Sample records for receiving increasing recognition

  1. Mispronunciation Detection for Language Learning and Speech Recognition Adaptation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ge, Zhenhao

    2013-01-01

    The areas of "mispronunciation detection" (or "accent detection" more specifically) within the speech recognition community are receiving increased attention now. Two application areas, namely language learning and speech recognition adaptation, are largely driving this research interest and are the focal points of this work.…

  2. Oxytocin improves emotion recognition for older males.

    PubMed

    Campbell, Anna; Ruffman, Ted; Murray, Janice E; Glue, Paul

    2014-10-01

    Older adults (≥60 years) perform worse than young adults (18-30 years) when recognizing facial expressions of emotion. The hypothesized cause of these changes might be declines in neurotransmitters that could affect information processing within the brain. In the present study, we examined the neuropeptide oxytocin that functions to increase neurotransmission. Research suggests that oxytocin benefits the emotion recognition of less socially able individuals. Men tend to have lower levels of oxytocin and older men tend to have worse emotion recognition than older women; therefore, there is reason to think that older men will be particularly likely to benefit from oxytocin. We examined this idea using a double-blind design, testing 68 older and 68 young adults randomly allocated to receive oxytocin nasal spray (20 international units) or placebo. Forty-five minutes afterward they completed an emotion recognition task assessing labeling accuracy for angry, disgusted, fearful, happy, neutral, and sad faces. Older males receiving oxytocin showed improved emotion recognition relative to those taking placebo. No differences were found for older females or young adults. We hypothesize that oxytocin facilitates emotion recognition by improving neurotransmission in the group with the worst emotion recognition. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Estradiol and luteinizing hormone regulate recognition memory following subchronic phencyclidine: Evidence for hippocampal GABA action.

    PubMed

    Riordan, Alexander J; Schaler, Ari W; Fried, Jenny; Paine, Tracie A; Thornton, Janice E

    2018-05-01

    The cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia are poorly understood and difficult to treat. Estrogens may mitigate these symptoms via unknown mechanisms. To examine these mechanisms, we tested whether increasing estradiol (E) or decreasing luteinizing hormone (LH) could mitigate short-term episodic memory loss in a phencyclidine (PCP) model of schizophrenia. We then assessed whether changes in cortical or hippocampal GABA may underlie these effects. Female rats were ovariectomized and injected subchronically with PCP. To modulate E and LH, animals received estradiol capsules or Antide injections. Short-term episodic memory was assessed using the novel object recognition task (NORT). Brain expression of GAD67 was analyzed via western blot, and parvalbumin-containing cells were counted using immunohistochemistry. Some rats received hippocampal infusions of a GABA A agonist, GABA A antagonist, or GAD inhibitor before behavioral testing. We found that PCP reduced hippocampal GAD67 and abolished recognition memory. Antide restored hippocampal GAD67 and rescued recognition memory in PCP-treated animals. Estradiol prevented PCP's amnesic effect in NORT but failed to restore hippocampal GAD67. PCP did not cause significant differences in number of parvalbumin-expressing cells or cortical expression of GAD67. Hippocampal infusions of a GABA A agonist restored recognition memory in PCP-treated rats. Blocking hippocampal GAD or GABA A receptors in ovx animals reproduced recognition memory loss similar to PCP and inhibited estradiol's protection of recognition memory in PCP-treated animals. In summary, decreasing LH or increasing E can lessen short-term episodic memory loss, as measured by novel object recognition, in a PCP model of schizophrenia. Alterations in hippocampal GABA may contribute to both PCP's effects on recognition memory and the hormones' ability to prevent or reverse them. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Increased contextual cue utilization with tDCS over the prefrontal cortex during a recognition task

    PubMed Central

    Pergolizzi, Denise; Chua, Elizabeth F.

    2016-01-01

    The precise role of the prefrontal and posterior parietal cortices in recognition performance remains controversial, with questions about whether these regions contribute to recognition via the availability of mnemonic evidence or via decision biases and retrieval orientation. Here we used an explicit memory cueing paradigm, whereby external cues probabilistically predict upcoming memoranda as old or new, in our case with 75% validity, and these cues affect recognition decision biases in the direction of the cue. The present study applied bilateral transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over prefrontal or posterior parietal cortex, or sham tDCS, to test the causal role of these regions in recognition accuracy or decision biasing. Participants who received tDCS over prefrontal cortex showed increased cue utilization compared to tDCS over posterior parietal cortex and sham tDCS, suggesting that the prefrontal cortex is involved in processes that contribute to decision biases in memory. PMID:27845032

  5. DEVELOPMENT OF A SAFETY COMMUNICATION AND RECOGNITION PROGRAM FOR CONSTRUCTION

    PubMed Central

    SPARER, EMILY H.; HERRICK, ROBERT F.; DENNERLEIN, JACK T.

    2017-01-01

    Leading-indicator–based (e.g., hazard recognition) incentive programs provide an alternative to controversial lagging-indicator–based (e.g., injury rates) programs. We designed a leading-indicator–based safety communication and recognition program that incentivized safe working conditions. The program was piloted for two months on a commercial construction worksite, and then redesigned using qualitative interview and focus group data from management and workers. We then ran the redesigned program for six months on the same worksite. Foremen received detailed weekly feedback from safety inspections, and posters displayed worksite and subcontractor safety scores. In the final program design, the whole site, not individual subcontractors, was the unit of analysis and recognition. This received high levels of acceptance from workers, who noted increased levels of site unity and team-building. This pilot program showed that construction workers value solidarity with others on site, demonstrating the importance of health and safety programs that engage all workers through a reliable and consistent communication infrastructure. PMID:25815741

  6. Training improves reading speed in peripheral vision: is it due to attention?

    PubMed

    Lee, Hye-Won; Kwon, Miyoung; Legge, Gordon E; Gefroh, Joshua J

    2010-06-01

    Previous research has shown that perceptual training in peripheral vision, using a letter-recognition task, increases reading speed and letter recognition (S. T. L. Chung, G. E. Legge, & S. H. Cheung, 2004). We tested the hypothesis that enhanced deployment of spatial attention to peripheral vision explains this training effect. Subjects were pre- and post-tested with 3 tasks at 10° above and below fixation-RSVP reading speed, trigram letter recognition (used to construct visual-span profiles), and deployment of spatial attention (measured as the benefit of a pre-cue for target position in a lexical-decision task). Groups of five normally sighted young adults received 4 days of trigram letter-recognition training in upper or lower visual fields, or central vision. A control group received no training. Our measure of deployment of spatial attention revealed visual-field anisotropies; better deployment of attention in the lower field than the upper, and in the lower-right quadrant compared with the other three quadrants. All subject groups exhibited slight improvement in deployment of spatial attention to peripheral vision in the post-test, but this improvement was not correlated with training-related increases in reading speed and the size of visual-span profiles. Our results indicate that improved deployment of spatial attention to peripheral vision does not account for improved reading speed and letter recognition in peripheral vision.

  7. Parietal cortex and episodic memory retrieval in schizophrenia.

    PubMed

    Lepage, Martin; Pelletier, Marc; Achim, Amélie; Montoya, Alonso; Menear, Matthew; Lal, Sam

    2010-06-30

    People with schizophrenia consistently show memory impairment on varying tasks including item recognition memory. Relative to the correct rejection of distracter items, the correct recognition of studied items consistently produces an effect termed the old/new effect that is characterized by increased activity in parietal and frontal cortical regions. This effect has received only scant attention in schizophrenia. We examined the old/new effect in 15 people with schizophrenia and 18 controls during an item recognition test, and neural activity was examined with event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging. Both groups performed equally well during the recognition test and showed increased activity in a left dorsolateral prefrontal region and in the precuneus bilaterally during the successful recognition of old items relative to the correct rejection of new items. The control group also exhibited increased activity in the dorsal left parietal cortex. This region has been implicated in the top-down modulation of memory which involves control processes that support memory-retrieval search, monitoring and verification. Although these processes may not be of paramount importance in item recognition memory performance, the present findings suggest that people with schizophrenia may have difficulty with such top-down modulation, a finding consistent with many other studies in information processing.

  8. Oxytocin increases bias, but not accuracy, in face recognition line-ups.

    PubMed

    Bate, Sarah; Bennetts, Rachel; Parris, Benjamin A; Bindemann, Markus; Udale, Robert; Bussunt, Amanda

    2015-07-01

    Previous work indicates that intranasal inhalation of oxytocin improves face recognition skills, raising the possibility that it may be used in security settings. However, it is unclear whether oxytocin directly acts upon the core face-processing system itself or indirectly improves face recognition via affective or social salience mechanisms. In a double-blind procedure, 60 participants received either an oxytocin or placebo nasal spray before completing the One-in-Ten task-a standardized test of unfamiliar face recognition containing target-present and target-absent line-ups. Participants in the oxytocin condition outperformed those in the placebo condition on target-present trials, yet were more likely to make false-positive errors on target-absent trials. Signal detection analyses indicated that oxytocin induced a more liberal response bias, rather than increasing accuracy per se. These findings support a social salience account of the effects of oxytocin on face recognition and indicate that oxytocin may impede face recognition in certain scenarios. © The Author (2014). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  9. Development of a safety communication and recognition program for construction.

    PubMed

    Sparer, Emily H; Herrick, Robert F; Dennerlein, Jack T

    2015-05-01

    Leading-indicator-based (e.g., hazard recognition) incentive programs provide an alternative to controversial lagging-indicator-based (e.g., injury rates) programs. We designed a leading-indicator-based safety communication and recognition program that incentivized safe working conditions. The program was piloted for two months on a commercial construction worksite and then redesigned using qualitative interview and focus group data from management and workers. We then ran the redesigned program for six months on the same worksite. Foremen received detailed weekly feedback from safety inspections, and posters displayed worksite and subcontractor safety scores. In the final program design, the whole site, not individual subcontractors, was the unit of analysis and recognition. This received high levels of acceptance from workers, who noted increased levels of site unity and team-building. This pilot program showed that construction workers value solidarity with others on site, demonstrating the importance of health and safety programs that engage all workers through a reliable and consistent communication infrastructure. © The Author(s) 2015 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

  10. Face Recognition Using Local Quantized Patterns and Gabor Filters

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khryashchev, V.; Priorov, A.; Stepanova, O.; Nikitin, A.

    2015-05-01

    The problem of face recognition in a natural or artificial environment has received a great deal of researchers' attention over the last few years. A lot of methods for accurate face recognition have been proposed. Nevertheless, these methods often fail to accurately recognize the person in difficult scenarios, e.g. low resolution, low contrast, pose variations, etc. We therefore propose an approach for accurate and robust face recognition by using local quantized patterns and Gabor filters. The estimation of the eye centers is used as a preprocessing stage. The evaluation of our algorithm on different samples from a standardized FERET database shows that our method is invariant to the general variations of lighting, expression, occlusion and aging. The proposed approach allows about 20% correct recognition accuracy increase compared with the known face recognition algorithms from the OpenCV library. The additional use of Gabor filters can significantly improve the robustness to changes in lighting conditions.

  11. Effects of health and safety problem recognition on small business facility investment

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Objectives This study involved a survey of the facility investment experiences, which was designed to recognize the importance of health and safety problems, and industrial accident prevention. Ultimately, we hope that small scale industries will create effective industrial accident prevention programs and facility investments. Methods An individual survey of businesses’ present physical conditions, recognition of the importance of the health and safety problems, and facility investment experiences for preventing industrial accidents was conducted. The survey involved 1,145 business operators or management workers in small business places with fewer than 50 workers in six industrial complexes. Results Regarding the importance of occupational health and safety problems (OHS), 54.1% said it was “very important”. Received technical and financial support, and industrial accidents that occurred during the past three years were recognized as highly important for OHS. In an investigation regarding facility investment experiences for industrial accident prevention, the largest factors were business size, greater numbers of industrial accidents, greater technical and financial support received, and greater recognition of the importance of the OHS. The related variables that decided facility investment for industry accident prevention in a logistic regression analysis were the experiences of business facilities where industrial accidents occurred during the past three years, received technical and financial support, and recognition of the OHS. Those considered very important were shown to be highly significant. Conclusions Recognition of health and safety issues was higher when small businesses had experienced industrial accidents or received financial support. The investment in industrial accidents was greater when health and safety issues were recognized as important. Therefore, the goal of small business health and safety projects is to prioritize health and safety issues in terms of business management and recognition of importance. Therefore, currently various support projects are being conducted. However, there are issues regarding the limitations of the target businesses and inadequacies in maintenance and follow-up. Overall, it is necessary to provide various incentives for onsite participation that can lead to increased recognition of health and safety issues and practical investments, while perfecting maintenance and follow up measures by thoroughly revising existing operating systems. PMID:24472180

  12. Effects of health and safety problem recognition on small business facility investment.

    PubMed

    Park, Jisu; Jeong, Harin; Hong, Sujin; Park, Jong-Tae; Kim, Dae-Sung; Kim, Jongseo; Kim, Hae-Joon

    2013-10-23

    This study involved a survey of the facility investment experiences, which was designed to recognize the importance of health and safety problems, and industrial accident prevention. Ultimately, we hope that small scale industries will create effective industrial accident prevention programs and facility investments. An individual survey of businesses' present physical conditions, recognition of the importance of the health and safety problems, and facility investment experiences for preventing industrial accidents was conducted. The survey involved 1,145 business operators or management workers in small business places with fewer than 50 workers in six industrial complexes. Regarding the importance of occupational health and safety problems (OHS), 54.1% said it was "very important". Received technical and financial support, and industrial accidents that occurred during the past three years were recognized as highly important for OHS. In an investigation regarding facility investment experiences for industrial accident prevention, the largest factors were business size, greater numbers of industrial accidents, greater technical and financial support received, and greater recognition of the importance of the OHS. The related variables that decided facility investment for industry accident prevention in a logistic regression analysis were the experiences of business facilities where industrial accidents occurred during the past three years, received technical and financial support, and recognition of the OHS. Those considered very important were shown to be highly significant. Recognition of health and safety issues was higher when small businesses had experienced industrial accidents or received financial support. The investment in industrial accidents was greater when health and safety issues were recognized as important. Therefore, the goal of small business health and safety projects is to prioritize health and safety issues in terms of business management and recognition of importance. Therefore, currently various support projects are being conducted. However, there are issues regarding the limitations of the target businesses and inadequacies in maintenance and follow-up. Overall, it is necessary to provide various incentives for onsite participation that can lead to increased recognition of health and safety issues and practical investments, while perfecting maintenance and follow up measures by thoroughly revising existing operating systems.

  13. Extra virgin olive oil improves learning and memory in SAMP8 mice.

    PubMed

    Farr, Susan A; Price, Tulin O; Dominguez, Ligia J; Motisi, Antonio; Saiano, Filippo; Niehoff, Michael L; Morley, John E; Banks, William A; Ercal, Nuran; Barbagallo, Mario

    2012-01-01

    Polyphenols are potent antioxidants found in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO); antioxidants have been shown to reverse age- and disease-related learning and memory deficits. We examined the effects of EVOO on learning and memory in SAMP8 mice, an age-related learning/memory impairment model associated with increased amyloid-β protein and brain oxidative damage. We administered EVOO, coconut oil, or butter to 11 month old SAMP8 mice for 6 weeks. Mice were tested in T-maze foot shock avoidance and one-trial novel object recognition with a 24 h delay. Mice which received EVOO had improved acquisition in the T-maze and spent more time with the novel object in one-trial novel object recognition versus mice which received coconut oil or butter. Mice that received EVOO had improve T-maze retention compared to the mice that received butter. EVOO increased brain glutathione levels suggesting reduced oxidative stress as a possible mechanism. These effects plus increased glutathione reductase activity, superoxide dismutase activity, and decreased tissue levels of 4-hydroxynoneal and 3-nitrotyrosine were enhanced with enriched EVOO (3 × and 5 × polyphenols concentration). Our findings suggest that EVOO has beneficial effects on learning and memory deficits found in aging and diseases, such as those related to the overproduction of amyloid-β protein, by reversing oxidative damage in the brain, effects that are augmented with increasing concentrations of polyphenols in EVOO.

  14. Vaginocervical stimulation enhances social recognition memory in rats via oxytocin release in the olfactory bulb.

    PubMed

    Larrazolo-López, A; Kendrick, K M; Aburto-Arciniega, M; Arriaga-Avila, V; Morimoto, S; Frias, M; Guevara-Guzmán, R

    2008-03-27

    The ability of vaginocervical stimulation (VCS) to promote olfactory social recognition memory at different stages of the ovarian cycle was investigated in female rats. A juvenile social recognition paradigm was used and memory retention tested at 30 and 300 min after an adult was exposed to a juvenile during three 4-min trials. Results showed that an intact social recognition memory was present at 30 min in animals with or without VCS and at all stages of the estrus cycle. However, whereas no animals in any stage of the estrus cycle showed retention of the specific recognition memory at 300 min, those in the proestrus/estrus phase that received VCS 10 min before the trial started did. In vivo microdialysis studies showed that there was a significant release of oxytocin after VCS in the olfactory bulb during proestrus. There was also increased oxytocin immunoreactivity within the olfactory bulb after VCS in proestrus animals compared with diestrus ones. Furthermore, when animals received an infusion of an oxytocin antagonist directly into the olfactory bulb, or a systemic administration of alpha or beta noradrenaline-antagonists, they failed to show evidence for maintenance of a selective olfactory recognition memory at 300 min. Animals with vagus or pelvic nerve section also showed no memory retention when tested after 300 min. These results suggest that VCS releases oxytocin in the olfactory bulb to enhance the social recognition memory and that this may be due to modulatory actions on noradrenaline release. The vagus and pelvic nerves are responsible for carrying the information from the pelvic area to the CNS.

  15. Intraperirhinal cortex administration of the synthetic cannabinoid, HU210, disrupts object recognition memory in rats.

    PubMed

    Sticht, Martin A; Jacklin, Derek L; Mechoulam, Raphael; Parker, Linda A; Winters, Boyer D

    2015-03-25

    Cannabinoids disrupt learning and memory in human and nonhuman participants. Object recognition memory, which is particularly susceptible to the impairing effects of cannabinoids, relies critically on the perirhinal cortex (PRh); however, to date, the effects of cannabinoids within PRh have not been assessed. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of localized administration of the synthetic cannabinoid, HU210 (0.01, 1.0 μg/hemisphere), into PRh on spontaneous object recognition in Long-Evans rats. Animals received intra-PRh infusions of HU210 before the sample phase, and object recognition memory was assessed at various delays in a subsequent retention test. We found that presample intra-PRh HU210 dose dependently (1.0 μg but not 0.01 μg) interfered with spontaneous object recognition performance, exerting an apparently more pronounced effect when memory demands were increased. These novel findings show that cannabinoid agonists in PRh disrupt object recognition memory. Copyright © 2015 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Effects of intelligibility on working memory demand for speech perception.

    PubMed

    Francis, Alexander L; Nusbaum, Howard C

    2009-08-01

    Understanding low-intelligibility speech is effortful. In three experiments, we examined the effects of intelligibility on working memory (WM) demands imposed by perception of synthetic speech. In all three experiments, a primary speeded word recognition task was paired with a secondary WM-load task designed to vary the availability of WM capacity during speech perception. Speech intelligibility was varied either by training listeners to use available acoustic cues in a more diagnostic manner (as in Experiment 1) or by providing listeners with more informative acoustic cues (i.e., better speech quality, as in Experiments 2 and 3). In the first experiment, training significantly improved intelligibility and recognition speed; increasing WM load significantly slowed recognition. A significant interaction between training and load indicated that the benefit of training on recognition speed was observed only under low memory load. In subsequent experiments, listeners received no training; intelligibility was manipulated by changing synthesizers. Improving intelligibility without training improved recognition accuracy, and increasing memory load still decreased it, but more intelligible speech did not produce more efficient use of available WM capacity. This suggests that perceptual learning modifies the way available capacity is used, perhaps by increasing the use of more phonetically informative features and/or by decreasing use of less informative ones.

  17. Pattern Recognition Using Artificial Neural Network: A Review

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Tai-Hoon

    Among the various frameworks in which pattern recognition has been traditionally formulated, the statistical approach has been most intensively studied and used in practice. More recently, artificial neural network techniques theory have been receiving increasing attention. The design of a recognition system requires careful attention to the following issues: definition of pattern classes, sensing environment, pattern representation, feature extraction and selection, cluster analysis, classifier design and learning, selection of training and test samples, and performance evaluation. In spite of almost 50 years of research and development in this field, the general problem of recognizing complex patterns with arbitrary orientation, location, and scale remains unsolved. New and emerging applications, such as data mining, web searching, retrieval of multimedia data, face recognition, and cursive handwriting recognition, require robust and efficient pattern recognition techniques. The objective of this review paper is to summarize and compare some of the well-known methods used in various stages of a pattern recognition system using ANN and identify research topics and applications which are at the forefront of this exciting and challenging field.

  18. The use of open and machine vision technologies for development of gesture recognition intelligent systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cherkasov, Kirill V.; Gavrilova, Irina V.; Chernova, Elena V.; Dokolin, Andrey S.

    2018-05-01

    The article is devoted to reflection of separate aspects of intellectual system gesture recognition development. The peculiarity of the system is its intellectual block which completely based on open technologies: OpenCV library and Microsoft Cognitive Toolkit (CNTK) platform. The article presents the rationale for the choice of such set of tools, as well as the functional scheme of the system and the hierarchy of its modules. Experiments have shown that the system correctly recognizes about 85% of images received from sensors. The authors assume that the improvement of the algorithmic block of the system will increase the accuracy of gesture recognition up to 95%.

  19. Faculty Development in Business Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nastas, George, III

    1985-01-01

    The benefits and costs accruing to business faculty members who publish are discussed. Benefits include possible salary increases and/or promotions, job security, recognition, and professional stature. Costs include investing time without receiving payment. Suggestions are made for improving publication productivity, getting started, developing a…

  20. Psychological Characteristics of Adolescent Males Who Have Been Sexually Abused.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boisso, Cynthia V.; And Others

    While female victims of sexual abuse have received increased attention, male victims continue to be overlooked. Recognition of effects of sexual abuse has been an important step in increasing identification of and treatment for victims of abuse. To assess the characteristics of male victims, sexually abused male (N=13) and female (N=16)…

  1. Oxytocin Reduces Face Processing Time but Leaves Recognition Accuracy and Eye-Gaze Unaffected.

    PubMed

    Hubble, Kelly; Daughters, Katie; Manstead, Antony S R; Rees, Aled; Thapar, Anita; van Goozen, Stephanie H M

    2017-01-01

    Previous studies have found that oxytocin (OXT) can improve the recognition of emotional facial expressions; it has been proposed that this effect is mediated by an increase in attention to the eye-region of faces. Nevertheless, evidence in support of this claim is inconsistent, and few studies have directly tested the effect of oxytocin on emotion recognition via altered eye-gaze Methods: In a double-blind, within-subjects, randomized control experiment, 40 healthy male participants received 24 IU intranasal OXT and placebo in two identical experimental sessions separated by a 2-week interval. Visual attention to the eye-region was assessed on both occasions while participants completed a static facial emotion recognition task using medium intensity facial expressions. Although OXT had no effect on emotion recognition accuracy, recognition performance was improved because face processing was faster across emotions under the influence of OXT. This effect was marginally significant (p<.06). Consistent with a previous study using dynamic stimuli, OXT had no effect on eye-gaze patterns when viewing static emotional faces and this was not related to recognition accuracy or face processing time. These findings suggest that OXT-induced enhanced facial emotion recognition is not necessarily mediated by an increase in attention to the eye-region of faces, as previously assumed. We discuss several methodological issues which may explain discrepant findings and suggest the effect of OXT on visual attention may differ depending on task requirements. (JINS, 2017, 23, 23-33).

  2. Effective Prediction of Errors by Non-native Speakers Using Decision Tree for Speech Recognition-Based CALL System

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Hongcui; Kawahara, Tatsuya

    CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning) systems using ASR (Automatic Speech Recognition) for second language learning have received increasing interest recently. However, it still remains a challenge to achieve high speech recognition performance, including accurate detection of erroneous utterances by non-native speakers. Conventionally, possible error patterns, based on linguistic knowledge, are added to the lexicon and language model, or the ASR grammar network. However, this approach easily falls in the trade-off of coverage of errors and the increase of perplexity. To solve the problem, we propose a method based on a decision tree to learn effective prediction of errors made by non-native speakers. An experimental evaluation with a number of foreign students learning Japanese shows that the proposed method can effectively generate an ASR grammar network, given a target sentence, to achieve both better coverage of errors and smaller perplexity, resulting in significant improvement in ASR accuracy.

  3. Sexual Abuse Prevention Mobile Application (SAP_MobAPP) for Primary School Children in Korea.

    PubMed

    Moon, Kyoung Ja; Park, Kyung Min; Sung, Yunsick

    2017-07-01

    This study aimed to develop and evaluate the effects of a sexual abuse prevention mobile application, SAP_MobAPP, for primary school children. Forty-five subjects were trained for 40 minutes once a week. The experimental group received education that utilized the SAP_MobAPP. Control group A received Web based sexual abuse prevention education, while control group B received textbook based sexual abuse prevention education. Effectiveness was verified through a survey on child sexual abuse recognition and avoidance skills administered before and after training. The SAP_MobAPP program improved recognition (awareness) and the child's skills to avoid child sexual abuse situations, and the effects were long-lasting. However, differences between groups were not statistically significant. This study developed a sexual abuse prevention application and verified its effectiveness. Awareness and skills to avoid child sexual abuse after app education increased immediately after training and four weeks later. The SAP_MobAPP could be used for sexual abuse prevention education in schools.

  4. Recognition-induced forgetting is not due to category-based set size.

    PubMed

    Maxcey, Ashleigh M

    2016-01-01

    What are the consequences of accessing a visual long-term memory representation? Previous work has shown that accessing a long-term memory representation via retrieval improves memory for the targeted item and hurts memory for related items, a phenomenon called retrieval-induced forgetting. Recently we found a similar forgetting phenomenon with recognition of visual objects. Recognition-induced forgetting occurs when practice recognizing an object during a two-alternative forced-choice task, from a group of objects learned at the same time, leads to worse memory for objects from that group that were not practiced. An alternative explanation of this effect is that category-based set size is inducing forgetting, not recognition practice as claimed by some researchers. This alternative explanation is possible because during recognition practice subjects make old-new judgments in a two-alternative forced-choice task, and are thus exposed to more objects from practiced categories, potentially inducing forgetting due to set-size. Herein I pitted the category-based set size hypothesis against the recognition-induced forgetting hypothesis. To this end, I parametrically manipulated the amount of practice objects received in the recognition-induced forgetting paradigm. If forgetting is due to category-based set size, then the magnitude of forgetting of related objects will increase as the number of practice trials increases. If forgetting is recognition induced, the set size of exemplars from any given category should not be predictive of memory for practiced objects. Consistent with this latter hypothesis, additional practice systematically improved memory for practiced objects, but did not systematically affect forgetting of related objects. These results firmly establish that recognition practice induces forgetting of related memories. Future directions and important real-world applications of using recognition to access our visual memories of previously encountered objects are discussed.

  5. Learning from Leisure: Developing Nature Connectedness in Outdoor Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cosgriff, Marg

    2011-01-01

    The "greening" of outdoor education has received increasing attention from educators in Aotearoa-New Zealand and internationally. Given contemporary global concerns about the scale of environmental issues and the associated recognition that educating for sustainability is a matter of urgency, the continuing exploration of pedagogies…

  6. Emotional Competence, Behavioural Patterning, and Executive Functions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mohtasham, Mandana K.; Patterson, Allyson B.; Vennergrund, Katherine C.; Chen, Eileen; Pasnak, Robert

    2017-01-01

    The importance of social-emotional competence, executive functioning, and behavioural recognition of patterns by young children is receiving increased attention from researchers, schools, parents, and teachers due to the beneficial outcomes of children who have skills in each. This paper presents studies of the correlations between these variables…

  7. Incidental Context Information Increases Recollection

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ameen-Ali, Kamar E.; Norman, Liam J.; Eacott, Madeline J.; Easton, Alexander

    2017-01-01

    The current study describes a receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) task for human participants based on the spontaneous recognition memory paradigms typically used with rodents. Recollection was significantly higher when an object was in the same location and background as at encoding, a combination used to assess episodic-like memory in…

  8. Emotional recognition in depressed epilepsy patients.

    PubMed

    Brand, Jesse G; Burton, Leslie A; Schaffer, Sarah G; Alper, Kenneth R; Devinsky, Orrin; Barr, William B

    2009-07-01

    The current study examined the relationship between emotional recognition and depression using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, Second Edition (MMPI-2), in a population with epilepsy. Participants were a mixture of surgical candidates in addition to those receiving neuropsychological testing as part of a comprehensive evaluation. Results suggested that patients with epilepsy reporting increased levels of depression (Scale D) performed better than those patients reporting low levels of depression on an index of simple facial recognition, and depression was associated with poor prosody discrimination. Further, it is notable that more than half of the present sample had significantly elevated Scale D scores. The potential effects of a mood-congruent bias and implications for social functioning in depressed patients with epilepsy are discussed.

  9. 46 CFR 8.220 - Recognition of a classification society.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Recognition of a classification society. 8.220 Section 8... INSPECTION ALTERNATIVES Recognition of a Classification Society § 8.220 Recognition of a classification society. (a) A classification society must be recognized by the Commandant before it may receive statutory...

  10. 46 CFR 8.220 - Recognition of a classification society.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Recognition of a classification society. 8.220 Section 8... INSPECTION ALTERNATIVES Recognition of a Classification Society § 8.220 Recognition of a classification society. (a) A classification society must be recognized by the Commandant before it may receive statutory...

  11. Supporting Quality Teachers with Recognition

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Andrews, Hans A.

    2011-01-01

    Value has been found in providing recognition and awards programs for excellent teachers. Research has also found a major lack of these programs in both the USA and in Australia. Teachers receiving recognition and awards for their teaching have praised recognition programs as providing motivation for them to continue high-level instruction.…

  12. Non-parallel coevolution of sender and receiver in the acoustic communication system of treefrogs.

    PubMed

    Schul, Johannes; Bush, Sarah L

    2002-09-07

    Advertisement calls of closely related species often differ in quantitative features such as the repetition rate of signal units. These differences are important in species recognition. Current models of signal-receiver coevolution predict two possible patterns in the evolution of the mechanism used by receivers to recognize the call: (i) classical sexual selection models (Fisher process, good genes/indirect benefits, direct benefits models) predict that close relatives use qualitatively similar signal recognition mechanisms tuned to different values of a call parameter; and (ii) receiver bias models (hidden preference, pre-existing bias models) predict that if different signal recognition mechanisms are used by sibling species, evidence of an ancestral mechanism will persist in the derived species, and evidence of a pre-existing bias will be detectable in the ancestral species. We describe qualitatively different call recognition mechanisms in sibling species of treefrogs. Whereas Hyla chrysoscelis uses pulse rate to recognize male calls, Hyla versicolor uses absolute measurements of pulse duration and interval duration. We found no evidence of either hidden preferences or pre-existing biases. The results are compared with similar data from katydids (Tettigonia sp.). In both taxa, the data are not adequately explained by current models of signal-receiver coevolution.

  13. Association of Delayed Antimicrobial Therapy with One-Year Mortality in Pediatric Sepsis.

    PubMed

    Han, Moonjoo; Fitzgerald, Julie C; Balamuth, Fran; Keele, Luke; Alpern, Elizabeth R; Lavelle, Jane; Chilutti, Marianne; Grundmeier, Robert W; Nadkarni, Vinay M; Thomas, Neal J; Weiss, Scott L

    2017-07-01

    Delayed antimicrobial therapy in sepsis is associated with increased hospital mortality, but the impact of antimicrobial timing on long-term outcomes is unknown. We tested the hypothesis that hourly delays to antimicrobial therapy are associated with 1-year mortality in pediatric severe sepsis. Retrospective observational study. Quaternary academic pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) from February 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013. One hundred sixty patients aged ≤21 years treated for severe sepsis. None. We tested the association of hourly delays from sepsis recognition to antimicrobial administration with 1-year mortality using multivariable Cox and logistic regression. Overall 1-year mortality was 24% (39 patients), of whom 46% died after index PICU discharge. Median time from sepsis recognition to antimicrobial therapy was 137 min (IQR 65-287). After adjusting for severity of illness and comorbid conditions, hourly delays up to 3 h were not associated with 1-year mortality. However, increased 1-year mortality was evident in patients who received antimicrobials ≤1 h (aOR 3.8, 95% CI 1.2, 11.7) or >3 h (aOR 3.5, 95% CI 1.3, 9.8) compared with patients who received antimicrobials within 1 to 3 h from sepsis recognition. For the subset of patients who survived index PICU admission, antimicrobial therapy ≤1 h was also associated with increased 1-year mortality (aOR 5.5, 95% CI 1.1, 27.4), while antimicrobial therapy >3 h was not associated with 1-year mortality (aOR 2.2, 95% CI 0.5, 11.0). Hourly delays to antimicrobial therapy, up to 3 h, were not associated with 1-year mortality in pediatric severe sepsis in this study. The finding that antimicrobial therapy ≤1 h from sepsis recognition was associated with increased 1-year mortality should be regarded as hypothesis-generating for future studies.

  14. Electromagnetic versus electrical coupling of personal frequency modulation (FM) receivers to cochlear implant sound processors.

    PubMed

    Schafer, Erin C; Romine, Denise; Musgrave, Elizabeth; Momin, Sadaf; Huynh, Christy

    2013-01-01

    Previous research has suggested that electrically coupled frequency modulation (FM) systems substantially improved speech-recognition performance in noise in individuals with cochlear implants (CIs). However, there is limited evidence to support the use of electromagnetically coupled (neck loop) FM receivers with contemporary CI sound processors containing telecoils. The primary goal of this study was to compare speech-recognition performance in noise and subjective ratings of adolescents and adults using one of three contemporary CI sound processors coupled to electromagnetically and electrically coupled FM receivers from Oticon. A repeated-measures design was used to compare speech-recognition performance in noise and subjective ratings without and with the FM systems across three test sessions (Experiment 1) and to compare performance at different FM-gain settings (Experiment 2). Descriptive statistics were used in Experiment 3 to describe output differences measured through a CI sound processor. Experiment 1 included nine adolescents or adults with unilateral or bilateral Advanced Bionics Harmony (n = 3), Cochlear Nucleus 5 (n = 3), and MED-EL OPUS 2 (n = 3) CI sound processors. In Experiment 2, seven of the original nine participants were tested. In Experiment 3, electroacoustic output was measured from a Nucleus 5 sound processor when coupled to the electromagnetically coupled Oticon Arc neck loop and electrically coupled Oticon R2. In Experiment 1, participants completed a field trial with each FM receiver and three test sessions that included speech-recognition performance in noise and a subjective rating scale. In Experiment 2, participants were tested in three receiver-gain conditions. Results in both experiments were analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of variance. Experiment 3 involved electroacoustic-test measures to determine the monitor-earphone output of the CI alone and CI coupled to the two FM receivers. The results in Experiment 1 suggested that both FM receivers provided significantly better speech-recognition performance in noise than the CI alone; however, the electromagnetically coupled receiver provided significantly better speech-recognition performance in noise and better ratings in some situations than the electrically coupled receiver when set to the same gain. In Experiment 2, the primary analysis suggested significantly better speech-recognition performance in noise for the neck-loop versus electrically coupled receiver, but a second analysis, using the best performance across gain settings for each device, revealed no significant differences between the two FM receivers. Experiment 3 revealed monitor-earphone output differences in the Nucleus 5 sound processor for the two FM receivers when set to the +8 setting used in Experiment 1 but equal output when the electrically coupled device was set to a +16 gain setting and the electromagnetically coupled device was set to the +8 gain setting. Individuals with contemporary sound processors may show more favorable speech-recognition performance in noise electromagnetically coupled FM systems (i.e., Oticon Arc), which is most likely related to the input processing and signal processing pathway within the CI sound processor for direct input versus telecoil input. Further research is warranted to replicate these findings with a larger sample size and to develop and validate a more objective approach to fitting FM systems to CI sound processors. American Academy of Audiology.

  15. Examining ERP correlates of recognition memory: Evidence of accurate source recognition without recollection

    PubMed Central

    Addante, Richard, J.; Ranganath, Charan; Yonelinas, Andrew, P.

    2012-01-01

    Recollection is typically associated with high recognition confidence and accurate source memory. However, subjects sometimes make accurate source memory judgments even for items that are not confidently recognized, and it is not known whether these responses are based on recollection or some other memory process. In the current study, we measured event related potentials (ERPs) while subjects made item and source memory confidence judgments in order to determine whether recollection supported accurate source recognition responses for items that were not confidently recognized. In line with previous studies, we found that recognition memory was associated with two ERP effects: an early on-setting FN400 effect, and a later parietal old-new effect [Late Positive Component (LPC)], which have been associated with familiarity and recollection, respectively. The FN400 increased gradually with item recognition confidence, whereas the LPC was only observed for highly confident recognition responses. The LPC was also related to source accuracy, but only for items that had received a high confidence item recognition response; accurate source judgments to items that were less confidently recognized did not exhibit the typical ERP correlate of recollection or familiarity, but rather showed a late, broadly distributed negative ERP difference. The results indicate that accurate source judgments of episodic context can occur even when recollection fails. PMID:22548808

  16. Effects of intranasal oxytocin on pupil dilation indicate increased salience of socioaffective stimuli.

    PubMed

    Prehn, Kristin; Kazzer, Philipp; Lischke, Alexander; Heinrichs, Markus; Herpertz, Sabine C; Domes, Gregor

    2013-06-01

    To investigate the mechanisms by which oxytocin improves socioaffective processing, we measured behavioral and pupillometric data during a dynamic facial emotion recognition task. In a double-blind between-subjects design, 47 men received either 24 IU intranasal oxytocin (OXT) or a placebo (PLC). Participants in the OXT group recognized all facial expressions at lower intensity levels than did participants in the PLC group. Improved performance was accompanied by increased task-related pupil dilation, indicating an increased recruitment of attentional resources. We also found increased pupil dilation during the processing of female compared with male faces. This gender-specific stimulus effect diminished in the OXT group, in which pupil size specifically increased for male faces. Results suggest that improved emotion recognition after OXT treatment might be due to an intensified processing of stimuli that usually do not recruit much attention. Copyright © 2013 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

  17. The impact of inverted text on visual word processing: An fMRI study.

    PubMed

    Sussman, Bethany L; Reddigari, Samir; Newman, Sharlene D

    2018-06-01

    Visual word recognition has been studied for decades. One question that has received limited attention is how different text presentation orientations disrupt word recognition. By examining how word recognition processes may be disrupted by different text orientations it is hoped that new insights can be gained concerning the process. Here, we examined the impact of rotating and inverting text on the neural network responsible for visual word recognition focusing primarily on a region of the occipto-temporal cortex referred to as the visual word form area (VWFA). A lexical decision task was employed in which words and pseudowords were presented in one of three orientations (upright, rotated or inverted). The results demonstrate that inversion caused the greatest disruption of visual word recognition processes. Both rotated and inverted text elicited increased activation in spatial attention regions within the right parietal cortex. However, inverted text recruited phonological and articulatory processing regions within the left inferior frontal and left inferior parietal cortices. Finally, the VWFA was found to not behave similarly to the fusiform face area in that unusual text orientations resulted in increased activation and not decreased activation. It is hypothesized here that the VWFA activation is modulated by feedback from linguistic processes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Divergent short- and long-term effects of acute stress in object recognition memory are mediated by endogenous opioid system activation.

    PubMed

    Nava-Mesa, Mauricio O; Lamprea, Marisol R; Múnera, Alejandro

    2013-11-01

    Acute stress induces short-term object recognition memory impairment and elicits endogenous opioid system activation. The aim of this study was thus to evaluate whether opiate system activation mediates the acute stress-induced object recognition memory changes. Adult male Wistar rats were trained in an object recognition task designed to test both short- and long-term memory. Subjects were randomly assigned to receive an intraperitoneal injection of saline, 1 mg/kg naltrexone or 3 mg/kg naltrexone, four and a half hours before the sample trial. Five minutes after the injection, half the subjects were submitted to movement restraint during four hours while the other half remained in their home cages. Non-stressed subjects receiving saline (control) performed adequately during the short-term memory test, while stressed subjects receiving saline displayed impaired performance. Naltrexone prevented such deleterious effect, in spite of the fact that it had no intrinsic effect on short-term object recognition memory. Stressed subjects receiving saline and non-stressed subjects receiving naltrexone performed adequately during the long-term memory test; however, control subjects as well as stressed subjects receiving a high dose of naltrexone performed poorly. Control subjects' dissociated performance during both memory tests suggests that the short-term memory test induced a retroactive interference effect mediated through light opioid system activation; such effect was prevented either by low dose naltrexone administration or by strongly activating the opioid system through acute stress. Both short-term memory retrieval impairment and long-term memory improvement observed in stressed subjects may have been mediated through strong opioid system activation, since they were prevented by high dose naltrexone administration. Therefore, the activation of the opioid system plays a dual modulating role in object recognition memory. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Diminutives facilitate word segmentation in natural speech: cross-linguistic evidence.

    PubMed

    Kempe, Vera; Brooks, Patricia J; Gillis, Steven; Samson, Graham

    2007-06-01

    Final-syllable invariance is characteristic of diminutives (e.g., doggie), which are a pervasive feature of the child-directed speech registers of many languages. Invariance in word endings has been shown to facilitate word segmentation (Kempe, Brooks, & Gillis, 2005) in an incidental-learning paradigm in which synthesized Dutch pseudonouns were used. To broaden the cross-linguistic evidence for this invariance effect and to increase its ecological validity, adult English speakers (n=276) were exposed to naturally spoken Dutch or Russian pseudonouns presented in sentence contexts. A forced choice test was given to assess target recognition, with foils comprising unfamiliar syllable combinations in Experiments 1 and 2 and syllable combinations straddling word boundaries in Experiment 3. A control group (n=210) received the recognition test with no prior exposure to targets. Recognition performance improved with increasing final-syllable rhyme invariance, with larger increases for the experimental group. This confirms that word ending invariance is a valid segmentation cue in artificial, as well as naturalistic, speech and that diminutives may aid segmentation in a number of languages.

  20. Social Media and Scientific Meetings: Education Exhibit "Likes" at the Radiological Society of North America Annual Meeting.

    PubMed

    Bunch, Paul M; Wortman, Jeremy R; Andriole, Katherine P

    2016-03-01

    Viewers of electronic education exhibits at the 2013 and 2014 Radiological Society of North America meetings had the opportunity to "like" exhibits, as one might "like" a Facebook or an Instagram post. The purposes of this study were (1) to evaluate for a relationship between exhibit popularity and receiving an award or RadioGraphics invitation, (2) to evaluate for a relationship between exhibit recognition and subsequent popularity, and (3) to quantify and compare the electronic education exhibit likes at the 2013 and the 2014 meetings. Exhibit likes were recorded at the midpoints and ends of both meetings. Data analyses were performed by means of one-way analysis of variance and chi-square tests. There were similar numbers of electronic education exhibits at the 2013 (1856) and 2014 (1793) meetings with no significant difference between meeting years in the number of exhibits chosen for awards (423 vs. 404, P = 0.88) or for RadioGraphics solicitation (190 vs. 169, P = 0.46). In both meeting years, there were statistically significant associations between initial and overall exhibit popularity and exhibit recognition, as well as between exhibit recognition and subsequent popularity. A 152% increase in total likes recorded was observed at the 2014 meeting as compared to the 2013 meeting (11074 vs. 4391, P < 0.0001). Popular exhibits were significantly more likely to receive awards and RadioGraphics invitations. Receiving an award or RadioGraphics invitation was associated with subsequent increased exhibit popularity. Significantly more likes were recorded at the 2014 Radiological Society of North America meeting than at the 2013 meeting. Copyright © 2015 The Association of University Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Training of Older Workers in Canada. Training Discussion Paper No. 22.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Trueman, Mary

    Canadians aged 55 or older are a growing proportion of the population. Involuntary unemployment among older workers is gaining attention as an urgent social problem. The special training needs of older workers and retired individuals have received increasing recognition in Canada. However, concern expressed in the media and in government…

  2. Understanding Parental Views of Adolescent Sexuality and Sex Education in Ecuador: A Qualitative Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jerves, Elena; López, Silvia; Castro, Cecilia; Ortiz, William; Palacios, María; Rober, Peter; Enzlin, Paul

    2014-01-01

    Parents' contribution to sex education is increasingly receiving research attention. This growing interest stems from recognition of the influence that parental attitudes may have both on young people's sexual attitudes and behaviour, and on school-based sex education. Studies regarding parental attitudes towards sexuality are, however, still…

  3. Student Self-Identity as a Critical Thinker: The Influence of Attitudes, Attitude Strength, and Normative Beliefs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Celuch, Kevin; Black, Gary; Warthan, Bradley

    2009-01-01

    During the past decade, critical thinking has received increasing recognition in the marketing education literature. However, much of the extant literature emphasizes techniques tied to implementing critical thinking approaches, while questions exist regarding the processes by which students are influenced through participation in critical…

  4. Opportunities for Recognition Can Improve Learning and Performance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    French, Ron; Henderson, Hester L.; Lavay, Barry; Silliman-French, Lisa

    2013-01-01

    Physical educators need to make an effort to catch students being good and recognize them for their positive accomplishments. Unfortunately, it is usually the students who act inappropriately who receive the majority of the teachers' attention. In order to help increase learning and improve performance and behavior, the physical educator must…

  5. Key Workers and Schools: Meeting the Needs of Children and Young People with Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Webb, Rosemary; Greco, Veronica; Sloper, Patricia; Beecham, Jennifer

    2008-01-01

    Across the world countries are advocating the education of children and young people with disabilities in mainstream schools. There is also increasing interest in developing effective coordination of the specialist services pupils with disabilities receive from different agencies. This is accompanied by growing recognition that such care…

  6. Extracting Words from the Speech Stream at First Exposure

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shoemaker, Ellenor; Rast, Rebekah

    2013-01-01

    The earliest stages of adult language acquisition have received increased attention in recent years (cf. Carroll, introduction to this issue). The study reported here aims to contribute to this discussion by investigating the role of several variables in the development of word recognition strategies during the very first hours of exposure to a…

  7. Segmental Rescoring in Text Recognition

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-02-04

    description relates to rescoring text hypotheses in text recognition based on segmental features. Offline printed text and handwriting recognition (OHR) can... Handwriting , College Park, Md., 2006, which is incorporated by reference here. For the set of training images 202, a character modeler 208 receives

  8. The impact of presentation style on the retention of online health information: a randomized-controlled experiment.

    PubMed

    Frisch, Anne-Linda; Camerini, Luca; Schulz, Peter J

    2013-01-01

    The Internet plays an increasingly important role in health education, providing laypeople with information about health-related topics that range from disease-specific contexts to general health promotion. Compared to traditional health education, the Internet allows the use of multimedia applications that offer promise to enhance individuals' health knowledge and literacy. This study aims at testing the effect of multimedia presentation of health information on learning. Relying on an experimental design, it investigates how retention of information differs for text-only presentation, image-only presentation, and multimedia (text and image) presentation of online health information. Two hundred and forty students were randomly assigned to four groups each exposed to a different website version. Three groups were exposed to the same information using text only, image only, or text and image presentation. A fourth group received unrelated information (control group). Retention was assessed by the means of a recognition test. To examine a possible interaction between website version and recognition test, half of the students received a recognition test in text form and half of them received a recognition test in imagery form. In line with assumptions from Dual Coding Theory, students exposed to the multimedia (text and image) presentation recognized significantly more information than students exposed to the text-only presentation. This did not hold for students exposed to the image-only presentation. The impact of presentation style on retention scores was moderated by the way retention was assessed for image-only presentation, but not for text-only or multimedia presentation. Possible explanations and implications for the design of online health education interventions are discussed.

  9. The effects of computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation on Alzheimer's dementia patients memories.

    PubMed

    Hwang, Jung-Ha; Cha, Hyun-Gyu; Cho, Young-Seok; Kim, Tae-Sue; Cho, Hyuk-Shin

    2015-09-01

    [Purpose] The purpose of the present study was to conduct Computer-Assisted Cognitive Rehabilitation (COMCOG) to examine the effects of COMCOG on Alzheimer's dementia patients' memories. [Subjects] Thirty-five patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's dementia received COMCOG for 30 minutes per day, five days per week for four weeks. [Methods] Before and after the COMCOG intervention, subjects' cognitive functions were evaluated using the Cognitive Assessment Reference Diagnosis System (CARDS) and Mini-Mental State Examination-Korea (MMSE-K) test. [Results] According to the results of the evaluation, among the CARDS scores of the subjects who received COMCOG, the scores of the delayed 10-word list, delayed 10-object list, recognition 10-object, and recent memory significantly increased while the scores of recognition 10-word significantly decreased after intervention compared to before intervention. In addition, among the MMSE-K items, the orientation, registration, and recall showed significant increases. [Conclusion] Based on these results, delay in the progress of memory deterioration can be expected when COMCOG is conducted for Alzheimer's dementia patients who show declines in cognitive functions.

  10. Recognition ROCS Are Curvilinear--Or Are They? On Premature Arguments against the Two-High-Threshold Model of Recognition

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Broder, Arndt; Schutz, Julia

    2009-01-01

    Recent reviews of recognition receiver operating characteristics (ROCs) claim that their curvilinear shape rules out threshold models of recognition. However, the shape of ROCs based on confidence ratings is not diagnostic to refute threshold models, whereas ROCs based on experimental bias manipulations are. Also, fitting predicted frequencies to…

  11. Principal Component 2-D Long Short-Term Memory for Font Recognition on Single Chinese Characters.

    PubMed

    Tao, Dapeng; Lin, Xu; Jin, Lianwen; Li, Xuelong

    2016-03-01

    Chinese character font recognition (CCFR) has received increasing attention as the intelligent applications based on optical character recognition becomes popular. However, traditional CCFR systems do not handle noisy data effectively. By analyzing in detail the basic strokes of Chinese characters, we propose that font recognition on a single Chinese character is a sequence classification problem, which can be effectively solved by recurrent neural networks. For robust CCFR, we integrate a principal component convolution layer with the 2-D long short-term memory (2DLSTM) and develop principal component 2DLSTM (PC-2DLSTM) algorithm. PC-2DLSTM considers two aspects: 1) the principal component layer convolution operation helps remove the noise and get a rational and complete font information and 2) simultaneously, 2DLSTM deals with the long-range contextual processing along scan directions that can contribute to capture the contrast between character trajectory and background. Experiments using the frequently used CCFR dataset suggest the effectiveness of PC-2DLSTM compared with other state-of-the-art font recognition methods.

  12. Localized contourlet features in vehicle make and model recognition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zafar, I.; Edirisinghe, E. A.; Acar, B. S.

    2009-02-01

    Automatic vehicle Make and Model Recognition (MMR) systems provide useful performance enhancements to vehicle recognitions systems that are solely based on Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems. Several vehicle MMR systems have been proposed in literature. In parallel to this, the usefulness of multi-resolution based feature analysis techniques leading to efficient object classification algorithms have received close attention from the research community. To this effect, Contourlet transforms that can provide an efficient directional multi-resolution image representation has recently been introduced. Already an attempt has been made in literature to use Curvelet/Contourlet transforms in vehicle MMR. In this paper we propose a novel localized feature detection method in Contourlet transform domain that is capable of increasing the classification rates up to 4%, as compared to the previously proposed Contourlet based vehicle MMR approach in which the features are non-localized and thus results in sub-optimal classification. Further we show that the proposed algorithm can achieve the increased classification accuracy of 96% at significantly lower computational complexity due to the use of Two Dimensional Linear Discriminant Analysis (2DLDA) for dimensionality reduction by preserving the features with high between-class variance and low inter-class variance.

  13. Incentivizing primary care providers to innovate: building medical homes in the post-Katrina New Orleans safety net.

    PubMed

    Rittenhouse, Diane R; Schmidt, Laura A; Wu, Kevin J; Wiley, James

    2014-02-01

    To evaluate safety-net clinics' responses to a novel community-wide Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) financial incentive program in post-Katrina New Orleans. Between June 2008 and June 2010, we studied 50 primary care clinics in New Orleans receiving federal funds to expand services and improve care delivery. Multiwave, longitudinal, observational study of a local safety-net primary care system. Clinic-level data from a semiannual survey of clinic leaders (89.3 percent response rate), augmented by administrative records. Overall, 62 percent of the clinics responded to financial incentives by achieving PCMH recognition from the National Committee on Quality Assurance (NCQA). Higher patient volume, higher baseline PCMH scores, and type of ownership were significant predictors of achieving NCQA recognition. The steepest increase in adoption of PCMH processes occurred among clinics achieving the highest, Level 3, NCQA recognition. Following NCQA recognition, 88.9 percent stabilized or increased their use of PCMH processes, although several specific PCMH processes had very low rates of adoption overall. Findings demonstrate that widespread PCMH implementation is possible in a safety-net environment when external financial incentives are aligned with the goal of practice innovation. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

  14. Sitagliptin, a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor, improves recognition memory, oxidative stress and hippocampal neurogenesis and upregulates key genes involved in cognitive decline.

