rates, if division-controlled and a death-controlled types are competing for space and nutrients, cells obeying division-controlled growth will dominate the population. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Parent-Child Play: Descriptions and Implications.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacDonald, Kevin, Ed.

This volume provides the latest research and theory in the area of children's play with their parents. It includes discussions of the basic processes involved in parent-child play, parent-child play in atypical populations of children, and parent-child play from a cross-cultural perspective. Fifteen chapters follow the introduction, "Parents and…

Arabidopsis YAK1 regulates abscisic acid response and drought resistance.

PubMed

Kim, Dongjin; Ntui, Valentine Otang; Xiong, Liming

2016-07-01

Abscisic acid (ABA) is an important phytohormone that controls several plant processes such as seed germination, seedling growth, and abiotic stress response. Here, we report that AtYak1 plays an important role in ABA signaling and postgermination growth in Arabidopsis. AtYak1 knockout mutant plants were hyposensitive to ABA inhibition of seed germination, cotyledon greening, seedling growth, and stomatal movement. atyak1-1 mutant plants display reduced drought stress resistance, as evidenced by water loss rate and survival rate. Molecular genetic analysis revealed that AtYak1 deficiency led to elevated expression of stomatal-related gene, MYB60, and down-regulation of several stress-responsive genes. Altogether, these results indicate that AtYak1 plays a role as a positive regulator in ABA-mediated drought response in Arabidopsis. © 2016 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.