    PubMed

    Gault, V A; Lennox, R; Flatt, P R

    2015-04-01

    To examine whether prolonged dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibition can reverse learning and memory impairment in high-fat-fed mice. High-fat-fed mice received oral sitagliptin (50 mg/kg body weight) once daily or saline vehicle over 21 days. An additional group of mice on standard chow received saline vehicle. Energy intake, body weight, glucose and insulin concentrations were measured at regular intervals. Glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity, novel object recognition, DPP-4 activity, hormone analysis, hippocampal gene expression and histology were performed. Sitagliptin decreased circulating DPP-4 activity and improved glucose tolerance, glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity, and reduced plasma triglycerides and cholesterol levels. DPP-4 inhibition improved recognition memory (1.2-fold increase) without affecting hypermoteric activity or anxiety levels. Improvement in memory and learning was linked to reduced immunostaining for 8-oxoguanine and increased doublecortin staining in the hippocampus, which were indicative of reduced brain oxidative stress and increased hippocampal neurogenesis, respectively. These effects were associated with significant upregulation of hippocampal gene expression of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor, glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide receptor, synaptophysin, sirtuin 1, glycogen synthase kinase 3β, superdioxide mutase 2, nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 and vascular endothelial growth factor. Total plasma and brain GLP-1 concentrations were significantly increased after sitagliptin therapy, whereas DPP-4 activity in brain tissue was not altered. These studies show that sitagliptin can reverse memory impairment in high-fat-fed mice and is also associated with improved insulin sensitivity, enhanced hippocampal neurogenesis and reduced oxidative stress. DPP-4 inhibitors may therefore exhibit dual benefits by improving metabolic control and reducing the decline in cognitive function. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  15. Behavioral health needs and problem recognition by older adults receiving home-based aging services.

    PubMed

    Gum, Amber M; Petkus, Andrew; McDougal, Sarah J; Present, Melanie; King-Kallimanis, Bellinda; Schonfeld, Lawrence

    2009-04-01

    Older adults' recognition of a behavioral health need is one of the strongest predictors of their use of behavioral health services. Thus, study aims were to examine behavioral health problems in a sample of older adults receiving home-based aging services, their recognition of behavioral health problems, and covariates of problem recognition. The study design was cross-sectional. Older adults (n = 141) receiving home-based aging services completed interviews that included: Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV; Brief Symptom Inventory-18; attitudinal scales of stigma, expectations regarding aging, and thought suppression; behavioral health treatment experience; and questions about recognition of behavioral health problems. Thirty (21.9%) participants received an Axis I diagnosis (depressive, anxiety, or substance); another 17 (12.1%) were diagnosed with an adjustment disorder. Participants were more likely to recognize having a problem if they had an Axis I diagnosis, more distress on the BSI-18, family member or friend with a behavioral health problem, and greater thought suppression. In logistic regression, participants who identified a family member or friend with a behavioral health problem were more likely to identify having a behavioral health problem themselves. Findings suggest that older adults receiving home-based aging services who recognize behavioral health problems are more likely to have a psychiatric diagnosis or be experiencing significant distress, and they are more familiar with behavioral health problems in others. This familiarity may facilitate treatment planning; thus, older adults with behavioral health problems who do not report familiarity of problems in others likely require additional education. (c) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  16. Dual-Process Models of Associative Recognition in Young and Older Adults: Evidence from Receiver Operating Characteristics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Healy, Michael R.; Light, Leah L.; Chung, Christie

    2005-01-01

    In 3 experiments, young and older adults studied lists of unrelated word pairs and were given confidence-rated item and associative recognition tests. Several different models of recognition were fit to the confidence-rating data using techniques described by S. Macho (2002, 2004). Concordant with previous findings, item recognition data were best…

  17. Receiving Versus Being Denied a Pregnancy Termination and Subsequent Alcohol Use: A Longitudinal Study

    PubMed Central

    Roberts, Sarah C. M.; Delucchi, Kevin; Wilsnack, Sharon C.; Foster, Diana Greene

    2015-01-01

    Aim Research finds women who terminate pregnancies are at risk of subsequent problematic alcohol use, but methodological and conceptual problems are common. This study examines the relationship between receiving versus being denied termination and subsequent alcohol use. Methods Data are from a prospective, longitudinal study of US women seeking pregnancy terminations. Participants presented just before a facility's gestational limit and received terminations (Near Limits, n = 452) or just beyond the limit and were denied terminations (Turnaways, n = 231). Results Groups did not differ in alcohol use before pregnancy recognition. One week after termination-seeking (Turnaways still pregnant, Near Limits not), Turnaways had lower odds of any and binge alcohol use, but did not differ on 1+ problem symptoms. Over 2.5 years, both Near Limits and Turnaways increased any and binge alcohol use, with Turnaways increasing more rapidly. The groups did not converge again on any or binge use. For Near Limits, any alcohol use surpassed the pre-pregnancy recognition level, but binge use did not. Changes in problem symptoms over time were not evident for either group. Conclusion While women who had a termination were more likely to report any and binge alcohol use than women who had a child, this difference was due to a reduction in consumption among women having the child rather than an increase in consumption among women having a termination. Thus, assertions that having a termination leads women to increase alcohol use to cope with having had a termination are not supported. PMID:25787011

  18. Intraspecific Variation in Learning: Worker Wasps Are Less Able to Learn and Remember Individual Conspecific Faces than Queen Wasps.

    PubMed

    Tibbetts, Elizabeth A; Injaian, Allison; Sheehan, Michael J; Desjardins, Nicole

    2018-05-01

    Research on individual recognition often focuses on species-typical recognition abilities rather than assessing intraspecific variation in recognition. As individual recognition is cognitively costly, the capacity for recognition may vary within species. We test how individual face recognition differs between nest-founding queens (foundresses) and workers in Polistes fuscatus paper wasps. Individual recognition mediates dominance interactions among foundresses. Three previously published experiments have shown that foundresses (1) benefit by advertising their identity with distinctive facial patterns that facilitate recognition, (2) have robust memories of individuals, and (3) rapidly learn to distinguish between face images. Like foundresses, workers have variable facial patterns and are capable of individual recognition. However, worker dominance interactions are muted. Therefore, individual recognition may be less important for workers than for foundresses. We find that (1) workers with unique faces receive amounts of aggression similar to those of workers with common faces, indicating that wasps do not benefit from advertising their individual identity with a unique appearance; (2) workers lack robust memories for individuals, as they cannot remember unique conspecifics after a 6-day separation; and (3) workers learn to distinguish between facial images more slowly than foundresses during training. The recognition differences between foundresses and workers are notable because Polistes lack discrete castes; foundresses and workers are morphologically similar, and workers can take over as queens. Overall, social benefits and receiver capacity for individual recognition are surprisingly plastic.

  19. Effects of hydrocortisone on false memory recognition in healthy men and women.

    PubMed

    Duesenberg, Moritz; Weber, Juliane; Schaeuffele, Carmen; Fleischer, Juliane; Hellmann-Regen, Julian; Roepke, Stefan; Moritz, Steffen; Otte, Christian; Wingenfeld, Katja

    2016-12-01

    Most of the studies focusing on the effect of stress on false memories by using psychosocial and physiological stressors yielded diverse results. In the present study, we systematically tested the effect of exogenous hydrocortisone using a false memory paradigm. In this placebo-controlled study, 37 healthy men and 38 healthy women (mean age 24.59 years) received either 10 mg of hydrocortisone or placebo 75 min before using the false memory, that is, Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM), paradigm. We used emotionally charged and neutral DRM-based word lists to look for false recognition rates in comparison to true recognition rates. Overall, we expected an increase in false memory after hydrocortisone compared to placebo. No differences between the cortisol and the placebo group were revealed for false and for true recognition performance. In general, false recognition rates were lower compared to true recognition rates. Furthermore, we found a valence effect (neutral, positive, negative, disgust word stimuli), indicating higher rates of true and false recognition for emotional compared to neutral words. We further found an interaction effect between sex and recognition. Post hoc t tests showed that for true recognition women showed a significantly better memory performance than men, independent of treatment. This study does not support the hypothesis that cortisol decreases the ability to distinguish between old versus novel words in young healthy individuals. However, sex and emotional valence of word stimuli appear to be important moderators. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  20. Does cortisol modulate emotion recognition and empathy?

    PubMed

    Duesenberg, Moritz; Weber, Juliane; Schulze, Lars; Schaeuffele, Carmen; Roepke, Stefan; Hellmann-Regen, Julian; Otte, Christian; Wingenfeld, Katja

    2016-04-01

    Emotion recognition and empathy are important aspects in the interaction and understanding of other people's behaviors and feelings. The Human environment comprises of stressful situations that impact social interactions on a daily basis. Aim of the study was to examine the effects of the stress hormone cortisol on emotion recognition and empathy. In this placebo-controlled study, 40 healthy men and 40 healthy women (mean age 24.5 years) received either 10mg of hydrocortisone or placebo. We used the Multifaceted Empathy Test to measure emotional and cognitive empathy. Furthermore, we examined emotion recognition from facial expressions, which contained two emotions (anger and sadness) and two emotion intensities (40% and 80%). We did not find a main effect for treatment or sex on either empathy or emotion recognition but a sex × emotion interaction on emotion recognition. The main result was a four-way-interaction on emotion recognition including treatment, sex, emotion and task difficulty. At 40% task difficulty, women recognized angry faces better than men in the placebo condition. Furthermore, in the placebo condition, men recognized sadness better than anger. At 80% task difficulty, men and women performed equally well in recognizing sad faces but men performed worse compared to women with regard to angry faces. Apparently, our results did not support the hypothesis that increases in cortisol concentration alone influence empathy and emotion recognition in healthy young individuals. However, sex and task difficulty appear to be important variables in emotion recognition from facial expressions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Moreland Recognition Program.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moreland Elementary School District, San Jose, CA.

    THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THIS DOCUMENT: Recognition for special effort and achievement has been noted as a component of effective schools. Schools in the Moreland School District have effectively improved standards of discipline and achievement by providing forty-six different ways for children to receive positive recognition. Good…

  2. Challenges and Coping Strategies for International Publication: Perceptions of Young Scholars in China

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jiang, Xiaoli; Borg, Erik; Borg, Michaela

    2017-01-01

    Research and the dissemination of scholarship are increasingly global enterprises, engaging scholars throughout the world. In what will be a story familiar to many academics in the West, as well as their inherent desire to disseminate and receive recognition for their research, Chinese scholars face pressures from their institutions to publish in…

  3. Testing a Neurocomputational Model of Recollection, Familiarity, and Source Recognition

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Elfman, Kane W.; Parks, Colleen M.; Yonelinas, Andrew P.

    2008-01-01

    The authors assess whether the complementary learning systems model of the medial temporal lobes (Norman & O'Reilly, 2003) is able to account for source recognition receiver operating characteristics (ROCs). The model assumes that recognition reflects the contribution of a hippocampally mediated recollection process and a cortically mediated…

  4. The Role of Antibody in Korean Word Recognition

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Chang Hwan; Lee, Yoonhyoung; Kim, Kyungil

    2010-01-01

    A subsyllabic phonological unit, the antibody, has received little attention as a potential fundamental processing unit in word recognition. The psychological reality of the antibody in Korean recognition was investigated by looking at the performance of subjects presented with nonwords and words in the lexical decision task. In Experiment 1, the…

  5. EPO improved neurologic outcome in rat pups late after traumatic brain injury.

    PubMed

    Schober, Michelle E; Requena, Daniela F; Rodesch, Christopher K

    2018-05-01

    In adult rats, erythropoietin improved outcomes early and late after traumatic brain injury, associated with increased levels of Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor. Using our model of pediatric traumatic brain injury, controlled cortical impact in 17-day old rats, we previously showed that erythropoietin increased hippocampal neuronal fraction in the first two days after injury. Erythropoietin also decreased activation of caspase3, an apoptotic enzyme modulated by Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor, and improved Novel Object Recognition testing 14 days after injury. Data on long-term effects of erythropoietin on Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor expression, histology and cognitive function after developmental traumatic brain injury are lacking. We hypothesized that erythropoietin would increase Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor and improve long-term object recognition in rat pups after controlled cortical impact, associated with increased neuronal fraction in the hippocampus. Rats pups received erythropoietin or vehicle at 1, 24, and 48 h and 7 days after injury or sham surgery followed by histology at 35 days, Novel Object Recognition testing at adulthood, and Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor measurements early and late after injury. Erythropoietin improved Novel Object Recognition performance and preserved hippocampal volume, but not neuronal fraction, late after injury. Improved object recognition in erythropoietin treated rats was associated with preserved hippocampal volume late after traumatic brain injury. Erythropoietin is approved to treat various pediatric conditions. Coupled with exciting experimental and clinical studies suggesting it is beneficial after neonatal hypoxic ischemic brain injury, our preliminary findings support further study of erythropoietin use after developmental traumatic brain injury. Copyright © 2018 The Japanese Society of Child Neurology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Prosocial effects of prolactin in male rats: Social recognition, social approach and social learning.

    PubMed

    Donhoffner, Mary E; Al Saleh, Samar; Schink, Olivia; Wood, Ruth I

    2017-11-01

    Prolactin (PRL) and oxytocin (OT) are pituitary hormones essential for lactation, but also promote sexual behavior. OT stimulates social behaviors, such as recognition, approach, and learning, but less is known about PRL in these behaviors. Since PRL and OT have complementary functions in reproduction, we hypothesized that PRL increases social recognition, approach, and learning. Male Long-Evans rats received ovine PRL (oPRL; 0.5, 2.0 or 5.0mg/kg), the PRL antagonist bromocriptine (0.1, 3.0 or 5.0mg/kg) or saline 20 mins before testing for recognition of familiar vs. unfamiliar stimulus males. Saline controls preferred the unfamiliar male (p<0.05), while bromocriptine blocked this preference. oPRL did not increase preference. To measure social approach, we determined if PRL restores approach 2h after defeat by an aggressive male. Defeated rats avoided the aggressive male. 2mg/kg oPRL, before or after defeat, restored approach towards the aggressive male (p<0.05). In non-defeated rats, oPRL or 3mg/kg bromocriptine had no effect. To determine if PRL increases social learning, we tested social transmission of food preference. Rats choose between two unfamiliar flavors, one of which they have previously been exposed to through interaction with a demonstrator rat. Vehicle controls preferred chow with the demonstrated flavor over the novel flavor. oPRL-treated rats were similar. Bromocriptine-treated rats failed to show a preference. When tested one week later, only oPRL-treated rats preferred the demonstrated flavor. The results suggest that PRL is required for social recognition and learning, and that increasing PRL enhances social memory and approach, similar to OT. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Perirhinal Cortex Lesions in Rats: Novelty Detection and Sensitivity to Interference

    PubMed Central

    2015-01-01

    Rats with perirhinal cortex lesions received multiple object recognition trials within a continuous session to examine whether they show false memories. Experiment 1 focused on exploration patterns during the first object recognition test postsurgery, in which each trial contained 1 novel and 1 familiar object. The perirhinal cortex lesions reduced time spent exploring novel objects, but did not affect overall time spent exploring the test objects (novel plus familiar). Replications with subsequent cohorts of rats (Experiments 2, 3, 4.1) repeated this pattern of results. When all recognition memory data were combined (Experiments 1–4), giving totals of 44 perirhinal lesion rats and 40 surgical sham controls, the perirhinal cortex lesions caused a marginal reduction in total exploration time. That decrease in time with novel objects was often compensated by increased exploration of familiar objects. Experiment 4 also assessed the impact of proactive interference on recognition memory. Evidence emerged that prior object experience could additionally impair recognition performance in rats with perirhinal cortex lesions. Experiment 5 examined exploration levels when rats were just given pairs of novel objects to explore. Despite their perirhinal cortex lesions, exploration levels were comparable with those of control rats. While the results of Experiment 4 support the notion that perirhinal lesions can increase sensitivity to proactive interference, the overall findings question whether rats lacking a perirhinal cortex typically behave as if novel objects are familiar, that is, show false recognition. Rather, the rats retain a signal of novelty but struggle to discriminate the identity of that signal. PMID:26030425

  8. DORSAL HIPPOCAMPAL PROGESTERONE INFUSIONS ENHANCE OBJECT RECOGNITION IN YOUNG FEMALE MICE

    PubMed Central

    Orr, Patrick T.; Lewis, Michael C.; Frick, Karyn M.

    2009-01-01

    The effects of progesterone on memory are not nearly as well studied as the effects of estrogens. Although progesterone can reportedly enhance spatial and/or object recognition in female rodents when given immediately after training, previous studies have injected progesterone systemically, and therefore, the brain regions mediating this enhancement are not clear. As such, this study was designed to determine the role of the dorsal hippocampus in mediating the beneficial effect of progesterone on object recognition. Young ovariectomized C57BL/6 mice were trained in a hippocampal-dependent object recognition task utilizing two identical objects, and then immediately or 2 hrs afterwards, received bilateral dorsal hippocampal infusions of vehicle or 0.01, 0.1, or 1.0 μg/μl water-soluble progesterone. Forty-eight hours later, object recognition memory was tested using a previously explored object and a novel object. Relative to the vehicle group, memory for the familiar object was enhanced in all groups receiving immediate infusions of progesterone. Progesterone infusion delayed 2 hrs after training did not affect object recognition. These data suggest that the dorsal hippocampus may play a critical role in progesterone-induced enhancement of object recognition. PMID:19477194

  9. Recognition errors suggest fast familiarity and slow recollection in rhesus monkeys

    PubMed Central

    Basile, Benjamin M.; Hampton, Robert R.

    2013-01-01

    One influential model of recognition posits two underlying memory processes: recollection, which is detailed but relatively slow, and familiarity, which is quick but lacks detail. Most of the evidence for this dual-process model in nonhumans has come from analyses of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves in rats, but whether ROC analyses can demonstrate dual processes has been repeatedly challenged. Here, we present independent converging evidence for the dual-process model from analyses of recognition errors made by rhesus monkeys. Recognition choices were made in three different ways depending on processing duration. Short-latency errors were disproportionately false alarms to familiar lures, suggesting control by familiarity. Medium-latency responses were less likely to be false alarms and were more accurate, suggesting onset of a recollective process that could correctly reject familiar lures. Long-latency responses were guesses. A response deadline increased false alarms, suggesting that limiting processing time weakened the contribution of recollection and strengthened the contribution of familiarity. Together, these findings suggest fast familiarity and slow recollection in monkeys, that monkeys use a “recollect to reject” strategy to countermand false familiarity, and that primate recognition performance is well-characterized by a dual-process model consisting of recollection and familiarity. PMID:23864646

  10. Native American Mobilization and the Power of Recognition: Theorizing the Effects of Political Acknowledgment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stokes, DaShanne

    2012-01-01

    How recognition may empower or restrain Native American mobilization has not received sufficient scholarly attention and remains largely unexplored and under-theorized. This paper contributes a partial remedy to this oversight by explicitly theorizing how political recognition can mediate Native American collective action and lead to differential…

  11. Double Dissociation of Pharmacologically Induced Deficits in Visual Recognition and Visual Discrimination Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Turchi, Janita; Buffalari, Deanne; Mishkin, Mortimer

    2008-01-01

    Monkeys trained in either one-trial recognition at 8- to 10-min delays or multi-trial discrimination habits with 24-h intertrial intervals received systemic cholinergic and dopaminergic antagonists, scopolamine and haloperidol, respectively, in separate sessions. Recognition memory was impaired markedly by scopolamine but not at all by…

  12. 78 FR 7348 - Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Exchange Functions: Eligibility for Exemptions...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-02-01

    ... se and those that may apply for recognition are neither group health insurance coverage nor.... 156.602) c. Requirements for Recognition as Minimum Essential Coverage for Coverage Not Otherwise... recognition that they meet the standards under section 5000A(d)(2)(B) of the Code. We also received...

  13. The Recognition of Prior Learning. Quality Assurance in Education and Training.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    New Zealand Qualifications Authority, Wellington.

    As this booklet describes, New Zealand's Education Amendment Act of 1990 made the country's Qualifications Authority (QA) responsible for developing and implementing a process for recognition of prior learning (RPL) that would enable individuals to receive formal recognition for skills and knowledge they already possess. As of 1993, the QA had…

  14. Blind equalization and automatic modulation classification based on subspace for subcarrier MPSK optical communications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Dan; Guo, Lin-yuan; Wang, Chen-hao; Ke, Xi-zheng

    2017-07-01

    Equalization can compensate channel distortion caused by channel multipath effects, and effectively improve convergent of modulation constellation diagram in optical wireless system. In this paper, the subspace blind equalization algorithm is used to preprocess M-ary phase shift keying (MPSK) subcarrier modulation signal in receiver. Mountain clustering is adopted to get the clustering centers of MPSK modulation constellation diagram, and the modulation order is automatically identified through the k-nearest neighbor (KNN) classifier. The experiment has been done under four different weather conditions. Experimental results show that the convergent of constellation diagram is improved effectively after using the subspace blind equalization algorithm, which means that the accuracy of modulation recognition is increased. The correct recognition rate of 16PSK can be up to 85% in any kind of weather condition which is mentioned in paper. Meanwhile, the correct recognition rate is the highest in cloudy and the lowest in heavy rain condition.

  15. From Humans to Rats and Back Again: Bridging the Divide between Human and Animal Studies of Recognition Memory with Receiver Operating Characteristics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koen, Joshua D.; Yonelinas, Andrew P.

    2011-01-01

    Receiver operating characteristics (ROCs) have been used extensively to study the processes underlying human recognition memory, and this method has recently been applied in studies of rats. However, the extent to which the results from human and animal studies converge is neither entirely clear, nor is it known how the different methods used to…

  16. Response of seasonal pond plant communities to upland forest harvest in northern Minnesota forests, USA

    Treesearch

    Brian J. Palik; Doug. Kastendick

    2010-01-01

    Small seasonally flooded forest ponds have received increased attention due to a growing recognition of their abundance in many landscapes, their importance as habitat for a variety of organisms, and the contributions they make to species and ecosystem diversity. There also is concern over potential negative effects of forest management in adjacent uplands on seasonal...

  17. Social life aspects of young adults with cleft lip and palate: grounded theory approach.

    PubMed

    Chetpakdeechit, Woranuch; Hallberg, Ulrika; Hagberg, Catharina; Mohlin, Bengt

    2009-01-01

    The findings of many questionnaire and inventory studies suggest that people with cleft lip and/or palate report a decreased quality of life. Common problems include dissatisfaction with the external appearance of the lips and nose, speech problems, depression, and anxiety. This qualitative study aimed to explore the subjective perceptions and values of young adults with clefts, particularly with regard to their social lives. Twelve persons participated in an in-depth interview. Among those, seven had a repaired isolated cleft palate involving only the hard/soft palate. Five had a repaired bilateral cleft lip and palate that had been a continuous lesion of the lip, the alveolar process, and the palate. A grounded theory approach was used to conduct and analyze the interviews. The study revealed seven important categories--hoping to be like other people, being treated differently from others, experiencing deviation from others, regarding oneself as being different from others, lack of recognition, low self-esteem, and receiving recognition from significant others--with hoping to be like other people as the core category. Young adults with either cleft lip and palate or isolated cleft palate who received recognition from significant others reported increased self-esteem and greater ability to cope with their social lives.

  18. CASE Recognition Awards.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Currents, 1985

    1985-01-01

    A total of 294 schools, colleges, and universities received prizes in this year's CASE Recognition program. Awards were given in: public relations programs, student recruitment, marketing, program pulications, news writing, fund raising, radio programming, school periodicals, etc. (MLW)

  19. Evaluation and Effectiveness of Pain Recognition and Management Training for Staff Working in Learning Disability Services

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mackey, Ellen; Dodd, Karen

    2011-01-01

    Following Beacroft & Dodd's (2009) audit of pain recognition and management within learning disability services in Surrey, it was recommended that learning disability services should receive training in pain recognition and management. Two hundred and seventy-five services were invited to participate, of which 197 services in Surrey accepted…

  20. 20 CFR 408.1225 - What happens if you receive an overpayment?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... CERTAIN WORLD WAR II VETERANS Federal Administration of State Recognition Payments § 408.1225 What happens... to State recognition payments ends before you have repaid the overpayment, we will annotate your...

  1. 20 CFR 408.1225 - What happens if you receive an overpayment?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... CERTAIN WORLD WAR II VETERANS Federal Administration of State Recognition Payments § 408.1225 What happens... to State recognition payments ends before you have repaid the overpayment, we will annotate your...

  2. 20 CFR 408.1225 - What happens if you receive an overpayment?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... CERTAIN WORLD WAR II VETERANS Federal Administration of State Recognition Payments § 408.1225 What happens... to State recognition payments ends before you have repaid the overpayment, we will annotate your...

  3. 20 CFR 408.1225 - What happens if you receive an overpayment?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... CERTAIN WORLD WAR II VETERANS Federal Administration of State Recognition Payments § 408.1225 What happens... to State recognition payments ends before you have repaid the overpayment, we will annotate your...

  4. 20 CFR 408.1225 - What happens if you receive an overpayment?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... CERTAIN WORLD WAR II VETERANS Federal Administration of State Recognition Payments § 408.1225 What happens... to State recognition payments ends before you have repaid the overpayment, we will annotate your...

  5. Vaccination Enhances Early Immune Responses in White Shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei after Secondary Exposure to Vibrio alginolyticus

    PubMed Central

    Lin, Yong-Chin; Chen, Jiann-Chu; Morni, Wan Zabidii W.; Putra, Dedi Fazriansyah; Huang, Chien-Lun; Li, Chang-Che; Hsieh, Jen-Fang

    2013-01-01

    Background Recent work suggested that the presence of specific memory or some form of adaptive immunity occurs in insects and shrimp. Hypervariable pattern recognition molecules, known as Down syndrome cell adhesion molecules, are able to mount specific recognition, and immune priming in invertebrates. In the present study, we attempted to understand the immune response pattern of white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei which received primary (PE) and secondary exposure (SE) to Vibrio alginolyticus. Methodology Immune parameters and proliferation of haematopoietic tissues (HPTs) of shrimp which had received PE and SE to V. alginolyticus were measured. In the PE trial, the immune parameters and proliferation of HPTs of shrimp that received heat-killed V. alginolyticus (HVa) and formalin-inactivated V. alginolyticus (FVa) were measured. Mortality, immune parameters and proliferation of HPTs of 7-day-HVa-PE shrimp (shrimp that received primary exposure to HVa after 7 days) and 7-day-FVa-PE shrimp (shrimp that received primary exposure to FVa after 7 days) following SE to live V. alginolyticus (LVa) were measured. Phagocytic activity and clearance efficiency were examined for the 7∼35-day-HVa-PE and FVa-PE shrimp. Results HVa-receiving shrimp showed an earlier increase in the immune response on day 1, whereas FVa-receiving shrimp showed a late increase in the immune response on day 5. The 7-day-FVa-PE shrimp showed enhancement of immunity when encountering SE to LVa, whereas 7-day-HVa-PE shrimp showed a minor enhancement in immunity. 7-day-FVa-PE shrimp showed higher proliferation and an HPT mitotic index. Both phagocytic activity and clearance maintained higher for both HVa-PE and FVa-PE shrimp after 28 days. Conclusions HVa- and FVa-receiving shrimp showed the bacteria agglutinated prior to being phagocytised. FVa functions as a vaccine, whereas HVa functions as an inducer and can be used as an immune adjuvant. A combined mixture of FVa and HVa can serve as a “vaccine component” to modulate the immunity of shrimp. PMID:23894531

  6. Divide County High School Receives National Recognition.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stammen, Ronald

    1985-01-01

    Describes highlights of educational programs at Divide County High School (Crosby, North Dakota), which was one of the few rural schools cited by President Reagan in 1984 for excellence in education under the Secondary School Recognition Program. (BRR)

  7. Improving Negative Emotion Recognition in Young Offenders Reduces Subsequent Crime

    PubMed Central

    Hubble, Kelly; Bowen, Katharine L.; Moore, Simon C.; van Goozen, Stephanie H. M.

    2015-01-01

    Background Children with antisocial behaviour show deficits in the perception of emotional expressions in others that may contribute to the development and persistence of antisocial and aggressive behaviour. Current treatments for antisocial youngsters are limited in effectiveness. It has been argued that more attention should be devoted to interventions that target neuropsychological correlates of antisocial behaviour. This study examined the effect of emotion recognition training on criminal behaviour. Methods Emotion recognition and crime levels were studied in 50 juvenile offenders. Whilst all young offenders received their statutory interventions as the study was conducted, a subgroup of twenty-four offenders also took part in a facial affect training aimed at improving emotion recognition. Offenders in the training and control groups were matched for age, SES, IQ and lifetime crime level. All offenders were tested twice for emotion recognition performance, and recent crime data were collected after the testing had been completed. Results Before the training there were no differences between the groups in emotion recognition, with both groups displaying poor fear, sadness and anger recognition. After the training fear, sadness and anger recognition improved significantly in juvenile offenders in the training group. Although crime rates dropped in all offenders in the 6 months following emotion testing, only the group of offenders who had received the emotion training showed a significant reduction in the severity of the crimes they committed. Conclusions The study indicates that emotion recognition can be relatively easily improved in youths who engage in serious antisocial and criminal behavior. The results suggest that improved emotion recognition has the potential to reduce the severity of reoffending. PMID:26121148

  8. Improving Negative Emotion Recognition in Young Offenders Reduces Subsequent Crime.

    PubMed

    Hubble, Kelly; Bowen, Katharine L; Moore, Simon C; van Goozen, Stephanie H M

    2015-01-01

    Children with antisocial behaviour show deficits in the perception of emotional expressions in others that may contribute to the development and persistence of antisocial and aggressive behaviour. Current treatments for antisocial youngsters are limited in effectiveness. It has been argued that more attention should be devoted to interventions that target neuropsychological correlates of antisocial behaviour. This study examined the effect of emotion recognition training on criminal behaviour. Emotion recognition and crime levels were studied in 50 juvenile offenders. Whilst all young offenders received their statutory interventions as the study was conducted, a subgroup of twenty-four offenders also took part in a facial affect training aimed at improving emotion recognition. Offenders in the training and control groups were matched for age, SES, IQ and lifetime crime level. All offenders were tested twice for emotion recognition performance, and recent crime data were collected after the testing had been completed. Before the training there were no differences between the groups in emotion recognition, with both groups displaying poor fear, sadness and anger recognition. After the training fear, sadness and anger recognition improved significantly in juvenile offenders in the training group. Although crime rates dropped in all offenders in the 6 months following emotion testing, only the group of offenders who had received the emotion training showed a significant reduction in the severity of the crimes they committed. The study indicates that emotion recognition can be relatively easily improved in youths who engage in serious antisocial and criminal behavior. The results suggest that improved emotion recognition has the potential to reduce the severity of reoffending.

  9. Nicotine Administration Attenuates Methamphetamine-Induced Novel Object Recognition Deficits

    PubMed Central

    Vieira-Brock, Paula L.; McFadden, Lisa M.; Nielsen, Shannon M.; Smith, Misty D.; Hanson, Glen R.

    2015-01-01

    Background: Previous studies have demonstrated that methamphetamine abuse leads to memory deficits and these are associated with relapse. Furthermore, extensive evidence indicates that nicotine prevents and/or improves memory deficits in different models of cognitive dysfunction and these nicotinic effects might be mediated by hippocampal or cortical nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. The present study investigated whether nicotine attenuates methamphetamine-induced novel object recognition deficits in rats and explored potential underlying mechanisms. Methods: Adolescent or adult male Sprague-Dawley rats received either nicotine water (10–75 μg/mL) or tap water for several weeks. Methamphetamine (4×7.5mg/kg/injection) or saline was administered either before or after chronic nicotine exposure. Novel object recognition was evaluated 6 days after methamphetamine or saline. Serotonin transporter function and density and α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor density were assessed on the following day. Results: Chronic nicotine intake via drinking water beginning during either adolescence or adulthood attenuated the novel object recognition deficits caused by a high-dose methamphetamine administration. Similarly, nicotine attenuated methamphetamine-induced deficits in novel object recognition when administered after methamphetamine treatment. However, nicotine did not attenuate the serotonergic deficits caused by methamphetamine in adults. Conversely, nicotine attenuated methamphetamine-induced deficits in α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor density in the hippocampal CA1 region. Furthermore, nicotine increased α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor density in the hippocampal CA3, dentate gyrus and perirhinal cortex in both saline- and methamphetamine-treated rats. Conclusions: Overall, these findings suggest that nicotine-induced increases in α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the hippocampus and perirhinal cortex might be one mechanism by which novel object recognition deficits are attenuated by nicotine in methamphetamine-treated rats. PMID:26164716

  10. Activation of Supraoptic Oxytocin Neurons by Secretin Facilitates Social Recognition.

    PubMed

    Takayanagi, Yuki; Yoshida, Masahide; Takashima, Akihide; Takanami, Keiko; Yoshida, Shoma; Nishimori, Katsuhiko; Nishijima, Ichiko; Sakamoto, Hirotaka; Yamagata, Takanori; Onaka, Tatsushi

    2017-02-01

    Social recognition underlies social behavior in animals, and patients with psychiatric disorders associated with social deficits show abnormalities in social recognition. Oxytocin is implicated in social behavior and has received attention as an effective treatment for sociobehavioral deficits. Secretin receptor-deficient mice show deficits in social behavior. The relationship between oxytocin and secretin concerning social behavior remains to be determined. Expression of c-Fos in oxytocin neurons and release of oxytocin from their dendrites after secretin application were investigated. Social recognition was examined after intracerebroventricular or local injection of secretin, oxytocin, or an oxytocin receptor antagonist in rats, oxytocin receptor-deficient mice, and secretin receptor-deficient mice. Electron and light microscopic immunohistochemical analysis was also performed to determine whether oxytocin neurons extend their dendrites into the medial amygdala. Supraoptic oxytocin neurons expressed the secretin receptor. Secretin activated supraoptic oxytocin neurons and facilitated oxytocin release from dendrites. Secretin increased acquisition of social recognition in an oxytocin receptor-dependent manner. Local application of secretin into the supraoptic nucleus facilitated social recognition, and this facilitation was blocked by an oxytocin receptor antagonist injected into, but not outside of, the medial amygdala. In the medial amygdala, dendrite-like thick oxytocin processes were found to extend from the supraoptic nucleus. Furthermore, oxytocin treatment restored deficits of social recognition in secretin receptor-deficient mice. The results of our study demonstrate that secretin-induced dendritic oxytocin release from supraoptic neurons enhances social recognition. The newly defined secretin-oxytocin system may lead to a possible treatment for social deficits. Copyright © 2016 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Bacopa monnieri (Brahmi) improved novel object recognition task and increased cerebral vesicular glutamate transporter type 3 in sub-chronic phencyclidine rat model of schizophrenia.

    PubMed

    Piyabhan, Pritsana; Wannasiri, Supaporn; Naowaboot, Jarinyaporn

    2016-12-01

    Reduced vesicular glutamate transporter 1 (VGLUT1) and 2 (VGLUT2) indicate glutamatergic hypofunction leading to cognitive impairment in schizophrenia. However, VGLUT3 involvement in cognitive dysfunction has not been reported in schizophrenia. Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri) might be a new treatment and prevention for cognitive deficits in schizophrenia by acting on cerebral VGLUT3 density. We aimed to study cognitive enhancement- and neuroprotective-effects of Brahmi on novel object recognition and cerebral VGLUT3 immunodensity in sub-chronic (2 mg/kg, Bid, ip) phencyclidine (PCP) rat model of schizophrenia. Rats were assigned to three groups for cognitive enhancement effect study: Group 1, Control; Group 2, PCP administration; Group 3, PCP+Brahmi. A neuroprotective-effect study was also carried out. Rats were again assigned to three groups: Group 1, Control; Group 2, PCP administration; Group 3, Brahmi+PCP. Discrimination ratio (DR) representing cognitive ability was obtained from a novel object recognition task. VGLUT3 immunodensity was measured in the prefrontal cortex, striatum and cornu ammonis fields 1-3 (CA1-3) using immunohistochemistry. We found reduced DR in the PCP group, which occurred alongside VGLUT3 reduction in all brain areas. PCP+Brahmi showed higher DR score with increased VGLUT3 immunodensity in the prefrontal cortex and striatum. Brahmi+PCP group showed a higher DR score with increased VGLUT3 immunodensity in the prefrontal cortex, striatum and CA1-3. We concluded that reduced cerebral VGLUT3 was involved in cognitive deficit in PCP-administrated rats. Receiving Brahmi after PCP restored cognitive deficit by increasing VGLUT3 in the prefrontal cortex and striatum. Receiving Brahmi before PCP prevented cognitive impairment by elevating VGLUT3 in prefrontal cortex, striatum and CA1-3. Therefore, Brahmi could be a new frontier of restoration and prevention of cognitive deficit in schizophrenia. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

  12. Propofol and midazolam inhibit conscious memory processes very soon after encoding: an event-related potential study of familiarity and recollection in volunteers.

    PubMed

    Veselis, Robert A; Pryor, Kane O; Reinsel, Ruth A; Li, Yuelin; Mehta, Meghana; Johnson, Ray

    2009-02-01

    Intravenous drugs active via gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors to produce memory impairment during conscious sedation. Memory function was assessed using event-related potentials (ERPs) while drug was present. The continuous recognition task measured recognition of photographs from working (6 s) and long-term (27 s) memory while ERPs were recorded from Cz (familiarity recognition) and Pz electrodes (recollection recognition). Volunteer participants received sequential doses of one of placebo (n = 11), 0.45 and 0.9 microg/ml propofol (n = 10), 20 and 40 ng/ml midazolam (n = 12), 1.5 and 3 microg/ml thiopental (n = 11), or 0.25 and 0.4 ng/ml dexmedetomidine (n = 11). End-of-day yes/no recognition 225 min after the end of drug infusion tested memory retention of pictures encoded on the continuous recognition tasks. Active drugs increased reaction times and impaired memory on the continuous recognition task equally, except for a greater effect of midazolam (P < 0.04). Forgetting from continuous recognition tasks to end of day was similar for all drugs (P = 0.40), greater than placebo (P < 0.001). Propofol and midazolam decreased the area between first presentation (new) and recognized (old, 27 s later) ERP waveforms from long-term memory for familiarity (P = 0.03) and possibly for recollection processes (P = 0.12). Propofol shifted ERP amplitudes to smaller voltages (P < 0.002). Dexmedetomidine may have impaired familiarity more than recollection processes (P = 0.10). Thiopental had no effect on ERPs. Propofol and midazolam impaired recognition ERPs from long-term memory but not working memory. ERP measures of memory revealed different pathways to end-of-day memory loss as early as 27 s after encoding.

  13. Effects of oxytocin on behavioral and ERP measures of recognition memory for own-race and other-race faces in women and men

    PubMed Central

    Herzmann, Grit; Bird, Christopher W.; Freeman, Megan; Curran, Tim

    2013-01-01

    Oxytocin has been shown to affect human social information processing including recognition memory for faces. Here we investigated the neural processes underlying the effect of oxytocin on memorizing own-race and other-race faces in men and women. In a placebo-controlled, doubleblind, between-subject study, participants received either oxytocin or placebo before studying own-race and other-race faces. We recorded event-related potentials (ERPs) during both the study and recognition phase to investigate neural correlates of oxytocin’s effect on memory encoding, memory retrieval, and perception. Oxytocin increased the accuracy of familiarity judgments in the recognition test. Neural correlates for this effect were found in ERPs related to memory encoding and retrieval but not perception. In contrast to its facilitating effects on familiarity, oxytocin impaired recollection judgments, but in men only. Oxytocin did not differentially affect own-race and other-race faces. This study shows that oxytocin influences memory, but not perceptual processes, in a face recognition task and is the first to reveal sex differences in the effect of oxytocin on face memory. Contrary to recent findings in oxytocin and moral decision making, oxytocin did not preferentially improve memory for own-race faces. PMID:23648370

  14. Effects of oxytocin on behavioral and ERP measures of recognition memory for own-race and other-race faces in women and men.

    PubMed

    Herzmann, Grit; Bird, Christopher W; Freeman, Megan; Curran, Tim

    2013-10-01

    Oxytocin has been shown to affect human social information processing including recognition memory for faces. Here we investigated the neural processes underlying the effect of oxytocin on memorizing own-race and other-race faces in men and women. In a placebo-controlled, double-blind, between-subject study, participants received either oxytocin or placebo before studying own-race and other-race faces. We recorded event-related potentials (ERPs) during both the study and recognition phase to investigate neural correlates of oxytocin's effect on memory encoding, memory retrieval, and perception. Oxytocin increased the accuracy of familiarity judgments in the recognition test. Neural correlates for this effect were found in ERPs related to memory encoding and retrieval but not perception. In contrast to its facilitating effects on familiarity, oxytocin impaired recollection judgments, but in men only. Oxytocin did not differentially affect own-race and other-race faces. This study shows that oxytocin influences memory, but not perceptual processes, in a face recognition task and is the first to reveal sex differences in the effect of oxytocin on face memory. Contrary to recent findings in oxytocin and moral decision making, oxytocin did not preferentially improve memory for own-race faces. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Practice makes imperfect: Working memory training can harm recognition memory performance

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

    Matzen, Laura E.; Trumbo, Michael C.; Haass, Michael J.

    There is a great deal of debate concerning the benefits of working memory (WM) training and whether that training can transfer to other tasks. Although a consistent finding is that WM training programs elicit a short-term near-transfer effect (i.e., improvement in WM skills), results are inconsistent when considering persistence of such improvement and far transfer effects. In this study, we compared three groups of participants: a group that received WM training, a group that received training on how to use a mental imagery memory strategy, and a control group that received no training. Although the WM training group improved onmore » the trained task, their posttraining performance on nontrained WM tasks did not differ from that of the other two groups. In addition, although the imagery training group’s performance on a recognition memory task increased after training, the WM training group’s performance on the task decreased after training. Participants’ descriptions of the strategies they used to remember the studied items indicated that WM training may lead people to adopt memory strategies that are less effective for other types of memory tasks. Our results indicate that WM training may have unintended consequences for other types of memory performance.« less

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

    PubMed Central

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

    2010-01-01

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

  17. Computer Vision for Artificially Intelligent Robotic Systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ma, Chialo; Ma, Yung-Lung

    1987-04-01

    In this paper An Acoustic Imaging Recognition System (AIRS) will be introduced which is installed on an Intelligent Robotic System and can recognize different type of Hand tools' by Dynamic pattern recognition. The dynamic pattern recognition is approached by look up table method in this case, the method can save a lot of calculation time and it is practicable. The Acoustic Imaging Recognition System (AIRS) is consist of four parts -- position control unit, pulse-echo signal processing unit, pattern recognition unit and main control unit. The position control of AIRS can rotate an angle of ±5 degree Horizental and Vertical seperately, the purpose of rotation is to find the maximum reflection intensity area, from the distance, angles and intensity of the target we can decide the characteristic of this target, of course all the decision is target, of course all the decision is processed bye the main control unit. In Pulse-Echo Signal Process Unit, we ultilize the correlation method, to overcome the limitation of short burst of ultrasonic, because the Correlation system can transmit large time bandwidth signals and obtain their resolution and increased intensity through pulse compression in the correlation receiver. The output of correlator is sampled and transfer into digital data by u law coding method, and this data together with delay time T, angle information OH, eV will be sent into main control unit for further analysis. The recognition process in this paper, we use dynamic look up table method, in this method at first we shall set up serval recognition pattern table and then the new pattern scanned by Transducer array will be devided into serval stages and compare with the sampling table. The comparison is implemented by dynamic programing and Markovian process. All the hardware control signals, such as optimum delay time for correlator receiver, horizental and vertical rotation angle for transducer plate, are controlled by the Main Control Unit, the Main Control Unit also handles the pattern recognition process. The distance from the target to the transducer plate is limitted by the power and beam angle of transducer elements, in this AIRS Model, we use a narrow beam transducer and it's input voltage is 50V p-p. A RobOt equipped with AIRS can not only measure the distance from the target but also recognize a three dimensional image of target from the image lab of Robot memory. Indexitems, Accoustic System, Supersonic transducer, Dynamic programming, Look-up-table, Image process, pattern Recognition, Quad Tree, Quadappoach.

  18. Improved Performance Characteristics For Indium Antimonide Photovoltaic Detector Arrays Using A FET-Switched Multiplexing Technique

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ma, Yung-Lung; Ma, Chialo

    1987-03-01

    In this paper An Acoustic Imaging Recognition System (AIRS) will be introduced which is installed on an Intelligent Robotic System and can recognize different type of Hand tools' by Dynamic pattern recognition. The dynamic pattern recognition is approached by look up table method in this case, the method can save a lot of calculation time and it is practicable. The Acoustic Imaging Recognition System (AIRS) is consist of four parts _ position control unit, pulse-echo signal processing unit, pattern recognition unit and main control unit. The position control of AIRS can rotate an angle of ±5 degree Horizental and Vertical seperately, the purpose of rotation is to find the maximum reflection intensity area, from the distance, angles and intensity of the target we can decide the characteristic of this target, of course all the decision is target, of course all the decision is processed by the main control unit. In Pulse-Echo Signal Process Unit, we utilize the correlation method, to overcome the limitation of short burst of ultrasonic, because the Correlation system can transmit large time bandwidth signals and obtain their resolution and increased intensity through pulse compression in the correlation receiver. The output of correlator is sampled and transfer into digital data by p law coding method, and this data together with delay time T, angle information eH, eV will be sent into main control unit for further analysis. The recognition process in this paper, we use dynamic look up table method, in this method at first we shall set up serval recognition pattern table and then the new pattern scanned by Transducer array will be devided into serval stages and compare with the sampling table. The comparison is implemented by dynamic programing and Markovian process. All the hardware control signals, such as optimum delay time for correlator receiver, horizental and vertical rotation angle for transducer plate, are controlled by the Main Control Unit, the Main Control Unit also handles the pattern recognition process. The distance from the target to the transducer plate is limitted by the power and beam angle of transducer elements, in this AIRS Models, we use a narrow beam transducer and it's input voltage is 50V p-p. A Robot equipped with AIRS can not only measure the distance from the target but also recognize a three dimensional image of target from the image lab of Robot memory. Indexitems, Accoustic System, Supersonic transducer, Dynamic programming, Look-up-table, Image process, pattern Recognition, Quad Tree, Quadappoach.

  19. Human face recognition using eigenface in cloud computing environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Siregar, S. T. M.; Syahputra, M. F.; Rahmat, R. F.

    2018-02-01

    Doing a face recognition for one single face does not take a long time to process, but if we implement attendance system or security system on companies that have many faces to be recognized, it will take a long time. Cloud computing is a computing service that is done not on a local device, but on an internet connected to a data center infrastructure. The system of cloud computing also provides a scalability solution where cloud computing can increase the resources needed when doing larger data processing. This research is done by applying eigenface while collecting data as training data is also done by using REST concept to provide resource, then server can process the data according to existing stages. After doing research and development of this application, it can be concluded by implementing Eigenface, recognizing face by applying REST concept as endpoint in giving or receiving related information to be used as a resource in doing model formation to do face recognition.

  20. Effects of MDMA and Intranasal Oxytocin on Social and Emotional Processing

    PubMed Central

    Kirkpatrick, Matthew G; Lee, Royce; Wardle, Margaret C; Jacob, Suma; de Wit, Harriet

    2014-01-01

    MDMA (±3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, ‘ecstasy') is used recreationally, reportedly because it increases feelings of empathy, sociability, and interpersonal closeness. One line of evidence suggests that MDMA produces these effects by releasing oxytocin, a peptide involved in social bonding. In the current study, we investigated the acute effects of MDMA and oxytocin on social and emotional processing in healthy human volunteers. MDMA users (N=65) participated in a 4-session, within-between-subjects study in which they received oral MDMA (0.75, 1.5 mg/kg), intranasal oxytocin (20 or 40 IU), or placebo under double-blind conditions. The primary outcomes included measures of emotion recognition and sociability (desire to be with others). Cardiovascular and subjective effects were also assessed. As expected, MDMA dose-dependently increased heart rate and blood pressure and feelings of euphoria (eg, ‘High' and ‘Like Drug'). On measures of social function, MDMA impaired recognition of angry and fearful facial expressions, and the larger dose (1.5 mg/kg) increased desire to be with others, compared with placebo. Oxytocin produced small but significant increases in feelings of sociability and enhanced recognition of sad facial expressions. Additionally, responses to oxytocin were related to responses to MDMA with subjects on two subjective measures of sociability. Thus, MDMA increased euphoria and feelings of sociability, perhaps by reducing sensitivity to subtle signs of negative emotions in others. The present findings provide only limited support for the idea that oxytocin produces the prosocial effects of MDMA. PMID:24448644

  1. The Impact of Timing of Antibiotics on Outcomes in Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

    PubMed Central

    Sterling, Sarah A.; Miller, W. Ryan; Pryor, Jason; Puskarich, Michael A.; Jones, Alan E.

    2015-01-01

    Objectives We sought to systematically review and meta-analyze the available data on the association between timing of antibiotic administration and mortality in severe sepsis and septic shock. Data Sources and Study Selection A comprehensive search was performed using a pre-defined protocol. Inclusion criteria: adult patients with severe sepsis or septic shock, reported time to antibiotic administration in relation to ED triage and/or shock recognition, and mortality. Exclusion criteria: immunosuppressed populations, review article, editorial, or non-human studies. Data Extraction Two reviewers screened abstracts with a third reviewer arbitrating. The effect of time to antibiotic administration on mortality was based on current guideline recommendations: 1) administration within 3 hours of ED triage; 2) administration within 1 hour of severe sepsis/septic shock recognition. Odds Ratios (OR) were calculated using a random effect model. The primary outcome was mortality. Data Synthesis 1123 publications were identified and 11 were included in the analysis. Among the 11 included studies, 16,178 patients were evaluable for antibiotic administration from ED triage. Patients who received antibiotics more than 3 hours after ED triage (< 3 hours reference), had a pooled OR for mortality of 1.16 (0.92 to 1.46, p = 0.21). A total of 11,017 patients were evaluable for antibiotic administration from severe sepsis/septic shock recognition. Patients who received antibiotics more than 1 hour after severe sepsis/shock recognition (< 1 hour reference) had a pooled OR for mortality of 1.46 (0.89 to 2.40, p = 0.13). There was no increased mortality in the pooled ORs for each hourly delay from <1 to >5 hours in antibiotic administration from severe sepsis/shock recognition. Conclusion Using the available pooled data we found no significant mortality benefit of administering antibiotics within 3 hours of ED triage or within 1 hour of shock recognition in severe sepsis and septic shock. These results suggest that currently recommended timing metrics as measures of quality of care are not supported by the available evidence. PMID:26121073

  2. Resource Allocation in Dynamic Environments

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-10-01

    Utility Curve for the TOC Camera 42 Figure 20: Utility Curves for Ground Vehicle Camera and Squad Camera 43 Figure 21: Facial - Recognition Utility...A Facial - Recognition Server (FRS) can receive images from smartphones the squads use, compare them to a local database, and then return the...fallback. In addition, each squad has the ability to capture images with a smartphone and send them to a Facial - Recognition Server in the TOC to

  3. The cost to successfully apply for level 3 medical home recognition

    PubMed Central

    Mottus, Kathleen; Reiter, Kristin; Mitchell, C. Madeline; Donahue, Katrina E.; Gabbard, Wilson M.; Gush, Kimberly

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND The NCQA Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) recognition program provides practices an opportunity to implement Medical home activities. Understanding the costs to apply for recognition may enable practices to plan their work. METHODS Practice coaches identified 5 exemplar practices that received level 3 recognition (3 pediatric and 2 family medicine practices). This analysis focuses on 4 that received 2011 recognition. Clinical, informatics and administrative staff participated in 2–3 hour interviews. We collected the time required to develop, implement and maintain required activities. We categorized costs as: 1) non-personnel, 2) developmental 3) those to implement activities 4) those to maintain activities, 5) those to document the work and 6) consultant costs. Only incremental costs were included and are presented as costs per full-time equivalent provider (pFTE) RESULTS Practice size ranged from 2.5 – 10.5 pFTE’s, payer mixes from 7–43 % Medicaid. There was variation in the distribution of costs by activity by practice; but the costs to apply were remarkably similar ($11,453–$15,977 pFTE). CONCLUSION The costs to apply for 2011 recognition were noteworthy. Work to enhance care coordination and close loops were highly valued. Financial incentives were key motivators. Future efforts to minimize the burden of low value activities could benefit practices. PMID:26769879

  4. Investigating strength and frequency effects in recognition memory using type-2 signal detection theory.

    PubMed

    Higham, Philip A; Perfect, Timothy J; Bruno, Davide

    2009-01-01

    Criterion- versus distribution-shift accounts of frequency and strength effects in recognition memory were investigated with Type-2 signal detection receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, which provides a measure of metacognitive monitoring. Experiment 1 demonstrated a frequency-based mirror effect, with a higher hit rate and lower false alarm rate, for low frequency words compared with high frequency words. In Experiment 2, the authors manipulated item strength with repetition, which showed an increased hit rate but no effect on the false alarm rate. Whereas Type-1 indices were ambiguous as to whether these effects were based on a criterion- or distribution-shift model, the two models predict opposite effects on Type-2 distractor monitoring under some assumptions. Hence, Type-2 ROC analysis discriminated between potential models of recognition that could not be discriminated using Type-1 indices alone. In Experiment 3, the authors manipulated Type-1 response bias by varying the number of old versus new response categories to confirm the assumptions made in Experiments 1 and 2. The authors conclude that Type-2 analyses are a useful tool for investigating recognition memory when used in conjunction with more traditional Type-1 analyses.

  5. Processing of facial affect in social drinkers: a dose-response study of alcohol using dynamic emotion expressions.

    PubMed

    Kamboj, Sunjeev K; Joye, Alyssa; Bisby, James A; Das, Ravi K; Platt, Bradley; Curran, H Valerie

    2013-05-01

    Studies of affect recognition can inform our understanding of the interpersonal effects of alcohol and help develop a more complete neuropsychological profile of this drug. The objective of the study was to examine affect recognition in social drinkers using a novel dynamic affect-recognition task, sampling performance across a range of evolutionarily significant target emotions and neutral expressions. Participants received 0, 0.4 or 0.8 g/kg alcohol in a double-blind, independent groups design. Relatively naturalistic changes in facial expression-from neutral (mouth open) to increasing intensities of target emotions, as well as neutral (mouth closed)-were simulated using computer-generated dynamic morphs. Accuracy and reaction time were measured and a two-high-threshold model applied to hits and false-alarm data to determine sensitivity and response bias. While there was no effect on the principal emotion expressions (happiness, sadness, fear, anger and disgust), compared to those receiving 0.8 g/kg of alcohol and placebo, participants administered with 0.4 g/kg alcohol tended to show an enhanced response bias to neutral expressions. Exploration of this effect suggested an accompanying tendency to misattribute neutrality to sad expressions following the 0.4-g/kg dose. The 0.4-g/kg alcohol-but not 0.8 g/kg-produced a limited and specific modification in affect recognition evidenced by a neutral response bias and possibly an accompanying tendency to misclassify sad expressions as neutral. In light of previous findings on involuntary negative memory following the 0.4-g/kg dose, we suggest that moderate-but not high-doses of alcohol have a special relevance to emotional processing in social drinkers.

  6. Remote detection and recognition of bio-aerosols by laser-induced fluorescense lidar: practical implementation and field tests

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Boreysho, Anatoly; Savin, Andrey; Morozov, Alexey; Konyaev, Maxim; Konovalov, Konstantin

    2007-06-01

    Recognition of aerosol clouds material at some significant distance is now a key requirement for the wide range of applications. The elastic backscatter lidar have demonstrated high capabilities in aerosol remote detection, cloud real-time mapping at very long distances for low-concentration natural aerosols as well as artificial ones [1]. However, recognition ability is required to make them more relevant. Laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) looks very promising with respect to the recognition problem. New approach based on mobile lidar complex [2] equipped by spectrally-and range-resolved LIF-sensor is described as well as some results of field tests. The LIF-sensor consists of four-harmonics Nd:YAG laser equipped by an output expander to provide final beam divergence <1 mrad, 500-mm aspheric Cassegrain-type multi-wavelength receiving telescope, set of single-element receivers for measurement of the elastic backscatter radiation, and multi-element receiver with monochromator for spectrally-resolved LIF measurements. The system is equipped by 2-axis scanning mirror and variable-FOV video-camera collimated with the lidar scanning direction. The LIF-lidar is mounted on a truck-based platform (20-feet container) as a part of multi-purpose mobile lidar complex and adjusted for field conditions.

  7. Linguistic Context Versus Semantic Competition in Word Recognition by Younger and Older Adults With Cochlear Implants.

    PubMed

    Amichetti, Nicole M; Atagi, Eriko; Kong, Ying-Yee; Wingfield, Arthur

    The increasing numbers of older adults now receiving cochlear implants raises the question of how the novel signal produced by cochlear implants may interact with cognitive aging in the recognition of words heard spoken within a linguistic context. The objective of this study was to pit the facilitative effects of a constraining linguistic context against a potential age-sensitive negative effect of response competition on effectiveness of word recognition. Younger (n = 8; mean age = 22.5 years) and older (n = 8; mean age = 67.5 years) adult implant recipients heard 20 target words as the final words in sentences that manipulated the target word's probability of occurrence within the sentence context. Data from published norms were also used to measure response entropy, calculated as the total number of different responses and the probability distribution of the responses suggested by the sentence context. Sentence-final words were presented to participants using a word-onset gating paradigm, in which a target word was presented with increasing amounts of its onset duration in 50 msec increments until the word was correctly identified. Results showed that for both younger and older adult implant users, the amount of word-onset information needed for correct recognition of sentence-final words was inversely proportional to their likelihood of occurrence within the sentence context, with older adults gaining differential advantage from the contextual constraints offered by a sentence context. On the negative side, older adults' word recognition was differentially hampered by high response entropy, with this effect being driven primarily by the number of competing responses that might also fit the sentence context. Consistent with previous research with normal-hearing younger and older adults, the present results showed older adult implant users' recognition of spoken words to be highly sensitive to linguistic context. This sensitivity, however, also resulted in a greater degree of interference from other words that might also be activated by the context, with negative effects on ease of word recognition. These results are consistent with an age-related inhibition deficit extending to the domain of semantic constraints on word recognition.

  8. Early Reading Development in Chinese-Speaking Children with Hearing Loss

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chan, Yi-Chih; Yang, You-Jhen

    2018-01-01

    This study aims to explore early reading comprehension in Chinese-speaking children with hearing loss (HL) by examining character recognition and linguistic comprehension. Twenty-five children with HL received three measures relevant to character reading: phonological awareness (PA), morphological awareness (MA), and character recognition; two…

  9. NREL to Receive Public Service Award for 40 Years of Energy Innovation |

    Science.gov Websites

    NREL | News | NREL to Receive Public Service Award for 40 Years of Energy Innovation News Release: NREL to Receive Public Service Award for 40 Years of Energy Innovation July 24, 2017 The U.S . Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is again receiving national recognition

  10. State-dependent alteration in face emotion recognition in depression.

    PubMed

    Anderson, Ian M; Shippen, Clare; Juhasz, Gabriella; Chase, Diana; Thomas, Emma; Downey, Darragh; Toth, Zoltan G; Lloyd-Williams, Kathryn; Elliott, Rebecca; Deakin, J F William

    2011-04-01

    Negative biases in emotional processing are well recognised in people who are currently depressed but are less well described in those with a history of depression, where such biases may contribute to vulnerability to relapse. To compare accuracy, discrimination and bias in face emotion recognition in those with current and remitted depression. The sample comprised a control group (n = 101), a currently depressed group (n = 30) and a remitted depression group (n = 99). Participants provided valid data after receiving a computerised face emotion recognition task following standardised assessment of diagnosis and mood symptoms. In the control group women were more accurate in recognising emotions than men owing to greater discrimination. Among participants with depression, those in remission correctly identified more emotions than controls owing to increased response bias, whereas those currently depressed recognised fewer emotions owing to decreased discrimination. These effects were most marked for anger, fear and sadness but there was no significant emotion × group interaction, and a similar pattern tended to be seen for happiness although not for surprise or disgust. These differences were confined to participants who were antidepressant-free, with those taking antidepressants having similar results to the control group. Abnormalities in face emotion recognition differ between people with current depression and those in remission. Reduced discrimination in depressed participants may reflect withdrawal from the emotions of others, whereas the increased bias in those with a history of depression could contribute to vulnerability to relapse. The normal face emotion recognition seen in those taking medication may relate to the known effects of antidepressants on emotional processing and could contribute to their ability to protect against depressive relapse.

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

    PubMed

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

    2010-11-01

    Excessive alcohol use leads to neurodegeneration in several brain structures including the hippocampal dentate gyrus and the entorhinal cortex. Cognitive deficits that result are among the most insidious and debilitating consequences of alcoholism. The object exploration task (OET) provides a sensitive measurement of spatial memory impairment induced by hippocampal and cortical damage. In this study, we examine whether the observed neurotoxicity produced by a 4-day binge ethanol treatment results in long-term memory impairment by observing the time course of reactions to spatial change (object configuration) and non-spatial change (object recognition). Wistar rats were assessed for their abilities to detect spatial configuration in the OET at 1 week and 10 weeks following the ethanol treatment, in which ethanol groups received 9-15 g/kg/day and achieved blood alcohol levels over 300 mg/dl. At 1 week, results indicated that the binge alcohol treatment produced impairment in both spatial memory and non-spatial object recognition performance. Unlike the controls, ethanol treated rats did not increase the duration or number of contacts with the displaced object in the spatial memory task, nor did they increase the duration of contacts with the novel object in the object recognition task. After 10 weeks, spatial memory remained impaired in the ethanol treated rats but object recognition ability was recovered. Our data suggest that episodes of binge-like alcohol exposure result in long-term and possibly permanent impairments in memory for the configuration of objects during exploration, whereas the ability to detect non-spatial changes is only temporarily affected. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. New Zealand nurses' views on preceptoring international nurses.

    PubMed

    Riden, H; Jacobs, S; Marshall, B

    2014-06-01

    New Zealand encourages internationally educated nurses to seek registration in New Zealand to reduce local nursing shortages. Internationally educated nurses must meet requirements of the Health Practitioners Competency Assurance Act 2003, and demonstrate competency to practise through a clinical competency assessment programme. The purpose was to establish whether preceptors believe they are adequately prepared to assess nurses for whom English is a second language, and to determine the support and recognition received in the role. Preceptor training, workload, understanding of ethical and legal accountability, and perceived organizational values, support and attitudes were evaluated via an anonymous internet survey. Some preceptors do not meet Nursing Council of New Zealand standards and some work environments require nurses to preceptor international nurses. Many nurses believe the role is not valued despite the high workload requirements. Training increased preceptor confidence and preparedness for clinical assessment but additional education is required to understand ethical and legal accountability within the role. Many preceptors indicated they felt pressured into recording assessments they were uncomfortable with. Enhancing preceptorship acceptance could be achieved through institutional recognition of the role's value via workload consideration, institutional recognition or financial means. Increased preceptorship training, particularly around ethical and legal issues, would encourage preceptor confidence. Organizations must find ways of meeting these challenges while recognizing they are responsible for the work environment of both preceptors and internationally registered nurses for whom English is a second language. A register of preceptors could provide a platform for audit and quality assurance principles, ensuring adequate education and preparation of preceptors. Effective preceptorship requires training, recognition and support. Successful integration of international nurses depends on organizational recognition and implementation of these factors. © 2014 International Council of Nurses.

  13. Dual-Process Theory and Signal-Detection Theory of Recognition Memory

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wixted, John T.

    2007-01-01

    Two influential models of recognition memory, the unequal-variance signal-detection model and a dual-process threshold/detection model, accurately describe the receiver operating characteristic, but only the latter model can provide estimates of recollection and familiarity. Such estimates often accord with those provided by the remember-know…

  14. Recognition Memory: Adding a Response Deadline Eliminates Recollection but Spares Familiarity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sauvage, Magdalena M.; Beer, Zachery; Eichenbaum, Howard

    2010-01-01

    A current controversy in memory research concerns whether recognition is supported by distinct processes of familiarity and recollection, or instead by a single process wherein familiarity and recollection reflect weak and strong memories, respectively. Recent studies using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses in an animal model have…

  15. Test Expectancy and Memory for Important Information

    PubMed Central

    Middlebrooks, Catherine D.; Murayama, Kou; Castel, Alan D.

    2016-01-01

    Prior research suggests that learners study and remember information differently depending upon the type of test they expect to later receive. The current experiments investigate how testing expectations impact the study of and memory for valuable information. Participants studied lists of words ranging in value from 1–10 points with the goal being to maximize their score on a later memory test. Half of the participants were told to expect a recognition test after each list, while the other half were told to expect a recall test. After several lists of receiving tests congruent with expectations, participants studying for a recognition test instead received an unexpected recall test. In Experiment 1, participants who had studied for a recognition test recalled less of the valuable information than participants anticipating the recall format. These participants continued to attend less to item value on future (expected) recall tests than participants who had only ever experienced recall testing. When the recognition tests were made more demanding in Experiment 2, value-based recall improved relative to Experiment 1: though memory for the valuable information remained superior when participants studied with the expectation of having to recall the information, there were no longer significant differences after accounting for recall testing experience. Thus, recall-based testing encouraged strategic, value-based encoding and enhanced retrieval of important information, while recognition testing in some cases limited value-based study and memory. These results extend prior work concerning the impact of testing expectations on memory, offering further insight into how people study important information. PMID:28095010

  16. The effect of a training programme on school nurses' knowledge, attitudes, and depression recognition skills: The QUEST cluster randomised controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Haddad, Mark; Pinfold, Vanessa; Ford, Tamsin; Walsh, Brendan; Tylee, Andre

    2018-07-01

    Mental health problems in children and young people are a vital public health issue. Only 25% of British school children with diagnosed mental health problems have specialist mental health services contact; front-line staff such as school nurses play a vital role in identifying and managing these problems, and accessing additional services for children, but there appears limited specific training and support for this aspect of their role. To evaluate the effectiveness of a bespoke short training programme, which incorporated interactive and didactic teaching with printed and electronic resources. Hypothesized outcomes were improvements in school nurses' knowledge, attitudes, and recognition skills for depression. A cluster-randomised controlled trial. 146 school nurses from 13 Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) in London were randomly allocated to receive the training programme. School nurses from 7 PCTs (n = 81) were randomly allocated to receive the training intervention and from 6 PCTs (n = 65) for waiting list control. Depression detection was measured by response to vignettes, attitudes measured with the Depression Attitude Questionnaire, and knowledge by the QUEST knowledge measure. These outcomes were measured at baseline and (following training) 3 months and nine months later, after which nurses in the control group received the training programme. At 3 months, 115 nurses completed outcome measures. Training was associated with significant improvements in the specificity of depression judgements (52.0% for the intervention group and 47.2% for the control group, P = 0.039), and there was a non-significant increase in sensitivity (64.5% compared to 61.5% P = 0.25). Nurses' knowledge about depression improved (standardised mean difference = 0.97 [95% CI 0.58 to 1.35], P < 0.001); and confidence about their professional role in relation to depression increased. There was also a significant change in optimism about depression outcomes, but no change in tendency to defer depression management to specialists. At 9-month follow-up, improved specificity in depression identification and improved knowledge were maintained. This school nurse development programme, designed to convey best practice for the identification and care of depression, delivered significant improvements in some aspects of depression recognition and understanding, and was associated with increased confidence in working with young people experiencing mental health problems. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Effects of X-ray radiation on complex visual discrimination learning and social recognition memory in rats.

    PubMed

    Davis, Catherine M; Roma, Peter G; Armour, Elwood; Gooden, Virginia L; Brady, Joseph V; Weed, Michael R; Hienz, Robert D

    2014-01-01

    The present report describes an animal model for examining the effects of radiation on a range of neurocognitive functions in rodents that are similar to a number of basic human cognitive functions. Fourteen male Long-Evans rats were trained to perform an automated intra-dimensional set shifting task that consisted of their learning a basic discrimination between two stimulus shapes followed by more complex discrimination stages (e.g., a discrimination reversal, a compound discrimination, a compound reversal, a new shape discrimination, and an intra-dimensional stimulus discrimination reversal). One group of rats was exposed to head-only X-ray radiation (2.3 Gy at a dose rate of 1.9 Gy/min), while a second group received a sham-radiation exposure using the same anesthesia protocol. The irradiated group responded less, had elevated numbers of omitted trials, increased errors, and greater response latencies compared to the sham-irradiated control group. Additionally, social odor recognition memory was tested after radiation exposure by assessing the degree to which rats explored wooden beads impregnated with either their own odors or with the odors of novel, unfamiliar rats; however, no significant effects of radiation on social odor recognition memory were observed. These data suggest that rodent tasks assessing higher-level human cognitive domains are useful in examining the effects of radiation on the CNS, and may be applicable in approximating CNS risks from radiation exposure in clinical populations receiving whole brain irradiation.

  18. Effectiveness of the Treatment Readiness and Induction Program for Increasing Adolescent Motivation for Change

    PubMed Central

    Becan, Jennifer E.; Knight, Danica K.; Crawley, Rachel D.; Joe, George W.; Flynn, Patrick M.

    2014-01-01

    Success in substance abuse treatment is improved by problem recognition, desire to seek help, and readiness to engage in treatment, all of which are important aspects of motivation. Interventions that facilitate these at treatment induction for adolescents are especially needed. The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of TRIP (Treatment Readiness and Induction Program) in promoting treatment motivation. Data represent 519 adolescents from 6 residential programs who completed assessments at treatment intake (Time 1) and 35 days after admission (Time 2). The design consisted of a comparison sample (n = 281) that had enrolled in treatment prior to implementation of TRIP (standard operating practice) and a sample of clients that had entered treatment after TRIP began and received standard operating practice enhanced by TRIP (n = 238). Repeated measures ANCOVAs were conducted using each Time 2 motivation scale as a dependent measure. Motivation scales were conceptualized as representing sequential stages of change. LISREL was used to test a structural model involving TRIP participation, gender, drug use severity, juvenile justice involvement, age, race-ethnicity, prior treatment, and urgency as predictors of the stages of treatment motivation. Compared to standard practice, adolescents receiving TRIP demonstrated greater gains in problem recognition, even after controlling for the other variables in the model. The model fit was adequate, with TRIP directly affecting problem recognition and indirectly affecting later stages of change (desire for help and treatment readiness). Future studies should examine which specific components of TRIP affect change in motivation. PMID:25456094

  19. Effects of X-Ray Radiation on Complex Visual Discrimination Learning and Social Recognition Memory in Rats

    PubMed Central

    Davis, Catherine M.; Roma, Peter G.; Armour, Elwood; Gooden, Virginia L.; Brady, Joseph V.; Weed, Michael R.; Hienz, Robert D.

    2014-01-01

    The present report describes an animal model for examining the effects of radiation on a range of neurocognitive functions in rodents that are similar to a number of basic human cognitive functions. Fourteen male Long-Evans rats were trained to perform an automated intra-dimensional set shifting task that consisted of their learning a basic discrimination between two stimulus shapes followed by more complex discrimination stages (e.g., a discrimination reversal, a compound discrimination, a compound reversal, a new shape discrimination, and an intra-dimensional stimulus discrimination reversal). One group of rats was exposed to head-only X-ray radiation (2.3 Gy at a dose rate of 1.9 Gy/min), while a second group received a sham-radiation exposure using the same anesthesia protocol. The irradiated group responded less, had elevated numbers of omitted trials, increased errors, and greater response latencies compared to the sham-irradiated control group. Additionally, social odor recognition memory was tested after radiation exposure by assessing the degree to which rats explored wooden beads impregnated with either their own odors or with the odors of novel, unfamiliar rats; however, no significant effects of radiation on social odor recognition memory were observed. These data suggest that rodent tasks assessing higher-level human cognitive domains are useful in examining the effects of radiation on the CNS, and may be applicable in approximating CNS risks from radiation exposure in clinical populations receiving whole brain irradiation. PMID:25099152

  20. The Cost to Successfully Apply for Level 3 Medical Home Recognition.

    PubMed

    Halladay, Jacqueline R; Mottus, Kathleen; Reiter, Kristin; Mitchell, C Madeline; Donahue, Katrina E; Gabbard, Wilson M; Gush, Kimberly

    2016-01-01

    The National Committee for Quality Assurance patient-centered medical home recognition program provides practices an opportunity to implement medical home activities. Understanding the costs to apply for recognition may enable practices to plan their work. Practice coaches identified 5 exemplar practices (3 pediatric and 2 family medicine practices) that received level 3 recognition. This analysis focuses on 4 that received recognition in 2011. Clinical, informatics, and administrative staff participated in 2- to 3-hour interviews. We determined the time required to develop, implement, and maintain required activities. We categorized costs as (1) nonpersonnel, (2) developmental, (3) those used to implement activities, (4) those used to maintain activities, (5) those to document the work, and (6) consultant costs. Only incremental costs were included and are presented as costs per full-time equivalent (pFTE) provider. Practice size ranged from 2.5 to 10.5 pFTE providers, and payer mixes ranged from 7% to 43% Medicaid. There was variation in the distribution of costs by activity by practice, but the costs to apply were remarkably similar ($11,453-15,977 pFTE provider). The costs to apply for 2011 recognition were noteworthy. Work to enhance care coordination and close loops were highly valued. Financial incentives were key motivators. Future efforts to minimize the burden of low-value activities could benefit practices. © Copyright 2016 by the American Board of Family Medicine.

  1. Hippocampal contributions to recollection in retrograde and anterograde amnesia.

    PubMed

    Gilboa, Asaf; Winocur, Gordon; Rosenbaum, R Shayna; Poreh, Amir; Gao, Fuqiang; Black, Sandra E; Westmacott, Robyn; Moscovitch, Morris

    2006-01-01

    Lesions restricted to the hippocampal formation and/or extended hippocampal system (hippocampal formation, fornix, mammillary bodies, and anterior thalamic nuclei) can disrupt conscious recollection in anterograde amnesia, while leaving familiarity-based memory relatively intact. Familiarity may be supported by extra-hippocampal medial temporal lobe (MTL) structures. Within-task dissociations in recognition memory best exemplify this distinction in anterograde amnesia. The authors report for the first time comparable dissociations within recognition memory in retrograde amnesia. An amnesic patient (A.D.) with bilateral fornix and septal nuclei lesions failed to recognize details pertaining to personal past events only when recollection was required, during recognition of episodic details. His intact recognition of generic and semantic details pertaining to the same events was ascribed to intact familiarity processes. Recollective processes in the controls were reflected by asymmetrical Receiver's Operating Characteristic curves, whereas the patient's Receiver's Operating Characteristic was symmetrical, suggesting that his inferior recognition performance on episodic details was reliant on familiarity processes. Anterograde and retrograde memories were equally affected, with no temporal gradient for retrograde memories. By comparison, another amnesic person (K.C.) with extensive MTL damage (involving extra-hippocampal MTL structures in addition to hippocampal and fornix lesions) had very poor recognition and no recollection of either episodic or generic/semantic details. These data suggest that the extended hippocampal system is required to support recollection for both anterograde and retrograde memories, regardless of their age.

  2. Clark Receives Ocean Sciences Award

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Roman, Michael R.; Clark, H. Lawrence

    2008-09-01

    H. Lawrence Clark received the 2008 Ocean Sciences Award at the 2008 Ocean Sciences Meeting, held 2-7 March 2008 in Orlando, Fla. The award is given in recognition of outstanding and long-standing service to the ocean sciences.

  3. The recognition of extraterrestrial artificial signals

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Seeger, C. L.

    1980-01-01

    Considerations in the design of receivers for the detection and recognition of artificial microwave signals of extraterrestrial origin are discussed. Following a review of the objectives of SETI and the probable reception and detection characteristics of extraterrestrial signals, means for the improvement of the sensitivity, signal-to-noise ratios and on-line data processing capabilities of SETI receivers are indicated. The characteristics of the signals likely to be present at the output of an ultra-low-noise microwave receiver are then examined, including the system background noise, terrestrial radiations, astrophysical radiations, accidental artificial radiations of terrestrial origin, and intentional radiations produced by humans and by extraterrestrial intelligence. The classes of extraterrestrial signals likely to be detected, beacons and leakage signals, are considered, and options in the specification of gating and thresholding for a high-spectral resolution, high-time-resolution signal discriminator are indicated. Possible tests for the nonhuman origin of a received signal are also pointed out.

  4. Is White Light the Best Illumination for Palmprint Recognition?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guo, Zhenhua; Zhang, David; Zhang, Lei

    Palmprint as a new biometric has received great research attention in the past decades. It owns many merits, such as robustness, low cost, user friendliness, and high accuracy. Most of the current palmprint recognition systems use an active light to acquire clear palmprint images. Thus, light source is a key component in the system to capture enough of discriminant information for palmprint recognition. To the best of our knowledge, white light is the most widely used light source. However, little work has been done on investigating whether white light is the best illumination for palmprint recognition. In this study, we empirically compared palmprint recognition accuracy using white light and other six different color lights. The experiments on a large database show that white light is not the optimal illumination for palmprint recognition. This finding will be useful to future palmprint recognition system design.

  5. Unification of automatic target tracking and automatic target recognition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schachter, Bruce J.

    2014-06-01

    The subject being addressed is how an automatic target tracker (ATT) and an automatic target recognizer (ATR) can be fused together so tightly and so well that their distinctiveness becomes lost in the merger. This has historically not been the case outside of biology and a few academic papers. The biological model of ATT∪ATR arises from dynamic patterns of activity distributed across many neural circuits and structures (including retina). The information that the brain receives from the eyes is "old news" at the time that it receives it. The eyes and brain forecast a tracked object's future position, rather than relying on received retinal position. Anticipation of the next moment - building up a consistent perception - is accomplished under difficult conditions: motion (eyes, head, body, scene background, target) and processing limitations (neural noise, delays, eye jitter, distractions). Not only does the human vision system surmount these problems, but it has innate mechanisms to exploit motion in support of target detection and classification. Biological vision doesn't normally operate on snapshots. Feature extraction, detection and recognition are spatiotemporal. When vision is viewed as a spatiotemporal process, target detection, recognition, tracking, event detection and activity recognition, do not seem as distinct as they are in current ATT and ATR designs. They appear as similar mechanism taking place at varying time scales. A framework is provided for unifying ATT and ATR.

  6. Engaged with Carnegie: Effects of Carnegie Classification Recognition on CUMU Universities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Arfken, Deborah Elwell; Ritz, Susan

    2013-01-01

    This paper provides the results of a survey sent to all thirty-two CUMU institutions that have received the Carnegie recognition and specifically examines a) reasons for applying for the elective classification; b) level of pride instilled in campuses; and c) level of impact on institutional identity and culture, institutional commitment,…

  7. Recognition Errors Suggest Fast Familiarity and Slow Recollection in Rhesus Monkeys

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Basile, Benjamin M.; Hampton, Robert R.

    2013-01-01

    One influential model of recognition posits two underlying memory processes: recollection, which is detailed but relatively slow, and familiarity, which is quick but lacks detail. Most of the evidence for this dual-process model in nonhumans has come from analyses of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves in rats, but whether ROC analyses…

  8. Teachers' Perceptions of Digital Badges as Recognition of Professional Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jones, W. Monty; Hope, Samantha; Adams, Brianne

    2018-01-01

    This mixed methods study examined teachers' perceptions and uses of digital badges received as recognition of participation in a professional development program. Quantitative and qualitative survey data was collected from 99 K-12 teachers who were awarded digital badges in Spring 2016. In addition, qualitative data was collected through…

  9. Effects of Cognitive Load on Speech Recognition

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mattys, Sven L.; Wiget, Lukas

    2011-01-01

    The effect of cognitive load (CL) on speech recognition has received little attention despite the prevalence of CL in everyday life, e.g., dual-tasking. To assess the effect of CL on the interaction between lexically-mediated and acoustically-mediated processes, we measured the magnitude of the "Ganong effect" (i.e., lexical bias on phoneme…

  10. Binary ROCs in Perception and Recognition Memory Are Curved

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dube, Chad; Rotello, Caren M.

    2012-01-01

    In recognition memory, a classic finding is that receiver operating characteristics (ROCs) are curvilinear. This has been taken to support the fundamental assumptions of signal detection theory (SDT) over discrete-state models such as the double high-threshold model (2HTM), which predicts linear ROCs. Recently, however, Broder and Schutz (2009)…

  11. Beyond ROC Curvature: Strength Effects and Response Time Data Support Continuous-Evidence Models of Recognition Memory

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dube, Chad; Starns, Jeffrey J.; Rotello, Caren M.; Ratcliff, Roger

    2012-01-01

    A classic question in the recognition memory literature is whether retrieval is best described as a continuous-evidence process consistent with signal detection theory (SDT), or a threshold process consistent with many multinomial processing tree (MPT) models. Because receiver operating characteristics (ROCs) based on confidence ratings are…

  12. Investigating Strength and Frequency Effects in Recognition Memory Using Type-2 Signal Detection Theory

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Higham, Philip A.; Perfect, Timothy J.; Bruno, Davide

    2009-01-01

    Criterion- versus distribution-shift accounts of frequency and strength effects in recognition memory were investigated with Type-2 signal detection receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, which provides a measure of metacognitive monitoring. Experiment 1 demonstrated a frequency-based mirror effect, with a higher hit rate and lower…

  13. Active transcutaneous bone conduction implant: audiological results in paediatric patients with bilateral microtia associated with external auditory canal atresia.

    PubMed

    Bravo-Torres, Sofía; Der-Mussa, Carolina; Fuentes-López, Eduardo

    2018-01-01

    To describe, in terms of functional gain and word recognition, the audiological results of patients under 18 years of age implanted with the active bone conduction implant, Bonebridge™. Retrospective case studies conducted by reviewing the medical records of patients receiving implants between 2014 and 2016 in the public health sector in Chile. All patients implanted with the Bonebridge were included (N = 15). Individuals who had bilateral conductive hearing loss, secondary to external ear malformations, were considered as candidates. The average hearing threshold one month after switch on was 25.2 dB (95%CI 23.5-26.9). Hearing thresholds between 0.5 and 4 kHz were better when compared with bone conduction hearing aids. Best performance was observed at 4 kHz, where improvements to hearing were observed throughout the adaptation process. There was evidence of a significant increase in the recognition of monosyllables. The Bonebridge implant showed improvements to hearing thresholds and word recognition in paediatric patients with congenital conductive hearing loss.

  14. Implementing incentivized practice to improve patient care in developing countries.

    PubMed

    Mohiuddin, Zia; Sanchez, Laura Rosemary; Alcantra, Jose Manuel; Shuaib, Waqas

    2014-01-01

    Faculty awards provide an incentive to encourage higher standards of personal performance, which closely reflects the quality of health care. We report the development and implementation of the first medical faculty award program in the region. Anonymous preaward survey evaluated responses to understand the overall state of our institution. Five awards were celebrated. An anonymous postaward survey gathered responses to evaluate the effectiveness of the program. A total of 60% (307/509) of preaward survey responses were collected. Among those, 92% (283/307) felt that employee recognition was important and 78% (240/307) felt that performance should be the deciding criteria for employee recognition. A 24% (20/85) of the faculty received the decade of excellence award and 13% (11/85) received the compassionate physician award. Best service award was granted to 7% (6/85) of the nominees. Postaward survey showed 68% (170/250) agreed that the award ceremony incentivized them to increase quality of personal performance. In summary, we feel that this transparent, objective, and peer-nominated awards program could serve as an incentivized model for health care providers to elevate the standards of personal performance, which in turn will benefit the advancement of patient care.

  15. Influences to ADHD Problem Recognition: Mixed-Method Investigation and Recommendations to Reduce Disparities for Latino Youth.

    PubMed

    Haack, Lauren M; Meza, Jocelyn; Jiang, Yuanyuan; Araujo, Eva Jimenez; Pfiffner, Linda

    2018-05-16

    ADHD problem recognition serves as the first step of help seeking for ethnic minority families, such as Latinos, who underutilize ADHD services. The current mixed-method study explores underlying factors influencing recognition of ADHD problems in a sample of 159 school-aged youth. Parent-teacher informant discrepancy results suggest that parent ethnicity, problem domain, and child age influence ADHD problem recognition. Emerging themes from semi-structured qualitative interviews/focus groups conducted with eighteen Spanish-speaking Latino parents receiving school-based services for attention and behavior concerns support a range of recognized ADHD problems, beliefs about causes, and reactions to ADHD identification. Findings provide recommendations for reducing disparities in ADHD problem recognition and subsequent help seeking.

  16. Two processes support visual recognition memory in rhesus monkeys.

    PubMed

    Guderian, Sebastian; Brigham, Danielle; Mishkin, Mortimer

    2011-11-29

    A large body of evidence in humans suggests that recognition memory can be supported by both recollection and familiarity. Recollection-based recognition is characterized by the retrieval of contextual information about the episode in which an item was previously encountered, whereas familiarity-based recognition is characterized instead by knowledge only that the item had been encountered previously in the absence of any context. To date, it is unknown whether monkeys rely on similar mnemonic processes to perform recognition memory tasks. Here, we present evidence from the analysis of receiver operating characteristics, suggesting that visual recognition memory in rhesus monkeys also can be supported by two separate processes and that these processes have features considered to be characteristic of recollection and familiarity. Thus, the present study provides converging evidence across species for a dual process model of recognition memory and opens up the possibility of studying the neural mechanisms of recognition memory in nonhuman primates on tasks that are highly similar to the ones used in humans.

  17. Two processes support visual recognition memory in rhesus monkeys

    PubMed Central

    Guderian, Sebastian; Brigham, Danielle; Mishkin, Mortimer

    2011-01-01

    A large body of evidence in humans suggests that recognition memory can be supported by both recollection and familiarity. Recollection-based recognition is characterized by the retrieval of contextual information about the episode in which an item was previously encountered, whereas familiarity-based recognition is characterized instead by knowledge only that the item had been encountered previously in the absence of any context. To date, it is unknown whether monkeys rely on similar mnemonic processes to perform recognition memory tasks. Here, we present evidence from the analysis of receiver operating characteristics, suggesting that visual recognition memory in rhesus monkeys also can be supported by two separate processes and that these processes have features considered to be characteristic of recollection and familiarity. Thus, the present study provides converging evidence across species for a dual process model of recognition memory and opens up the possibility of studying the neural mechanisms of recognition memory in nonhuman primates on tasks that are highly similar to the ones used in humans. PMID:22084079

  18. Development and validation of an Argentine set of facial expressions of emotion.

    PubMed

    Vaiman, Marcelo; Wagner, Mónica Anna; Caicedo, Estefanía; Pereno, Germán Leandro

    2017-02-01

    Pictures of facial expressions of emotion are used in a wide range of experiments. The last decade has seen an increase in the number of studies presenting local sets of emotion stimuli. However, only a few existing sets contain pictures of Latin Americans, despite the growing attention emotion research is receiving in this region. Here we present the development and validation of the Universidad Nacional de Cordoba, Expresiones de Emociones Faciales (UNCEEF), a Facial Action Coding System (FACS)-verified set of pictures of Argentineans expressing the six basic emotions, plus neutral expressions. FACS scores, recognition rates, Hu scores, and discrimination indices are reported. Evidence of convergent validity was obtained using the Pictures of Facial Affect in an Argentine sample. However, recognition accuracy was greater for UNCEEF. The importance of local sets of emotion pictures is discussed.

  19. Speech recognition-based and automaticity programs to help students with severe reading and spelling problems.

    PubMed

    Higgins, Eleanor L; Raskind, Marshall H

    2004-12-01

    This study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of two programs developed by the Frostig Center Research Department to improve the reading and spelling of students with learning disabilities (LD): a computer Speech Recognition-based Program (SRBP) and a computer and text-based Automaticity Program (AP). Twenty-eight LD students with reading and spelling difficulties (aged 8 to 18) received each program for 17 weeks and were compared with 16 students in a contrast group who did not receive either program. After adjusting for age and IQ, both the SRBP and AP groups showed significant differences over the contrast group in improving word recognition and reading comprehension. Neither program showed significant differences over contrasts in spelling. The SRBP also improved the performance of the target group when compared with the contrast group on phonological elision and nonword reading efficiency tasks. The AP showed significant differences in all process and reading efficiency measures.

  20. Environmental enrichment improves novel object recognition and enhances agonistic behavior in male mice.

    PubMed

    Mesa-Gresa, Patricia; Pérez-Martinez, Asunción; Redolat, Rosa

    2013-01-01

    Environmental enrichment (EE) is an experimental paradigm in which rodents are housed in complex environments containing objects that provide stimulation, the effects of which are expected to improve the welfare of these subjects. EE has been shown to considerably improve learning and memory in rodents. However, knowledge about the effects of EE on social interaction is generally limited and rather controversial. Thus, our aim was to evaluate both novel object recognition and agonistic behavior in NMRI mice receiving EE, hypothesizing enhanced cognition and slightly enhanced agonistic interaction upon EE rearing. During a 4-week period half the mice (n = 16) were exposed to EE and the other half (n = 16) remained in a standard environment (SE). On PND 56-57, animals performed the object recognition test, in which recognition memory was measured using a discrimination index. The social interaction test consisted of an encounter between an experimental animal and a standard opponent. Results indicated that EE mice explored the new object for longer periods than SE animals (P < .05). During social encounters, EE mice devoted more time to sociability and agonistic behavior (P < .05) than their non-EE counterparts. In conclusion, EE has been shown to improve object recognition and increase agonistic behavior in adolescent/early adulthood mice. In the future we intend to extend this study on a longitudinal basis in order to assess in more depth the effect of EE and the consistency of the above-mentioned observations in NMRI mice. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  1. Face engagement during infancy predicts later face recognition ability in younger siblings of children with autism.

    PubMed

    de Klerk, Carina C J M; Gliga, Teodora; Charman, Tony; Johnson, Mark H

    2014-07-01

    Face recognition difficulties are frequently documented in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). It has been hypothesized that these difficulties result from a reduced interest in faces early in life, leading to decreased cortical specialization and atypical development of the neural circuitry for face processing. However, a recent study by our lab demonstrated that infants at increased familial risk for ASD, irrespective of their diagnostic status at 3 years, exhibit a clear orienting response to faces. The present study was conducted as a follow-up on the same cohort to investigate how measures of early engagement with faces relate to face-processing abilities later in life. We also investigated whether face recognition difficulties are specifically related to an ASD diagnosis, or whether they are present at a higher rate in all those at familial risk. At 3 years we found a reduced ability to recognize unfamiliar faces in the high-risk group that was not specific to those children who received an ASD diagnosis, consistent with face recognition difficulties being an endophenotype of the disorder. Furthermore, we found that longer looking at faces at 7 months was associated with poorer performance on the face recognition task at 3 years in the high-risk group. These findings suggest that longer looking at faces in infants at risk for ASD might reflect early face-processing difficulties and predicts difficulties with recognizing faces later in life. © 2013 The Authors. Developmental Science Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  2. 26 CFR 1.1081-8 - Exchanges in which money or other nonexempt property is received.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 26 Internal Revenue 11 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 true Exchanges in which money or other nonexempt... § 1.1081-8 Exchanges in which money or other nonexempt property is received. (a) Under section 1081(e... money or other nonexempt property (in addition to property permitted to be received without recognition...

  3. Separating Mnemonic Process from Participant and Item Effects in the Assessment of ROC Asymmetries

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pratte, Michael S.; Rouder, Jeffrey N.; Morey, Richard D.

    2010-01-01

    One of the most influential findings in the study of recognition memory is that receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves are asymmetric about the negative diagonal. This result has led to the rejection of the equal-variance signal detection model of recognition memory and has provided motivation for more complex models, such as the…

  4. Some Memories Are Odder than Others: Judgments of Episodic Oddity Violate Known Decision Rules

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Connor, Akira R.; Guhl, Emily N.; Cox, Justin C.; Dobbins, Ian G.

    2011-01-01

    Current decision models of recognition memory are based almost entirely on one paradigm, single item old/new judgments accompanied by confidence ratings. This task results in receiver operating characteristics (ROCs) that are well fit by both signal-detection and dual-process models. Here we examine an entirely new recognition task, the judgment…

  5. Correlates of Problem Recognition and Intentions to Change among Caregivers of Abused and Neglected Children

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Littell, Julia H.; Girvin, Heather

    2006-01-01

    Objective: To identify individual, family, and caseworker characteristics associated with problem recognition (PR) and intentions to change (ITC) in a sample of caregivers who received in-home child welfare services following substantiated reports of child abuse or neglect. Methods: Caregivers were interviewed at 4 weeks, 16 weeks, and 1 year…

  6. Method and apparatus for obtaining complete speech signals for speech recognition applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Abrash, Victor (Inventor); Cesari, Federico (Inventor); Franco, Horacio (Inventor); George, Christopher (Inventor); Zheng, Jing (Inventor)

    2009-01-01

    The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for obtaining complete speech signals for speech recognition applications. In one embodiment, the method continuously records an audio stream comprising a sequence of frames to a circular buffer. When a user command to commence or terminate speech recognition is received, the method obtains a number of frames of the audio stream occurring before or after the user command in order to identify an augmented audio signal for speech recognition processing. In further embodiments, the method analyzes the augmented audio signal in order to locate starting and ending speech endpoints that bound at least a portion of speech to be processed for recognition. At least one of the speech endpoints is located using a Hidden Markov Model.

  7. Effectiveness of the Treatment Readiness and Induction Program for increasing adolescent motivation for change.

    PubMed

    Becan, Jennifer E; Knight, Danica K; Crawley, Rachel D; Joe, George W; Flynn, Patrick M

    2015-03-01

    Success in substance abuse treatment is improved by problem recognition, desire to seek help, and readiness to engage in treatment, all of which are important aspects of motivation. Interventions that facilitate these at treatment induction for adolescents are especially needed. The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of TRIP (Treatment Readiness and Induction Program) in promoting treatment motivation. Data represent 519 adolescents from 6 residential programs who completed assessments at treatment intake (time 1) and 35 days after admission (time 2). The design consisted of a comparison sample (n=281) that had enrolled in treatment prior to implementation of TRIP (standard operating practice) and a sample of clients that had entered treatment after TRIP began and received standard operating practice enhanced by TRIP (n=238). Repeated measures ANCOVAs were conducted using each time 2 motivation scale as a dependent measure. Motivation scales were conceptualized as representing sequential stages of change. LISREL was used to test a structural model involving TRIP participation, gender, drug use severity, juvenile justice involvement, age, race-ethnicity, prior treatment, and urgency as predictors of the stages of treatment motivation. Compared to standard practice, adolescents receiving TRIP demonstrated greater gains in problem recognition, even after controlling for the other variables in the model. The model fit was adequate, with TRIP directly affecting problem recognition and indirectly affecting later stages of change (desire for help and treatment readiness). Future studies should examine which specific components of TRIP affect change in motivation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Random-Profiles-Based 3D Face Recognition System

    PubMed Central

    Joongrock, Kim; Sunjin, Yu; Sangyoun, Lee

    2014-01-01

    In this paper, a noble nonintrusive three-dimensional (3D) face modeling system for random-profile-based 3D face recognition is presented. Although recent two-dimensional (2D) face recognition systems can achieve a reliable recognition rate under certain conditions, their performance is limited by internal and external changes, such as illumination and pose variation. To address these issues, 3D face recognition, which uses 3D face data, has recently received much attention. However, the performance of 3D face recognition highly depends on the precision of acquired 3D face data, while also requiring more computational power and storage capacity than 2D face recognition systems. In this paper, we present a developed nonintrusive 3D face modeling system composed of a stereo vision system and an invisible near-infrared line laser, which can be directly applied to profile-based 3D face recognition. We further propose a novel random-profile-based 3D face recognition method that is memory-efficient and pose-invariant. The experimental results demonstrate that the reconstructed 3D face data consists of more than 50 k 3D point clouds and a reliable recognition rate against pose variation. PMID:24691101

  9. Do men with prostate cancer and their partners receive the information they need for optimal illness self-management in the immediate post-diagnostic phase?

    PubMed

    Levesque, Janelle V; Lambert, Sylvie D; Girgis, Afaf; Turner, Jane; McElduff, Patrick; Kayser, Karen

    2015-01-01

    To (a) determine whether the information provided to men with prostate cancer and their partners in the immediate postdiagnostic phase met their needs; and (b) examine patient and partner satisfaction with the information received. Pre-intervention survey data from a pilot randomized controlled trial of a self-directed coping skills intervention involving 42 patients with prostate cancer, and their partners were collected to examine their psychosocial concerns/needs. The main concerns for patients and partners were psychosocial in nature such as managing emotions, concern about the future, and losing control. Overall, patients and partners received most information about tests and treatment options. Partners reported receiving significantly less information about support services ( P = 0.03) and self-care strategies ( P = 0.03) compared to patients. Partners also reported being significantly less satisfied with the information they received ( P = 0.007). Whereas medical information is routinely given, patients and partners may benefit from greater information about psychosocial issues arising from cancer. Despite increased recognition of partner's information needs these still remain unmet.

  10. Standard object recognition memory and "what" and "where" components: Improvement by post-training epinephrine in highly habituated rats.

    PubMed

    Jurado-Berbel, Patricia; Costa-Miserachs, David; Torras-Garcia, Meritxell; Coll-Andreu, Margalida; Portell-Cortés, Isabel

    2010-02-11

    The present work examined whether post-training systemic epinephrine (EPI) is able to modulate short-term (3h) and long-term (24 h and 48 h) memory of standard object recognition, as well as long-term (24 h) memory of separate "what" (object identity) and "where" (object location) components of object recognition. Although object recognition training is associated to low arousal levels, all the animals received habituation to the training box in order to further reduce emotional arousal. Post-training EPI improved long-term (24 h and 48 h), but not short-term (3 h), memory in the standard object recognition task, as well as 24 h memory for both object identity and object location. These data indicate that post-training epinephrine: (1) facilitates long-term memory for standard object recognition; (2) exerts separate facilitatory effects on "what" (object identity) and "where" (object location) components of object recognition; and (3) is capable of improving memory for a low arousing task even in highly habituated rats.

  11. Delay in Recognition of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

    PubMed Central

    Brown, Lynette M.; Chen, Hubert; Halpern, Scott; Taichman, Darren; McGoon, Michael D.; Farber, Harrison W.; Frost, Adaani E.; Liou, Theodore G.; Turner, Michelle; Feldkircher, Kathy; Miller, Dave P.

    2011-01-01

    Background: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive and fatal disorder. Despite the emergence of effective therapy, PAH is commonly at an advanced stage when recognized. Factors associated with a prolonged symptomatic period before the recognition of PAH have not been fully evaluated. Methods: The Registry to Evaluate Early and Long-term PAH Disease Management (REVEAL Registry) enrolled 2,967 US adult patients with PAH from March 2006 to September 2007. Patients were considered to have delayed disease recognition if > 2 years elapsed between symptom onset and the patient receiving a PAH diagnosis, starting on PAH-specific therapy, or receiving a diagnosis by right-sided heart catheterization. Results: In 21.1% of patients, symptoms were experienced for > 2 years before PAH was recognized. Patients with onset of PAH symptoms before age 36 years showed the highest likelihood of delayed disease recognition (OR, 3.07; 95% CI, 2.03-4.66). History of obstructive airways disease (OR, 1.93; 95% CI, 1.5-2.47) and sleep apnea (OR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.33-2.22) were independently associated with delayed PAH recognition. Six-minute walk distance < 250 m (OR, 1.91; 95% CI, 1.16-3.13), right atrial pressure < 10 mm Hg (OR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.26-2.48), and pulmonary vascular resistance < 10 Wood units (OR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.02-1.60) were also associated with delayed disease recognition, but sex, race/ethnicity, and geographic region showed no association. Conclusions: One in five patients in the REVEAL Registry who were diagnosed with PAH reported symptoms for > 2 years before their disease was recognized. Younger individuals and patients with histories of common respiratory disorders were most likely to experience delayed PAH recognition. Trial registry: ClinicalTrials.gov; No.: NCT00370214; URL: www.clinicaltrials.gov PMID:21393391

  12. Automated alignment system for optical wireless communication systems using image recognition.

    PubMed

    Brandl, Paul; Weiss, Alexander; Zimmermann, Horst

    2014-07-01

    In this Letter, we describe the realization of a tracked line-of-sight optical wireless communication system for indoor data distribution. We built a laser-based transmitter with adaptive focus and ray steering by a microelectromechanical systems mirror. To execute the alignment procedure, we used a CMOS image sensor at the transmitter side and developed an algorithm for image recognition to localize the receiver's position. The receiver is based on a self-developed optoelectronic integrated chip with low requirements on the receiver optics to make the system economically attractive. With this system, we were able to set up the communication link automatically without any back channel and to perform error-free (bit error rate <10⁻⁹) data transmission over a distance of 3.5 m with a data rate of 3 Gbit/s.

  13. Hippocampal histone acetylation regulates object recognition and the estradiol-induced enhancement of object recognition

    PubMed Central

    Zhao, Zaorui; Fan, Lu; Fortress, Ashley M.; Boulware, Marissa I.; Frick, Karyn M.

    2012-01-01

    Histone acetylation has recently been implicated in learning and memory processes, yet necessity of histone acetylation for such processes has not been demonstrated using pharmacological inhibitors of histone acetyltransferases (HATs). As such, the present study tested whether garcinol, a potent HAT inhibitor in vitro, could impair hippocampal memory consolidation and block the memory-enhancing effects of the modulatory hormone 17β-estradiol (E2). We first showed that bilateral infusion of garcinol (0.1, 1, or 10 μg/side) into the dorsal hippocampus (DH) immediately after training impaired object recognition memory consolidation in ovariectomized female mice. A behaviorally effective dose of garcinol (10 μg/side) also significantly decreased DH HAT activity. We next examined whether DH infusion of a behaviorally subeffective dose of garcinol (1 ng/side) could block the effects of DH E2 infusion on object recognition and epigenetic processes. Immediately after training, ovariectomized female mice received bilateral DH infusions of vehicle, E2 (5 μg/side), garcinol (1 ng/side), or E2 plus garcinol. Forty-eight hours later, garcinol blocked the memory-enhancing effects of E2. Garcinol also reversed the E2-induced increase in DH histone H3 acetylation, HAT activity, and levels of the de novo methyltransferase DNMT3B, as well as the E2-induced decrease in levels of the memory repressor protein histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2). Collectively, these findings suggest that histone acetylation is critical for object recognition memory consolidation and the beneficial effects of E2 on object recognition. Importantly, this work demonstrates that the role of histone acetylation in memory processes can be studied using a HAT inhibitor. PMID:22396409

  14. Nicotinic α7 and α4β2 agonists enhance the formation and retrieval of recognition memory: Potential mechanisms for cognitive performance enhancement in neurological and psychiatric disorders.

    PubMed

    McLean, Samantha L; Grayson, Ben; Marsh, Samuel; Zarroug, Samah H O; Harte, Michael K; Neill, Jo C

    2016-04-01

    Cholinergic dysfunction has been shown to be central to the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease and has also been postulated to contribute to cognitive dysfunction observed in various psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia. Deficits are found across a number of cognitive domains and in spite of several attempts to develop new therapies, these remain an unmet clinical need. In the current study we investigated the efficacy of donepezil, risperidone and selective nicotinic α7 and α4β2 receptor agonists to reverse a delay-induced deficit in recognition memory. Adult female Hooded Lister rats received drug treatments and were tested in the novel object recognition (NOR) task following a 6h inter-trial interval (ITI). In all treatment groups, there was no preference for the left or right identical objects in the acquisition trial. Risperidone failed to enhance recognition memory in this paradigm whereas donepezil was effective such that rats discriminated between the novel and familiar object in the retention trial following a 6h ITI. Although a narrow dose range of PNU-282987 and RJR-2403 was tested, only one dose of each increased recognition memory, the highest dose of PNU-282987 (10mg/kg) and the lowest dose of RJR-2403 (0.1mg/kg), indicative of enhanced cognitive performance. Interestingly, these compounds were also efficacious when administered either before the acquisition or the retention trial of the task, suggesting an important role for nicotinic receptor subtypes in the formation and retrieval of recognition memory. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  15. Iris recognition: on the segmentation of degraded images acquired in the visible wavelength.

    PubMed

    Proença, Hugo

    2010-08-01

    Iris recognition imaging constraints are receiving increasing attention. There are several proposals to develop systems that operate in the visible wavelength and in less constrained environments. These imaging conditions engender acquired noisy artifacts that lead to severely degraded images, making iris segmentation a major issue. Having observed that existing iris segmentation methods tend to fail in these challenging conditions, we present a segmentation method that can handle degraded images acquired in less constrained conditions. We offer the following contributions: 1) to consider the sclera the most easily distinguishable part of the eye in degraded images, 2) to propose a new type of feature that measures the proportion of sclera in each direction and is fundamental in segmenting the iris, and 3) to run the entire procedure in deterministically linear time in respect to the size of the image, making the procedure suitable for real-time applications.

  16. Scattering Removal for Finger-Vein Image Restoration

    PubMed Central

    Yang, Jinfeng; Zhang, Ben; Shi, Yihua

    2012-01-01

    Finger-vein recognition has received increased attention recently. However, the finger-vein images are always captured in poor quality. This certainly makes finger-vein feature representation unreliable, and further impairs the accuracy of finger-vein recognition. In this paper, we first give an analysis of the intrinsic factors causing finger-vein image degradation, and then propose a simple but effective image restoration method based on scattering removal. To give a proper description of finger-vein image degradation, a biological optical model (BOM) specific to finger-vein imaging is proposed according to the principle of light propagation in biological tissues. Based on BOM, the light scattering component is sensibly estimated and properly removed for finger-vein image restoration. Finally, experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method is powerful in enhancing the finger-vein image contrast and in improving the finger-vein image matching accuracy. PMID:22737028

  17. Basic management of medical emergencies: recognizing a patient's distress.

    PubMed

    Reed, Kenneth L

    2010-05-01

    Medical emergencies can happen in the dental office, possibly threatening a patient's life and hindering the delivery of dental care. Early recognition of medical emergencies begins at the first sign of symptoms. The basic algorithm for management of all medical emergencies is this: position (P), airway (A), breathing (B), circulation (C) and definitive treatment, differential diagnosis, drugs, defibrillation (D). The dentist places an unconscious patient in a supine position and comfortably positions a conscious patient. The dentist then assesses airway, breathing and circulation and, when necessary, supports the patient's vital functions. Drug therapy always is secondary to basic life support (that is, PABCD). Prompt recognition and efficient management of medical emergencies by a well-prepared dental team can increase the likelihood of a satisfactory outcome. The basic algorithm for managing medical emergencies is designed to ensure that the patient's brain receives a constant supply of blood containing oxygen.

  18. Effects of levodopa-carbidopa-entacapone and smoked cocaine on facial affect recognition in cocaine smokers.

    PubMed

    Bedi, Gillinder; Shiffrin, Laura; Vadhan, Nehal P; Nunes, Edward V; Foltin, Richard W; Bisaga, Adam

    2016-04-01

    In addition to difficulties in daily social functioning, regular cocaine users have decrements in social processing (the cognitive and affective processes underlying social behavior) relative to non-users. Little is known, however, about the effects of clinically-relevant pharmacological agents, such as cocaine and potential treatment medications, on social processing in cocaine users. Such drug effects could potentially alleviate or compound baseline social processing decrements in cocaine abusers. Here, we assessed the individual and combined effects of smoked cocaine and a potential treatment medication, levodopa-carbidopa-entacapone (LCE), on facial emotion recognition in cocaine smokers. Healthy non-treatment-seeking cocaine smokers (N = 14; two female) completed this 11-day inpatient within-subjects study. Participants received LCE (titrated to 400mg/100mg/200mg b.i.d.) for five days with the remaining time on placebo. The order of medication administration was counterbalanced. Facial emotion recognition was measured twice during target LCE dosing and twice on placebo: once without cocaine and once after repeated cocaine doses. LCE increased the response threshold for identification of facial fear, biasing responses away from fear identification. Cocaine had no effect on facial emotion recognition. Results highlight the possibility for candidate pharmacotherapies to have unintended impacts on social processing in cocaine users, potentially exacerbating already existing difficulties in this population. © The Author(s) 2016.

  19. Dual-process models of associative recognition in young and older adults: evidence from receiver operating characteristics.

    PubMed

    Healy, Michael R; Light, Leah L; Chung, Christie

    2005-07-01

    In 3 experiments, young and older adults studied lists of unrelated word pairs and were given confidence-rated item and associative recognition tests. Several different models of recognition were fit to the confidence-rating data using techniques described by S. Macho (2002, 2004). Concordant with previous findings, item recognition data were best fit by an unequal-variance signal detection theory model for both young and older adults. For both age groups, associative recognition performance was best explained by models incorporating both recollection and familiarity components. Examination of parameter estimates supported the conclusion that recollection is reduced in old age, but inferences about age differences in familiarity were highly model dependent. Implications for dual-process models of memory in old age are discussed. ((c) 2005 APA, all rights reserved).

  20. Estradiol and ERβ agonists enhance recognition memory, and DPN, an ERβ agonist, alters brain monoamines

    PubMed Central

    Jacome, Luis F.; Gautreaux, Claris; Inagaki, Tomoko; Mohan, Govini; Alves, Stephen; Lubbers, Laura S.; Luine, Victoria

    2010-01-01

    Effects of estradiol benzoate (EB), ERα-selective agonist, propyl pyrazole triol (PPT) and ERβ-selective agonists, diarylpropionitrile (DPN) and Compound 19 (C-19) on memory were investigated in OVX rats using object recognition (OR) and placement (OP) memory tasks. Treatments were acute (behavior 4 h later) or sub chronic (daily injections for 2 days with behavior 48 h later). Objects were explored in sample trials (T1), and discrimination between sample (old) and new object/location in recognition trials (T2) was examined after 2–4 h inter-trial delays. Subjects treated sub chronically with EB, DPN, and C-19, but not PPT, discriminated between old and new objects and objects in old and new locations, suggesting that, at these doses and duration of treatments, estrogenic interactions with ERβ contributes to enhancements in recognition memory. Acute injections of DPN, but not PPT, immediately after T1, also enhanced discrimination for both tasks (C19 was not investigated). Effects of EB, DPN and PPT on anxiety and locomotion, measured on elevated plus maze and open field, did not appear to account for the mnemonic enhancements. Monoamines and metabolites were measured following DPN treatment in subjects that did not receive behavioral testing. DPN was associated with alterations in monoamines in several brain areas: indexed by the metabolite, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG), or the MHPG/norepinephrine (NE) ratio, NE activity was increased by 60–130% in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and ventral hippocampus, and NE activity was decreased by 40–80% in the v. diagonal bands and CA1. Levels of the dopamine (DA) metabolite, homovanillic acid (HVA), increased 100% in the PFC and decreased by 50% in the dentate gyrus following DPN treatment. The metabolite of serotonin, 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HIAA), was increased in the PFC and CA3, by approximately 20%. No monoaminergic changes were noted in striatum or medial septum. Results suggest that ERβ mediates sub chronic and acute effects of estrogens on recognition memory and that memory enhancements by DPN may occur, in part, through alterations in monoaminergic containing systems primarily in PFC and hippocampus. PMID:20828630

  1. Short exposure to a diet rich in both fat and sugar or sugar alone impairs place, but not object recognition memory in rats.

    PubMed

    Beilharz, Jessica E; Maniam, Jayanthi; Morris, Margaret J

    2014-03-01

    High energy diets have been shown to impair cognition however, the rapidity of these effects, and the dietary component/s responsible are currently unclear. We conducted two experiments in rats to examine the effects of short-term exposure to a diet rich in sugar and fat or rich in sugar on object (perirhinal-dependent) and place (hippocampal-dependent) recognition memory, and the role of inflammatory mediators in these responses. In Experiment 1, rats fed a cafeteria style diet containing chow supplemented with lard, cakes, biscuits, and a 10% sucrose solution performed worse on the place, but not the object recognition task, than chow fed control rats when tested after 5, 11, and 20 days. In Experiment 2, rats fed the cafeteria style diet either with or without sucrose and rats fed chow supplemented with sucrose also performed worse on the place, but not the object recognition task when tested after 5, 11, and 20 days. Rats fed the cafeteria diets consumed five times more energy than control rats and exhibited increased plasma leptin, insulin and triglyceride concentrations; these were not affected in the sucrose only rats. Rats exposed to sucrose exhibited both increased hippocampal inflammation (TNF-α and IL-1β mRNA) and oxidative stress, as indicated by an upregulation of NRF1 mRNA compared to control rats. In contrast, these markers were not significantly elevated in rats that received the cafeteria diet without added sucrose. Hippocampal BDNF and neuritin mRNA were similar across all groups. These results show that relatively short exposures to diets rich in both fat and sugar or rich in sugar, impair hippocampal-dependent place recognition memory prior to the emergence of weight differences, and suggest a role for oxidative stress and neuroinflammation in this impairment. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Bacopa monnieri (Brahmi) Enhanced Cognitive Function and Prevented Cognitive Impairment by Increasing VGLUT2 Immunodensity in Prefrontal Cortex of Sub-Chronic Phencyclidine Rat Model of Schizophrenia.

    PubMed

    Piyabhan, Pritsana; Wetchateng, Thanitsara

    2015-04-01

    Glutamatergic hypofunction is affected in schizophrenia. The decrement ofpresynaptic glutamatergic marker remarkably vesicular glutamate transporter type 1 (VGLUT1) indicates the deficit ofglutamatergic and cognitive function in schizophrenic brain. However there have been afew studies in VGLUT2. Brahmi, a traditional herbal medicine, might be a new frontier of cognitive deficit treatment and prevention in schizophrenia by changing cerebral VGLUT2 density. To study cognitive enhancement- and neuroprotective-effects of Brahmi on novel object recognition task and cerebral VGLUT2 immunodensity in sub-chronic phencyclidine (PCP) rat model of schizophrenia. Cognitive enhancement effect study; rats were assigned to three groups; Group-1: Control, Group-2: PCP administration and Group-3: PCP + Brahmi. Neuroprotective effect study; rats were assigned to three groups; Group-1: Control, Group-2: PCP administration and Group-3: Brahmi + PCP Discrimination ratio (DR) representing cognitive ability was obtained from novel object recognition task. VGLUT2 immunodensity was measured in prefrontal cortex, striatum, cornu ammonis fields 1 (CA1) and 2/3 (CA2/3) of hippocampus using immunohistochemistry. DR was significantly reduced in PCP group compared with control. This occurred alongside VGLUT2 reduction in prefrontal cortex, but not in striatum, CA1 or CA2/3. Both PCP + Brahmi and Brahmi + PCP groups showed an increased DR score up to normal, which occurred alongside a significantly increased VGLUT2 immunodensity in the prefrontal cortex, compared with PCP group. The decrement of VGLUT2 density in prefrontal cortex resulted in cognitive deficit in rats receiving PCP. Interestingly, receiving Brahmi after PCP administration can restore this cognitive deficit by increasing VGLUT2 density in prefrontal cortex. This investigation is defined as Brahmi's cognitive enhancement effect. Additionally, receiving Brahmi before PCP administration can also prevent cognitive impairment by elevating VGLUT2 density in prefrontal cortex. This observation indicates neuroprotective effect of Brahmi. Therefore, Brahmi could be a new frontier of restoration and prevention of cognitive deficit in schizophrenia.

  3. Towards a data publishing framework for primary biodiversity data: challenges and potentials for the biodiversity informatics community

    PubMed Central

    Chavan, Vishwas S; Ingwersen, Peter

    2009-01-01

    Background Currently primary scientific data, especially that dealing with biodiversity, is neither easily discoverable nor accessible. Amongst several impediments, one is a lack of professional recognition of scientific data publishing efforts. A possible solution is establishment of a 'Data Publishing Framework' which would encourage and recognise investments and efforts by institutions and individuals towards management, and publishing of primary scientific data potentially on a par with recognitions received for scholarly publications. Discussion This paper reviews the state-of-the-art of primary biodiversity data publishing, and conceptualises a 'Data Publishing Framework' that would help incentivise efforts and investments by institutions and individuals in facilitating free and open access to biodiversity data. It further postulates the institutionalisation of a 'Data Usage Index (DUI)', that would attribute due recognition to multiple players in the data collection/creation, management and publishing cycle. Conclusion We believe that institutionalisation of such a 'Data Publishing Framework' that offers socio-cultural, legal, technical, economic and policy environment conducive for data publishing will facilitate expedited discovery and mobilisation of an exponential increase in quantity of 'fit-for-use' primary biodiversity data, much of which is currently invisible. PMID:19900298

  4. The Recognition Memory Test Examination of ethnic differences and norm validity.

    PubMed

    O'Bryant, Sid E; Hilsabeck, Robin C; McCaffrey, Robert J; Drew Gouvier, Wm

    2003-03-01

    The possibility of racial bias in neuropsychological test materials has received increasing attention in recent years. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether an own-race recognition bias would provide an advantage for Caucasian participants over African American participants on the Faces subtest of the Recognition Memory Test (RMT). Thirty Caucasian and 30 African American undergraduates completed the RMT, Shipley Institute of Living Scale (SILS), and Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT). No significant group difference was found on RMT Faces. However, mean RMT Faces scores for both groups were below the 10th percentile in spite of average scores on the SDMT and SILS. A second study was conducted to further examine the validity of the RMT norms for this age range (i.e., 18-24) and to provide 2-week test-retest reliabilities. The mean RMT Faces subtest score was 39.78 (10th percentile), and 28% of the sample scored at or below the fifth percentile. Test-retest reliabilities were.63 and.64 for RMT Words and Faces, respectively. Results of these studies suggest that re-examination of the current norms for RMT Faces is warranted for adults aged.

  5. Human brain distinctiveness based on EEG spectral coherence connectivity.

    PubMed

    Rocca, D La; Campisi, P; Vegso, B; Cserti, P; Kozmann, G; Babiloni, F; Fallani, F De Vico

    2014-09-01

    The use of EEG biometrics, for the purpose of automatic people recognition, has received increasing attention in the recent years. Most of the current analyses rely on the extraction of features characterizing the activity of single brain regions, like power spectrum estimation, thus neglecting possible temporal dependencies between the generated EEG signals. However, important physiological information can be extracted from the way different brain regions are functionally coupled. In this study, we propose a novel approach that fuses spectral coherence-based connectivity between different brain regions as a possibly viable biometric feature. The proposed approach is tested on a large dataset of subjects (N = 108) during eyes-closed (EC) and eyes-open (EO) resting state conditions. The obtained recognition performance shows that using brain connectivity leads to higher distinctiveness with respect to power-spectrum measurements, in both the experimental conditions. Notably, a 100% recognition accuracy is obtained in EC and EO when integrating functional connectivity between regions in the frontal lobe, while a lower 97.5% is obtained in EC (96.26% in EO) when fusing power spectrum information from parieto-occipital (centro-parietal in EO) regions. Taken together, these results suggest that the functional connectivity patterns represent effective features for improving EEG-based biometric systems.

  6. Towards a data publishing framework for primary biodiversity data: challenges and potentials for the biodiversity informatics community.

    PubMed

    Chavan, Vishwas S; Ingwersen, Peter

    2009-11-10

    Currently primary scientific data, especially that dealing with biodiversity, is neither easily discoverable nor accessible. Amongst several impediments, one is a lack of professional recognition of scientific data publishing efforts. A possible solution is establishment of a 'Data Publishing Framework' which would encourage and recognise investments and efforts by institutions and individuals towards management, and publishing of primary scientific data potentially on a par with recognitions received for scholarly publications. This paper reviews the state-of-the-art of primary biodiversity data publishing, and conceptualises a 'Data Publishing Framework' that would help incentivise efforts and investments by institutions and individuals in facilitating free and open access to biodiversity data. It further postulates the institutionalisation of a 'Data Usage Index (DUI)', that would attribute due recognition to multiple players in the data collection/creation, management and publishing cycle. We believe that institutionalisation of such a 'Data Publishing Framework' that offers socio-cultural, legal, technical, economic and policy environment conducive for data publishing will facilitate expedited discovery and mobilisation of an exponential increase in quantity of 'fit-for-use' primary biodiversity data, much of which is currently invisible.

  7. Effects of short-term quetiapine treatment on emotional processing, sleep and circadian rhythms.

    PubMed

    Rock, Philippa L; Goodwin, Guy M; Wulff, Katharina; McTavish, Sarah F B; Harmer, Catherine J

    2016-03-01

    Quetiapine is an atypical antipsychotic that can stabilise mood from any index episode of bipolar disorder. This study investigated the effects of seven-day quetiapine administration on sleep, circadian rhythms and emotional processing in healthy volunteers. Twenty healthy volunteers received 150 mg quetiapine XL for seven nights and 20 matched controls received placebo. Sleep-wake actigraphy was completed for one week both pre-dose and during drug treatment. On Day 8, participants completed emotional processing tasks. Actigraphy revealed that quetiapine treatment increased sleep duration and efficiency, delayed final wake time and had a tendency to reduce within-day variability. There were no effects of quetiapine on subjective ratings of mood or energy. Quetiapine-treated participants showed diminished bias towards positive words and away from negative words during recognition memory. Quetiapine did not significantly affect facial expression recognition, emotional word categorisation, emotion-potentiated startle or emotional word/faces dot-probe vigilance reaction times. These changes in sleep timing and circadian rhythmicity in healthy volunteers may be relevant to quetiapine's therapeutic actions. Effects on emotional processing did not emulate the effects of antidepressants. The effects of quetiapine on sleep and circadian rhythms in patients with bipolar disorder merit further investigation to elucidate its mechanisms of action. © The Author(s) 2016.

  8. The effects of promising to tell the truth, the putative confession, and recall and recognition questions on maltreated and non-maltreated children's disclosure of a minor transgression.

    PubMed

    Quas, Jodi A; Stolzenberg, Stacia N; Lyon, Thomas D

    2018-02-01

    This study examined the utility of two interview instructions designed to overcome children's reluctance to disclose transgressions: eliciting a promise from children to tell the truth and the putative confession (telling children that a suspect "told me everything that happened and wants you to tell the truth"). The key questions were whether the instructions increased disclosure in response to recall questions and in response to recognition questions that were less or more explicit about transgressions and whether instructions were differentially effective with age. A total sample of 217 4- to 9-year-old maltreated and comparable non-maltreated children and a stranger played with a set of toys. For half of the children within each group, two of the toys appeared to break while they were playing. The stranger admonished secrecy. Shortly thereafter, children were questioned about what happened in one of three interview conditions. Some children were asked to promise to tell the truth. Others were given the putative confession, and still others received no interview instructions. When coupled with recall questions, the promise was effective at increasing disclosures only among older children, whereas the putative confession was effective regardless of age. Across interview instruction conditions, recognition questions that did not suggest wrongdoing elicited few additional transgression disclosures, whereas recognition questions that explicitly mentioned wrongdoing elicited some true reports but also some false alarms. No differences in disclosure emerged between maltreated and non-maltreated children. Results highlight the potential benefits and limitations of different interviewing approaches when questioning reluctant children. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. A World of Opportunity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rourke, James; Boone, Elizabeth

    2008-01-01

    Forest Grove (OR) High School places a high value on achievement for all students. Large banners highlight the recognition the school has received for academic accomplishments, such as Oregon's Closing the Achievement Gap award, which it has received for two years running, and for meeting adequate yearly progress. In classrooms, students are…

  10. "When Did I Learn and When Shall I Act?": The Developmental Relationship between Episodic Future Thinking and Memory

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Naito, Mika; Suzuki, Toshiko

    2011-01-01

    This study investigated the development of the ability to reflect on one's personal past and future. A total of 64 4- to 6-year-olds received tasks of delayed self-recognition, source memory, delay of gratification, and a newly developed task of future-oriented action timing. Although children's performance on delayed self-recognition, source…

  11. Computer-Assisted Face Processing Instruction Improves Emotion Recognition, Mentalizing, and Social Skills in Students with ASD.

    PubMed

    Rice, Linda Marie; Wall, Carla Anne; Fogel, Adam; Shic, Frederick

    2015-07-01

    This study examined the extent to which a computer-based social skills intervention called FaceSay was associated with improvements in affect recognition, mentalizing, and social skills of school-aged children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). FaceSay offers students simulated practice with eye gaze, joint attention, and facial recognition skills. This randomized control trial included school-aged children meeting educational criteria for autism (N = 31). Results demonstrated that participants who received the intervention improved their affect recognition and mentalizing skills, as well as their social skills. These findings suggest that, by targeting face-processing skills, computer-based interventions may produce changes in broader cognitive and social-skills domains in a cost- and time-efficient manner.

  12. A white paper on dusty plasmas

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Whipple, E. C. (Compiler)

    1986-01-01

    Dusty plasmas is the name given to plasmas heavily laden with charged dust grains which together with the surrounding ions and electrons constitute a kind of plasma regime. This field of study is receiving increased attention because of the observation of dust during recent spacecraft missions to the planets and comets, together with the dawning recognition that the evolution of dusty plasma clouds in space may be quite different from that of nondusty clouds. Recent work in this field is reviewed and recommendations are made on the kind of research that is needed in the immediate future.

  13. Endogenous Molecules Induced by a Pathogen-Associated Molecular Pattern (PAMP) Elicit Innate Immunity in Shrimp

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Yu-Yuan; Chen, Jiann-Chu; Lin, Yong-Chin; Kitikiew, Suwaree; Li, Hui-Fang; Bai, Jia-Chin; Tseng, Kuei-Chi; Lin, Bo-Wei; Liu, Po-Chun; Shi, Yin-Ze; Kuo, Yi-Hsuan; Chang, Yu-Hsuan

    2014-01-01

    Invertebrates rely on an innate immune system to combat invading pathogens. The system is initiated in the presence of cell wall components from microbes like lipopolysaccharide (LPS), β-1,3-glucan (βG) and peptidoglycan (PG), altogether known as pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), via a recognition of pattern recognition protein (PRP) or receptor (PRR) through complicated reactions. We show herein that shrimp hemocytes incubated with LPS, βG, and PG caused necrosis and released endogenous molecules (EMs), namely EM-L, EM-β, and EM-P, and found that shrimp hemocytes incubated with EM-L, EM-β, and EM-P caused changes in cell viability, degranulation and necrosis of hemocytes, and increased phenoloxidase (PO) activity and respiratory burst (RB) indicating activation of immunity in vitro. We found that shrimp receiving EM-L, EM-β, and EM-P had increases in hemocyte count and other immune parameters as well as higher phagocytic activity toward a Vibrio pathogen, and found that shrimp receiving EM-L had increases in proliferation cell ratio and mitotic index of hematopoietic tissues (HPTs). We identified proteins of EMs deduced from SDS-PAGE and LC-ESI-MS/MS analyses. EM-L and EM-P contained damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) including HMGBa, HMGBb, histone 2A (H2A), H2B, and H4, and other proteins including proPO, Rab 7 GPTase, and Rab 11 GPTase, which were not observed in controls (EM-C, hemocytes incubated in shrimp salt solution). We concluded that EMs induced by PAMPs contain DAMPs and other immune molecules, and they could elicit innate immunity in shrimp. Further research is needed to identify which individual molecule or combined molecules of EMs cause the results, and determine the mechanism of action in innate immunity. PMID:25517999

  14. Total cost of care lower among Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries receiving care from patient-centered medical homes.

    PubMed

    van Hasselt, Martijn; McCall, Nancy; Keyes, Vince; Wensky, Suzanne G; Smith, Kevin W

    2015-02-01

    To compare health care utilization and payments between NCQA-recognized patient-centered medical home (PCMH) practices and practices without such recognition. Medicare Part A and B claims files from July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2010, 2009 Census, 2007 Health Resources and Services Administration and CMS Utilization file, Medicare's Enrollment Data Base, and the 2005 American Medical Association Physician Workforce file. This study used a longitudinal, nonexperimental design. Three annual observations (July 1, 2008-June 30, 2010) were available for each practice. We compared selected outcomes between practices with and those without NCQA PCMH recognition. Individual Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) beneficiaries and their claims and utilization data were assigned to PCMH or comparison practices based on where they received the plurality of evaluation and management services between July 1, 2007 and June 30, 2008. Relative to the comparison group, total Medicare payments, acute care payments, and the number of emergency room visits declined after practices received NCQA PCMH recognition. The decline was larger for practices with sicker than average patients, primary care practices, and solo practices. This study provides additional evidence about the potential of the PCMH model for reducing health care utilization and the cost of care. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

  15. Instructions to mimic improve facial emotion recognition in people with sub-clinical autism traits.

    PubMed

    Lewis, Michael B; Dunn, Emily

    2017-11-01

    People tend to mimic the facial expression of others. It has been suggested that this helps provide social glue between affiliated people but it could also aid recognition of emotions through embodied cognition. The degree of facial mimicry, however, varies between individuals and is limited in people with autism spectrum conditions (ASC). The present study sought to investigate the effect of promoting facial mimicry during a facial-emotion-recognition test. In two experiments, participants without an ASC diagnosis had their autism quotient (AQ) measured. Following a baseline test, they did an emotion-recognition test again but half of the participants were asked to mimic the target face they saw prior to making their responses. Mimicry improved emotion recognition, and further analysis revealed that the largest improvement was for participants who had higher scores on the autism traits. In fact, recognition performance was best overall for people who had high AQ scores but also received the instruction to mimic. Implications for people with ASC are explored.

  16. Comparison of speech perception performance between Sprint/Esprit 3G and Freedom processors in children implanted with nucleus cochlear implants.

    PubMed

    Santarelli, Rosamaria; Magnavita, Vincenzo; De Filippi, Roberta; Ventura, Laura; Genovese, Elisabetta; Arslan, Edoardo

    2009-04-01

    To compare speech perception performance in children fitted with previous generation Nucleus sound processor, Sprint or Esprit 3G, and the Freedom, the most recently released system from the Cochlear Corporation that features a larger input dynamic range. Prospective intrasubject comparative study. University Medical Center. Seventeen prelingually deafened children who had received the Nucleus 24 cochlear implant and used the Sprint or Esprit 3G sound processor. Cochlear implantation with Cochlear device. Speech perception was evaluated at baseline (Sprint, n = 11; Esprit 3G, n = 6) and after 1 month's experience with the Freedom sound processor. Identification and recognition of disyllabic words and identification of vowels were performed via recorded voice in quiet (70 dB [A]), in the presence of background noise at various levels of signal-to-noise ratio (+10, +5, 0, -5) and at a soft presentation level (60 dB [A]). Consonant identification and recognition of disyllabic words, trisyllabic words, and sentences were evaluated in live voice. Frequency discrimination was measured in a subset of subjects (n = 5) by using an adaptive, 3-interval, 3-alternative, forced-choice procedure. Identification of disyllabic words administered at a soft presentation level showed a significant increase when switching to the Freedom compared with the previously worn processor in children using the Sprint or Esprit 3G. Identification and recognition of disyllabic words in the presence of background noise as well as consonant identification and sentence recognition increased significantly for the Freedom compared with the previously worn device only in children fitted with the Sprint. Frequency discrimination was significantly better when switching to the Freedom compared with the previously worn processor. Serial comparisons revealed that that speech perception performance evaluated in children aged 5 to 15 years was superior with the Freedom than previous generations of Nucleus sound processors. These differences are deemed to ensue from an increased input dynamic range, a feature that offers potentially enhanced phonemic discrimination.

  17. An adaptive deep Q-learning strategy for handwritten digit recognition.

    PubMed

    Qiao, Junfei; Wang, Gongming; Li, Wenjing; Chen, Min

    2018-02-22

    Handwritten digits recognition is a challenging problem in recent years. Although many deep learning-based classification algorithms are studied for handwritten digits recognition, the recognition accuracy and running time still need to be further improved. In this paper, an adaptive deep Q-learning strategy is proposed to improve accuracy and shorten running time for handwritten digit recognition. The adaptive deep Q-learning strategy combines the feature-extracting capability of deep learning and the decision-making of reinforcement learning to form an adaptive Q-learning deep belief network (Q-ADBN). First, Q-ADBN extracts the features of original images using an adaptive deep auto-encoder (ADAE), and the extracted features are considered as the current states of Q-learning algorithm. Second, Q-ADBN receives Q-function (reward signal) during recognition of the current states, and the final handwritten digits recognition is implemented by maximizing the Q-function using Q-learning algorithm. Finally, experimental results from the well-known MNIST dataset show that the proposed Q-ADBN has a superiority to other similar methods in terms of accuracy and running time. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Relaxing decision criteria does not improve recognition memory in amnesic patients.

    PubMed

    Reber, P J; Squire, L R

    1999-05-01

    An important question about the organization of memory is whether information available in non-declarative memory can contribute to performance on tasks of declarative memory. Dorfman, Kihlstrom, Cork, and Misiaszek (1995) described a circumstance in which the phenomenon of priming might benefit recognition memory performance. They reported that patients receiving electroconvulsive therapy improved their recognition performance when they were encouraged to relax their criteria for endorsing test items as familiar. It was suggested that priming improved recognition by making information available about the familiarity of test items. In three experiments, we sought unsuccessfully to reproduce this phenomenon in amnesic patients. In Experiment 3, we reproduced the methods and procedure used by Dorfman et al. but still found no evidence for improved recognition memory following the manipulation of decision criteria. Although negative findings have their own limitations, our findings suggest that the phenomenon reported by Dorfman et al. does not generalize well. Our results agree with several recent findings that suggest that priming is independent of recognition memory and does not contribute to recognition memory scores.

  19. Quality of Depression Care for People with Coincident Chronic Medical Conditions

    PubMed Central

    Reynolds, Charles F.; Cleary, Paul D.

    2008-01-01

    Objective Depression is common and associated with poor outcomes for people with chronic medical conditions (CMCs). The goals of this study were (1) to determine the effect of CMCs on the use and quality of depression care and (2) to understand whether the patient-provider relationship mediates the relationship between CMCs and depression care quality. Method Using data from the 1997-1998 National Survey of Alcohol, Drug, and Mental Health Problems (Healthcare for Communities), the relationships between CMCs, depression recognition, receipt of minimally adequate depression care, and the patient-provider relationship were assessed with multivariate linear and logistic regression models for 1,309 adults who met criteria for major depressive disorder. Results Depressed patients with a CMC were more likely to have their depression recognized by a provider (OR=2.10; 95% CI 1.32-3.35) and to take antidepressant medications (32% vs. 19%, p=0.02) than those without a CMC. However, having a CMC was not associated with receiving minimally adequate depression care or patient satisfaction. Depression recognition was associated with number of medical visits (OR=1.12; 95% CI 1.09-1.15), having a usual source of care (OR=3.57; 95% CI 2.26-5.63), and provider trust (OR=1.07; 95% CI 1.04-1.11). Conclusion Depressed people with a comorbid CMC are more likely to have their depression recognized than those without a CMC, though were no more likely to receive minimally adequate depression care. Aspects of the patient-provider relationship, including trust and continuity of care, may help to explain the increased rate of depression recognition among patients with severe CMCs. PMID:19061679

  20. Neuroprotective effects of Bacopa monnieri (Brahmi) on novel object recognition and NMDAR1 immunodensity in the prefrontal cortex, striatum and hippocampus of sub-chronic phencyclidine rat model of schizophrenia.

    PubMed

    Piyabhan, Pritsana; Wetchateng, Thanitsara

    2014-08-01

    Cognitive impairment is a major problem, which eventually develops in schizophrenia. It contributes to the patients 'functional disability and cannot be attenuated by antipsychotic drugs. Bacopa monnieri (Brahmi), a neuroprotective herbal medicine in the elderly, might be a novel neuroprotective agent for prevention of cognitive deficit in schizophrenia. To study neuroprotective effects ofBrahmi on novel object recognition task and cerebral glutamate/N-methyl-D- aspartate receptor subtype 1 (NMDAR1) immunodensity in sub-chronic phencyclidine (PCP) rat model ofschizophrenia. Rats were assigned to three groups; Group-A: Control, Group-B: PCP administration and Group- C: Brahmi + PCP. Discrimination ratio (DR) representing cognitive ability was obtainedfrom novel object recognition task. NMDAR1 immunodensity was measured in prefrontal cortex, striatum, cornu ammonis fields I (CA 1) and 2/3 (CA2/3) and dentate gyrus (DG) using immunohistochemistry. DR was significantly reduced in PCP group compared with control. This occurred alongside NMDAR1 up-regulation in CA2/3 and DG but not in prefrontal cortex, striatum or CA1. Brahmi + PCP group showed an increased DR score up to normal which occurred alongside a significantly decreased NMDARI immunodensity in CA2/3 and DG compared with PCP group. Cognitive deficit observed in rats receiving PCP was mediated by NMDAR1 up-regulation in CA2/3 and DG Interestingly, receiving Brahmi before PCP administration can restore this cognitive deficit by decreasingNMDAR1 in these brain areas. Therefore, Brahmi could be a novel neuroprotective agentfor the prevention ofcognitive deficit in schizophrenia.

  1. Treatment of Pediatric Septic Shock With the Surviving Sepsis Campaign Guidelines and PICU Patient Outcomes.

    PubMed

    Workman, Jennifer K; Ames, Stefanie G; Reeder, Ron W; Korgenski, E Kent; Masotti, Susan M; Bratton, Susan L; Larsen, Gitte Y

    2016-10-01

    The Surviving Sepsis Campaign recommends rapid recognition and treatment of severe sepsis and septic shock. Few reports have evaluated the impact of these recommendations in pediatrics. We sought to determine if outcomes in patients who received initial care compliant with the Surviving Sepsis Campaign time goals differed from those treated more slowly. Single center retrospective cohort study. Emergency department and PICU at an academic children's hospital. Three hundred twenty-one patients treated for septic shock in the emergency department and admitted directly to the PICU. None. The exposure was receipt of emergency department care compliant with the Surviving Sepsis Campaign recommendations (delivery of IV fluids, IV antibiotics, and vasoactive infusions within 1 hr of shock recognition). The primary outcome was development of new or progressive multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. Secondary outcomes included mortality, need for mechanical ventilation or vasoactive medications, and hospital and PICU length of stay. Of the 321 children studied, 117 received Surviving Sepsis Campaign compliant care in the emergency department and 204 did not. New or progressive multiple organ dysfunction syndrome developed in nine of the patients (7.7%) who received Surviving Sepsis Campaign compliant care and 25 (12.3%) who did not (p = 0.26). There were 17 deaths; overall mortality rate was 5%. There were no significant differences between groups in any of the secondary outcomes. Although only 36% of patients met the Surviving Sepsis Campaign guideline recommendation of bundled care within 1 hour of shock recognition, 75% of patients received the recommended interventions in less than 3 hours. Treatment for pediatric septic shock in compliance with the Surviving Sepsis Campaign recommendations was not associated with better outcomes compared with children whose initial therapies in the emergency department were administered more slowly. However, all patients were treated rapidly and we report low morbidity and mortality. This underscores the importance of rapid recognition and treatment of septic shock.

  2. History of Combat Pay

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-08-01

    distribution of risks, the equal eligibility criteria and monetary compensation of HFP and IDP failed to equitably recognize the dire risks of war zones...notions of equity . The wide distribution of risks receiving special pay may also dilute the impact of recognition on servicemember morale. In 2003, the...recognition for the latent risks of low-intensity conflicts as the hazards of open war. Equalization of special pay among individuals exposed to risk

  3. DYNAMIC PATTERN RECOGNITION BY MEANS OF THRESHOLD NETS,

    DTIC Science & Technology

    A method is expounded for the recognition of visual patterns. A circuit diagram of a device is described which is based on a multilayer threshold ...structure synthesized in accordance with the proposed method. Coded signals received each time an image is displayed are transmitted to the threshold ...circuit which distinguishes the signs, and from there to the layers of threshold resolving elements. The image at each layer is made to correspond

  4. The production and recognition of psychiatric original articles published in languages other than English.

    PubMed

    Baethge, Christopher

    2013-03-26

    Whereas the most influential journals in psychiatry are English language journals, periodicals published in other languages serve an important purpose for local communities of clinicians and researchers. This study aimed at analyzing the scientific production and the recognition of non-English general psychiatry journals. In a cohort study, the 2009 volume of ten journals from Brazil (1), German language countries (5), France (2), Italy (1), and Poland (1) was searched for original articles. Patterns of citations to these articles during 2010 and 2011 as documented in Web of Science were analyzed. The journals published 199 original articles (range: 4-46), mostly observational studies. Half of the papers were cited in the following two years. There were 246 citations received, or an average of 1.25 cites per article (range: 0.25-4.04). Many of these citations came from the local community, that is, from the same authors and journals. Citations by other periodicals and other authors accounted for 36% [95%-CI: 30%-42%], citations in English sources for 33% [28%-39%] of all quotations. There was considerable heterogeneity with regard to citations received among the ten journals investigated. Non-English language general psychiatry journals contribute substantially to the body of research. However, recognition, and in particular recognition by the international research community is moderate.

  5. Within-individual variation in bullfrog vocalizations: implications for a vocally mediated social recognition system.

    PubMed

    Bee, Mark A

    2004-12-01

    Acoustic signals provide a basis for social recognition in a wide range of animals. Few studies, however, have attempted to relate the patterns of individual variation in signals to behavioral discrimination thresholds used by receivers to discriminate among individuals. North American bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana) discriminate among familiar and unfamiliar individuals based on individual variation in advertisement calls. The sources, patterns, and magnitudes of variation in eight acoustic properties of multiple-note advertisement calls were examined to understand how patterns of within-individual variation might either constrain, or provide additional cues for, vocal recognition. Six of eight acoustic properties exhibited significant note-to-note variation within multiple-note calls. Despite this source of within-individual variation, all call properties varied significantly among individuals, and multivariate analyses indicated that call notes were individually distinct. Fine-temporal and spectral call properties exhibited less within-individual variation compared to gross-temporal properties and contributed most toward statistically distinguishing among individuals. Among-individual differences in the patterns of within-individual variation in some properties suggest that within-individual variation could also function as a recognition cue. The distributions of among-individual and within-individual differences were used to generate hypotheses about the expected behavioral discrimination thresholds of receivers.

  6. 26 CFR 1.1037-1 - Certain exchanges of United States obligations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... regulations thereunder if the taxpayer receives money on the exchange. (2) Recognition of gain or loss... face value of $1,000. Thereafter, he surrenders this obligation to the United States in exchange solely...-year marketable bond having a face value of $100. On the date of exchange the bond received in the...

  7. 26 CFR 1.1037-1 - Certain exchanges of United States obligations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... regulations thereunder if the taxpayer receives money on the exchange. (2) Recognition of gain or loss... face value of $1,000. Thereafter, he surrenders this obligation to the United States in exchange solely...-year marketable bond having a face value of $100. On the date of exchange the bond received in the...

  8. 26 CFR 1.1037-1 - Certain exchanges of United States obligations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... regulations thereunder if the taxpayer receives money on the exchange. (2) Recognition of gain or loss... face value of $1,000. Thereafter, he surrenders this obligation to the United States in exchange solely...-year marketable bond having a face value of $100. On the date of exchange the bond received in the...

  9. 26 CFR 1.1037-1 - Certain exchanges of United States obligations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... regulations thereunder if the taxpayer receives money on the exchange. (2) Recognition of gain or loss... face value of $1,000. Thereafter, he surrenders this obligation to the United States in exchange solely...-year marketable bond having a face value of $100. On the date of exchange the bond received in the...

  10. 26 CFR 1.1037-1 - Certain exchanges of United States obligations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... regulations thereunder if the taxpayer receives money on the exchange. (2) Recognition of gain or loss... face value of $1,000. Thereafter, he surrenders this obligation to the United States in exchange solely...-year marketable bond having a face value of $100. On the date of exchange the bond received in the...

  11. Conceptus-derived prostaglandins regulate gene expression in the endometrium prior to pregnancy recognition in ruminants

    PubMed Central

    Spencer, Thomas E.; Forde, Niamh; Dorniak, Piotr; Hansen, Thomas R.; Romero, Jared J.; Lonergan, Patrick

    2013-01-01

    In cattle, the blastocyst hatches from the zona pellucida on days 8 to 9 and then forms a conceptus that grows and elongates into an ovoid and then filamentous shape between days 9 and 16. The growing conceptus synthesizes and secretes prostaglandins and interferon tau. Our hypothesis was that the ovoid conceptus exerts a local effect on the endometrium prior to maternal recognition of pregnancy on day 16 in cattle. In Study One, synchronized cyclic heifers received nothing or 20 in vitro produced blastocysts on day 7, and uteri were collected on day 13. Interferon tau was not detected by radioimmunoassay in the uterine flush of pregnant heifers containing multiple ovoid conceptuses; however, total prostaglandin levels were higher in the uterine lumen of pregnant as compared to cyclic heifers. Microarray analysis revealed that 44 genes were increased in the endometrium of day 13 pregnant as compared to cyclic heifers, and many of those genes were classical Type I IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs). Studies Two and Three determined effects of infusing prostaglandins at the levels produced by the elongating day 14 conceptus into the uterine lumen of cyclic ewes on ISG expression in the endometrium. Results indicated that prostaglandin infusion increased the abundance of several ISGs in the endometrium. These studies support the hypothesis that the day 13 conceptus secretes prostaglandins that act locally in a paracrine manner to alter gene expression in the endometrium prior to pregnancy recognition in cattle. PMID:23966582

  12. Neuroinflammatory and cognitive consequences of combined radiation and immunotherapy in a novel preclinical model

    PubMed Central

    McGinnis, Gwendolyn J.; Friedman, David; Young, Kristina H.; Torres, Eileen Ruth S.; Thomas, Charles R.; Gough, Michael J.; Raber, Jacob

    2017-01-01

    Background Cancer patients often report behavioral and cognitive changes following cancer treatment. These effects can be seen in patients who have not yet received treatment or have received only peripheral (non-brain) irradiation. Novel treatments combining radiotherapy (RT) and immunotherapy (IT) demonstrate remarkable efficacy with respect to tumor outcomes by enhancing the proinflammatory environment in the tumor. However, a proinflammatory environment in the brain mediates cognitive impairments in other neurological disorders and may affect brain function in cancer patients receiving these novel treatments. Currently, gaps exist as to whether these treatments impact the brain in individuals with or without tumors and with regard to the underlying mechanisms. Results Combined treatment with precision RT and checkpoint inhibitor IT achieved control of tumor growth. However, BALB/c mice receiving combined treatment demonstrated changes in measures of anxiety levels, regardless of tumor status. C57BL/6J mice with tumors demonstrated increased anxiety, except following combined treatment. Object recognition memory was impaired in C57BL/6J mice without tumors following combined treatment. All mice with tumors showed impaired object recognition, except those treated with RT alone. Mice with tumors demonstrated impaired amygdala-dependent cued fear memory, while maintaining hippocampus-dependent context fear memory. These behavioral alterations and cognitive impairments were accompanied by increased microglial activation in mice receiving immunotherapy alone or combined with RT. Finally, based on tumor status, there were significant changes in proinflammatory cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-6, IL-5, IL-2, IL-10) and a growth factor (FGF-basic). Materials and Methods Here we test the hypothesis that IT combined with peripheral RT have detrimental behavioral and cognitive effects as a result of an enhanced proinflammatory environment in the brain. BALB/c mice with or without injected hind flank CT26 colorectal carcinoma or C57BL/6J mice with or without Lewis Lung carcinoma were used for all experiments. Checkpoint inhibitor IT, using an anti-CTLA-4 antibody, and precision CT-guided peripheral RT alone and combined were used to closely model clinical treatment. We assessed behavioral and cognitive performance and investigated the immune environment using immunohistochemistry and multiplex assays to analyze proinflammatory mediators. Conclusions Although combined treatment achieved tumor growth control, it affected the brain and induced changes in measures of anxiety, cognitive impairments, and neuroinflammation. PMID:27893434

  13. Double dissociation of pharmacologically induced deficits in visual recognition and visual discrimination learning

    PubMed Central

    Turchi, Janita; Buffalari, Deanne; Mishkin, Mortimer

    2008-01-01

    Monkeys trained in either one-trial recognition at 8- to 10-min delays or multi-trial discrimination habits with 24-h intertrial intervals received systemic cholinergic and dopaminergic antagonists, scopolamine and haloperidol, respectively, in separate sessions. Recognition memory was impaired markedly by scopolamine but not at all by haloperidol, whereas habit formation was impaired markedly by haloperidol but only minimally by scopolamine. These differential drug effects point to differences in synaptic modification induced by the two neuromodulators that parallel the contrasting properties of the two types of learning, namely, fast acquisition but weak retention of memories versus slow acquisition but durable retention of habits. PMID:18685146

  14. Double dissociation of pharmacologically induced deficits in visual recognition and visual discrimination learning.

    PubMed

    Turchi, Janita; Buffalari, Deanne; Mishkin, Mortimer

    2008-08-01

    Monkeys trained in either one-trial recognition at 8- to 10-min delays or multi-trial discrimination habits with 24-h intertrial intervals received systemic cholinergic and dopaminergic antagonists, scopolamine and haloperidol, respectively, in separate sessions. Recognition memory was impaired markedly by scopolamine but not at all by haloperidol, whereas habit formation was impaired markedly by haloperidol but only minimally by scopolamine. These differential drug effects point to differences in synaptic modification induced by the two neuromodulators that parallel the contrasting properties of the two types of learning, namely, fast acquisition but weak retention of memories versus slow acquisition but durable retention of habits.

  15. Melanoma recognition framework based on expert definition of ABCD for dermoscopic images.

    PubMed

    Abbas, Qaisar; Emre Celebi, M; Garcia, Irene Fondón; Ahmad, Waqar

    2013-02-01

    Melanoma Recognition based on clinical ABCD rule is widely used for clinical diagnosis of pigmented skin lesions in dermoscopy images. However, the current computer-aided diagnostic (CAD) systems for classification between malignant and nevus lesions using the ABCD criteria are imperfect due to use of ineffective computerized techniques. In this study, a novel melanoma recognition system (MRS) is presented by focusing more on extracting features from the lesions using ABCD criteria. The complete MRS system consists of the following six major steps: transformation to the CIEL*a*b* color space, preprocessing to enhance the tumor region, black-frame and hair artifacts removal, tumor-area segmentation, quantification of feature using ABCD criteria and normalization, and finally feature selection and classification. The MRS system for melanoma-nevus lesions is tested on a total of 120 dermoscopic images. To test the performance of the MRS diagnostic classifier, the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) is utilized. The proposed classifier achieved a sensitivity of 88.2%, specificity of 91.3%, and AUC of 0.880. The experimental results show that the proposed MRS system can accurately distinguish between malignant and benign lesions. The MRS technique is fully automatic and can easily integrate to an existing CAD system. To increase the classification accuracy of MRS, the CASH pattern recognition technique, visual inspection of dermatologist, contextual information from the patients, and the histopathological tests can be included to investigate the impact with this system. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

  16. Psilocybin biases facial recognition, goal-directed behavior, and mood state toward positive relative to negative emotions through different serotonergic subreceptors.

    PubMed

    Kometer, Michael; Schmidt, André; Bachmann, Rosilla; Studerus, Erich; Seifritz, Erich; Vollenweider, Franz X

    2012-12-01

    Serotonin (5-HT) 1A and 2A receptors have been associated with dysfunctional emotional processing biases in mood disorders. These receptors further predominantly mediate the subjective and behavioral effects of psilocybin and might be important for its recently suggested antidepressive effects. However, the effect of psilocybin on emotional processing biases and the specific contribution of 5-HT2A receptors across different emotional domains is unknown. In a randomized, double-blind study, 17 healthy human subjects received on 4 separate days placebo, psilocybin (215 μg/kg), the preferential 5-HT2A antagonist ketanserin (50 mg), or psilocybin plus ketanserin. Mood states were assessed by self-report ratings, and behavioral and event-related potential measurements were used to quantify facial emotional recognition and goal-directed behavior toward emotional cues. Psilocybin enhanced positive mood and attenuated recognition of negative facial expression. Furthermore, psilocybin increased goal-directed behavior toward positive compared with negative cues, facilitated positive but inhibited negative sequential emotional effects, and valence-dependently attenuated the P300 component. Ketanserin alone had no effects but blocked the psilocybin-induced mood enhancement and decreased recognition of negative facial expression. This study shows that psilocybin shifts the emotional bias across various psychological domains and that activation of 5-HT2A receptors is central in mood regulation and emotional face recognition in healthy subjects. These findings may not only have implications for the pathophysiology of dysfunctional emotional biases but may also provide a framework to delineate the mechanisms underlying psylocybin's putative antidepressant effects. Copyright © 2012 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Color model and method for video fire flame and smoke detection using Fisher linear discriminant

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wei, Yuan; Jie, Li; Jun, Fang; Yongming, Zhang

    2013-02-01

    Video fire detection is playing an increasingly important role in our life. But recent research is often based on a traditional RGB color model used to analyze the flame, which may be not the optimal color space for fire recognition. It is worse when we research smoke simply using gray images instead of color ones. We clarify the importance of color information for fire detection. We present a fire discriminant color (FDC) model for flame or smoke recognition based on color images. The FDC models aim to unify fire color image representation and fire recognition task into one framework. With the definition of between-class scatter matrices and within-class scatter matrices of Fisher linear discriminant, the proposed models seek to obtain one color-space-transform matrix and a discriminate projection basis vector by maximizing the ratio of these two scatter matrices. First, an iterative basic algorithm is designed to get one-component color space transformed from RGB. Then, a general algorithm is extended to generate three-component color space for further improvement. Moreover, we propose a method for video fire detection based on the models using the kNN classifier. To evaluate the recognition performance, we create a database including flame, smoke, and nonfire images for training and testing. The test experiments show that the proposed model achieves a flame verification rate receiver operating characteristic (ROC I) of 97.5% at a false alarm rate (FAR) of 1.06% and a smoke verification rate (ROC II) of 91.5% at a FAR of 1.2%, and lots of fire video experiments demonstrate that our method reaches a high accuracy for fire recognition.

  18. Associative Recognition Memory Awareness Improved by Theta-Burst Stimulation of Frontopolar Cortex

    PubMed Central

    Ryals, Anthony J.; Rogers, Lynn M.; Gross, Evan Z.; Polnaszek, Kelly L.; Voss, Joel L.

    2016-01-01

    Neuroimaging and lesion studies have implicated specific prefrontal cortex locations in subjective memory awareness. Based on this evidence, a rostrocaudal organization has been proposed whereby increasingly anterior prefrontal regions are increasingly involved in memory awareness. We used theta-burst transcranial magnetic stimulation (TBS) to temporarily modulate dorsolateral versus frontopolar prefrontal cortex to test for distinct causal roles in memory awareness. In three sessions, participants received TBS bilaterally to frontopolar cortex, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, or a control location prior to performing an associative-recognition task involving judgments of memory awareness. Objective memory performance (i.e., accuracy) did not differ based on stimulation location. In contrast, frontopolar stimulation significantly influenced several measures of memory awareness. During study, judgments of learning were more accurate such that lower ratings were given to items that were subsequently forgotten selectively following frontopolar TBS. Confidence ratings during test were also higher for correct trials following frontopolar TBS. Finally, trial-by-trial correspondence between overt performance and subjective awareness during study demonstrated a linear increase across control, dorsolateral, and frontopolar TBS locations, supporting a rostrocaudal hierarchy of prefrontal contributions to memory awareness. These findings indicate that frontopolar cortex contributes causally to memory awareness, which was improved selectively by anatomically targeted TBS. PMID:25577574

  19. Cross-cultural decoding of positive and negative non-linguistic emotion vocalizations.

    PubMed

    Laukka, Petri; Elfenbein, Hillary Anger; Söder, Nela; Nordström, Henrik; Althoff, Jean; Chui, Wanda; Iraki, Frederick K; Rockstuhl, Thomas; Thingujam, Nutankumar S

    2013-01-01

    Which emotions are associated with universally recognized non-verbal signals?We address this issue by examining how reliably non-linguistic vocalizations (affect bursts) can convey emotions across cultures. Actors from India, Kenya, Singapore, and USA were instructed to produce vocalizations that would convey nine positive and nine negative emotions to listeners. The vocalizations were judged by Swedish listeners using a within-valence forced-choice procedure, where positive and negative emotions were judged in separate experiments. Results showed that listeners could recognize a wide range of positive and negative emotions with accuracy above chance. For positive emotions, we observed the highest recognition rates for relief, followed by lust, interest, serenity and positive surprise, with affection and pride receiving the lowest recognition rates. Anger, disgust, fear, sadness, and negative surprise received the highest recognition rates for negative emotions, with the lowest rates observed for guilt and shame. By way of summary, results showed that the voice can reveal both basic emotions and several positive emotions other than happiness across cultures, but self-conscious emotions such as guilt, pride, and shame seem not to be well recognized from non-linguistic vocalizations.

  20. Hierarchical singleton-type recurrent neural fuzzy networks for noisy speech recognition.

    PubMed

    Juang, Chia-Feng; Chiou, Chyi-Tian; Lai, Chun-Lung

    2007-05-01

    This paper proposes noisy speech recognition using hierarchical singleton-type recurrent neural fuzzy networks (HSRNFNs). The proposed HSRNFN is a hierarchical connection of two singleton-type recurrent neural fuzzy networks (SRNFNs), where one is used for noise filtering and the other for recognition. The SRNFN is constructed by recurrent fuzzy if-then rules with fuzzy singletons in the consequences, and their recurrent properties make them suitable for processing speech patterns with temporal characteristics. In n words recognition, n SRNFNs are created for modeling n words, where each SRNFN receives the current frame feature and predicts the next one of its modeling word. The prediction error of each SRNFN is used as recognition criterion. In filtering, one SRNFN is created, and each SRNFN recognizer is connected to the same SRNFN filter, which filters noisy speech patterns in the feature domain before feeding them to the SRNFN recognizer. Experiments with Mandarin word recognition under different types of noise are performed. Other recognizers, including multilayer perceptron (MLP), time-delay neural networks (TDNNs), and hidden Markov models (HMMs), are also tested and compared. These experiments and comparisons demonstrate good results with HSRNFN for noisy speech recognition tasks.

  1. The Effect of Dynamic Pitch on Speech Recognition in Temporally Modulated Noise.

    PubMed

    Shen, Jing; Souza, Pamela E

    2017-09-18

    This study investigated the effect of dynamic pitch in target speech on older and younger listeners' speech recognition in temporally modulated noise. First, we examined whether the benefit from dynamic-pitch cues depends on the temporal modulation of noise. Second, we tested whether older listeners can benefit from dynamic-pitch cues for speech recognition in noise. Last, we explored the individual factors that predict the amount of dynamic-pitch benefit for speech recognition in noise. Younger listeners with normal hearing and older listeners with varying levels of hearing sensitivity participated in the study, in which speech reception thresholds were measured with sentences in nonspeech noise. The younger listeners benefited more from dynamic pitch for speech recognition in temporally modulated noise than unmodulated noise. Older listeners were able to benefit from the dynamic-pitch cues but received less benefit from noise modulation than the younger listeners. For those older listeners with hearing loss, the amount of hearing loss strongly predicted the dynamic-pitch benefit for speech recognition in noise. Dynamic-pitch cues aid speech recognition in noise, particularly when noise has temporal modulation. Hearing loss negatively affects the dynamic-pitch benefit to older listeners with significant hearing loss.

  2. The Effect of Dynamic Pitch on Speech Recognition in Temporally Modulated Noise

    PubMed Central

    Souza, Pamela E.

    2017-01-01

    Purpose This study investigated the effect of dynamic pitch in target speech on older and younger listeners' speech recognition in temporally modulated noise. First, we examined whether the benefit from dynamic-pitch cues depends on the temporal modulation of noise. Second, we tested whether older listeners can benefit from dynamic-pitch cues for speech recognition in noise. Last, we explored the individual factors that predict the amount of dynamic-pitch benefit for speech recognition in noise. Method Younger listeners with normal hearing and older listeners with varying levels of hearing sensitivity participated in the study, in which speech reception thresholds were measured with sentences in nonspeech noise. Results The younger listeners benefited more from dynamic pitch for speech recognition in temporally modulated noise than unmodulated noise. Older listeners were able to benefit from the dynamic-pitch cues but received less benefit from noise modulation than the younger listeners. For those older listeners with hearing loss, the amount of hearing loss strongly predicted the dynamic-pitch benefit for speech recognition in noise. Conclusions Dynamic-pitch cues aid speech recognition in noise, particularly when noise has temporal modulation. Hearing loss negatively affects the dynamic-pitch benefit to older listeners with significant hearing loss. PMID:28800370

  3. Target recognition of log-polar ladar range images using moment invariants

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xia, Wenze; Han, Shaokun; Cao, Jie; Yu, Haoyong

    2017-01-01

    The ladar range image has received considerable attentions in the automatic target recognition field. However, previous research does not cover target recognition using log-polar ladar range images. Therefore, we construct a target recognition system based on log-polar ladar range images in this paper. In this system combined moment invariants and backpropagation neural network are selected as shape descriptor and shape classifier, respectively. In order to fully analyze the effect of log-polar sampling pattern on recognition result, several comparative experiments based on simulated and real range images are carried out. Eventually, several important conclusions are drawn: (i) if combined moments are computed directly by log-polar range images, translation, rotation and scaling invariant properties of combined moments will be invalid (ii) when object is located in the center of field of view, recognition rate of log-polar range images is less sensitive to the changing of field of view (iii) as object position changes from center to edge of field of view, recognition performance of log-polar range images will decline dramatically (iv) log-polar range images has a better noise robustness than Cartesian range images. Finally, we give a suggestion that it is better to divide field of view into recognition area and searching area in the real application.

  4. Severe difficulties with word recognition in noise after platinum chemotherapy in childhood, and improvements with open-fitting hearing-aids.

    PubMed

    Einarsson, Einar-Jón; Petersen, Hannes; Wiebe, Thomas; Fransson, Per-Anders; Magnusson, Måns; Moëll, Christian

    2011-10-01

    To investigate word recognition in noise in subjects treated in childhood with chemotherapy, study benefits of open-fitting hearing-aids for word recognition, and investigate whether self-reported hearing-handicap corresponded to subjects' word recognition ability. Subjects diagnosed with cancer and treated with platinum-based chemotherapy in childhood underwent audiometric evaluations. Fifteen subjects (eight females and seven males) fulfilled the criteria set for the study, and four of those received customized open-fitting hearing-aids. Subjects with cisplatin-induced ototoxicity had severe difficulties recognizing words in noise, and scored as low as 54% below reference scores standardized for age and degree of hearing loss. Hearing-impaired subjects' self-reported hearing-handicap correlated significantly with word recognition in a quiet environment but not in noise. Word recognition in noise improved markedly (up to 46%) with hearing-aids, and the self-reported hearing-handicap and disability score were reduced by more than 50%. This study demonstrates the importance of testing word recognition in noise in subjects treated with platinum-based chemotherapy in childhood, and to use specific custom-made questionnaires to evaluate the experienced hearing-handicap. Open-fitting hearing-aids are a good alternative for subjects suffering from poor word recognition in noise.

  5. Hierarchical classification of dynamically varying radar pulse repetition interval modulation patterns.

    PubMed

    Kauppi, Jukka-Pekka; Martikainen, Kalle; Ruotsalainen, Ulla

    2010-12-01

    The central purpose of passive signal intercept receivers is to perform automatic categorization of unknown radar signals. Currently, there is an urgent need to develop intelligent classification algorithms for these devices due to emerging complexity of radar waveforms. Especially multifunction radars (MFRs) capable of performing several simultaneous tasks by utilizing complex, dynamically varying scheduled waveforms are a major challenge for automatic pattern classification systems. To assist recognition of complex radar emissions in modern intercept receivers, we have developed a novel method to recognize dynamically varying pulse repetition interval (PRI) modulation patterns emitted by MFRs. We use robust feature extraction and classifier design techniques to assist recognition in unpredictable real-world signal environments. We classify received pulse trains hierarchically which allows unambiguous detection of the subpatterns using a sliding window. Accuracy, robustness and reliability of the technique are demonstrated with extensive simulations using both static and dynamically varying PRI modulation patterns. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Discrete Emotion Effects on Lexical Decision Response Times

    PubMed Central

    Briesemeister, Benny B.; Kuchinke, Lars; Jacobs, Arthur M.

    2011-01-01

    Our knowledge about affective processes, especially concerning effects on cognitive demands like word processing, is increasing steadily. Several studies consistently document valence and arousal effects, and although there is some debate on possible interactions and different notions of valence, broad agreement on a two dimensional model of affective space has been achieved. Alternative models like the discrete emotion theory have received little interest in word recognition research so far. Using backward elimination and multiple regression analyses, we show that five discrete emotions (i.e., happiness, disgust, fear, anger and sadness) explain as much variance as two published dimensional models assuming continuous or categorical valence, with the variables happiness, disgust and fear significantly contributing to this account. Moreover, these effects even persist in an experiment with discrete emotion conditions when the stimuli are controlled for emotional valence and arousal levels. We interpret this result as evidence for discrete emotion effects in visual word recognition that cannot be explained by the two dimensional affective space account. PMID:21887307

  7. High resolution ultrasonic spectroscopy system for nondestructive evaluation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chen, C. H.

    1991-01-01

    With increased demand for high resolution ultrasonic evaluation, computer based systems or work stations become essential. The ultrasonic spectroscopy method of nondestructive evaluation (NDE) was used to develop a high resolution ultrasonic inspection system supported by modern signal processing, pattern recognition, and neural network technologies. The basic system which was completed consists of a 386/20 MHz PC (IBM AT compatible), a pulser/receiver, a digital oscilloscope with serial and parallel communications to the computer, an immersion tank with motor control of X-Y axis movement, and the supporting software package, IUNDE, for interactive ultrasonic evaluation. Although the hardware components are commercially available, the software development is entirely original. By integrating signal processing, pattern recognition, maximum entropy spectral analysis, and artificial neural network functions into the system, many NDE tasks can be performed. The high resolution graphics capability provides visualization of complex NDE problems. The phase 3 efforts involve intensive marketing of the software package and collaborative work with industrial sectors.

  8. Discrete emotion effects on lexical decision response times.

    PubMed

    Briesemeister, Benny B; Kuchinke, Lars; Jacobs, Arthur M

    2011-01-01

    Our knowledge about affective processes, especially concerning effects on cognitive demands like word processing, is increasing steadily. Several studies consistently document valence and arousal effects, and although there is some debate on possible interactions and different notions of valence, broad agreement on a two dimensional model of affective space has been achieved. Alternative models like the discrete emotion theory have received little interest in word recognition research so far. Using backward elimination and multiple regression analyses, we show that five discrete emotions (i.e., happiness, disgust, fear, anger and sadness) explain as much variance as two published dimensional models assuming continuous or categorical valence, with the variables happiness, disgust and fear significantly contributing to this account. Moreover, these effects even persist in an experiment with discrete emotion conditions when the stimuli are controlled for emotional valence and arousal levels. We interpret this result as evidence for discrete emotion effects in visual word recognition that cannot be explained by the two dimensional affective space account.

  9. Disseminating treatment for anxiety disorders: step 1: recognizing the problem as a precursor to seeking help.

    PubMed

    Coles, Meredith E; Schubert, Jessica R; Heimberg, Richard G; Weiss, Barry D

    2014-12-01

    Untreated mental illness is a substantial public health issue in the United States, with only approximately 1/3 of the estimated 46 million adults in the US with mental illness receiving treatment. Many of the individuals with mental illness suffer from excessive anxiety, as over 25% of Americans experience an anxiety disorder during their lifetime and most of these individuals remain untreated. Building from the premise that recognizing one's symptoms precedes requests for help, the current paper presents data from 577 adults (50% Caucasian, 50% African American) in the US regarding their ability to recognize anxiety disorders. Findings from a national survey showed that when presented with detailed vignettes portraying symptoms and their impact, 50% of respondents correctly recognized depression, whereas less than 20% correctly recognized the anxiety disorders. Recognition that the symptoms were a cause for concern was much more common, with 75% or more of the sample noting concern. Responses were surprisingly similar across the two races, and few consistent moderators were found. In conclusion, increasing recognition of anxiety disorders may be a useful first step toward increasing service utilization. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Increased responsiveness to MDMA in adult rats treated neonatally with MDMA.

    PubMed

    Piper, Brian J; Meyer, Jerrold S

    2006-01-01

    MDMA [(+/-)3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, also known as ecstasy] is a popular recreational drug among women of reproductive age. The objective of this study was to investigate the long-term neurobehavioral consequences of early developmental MDMA exposure. On postnatal days (PD) 1-4, Sprague-Dawley rats received two 10 mg/kg injections of MDMA with an inter-dose interval of 4 h. Male subjects were tested in adulthood for their performance in an object-recognition memory task and for their thermal and behavioral responses to an acute MDMA challenge (10 mg/kg i.p.). Neonatal MDMA administration did not alter working memory in the object-recognition test in young adulthood (PD 68-73) and there were no differences in radiolabeled citalopram binding to the serotonin transporter at this age. However, the pretreated animals showed increased thermal dysregulation and serotonin syndrome responses (particularly headweaving stereotypy) following the MDMA challenge. These results add to the growing literature demonstrating that developmental MDMA administration can lead to long-lasting functional abnormalities, and they further suggest that the offspring of ecstasy-using women may be at risk for enhanced sensitivity to this drug due to their earlier exposure.

  11. Kids Identifying and Defeating Stroke (KIDS): design of a school-based intervention to improve stroke awareness.

    PubMed

    Gonzales, Nicole R; Brown, Devin L; Maddox, Katherine E; Conley, Kathleen M; Espinosa, Nina; Pary, Jennifer K; Karim, Asha P; Moyé, Lemuel A; Grotta, James C; Morgenstern, Lewis B

    2007-01-01

    We describe the design and baseline data of an educational intervention targeting predominantly Mexican American middle school students and their parents in an effort to improve stroke awareness. Increasing awareness in this group may increase the number of patients eligible for acute stroke treatment by encouraging emergency medical services (EMS) activation. This is a prospective, randomized study in which six middle schools were randomly assigned to receive a stroke education program or the standard health class. Primary outcome measures are the percentage of students and parents who recognize stroke symptoms and express the intent to activate EMS upon recognition of these findings. A total of 547 students (271 control, 276 intervention) and 484 parents (231 control, 253 intervention) have been enrolled. Pretests were administered. The intervention has been successfully carried out in the parent and student cohorts over a three-year period. Posttests and persistence test results are pending. Implementing a school-based stroke education initiative is feasible. Followup testing will demonstrate whether this educational initiative translates into a measurable and persistent improvement in stroke knowledge and behavioral intent to activate EMS upon recognition of stroke symptoms.

  12. Issues affecting the motivation of nuclear medicine technologists in Kuwait.

    PubMed

    Ali, Layla; Abdelsalam, Amal; Muddei, Sara; Brindhaban, Ajit

    2013-01-01

    The demand for nuclear medicine technologists (NMTs) in Kuwait has increased, especially with the introduction of multimodality imaging systems. In order to increase the number of NMTs in the workforce and retain the existing NMTs, there should be a better way to motivate them. To find out how satisfied NMTs are and the factors that motivate them. An interview was conducted with 40 randomly selected NMTs to explore deep-seated emotions and attitudes that were related to motivation. Questions about the recognition NMTs receive from the general public, whether they are acknowledged as significant contributors to health services, ways to improve the standing of NMTs in society, and the clarity of the job description were included. A questionnaire survey was then conducted with 100 randomly selected NMTs. The questions were designed to elicit wider perspective of the information obtained from the interviews. The results show a need for attention in the Ministry of Health to NMTs for recognition, motivation, and improvement. Giving the NMTs their own identity and opportunities to be part of decision-making in the health team would influence more students to join nuclear medicine departments and give more self-confidence to the existing NMTs.

  13. Object Recognition and Localization: The Role of Tactile Sensors

    PubMed Central

    Aggarwal, Achint; Kirchner, Frank

    2014-01-01

    Tactile sensors, because of their intrinsic insensitivity to lighting conditions and water turbidity, provide promising opportunities for augmenting the capabilities of vision sensors in applications involving object recognition and localization. This paper presents two approaches for haptic object recognition and localization for ground and underwater environments. The first approach called Batch Ransac and Iterative Closest Point augmented Particle Filter (BRICPPF) is based on an innovative combination of particle filters, Iterative-Closest-Point algorithm, and a feature-based Random Sampling and Consensus (RANSAC) algorithm for database matching. It can handle a large database of 3D-objects of complex shapes and performs a complete six-degree-of-freedom localization of static objects. The algorithms are validated by experimentation in ground and underwater environments using real hardware. To our knowledge this is the first instance of haptic object recognition and localization in underwater environments. The second approach is biologically inspired, and provides a close integration between exploration and recognition. An edge following exploration strategy is developed that receives feedback from the current state of recognition. A recognition by parts approach is developed which uses the BRICPPF for object sub-part recognition. Object exploration is either directed to explore a part until it is successfully recognized, or is directed towards new parts to endorse the current recognition belief. This approach is validated by simulation experiments. PMID:24553087

  14. NK1 receptor antagonism and emotional processing in healthy volunteers.

    PubMed

    Chandra, P; Hafizi, S; Massey-Chase, R M; Goodwin, G M; Cowen, P J; Harmer, C J

    2010-04-01

    The neurokinin-1 (NK(1)) receptor antagonist, aprepitant, showed activity in several animal models of depression; however, its efficacy in clinical trials was disappointing. There is little knowledge of the role of NK(1) receptors in human emotional behaviour to help explain this discrepancy. The aim of the current study was to assess the effects of a single oral dose of aprepitant (125 mg) on models of emotional processing sensitive to conventional antidepressant drug administration in 38 healthy volunteers, randomly allocated to receive aprepitant or placebo in a between groups double blind design. Performance on measures of facial expression recognition, emotional categorisation, memory and attentional visual-probe were assessed following the drug absorption. Relative to placebo, aprepitant improved recognition of happy facial expressions and increased vigilance to emotional information in the unmasked condition of the visual probe task. In contrast, aprepitant impaired emotional memory and slowed responses in the facial expression recognition task suggesting possible deleterious effects on cognition. These results suggest that while antagonism of NK(1) receptors does affect emotional processing in humans, its effects are more restricted and less consistent across tasks than those of conventional antidepressants. Human models of emotional processing may provide a useful means of assessing the likely therapeutic potential of new treatments for depression.

  15. Auditory Learning Using a Portable Real-Time Vocoder: Preliminary Findings

    PubMed Central

    Pisoni, David B.

    2015-01-01

    Purpose Although traditional study of auditory training has been in controlled laboratory settings, interest has been increasing in more interactive options. The authors examine whether such interactive training can result in short-term perceptual learning, and the range of perceptual skills it impacts. Method Experiments 1 (N = 37) and 2 (N = 21) used pre- and posttest measures of speech and nonspeech recognition to find evidence of learning (within subject) and to compare the effects of 3 kinds of training (between subject) on the perceptual abilities of adults with normal hearing listening to simulations of cochlear implant processing. Subjects were given interactive, standard lab-based, or control training experience for 1 hr between the pre- and posttest tasks (unique sets across Experiments 1 & 2). Results Subjects receiving interactive training showed significant learning on sentence recognition in quiet task (Experiment 1), outperforming controls but not lab-trained subjects following training. Training groups did not differ significantly on any other task, even those directly involved in the interactive training experience. Conclusions Interactive training has the potential to produce learning in 1 domain (sentence recognition in quiet), but the particulars of the present training method (short duration, high complexity) may have limited benefits to this single criterion task. PMID:25674884

  16. [The contribution of different cochlear insertion region to Mandarin speech perception in users of cochlear implant].

    PubMed

    Qi, Beier; Liu, Bo; Liu, Sha; Liu, Haihong; Dong, Ruijuan; Zhang, Ning; Gong, Shusheng

    2011-05-01

    To study the effect of cochlear electrode coverage and different insertion region on speech recognition, especially tone perception of cochlear implant users whose native language is Mandarin Chinese. Setting seven test conditions by fitting software. All conditions were created by switching on/off respective channels in order to simulate different insertion position. Then Mandarin CI users received 4 Speech tests, including Vowel Identification test, Consonant Identification test, Tone Identification test-male speaker, Mandarin HINT test (SRS) in quiet and noise. To all test conditions: the average score of vowel identification was significantly different, from 56% to 91% (Rank sum test, P < 0.05). The average score of consonant identification was significantly different, from 72% to 85% (ANOVNA, P < 0.05). The average score of Tone identification was not significantly different (ANOVNA, P > 0.05). However the more channels activated, the higher scores obtained, from 68% to 81%. This study shows that there is a correlation between insertion depth and speech recognition. Because all parts of the basement membrane can help CI users to improve their speech recognition ability, it is very important to enhance verbal communication ability and social interaction ability of CI users by increasing insertion depth and actively stimulating the top region of cochlear.

  17. Dual-process theory and signal-detection theory of recognition memory.

    PubMed

    Wixted, John T

    2007-01-01

    Two influential models of recognition memory, the unequal-variance signal-detection model and a dual-process threshold/detection model, accurately describe the receiver operating characteristic, but only the latter model can provide estimates of recollection and familiarity. Such estimates often accord with those provided by the remember-know procedure, and both methods are now widely used in the neuroscience literature to identify the brain correlates of recollection and familiarity. However, in recent years, a substantial literature has accumulated directly contrasting the signal-detection model against the threshold/detection model, and that literature is almost unanimous in its endorsement of signal-detection theory. A dual-process version of signal-detection theory implies that individual recognition decisions are not process pure, and it suggests new ways to investigate the brain correlates of recognition memory. ((c) 2007 APA, all rights reserved).

  18. Olfactory stimuli as context cues in human memory.

    PubMed

    Cann, A; Ross, D A

    1989-01-01

    Olfactory stimuli were used as context cues in a recognition memory paradigm. Male college students were exposed to 50 slides of the faces of college females while in the presence of a pleasant or an unpleasant odor. During the acquisition phase, ratings of physical attractiveness of the slides were collected. After a 48-hr delay, a recognition test was given using the original 50 slides and 50 new slides. The recognition test was conducted with either the original odor or the alternative odor present. A no-odor control group did not receive olfactory cues. The attractiveness ratings indicated that the odor variations had no effect on these social judgments. Analyses of d' scores, hits, and false alarms for the recognition performance indicated support for the predicted interaction in which presence of the same odor at both sessions led to better overall performance.

  19. Open fitting: performance verification of receiver in the ear and receiver in the aid.

    PubMed

    Mondelli, Maria Fernanda Capoani Garcia; Garcia, Tatiana Manfrini; Hashimoto, Fabiana Midori Tokuhara; Rocha, Andressa Vital

    2015-01-01

    To verify the receiver in the ear and receiver in the aid adaptations by measuring in situ the speech perception and users' level of satisfaction. The study was approved by the research ethics committee (Process: 027/2011). Twenty subjects older than 18 years with audiological diagnosis of mild and moderate bilateral descending sensorineural hearing loss were evaluated. The subjects were divided into two groups, where G1 (group 1) was fitted with open-fit hearing aids with the built-in receiver unit (receiver in the ear) and G2 (group 2) was fitted with open-fit hearing aids with RITE. A probe microphone measurement was performed to check the gain and output provided by the amplification and for assessment of speech perception with Hearing in Noise Test with and without hearing aids. After a period of six weeks of use without interruption, the subjects returned for follow-up and answered the Satisfaction with Amplification in Daily Life questionnaire, and were again subjected to Hearing in Noise Test. Both groups presented better test results for speech recognition in the presence of noise. Groups 1 and 2 were satisfied with the use of hearing aids and improved speech recognition in silent and noisy situations with hearing aids. Copyright © 2014 Associação Brasileira de Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia Cérvico-Facial. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

  20. Illumination-invariant hand gesture recognition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mendoza-Morales, América I.; Miramontes-Jaramillo, Daniel; Kober, Vitaly

    2015-09-01

    In recent years, human-computer interaction (HCI) has received a lot of interest in industry and science because it provides new ways to interact with modern devices through voice, body, and facial/hand gestures. The application range of the HCI is from easy control of home appliances to entertainment. Hand gesture recognition is a particularly interesting problem because the shape and movement of hands usually are complex and flexible to be able to codify many different signs. In this work we propose a three step algorithm: first, detection of hands in the current frame is carried out; second, hand tracking across the video sequence is performed; finally, robust recognition of gestures across subsequent frames is made. Recognition rate highly depends on non-uniform illumination of the scene and occlusion of hands. In order to overcome these issues we use two Microsoft Kinect devices utilizing combined information from RGB and infrared sensors. The algorithm performance is tested in terms of recognition rate and processing time.

  1. Development of Encoding and Decision Processes in Visual Recognition.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Newcombe, Nora; MacKenzie, Doris L.

    This experiment examined two processes which might account for developmental increases in accuracy in visual recognition tasks: age-related increases in efficiency of scanning during inspection, and age-related increases in the ability to make decisions systematically during test. Critical details necessary for recognition were highlighted as…

  2. The production and recognition of psychiatric original articles published in languages other than English

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Whereas the most influential journals in psychiatry are English language journals, periodicals published in other languages serve an important purpose for local communities of clinicians and researchers. This study aimed at analyzing the scientific production and the recognition of non-English general psychiatry journals. Methods In a cohort study, the 2009 volume of ten journals from Brazil (1), German language countries (5), France (2), Italy (1), and Poland (1) was searched for original articles. Patterns of citations to these articles during 2010 and 2011 as documented in Web of Science were analyzed. Results The journals published 199 original articles (range: 4–46), mostly observational studies. Half of the papers were cited in the following two years. There were 246 citations received, or an average of 1.25 cites per article (range: 0.25-4.04). Many of these citations came from the local community, that is, from the same authors and journals. Citations by other periodicals and other authors accounted for 36% [95%-CI: 30%-42%], citations in English sources for 33% [28%-39%] of all quotations. There was considerable heterogeneity with regard to citations received among the ten journals investigated. Conclusion Non-English language general psychiatry journals contribute substantially to the body of research. However, recognition, and in particular recognition by the international research community is moderate. PMID:23531084

  3. Fast neuromimetic object recognition using FPGA outperforms GPU implementations.

    PubMed

    Orchard, Garrick; Martin, Jacob G; Vogelstein, R Jacob; Etienne-Cummings, Ralph

    2013-08-01

    Recognition of objects in still images has traditionally been regarded as a difficult computational problem. Although modern automated methods for visual object recognition have achieved steadily increasing recognition accuracy, even the most advanced computational vision approaches are unable to obtain performance equal to that of humans. This has led to the creation of many biologically inspired models of visual object recognition, among them the hierarchical model and X (HMAX) model. HMAX is traditionally known to achieve high accuracy in visual object recognition tasks at the expense of significant computational complexity. Increasing complexity, in turn, increases computation time, reducing the number of images that can be processed per unit time. In this paper we describe how the computationally intensive and biologically inspired HMAX model for visual object recognition can be modified for implementation on a commercial field-programmable aate Array, specifically the Xilinx Virtex 6 ML605 evaluation board with XC6VLX240T FPGA. We show that with minor modifications to the traditional HMAX model we can perform recognition on images of size 128 × 128 pixels at a rate of 190 images per second with a less than 1% loss in recognition accuracy in both binary and multiclass visual object recognition tasks.

  4. Safety culture perceptions of pharmacists in Malaysian hospitals and health clinics: a multicentre assessment using the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire

    PubMed Central

    Samsuri, Srima Elina; Pei Lin, Lua; Fahrni, Mathumalar Loganathan

    2015-01-01

    Objective To assess the safety attitudes of pharmacists, provide a profile of their domains of safety attitude and correlate their attitudes with self-reported rates of medication errors. Design A cross-sectional study utilising the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ). Setting 3 public hospitals and 27 health clinics. Participants 117 pharmacists. Main outcome measure(s) Safety culture mean scores, variation in scores across working units and between hospitals versus health clinics, predictors of safety culture, and medication errors and their correlation. Results Response rate was 83.6% (117 valid questionnaires returned). Stress recognition (73.0±20.4) and working condition (54.8±17.4) received the highest and lowest mean scores, respectively. Pharmacists exhibited positive attitudes towards: stress recognition (58.1%), job satisfaction (46.2%), teamwork climate (38.5%), safety climate (33.3%), perception of management (29.9%) and working condition (15.4%). With the exception of stress recognition, those who worked in health clinics scored higher than those in hospitals (p<0.05) and higher scores (overall score as well as score for each domain except for stress recognition) correlated negatively with reported number of medication errors. Conversely, those working in hospital (versus health clinic) were 8.9 times more likely (p<0.01) to report a medication error (OR 8.9, CI 3.08 to 25.7). As stress recognition increased, the number of medication errors reported increased (p=0.023). Years of work experience (p=0.017) influenced the number of medication errors reported. For every additional year of work experience, pharmacists were 0.87 times less likely to report a medication error (OR 0.87, CI 0.78 to 0.98). Conclusions A minority (20.5%) of the pharmacists working in hospitals and health clinics was in agreement with the overall SAQ questions and scales. Pharmacists in outpatient and ambulatory units and those in health clinics had better perceptions of safety culture. As perceptions improved, the number of medication errors reported decreased. Group-specific interventions that target specific domains are necessary to improve the safety culture. PMID:26610761

  5. Biological activity of natural flavonoids as impacted by protein flexibility: an example of flavanones.

    PubMed

    Ding, Fei; Peng, Wei

    2015-04-01

    Naturally multifunctional Rutaceae hesperidin and its aglycone hesperetin have a great variety of biopharmaceutical activities, e.g. anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antitumor; however, the influence of the molecular structures of hesperidin and hesperetin, and in particular, the structural properties such as flexibility and dynamic features of protein on the biological activities of these bioactive compounds remains ambiguous. In the present study, the biomolecular recognition of crucial biopolymer - albumin from human serum (HSA) with Rutaceae, the recognition differences between HSA-hesperidin and HSA-hesperetin, the key elements that lead to the discrepancies as well as the structural characters of protein to the recognition processes were comparatively examined by employing biophysical approaches at the molecular scale. The results illustrated distinctly that (1) aglycone hesperetin can form stronger noncovalent bonds with HSA and possess higher recognition stability as compared with hesperidin. This phenomenon suggest that the introduction of glycoside structure into flavanone may possibly not be able to increase the noncovalent recognition of flavanone by a biopolymer, and conversely, this event will probably decrease the recognition capacity. (2) Although hesperidin and hesperetin can be located within subdomains IIA and IIIA, respectively, the conformational stability of flavanones in subdomain IIA is greater than subdomain IIIA; as a result, the recognition ability of subdomain IIIA with flavanones is patently lesser than subdomain IIA. These discrepancies likely originate from the unique characteristics of the respective cavity, or more specifically, subdomain IIA is basically a closed space, whereas subdomain IIIA is a semi-open region. Meanwhile, the detailed analyses of root-mean-square fluctuation interpreted the recognition of flavanones by subdomain IIA on HSA, which would evoke larger conformational alterations in several amino acid residues, and the similar phenomenon also resides in subdomain IIIA, which signifies that the flexible characteristics of different binding patches in protein may possess fairly notable effects on the HSA-flavanones recognition. Moreover, the integral structural changes of HSA exhibit some disparities on account of the dissimilarities of recognition capability to the protein-flavanone biointeractions, and all these conclusions received further forceful supports from fluorescence and circular dichroism experiments in solution. Perhaps the work emerged herein could not only help us to better evaluate the bioavailability of natural flavanones with or without glycoside, but to understand the sketches of the three-dimensional structure trait of certain biomacromolecules for the medicinal properties of flavonoids in the human body.

  6. Figure-ground organization and object recognition processes: an interactive account.

    PubMed

    Vecera, S P; O'Reilly, R C

    1998-04-01

    Traditional bottom-up models of visual processing assume that figure-ground organization precedes object recognition. This assumption seems logically necessary: How can object recognition occur before a region is labeled as figure? However, some behavioral studies find that familiar regions are more likely to be labeled figure than less familiar regions, a problematic finding for bottom-up models. An interactive account is proposed in which figure-ground processes receive top-down input from object representations in a hierarchical system. A graded, interactive computational model is presented that accounts for behavioral results in which familiarity effects are found. The interactive model offers an alternative conception of visual processing to bottom-up models.

  7. Euro Banknote Recognition System for Blind People.

    PubMed

    Dunai Dunai, Larisa; Chillarón Pérez, Mónica; Peris-Fajarnés, Guillermo; Lengua Lengua, Ismael

    2017-01-20

    This paper presents the development of a portable system with the aim of allowing blind people to detect and recognize Euro banknotes. The developed device is based on a Raspberry Pi electronic instrument and a Raspberry Pi camera, Pi NoIR (No Infrared filter) dotted with additional infrared light, which is embedded into a pair of sunglasses that permit blind and visually impaired people to independently handle Euro banknotes, especially when receiving their cash back when shopping. The banknote detection is based on the modified Viola and Jones algorithms, while the banknote value recognition relies on the Speed Up Robust Features (SURF) technique. The accuracies of banknote detection and banknote value recognition are 84% and 97.5%, respectively.

  8. Euro Banknote Recognition System for Blind People

    PubMed Central

    Dunai Dunai, Larisa; Chillarón Pérez, Mónica; Peris-Fajarnés, Guillermo; Lengua Lengua, Ismael

    2017-01-01

    This paper presents the development of a portable system with the aim of allowing blind people to detect and recognize Euro banknotes. The developed device is based on a Raspberry Pi electronic instrument and a Raspberry Pi camera, Pi NoIR (No Infrared filter) dotted with additional infrared light, which is embedded into a pair of sunglasses that permit blind and visually impaired people to independently handle Euro banknotes, especially when receiving their cash back when shopping. The banknote detection is based on the modified Viola and Jones algorithms, while the banknote value recognition relies on the Speed Up Robust Features (SURF) technique. The accuracies of banknote detection and banknote value recognition are 84% and 97.5%, respectively. PMID:28117703

  9. 26 CFR 1.1031(b)-1 - Receipt of other property or money in tax-free exchange.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 26 Internal Revenue 11 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Receipt of other property or money in tax-free...)-1 Receipt of other property or money in tax-free exchange. (a) If the taxpayer receives other property (in addition to property permitted to be received without recognition of gain) or money— (1) In an...

  10. 26 CFR 1.1031(b)-1 - Receipt of other property or money in tax-free exchange.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 26 Internal Revenue 11 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Receipt of other property or money in tax-free...)-1 Receipt of other property or money in tax-free exchange. (a) If the taxpayer receives other property (in addition to property permitted to be received without recognition of gain) or money— (1) In an...

  11. 26 CFR 1.1031(b)-1 - Receipt of other property or money in tax-free exchange.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 26 Internal Revenue 11 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Receipt of other property or money in tax-free...)-1 Receipt of other property or money in tax-free exchange. (a) If the taxpayer receives other property (in addition to property permitted to be received without recognition of gain) or money— (1) In an...

  12. 26 CFR 1.1031(b)-1 - Receipt of other property or money in tax-free exchange.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 26 Internal Revenue 11 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Receipt of other property or money in tax-free...)-1 Receipt of other property or money in tax-free exchange. (a) If the taxpayer receives other property (in addition to property permitted to be received without recognition of gain) or money— (1) In an...

  13. 26 CFR 1.1031(b)-1 - Receipt of other property or money in tax-free exchange.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 26 Internal Revenue 11 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 true Receipt of other property or money in tax-free... of other property or money in tax-free exchange. (a) If the taxpayer receives other property (in addition to property permitted to be received without recognition of gain) or money— (1) In an exchange...

  14. Effectiveness of a theoretically-based judgment and decision making intervention for adolescents.

    PubMed

    Knight, Danica K; Dansereau, Donald F; Becan, Jennifer E; Rowan, Grace A; Flynn, Patrick M

    2015-05-01

    Although adolescents demonstrate capacity for rational decision making, their tendency to be impulsive, place emphasis on peers, and ignore potential consequences of their actions often translates into higher risk-taking including drug use, illegal activity, and physical harm. Problems with judgment and decision making contribute to risky behavior and are core issues for youth in treatment. Based on theoretical and empirical advances in cognitive science, the Treatment Readiness and Induction Program (TRIP) represents a curriculum-based decision making intervention that can be easily inserted into a variety of content-oriented modalities as well as administered as a separate therapeutic course. The current study examined the effectiveness of TRIP for promoting better judgment among 519 adolescents (37 % female; primarily Hispanic and Caucasian) in residential substance abuse treatment. Change over time in decision making and premeditation (i.e., thinking before acting) was compared among youth receiving standard operating practice (n = 281) versus those receiving standard practice plus TRIP (n = 238). Change in TRIP-specific content knowledge was examined among clients receiving TRIP. Premeditation improved among youth in both groups; TRIP clients showed greater improvement in decision making. TRIP clients also reported significant increases over time in self-awareness, positive-focused thinking (e.g., positive self-talk, goal setting), and recognition of the negative effects of drug use. While both genders showed significant improvement, males showed greater gains in metacognitive strategies (i.e., awareness of one's own cognitive process) and recognition of the negative effects of drug use. These results suggest that efforts to teach core thinking strategies and apply/practice them through independent intervention modules may benefit adolescents when used in conjunction with content-based programs designed to change problematic behaviors.

  15. Effectiveness of a Theoretically-Based Judgment and Decision Making Intervention for Adolescents

    PubMed Central

    Knight, Danica K.; Dansereau, Donald F.; Becan, Jennifer E.; Rowan, Grace A.; Flynn, Patrick M.

    2014-01-01

    Although adolescents demonstrate capacity for rational decision making, their tendency to be impulsive, place emphasis on peers, and ignore potential consequences of their actions often translates into higher risk-taking including drug use, illegal activity, and physical harm. Problems with judgment and decision making contribute to risky behavior and are core issues for youth in treatment. Based on theoretical and empirical advances in cognitive science, the Treatment Readiness and Induction Program (TRIP) represents a curriculum-based decision making intervention that can be easily inserted into a variety of content-oriented modalities as well as administered as a separate therapeutic course. The current study examined the effectiveness of TRIP for promoting better judgment among 519 adolescents (37% female; primarily Hispanic and Caucasian) in residential substance abuse treatment. Change over time in decision making and premeditation (i.e., thinking before acting) was compared among youth receiving standard operating practice (n = 281) versus those receiving standard practice plus TRIP (n = 238). Change in TRIP-specific content knowledge was examined among clients receiving TRIP. Premeditation improved among youth in both groups; TRIP clients showed greater improvement in decision making. TRIP clients also reported significant increases over time in self-awareness, positive-focused thinking (e.g., positive self-talk, goal setting), and recognition of the negative effects of drug use. While both genders showed significant improvement, males showed greater gains in metacognitive strategies (i.e., awareness of one’s own cognitive process) and recognition of the negative effects of drug use. These results suggest that efforts to teach core thinking strategies and apply/practice them through independent intervention modules may benefit adolescents when used in conjunction with content-based programs designed to change problematic behaviors. PMID:24760288

  16. 5 CFR 2635.304 - Exceptions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... official superior or accepted from a subordinate or other employee receiving less pay: (1) In recognition... accept, a place setting in the couple's selected china pattern purchased for $70. Example 3: Upon the...

  17. MDOT research receives national recognition : research update.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2016-10-01

    To maintain a high-quality transportation : system for Michigans traveling : public, MDOT makes a sustained commitment : to excellence in transportation : research. That commitment includes both : developing solutions to meet Michigans : transp...

  18. 3D Characteristics

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Holt, Maurice

    1998-01-01

    Contributions to the Method of Characteristics in Three Dimensions, which previously received incomplete recognition, are reviewed. They mostly follow from a fundamental paper by Rusanov which led to several developments in Russia, described by Chushkin.

  19. Linking Livelihoods and Conservation: An Examination of Local Residents' Perceived Linkages Between Conservation and Livelihood Benefits Around Nepal's Chitwan National Park

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nepal, Sanjay; Spiteri, Arian

    2011-05-01

    This paper investigates local recognition of the link between incentive-based program (IBP) benefits and conservation, and how perceptions of benefits and linkage influence attitudes in communities surrounding Chitwan National Park, Nepal. A survey of 189 households conducted between October and December 2004 examined local residents' perceived benefits, their attitudes toward park management, and perception of linkages between conservation and livelihoods. Linkage perceptions were measured by a scale compared with a respondent's recognition of benefits to determine whether IBPs establish a connection between benefits and livelihoods. An attitude scale was also created to compare attitudes toward park management with perceptions of benefits and linkage to determine if IBPs led to positive attitudes, and if the recognition of a direct tie between livelihoods and natural resources made attitudes more favorable. Research results indicate that as acknowledgement of benefit increases, so does the perception of linkage between the resource and livelihoods. Similarly, when perceived benefit increases, so too does attitude towards management. Positive attitude towards park management is influenced more by perception of livelihood dependence on resources than on benefits received from the park. However, overwhelming positive support voiced for conservation did not coincide with conduct. In spite of the positive attitudes and high perception of linkage, people did not necessarily behave in a way compatible with conservation. This suggests that while benefits alone can lead to positive attitudes, without clear linkages to conservation, the IBP may lose persuasion when alternative options—conflicting with conservation objectives—arise promising to provide greater economic benefit.

  20. Chemical Engineering Division Activities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chemical Engineering Education, 1978

    1978-01-01

    The 1978 ASEE Chemical Engineering Division Lecturer was Theodore Vermeulen of the University of California at Berkeley. Other chemical engineers who received awards or special recognition at a recent ASEE annual conference are mentioned. (BB)

  1. Effects of lexical characteristics and demographic factors on mandarin chinese open-set word recognition in children with cochlear implants.

    PubMed

    Liu, Haihong; Liu, Sha; Wang, Suju; Liu, Chang; Kong, Ying; Zhang, Ning; Li, Shujing; Yang, Yilin; Han, Demin; Zhang, Luo

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the open-set word recognition performance of Mandarin Chinese-speaking children who had received a multichannel cochlear implant (CI) and examine the effects of lexical characteristics and demographic factors (i.e., age at implantation and duration of implant use) on Mandarin Chinese open-set word recognition in these children. Participants were 230 prelingually deafened children with CIs. Age at implantation ranged from 0.9 to 16.0 years, with a mean of 3.9 years. The Standard-Chinese version of the Monosyllabic Lexical Neighborhood test and the Multisyllabic Lexical Neighborhood test were used to evaluate the open-set word identification abilities of the children. A two-way analysis of variance was performed to delineate the lexical effects on the open-set word identification, with word difficulty and syllable length as the two main factors. The effects of age at implantation and duration of implant use on open-set, word-recognition performance were examined using correlational/regressional models. First, the average percent-correct scores for the disyllabic "easy" list, disyllabic "hard" list, monosyllabic "easy" list, and monosyllabic "hard" list were 65.0%, 51.3%, 58.9%, and 46.2%, respectively. For both the easy and hard lists, the percentage of words correctly identified was higher for disyllabic words than for monosyllabic words, Second, the CI group scored 26.3%, 31.3%, and 18.8 % points lower than their hearing-age-matched normal-hearing peers for 4, 5, and 6 years of hearing age, respectively. The corresponding gaps between the CI group and the chronological-age-matched normal-hearing group were 47.6, 49.6, and 42.4, respectively. The individual variations in performance were much greater in the CI group than in the normal-hearing group, Third, the children exhibited steady improvements in performance as the duration of implant use increased, especially 1 to 6 years postimplantation. Last, age at implantation had significant effects on postimplantation word-recognition performance. The benefit of early implantation was particularly evident in children 5 years old or younger. First, Mandarin Chinese-speaking pediatric CI users' open-set word recognition was influenced by the lexical characteristics of the stimuli. The score was higher for easy words than for hard words and was higher for disyllabic words than for monosyllabic words, Second, Mandarin-Chinese-speaking pediatric CI users exhibited steady progress in open-set word recognition as the duration of implant use increased. However, the present study also demonstrated that, even after 6 years of CI use, there was a significant deficit in open-set, word-recognition performance in the CI children compared with their normal-hearing peers. Third, age at implantation had significant effects on open-set, word-recognition performance. Early implanted children exhibited better performance than children implanted later.

  2. Neural and Computational Mechanisms of Action Processing: Interaction between Visual and Motor Representations.

    PubMed

    Giese, Martin A; Rizzolatti, Giacomo

    2015-10-07

    Action recognition has received enormous interest in the field of neuroscience over the last two decades. In spite of this interest, the knowledge in terms of fundamental neural mechanisms that provide constraints for underlying computations remains rather limited. This fact stands in contrast with a wide variety of speculative theories about how action recognition might work. This review focuses on new fundamental electrophysiological results in monkeys, which provide constraints for the detailed underlying computations. In addition, we review models for action recognition and processing that have concrete mathematical implementations, as opposed to conceptual models. We think that only such implemented models can be meaningfully linked quantitatively to physiological data and have a potential to narrow down the many possible computational explanations for action recognition. In addition, only concrete implementations allow judging whether postulated computational concepts have a feasible implementation in terms of realistic neural circuits. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Optical character recognition of handwritten Arabic using hidden Markov models

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aulama, Mohannad M.; Natsheh, Asem M.; Abandah, Gheith A.; Olama, Mohammed M.

    2011-04-01

    The problem of optical character recognition (OCR) of handwritten Arabic has not received a satisfactory solution yet. In this paper, an Arabic OCR algorithm is developed based on Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) combined with the Viterbi algorithm, which results in an improved and more robust recognition of characters at the sub-word level. Integrating the HMMs represents another step of the overall OCR trends being currently researched in the literature. The proposed approach exploits the structure of characters in the Arabic language in addition to their extracted features to achieve improved recognition rates. Useful statistical information of the Arabic language is initially extracted and then used to estimate the probabilistic parameters of the mathematical HMM. A new custom implementation of the HMM is developed in this study, where the transition matrix is built based on the collected large corpus, and the emission matrix is built based on the results obtained via the extracted character features. The recognition process is triggered using the Viterbi algorithm which employs the most probable sequence of sub-words. The model was implemented to recognize the sub-word unit of Arabic text raising the recognition rate from being linked to the worst recognition rate for any character to the overall structure of the Arabic language. Numerical results show that there is a potentially large recognition improvement by using the proposed algorithms.

  4. Optical character recognition of handwritten Arabic using hidden Markov models

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

    Aulama, Mohannad M.; Natsheh, Asem M.; Abandah, Gheith A.

    2011-01-01

    The problem of optical character recognition (OCR) of handwritten Arabic has not received a satisfactory solution yet. In this paper, an Arabic OCR algorithm is developed based on Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) combined with the Viterbi algorithm, which results in an improved and more robust recognition of characters at the sub-word level. Integrating the HMMs represents another step of the overall OCR trends being currently researched in the literature. The proposed approach exploits the structure of characters in the Arabic language in addition to their extracted features to achieve improved recognition rates. Useful statistical information of the Arabic language ismore » initially extracted and then used to estimate the probabilistic parameters of the mathematical HMM. A new custom implementation of the HMM is developed in this study, where the transition matrix is built based on the collected large corpus, and the emission matrix is built based on the results obtained via the extracted character features. The recognition process is triggered using the Viterbi algorithm which employs the most probable sequence of sub-words. The model was implemented to recognize the sub-word unit of Arabic text raising the recognition rate from being linked to the worst recognition rate for any character to the overall structure of the Arabic language. Numerical results show that there is a potentially large recognition improvement by using the proposed algorithms.« less

  5. Towards Contactless Silent Speech Recognition Based on Detection of Active and Visible Articulators Using IR-UWB Radar

    PubMed Central

    Shin, Young Hoon; Seo, Jiwon

    2016-01-01

    People with hearing or speaking disabilities are deprived of the benefits of conventional speech recognition technology because it is based on acoustic signals. Recent research has focused on silent speech recognition systems that are based on the motions of a speaker’s vocal tract and articulators. Because most silent speech recognition systems use contact sensors that are very inconvenient to users or optical systems that are susceptible to environmental interference, a contactless and robust solution is hence required. Toward this objective, this paper presents a series of signal processing algorithms for a contactless silent speech recognition system using an impulse radio ultra-wide band (IR-UWB) radar. The IR-UWB radar is used to remotely and wirelessly detect motions of the lips and jaw. In order to extract the necessary features of lip and jaw motions from the received radar signals, we propose a feature extraction algorithm. The proposed algorithm noticeably improved speech recognition performance compared to the existing algorithm during our word recognition test with five speakers. We also propose a speech activity detection algorithm to automatically select speech segments from continuous input signals. Thus, speech recognition processing is performed only when speech segments are detected. Our testbed consists of commercial off-the-shelf radar products, and the proposed algorithms are readily applicable without designing specialized radar hardware for silent speech processing. PMID:27801867

  6. Towards Contactless Silent Speech Recognition Based on Detection of Active and Visible Articulators Using IR-UWB Radar.

    PubMed

    Shin, Young Hoon; Seo, Jiwon

    2016-10-29

    People with hearing or speaking disabilities are deprived of the benefits of conventional speech recognition technology because it is based on acoustic signals. Recent research has focused on silent speech recognition systems that are based on the motions of a speaker's vocal tract and articulators. Because most silent speech recognition systems use contact sensors that are very inconvenient to users or optical systems that are susceptible to environmental interference, a contactless and robust solution is hence required. Toward this objective, this paper presents a series of signal processing algorithms for a contactless silent speech recognition system using an impulse radio ultra-wide band (IR-UWB) radar. The IR-UWB radar is used to remotely and wirelessly detect motions of the lips and jaw. In order to extract the necessary features of lip and jaw motions from the received radar signals, we propose a feature extraction algorithm. The proposed algorithm noticeably improved speech recognition performance compared to the existing algorithm during our word recognition test with five speakers. We also propose a speech activity detection algorithm to automatically select speech segments from continuous input signals. Thus, speech recognition processing is performed only when speech segments are detected. Our testbed consists of commercial off-the-shelf radar products, and the proposed algorithms are readily applicable without designing specialized radar hardware for silent speech processing.

  7. Face recognition in schizophrenia: do individual and average ROCs tell the same story?

    PubMed

    Tiberghien, Guy; Martin, Clara; Baudouin, Jean-Yves; Franck, Nicolas; Guillaume, Fabrice; Huron, Caroline

    2015-01-01

    Many studies have shown that recollection process is impaired in patients with schizophrenia, whereas familiarity is generally spared. However, in these studies, the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) presented is average ROC likely to mask individual differences. In the present study using a face-recognition task, we computed the individual ROC of patients with schizophrenia and control participants. Each group was divided into two subgroups on the basis of the type of recognition processes implemented: recognition based on familiarity only and recognition based on familiarity and recollection. The recognition performance of the schizophrenia patients was below that of the control participants only when recognition was based solely on familiarity. For the familiarity-alone patients, the score obtained on the Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms (SAPS) was correlated with the variance of the old-face familiarity. For the familiarity-recollection patients, the score obtained on the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) was correlated with the decision criterion and with the old-face recollection probability. These results show that one cannot ascribe the impaired recognition observed in patients with schizophrenia to a recollection deficit alone. These results show that individual ROC can be used to distinguish between subtypes of schizophrenia and could serve as a basis for setting up specific cognitive remediation therapy for individuals with schizophrenia.

  8. Scene Text Recognition using Similarity and a Lexicon with Sparse Belief Propagation

    PubMed Central

    Weinman, Jerod J.; Learned-Miller, Erik; Hanson, Allen R.

    2010-01-01

    Scene text recognition (STR) is the recognition of text anywhere in the environment, such as signs and store fronts. Relative to document recognition, it is challenging because of font variability, minimal language context, and uncontrolled conditions. Much information available to solve this problem is frequently ignored or used sequentially. Similarity between character images is often overlooked as useful information. Because of language priors, a recognizer may assign different labels to identical characters. Directly comparing characters to each other, rather than only a model, helps ensure that similar instances receive the same label. Lexicons improve recognition accuracy but are used post hoc. We introduce a probabilistic model for STR that integrates similarity, language properties, and lexical decision. Inference is accelerated with sparse belief propagation, a bottom-up method for shortening messages by reducing the dependency between weakly supported hypotheses. By fusing information sources in one model, we eliminate unrecoverable errors that result from sequential processing, improving accuracy. In experimental results recognizing text from images of signs in outdoor scenes, incorporating similarity reduces character recognition error by 19%, the lexicon reduces word recognition error by 35%, and sparse belief propagation reduces the lexicon words considered by 99.9% with a 12X speedup and no loss in accuracy. PMID:19696446

  9. Predictors of Compassion Fatigue and Compassion Satisfaction in Acute Care Nurses.

    PubMed

    Kelly, Lesly; Runge, Jody; Spencer, Christina

    2015-11-01

    To examine compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction in acute care nurses across multiple specialties in a hospital-based setting. A cross-sectional electronic survey design was used to collect data from direct care nurses in a 700-bed, quaternary care, teaching facility in the southwestern United States. A total of 491 direct care registered nurses completed a survey measuring their professional quality of life (burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and compassion satisfaction). Analysis was conducted to assess for differences between demographics, specialties, job satisfaction, and intent to leave their current position. Significant predictors of burnout included lack of meaningful recognition, nurses with more years of experience, and nurses in the "Millennial" generation (ages 21-33 years). Receiving meaningful recognition, higher job satisfaction, nurses in the "Baby Boomer" generation (ages 50-65 years), and nurses with fewer years of experience significantly predicted compassion satisfaction. No significant differences were noted across nurse specialties, units, or departments. This study adds to the literature the impact meaningful recognition may have on compassion satisfaction and fatigue. Our findings provide a potential explanation for the lack of retention of nurses in the millennial generation who leave their positions with limited years of experience. Based on our research, meaningful recognition may increase compassion satisfaction, positively impact retention, and elevate job satisfaction. Compassion fatigue in nurses has clear implications for nursing retention and the quality of care. Organizations willing to invest in reducing compassion fatigue have the potential to improve financial savings by reducing turnover and adverse events associated with burnout. © 2015 Sigma Theta Tau International.

  10. Recognition during recall failure: Semantic feature matching as a mechanism for recognition of semantic cues when recall fails.

    PubMed

    Cleary, Anne M; Ryals, Anthony J; Wagner, Samantha R

    2016-01-01

    Research suggests that a feature-matching process underlies cue familiarity-detection when cued recall with graphemic cues fails. When a test cue (e.g., potchbork) overlaps in graphemic features with multiple unrecalled studied items (e.g., patchwork, pitchfork, pocketbook, pullcork), higher cue familiarity ratings are given during recall failure of all of the targets than when the cue overlaps in graphemic features with only one studied target and that target fails to be recalled (e.g., patchwork). The present study used semantic feature production norms (McRae et al., Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, & Computers, 37, 547-559, 2005) to examine whether the same holds true when the cues are semantic in nature (e.g., jaguar is used to cue cheetah). Indeed, test cues (e.g., cedar) that overlapped in semantic features (e.g., a_tree, has_bark, etc.) with four unretrieved studied items (e.g., birch, oak, pine, willow) received higher cue familiarity ratings during recall failure than test cues that overlapped in semantic features with only two (also unretrieved) studied items (e.g., birch, oak), which in turn received higher familiarity ratings during recall failure than cues that did not overlap in semantic features with any studied items. These findings suggest that the feature-matching theory of recognition during recall failure can accommodate recognition of semantic cues during recall failure, providing a potential mechanism for conceptually-based forms of cue recognition during target retrieval failure. They also provide converging evidence for the existence of the semantic features envisaged in feature-based models of semantic knowledge representation and for those more concretely specified by the production norms of McRae et al. (Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, & Computers, 37, 547-559, 2005).

  11. 24 CFR 985.103 - SEMAP score and overall performance rating.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... high performer may receive national recognition by the Department and may be given competitive advantage under notices of fund availability. (b) Standard rating. PHAs with SEMAP scores of 60 to 89...

  12. Green Power Partnership Basic Program Information

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    EPA's Green Power Partnership is a voluntary program designed to reduce the environmental impact of electricity generation by promoting renewable energy. Partners commit to procuring green power that meets EPA's requirements and receive recognition.

  13. Auditory performance and subjective benefits in adults with congenital or prelinguistic deafness who receive cochlear implants during adulthood.

    PubMed

    Duchesne, Louise; Millette, Isabelle; Bhérer, Maurice; Gobeil, Suzie

    2017-05-01

    (1) To describe auditory performance and subjective benefits in adults with congenital or prelingual deafness who received a cochlear implant (CI) during adolescence or adulthood, and (2) to examine the benefits as experienced by these CI users. Twenty-one adults aged 23-65 years participated in the study. All had a congenital or prelingual deafness (onset before age 3). They received a CI between the age of 16 and 61 years (mean age: 31). Speech recognition scores before and after implantation were computed and a questionnaire on subjective benefits (French adaptation of the Adult Cochlear Implant Questionnaire, designed by Zwolan and collaborators (1996, Self-report of CI use and satisfaction by prelingually deafened adults. Ear and Hearing, 17(3): 198-210) was administered. Semi-structured interviews were subsequently conducted with a subsample of seven participants. Speech recognition scores after implantation ranged from 0 to 95%. Despite large inter-individual variability, most participants expressed high levels satisfaction and overall usefulness. Correlational analyses showed that speech recognition performance was moderately associated with subjective benefits. Data from the interviews revealed that the underlying sources of satisfaction with the implant are related to the discovery and enjoyment of environmental sounds, easier lip-reading, and improvement of self-confidence during communicative interactions. CI benefits are mostly subjective in this particular population: descriptive and qualitative approaches allow us to obtain a nuanced portrait of their experience and provide us with important elements that are not easily measurable with tests and scores.

  14. Tensor Rank Preserving Discriminant Analysis for Facial Recognition.

    PubMed

    Tao, Dapeng; Guo, Yanan; Li, Yaotang; Gao, Xinbo

    2017-10-12

    Facial recognition, one of the basic topics in computer vision and pattern recognition, has received substantial attention in recent years. However, for those traditional facial recognition algorithms, the facial images are reshaped to a long vector, thereby losing part of the original spatial constraints of each pixel. In this paper, a new tensor-based feature extraction algorithm termed tensor rank preserving discriminant analysis (TRPDA) for facial image recognition is proposed; the proposed method involves two stages: in the first stage, the low-dimensional tensor subspace of the original input tensor samples was obtained; in the second stage, discriminative locality alignment was utilized to obtain the ultimate vector feature representation for subsequent facial recognition. On the one hand, the proposed TRPDA algorithm fully utilizes the natural structure of the input samples, and it applies an optimization criterion that can directly handle the tensor spectral analysis problem, thereby decreasing the computation cost compared those traditional tensor-based feature selection algorithms. On the other hand, the proposed TRPDA algorithm extracts feature by finding a tensor subspace that preserves most of the rank order information of the intra-class input samples. Experiments on the three facial databases are performed here to determine the effectiveness of the proposed TRPDA algorithm.

  15. Facial and prosodic emotion recognition in social anxiety disorder.

    PubMed

    Tseng, Huai-Hsuan; Huang, Yu-Lien; Chen, Jian-Ting; Liang, Kuei-Yu; Lin, Chao-Cheng; Chen, Sue-Huei

    2017-07-01

    Patients with social anxiety disorder (SAD) have a cognitive preference to negatively evaluate emotional information. In particular, the preferential biases in prosodic emotion recognition in SAD have been much less explored. The present study aims to investigate whether SAD patients retain negative evaluation biases across visual and auditory modalities when given sufficient response time to recognise emotions. Thirty-one SAD patients and 31 age- and gender-matched healthy participants completed a culturally suitable non-verbal emotion recognition task and received clinical assessments for social anxiety and depressive symptoms. A repeated measures analysis of variance was conducted to examine group differences in emotion recognition. Compared to healthy participants, SAD patients were significantly less accurate at recognising facial and prosodic emotions, and spent more time on emotion recognition. The differences were mainly driven by the lower accuracy and longer reaction times for recognising fearful emotions in SAD patients. Within the SAD patients, lower accuracy of sad face recognition was associated with higher severity of depressive and social anxiety symptoms, particularly with avoidance symptoms. These findings may represent a cross-modality pattern of avoidance in the later stage of identifying negative emotions in SAD. This pattern may be linked to clinical symptom severity.

  16. Estradiol production by preimplantation blastocysts and increased serum progesterone following estradiol treatment in llamas.

    PubMed

    Powell, Susan A; Smith, Bradford B; Timm, Karen I; Menino, Alfred R

    2007-11-01

    Estradiol is a potential candidate for the blastocyst signal responsible for maternal recognition of pregnancy in the llama (Lama glama). Two experiments were conducted to determine if the llama blastocyst produces estradiol during the presumed period of maternal recognition of pregnancy and if exogenous estradiol can extend the luteal phase. In Experiment 1, llamas were superovulated with eCG and mated 7 days later (Day 0=day of mating). Blastocysts were collected nonsurgically on Days 7, 9, or 11 or at necropsy on Days 13 and 15 post-mating and cultured for 48h. Conditioned medium was recovered, replaced with fresh medium at 24-h intervals, and assayed for estradiol-17beta. Estradiol production (pg/blastocyst) over the 48-h culture increased (P<0.05) by day of gestation where more estradiol (P<0.05) was produced by Day 11 compared to Day 7 blastocysts, Day 13 compared to Days 7-11 blastocysts, and Day 15 compared to Days 7-13 blastocysts. A dramatic increase was observed between Days 11 and 13 when estradiol production by Day 13 blastocysts increased (P<0.05) more than 50-fold. In Experiment 2, 30 females were induced to ovulate with hCG (Day 0=day of hCG injection). Starting on Day 7 and continuing through Day 15, animals received daily injections i.m. of 0 (n=11), 5 (n=7), or 10mg (n=12) estradiol benzoate (EB) dissolved in isopropylmyristate. Sera were collected immediately prior to each injection and on Days 16, 17, 18, 20, and 22 and analyzed for progesterone. Progesterone concentrations were greater (P<0.05) on Days 14, 15, 16, and 17 in llamas treated with 10mg EB compared to llamas treated with 0mg EB. These results demonstrate that llama blastocysts produce estradiol and exogenous estradiol can enhance and transiently extend luteal progesterone production. Estradiol produced by the preimplantation llama blastocyst may play a role in maternal recognition of pregnancy and early luteal support.

  17. Bottom-up Assembly of Engineered Protein Fibers

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-02-15

    Formation and Small Molecule Recognition of Helical Proteins, Advanced Functional materials , (02 2012): 0. doi: Jasmin Hume, Jennifer Sun, Rudy Jacquet...2015 Received Paper 8.00 7.00 Jasmin Hume, Raymond Chen, Rudy Jacquet, Michael Yang, Jin Montclare. Tunable Conformation- Dependent Engineered...Received Book Chapter TOTAL: PERCENT_SUPPORTEDNAME FTE Equivalent: Total Number: Discipline Haresh More 1.00 Jasmin Hume 1.00 Joseph Frezzo 0.10 Rudy

  18. Is the value of Community Healthcare Agents in Brazil's Family Health Strategy receiving full recognition?

    PubMed

    Guanaes-Lorenzi, Carla; Pinheiro, Ricardo Lana

    2016-08-01

    This paper discusses meanings produced by Community Healthcare Agents (ACSs) on whether or not they feel that ACSs in Brazil's Family Health Strategy are receiving the recognition they deserve, considering their work with social networks. Discussion groups with 28 agents of six Health Units were held, sound-recorded and transcribed. Qualitative analysis of the material enables us to identify, in the discursive practices of ACSs, a tension on whether proper value is attributed to their work, or not. There was attribution of value when they talk of their activity in close proximity with the community, and their potential for construction of human connections; but there was non-attribution of value when they talk of the system's macro-structural aspects, such as low salaries, and low recognition of their function, in comparison to higher-level professionals. We conclude that the view of their work - still involving fragmented work processes, and expectation by the population that they will be able to provide immediate solutions to demands - might be preventing them from taking on board a more wide-ranging concept of primary healthcare, as a structuring and communication agent of the Healthcare Network, and as an organizing agent of Brazil's Unified Health System.

  19. Cross-cultural decoding of positive and negative non-linguistic emotion vocalizations

    PubMed Central

    Laukka, Petri; Elfenbein, Hillary Anger; Söder, Nela; Nordström, Henrik; Althoff, Jean; Chui, Wanda; Iraki, Frederick K.; Rockstuhl, Thomas; Thingujam, Nutankumar S.

    2013-01-01

    Which emotions are associated with universally recognized non-verbal signals?We address this issue by examining how reliably non-linguistic vocalizations (affect bursts) can convey emotions across cultures. Actors from India, Kenya, Singapore, and USA were instructed to produce vocalizations that would convey nine positive and nine negative emotions to listeners. The vocalizations were judged by Swedish listeners using a within-valence forced-choice procedure, where positive and negative emotions were judged in separate experiments. Results showed that listeners could recognize a wide range of positive and negative emotions with accuracy above chance. For positive emotions, we observed the highest recognition rates for relief, followed by lust, interest, serenity and positive surprise, with affection and pride receiving the lowest recognition rates. Anger, disgust, fear, sadness, and negative surprise received the highest recognition rates for negative emotions, with the lowest rates observed for guilt and shame. By way of summary, results showed that the voice can reveal both basic emotions and several positive emotions other than happiness across cultures, but self-conscious emotions such as guilt, pride, and shame seem not to be well recognized from non-linguistic vocalizations. PMID:23914178

  20. [Influence of music different in volume and style on human recognition activity].

    PubMed

    Pavlygina, R A; Sakharov, D S; Davydov, V I; Avdonkin, A V

    2009-01-01

    The efficiency of recognition of masked visual images (Arabic numerals) under conditions of listening to classical (intensity 62 dB) or rock music (25 dB) increased. Coherence of potential in the frontal cortical region characteristic of the masked image recognition increased under conditions of listening to music. The changes in intercenter EEG relations were correlated with the formation of "the recognition dominant" at the behavioral level. Such behavioral and EEG changes were not observed during listening to louder music (85 dB) and listening to music of other styles, however, the coherence between potentials of the temporal and motor areas of the right hemisphere increased, and the latency of hand motor reactions decreased. The results suggest that the "recognition dominant" is formed under conditions of establishment of certain relations between the levels of excitation in the corresponding centers. These findings should be taken into consideration in case if it were necessary to increase the efficiency of the recognition.

  1. The differential influences of parenting and child narrative coherence on the development of emotion recognition.

    PubMed

    Berzenski, Sara R; Yates, Tuppett M

    2017-10-01

    The ability to recognize and label emotions serves as a building block by which children make sense of the world and learn how to interact with social partners. However, the timing and salience of influences on emotion recognition development are not fully understood. Path analyses evaluated the contributions of parenting and child narrative coherence to the development of emotion recognition across ages 4 through 8 in a diverse (50% female; 46% Hispanic, 18.4% Black, 11.2% White, .4% Asian, 24.0% multiracial) longitudinally followed sample of 250 caregiver-child dyads. Parenting behaviors during interactions (i.e., support, instructional quality, intrusiveness, and hostility) and children's narrative coherence during the MacArthur Story Stem Battery were observed at ages 4 and 6. Emotion recognition increased from age 4 to 8. Parents' supportive presence at age 4 and instructional quality at age 6 predicted increased emotion recognition at 8, beyond initial levels of emotion recognition and child cognitive ability. There were no significant effects of negative parenting (i.e., intrusiveness or hostility) at 4 or 6 on emotion recognition. Child narrative coherence at ages 4 and 6 predicted increased emotion recognition at 8. Emotion recognition at age 4 predicted increased parent instructional quality and decreased intrusiveness at 6. These findings clarify whether and when familial and child factors influence emotion recognition development. Influences on emotion recognition development emerged as differentially salient across time periods, such that there is a need to develop and implement targeted interventions to promote positive parenting skills and children's narrative coherence at specific ages. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  2. Automated information-analytical system for thunderstorm monitoring and early warning alarms using modern physical sensors and information technologies with elements of artificial intelligence

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Boldyreff, Anton S.; Bespalov, Dmitry A.; Adzhiev, Anatoly Kh.

    2017-05-01

    Methods of artificial intelligence are a good solution for weather phenomena forecasting. They allow to process a large amount of diverse data. Recirculation Neural Networks is implemented in the paper for the system of thunderstorm events prediction. Large amounts of experimental data from lightning sensors and electric field mills networks are received and analyzed. The average recognition accuracy of sensor signals is calculated. It is shown that Recirculation Neural Networks is a promising solution in the forecasting of thunderstorms and weather phenomena, characterized by the high efficiency of the recognition elements of the sensor signals, allows to compress images and highlight their characteristic features for subsequent recognition.

  3. A Spondee Recognition Test for Young Hearing-Impaired Children

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cramer, Kathryn D.; Erber, Norman P.

    1974-01-01

    An auditory test of 10 spondaic words recorded on Language Master cards was presented monaurally, through insert receivers to 58 hearing-impaired young children to evaluate their ability to recognize familiar speech material. (MYS)

  4. 31 CFR 315.31 - Series H bonds.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    .... Series H bonds are current income bonds issued at par (face amount). Interest on a Series H bond is paid... the Public Debt for recognition as voluntary guardian for the purpose of receiving and collecting the...

  5. 31 CFR 315.31 - Series H bonds.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    .... Series H bonds are current income bonds issued at par (face amount). Interest on a Series H bond is paid... the Fiscal Service for recognition as voluntary guardian for the purpose of receiving and collecting...

  6. 31 CFR 315.31 - Series H bonds.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    .... Series H bonds are current income bonds issued at par (face amount). Interest on a Series H bond is paid... the Public Debt for recognition as voluntary guardian for the purpose of receiving and collecting the...

  7. 31 CFR 315.31 - Series H bonds.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    .... Series H bonds are current income bonds issued at par (face amount). Interest on a Series H bond is paid... the Public Debt for recognition as voluntary guardian for the purpose of receiving and collecting the...

  8. Efficacy of popliteal block in postoperative pain control after ankle fracture fixation: a prospective randomized study.

    PubMed

    Goldstein, Rachel Y; Montero, Nicole; Jain, Sudheer K; Egol, Kenneth A; Tejwani, Nirmal C

    2012-10-01

    To compare postoperative pain control in patients treated surgically for ankle fractures who receive popliteal blocks with those who received general anesthesia alone. Institutional Review Board approved prospective randomized study. Metropolitan tertiary-care referral center. All patients being treated with open reduction internal fixation for ankle fractures who met inclusion criteria and consented to participate were enrolled. Patients were randomized to receive either general anesthesia (GETA) or intravenous sedation and popliteal block. Patients were assessed for duration of procedure, total time in the operating room, and postoperative pain at 2, 4, 8, 12, 24, and 48 hours after surgery using a visual analog scale. Fifty-one patients agreed to participate in the study. Twenty-five patients received popliteal block, while 26 patients received GETA. There were no anesthesia-related complications. At 2, 4, and 8 hours postoperatively, patients who underwent GETA demonstrated significantly higher pain. At 12 hours, there was no significant difference between the 2 groups with regard to pain control. However, by 24 hours, those who had received popliteal blocks had significantly higher pain with no difference by 48 hours. Popliteal block provides equivalent postoperative pain control to general anesthesia alone in patients undergoing operative fixation of ankle fractures. However, patients who receive popliteal blocks do experience a significant increase in pain between 12 and 24 hours. Recognition of this "rebound pain" with early narcotic administration may allow patients to have more effective postoperative pain control.

  9. The impact of beliefs about face recognition ability on memory retrieval processes in young and older adults.

    PubMed

    Humphries, Joyce E; Flowe, Heather D; Hall, Louise C; Williams, Louise C; Ryder, Hannah L

    2016-01-01

    This study examined whether beliefs about face recognition ability differentially influence memory retrieval in older compared to young adults. Participants evaluated their ability to recognise faces and were also given information about their ability to perceive and recognise faces. The information was ostensibly based on an objective measure of their ability, but in actuality, participants had been randomly assigned the information they received (high ability, low ability or no information control). Following this information, face recognition accuracy for a set of previously studied faces was measured using a remember-know memory paradigm. Older adults rated their ability to recognise faces as poorer compared to young adults. Additionally, negative information about face recognition ability improved only older adults' ability to recognise a previously seen face. Older adults were also found to engage in more familiarity than item-specific processing than young adults, but information about their face recognition ability did not affect face processing style. The role that older adults' memory beliefs have in the meta-cognitive strategies they employ is discussed.

  10. Genetic and environmental influences on word recognition and spelling deficits as a function of age.

    PubMed

    Friend, Angela; DeFries, John C; Wadsworth, Sally J; Olson, Richard K

    2007-05-01

    Previous twin studies have suggested a possible developmental dissociation between genetic influences on word recognition and spelling deficits, wherein genetic influence declined across age for word recognition, and increased for spelling recognition. The present study included two measures of word recognition (timed, untimed) and two measures of spelling (recognition, production) in younger and older twins. The heritability estimates for the two word recognition measures were .65 (timed) and .64 (untimed) in the younger group and .65 and .58 respectively in the older group. For spelling, the corresponding estimates were .57 (recognition) and .51 (production) in the younger group and .65 and .67 in the older group. Although these age group differences were not significant, the pattern of decline in heritability across age for reading and increase for spelling conformed to that predicted by the developmental dissociation hypothesis. However, the tests for an interaction between genetic influences on word recognition and spelling deficits as a function of age were not significant.

  11. The benefits and harms of providing parents with weight feedback as part of the national child measurement programme: a prospective cohort study

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background Small-scale evaluations suggest that the provision of feedback to parents about their child’s weight status may improve recognition of overweight, but the effects on lifestyle behaviour are unclear and there are concerns that informing parents that their child is overweight may have harmful effects. The aims of this study were to describe the benefits and harms of providing weight feedback to parents as part of a national school-based weight-screening programme in England. Methods We conducted a pre-post survey of 1,844 parents of children aged 4–5 and 10–11 years who received weight feedback as part of the 2010–2011 National Child Measurement Programme. Questionnaires assessed general knowledge about the health risks associated with child overweight, parental recognition of overweight and the associated health risks in their child, child lifestyle behaviour, child self-esteem and weight-related teasing, parental experience of the feedback, and parental help-seeking behaviour. Differences in the pre-post proportions of parents reporting each outcome were assessed using a McNemar’s test. Results General knowledge about child overweight as a health issue was high at baseline and increased further after weight feedback. After feedback, the proportion of parents that correctly recognised their child was overweight increased from 21.9% to 37.7%, and more than a third of parents of overweight children sought further information regarding their child’s weight. However, parent-reported changes in lifestyle behaviours among children were minimal, and limited to increases in physical activity in the obese children only. There was some suggestion that weight feedback had a greater impact upon changing parental recognition of the health risks associated with child overweight in non-white ethnic groups. Conclusions In this population-based sample of parents of children participating in the National Child Measurement Programme, provision of weight feedback increased recognition of child overweight and encouraged some parents to seek help, without causing obvious unfavourable effects. The impact of weight feedback on behaviour change was limited; suggesting that further work is needed to identify ways to more effectively communicate health information to parents and to identify what information and support may encourage parents in making and maintaining lifestyle changes for their child. PMID:24888972

  12. Radiation-induced changes in gustatory function comparison of effects of neutron and photon irradiation

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

    Mossman, K.L.; Chencharick, J.D.; Scheer, A.C.

    1979-04-01

    Changes in gustatory function were measured in 51 patients with various forms of cancer who received radiation to the head and neck region. Forty patients (group I) were treated with conventional photon radiation (e.g. 66 Gy/7 weeks), and 11 patients (group II) were treated with cyclotron produced fast neutrons (e.g. 22 Gy/7 weeks). Taste acuity was measured for four taste qualities (salt, sweet, sour, and bitter) by a forced choice-three stimulus drop technique which measured detection and recognition thresholds and by a forced scaling technique which measured taste intensity responsiveness. Subjective complaints of anorexia, dysgeusia, taste loss, and xerostomia weremore » also recorded. Patients were studied before, during and up to two months after therapy. Prior to therapy, detection and recognition thresholds, intensity responsiveness, and the frequency of subjective complaints in patients from groups I and II were statistically equivalent. During and up to 2 months after therapy, taste impairment and frequency of subjective complaints increased significantly in neutron and photon treated patients, but were statistically equivalent. Results of this study indicate that gustatory tissue response as measured by taste detection and recognition and intensity responsiveness, and the frequency of subjective complaints related to taste are statistically equivalent in patients before, during, or up 2 months after they were given either neutron or photon radiation for tumors of the head and neck.« less

  13. Status of women microbiologists.

    PubMed

    Kashket, E R; Robbins, M L; Leive, L; Huang, A S

    1974-02-08

    The general picture that emerges from this study is that the woman microbiologist, upon entering the professional job market, faces (i) slower advancement; (ii) restricted extramural recognition; and (iii) fewer positions of a supervisory or administrative nature, when compared to men. Most striking is the salary differential, which increases with increasing educational level, with increasing rank, and with increasing seniority. From the beginning of her professional training, the woman microbiologist feels handicapped by lack of encouragement and proper role models. She generally receives little advice regarding her professional future and rarely feels pushed to take the most challenging position. Should she be married, she feels that her mobility is severely restricted. Even though the subjective nature of these feelings may be interpreted as projections of failure, subtle inducements for women to stay at lower levels may well exist, in addition to more objective measurements, such as lower salary levels and slower professional advancement. Despite these handicaps, professional women continue to work. As a group, they work for the same reasons that men do, they work as long and as hard as men do, and they remain at their positions as long as men do. Women and men rate themselves equally as to job performance, degree of independence, and publication rate. On the basis of this study, it should not be surprising that women professionals are less visible than men and that only a small proportion of women become what is considered successful by the usual external criteria. If women were to receive continued encouragement, scientific contact, and professional recognition at each stage of their professional lives, they would undoubtedly become more visible. The lack of encouragement and selfconfidence leading to isolation, which then leads to lack of recognition, is a vicious circle that must be broken for the woman professional. This can be done most easily for the beginning student. For older women, there must be increased placement in positions of responsibility and visibility. Protective practices that discourage women from entering arenas of competition can only be viewed as discrimination on the basis of sex, since women professionals are rarely given the choice between being protected and being independent. Unexpectedly, this study illustrates the lower status of another group of individuals who are considered deviants from the expected roles of the established society-single men with doctorates, who were found in the positions predominately filled by women. In conclusion, this study of a select group of scientists probably has general applicability to all women professionals in their roles vis-à-vis men. Examination and documentation of discriminatory practices based on sex points to the areas in which women must direct their demands for equality.

  14. An investigation of emotion recognition training to reduce symptoms of social anxiety in adolescence.

    PubMed

    Rawdon, Caroline; Murphy, Daria; Motyer, Gillian; Munafò, Marcus R; Penton-Voak, Ian; Fitzgerald, Amanda

    2018-05-01

    This study aimed to examine the effect of emotion recognition training on social anxiety symptoms among adolescents, aged 15-18 years. The study included a screening session, which identified participants who scored above a cut-off on a self-report measure of social anxiety for enrolment into a randomized controlled trial (Clinical Trials ID: NCT02550379). Participants were randomized to an intervention condition designed to increase the perception of happiness over disgust in ambiguous facial expressions or a sham intervention control condition, and completed self-report measures of social anxiety, fear of negative evaluation, anxiety-related disorders, and depressive symptoms. The intervention group demonstrated a strong shift in the balance point at which they perceived happiness over disgust in ambiguous facial expressions. This increase in positive perception was not associated with any changes in the primary outcome of social anxiety; however, some evidence of improvement in symptomatology was observed on one of a number of secondary outcomes. Those in the intervention group had lower depression symptoms at 2-week follow-up, compared to those in the control group who received the sham intervention training. Potential reasons for why the shift in balance point measurement was not associated with a concurrent shift in symptoms of social anxiety are discussed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Epigenetic mechanisms in developmental programming of adult disease

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Man; Zhang, Lubo

    2011-01-01

    Adverse insults during intrauterine life can result in permanent changes in the physiology and metabolism of the offspring, which in turn leads to an increased risk of disease in adulthood. This is an adaptational response by the fetus to changes in the environmental signals that it receives during early life to ensure its survival and prepare itself for postnatal life. Increasing evidence suggests that the epigenetic regulation of gene expression patterns has a crucial role in the developmental programming of adult disease. This review summarizes recent studies of epigenetic mechanisms and focuses particularly on studies that explore identifiable epigenetic biomarkers in the promoters of specific disease-associated genes. Such biomarkers would enable early recognition of children who might be at risk of developing adult disease with fetal origins. PMID:21945859

  16. The contribution of health to the economy in the European Union.

    PubMed

    Suhrcke, Marc; McKee, Martin; Stuckler, David; Sauto Arce, Regina; Tsolova, Svetla; Mortensen, Jørgen

    2006-11-01

    Despite increasing recognition of the link between health and economic development in low-income countries, the relationship has to date received scant attention in rich countries. We argue that this lack of attention is not justifiable. While the economic argument for investing in health in rich countries may differ in detail from that in low-income countries, there is considerable and convincing evidence that significant economic benefits can be achieved by improving health not only in poor, but also in rich countries. Better health increases labour supply and productivity and historically, health has been a major contributor to economic growth. In spite of remaining evidence gaps economic policy-makers also in developed countries should consider investing in health as one (of few) ways by which to achieve their economic objectives.

  17. Influence of music with different volumes and styles on recognition activity in humans.

    PubMed

    Pavlygina, R A; Sakharov, D S; Davydov, V I; Avdonkin, A V

    2010-10-01

    The efficiency of the recognition of masked visual images (Arabic numerals) increased when accompanied by classical (62 dB) and rock music (25 dB). These changes were accompanied by increases in the coherence of potentials in the frontal areas seen on recognition without music. Changes in intercenter EEG relationships correlated with the formation a dominant at the behavioral level. When loud music (85 dB) and music of other styles was used, these changes in behavior and the EEG were not seen; however, the coherence of potentials in the temporal and motor cortex of the right hemisphere increased and the latent periods of motor reactions of the hands decreased. These results provide evidence that the "recognition" dominant is formed when there are particular ratios of the levels of excitation in the corresponding centers, which should be considered when there is a need to increase the efficiency of recognition activity in humans.

  18. State Admission Day Recognition Act of 2009

    THOMAS, 111th Congress

    Rep. Lungren, Daniel E. [R-CA-3

    2009-09-09

    Senate - 03/19/2010 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration. (All Actions) Tracker: This bill has the status Passed HouseHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

  19. Lena Horne Recognition Act

    THOMAS, 112th Congress

    Rep. Hastings, Alcee L. [D-FL-23

    2011-05-10

    Senate - 04/18/2012 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. (All Actions) Tracker: This bill has the status Passed HouseHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

  20. NNSA Staff Member Receives NNSA Recognition

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

    Specht, Elaine S.

    This article is intended for publication in the NNSA Nonproliferation and International Security (NIS) Highlights, a quarterly newsletter available in print and e-form. It will be published on the NNSA website and is intended for public release.

  1. Deep features for efficient multi-biometric recognition with face and ear images

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Omara, Ibrahim; Xiao, Gang; Amrani, Moussa; Yan, Zifei; Zuo, Wangmeng

    2017-07-01

    Recently, multimodal biometric systems have received considerable research interest in many applications especially in the fields of security. Multimodal systems can increase the resistance to spoof attacks, provide more details and flexibility, and lead to better performance and lower error rate. In this paper, we present a multimodal biometric system based on face and ear, and propose how to exploit the extracted deep features from Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) on the face and ear images to introduce more powerful discriminative features and robust representation ability for them. First, the deep features for face and ear images are extracted based on VGG-M Net. Second, the extracted deep features are fused by using a traditional concatenation and a Discriminant Correlation Analysis (DCA) algorithm. Third, multiclass support vector machine is adopted for matching and classification. The experimental results show that the proposed multimodal system based on deep features is efficient and achieves a promising recognition rate up to 100 % by using face and ear. In addition, the results indicate that the fusion based on DCA is superior to traditional fusion.

  2. Fractal Complexity-Based Feature Extraction Algorithm of Communication Signals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Hui; Li, Jingchao; Guo, Lili; Dou, Zheng; Lin, Yun; Zhou, Ruolin

    How to analyze and identify the characteristics of radiation sources and estimate the threat level by means of detecting, intercepting and locating has been the central issue of electronic support in the electronic warfare, and communication signal recognition is one of the key points to solve this issue. Aiming at accurately extracting the individual characteristics of the radiation source for the increasingly complex communication electromagnetic environment, a novel feature extraction algorithm for individual characteristics of the communication radiation source based on the fractal complexity of the signal is proposed. According to the complexity of the received signal and the situation of environmental noise, use the fractal dimension characteristics of different complexity to depict the subtle characteristics of the signal to establish the characteristic database, and then identify different broadcasting station by gray relation theory system. The simulation results demonstrate that the algorithm can achieve recognition rate of 94% even in the environment with SNR of -10dB, and this provides an important theoretical basis for the accurate identification of the subtle features of the signal at low SNR in the field of information confrontation.

  3. Making it in academic psychology: Demographic and personality correlates of eminence

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Helmreich, R. L.; Spence, J. T.; Beane, W. E.; Lucker, G. W.; Matthews, K. A.

    1979-01-01

    Citations to published work, personality, and demographic characteristics were examined in a sample of male and female academic psychologists. A large sex difference was found in citations with men receiving significantly more recognition. Reputational rankings of graduate school and current institution were significantly related to citations, as were components of achievement motivation. Mastery and work needs were positively related to citations while competitiveness was negatively associated with the criterion. A model of attainment in psychology is proposed and possible explanations for the differential recognition of women are explored.

  4. Scopolamine-induced greater alterations in neurochemical profile and increased oxidative stress demonstrated a better model of dementia: A comparative study.

    PubMed

    Haider, Saida; Tabassum, Saiqa; Perveen, Tahira

    2016-10-01

    Cognitive decline is found to be a common feature of various neurological disorders like Alzheimer's disease (AD). In order to recapitulate AD associated cognitive deficits and to plan therapeutic strategies researchers have developed various preclinical dementia models to recapitulate different aspects of cognitive domains affected in AD brain. So, the present study was aimed to compare alterations in previously reported dementia models i.e. pharmacological (Scopolamine-induced and corticosterone-induced), Environmental (Aluminium-induced and noise-stress) and physiological (natural aging) models in rats in a single experimental study across three cognitive domains spatial, recognition, and associative memory and associated alterations in their oxidative status and neurochemical profile to select appropriate dementia model. All groups received their respective treatments for 14days after which behavioural analysis was performed including Open Field test to assess ambulatory activity, Novel Object Recognition test, Morris Water Maze test and Passive Avoidance test for the assessment of recognition, spatial and associative memory. After monitoring the behavioural activities, rats were decapitated and their brains and hippocampus samples were collected for analysis of oxidative status and neurochemical profile. Results showed significant decline in different aspects of memory function in all dementia models which was more significant in scopolamine-injected rats. A significant decline in levels of monoamines and acetylcholine was also observed. In addition, significant alterations were also seen in oxidative profile indicating that cognitive decline could be associated with increased oxidative stress. Therefore, present findings highlight that for planning therapeutic strategies against cognitive dysfunctions, scopolamine-induced dementia model is the most appropriate dementia model to reveal AD-related cognitive impairment profile. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Memory-rescuing effects of cannabidiol in an animal model of cognitive impairment relevant to neurodegenerative disorders.

    PubMed

    Fagherazzi, Elen V; Garcia, Vanessa A; Maurmann, Natasha; Bervanger, Thielly; Halmenschlager, Luis H; Busato, Stefano B; Hallak, Jaime E; Zuardi, Antônio W; Crippa, José A; Schröder, Nadja

    2012-02-01

    Cannabidiol, the main nonpsychotropic constituent of Cannabis sativa, possesses a large number of pharmacological effects including anticonvulsive, sedative, hypnotic, anxiolytic, antipsychotic, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective, as demonstrated in clinical and preclinical studies. Many neurodegenerative disorders involve cognitive deficits, and this has led to interest in whether cannabidiol could be useful in the treatment of memory impairment associated to these diseases. We used an animal model of cognitive impairment induced by iron overload in order to test the effects of cannabidiol in memory-impaired rats. Rats received vehicle or iron at postnatal days 12-14. At the age of 2 months, they received an acute intraperitoneal injection of vehicle or cannabidiol (5.0 or 10.0 mg/kg) immediately after the training session of the novel object recognition task. In order to investigate the effects of chronic cannabidiol, iron-treated rats received daily intraperitoneal injections of cannabidiol for 14 days. Twenty-four hours after the last injection, they were submitted to object recognition training. Retention tests were performed 24 h after training. A single acute injection of cannabidiol at the highest dose was able to recover memory in iron-treated rats. Chronic cannabidiol improved recognition memory in iron-treated rats. Acute or chronic cannabidiol does not affect memory in control rats. The present findings provide evidence suggesting the potential use of cannabidiol for the treatment of cognitive decline associated with neurodegenerative disorders. Further studies, including clinical trials, are warranted to determine the usefulness of cannabidiol in humans suffering from neurodegenerative disorders.

  6. Auditory training of speech recognition with interrupted and continuous noise maskers by children with hearing impairment

    PubMed Central

    Sullivan, Jessica R.; Thibodeau, Linda M.; Assmann, Peter F.

    2013-01-01

    Previous studies have indicated that individuals with normal hearing (NH) experience a perceptual advantage for speech recognition in interrupted noise compared to continuous noise. In contrast, adults with hearing impairment (HI) and younger children with NH receive a minimal benefit. The objective of this investigation was to assess whether auditory training in interrupted noise would improve speech recognition in noise for children with HI and perhaps enhance their utilization of glimpsing skills. A partially-repeated measures design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of seven 1-h sessions of auditory training in interrupted and continuous noise. Speech recognition scores in interrupted and continuous noise were obtained from pre-, post-, and 3 months post-training from 24 children with moderate-to-severe hearing loss. Children who participated in auditory training in interrupted noise demonstrated a significantly greater improvement in speech recognition compared to those who trained in continuous noise. Those who trained in interrupted noise demonstrated similar improvements in both noise conditions while those who trained in continuous noise only showed modest improvements in the interrupted noise condition. This study presents direct evidence that auditory training in interrupted noise can be beneficial in improving speech recognition in noise for children with HI. PMID:23297921

  7. Providing information about diagnostic features at retrieval reduces false recognition.

    PubMed

    Lane, Sean M; Roussel, Cristine C; Starns, Jeffrey J; Villa, Diane; Alonzo, Jill D

    2008-11-01

    In the following study, participants encoded blocked DRM word lists and we varied whether they received information before test about the utility of mnemonic features that potentially discriminate between veridical and false memories. The results of three experiments revealed that this manipulation successfully reduced false recognition of critical theme words. We also found that this manipulation was effective for younger but not older adults. Furthermore, calling attention to the features in test instructions alone was sufficient for reducing false recognition and its effectiveness was not enhanced by also asking participants to rate their phenomenal experience. We argue that providing diagnostic information before test allows participants to establish more accurate expectations about the task and thus improves the efficacy of retrieval and monitoring processes that are subsequently engaged.

  8. Working and strategic memory deficits in schizophrenia

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Stone, M.; Gabrieli, J. D.; Stebbins, G. T.; Sullivan, E. V.

    1998-01-01

    Working memory and its contribution to performance on strategic memory tests in schizophrenia were studied. Patients (n = 18) and control participants (n = 15), all men, received tests of immediate memory (forward digit span), working memory (listening, computation, and backward digit span), and long-term strategic (free recall, temporal order, and self-ordered pointing) and nonstrategic (recognition) memory. Schizophrenia patients performed worse on all tests. Education, verbal intelligence, and immediate memory capacity did not account for deficits in working memory in schizophrenia patients. Reduced working memory capacity accounted for group differences in strategic memory but not in recognition memory. Working memory impairment may be central to the profile of impaired cognitive performance in schizophrenia and is consistent with hypothesized frontal lobe dysfunction associated with this disease. Additional medial-temporal dysfunction may account for the recognition memory deficit.

  9. A transition-based joint model for disease named entity recognition and normalization.

    PubMed

    Lou, Yinxia; Zhang, Yue; Qian, Tao; Li, Fei; Xiong, Shufeng; Ji, Donghong

    2017-08-01

    Disease named entities play a central role in many areas of biomedical research, and automatic recognition and normalization of such entities have received increasing attention in biomedical research communities. Existing methods typically used pipeline models with two independent phases: (i) a disease named entity recognition (DER) system is used to find the boundaries of mentions in text and (ii) a disease named entity normalization (DEN) system is used to connect the mentions recognized to concepts in a controlled vocabulary. The main problems of such models are: (i) there is error propagation from DER to DEN and (ii) DEN is useful for DER, but pipeline models cannot utilize this. We propose a transition-based model to jointly perform disease named entity recognition and normalization, casting the output construction process into an incremental state transition process, learning sequences of transition actions globally, which correspond to joint structural outputs. Beam search and online structured learning are used, with learning being designed to guide search. Compared with the only existing method for joint DEN and DER, our method allows non-local features to be used, which significantly improves the accuracies. We evaluate our model on two corpora: the BioCreative V Chemical Disease Relation (CDR) corpus and the NCBI disease corpus. Experiments show that our joint framework achieves significantly higher performances compared to competitive pipeline baselines. Our method compares favourably to other state-of-the-art approaches. Data and code are available at https://github.com/louyinxia/jointRN. dhji@whu.edu.cn. © The Author (2017). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

  10. Protein fold recognition using geometric kernel data fusion.

    PubMed

    Zakeri, Pooya; Jeuris, Ben; Vandebril, Raf; Moreau, Yves

    2014-07-01

    Various approaches based on features extracted from protein sequences and often machine learning methods have been used in the prediction of protein folds. Finding an efficient technique for integrating these different protein features has received increasing attention. In particular, kernel methods are an interesting class of techniques for integrating heterogeneous data. Various methods have been proposed to fuse multiple kernels. Most techniques for multiple kernel learning focus on learning a convex linear combination of base kernels. In addition to the limitation of linear combinations, working with such approaches could cause a loss of potentially useful information. We design several techniques to combine kernel matrices by taking more involved, geometry inspired means of these matrices instead of convex linear combinations. We consider various sequence-based protein features including information extracted directly from position-specific scoring matrices and local sequence alignment. We evaluate our methods for classification on the SCOP PDB-40D benchmark dataset for protein fold recognition. The best overall accuracy on the protein fold recognition test set obtained by our methods is ∼ 86.7%. This is an improvement over the results of the best existing approach. Moreover, our computational model has been developed by incorporating the functional domain composition of proteins through a hybridization model. It is observed that by using our proposed hybridization model, the protein fold recognition accuracy is further improved to 89.30%. Furthermore, we investigate the performance of our approach on the protein remote homology detection problem by fusing multiple string kernels. The MATLAB code used for our proposed geometric kernel fusion frameworks are publicly available at http://people.cs.kuleuven.be/∼raf.vandebril/homepage/software/geomean.php?menu=5/. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press.

  11. Neglected Parasitic Infections in the United States: Trichomoniasis

    PubMed Central

    Secor, W. Evan; Meites, Elissa; Starr, Michelle C.; Workowski, Kimberly A.

    2014-01-01

    Trichomonas vaginalis is one of the most common human parasitic infections in the United States, as well as the most prevalent non-viral sexually transmitted infection. However, it has long received much less consideration than other parasitic and sexually transmitted diseases. Much of this inattention can be attributed to a poor understanding of the public health impact of trichomoniasis. Increasing recognition of the sequelae of infection, including increased risk of infection with human immunodeficiency virus and adverse outcomes of pregnancy, has led to increased interest in T. vaginalis. Recent innovations include development of diagnostic tests that could improve detection of the parasite. A number of important questions, such as the epidemiology among men and women, the true public health burden of symptomatic and asymptomatic T. vaginalis infections, and whether current treatments will be adequate to reduce the substantial health disparities and costs associated with trichomoniasis, need consideration to remedy neglect of this important disease. PMID:24808247

  12. The effect of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) on recognition memory decision processes and discrimination in postmenopausal women.

    PubMed

    Hirshman, Elliot; Wells, Ellen; Wierman, Margaret E; Anderson, Benjamin; Butler, Andrew; Senholzi, Meredith; Fisher, Julia

    2003-03-01

    In this article, the theoretical distinction between recognition memory decision and discrimination processes is used to explore the effect of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in postmenopausal women. DHEA is an adrenal steroid that diminishes with aging. It has enhanced memory in laboratory animals. An 8-week placebo-controlled, double-blind experiment in which 30 women (ages 39-70) received a 50-mg/day oral dose of DHEA for 4 weeks demonstrated that DHEA made subjects more conservative (i.e., less likely to call test items "old") in their recognition memory decisions and enhanced recognition memory discrimination for items presented briefly. The former result may reflect an empirical regularity (Hirshman, 1995) in which recent strong memory experiences make participants more conservative. The latter result may reflect the effect of DHEA on visual perception, with consequent effects on memory. These results suggest the methodological importance of focusing on decision processes when examining the effects of hormones on memory.

  13. Morphological and population genomic evidence that human faces have evolved to signal individual identity.

    PubMed

    Sheehan, Michael J; Nachman, Michael W

    2014-09-16

    Facial recognition plays a key role in human interactions, and there has been great interest in understanding the evolution of human abilities for individual recognition and tracking social relationships. Individual recognition requires sufficient cognitive abilities and phenotypic diversity within a population for discrimination to be possible. Despite the importance of facial recognition in humans, the evolution of facial identity has received little attention. Here we demonstrate that faces evolved to signal individual identity under negative frequency-dependent selection. Faces show elevated phenotypic variation and lower between-trait correlations compared with other traits. Regions surrounding face-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms show elevated diversity consistent with frequency-dependent selection. Genetic variation maintained by identity signalling tends to be shared across populations and, for some loci, predates the origin of Homo sapiens. Studies of human social evolution tend to emphasize cognitive adaptations, but we show that social evolution has shaped patterns of human phenotypic and genetic diversity as well.

  14. Extending the Capture Volume of an Iris Recognition System Using Wavefront Coding and Super-Resolution.

    PubMed

    Hsieh, Sheng-Hsun; Li, Yung-Hui; Tien, Chung-Hao; Chang, Chin-Chen

    2016-12-01

    Iris recognition has gained increasing popularity over the last few decades; however, the stand-off distance in a conventional iris recognition system is too short, which limits its application. In this paper, we propose a novel hardware-software hybrid method to increase the stand-off distance in an iris recognition system. When designing the system hardware, we use an optimized wavefront coding technique to extend the depth of field. To compensate for the blurring of the image caused by wavefront coding, on the software side, the proposed system uses a local patch-based super-resolution method to restore the blurred image to its clear version. The collaborative effect of the new hardware design and software post-processing showed great potential in our experiment. The experimental results showed that such improvement cannot be achieved by using a hardware-or software-only design. The proposed system can increase the capture volume of a conventional iris recognition system by three times and maintain the system's high recognition rate.

  15. Test-Induced Priming Increases False Recognition in Older but Not Younger Children

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dewhurst, Stephen A.; Howe, Mark L.; Berry, Donna M.; Knott, Lauren M.

    2012-01-01

    The effect of test-induced priming on false recognition was investigated in children aged 5, 7, 9, and 11 years using lists of semantic associates, category exemplars, and phonological associates. In line with effects previously observed in adults, nine- and eleven-year-olds showed increased levels of false recognition when critical lures were…

  16. Safety culture perceptions of pharmacists in Malaysian hospitals and health clinics: a multicentre assessment using the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire.

    PubMed

    Samsuri, Srima Elina; Pei Lin, Lua; Fahrni, Mathumalar Loganathan

    2015-11-26

    To assess the safety attitudes of pharmacists, provide a profile of their domains of safety attitude and correlate their attitudes with self-reported rates of medication errors. A cross-sectional study utilising the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ). 3 public hospitals and 27 health clinics. 117 pharmacists. Safety culture mean scores, variation in scores across working units and between hospitals versus health clinics, predictors of safety culture, and medication errors and their correlation. Response rate was 83.6% (117 valid questionnaires returned). Stress recognition (73.0±20.4) and working condition (54.8±17.4) received the highest and lowest mean scores, respectively. Pharmacists exhibited positive attitudes towards: stress recognition (58.1%), job satisfaction (46.2%), teamwork climate (38.5%), safety climate (33.3%), perception of management (29.9%) and working condition (15.4%). With the exception of stress recognition, those who worked in health clinics scored higher than those in hospitals (p<0.05) and higher scores (overall score as well as score for each domain except for stress recognition) correlated negatively with reported number of medication errors. Conversely, those working in hospital (versus health clinic) were 8.9 times more likely (p<0.01) to report a medication error (OR 8.9, CI 3.08 to 25.7). As stress recognition increased, the number of medication errors reported increased (p=0.023). Years of work experience (p=0.017) influenced the number of medication errors reported. For every additional year of work experience, pharmacists were 0.87 times less likely to report a medication error (OR 0.87, CI 0.78 to 0.98). A minority (20.5%) of the pharmacists working in hospitals and health clinics was in agreement with the overall SAQ questions and scales. Pharmacists in outpatient and ambulatory units and those in health clinics had better perceptions of safety culture. As perceptions improved, the number of medication errors reported decreased. Group-specific interventions that target specific domains are necessary to improve the safety culture. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  17. Developing an automated speech-recognition telephone diabetes intervention.

    PubMed

    Goldman, Roberta E; Sanchez-Hernandez, Maya; Ross-Degnan, Dennis; Piette, John D; Trinacty, Connie Mah; Simon, Steven R

    2008-08-01

    Many patients do not receive guideline-recommended care for diabetes and other chronic conditions. Automated speech-recognition telephone outreach to supplement in-person physician-patient communication may enhance patient care for chronic illness. We conducted this study to inform the development of an automated telephone outreach intervention for improving diabetes care among members of a large, not-for-profit health plan. In-depth telephone interviews with qualitative analysis. participants Individuals with diabetes (n=36) enrolled in a large regional health plan in the USA. Main outcome measure Patients' opinions about automated speech-recognition telephone technology. Patients who were recently diagnosed with diabetes and some with diabetes for a decade or more expressed basic informational needs. While most would prefer to speak with a live person rather than a computer-recorded voice, many felt that the automated system could successfully supplement the information they receive from their physicians and could serve as an integral part of their care. Patients suggested that such a system could provide specific dietary advice, information about diabetes and its self-care, a call-in menu of information topics, reminders about laboratory test results and appointments, tracking of personal laboratory results and feedback about their self-monitoring. While some patients expressed negative attitudes toward automated speech recognition telephone systems generally, most felt that a variety of functions of such a system could be beneficial to their diabetes care. In-depth interviews resulted in substantive input from health plan members for the design of an automated telephone outreach system to supplement in-person physician-patient communication in this population.

  18. Emotion recognition deficits as predictors of transition in individuals at clinical high risk for schizophrenia: a neurodevelopmental perspective.

    PubMed

    Corcoran, C M; Keilp, J G; Kayser, J; Klim, C; Butler, P D; Bruder, G E; Gur, R C; Javitt, D C

    2015-10-01

    Schizophrenia is characterized by profound and disabling deficits in the ability to recognize emotion in facial expression and tone of voice. Although these deficits are well documented in established schizophrenia using recently validated tasks, their predictive utility in at-risk populations has not been formally evaluated. The Penn Emotion Recognition and Discrimination tasks, and recently developed measures of auditory emotion recognition, were administered to 49 clinical high-risk subjects prospectively followed for 2 years for schizophrenia outcome, and 31 healthy controls, and a developmental cohort of 43 individuals aged 7-26 years. Deficit in emotion recognition in at-risk subjects was compared with deficit in established schizophrenia, and with normal neurocognitive growth curves from childhood to early adulthood. Deficits in emotion recognition significantly distinguished at-risk patients who transitioned to schizophrenia. By contrast, more general neurocognitive measures, such as attention vigilance or processing speed, were non-predictive. The best classification model for schizophrenia onset included both face emotion processing and negative symptoms, with accuracy of 96%, and area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve of 0.99. In a parallel developmental study, emotion recognition abilities were found to reach maturity prior to traditional age of risk for schizophrenia, suggesting they may serve as objective markers of early developmental insult. Profound deficits in emotion recognition exist in at-risk patients prior to schizophrenia onset. They may serve as an index of early developmental insult, and represent an effective target for early identification and remediation. Future studies investigating emotion recognition deficits at both mechanistic and predictive levels are strongly encouraged.

  19. Does quality of life depend on speech recognition performance for adult cochlear implant users?

    PubMed

    Capretta, Natalie R; Moberly, Aaron C

    2016-03-01

    Current postoperative clinical outcome measures for adults receiving cochlear implants (CIs) consist of testing speech recognition, primarily under quiet conditions. However, it is strongly suspected that results on these measures may not adequately reflect patients' quality of life (QOL) using their implants. This study aimed to evaluate whether QOL for CI users depends on speech recognition performance. Twenty-three postlingually deafened adults with CIs were assessed. Participants were tested for speech recognition (Central Institute for the Deaf word and AzBio sentence recognition in quiet) and completed three QOL measures-the Nijmegen Cochlear Implant Questionnaire; either the Hearing Handicap Inventory for Adults or the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly; and the Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing Scale questionnaires-to assess a variety of QOL factors. Correlations were sought between speech recognition and QOL scores. Demographics, audiologic history, language, and cognitive skills were also examined as potential predictors of QOL. Only a few QOL scores significantly correlated with postoperative sentence or word recognition in quiet, and correlations were primarily isolated to speech-related subscales on QOL measures. Poorer pre- and postoperative unaided hearing predicted better QOL. Socioeconomic status, duration of deafness, age at implantation, duration of CI use, reading ability, vocabulary size, and cognitive status did not consistently predict QOL scores. For adult, postlingually deafened CI users, clinical speech recognition measures in quiet do not correlate broadly with QOL. Results suggest the need for additional outcome measures of the benefits and limitations of cochlear implantation. 4. Laryngoscope, 126:699-706, 2016. © 2015 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

  20. Thomasina E. Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act of 2009

    THOMAS, 111th Congress

    Rep. Moran, James P. [D-VA-8

    2009-03-09

    Senate - 06/04/2009 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs. (All Actions) Tracker: This bill has the status Passed HouseHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

  1. OhioHealth web site wins awards. Draws leadership recognition for outstanding redesign.

    PubMed

    Rees, Tom

    2004-01-01

    OhioHealth, Columbus, Ohio, has redesigned its web site, making it especially useful and appealing to women. For the collaborative effort, which included the Mayo Clinic and The VIA Group, Portland Maine, it has received numerous awards.

  2. Benefits of adaptive FM systems on speech recognition in noise for listeners who use hearing aids.

    PubMed

    Thibodeau, Linda

    2010-06-01

    To compare the benefits of adaptive FM and fixed FM systems through measurement of speech recognition in noise with adults and students in clinical and real-world settings. Five adults and 5 students with moderate-to-severe hearing loss completed objective and subjective speech recognition in noise measures with the 2 types of FM processing. Sentence recognition was evaluated in a classroom for 5 competing noise levels ranging from 54 to 80 dBA while the FM microphone was positioned 6 in. from the signal loudspeaker to receive input at 84 dB SPL. The subjective measures included 2 classroom activities and 6 auditory lessons in a noisy, public aquarium. On the objective measures, adaptive FM processing resulted in significantly better speech recognition in noise than fixed FM processing for 68- and 73-dBA noise levels. On the subjective measures, all individuals preferred adaptive over fixed processing for half of the activities. Adaptive processing was also preferred by most (8-9) individuals for the remaining 4 activities. The adaptive FM processing resulted in significant improvements at the higher noise levels and was preferred by the majority of participants in most of the conditions.

  3. Evaluation of a wireless audio streaming accessory to improve mobile telephone performance of cochlear implant users.

    PubMed

    Wolfe, Jace; Morais Duke, Mila; Schafer, Erin; Cire, George; Menapace, Christine; O'Neill, Lori

    2016-01-01

    The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential improvement in word recognition in quiet and in noise obtained with use of a Bluetooth-compatible wireless hearing assistance technology (HAT) relative to the acoustic mobile telephone condition (e.g. the mobile telephone receiver held to the microphone of the sound processor). A two-way repeated measures design was used to evaluate differences in telephone word recognition obtained in quiet and in competing noise in the acoustic mobile telephone condition compared to performance obtained with use of the CI sound processor and a telephone HAT. Sixteen adult users of Nucleus cochlear implants and the Nucleus 6 sound processor were included in this study. Word recognition over the mobile telephone in quiet and in noise was significantly better with use of the wireless HAT compared to performance in the acoustic mobile telephone condition. Word recognition over the mobile telephone was better in quiet when compared to performance in noise. The results of this study indicate that use of a wireless HAT improves word recognition over the mobile telephone in quiet and in noise relative to performance in the acoustic mobile telephone condition for a group of adult cochlear implant recipients.

  4. Evaluating the accuracy of the Wechsler Memory Scale-Fourth Edition (WMS-IV) logical memory embedded validity index for detecting invalid test performance.

    PubMed

    Soble, Jason R; Bain, Kathleen M; Bailey, K Chase; Kirton, Joshua W; Marceaux, Janice C; Critchfield, Edan A; McCoy, Karin J M; O'Rourke, Justin J F

    2018-01-08

    Embedded performance validity tests (PVTs) allow for continuous assessment of invalid performance throughout neuropsychological test batteries. This study evaluated the utility of the Wechsler Memory Scale-Fourth Edition (WMS-IV) Logical Memory (LM) Recognition score as an embedded PVT using the Advanced Clinical Solutions (ACS) for WAIS-IV/WMS-IV Effort System. This mixed clinical sample was comprised of 97 total participants, 71 of whom were classified as valid and 26 as invalid based on three well-validated, freestanding criterion PVTs. Overall, the LM embedded PVT demonstrated poor concordance with the criterion PVTs and unacceptable psychometric properties using ACS validity base rates (42% sensitivity/79% specificity). Moreover, 15-39% of participants obtained an invalid ACS base rate despite having a normatively-intact age-corrected LM Recognition total score. Receiving operating characteristic curve analysis revealed a Recognition total score cutoff of < 61% correct improved specificity (92%) while sensitivity remained weak (31%). Thus, results indicated the LM Recognition embedded PVT is not appropriate for use from an evidence-based perspective, and that clinicians may be faced with reconciling how a normatively intact cognitive performance on the Recognition subtest could simultaneously reflect invalid performance validity.

  5. Deep learning and non-negative matrix factorization in recognition of mammograms

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Swiderski, Bartosz; Kurek, Jaroslaw; Osowski, Stanislaw; Kruk, Michal; Barhoumi, Walid

    2017-02-01

    This paper presents novel approach to the recognition of mammograms. The analyzed mammograms represent the normal and breast cancer (benign and malignant) cases. The solution applies the deep learning technique in image recognition. To obtain increased accuracy of classification the nonnegative matrix factorization and statistical self-similarity of images are applied. The images reconstructed by using these two approaches enrich the data base and thanks to this improve of quality measures of mammogram recognition (increase of accuracy, sensitivity and specificity). The results of numerical experiments performed on large DDSM data base containing more than 10000 mammograms have confirmed good accuracy of class recognition, exceeding the best results reported in the actual publications for this data base.

  6. Haloperidol increases false recognition memory of thematically related pictures in healthy volunteers.

    PubMed

    Guarnieri, Regina V; Buratto, Luciano G; Gomes, Carlos F A; Ribeiro, Rafaela L; de Souza, Altay A Lino; Stein, Lilian M; Galduróz, José C; Bueno, Orlando F A

    2017-01-01

    Dopamine can modulate long-term episodic memory. Its potential role on the generation of false memories, however, is less well known. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled experiment, 24 young healthy volunteers ingested a 4-mg oral dose of haloperidol, a dopamine D 2 -receptor antagonist, or placebo, before taking part in a recognition memory task. Haloperidol was active during both study and test phases of the experiment. Participants in the haloperidol group produced more false recognition responses than those in the placebo group, despite similar levels of correct recognition. These findings show that dopamine blockade in healthy volunteers can specifically increase false recognition memory. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  7. Effectiveness of a social marketing media campaign to reduce oral cancer racial disparities.

    PubMed

    Watson, Jennifer M; Tomar, Scott L; Dodd, Virginia; Logan, Henrietta L; Choi, Youjin

    2009-08-01

    The purpose of this study was to provide a systematic evaluation of a theory-driven oral cancer awareness media campaign. We surveyed a cohort of residents in an intervention city (250) and a control city (250) immediately prior to and after the media campaign. Participants (125 black/African American and 125 white) in each city completed surveys at baseline and follow-up. Oral cancer campaign awareness was assessed in both cities, along with 4 hypothetical health campaigns. Oral cancer awareness, oral cancer exam awareness, intent to receive an oral cancer exam, interest in exam, and receipt of exam were also assessed in both cities, both at baseline and follow-up. Intervention city residents showed a significant increase in recognition of the campaign, awareness of the oral cancer exam, and interest in getting an exam, while no significant changes in those topics were found for the control city. Blacks/African Americans in the intervention city were significantly more likely than whites to demonstrate increases in awareness of the campaign, oral cancer awareness, and interest in receiving an oral cancer exam. A theory-driven media campaign was successful in increasing awareness of the oral cancer exam and interest in the exam among blacks/African Americans.

  8. [Assessment of gestures and their psychiatric relevance].

    PubMed

    Bulucz, Judit; Simon, Lajos

    2008-01-01

    Analyzing and investigating non-verbal behavior and gestures has been receiving much attention since the last century. Thanks to the pioneer work of Ekman and Friesen we have a number of descriptive-analytic, categorizing and semantic content related scales and scoring systems. Generation of gestures, the integrative system with speech and the inter-cultural differences are in the focus of interest. Furthermore, analysis of the gestural changes caused by lesions of distinct neurological areas point toward to formation of new diagnostic approaches. The more widespread application of computerized methods resulted in an increasing number of experiments which study gesture generation, reproduction in mechanical and virtual reality. Increasing efforts are directed towards the understanding of human and computerized recognition of human gestures. In this review we describe the results emphasizing the relations of those results with psychiatric and neuropsychiatric disorders, specifically schizophrenia and affective spectrum.

  9. Context retrieval and description benefits for recognition of unfamiliar faces.

    PubMed

    Jones, Todd C; Robinson, Kealagh; Steel, Brenna C

    2018-04-19

    Describing unfamiliar faces during or immediately after their presentation in a study phase can produce better recognition memory performance compared with a view-only control condition. We treated descriptions as elaborative information that is part of the study context and investigated how context retrieval influences recognition memory. Following general dual-process theories, we hypothesized that recollection would be used to recall descriptions and that description recall would influence recognition decisions, including the level of recognition confidence. In four experiments description conditions produced higher hit rates and higher levels of recognition confidence than control conditions. Participants recalled descriptive content on some trials, and this context retrieval was linked to an increase in the recognition confidence level. Repeating study faces in description conditions increased recognition scores, recognition confidence level, and context retrieval. Estimates of recollection from Yonelinas' (1994) dual-process signal detection ROCs were, on average, very close to the measures of context recall. Description conditions also produced higher estimates of familiarity. Finally, we found evidence that participants engaged in description activity in some ostensibly view-only trials. An emphasis on the information participants use in making their recognition decisions can advance understanding on description effects when descriptions are part of the study trial context. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

  10. Joint sparse representation for robust multimodal biometrics recognition.

    PubMed

    Shekhar, Sumit; Patel, Vishal M; Nasrabadi, Nasser M; Chellappa, Rama

    2014-01-01

    Traditional biometric recognition systems rely on a single biometric signature for authentication. While the advantage of using multiple sources of information for establishing the identity has been widely recognized, computational models for multimodal biometrics recognition have only recently received attention. We propose a multimodal sparse representation method, which represents the test data by a sparse linear combination of training data, while constraining the observations from different modalities of the test subject to share their sparse representations. Thus, we simultaneously take into account correlations as well as coupling information among biometric modalities. A multimodal quality measure is also proposed to weigh each modality as it gets fused. Furthermore, we also kernelize the algorithm to handle nonlinearity in data. The optimization problem is solved using an efficient alternative direction method. Various experiments show that the proposed method compares favorably with competing fusion-based methods.

  11. Can Changes in Eye Movement Scanning Alter the Age-Related Deficit in Recognition Memory?

    PubMed Central

    Chan, Jessica P. K.; Kamino, Daphne; Binns, Malcolm A.; Ryan, Jennifer D.

    2011-01-01

    Older adults typically exhibit poorer face recognition compared to younger adults. These recognition differences may be due to underlying age-related changes in eye movement scanning. We examined whether older adults’ recognition could be improved by yoking their eye movements to those of younger adults. Participants studied younger and older faces, under free viewing conditions (bases), through a gaze-contingent moving window (own), or a moving window which replayed the eye movements of a base participant (yoked). During the recognition test, participants freely viewed the faces with no viewing restrictions. Own-age recognition biases were observed for older adults in all viewing conditions, suggesting that this effect occurs independently of scanning. Participants in the bases condition had the highest recognition accuracy, and participants in the yoked condition were more accurate than participants in the own condition. Among yoked participants, recognition did not depend on age of the base participant. These results suggest that successful encoding for all participants requires the bottom-up contribution of peripheral information, regardless of the locus of control of the viewer. Although altering the pattern of eye movements did not increase recognition, the amount of sampling of the face during encoding predicted subsequent recognition accuracy for all participants. Increased sampling may confer some advantages for subsequent recognition, particularly for people who have declining memory abilities. PMID:21687460

  12. Automated telephone reminder messages can assist electronic diabetes care.

    PubMed

    Mollon, Brent; Holbrook, Anne M; Keshavjee, Karim; Troyan, Sue; Gaebel, Kathryn; Thabane, Lehana; Perera, Gihan

    2008-01-01

    Telephone reminder systems have been used to assist in the treatment of many chronic diseases. However, it is unclear if these systems can increase medication and appointment adherence in patients with diabetes without direct patient-provider telephone contact. We tested the feasibility of using an automated telephone reminder system (ATRS) to deliver reminder messages to 253 adults with diabetes enrolled in a randomized controlled trial. Eighty-four percent of the patients were able to register using voice recognition and at least one reminder was delivered to 95% of registered patients over a period of 7.5 months. None of the demographic features studied predicted a patient's ability to enroll or to receive reminder calls. At the end of the study, 63% of patients indicated that they wished to continue to receive ATRS calls. The level of system use as determined by the number of received reminder calls was not associated with a change in the number of physician visits or diabetes-related laboratory tests during follow-up. The clinical benefits and sustainability of ATRS remain unproven, but our results indicate that an automated reminder system can be effective for providing messages to a large group of older patients with diabetes.

  13. Recognition and Management of Pesticide Poisonings. Third Edition.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Morgan, Donald P.

    This manual aids health professionals in recognizing and treating pesticide poisonings. Suggested treatments are appropriate for implementation in the small hospitals and clinics which usually receive the victims of pesticide poisoning. Classes of compounds covered include: (1) organophosphate cholinesterase-inhibiting pesticides; (2) carbamate…

  14. Bitz, Ginoux, Jacobson, Nizkorodov, and Yang Receive 2013 Atmospheric Sciences Ascent Awards: Response

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Ping

    2014-07-01

    I am honored and humbled that the AGU Atmospheric Sciences section decided to select me as one of the five recipients of the 2013 Ascent Award and would like to thank the selection committee for this recognition.

  15. Expressing support for designation of a National Day of Recognition for Long-Term Care Physicians.

    THOMAS, 111th Congress

    Rep. Gingrey, Phil [R-GA-11

    2010-03-02

    Senate - 03/22/2010 Received in the Senate and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (All Actions) Tracker: This bill has the status Agreed to in HouseHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

  16. Western Airborne Contaminants Assessment Project Database

    EPA Science Inventory

    WACAP has received considerable recognition from the media with over 200 local, national and international media outlets. At present count, 10 peer-reviewed papers have been published. In response to the WACAP results, the NPS convened multi-agency workshops with WACAP PIs and l...

  17. A vision of the future for BMC Medicine: serving science, medicine and authors.

    PubMed

    Cassady-Cain, Robin L; Appleford, Joanne M; Patel, Jigisha; Aulakh, Mick; Norton, Melissa L

    2009-10-07

    In June 2009, BMC Medicine received its first official impact factor of 3.28 from Thomson Reuters. In recognition of this landmark event, the BMC Medicine editorial team present and discuss the vision and aims of the journal.

  18. Motivating the Private vs. Public Sector Managers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Khojasteh, Mak

    1993-01-01

    A questionnaire on intrinsic/extrinsic rewards received 362 responses from 380 managers. Pay and security were greater motivators for private than for public sector managers. Recognition had higher motivating potential in the public sector. Both groups were motivated by achievement and advancement. (SK)

  19. Low-Cost, Scalable Classroom-Based Approach to Promoting Physical Activity in Preschool Children

    PubMed Central

    McCrady-Spitzer, Shelly K; Sagdalen, Vanessa; Manohar, Chinmay U; Levine, James A

    2017-01-01

    Background This study examined the impact of short activity breaks in preschool children. The hypotheses were that preschool children receiving three five-minute activity breaks per day would increase (a) school time physical activity and (b) education scores compared to a control group not receiving the intervention. Methods For 8 weeks, the Intervention Group (n = 13) incorporated three 5-minute activity breaks into their classroom time while the Control Group (n = 12) did not incorporate the activity breaks. Physical activity was measured using a triaxial accelerometer. Education was assessed using standardized methods. Findings After 8 weeks, the preschool children in the Intervention Group increased their school time physical activity from 11,641 ± (SD) 1,368 Acceleration Units (AU)/ hour to 16,058 ± 2,253 AU/hour (P < 0.001). The children in the control group did not increase their physical activity (11,379 ± 2,427 cf 11,624 ± 2,441; ns). Students in the Intervention Group improved their education scores more than students in the control group (18 ± 12 cf 8 ± 7 points, P = 0.01); Letter Recognition improved in particular (9 ± 6 cf 2 ± 4 points, P = 0.001). Conclusions The incorporation of three 5-minute activity breaks was associated with increased school time physical activity and improved learning. PMID:28936491

  20. Study of phenotype evolution during childhood in Marfan syndrome to improve clinical recognition.

    PubMed

    Stheneur, Chantal; Tubach, Florence; Jouneaux, Marlène; Roy, Carine; Benoist, Gregoire; Chevallier, Bertrand; Boileau, Catherine; Jondeau, Guillaume

    2014-03-01

    Because diagnosis of Marfan syndrome is difficult during infancy, we used a large cohort of children to describe the evolution of the Marfan syndrome phenotype with age. Two hundred and fifty-nine children carrying an FBN1 gene mutation and fulfilling Ghent criteria were compared with 474 non-Marfan syndrome children. Prevalence of skeletal features changed with aging: prevalence of pectus deformity increased from 43% at 0-6 years to 62% at 15-17 years, wrist signs increased from 28 to 67%, and scoliosis increased from 16 to 59%. Hypermobility decreased from 67 to 47% and pes planus decreased from 73 to 65%. Striae increased from 2 to 84%. Prevalence of ectopia lentis remained stable, varying from 66 to 72%, similar to aortic root dilatation (varying from 75 to 80%). Aortic root dilatation remained stable during follow-up in this population receiving β-blocker therapy. When comparing Marfan syndrome children with non-Marfan syndrome children, height appeared to be a simple and discriminant criterion when it was >3.3 SD above the mean. Ectopia lentis and aortic dilatation were both similarly discriminating. Ectopia lentis and aortic dilatation are the best-discriminating features, but height remains a simple discriminating variable for general practitioners when >3.3 SD above the mean. Mean aortic dilatation remains stable in infancy when children receive a β-blocker.

  1. Modeling Confidence Judgments, Response Times, and Multiple Choices in Decision Making: Recognition Memory and Motion Discrimination

    PubMed Central

    Ratcliff, Roger; Starns, Jeffrey J.

    2014-01-01

    Confidence in judgments is a fundamental aspect of decision making, and tasks that collect confidence judgments are an instantiation of multiple-choice decision making. We present a model for confidence judgments in recognition memory tasks that uses a multiple-choice diffusion decision process with separate accumulators of evidence for the different confidence choices. The accumulator that first reaches its decision boundary determines which choice is made. Five algorithms for accumulating evidence were compared, and one of them produced proportions of responses for each of the choices and full response time distributions for each choice that closely matched empirical data. With this algorithm, an increase in the evidence in one accumulator is accompanied by a decrease in the others so that the total amount of evidence in the system is constant. Application of the model to the data from an earlier experiment (Ratcliff, McKoon, & Tindall, 1994) uncovered a relationship between the shapes of z-transformed receiver operating characteristics and the behavior of response time distributions. Both are explained in the model by the behavior of the decision boundaries. For generality, we also applied the decision model to a 3-choice motion discrimination task and found it accounted for data better than a competing class of models. The confidence model presents a coherent account of confidence judgments and response time that cannot be explained with currently popular signal detection theory analyses or dual-process models of recognition. PMID:23915088

  2. Wireless Technology Recognition Based on RSSI Distribution at Sub-Nyquist Sampling Rate for Constrained Devices.

    PubMed

    Liu, Wei; Kulin, Merima; Kazaz, Tarik; Shahid, Adnan; Moerman, Ingrid; De Poorter, Eli

    2017-09-12

    Driven by the fast growth of wireless communication, the trend of sharing spectrum among heterogeneous technologies becomes increasingly dominant. Identifying concurrent technologies is an important step towards efficient spectrum sharing. However, due to the complexity of recognition algorithms and the strict condition of sampling speed, communication systems capable of recognizing signals other than their own type are extremely rare. This work proves that multi-model distribution of the received signal strength indicator (RSSI) is related to the signals' modulation schemes and medium access mechanisms, and RSSI from different technologies may exhibit highly distinctive features. A distinction is made between technologies with a streaming or a non-streaming property, and appropriate feature spaces can be established either by deriving parameters such as packet duration from RSSI or directly using RSSI's probability distribution. An experimental study shows that even RSSI acquired at a sub-Nyquist sampling rate is able to provide sufficient features to differentiate technologies such as Wi-Fi, Long Term Evolution (LTE), Digital Video Broadcasting-Terrestrial (DVB-T) and Bluetooth. The usage of the RSSI distribution-based feature space is illustrated via a sample algorithm. Experimental evaluation indicates that more than 92% accuracy is achieved with the appropriate configuration. As the analysis of RSSI distribution is straightforward and less demanding in terms of system requirements, we believe it is highly valuable for recognition of wideband technologies on constrained devices in the context of dynamic spectrum access.

  3. Wireless Technology Recognition Based on RSSI Distribution at Sub-Nyquist Sampling Rate for Constrained Devices

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Wei; Kulin, Merima; Kazaz, Tarik; De Poorter, Eli

    2017-01-01

    Driven by the fast growth of wireless communication, the trend of sharing spectrum among heterogeneous technologies becomes increasingly dominant. Identifying concurrent technologies is an important step towards efficient spectrum sharing. However, due to the complexity of recognition algorithms and the strict condition of sampling speed, communication systems capable of recognizing signals other than their own type are extremely rare. This work proves that multi-model distribution of the received signal strength indicator (RSSI) is related to the signals’ modulation schemes and medium access mechanisms, and RSSI from different technologies may exhibit highly distinctive features. A distinction is made between technologies with a streaming or a non-streaming property, and appropriate feature spaces can be established either by deriving parameters such as packet duration from RSSI or directly using RSSI’s probability distribution. An experimental study shows that even RSSI acquired at a sub-Nyquist sampling rate is able to provide sufficient features to differentiate technologies such as Wi-Fi, Long Term Evolution (LTE), Digital Video Broadcasting-Terrestrial (DVB-T) and Bluetooth. The usage of the RSSI distribution-based feature space is illustrated via a sample algorithm. Experimental evaluation indicates that more than 92% accuracy is achieved with the appropriate configuration. As the analysis of RSSI distribution is straightforward and less demanding in terms of system requirements, we believe it is highly valuable for recognition of wideband technologies on constrained devices in the context of dynamic spectrum access. PMID:28895879

  4. Fitting and verification of frequency modulation systems on children with normal hearing.

    PubMed

    Schafer, Erin C; Bryant, Danielle; Sanders, Katie; Baldus, Nicole; Algier, Katherine; Lewis, Audrey; Traber, Jordan; Layden, Paige; Amin, Aneeqa

    2014-06-01

    Several recent investigations support the use of frequency modulation (FM) systems in children with normal hearing and auditory processing or listening disorders such as those diagnosed with auditory processing disorders, autism spectrum disorders, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, Friedreich ataxia, and dyslexia. The American Academy of Audiology (AAA) published suggested procedures, but these guidelines do not cite research evidence to support the validity of the recommended procedures for fitting and verifying nonoccluding open-ear FM systems on children with normal hearing. Documenting the validity of these fitting procedures is critical to maximize the potential FM-system benefit in the above-mentioned populations of children with normal hearing and those with auditory-listening problems. The primary goal of this investigation was to determine the validity of the AAA real-ear approach to fitting FM systems on children with normal hearing. The secondary goal of this study was to examine speech-recognition performance in noise and loudness ratings without and with FM systems in children with normal hearing sensitivity. A two-group, cross-sectional design was used in the present study. Twenty-six typically functioning children, ages 5-12 yr, with normal hearing sensitivity participated in the study. Participants used a nonoccluding open-ear FM receiver during laboratory-based testing. Participants completed three laboratory tests: (1) real-ear measures, (2) speech recognition performance in noise, and (3) loudness ratings. Four real-ear measures were conducted to (1) verify that measured output met prescribed-gain targets across the 1000-4000 Hz frequency range for speech stimuli, (2) confirm that the FM-receiver volume did not exceed predicted uncomfortable loudness levels, and (3 and 4) measure changes to the real-ear unaided response when placing the FM receiver in the child's ear. After completion of the fitting, speech recognition in noise at a -5 signal-to-noise ratio and loudness ratings at a +5 signal-to-noise ratio were measured in four conditions: (1) no FM system, (2) FM receiver on the right ear, (3) FM receiver on the left ear, and (4) bilateral FM system. The results of this study suggested that the slightly modified AAA real-ear measurement procedures resulted in a valid fitting of one FM system on children with normal hearing. On average, prescriptive targets were met for 1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000 Hz within 3 dB, and maximum output of the FM system never exceeded and was significantly lower than predicted uncomfortable loudness levels for the children. There was a minimal change in the real-ear unaided response when the open-ear FM receiver was placed into the ear. Use of the FM system on one or both ears resulted in significantly better speech recognition in noise relative to a no-FM condition, and the unilateral and bilateral FM receivers resulted in a comfortably loud signal when listening in background noise. Real-ear measures are critical for obtaining an appropriate fit of an FM system on children with normal hearing. American Academy of Audiology.

  5. An algorithm for automatic target recognition using passive radar and an EKF for estimating aircraft orientation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ehrman, Lisa M.

    2005-07-01

    Rather than emitting pulses, passive radar systems rely on "illuminators of opportunity," such as TV and FM radio, to illuminate potential targets. These systems are attractive since they allow receivers to operate without emitting energy, rendering them covert. Until recently, most of the research regarding passive radar has focused on detecting and tracking targets. This dissertation focuses on extending the capabilities of passive radar systems to include automatic target recognition. The target recognition algorithm described in this dissertation uses the radar cross section (RCS) of potential targets, collected over a short period of time, as the key information for target recognition. To make the simulated RCS as accurate as possible, the received signal model accounts for aircraft position and orientation, propagation losses, and antenna gain patterns. An extended Kalman filter (EKF) estimates the target's orientation (and uncertainty in the estimate) from velocity measurements obtained from the passive radar tracker. Coupling the aircraft orientation and state with the known antenna locations permits computation of the incident and observed azimuth and elevation angles. The Fast Illinois Solver Code (FISC) simulates the RCS of potential target classes as a function of these angles. Thus, the approximated incident and observed angles allow the appropriate RCS to be extracted from a database of FISC results. Using this process, the RCS of each aircraft in the target class is simulated as though each is executing the same maneuver as the target detected by the system. Two additional scaling processes are required to transform the RCS into a power profile (magnitude only) simulating the signal in the receiver. First, the RCS is scaled by the Advanced Refractive Effects Prediction System (AREPS) code to account for propagation losses that occur as functions of altitude and range. Then, the Numerical Electromagnetic Code (NEC2) computes the antenna gain pattern, further scaling the RCS. A Rician likelihood model compares the scaled RCS of the illuminated aircraft with those of the potential targets. To improve the robustness of the result, the algorithm jointly optimizes over feasible orientation profiles and target types via dynamic programming.

  6. The "Decorative" Female Model: Sexual Stimuli and the Recognition of Advertisements

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    LaChance, Charles C.; And Others

    1977-01-01

    Examines the impact of the decorative or functionless female models in print advertising and indicates that models facilitate recognition of model/related information but do little to increase the recognition of brand names.

  7. Females scan more than males: a potential mechanism for sex differences in recognition memory.

    PubMed

    Heisz, Jennifer J; Pottruff, Molly M; Shore, David I

    2013-07-01

    Recognition-memory tests reveal individual differences in episodic memory; however, by themselves, these tests provide little information regarding the stage (or stages) in memory processing at which differences are manifested. We used eye-tracking technology, together with a recognition paradigm, to achieve a more detailed analysis of visual processing during encoding and retrieval. Although this approach may be useful for assessing differences in memory across many different populations, we focused on sex differences in face memory. Females outperformed males on recognition-memory tests, and this advantage was directly related to females' scanning behavior at encoding. Moreover, additional exposures to the faces reduced sex differences in face recognition, which suggests that males may be able to improve their recognition memory by extracting more information at encoding through increased scanning. A strategy of increased scanning at encoding may prove to be a simple way to enhance memory performance in other populations with memory impairment.

  8. Development and evaluation of the Nurotron 26-electrode cochlear implant system.

    PubMed

    Zeng, Fan-Gang; Rebscher, Stephen J; Fu, Qian-Jie; Chen, Hongbin; Sun, Xiaoan; Yin, Li; Ping, Lichuan; Feng, Haihong; Yang, Shiming; Gong, Shusheng; Yang, Beibei; Kang, Hou-Yong; Gao, Na; Chi, Fanglu

    2015-04-01

    Although the cochlear implant has been widely acknowledged as the most successful neural prosthesis, only a fraction of hearing-impaired people who can potentially benefit from a cochlear implant have actually received one due to its limited awareness, accessibility, and affordability. To help overcome these limitations, a 26-electrode cochlear implant has been developed to receive China's Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) approval in 2011 and Conformité Européenne (CE) Marking in 2012. The present article describes design philosophy, system specification, and technical verification of the Nurotron device, which includes advanced digital signal processing and 4 current sources with multiple amplitude resolutions that not only are compatible with perceptual capability but also allow interleaved or simultaneous stimulation. The article also presents 3-year longitudinal evaluation data from 60 human subjects who have received the Nurotron device. The objective measures show that electrode impedance decreased within the first month of device use, but was stable until a slight increase at the end of two years. The subjective loudness measures show that electric stimulation threshold was stable while the maximal comfort level increased over the 3 years. Mandarin sentence recognition increased from the pre-surgical 0%-correct score to a plateau of about 80% correct with 6-month use of the device. Both indirect and direct comparisons indicate indistinguishable performance differences between the Nurotron system and other commercially available devices. The present 26-electrode cochlear implant has already helped to lower the price of cochlear implantation in China and will likely contribute to increased cochlear implant access and success in the rest of the world. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled . Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Effect of speech-intrinsic variations on human and automatic recognition of spoken phonemes.

    PubMed

    Meyer, Bernd T; Brand, Thomas; Kollmeier, Birger

    2011-01-01

    The aim of this study is to quantify the gap between the recognition performance of human listeners and an automatic speech recognition (ASR) system with special focus on intrinsic variations of speech, such as speaking rate and effort, altered pitch, and the presence of dialect and accent. Second, it is investigated if the most common ASR features contain all information required to recognize speech in noisy environments by using resynthesized ASR features in listening experiments. For the phoneme recognition task, the ASR system achieved the human performance level only when the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) was increased by 15 dB, which is an estimate for the human-machine gap in terms of the SNR. The major part of this gap is attributed to the feature extraction stage, since human listeners achieve comparable recognition scores when the SNR difference between unaltered and resynthesized utterances is 10 dB. Intrinsic variabilities result in strong increases of error rates, both in human speech recognition (HSR) and ASR (with a relative increase of up to 120%). An analysis of phoneme duration and recognition rates indicates that human listeners are better able to identify temporal cues than the machine at low SNRs, which suggests incorporating information about the temporal dynamics of speech into ASR systems.

  10. Embedding the Scholarship of Engagement at a Regional University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Crookes, Patrick A.; Else, Fabienne C.; Smith, Kylie M.

    2015-01-01

    Despite receiving growing international recognition and regard, the scholarship of engagement remains undervalued internally at academic institutions, especially in relation to career development and academic promotion. This form of scholarship presents difficulties relating to evaluation, assessment, and evidencing that are not generally present…

  11. A Clean Break

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kennedy, Mike

    2010-01-01

    Many education institutions have embraced the growing push for sustainable design and have built environmentally friendly facilities that use resources more efficiently. But the plaudits that administrators receive for LEED certification and other recognition of their efforts may be meaningless if the green commitment ends when a building is…

  12. Tri-Coding of Information.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Simpson, Timothy J.

    Paivio's Dual Coding Theory has received widespread recognition for its connection between visual and aural channels of internal information processing. The use of only two channels, however, cannot satisfactorily explain the effects witnessed every day. This paper presents a study suggesting the presence a third, kinesthetic channel, currently…

  13. A vision of the future for BMC Medicine: serving science, medicine and authors

    PubMed Central

    Cassady-Cain, Robin L; Appleford, Joanne M; Patel, Jigisha; Aulakh, Mick; Norton, Melissa L

    2009-01-01

    In June 2009, BMC Medicine received its first official impact factor of 3.28 from Thomson Reuters. In recognition of this landmark event, the BMC Medicine editorial team present and discuss the vision and aims of the journal. PMID:19811626

  14. Diagnosing criterion-level effects on memory: what aspects of memory are enhanced by repeated retrieval?

    PubMed

    Vaughn, Kalif E; Rawson, Katherine A

    2011-09-01

    Previous research has shown that increasing the criterion level (i.e., the number of times an item must be correctly retrieved during practice) improves subsequent memory, but which specific components of memory does increased criterion level enhance? In two experiments, we examined the extent to which the criterion level affects associative memory, target memory, and cue memory. Participants studied Lithuanian-English word pairs via cued recall with restudy until items were correctly recalled one to five times. In Experiment 1, participants took one of four recall tests and one of three recognition tests after a 2-day delay. In Experiment 2, participants took only recognition tests after a 1-week delay. In both experiments, increasing the criterion level enhanced associative memory, as indicated by enhanced performance on forward and backward cued-recall tests and on tests of associative recognition. An increased criterion level also improved target memory, as indicated by enhanced free recall and recognition of targets, and improved cue memory, as indicated by enhanced free recall and recognition of cues.

  15. Emotion recognition in early Parkinson's disease patients undergoing deep brain stimulation or dopaminergic therapy: a comparison to healthy participants.

    PubMed

    McIntosh, Lindsey G; Mannava, Sishir; Camalier, Corrie R; Folley, Bradley S; Albritton, Aaron; Konrad, Peter E; Charles, David; Park, Sohee; Neimat, Joseph S

    2014-01-01

    Parkinson's disease (PD) is traditionally regarded as a neurodegenerative movement disorder, however, nigrostriatal dopaminergic degeneration is also thought to disrupt non-motor loops connecting basal ganglia to areas in frontal cortex involved in cognition and emotion processing. PD patients are impaired on tests of emotion recognition, but it is difficult to disentangle this deficit from the more general cognitive dysfunction that frequently accompanies disease progression. Testing for emotion recognition deficits early in the disease course, prior to cognitive decline, better assesses the sensitivity of these non-motor corticobasal ganglia-thalamocortical loops involved in emotion processing to early degenerative change in basal ganglia circuits. In addition, contrasting this with a group of healthy aging individuals demonstrates changes in emotion processing specific to the degeneration of basal ganglia circuitry in PD. Early PD patients (EPD) were recruited from a randomized clinical trial testing the safety and tolerability of deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN-DBS) in early-staged PD. EPD patients were previously randomized to receive optimal drug therapy only (ODT), or drug therapy plus STN-DBS (ODT + DBS). Matched healthy elderly controls (HEC) and young controls (HYC) also participated in this study. Participants completed two control tasks and three emotion recognition tests that varied in stimulus domain. EPD patients were impaired on all emotion recognition tasks compared to HEC. Neither therapy type (ODT or ODT + DBS) nor therapy state (ON/OFF) altered emotion recognition performance in this study. Finally, HEC were impaired on vocal emotion recognition relative to HYC, suggesting a decline related to healthy aging. This study supports the existence of impaired emotion recognition early in the PD course, implicating an early disruption of fronto-striatal loops mediating emotional function.

  16. Reduced prefrontal activation during working and long-term memory tasks and impaired patient-reported cognition among cancer survivors postchemotherapy compared with healthy controls.

    PubMed

    Wang, Lei; Apple, Alexandra C; Schroeder, Matthew P; Ryals, Anthony J; Voss, Joel L; Gitelman, Darren; Sweet, Jerry J; Butt, Zeeshan A; Cella, David; Wagner, Lynne I

    2016-01-15

    Patients who receive adjuvant chemotherapy have reported cognitive impairments that may last for years after the completion of treatment. Working memory-related and long-term memory-related changes in this population are not well understood. The objective of this study was to demonstrate that cancer-related cognitive impairments are associated with the under recruitment of brain regions involved in working and recognition memory compared with controls. Oncology patients (n = 15) who were receiving adjuvant chemotherapy and had evidence of cognitive impairment according to neuropsychological testing and self-report and a group of age-matched, education group-matched, cognitively normal control participants (n = 14) underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging. During functional magnetic resonance imaging, participants performed a nonverbal n-back working memory task and a visual recognition task. On the working memory task, when 1-back and 2-back data were averaged and contrasted with 0-back data, significantly reduced activation was observed in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex for oncology patients versus controls. On the recognition task, oncology patients displayed decreased activity of the left-middle hippocampus compared with controls. Neuroimaging results were not associated with patient-reported cognition. Decreased recruitment of brain regions associated with the encoding of working memory and recognition memory was observed in the oncology patients compared with the control group. These results suggest that there is a reduction in neural functioning postchemotherapy and corroborate patient-reported cognitive difficulties after cancer treatment, although a direct association was not observed. Cancer 2016;122:258-268. © 2015 American Cancer Society. © 2015 American Cancer Society.

  17. Stennis group receives NESC award

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2009-04-14

    The NASA Engineering & Safety Center recently presented its Group Achievement Award to a Stennis team in recognition of technical excellence in evaluating the operational anomalies and reliability improvements associated with the space shuttle engine cut-off system. Stennis employees receiving the award were: (standing, l to r) Freddie Douglas (NASA), George Drouant (Jacobs Technology Inc.), Fred Abell (Jacobs), Robert Drackett (Jacobs) and Mike Smiles (NASA); (seated, l to r): Binh Nguyen (Jacobs), Stennis Director Gene Goldman and Joseph Lacker (NASA). Phillip Hebert of NASA is not pictured.

  18. The American Board of Ophthalmology Tie.

    PubMed

    Wand, Martin

    2016-09-01

    This article discusses the efforts of the American Board of Ophthalmology (ABO) to recognize and celebrate the contributions of its volunteers to certification programs and processes. In recognition of service to the ABO, all directors and examiners received ties for men and scarves for women bearing the ABO logo and colors. This article briefly describes the rationale and the importance of these articles for those who receive them. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Stennis group receives NESC award

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2009-01-01

    The NASA Engineering & Safety Center recently presented its Group Achievement Award to a Stennis team in recognition of technical excellence in evaluating the operational anomalies and reliability improvements associated with the space shuttle engine cut-off system. Stennis employees receiving the award were: (standing, l to r) Freddie Douglas (NASA), George Drouant (Jacobs Technology Inc.), Fred Abell (Jacobs), Robert Drackett (Jacobs) and Mike Smiles (NASA); (seated, l to r): Binh Nguyen (Jacobs), Stennis Director Gene Goldman and Joseph Lacker (NASA). Phillip Hebert of NASA is not pictured.

  20. Facial recognition in primary focal dystonia.

    PubMed

    Rinnerthaler, Martina; Benecke, Cord; Bartha, Lisa; Entner, Tanja; Poewe, Werner; Mueller, Joerg

    2006-01-01

    The basal ganglia seem to be involved in emotional processing. Primary dystonia is a movement disorder considered to result from basal ganglia dysfunction, and the aim of the present study was to investigate emotion recognition in patients with primary focal dystonia. Thirty-two patients with primary cranial (n=12) and cervical (n=20) dystonia were compared to 32 healthy controls matched for age, sex, and educational level on the facially expressed emotion labeling (FEEL) test, a computer-based tool measuring a person's ability to recognize facially expressed emotions. Patients with cognitive impairment or depression were excluded. None of the patients received medication with a possible cognitive side effect profile and only those with mild to moderate dystonia were included. Patients with primary dystonia showed isolated deficits in the recognition of disgust (P=0.007), while no differences between patients and controls were found with regard to the other emotions (fear, happiness, surprise, sadness, and anger). The findings of the present study add further evidence to the conception that dystonia is not only a motor but a complex basal ganglia disorder including selective emotion recognition disturbances. Copyright (c) 2005 Movement Disorder Society.

  1. Usage of semantic representations in recognition memory.

    PubMed

    Nishiyama, Ryoji; Hirano, Tetsuji; Ukita, Jun

    2017-11-01

    Meanings of words facilitate false acceptance as well as correct rejection of lures in recognition memory tests, depending on the experimental context. This suggests that semantic representations are both directly and indirectly (i.e., mediated by perceptual representations) used in remembering. Studies using memory conjunction errors (MCEs) paradigms, in which the lures consist of component parts of studied words, have reported semantic facilitation of rejection of the lures. However, attending to components of the lures could potentially cause this. Therefore, we investigated whether semantic overlap of lures facilitates MCEs using Japanese Kanji words in which a whole-word image is more concerned in reading. Experiments demonstrated semantic facilitation of MCEs in a delayed recognition test (Experiment 1), and in immediate recognition tests in which participants were prevented from using phonological or orthographic representations (Experiment 2), and the salient effect on individuals with high semantic memory capacities (Experiment 3). Additionally, analysis of the receiver operating characteristic suggested that this effect is attributed to familiarity-based memory judgement and phantom recollection. These findings indicate that semantic representations can be directly used in remembering, even when perceptual representations of studied words are available.

  2. Speech recognition systems on the Cell Broadband Engine

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

    Liu, Y; Jones, H; Vaidya, S

    In this paper we describe our design, implementation, and first results of a prototype connected-phoneme-based speech recognition system on the Cell Broadband Engine{trademark} (Cell/B.E.). Automatic speech recognition decodes speech samples into plain text (other representations are possible) and must process samples at real-time rates. Fortunately, the computational tasks involved in this pipeline are highly data-parallel and can receive significant hardware acceleration from vector-streaming architectures such as the Cell/B.E. Identifying and exploiting these parallelism opportunities is challenging, but also critical to improving system performance. We observed, from our initial performance timings, that a single Cell/B.E. processor can recognize speech from thousandsmore » of simultaneous voice channels in real time--a channel density that is orders-of-magnitude greater than the capacity of existing software speech recognizers based on CPUs (central processing units). This result emphasizes the potential for Cell/B.E.-based speech recognition and will likely lead to the future development of production speech systems using Cell/B.E. clusters.« less

  3. Longitudinal changes in speech recognition in older persons.

    PubMed

    Dubno, Judy R; Lee, Fu-Shing; Matthews, Lois J; Ahlstrom, Jayne B; Horwitz, Amy R; Mills, John H

    2008-01-01

    Recognition of isolated monosyllabic words in quiet and recognition of key words in low- and high-context sentences in babble were measured in a large sample of older persons enrolled in a longitudinal study of age-related hearing loss. Repeated measures were obtained yearly or every 2 to 3 years. To control for concurrent changes in pure-tone thresholds and speech levels, speech-recognition scores were adjusted using an importance-weighted speech-audibility metric (AI). Linear-regression slope estimated the rate of change in adjusted speech-recognition scores. Recognition of words in quiet declined significantly faster with age than predicted by declines in speech audibility. As subjects aged, observed scores deviated increasingly from AI-predicted scores, but this effect did not accelerate with age. Rate of decline in word recognition was significantly faster for females than males and for females with high serum progesterone levels, whereas noise history had no effect. Rate of decline did not accelerate with age but increased with degree of hearing loss, suggesting that with more severe injury to the auditory system, impairments to auditory function other than reduced audibility resulted in faster declines in word recognition as subjects aged. Recognition of key words in low- and high-context sentences in babble did not decline significantly with age.

  4. Age-related increases in false recognition: the role of perceptual and conceptual similarity.

    PubMed

    Pidgeon, Laura M; Morcom, Alexa M

    2014-01-01

    Older adults (OAs) are more likely to falsely recognize novel events than young adults, and recent behavioral and neuroimaging evidence points to a reduced ability to distinguish overlapping information due to decline in hippocampal pattern separation. However, other data suggest a critical role for semantic similarity. Koutstaal et al. [(2003) false recognition of abstract vs. common objects in older and younger adults: testing the semantic categorization account, J. Exp. Psychol. Learn. 29, 499-510] reported that OAs were only vulnerable to false recognition of items with pre-existing semantic representations. We replicated Koutstaal et al.'s (2003) second experiment and examined the influence of independently rated perceptual and conceptual similarity between stimuli and lures. At study, young and OAs judged the pleasantness of pictures of abstract (unfamiliar) and concrete (familiar) items, followed by a surprise recognition test including studied items, similar lures, and novel unrelated items. Experiment 1 used dichotomous "old/new" responses at test, while in Experiment 2 participants were also asked to judge lures as "similar," to increase explicit demands on pattern separation. In both experiments, OAs showed a greater increase in false recognition for concrete than abstract items relative to the young, replicating Koutstaal et al.'s (2003) findings. However, unlike in the earlier study, there was also an age-related increase in false recognition of abstract lures when multiple similar images had been studied. In line with pattern separation accounts of false recognition, OAs were more likely to misclassify concrete lures with high and moderate, but not low degrees of rated similarity to studied items. Results are consistent with the view that OAs are particularly susceptible to semantic interference in recognition memory, and with the possibility that this reflects age-related decline in pattern separation.

  5. Age-related increases in false recognition: the role of perceptual and conceptual similarity

    PubMed Central

    Pidgeon, Laura M.; Morcom, Alexa M.

    2014-01-01

    Older adults (OAs) are more likely to falsely recognize novel events than young adults, and recent behavioral and neuroimaging evidence points to a reduced ability to distinguish overlapping information due to decline in hippocampal pattern separation. However, other data suggest a critical role for semantic similarity. Koutstaal et al. [(2003) false recognition of abstract vs. common objects in older and younger adults: testing the semantic categorization account, J. Exp. Psychol. Learn. 29, 499–510] reported that OAs were only vulnerable to false recognition of items with pre-existing semantic representations. We replicated Koutstaal et al.’s (2003) second experiment and examined the influence of independently rated perceptual and conceptual similarity between stimuli and lures. At study, young and OAs judged the pleasantness of pictures of abstract (unfamiliar) and concrete (familiar) items, followed by a surprise recognition test including studied items, similar lures, and novel unrelated items. Experiment 1 used dichotomous “old/new” responses at test, while in Experiment 2 participants were also asked to judge lures as “similar,” to increase explicit demands on pattern separation. In both experiments, OAs showed a greater increase in false recognition for concrete than abstract items relative to the young, replicating Koutstaal et al.’s (2003) findings. However, unlike in the earlier study, there was also an age-related increase in false recognition of abstract lures when multiple similar images had been studied. In line with pattern separation accounts of false recognition, OAs were more likely to misclassify concrete lures with high and moderate, but not low degrees of rated similarity to studied items. Results are consistent with the view that OAs are particularly susceptible to semantic interference in recognition memory, and with the possibility that this reflects age-related decline in pattern separation. PMID:25368576

  6. Intact suppression of increased false recognition in schizophrenia.

    PubMed

    Weiss, Anthony P; Dodson, Chad S; Goff, Donald C; Schacter, Daniel L; Heckers, Stephan

    2002-09-01

    Recognition memory is impaired in patients with schizophrenia, as they rely largely on item familiarity, rather than conscious recollection, to make mnemonic decisions. False recognition of novel items (foils) is increased in schizophrenia and may relate to this deficit in conscious recollection. By studying pictures of the target word during encoding, healthy adults can suppress false recognition. This study examined the effect of pictorial encoding on subsequent recognition of repeated foils in patients with schizophrenia. The study included 40 patients with schizophrenia and 32 healthy comparison subjects. After incidental encoding of 60 words or pictures, subjects were tested for recognition of target items intermixed with 60 new foils. These new foils were subsequently repeated following either a two- or 24-word delay. Subjects were instructed to label these repeated foils as new and not to mistake them for old target words. Schizophrenic patients showed greater overall false recognition of repeated foils. The rate of false recognition of repeated foils was lower after picture encoding than after word encoding. Despite higher levels of false recognition of repeated new items, patients and comparison subjects demonstrated a similar degree of false recognition suppression after picture, as compared to word, encoding. Patients with schizophrenia displayed greater false recognition of repeated foils than comparison subjects, suggesting both a decrement of item- (or source-) specific recollection and a consequent reliance on familiarity in schizophrenia. Despite these deficits, presenting pictorial information at encoding allowed schizophrenic subjects to suppress false recognition to a similar degree as the comparison group, implying the intact use of a high-level cognitive strategy in this population.

  7. Experience moderates overlap between object and face recognition, suggesting a common ability

    PubMed Central

    Gauthier, Isabel; McGugin, Rankin W.; Richler, Jennifer J.; Herzmann, Grit; Speegle, Magen; Van Gulick, Ana E.

    2014-01-01

    Some research finds that face recognition is largely independent from the recognition of other objects; a specialized and innate ability to recognize faces could therefore have little or nothing to do with our ability to recognize objects. We propose a new framework in which recognition performance for any category is the product of domain-general ability and category-specific experience. In Experiment 1, we show that the overlap between face and object recognition depends on experience with objects. In 256 subjects we measured face recognition, object recognition for eight categories, and self-reported experience with these categories. Experience predicted neither face recognition nor object recognition but moderated their relationship: Face recognition performance is increasingly similar to object recognition performance with increasing object experience. If a subject has a lot of experience with objects and is found to perform poorly, they also prove to have a low ability with faces. In a follow-up survey, we explored the dimensions of experience with objects that may have contributed to self-reported experience in Experiment 1. Different dimensions of experience appear to be more salient for different categories, with general self-reports of expertise reflecting judgments of verbal knowledge about a category more than judgments of visual performance. The complexity of experience and current limitations in its measurement support the importance of aggregating across multiple categories. Our findings imply that both face and object recognition are supported by a common, domain-general ability expressed through experience with a category and best measured when accounting for experience. PMID:24993021

  8. Experience moderates overlap between object and face recognition, suggesting a common ability.

    PubMed

    Gauthier, Isabel; McGugin, Rankin W; Richler, Jennifer J; Herzmann, Grit; Speegle, Magen; Van Gulick, Ana E

    2014-07-03

    Some research finds that face recognition is largely independent from the recognition of other objects; a specialized and innate ability to recognize faces could therefore have little or nothing to do with our ability to recognize objects. We propose a new framework in which recognition performance for any category is the product of domain-general ability and category-specific experience. In Experiment 1, we show that the overlap between face and object recognition depends on experience with objects. In 256 subjects we measured face recognition, object recognition for eight categories, and self-reported experience with these categories. Experience predicted neither face recognition nor object recognition but moderated their relationship: Face recognition performance is increasingly similar to object recognition performance with increasing object experience. If a subject has a lot of experience with objects and is found to perform poorly, they also prove to have a low ability with faces. In a follow-up survey, we explored the dimensions of experience with objects that may have contributed to self-reported experience in Experiment 1. Different dimensions of experience appear to be more salient for different categories, with general self-reports of expertise reflecting judgments of verbal knowledge about a category more than judgments of visual performance. The complexity of experience and current limitations in its measurement support the importance of aggregating across multiple categories. Our findings imply that both face and object recognition are supported by a common, domain-general ability expressed through experience with a category and best measured when accounting for experience. © 2014 ARVO.

  9. Molecular Imprinting Applications in Forensic Science

    PubMed Central

    Yılmaz, Erkut; Garipcan, Bora; Patra, Hirak K.; Uzun, Lokman

    2017-01-01

    Producing molecular imprinting-based materials has received increasing attention due to recognition selectivity, stability, cast effectiveness, and ease of production in various forms for a wide range of applications. The molecular imprinting technique has a variety of applications in the areas of the food industry, environmental monitoring, and medicine for diverse purposes like sample pretreatment, sensing, and separation/purification. A versatile usage, stability and recognition capabilities also make them perfect candidates for use in forensic sciences. Forensic science is a demanding area and there is a growing interest in molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) in this field. In this review, recent molecular imprinting applications in the related areas of forensic sciences are discussed while considering the literature of last two decades. Not only direct forensic applications but also studies of possible forensic value were taken into account like illicit drugs, banned sport drugs, effective toxins and chemical warfare agents in a review of over 100 articles. The literature was classified according to targets, material shapes, production strategies, detection method, and instrumentation. We aimed to summarize the current applications of MIPs in forensic science and put forth a projection of their potential uses as promising alternatives for benchmark competitors. PMID:28350333

  10. Molecular Imprinting Applications in Forensic Science.

    PubMed

    Yılmaz, Erkut; Garipcan, Bora; Patra, Hirak K; Uzun, Lokman

    2017-03-28

    Producing molecular imprinting-based materials has received increasing attention due to recognition selectivity, stability, cast effectiveness, and ease of production in various forms for a wide range of applications. The molecular imprinting technique has a variety of applications in the areas of the food industry, environmental monitoring, and medicine for diverse purposes like sample pretreatment, sensing, and separation/purification. A versatile usage, stability and recognition capabilities also make them perfect candidates for use in forensic sciences. Forensic science is a demanding area and there is a growing interest in molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) in this field. In this review, recent molecular imprinting applications in the related areas of forensic sciences are discussed while considering the literature of last two decades. Not only direct forensic applications but also studies of possible forensic value were taken into account like illicit drugs, banned sport drugs, effective toxins and chemical warfare agents in a review of over 100 articles. The literature was classified according to targets, material shapes, production strategies, detection method, and instrumentation. We aimed to summarize the current applications of MIPs in forensic science and put forth a projection of their potential uses as promising alternatives for benchmark competitors.

  11. Ethical conflicts over access to services: patient effects and worker influence in home health.

    PubMed

    Egan, Marcia; Kadushin, Goldie

    2002-01-01

    A survey of home health social workers (N = 51) explored the effects on patients of ethical conflicts over access to services. The findings suggest that patients were as likely to be discharged or not receive services as they were to receive the services without paying a fee. Social workers rated themselves as moderately influential in the resolution of the conflict. Their influence was significantly correlated with patients more often receiving services and less often being discharged. Social work influence was enhanced by recognition of professional expertise and/or through informal networking within the agency. Implications for practice and education are discussed.

  12. Visual Scan Paths and Recognition of Facial Identity in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Typical Development

    PubMed Central

    Wilson, C. Ellie; Palermo, Romina; Brock, Jon

    2012-01-01

    Background Previous research suggests that many individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have impaired facial identity recognition, and also exhibit abnormal visual scanning of faces. Here, two hypotheses accounting for an association between these observations were tested: i) better facial identity recognition is associated with increased gaze time on the Eye region; ii) better facial identity recognition is associated with increased eye-movements around the face. Methodology and Principal Findings Eye-movements of 11 children with ASD and 11 age-matched typically developing (TD) controls were recorded whilst they viewed a series of faces, and then completed a two alternative forced-choice recognition memory test for the faces. Scores on the memory task were standardized according to age. In both groups, there was no evidence of an association between the proportion of time spent looking at the Eye region of faces and age-standardized recognition performance, thus the first hypothesis was rejected. However, the ‘Dynamic Scanning Index’ – which was incremented each time the participant saccaded into and out of one of the core-feature interest areas – was strongly associated with age-standardized face recognition scores in both groups, even after controlling for various other potential predictors of performance. Conclusions and Significance In support of the second hypothesis, results suggested that increased saccading between core-features was associated with more accurate face recognition ability, both in typical development and ASD. Causal directions of this relationship remain undetermined. PMID:22666378

  13. Sensing the intruder: a quantitative threshold for recognition cues perception in honeybees

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cappa, Federico; Bruschini, Claudia; Cipollini, Maria; Pieraccini, Giuseppe; Cervo, Rita

    2014-02-01

    The ability to discriminate among nestmates and non-nestmate is essential to defend social insect colonies from intruders. Over the years, nestmate recognition has been extensively studied in the honeybee Apis mellifera; nevertheless, the quantitative perceptual aspects at the basis of the recognition system represent an unexplored subject in this species. To test the existence of a cuticular hydrocarbons' quantitative perception threshold for nestmate recognition cues, we conducted behavioural assays by presenting different amounts of a foreign forager's chemical profile to honeybees at the entrance of their colonies. We found an increase in the explorative and aggressive responses as the amount of cues increased based on a threshold mechanism, highlighting the importance of the quantitative perceptual features for the recognition processes in A. mellifera.

  14. Faces are special but not too special: Spared face recognition in amnesia is based on familiarity

    PubMed Central

    Aly, Mariam; Knight, Robert T.; Yonelinas, Andrew P.

    2014-01-01

    Most current theories of human memory are material-general in the sense that they assume that the medial temporal lobe (MTL) is important for retrieving the details of prior events, regardless of the specific type of materials. Recent studies of amnesia have challenged the material-general assumption by suggesting that the MTL may be necessary for remembering words, but is not involved in remembering faces. We examined recognition memory for faces and words in a group of amnesic patients, which included hypoxic patients and patients with extensive left or right MTL lesions. Recognition confidence judgments were used to plot receiver operating characteristics (ROCs) in order to more fully quantify recognition performance and to estimate the contributions of recollection and familiarity. Consistent with the extant literature, an analysis of overall recognition accuracy showed that the patients were impaired at word memory but had spared face memory. However, the ROC analysis indicated that the patients were generally impaired at high confidence recognition responses for faces and words, and they exhibited significant recollection impairments for both types of materials. Familiarity for faces was preserved in all patients, but extensive left MTL damage impaired familiarity for words. These results suggest that face recognition may appear to be spared because performance tends to rely heavily on familiarity, a process that is relatively well preserved in amnesia. The findings challenge material-general theories of memory, and suggest that both material and process are important determinants of memory performance in amnesia, and different types of materials may depend more or less on recollection and familiarity. PMID:20833190

  15. Voice gender and the segregation of competing talkers: Perceptual learning in cochlear implant simulations

    PubMed Central

    Sullivan, Jessica R.; Assmann, Peter F.; Hossain, Shaikat; Schafer, Erin C.

    2017-01-01

    Two experiments explored the role of differences in voice gender in the recognition of speech masked by a competing talker in cochlear implant simulations. Experiment 1 confirmed that listeners with normal hearing receive little benefit from differences in voice gender between a target and masker sentence in four- and eight-channel simulations, consistent with previous findings that cochlear implants deliver an impoverished representation of the cues for voice gender. However, gender differences led to small but significant improvements in word recognition with 16 and 32 channels. Experiment 2 assessed the benefits of perceptual training on the use of voice gender cues in an eight-channel simulation. Listeners were assigned to one of four groups: (1) word recognition training with target and masker differing in gender; (2) word recognition training with same-gender target and masker; (3) gender recognition training; or (4) control with no training. Significant improvements in word recognition were observed from pre- to post-test sessions for all three training groups compared to the control group. These improvements were maintained at the late session (one week following the last training session) for all three groups. There was an overall improvement in masked word recognition performance provided by gender mismatch following training, but the amount of benefit did not differ as a function of the type of training. The training effects observed here are consistent with a form of rapid perceptual learning that contributes to the segregation of competing voices but does not specifically enhance the benefits provided by voice gender cues. PMID:28372046

  16. Vasopressin infusion into the lateral septum of adult male rats rescues progesterone induced impairment in social recognition

    PubMed Central

    Bychowski, Meaghan E.; Mena, Jesus D.; Auger, Catherine J.

    2013-01-01

    It is well established that social recognition memory is mediated, in part, by arginine vasopressin (AVP). AVP cells within the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BST) and medial amygdala (MeA) send AVP-ergic projections to the lateral septum (LS). We have demonstrated that progesterone treatment decreases AVP immunoreactivity within the BST, the MeA and the LS, and that progesterone treatment impairs social recognition. These data suggested that progesterone may impair social recognition memory by decreasing AVP. In the present experiment, we hypothesized that infusions of AVP into the LS would rescue the progesterone induced impairment in social recognition within adult male rats. One week after adult male rats underwent cannula surgery, they were given systemic injections of either a physiological dose of progesterone or oil control for three days. Four hours after the last injection, we tested social recognition memory using the social discrimination paradigm, a two-trial test that is based on the natural propensity for rats to be highly motivated to investigate novel conspecifics. Immediately after the first exposure to a juvenile, each animal received bilateral infusions of either AVP or artificial CSF (aCSF) into the LS. Our results show that, as expected, control animals exhibited normal social discrimination. In corroboration with our previous results, animals given progesterone have impaired social discrimination. Interestingly, animals treated with progesterone and AVP exhibited normal social discrimination, suggesting that AVP treatment rescued the impairment in social recognition caused by progesterone. These data also further support a role for progesterone in modulating vasopressin dependent behavior within the male brain. PMID:23639881

  17. Short-term testosterone manipulations modulate visual recognition memory and some aspects of emotional reactivity in male rhesus monkeys.

    PubMed

    Lacreuse, Agnès; Gore, Heather E; Chang, Jeemin; Kaplan, Emily R

    2012-05-15

    The role of testosterone (T) in modulating cognitive function and emotion in men remains unclear. The paucity of animal studies has likely contributed to the slow progress in this area. In particular, studies in nonhuman primates have been lacking. Our laboratory has begun to address this issue by pharmacologically manipulating T levels in intact male rhesus monkeys, using blind, placebo-controlled, crossover designs. We previously found that T-suppressed monkeys receiving supraphysiological T for 4 weeks had lower visual recognition memory for long delays and enhanced attention to videos of negative social stimuli (Lacreuse et al., 2009, 2010) compared to when treated with oil. To further delineate the conditions under which T affects cognition and emotion, the present study focused on the short-term effects of physiological T. Six intact males were treated with the gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist degarelix (3 mg/kg) for 7 days and received one injection of T enanthate (5 mg/kg) followed by one injection of oil vehicle 7 days later (n=3), or the reverse treatment (n=3). Performance on two computerized tasks, the Delayed-non-matching-to-sample (DNMS) with random delays and the object-Delayed Recognition Span test (object-DRST) and one task of emotional reactivity, an approach/avoidance task of negative, familiar and novel objects, was examined at baseline and 3-5 days after treatment. DNMS performance was significantly better when monkeys were treated with T compared to oil, independently of the delay duration or the nature (emotional or neutral) of the stimuli. Performance on the object-DRST was unaffected. Interestingly, subtle changes in emotional reactivity were also observed: T administration was associated with fewer object contacts, especially on negative objects, without overt changes in anxious behaviors. These results may reflect increased vigilance and alertness with high T. Altogether, the data suggest that changes in general arousal may underlie the beneficial effects of T on DNMS performance. This hypothesis will require further study with objective measures of physiological arousal. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Integrated optical biosensor system (IOBS)

    DOEpatents

    Grace, Karen M.; Sweet, Martin R.; Goeller, Roy M.; Morrison, Leland Jean; Grace, Wynne Kevin; Kolar, Jerome D.

    2007-10-30

    An optical biosensor has a first enclosure with a pathogen recognition surface, including a planar optical waveguide and grating located in the first enclosure. An aperture is in the first enclosure for insertion of sample to be investigated to a position in close proximity to the pathogen recognition surface. A laser in the first enclosure includes means for aligning and means for modulating the laser, the laser having its light output directed toward said grating. Detection means are located in the first enclosure and in optical communication with the pathogen recognition surface for detecting pathogens after interrogation by the laser light and outputting the detection. Electronic means is located in the first enclosure and receives the detection for processing the detection and outputting information on the detection, and an electrical power supply is located in the first enclosure for supplying power to the laser, the detection means and the electronic means.

  19. How Psychological Stress Affects Emotional Prosody.

    PubMed

    Paulmann, Silke; Furnes, Desire; Bøkenes, Anne Ming; Cozzolino, Philip J

    2016-01-01

    We explored how experimentally induced psychological stress affects the production and recognition of vocal emotions. In Study 1a, we demonstrate that sentences spoken by stressed speakers are judged by naïve listeners as sounding more stressed than sentences uttered by non-stressed speakers. In Study 1b, negative emotions produced by stressed speakers are generally less well recognized than the same emotions produced by non-stressed speakers. Multiple mediation analyses suggest this poorer recognition of negative stimuli was due to a mismatch between the variation of volume voiced by speakers and the range of volume expected by listeners. Together, this suggests that the stress level of the speaker affects judgments made by the receiver. In Study 2, we demonstrate that participants who were induced with a feeling of stress before carrying out an emotional prosody recognition task performed worse than non-stressed participants. Overall, findings suggest detrimental effects of induced stress on interpersonal sensitivity.

  20. How Psychological Stress Affects Emotional Prosody

    PubMed Central

    Paulmann, Silke; Furnes, Desire; Bøkenes, Anne Ming; Cozzolino, Philip J.

    2016-01-01

    We explored how experimentally induced psychological stress affects the production and recognition of vocal emotions. In Study 1a, we demonstrate that sentences spoken by stressed speakers are judged by naïve listeners as sounding more stressed than sentences uttered by non-stressed speakers. In Study 1b, negative emotions produced by stressed speakers are generally less well recognized than the same emotions produced by non-stressed speakers. Multiple mediation analyses suggest this poorer recognition of negative stimuli was due to a mismatch between the variation of volume voiced by speakers and the range of volume expected by listeners. Together, this suggests that the stress level of the speaker affects judgments made by the receiver. In Study 2, we demonstrate that participants who were induced with a feeling of stress before carrying out an emotional prosody recognition task performed worse than non-stressed participants. Overall, findings suggest detrimental effects of induced stress on interpersonal sensitivity. PMID:27802287

  1. The influence of averaging and noisy decision strategies on the recognition memory ROC.

    PubMed

    Malmberg, Kenneth J; Xu, Jing

    2006-02-01

    Many single- and dual-process models of recognition memory predict that the ratings and remember-know receiver operating characteristics (ROCs) are the same, but Rotello, Macmillan, and Reeder (2004) reported that the slopes of the remember-know and ratings z-transformed ROCs (zROCs) are different The authors show that averaging introduces nonlinearities to the form of the zROC and that ratings and remember-know zROCs are indistinguishable when constructed in a conventional manner. The authors show, further, that some nonoptimal decision strategies have a distinctive, nonlinear effect on the form of the single-process continuous-state zROC. The conclusion is that many factors having nothing to do with the nature of recognition memory can affect the shape of zROCs, and that therefore, the shape of the zROC does not, alone, characterize different memory models.

  2. Tell me more: Can a memory test reduce analogue traumatic intrusions?

    PubMed

    Krans, Julie; Näring, Gérard; Holmes, Emily A; Becker, Eni S

    2009-05-01

    Information processing theories of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) state that intrusive images emerge due to a lack of integration of perceptual trauma representations in autobiographical memory. To test this hypothesis experimentally, participants were shown an aversive film to elicit intrusive images. After viewing, they received a recognition test for just one part of the film. The test contained neutrally formulated items to rehearse information from the film. Participants reported intrusive images for the film in an intrusion diary during one week after viewing. In line with expectations, the number of intrusive images decreased only for the part of the film for which the recognition test was given. Furthermore, deliberate cued-recall memory after one week was selectively enhanced for the film part that was in the recognition test a week before. The findings provide new evidence supporting information processing models of PTSD and have potential implications for early interventions after trauma.

  3. Assessment of Severe Apnoea through Voice Analysis, Automatic Speech, and Speaker Recognition Techniques

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fernández Pozo, Rubén; Blanco Murillo, Jose Luis; Hernández Gómez, Luis; López Gonzalo, Eduardo; Alcázar Ramírez, José; Toledano, Doroteo T.

    2009-12-01

    This study is part of an ongoing collaborative effort between the medical and the signal processing communities to promote research on applying standard Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) techniques for the automatic diagnosis of patients with severe obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). Early detection of severe apnoea cases is important so that patients can receive early treatment. Effective ASR-based detection could dramatically cut medical testing time. Working with a carefully designed speech database of healthy and apnoea subjects, we describe an acoustic search for distinctive apnoea voice characteristics. We also study abnormal nasalization in OSA patients by modelling vowels in nasal and nonnasal phonetic contexts using Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) pattern recognition on speech spectra. Finally, we present experimental findings regarding the discriminative power of GMMs applied to severe apnoea detection. We have achieved an 81% correct classification rate, which is very promising and underpins the interest in this line of inquiry.

  4. Early Detection of Severe Apnoea through Voice Analysis and Automatic Speaker Recognition Techniques

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fernández, Ruben; Blanco, Jose Luis; Díaz, David; Hernández, Luis A.; López, Eduardo; Alcázar, José

    This study is part of an on-going collaborative effort between the medical and the signal processing communities to promote research on applying voice analysis and Automatic Speaker Recognition techniques (ASR) for the automatic diagnosis of patients with severe obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). Early detection of severe apnoea cases is important so that patients can receive early treatment. Effective ASR-based diagnosis could dramatically cut medical testing time. Working with a carefully designed speech database of healthy and apnoea subjects, we present and discuss the possibilities of using generative Gaussian Mixture Models (GMMs), generally used in ASR systems, to model distinctive apnoea voice characteristics (i.e. abnormal nasalization). Finally, we present experimental findings regarding the discriminative power of speaker recognition techniques applied to severe apnoea detection. We have achieved an 81.25 % correct classification rate, which is very promising and underpins the interest in this line of inquiry.

  5. Units of Distinction: Creating a Blueprint for Recognition of High-Performing Medical-Surgical Nursing Units.

    PubMed

    Jeffery, Alvin D; Mosier, Sammie; Baker, Allison; Korwek, Kimberly; Borum, Cindy; Englebright, Jane

    2018-02-01

    Hospital medical-surgical (M/S) nursing units are responsible for up to 28 million encounters annually, yet receive little attention from professional organizations and national initiatives targeted to improve quality and performance. We sought to develop a framework recognizing high-performing units within our large hospital system. This was a retrospective data analysis of M/S units throughout a 168-hospital system. Measures represented patient experience, employee engagement, staff scheduling, nursing-sensitive patient outcomes, professional practices, and clinical process measures. Four hundred ninety units from 129 hospitals contributed information to test the framework. A manual scoring system identified the top 5% and recognized them as a "Unit of Distinction." Secondary analyses with machine learning provided validation of the proposed framework. Similar to external recognition programs, this framework and process provide a holistic evaluation useful for meaningful recognition and lay the groundwork for benchmarking in improvement efforts.

  6. Response-related fMRI of veridical and false recognition of words.

    PubMed

    Heun, Reinhard; Jessen, Frank; Klose, Uwe; Erb, Michael; Granath, Dirk-Oliver; Grodd, Wolfgang

    2004-02-01

    Studies on the relation between local cerebral activation and retrieval success usually compared high and low performance conditions, and thus showed performance-related activation of different brain areas. Only a few studies directly compared signal intensities of different response categories during retrieval. During verbal recognition, we recently observed increased parieto-occipital activation related to false alarms. The present study intends to replicate and extend this observation by investigating common and differential activation by veridical and false recognition. Fifteen healthy volunteers performed a verbal recognition paradigm using 160 learned target and 160 new distractor words. The subjects had to indicate whether they had learned the word before or not. Echo-planar MRI of blood-oxygen-level-dependent signal changes was performed during this recognition task. Words were classified post hoc according to the subjects' responses, i.e. hits, false alarms, correct rejections and misses. Response-related fMRI-analysis was used to compare activation associated with the subjects' recognition success, i.e. signal intensities related to the presentation of words were compared by the above-mentioned four response types. During recognition, all word categories showed increased bilateral activation of the inferior frontal gyrus, the inferior temporal gyrus, the occipital lobe and the brainstem in comparison with the control condition. Hits and false alarms activated several areas including the left medial and lateral parieto-occipital cortex in comparison with subjectively unknown items, i.e. correct rejections and misses. Hits showed more pronounced activation in the medial, false alarms in the lateral parts of the left parieto-occipital cortex. Veridical and false recognition show common as well as different areas of cerebral activation in the left parieto-occipital lobe: increased activation of the medial parietal cortex by hits may correspond to true recognition, increased activation of the parieto-occipital cortex by false alarms may correspond to familiarity decisions. Further studies are needed to investigate the reasons for false decisions in healthy subjects and patients with memory problems.

  7. Nonintrusive Finger-Vein Recognition System Using NIR Image Sensor and Accuracy Analyses According to Various Factors

    PubMed Central

    Pham, Tuyen Danh; Park, Young Ho; Nguyen, Dat Tien; Kwon, Seung Yong; Park, Kang Ryoung

    2015-01-01

    Biometrics is a technology that enables an individual person to be identified based on human physiological and behavioral characteristics. Among biometrics technologies, face recognition has been widely used because of its advantages in terms of convenience and non-contact operation. However, its performance is affected by factors such as variation in the illumination, facial expression, and head pose. Therefore, fingerprint and iris recognitions are preferred alternatives. However, the performance of the former can be adversely affected by the skin condition, including scarring and dryness. In addition, the latter has the disadvantages of high cost, large system size, and inconvenience to the user, who has to align their eyes with the iris camera. In an attempt to overcome these problems, finger-vein recognition has been vigorously researched, but an analysis of its accuracies according to various factors has not received much attention. Therefore, we propose a nonintrusive finger-vein recognition system using a near infrared (NIR) image sensor and analyze its accuracies considering various factors. The experimental results obtained with three databases showed that our system can be operated in real applications with high accuracy; and the dissimilarity of the finger-veins of different people is larger than that of the finger types and hands. PMID:26184214

  8. Nonintrusive Finger-Vein Recognition System Using NIR Image Sensor and Accuracy Analyses According to Various Factors.

    PubMed

    Pham, Tuyen Danh; Park, Young Ho; Nguyen, Dat Tien; Kwon, Seung Yong; Park, Kang Ryoung

    2015-07-13

    Biometrics is a technology that enables an individual person to be identified based on human physiological and behavioral characteristics. Among biometrics technologies, face recognition has been widely used because of its advantages in terms of convenience and non-contact operation. However, its performance is affected by factors such as variation in the illumination, facial expression, and head pose. Therefore, fingerprint and iris recognitions are preferred alternatives. However, the performance of the former can be adversely affected by the skin condition, including scarring and dryness. In addition, the latter has the disadvantages of high cost, large system size, and inconvenience to the user, who has to align their eyes with the iris camera. In an attempt to overcome these problems, finger-vein recognition has been vigorously researched, but an analysis of its accuracies according to various factors has not received much attention. Therefore, we propose a nonintrusive finger-vein recognition system using a near infrared (NIR) image sensor and analyze its accuracies considering various factors. The experimental results obtained with three databases showed that our system can be operated in real applications with high accuracy; and the dissimilarity of the finger-veins of different people is larger than that of the finger types and hands.

  9. Ear recognition from one sample per person.

    PubMed

    Chen, Long; Mu, Zhichun; Zhang, Baoqing; Zhang, Yi

    2015-01-01

    Biometrics has the advantages of efficiency and convenience in identity authentication. As one of the most promising biometric-based methods, ear recognition has received broad attention and research. Previous studies have achieved remarkable performance with multiple samples per person (MSPP) in the gallery. However, most conventional methods are insufficient when there is only one sample per person (OSPP) available in the gallery. To solve the OSPP problem by maximizing the use of a single sample, this paper proposes a hybrid multi-keypoint descriptor sparse representation-based classification (MKD-SRC) ear recognition approach based on 2D and 3D information. Because most 3D sensors capture 3D data accessorizing the corresponding 2D data, it is sensible to use both types of information. First, the ear region is extracted from the profile. Second, keypoints are detected and described for both the 2D texture image and 3D range image. Then, the hybrid MKD-SRC algorithm is used to complete the recognition with only OSPP in the gallery. Experimental results on a benchmark dataset have demonstrated the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method in resolving the OSPP problem. A Rank-one recognition rate of 96.4% is achieved for a gallery of 415 subjects, and the time involved in the computation is satisfactory compared to conventional methods.

  10. Source-Monitoring Training Facilitates Preschoolers' Eyewitness Memory Performance.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thierry, Karen L.; Spence, Melanie J.

    2002-01-01

    Investigated whether source-monitoring training would decrease 3- to 4-year-olds' suggestibility. After observing live or video target-events, children received source-monitoring or recognition (control) training. Found that children given source-monitoring training were more accurate than control group children in response to misleading and…

  11. Finnish Higher Education Reforms: Responding to Globalization

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tjeldvoll, Arild

    2009-01-01

    The international academic success of Finnish secondary schooling in the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) and the triumph of the Finnish technology company NOKIA have stimulated national ambitions to improve higher education institutions in Finland. Because secondary schooling and technology in Finland receive world recognition,…

  12. Domestic violence: recognition, intervention, and prevention.

    PubMed

    Smith, M; Martin, F

    1995-02-01

    Domestic violence is a significant social and health problem that has received intensive recent publicity in the lay media. Nurses should play a major role in primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention interventions. Intensified health promotion and public policy initiatives can reduce the incidence of domestic violence in the future.

  13. 46 CFR 8.250 - Acceptance of standards and functions delegated under existing regulations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... APPLICABLE TO THE PUBLIC VESSEL INSPECTION ALTERNATIVES Recognition of a Classification Society § 8.250 Acceptance of standards and functions delegated under existing regulations. (a) Classification society class... society has received authorization to conduct a related delegated function. (b) A recognized...

  14. 46 CFR 8.250 - Acceptance of standards and functions delegated under existing regulations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... APPLICABLE TO THE PUBLIC VESSEL INSPECTION ALTERNATIVES Recognition of a Classification Society § 8.250 Acceptance of standards and functions delegated under existing regulations. (a) Classification society class... society has received authorization to conduct a related delegated function. (b) A recognized...

  15. Effects of Proton and Combined Proton and (56)Fe Radiation on the Hippocampus.

    PubMed

    Raber, Jacob; Allen, Antiño R; Sharma, Sourabh; Allen, Barrett; Rosi, Susanna; Olsen, Reid H J; Davis, Matthew J; Eiwaz, Massarra; Fike, John R; Nelson, Gregory A

    2016-01-01

    The space radiation environment contains protons and (56)Fe, which could pose a significant hazard to space flight crews during and after missions. The space environment involves complex radiation exposures, thus, the effects of a dose of protons might be modulated by a dose of heavy-ion radiation. The brain, and particularly the hippocampus, may be susceptible to space radiation-induced changes. In this study, we first determined the dose-response effect of proton radiation (150 MeV) on hippocampus-dependent cognition 1 and 3 months after exposure. Based on those results, we subsequently exposed mice to protons alone (150 MeV, 0.1 Gy), (56)Fe alone (600 MeV/n, 0.5 Gy) or combined proton and (56)Fe radiations (protons first) with the two exposures separated by 24 h. At one month postirradiation, all animal groups showed novel object recognition. However, at three months postirradiation, mice exposed to either protons or combined proton and (56)Fe radiations showed impaired novel object recognition, which was not observed in mice irradiated with (56)Fe alone. The mechanisms in these impairments might involve inflammation. In mice irradiated with protons alone or (56)Fe alone three months earlier, there was a negative correlation between a measure of novel object recognition and the number of newly born activated microglia in the dentate gyrus. Next, cytokine and chemokine levels were assessed in the hippocampus. At one month after exposure the levels of IL-12 were higher in mice exposed to combined radiations compared with sham-irradiated mice, while the levels of IFN-γ were lower in mice exposed to (56)Fe radiation alone or combined radiations. In addition, IL-4 levels were lower in (56)Fe-irradiated mice compared with proton-irradiated mice and TNF-α levels were lower in proton-irradiated mice than in mice receiving combined radiations. At three months after exposure, macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC) and eotaxin levels were lower in mice receiving combined radiations. The levels of MDC and eotaxin correlated and the levels of MDC, but not eotaxin, correlated with the percentage of newly born activated microglia in the blades of the dentate gyrus. Finally, hippocampal IL-6 levels were higher in mice receiving combined radiations compared with mice receiving (56)Fe radiation alone. These data demonstrate the sensitivity of novel object recognition for detecting cognitive injury three months after exposure to proton radiation alone, and combined exposure to proton and (56)Fe radiations, and that newly-born activated microglia and inflammation might be involved in this injury.

  16. Invited manuscript poster on renal-related education American Society of Nephrology, Nov. 16-21, 2010. Do medical trainees receive adequate training in the management of acute kidney injury?

    PubMed

    Ali, Mansoor N; Lewington, Andrew J P

    2011-01-01

    There has been increased interest in acute kidney injury (AKI) over the past decade following the recognition of the association of relatively small rises in serum creatinine with worse patient outcomes. This association has resulted in newly proposed definitions in AKI based on changes in serum creatinine. In 2009, the National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcomes and Death Adding Insult to Injury AKI study reported that only 50% of patients who died with a diagnosis of AKI received good care. The study identified multiple deficiencies and made a number of recommendations which included improving the training of undergraduate and postgraduate trainees in the management of AKI. The aim of the evaluation was to try and identify the perception of medical trainees in Leeds Teaching Hospitals of the training they had received on AKI. A simple questionnaire was used and captured the views of 73 trainees (including 13 final-year medical students). The evaluation indicated that the majority of trainees were unaware of newly proposed definitions of AKI, and many trainees felt that the training they had received in AKI was inadequate for their needs. Following this evaluation, we have made a number of changes to the training that is delivered to both undergraduate and postgraduate trainees in Leeds on the management of AKI.

  17. Efficacy of a Sun Protection Workbook for Kidney Transplant Recipients: A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Culturally Sensitive Educational Intervention

    PubMed Central

    Robinson, June K.; Guevara, Yanina; Gaber, Rikki; Clayman, Marla L.; Kwasny, Mary J.; Friedewald, John J.; Gordon, Elisa J.

    2014-01-01

    A culturally sensitive educational intervention that encouraged sun protection behaviors among kidney transplant recipients was developed and the short-term efficacy was evaluated. Non-Hispanic White, Hispanic/Latino, and non-Hispanic Black patients, who received a transplant 2–24 months prior to the study, were randomized into two study groups: intervention versus standard of care. Electronic reminders tailored to the weather conditions were sent every two weeks by text message or email. Self-reported surveys and biologic measurements were obtained prior to the intervention and six weeks later. Among the 101 study participants, there was a statistically significant increase in knowledge, recognition of personal risk of developing skin cancer, willingness to change sun protection behavior, and self-reported performance of sun protection in participants receiving the intervention in comparison with those receiving standard of care (p <0.05). The pigment darkening of the sun–exposed forearm and sun damage of the forearm and sunburns/ skin irritation from the sun were significantly less in participants receiving the intervention (p <0.05). Providing sun protection education at the beginning of summer with reminders tailored to weather conditions helped KTRs adopt sun protection practices. This sun protection program for KTRs may be incorporated into the care provided by the nephrologist or transplant surgeon. PMID:25395386

  18. Bidirectional Modulation of Recognition Memory

    PubMed Central

    Ho, Jonathan W.; Poeta, Devon L.; Jacobson, Tara K.; Zolnik, Timothy A.; Neske, Garrett T.; Connors, Barry W.

    2015-01-01

    Perirhinal cortex (PER) has a well established role in the familiarity-based recognition of individual items and objects. For example, animals and humans with perirhinal damage are unable to distinguish familiar from novel objects in recognition memory tasks. In the normal brain, perirhinal neurons respond to novelty and familiarity by increasing or decreasing firing rates. Recent work also implicates oscillatory activity in the low-beta and low-gamma frequency bands in sensory detection, perception, and recognition. Using optogenetic methods in a spontaneous object exploration (SOR) task, we altered recognition memory performance in rats. In the SOR task, normal rats preferentially explore novel images over familiar ones. We modulated exploratory behavior in this task by optically stimulating channelrhodopsin-expressing perirhinal neurons at various frequencies while rats looked at novel or familiar 2D images. Stimulation at 30–40 Hz during looking caused rats to treat a familiar image as if it were novel by increasing time looking at the image. Stimulation at 30–40 Hz was not effective in increasing exploration of novel images. Stimulation at 10–15 Hz caused animals to treat a novel image as familiar by decreasing time looking at the image, but did not affect looking times for images that were already familiar. We conclude that optical stimulation of PER at different frequencies can alter visual recognition memory bidirectionally. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Recognition of novelty and familiarity are important for learning, memory, and decision making. Perirhinal cortex (PER) has a well established role in the familiarity-based recognition of individual items and objects, but how novelty and familiarity are encoded and transmitted in the brain is not known. Perirhinal neurons respond to novelty and familiarity by changing firing rates, but recent work suggests that brain oscillations may also be important for recognition. In this study, we showed that stimulation of the PER could increase or decrease exploration of novel and familiar images depending on the frequency of stimulation. Our findings suggest that optical stimulation of PER at specific frequencies can predictably alter recognition memory. PMID:26424881

  19. Current Progress of Nanomaterials in Molecularly Imprinted Electrochemical Sensing.

    PubMed

    Zhong, Chunju; Yang, Bin; Jiang, Xinxin; Li, Jianping

    2018-01-02

    Nanomaterials have received much attention during the past decade because of their excellent optical, electronic, and catalytic properties. Nanomaterials possess high chemical reactivity, also high surface energy. Thus, provide a stable immobilization platform for biomolecules, while preserving their reactivity. Due to the conductive and catalytic properties, nanomaterials can also enhance the sensitivity of molecularly imprinted electrochemical sensors by amplifying the electrode surface, increasing the electron transfer, and catalyzing the electrochemical reactions. Molecularly imprinted polymers that contain specific molecular recognition sites can be designed for a particular target analyte. Incorporating nanomaterials into molecularly imprinted polymers is important because nanomaterials can improve the response signal, increase the sensitivity, and decrease the detection limit of the sensors. This study describes the classification of nanomaterials in molecularly imprinted polymers, their analytical properties, and their applications in the electrochemical sensors. The progress of the research on nanomaterials in molecularly imprinted polymers and the application of nanomaterials in molecularly imprinted polymers is also reviewed.

  20. Design for minimum energy in interstellar communication

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Messerschmitt, David G.

    2015-02-01

    Microwave digital communication at interstellar distances is the foundation of extraterrestrial civilization (SETI and METI) communication of information-bearing signals. Large distances demand large transmitted power and/or large antennas, while the propagation is transparent over a wide bandwidth. Recognizing a fundamental tradeoff, reduced energy delivered to the receiver at the expense of wide bandwidth (the opposite of terrestrial objectives) is advantageous. Wide bandwidth also results in simpler design and implementation, allowing circumvention of dispersion and scattering arising in the interstellar medium and motion effects and obviating any related processing. The minimum energy delivered to the receiver per bit of information is determined by cosmic microwave background alone. By mapping a single bit onto a carrier burst, the Morse code invented for the telegraph in 1836 comes closer to this minimum energy than approaches used in modern terrestrial radio. Rather than the terrestrial approach of adding phases and amplitudes increases information capacity while minimizing bandwidth, adding multiple time-frequency locations for carrier bursts increases capacity while minimizing energy per information bit. The resulting location code is simple and yet can approach the minimum energy as bandwidth is expanded. It is consistent with easy discovery, since carrier bursts are energetic and straightforward modifications to post-detection pattern recognition can identify burst patterns. Time and frequency coherence constraints leading to simple signal discovery are addressed, and observations of the interstellar medium by transmitter and receiver constrain the burst parameters and limit the search scope.

  1. Social barriers to pathogen transmission in wild animal populations

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

    Loehle, C.

    Diseases and pathogens are receiving increasing recognition as sources of mortality in animal populations. Immune system strength is clearly important in fending off pathogen attack. Physical barriers to pathogen entry are also important. Various individual behaviors are efficacious in reducing contact with diseases and pests. This paper focuses on a fourth mode of defense: social barriers to transmission. Various social behaviors have pathogen transmission consequences. Selective pressures on these social behaviors may therefore exist. Effects on pathogen transmission of mating strategies, social avoidance, group size, group isolation, and other behaviors are explored. It is concluded that many of these behaviorsmore » may have been affected by selection pressures to reduce transmission of pathogens. 84 refs., 1 tab.« less

  2. Depression in nursing homes: prevalence, recognition, and treatment.

    PubMed

    Kramer, Dietmar; Allgaier, Antje-Kathrin; Fejtkova, Sabina; Mergl, Roland; Hegerl, Ulrich

    2009-01-01

    Depression is very common in people above 65 years living in long-term care. However, little is known about how well depression is recognized and how adequately it is treated. Therefore, the present study aimed at assessing accuracy of the unaided clinical diagnosis of the attending physicians, and the medical treatment situation in nursing home residents. A random sample of 97 residents of 10 nursing homes in Munich was examined with the Section A "Affective Syndrome" of the Structured Clinical Interview (SCID) for DSM-IV to detect depression. Information concerning clinical diagnosis and medication was obtained from the subjects' medical records. 14.4% suffered acutely from major depression, 14.4% suffered from minor depression, and 18.6% were diagnosed as depressive according to the physician and nursing records. In total, 27.8% received antidepressants. Merely 42.9% of the subjects with acute major depression were diagnosed by their attending physicians as depressive, and only half of them received an antidepressant; 17.5% received antidepressants without a diagnosis of depression in their physician and nursing records. In accordance with the guidelines, 73.3% of the antidepressants prescribed were SSRIs or newer antidepressants. Only 20.0% were tricyclic antidepressants. Findings show that depression is relatively frequent in residents of nursing homes. Moreover, it is insufficiently recognized by physicians and is even more seldom adequately treated. Also, a significant proportion of residents receive antidepressants without a documented associated indication. Therefore, the recognition and guideline-based treatment of depression should be improved in this high-risk group.

  3. Older adults encode--but do not always use--perceptual details: intentional versus unintentional effects of detail on memory judgments.

    PubMed

    Koutstaal, Wilma

    2003-03-01

    Investigations of memory deficits in older individuals have concentrated on their increased likelihood of forgetting events or details of events that were actually encountered (errors of omission). However, mounting evidence demonstrates that normal cognitive aging also is associated with an increased propensity for errors of commission--shown in false alarms or false recognition. The present study examined the origins of this age difference. Older and younger adults each performed three types of memory tasks in which details of encountered items might influence performance. Although older adults showed greater false recognition of related lures on a standard (identical) old/new episodic recognition task, older and younger adults showed parallel effects of detail on repetition priming and meaning-based episodic recognition (decreased priming and decreased meaning-based recognition for different relative to same exemplars). The results suggest that the older adults encoded details but used them less effectively than the younger adults in the recognition context requiring their deliberate, controlled use.

  4. Early effects of duloxetine on emotion recognition in healthy volunteers

    PubMed Central

    Bamford, Susan; Penton-Voak, Ian; Pinkney, Verity; Baldwin, David S; Munafò, Marcus R; Garner, Matthew

    2015-01-01

    The serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) duloxetine is an effective treatment for major depression and generalised anxiety disorder. Neuropsychological models of antidepressant drug action suggest therapeutic effects might be mediated by the early correction of maladaptive biases in emotion processing, including the recognition of emotional expressions. Sub-chronic administration of duloxetine (for two weeks) produces adaptive changes in neural circuitry implicated in emotion processing; however, its effects on emotional expression recognition are unknown. Forty healthy participants were randomised to receive either 14 days of duloxetine (60 mg/day, titrated from 30 mg after three days) or matched placebo (with sham titration) in a double-blind, between-groups, repeated-measures design. On day 0 and day 14 participants completed a computerised emotional expression recognition task that measured sensitivity to the six primary emotions. Thirty-eight participants (19 per group) completed their course of tablets and were included in the analysis. Results provide evidence that duloxetine, compared to placebo, may reduce the accurate recognition of sadness. Drug effects were driven by changes in participants’ ability to correctly detect subtle expressions of sadness, with greater change observed in the placebo relative to the duloxetine group. These effects occurred in the absence of changes in mood. Our preliminary findings require replication, but complement recent evidence that sadness recognition is a therapeutic target in major depression, and a mechanism through which SNRIs could resolve negative biases in emotion processing to achieve therapeutic effects. PMID:25759400

  5. Effects of facial emotion recognition remediation on visual scanning of novel face stimuli.

    PubMed

    Marsh, Pamela J; Luckett, Gemma; Russell, Tamara; Coltheart, Max; Green, Melissa J

    2012-11-01

    Previous research shows that emotion recognition in schizophrenia can be improved with targeted remediation that draws attention to important facial features (eyes, nose, mouth). Moreover, the effects of training have been shown to last for up to one month after training. The aim of this study was to investigate whether improved emotion recognition of novel faces is associated with concomitant changes in visual scanning of these same novel facial expressions. Thirty-nine participants with schizophrenia received emotion recognition training using Ekman's Micro-Expression Training Tool (METT), with emotion recognition and visual scanpath (VSP) recordings to face stimuli collected simultaneously. Baseline ratings of interpersonal and cognitive functioning were also collected from all participants. Post-METT training, participants showed changes in foveal attention to the features of facial expressions of emotion not used in METT training, which were generally consistent with the information about important features from the METT. In particular, there were changes in how participants looked at the features of facial expressions of emotion surprise, disgust, fear, happiness, and neutral, demonstrating that improved emotion recognition is paralleled by changes in the way participants with schizophrenia viewed novel facial expressions of emotion. However, there were overall decreases in foveal attention to sad and neutral faces that indicate more intensive instruction might be needed for these faces during training. Most importantly, the evidence shows that participant gender may affect training outcomes. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Longing for existential recognition: a qualitative study of everyday concerns for people with somatoform disorders.

    PubMed

    Lind, Annemette Bondo; Risoer, Mette Bech; Nielsen, Klaus; Delmar, Charlotte; Christensen, Morten Bondo; Lomborg, Kirsten

    2014-02-01

    Patients with somatoform disorders could be vulnerable to stressors and have difficulties coping with stress. The aim was to explore what the patients experience as stressful and how they resolve stress in everyday life. A cross-sectional retrospective design using 24 semi-structured individual life history interviews. Data-analysis was based on grounded theory. A major concern in patients was a longing for existential recognition. This influenced the patients' self-confidence, stress appraisals, symptom perceptions, and coping attitudes. Generally, patients had difficulties with self-confidence and self-recognition of bodily sensations, feelings, vulnerability, and needs, which negatively framed their attempts to obtain recognition in social interactions. Experiences of recognition appeared in three different modalities: 1) "existential misrecognition" covered the experience of being met with distrust and disrespect, 2) "uncertain existential recognition" covered experiences of unclear communication and a perception of not being totally recognized, and 3) "successful existential recognition" covered experiences of total respect and understanding. "Misrecognition" and "uncertain recognition" related to decreased self-confidence, avoidant coping behaviours, increased stress, and symptom appraisal; whereas "successful recognition" related to higher self-confidence, active coping behaviours, decreased stress, and symptom appraisal. Different modalities of existential recognition influenced self-identity and social identity affecting patients' daily stress and symptom appraisals, self-confidence, self-recognition, and coping attitudes. Clinically it seems crucial to improve the patients' ability to communicate concerns, feelings, and needs in social interactions. Better communicative skills and more active coping could reduce the harm the patients experienced by not being recognized and increase the healing potential of successful recognition. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Vestals or Victims: Suggestions for the Female Teaching Assistant.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rohrscheib, Laura

    Female instructors and female teaching assistants are still struggling to receive recognition as men's equals in academic circles. Although many obvious barriers have fallen, more base and personal forms of discrimination and harassment still exist. Women are trivialized in the professional system and are devalued by the administration. Students…

  8. Competitions for Showcasing Innovative and Creative Talents

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Riley, Tracy L.

    2011-01-01

    Competitions are recommended for identifying and providing for the exceptional talents of young people. Competitions have been a cornerstone of gifted education, putting talents to the test by enabling gifted students to showcase their abilities and receive acknowledgement and recognition for their talents. Competitions have been noted as "a…

  9. Movement and Meaning-Making in Physical Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brown, Trent D.

    2008-01-01

    In this paper I argue that the meaning of movement of which embodied knowing, somatic understanding and ecological subjectivity are central tenets, has not received due recognition in the current discourses of physical education. While the interest in the meaning and meaning-making of movement within the physical education discourse has existed…

  10. CRD's Daniela Ushizima Receives DOE Early Career Award

    Science.gov Websites

    Science. The award will fund research into developing new methods to help scientists extract more -the-art data analysis methods with emphasis on pattern recognition and machine learning emerging sources, multidisciplinary teams to interpret the data and the computational methods to automate some of

  11. Ocean Science in the Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lambert, Julie; Sundburg, Suzanne Smith

    2006-01-01

    In one form or another, ocean or marine science courses have existed for decades. Although these courses can effectively integrate the sciences in ways that stimulate student curiosity and interest, they have not yet received formal recognition for the role they could play in improving science education for secondary students. In this article, the…

  12. Community College Employee Job Satisfaction: The Influence of Leadership and Human Resource Practices

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boies, Christopher Michael

    2017-01-01

    This case study research examined employee job satisfaction best practices at three community college receiving recognition through the Chronicle of Higher Education Great College to Work For designation. The leadership and human resource practices at these institutions were explored through employee interviews, collection of documents, and…

  13. Value of decision analysis in stakeholder interactions for the restoration and recovery from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill

    EPA Science Inventory

    The importance of stakeholder involvement in the management of watersheds is receiving greater recognition than in the past; however, interacting with stakeholders is frequently accomplished using informal procedures. It is essential to structure elicitations so that they can be ...

  14. Lindstrom Receives 2013 Ocean Sciences Award: Response

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lindstrom, Eric J.

    2014-09-01

    My sincere thanks go to the AGU Ocean Sciences section for this award. Is there any higher honor than recognition by one's peers? To join the illustrious list of prior recipients is deeply moving. Thanks so much to Arnold and Gary for their abundant praise and support over many years.

  15. Reading Big Words: Instructional Practices to Promote Multisyllabic Word Reading Fluency

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Toste, Jessica R.; Williams, Kelly J.; Capin, Philip

    2017-01-01

    Poorly developed word recognition skills are the most pervasive and debilitating source of reading challenges for students with learning disabilities (LD). With a notable decrease in word reading instruction in the upper elementary grades, struggling readers receive fewer instructional opportunities to develop proficient word reading skills, yet…

  16. The Egg Man and the Empress

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Dennis R.

    2005-01-01

    In this article, the author compares the legacies of two remarkable educators--John Dewey and Maria Montessori. These include changes in education now so commonplace that is accepted as traditional. Both Montessori and Dewey lived long enough to see their ideas receive worldwide recognition and acceptance, along with a share of misunderstanding…

  17. Psychosomatic Medicine: A New Psychiatric Subspecialty

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gitlin, David F.; Levenson, James L.; Lyketsos, Constantine G.

    2004-01-01

    Objective: Psychosomatic medicine, also known as consultation-liaison psychiatry, received approval as a subspecialty field of psychiatry by the American Board of Medical Specialties in the spring of 2003. This represents a crucial step in the development of the field of psychosomatic medicine and recognition by leaders in the fields of medicine…

  18. The Variance Reaction Time Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sikstrom, Sverker

    2004-01-01

    The variance reaction time model (VRTM) is proposed to account for various recognition data on reaction time, the mirror effect, receiver-operating-characteristic (ROC) curves, etc. The model is based on simple and plausible assumptions within a neural network: VRTM is a two layer neural network where one layer represents items and one layer…

  19. Factors Relating to Student Grade Obsession: A Quantitative Correlational Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thomas, Jacqueline

    2011-01-01

    The intense focus of students on grades attained in academia reflects a contemporary issue in higher education. The internal pressure that students experience regarding academics fuels student grade obsession. Researchers suggest that in addition to internal pressure, financial anxiety, the need to receive academic recognition and parental…

  20. 7 CFR 278.5 - Participation of insured financial institutions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... the appropriate field on the redemption certificate using Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR...-521). (3) Redeemed coupons must be indelibly cancelled on the face of the coupon by the first insured financial institution receiving them. If the cancellation on the coupon face does not show the depositing...

  1. 7 CFR 278.5 - Participation of insured financial institutions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... the appropriate field on the redemption certificate using Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR...-521). (3) Redeemed coupons must be indelibly cancelled on the face of the coupon by the first insured financial institution receiving them. If the cancellation on the coupon face does not show the depositing...

  2. 7 CFR 278.5 - Participation of insured financial institutions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... the appropriate field on the redemption certificate using Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR...-521). (3) Redeemed coupons must be indelibly cancelled on the face of the coupon by the first insured financial institution receiving them. If the cancellation on the coupon face does not show the depositing...

  3. 7 CFR 278.5 - Participation of insured financial institutions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... the appropriate field on the redemption certificate using Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR...-521). (3) Redeemed coupons must be indelibly cancelled on the face of the coupon by the first insured financial institution receiving them. If the cancellation on the coupon face does not show the depositing...

  4. 7 CFR 278.5 - Participation of insured financial institutions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... the appropriate field on the redemption certificate using Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR...-521). (3) Redeemed coupons must be indelibly cancelled on the face of the coupon by the first insured financial institution receiving them. If the cancellation on the coupon face does not show the depositing...

  5. Logo and Angle Estimation Skills.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Frazier, Max K.

    1989-01-01

    Described is a study in which seventh graders used LOGO in place of receiving geometry instruction. It was hypothesized that angle recognition estimation and construction would be higher for the LOGO group. Reports that a difference was found favoring the LOGO group. Provides a short history of the LOGO language. (MVL)

  6. Students Matter: Quality Measurements in Online Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Unal, Zafer; Unal, Aslihan

    2016-01-01

    Quality Matters (QM) is a peer review process designed to certify the quality of online courses and online components. It has generated widespread interest and received national recognition for its peer-based approach to quality assurance and continuous improvement in online education. While the entire QM online course design process is…

  7. Dopamine receptor activity participates in hippocampal synaptic plasticity associated with novel object recognition.

    PubMed

    Yang, Kechun; Broussard, John I; Levine, Amber T; Jenson, Daniel; Arenkiel, Benjamin R; Dani, John A

    2017-01-01

    Physiological and behavioral evidence supports that dopamine (DA) receptor signaling influences hippocampal function. While several recent studies examined how DA influences CA1 plasticity and learning, there are fewer studies investigating the influence of DA signaling to the dentate gyrus. The dentate gyrus receives convergent cortical input through the perforant path fiber tracts and has been conceptualized to detect novelty in spatial memory tasks. To test whether DA-receptor activity influences novelty-detection, we used a novel object recognition (NOR) task where mice remember previously presented objects as an indication of learning. Although DA innervation arises from other sources and the main DA signaling may be from those sources, our molecular approaches verified that midbrain dopaminergic fibers also sparsely innervate the dentate gyrus. During the NOR task, wild-type mice spent significantly more time investigating novel objects rather than previously observed objects. Dentate granule cells in slices cut from those mice showed an increased AMPA/NMDA-receptor current ratio indicative of potentiated synaptic transmission. Post-training injection of a D1-like receptor antagonist not only effectively blocked the preference for the novel objects, but also prevented the increased AMPA/NMDA ratio. Consistent with that finding, neither NOR learning nor the increase in the AMPA/NMDA ratio were observed in DA-receptor KO mice under the same experimental conditions. The results indicate that DA-receptor signaling contributes to the successful completion of the NOR task and to the associated synaptic plasticity of the dentate gyrus that likely contributes to the learning. © 2016 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  8. Morphological, structural, and functional alterations of the prefrontal cortex and the basolateral amygdala after early lesion of the rat mediodorsal thalamus.

    PubMed

    Ouhaz, Zakaria; Ba-M'hamed, Saadia; Bennis, Mohamed

    2017-08-01

    Early postnatal damage to the mediodorsal thalamus (MD) produces deficits in cognition and behavior believed to be associated with early prefrontal cortical maldevelopment. We assessed the role of MD afferents during development on the morphological and functional maturation of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the basolateral amygdala (BLA). Sprague-Dawley rat pups (n = 56) received a bilateral electrolytic lesion of the MD or a MD Sham lesion on postnatal day 4. 7 weeks later, all rats were tested in anxiety-related and cognitive paradigms using the elevated plus maze and novel object recognition tests. Following behavioral testing (P70), rats were killed and the baseline expression of C-Fos protein and the number of GABAergic neurons were evaluated in the PFC and the BLA. The dendritic morphology and spine density in the PFC using Golgi-Cox staining was also evaluated. Adult rats with early postnatal bilateral MD damage exhibited disrupted recognition memory and increased anxiety-like behaviors. The lesion also caused a significant diminution of C-Fos immunolabeling and an increase of the number of GABAergic neurons in the PFC. In the BLA, the number of GABAergic neurons was significantly reduced, associated with an increase in C-Fos immunolabeling. Furthermore, in the PFC the lesion induced a significant reduction in dendritic branching and spine density. Our data are consistent with the hypothesis that the MD plays a role in the development of the PFC and, therefore, may be a good animal model to investigate cognitive symptoms associated with schizophrenia.

  9. Variations in recollection: the effects of complexity on source recognition.

    PubMed

    Parks, Colleen M; Murray, Linda J; Elfman, Kane; Yonelinas, Andrew P

    2011-07-01

    Whether recollection is a threshold or signal detection process is highly controversial, and the controversy has centered in part on the shape of receiver operating characteristics (ROCs) and z-transformed ROCs (zROCs). U-shaped zROCs observed in tests thought to rely heavily on recollection, such as source memory tests, have provided evidence in favor of the threshold assumption, but zROCs are not always as U-shaped as threshold theory predicts. Source zROCs have been shown to become more linear when the contribution of familiarity to source discriminations is increased, and this may account for the existing results. However, another way in which source zROCs may become more linear is if the recollection threshold begins to break down and recollection becomes more graded and Gaussian. We tested the "graded recollection" account in the current study. We found that increasing stimulus complexity (i.e., changing from single words to sentences) or increasing source complexity (i.e., changing the sources from audio to videos of speakers) resulted in flatter source zROCs. In addition, conditions expected to reduce recollection (i.e., divided attention and amnesia) had comparable effects on source memory in simple and complex conditions, suggesting that differences between simple and complex conditions were due to differences in the nature of recollection, rather than differences in the utility of familiarity. The results suggest that under conditions of high complexity, recollection can appear more graded, and it can produce curved ROCs. The results have implications for measurement models and for current theories of recognition memory.

  10. Spatiotemporal movement planning and rapid adaptation for manual interaction.

    PubMed

    Huber, Markus; Kupferberg, Aleksandra; Lenz, Claus; Knoll, Alois; Brandt, Thomas; Glasauer, Stefan

    2013-01-01

    Many everyday tasks require the ability of two or more individuals to coordinate their actions with others to increase efficiency. Such an increase in efficiency can often be observed even after only very few trials. Previous work suggests that such behavioral adaptation can be explained within a probabilistic framework that integrates sensory input and prior experience. Even though higher cognitive abilities such as intention recognition have been described as probabilistic estimation depending on an internal model of the other agent, it is not clear whether much simpler daily interaction is consistent with a probabilistic framework. Here, we investigate whether the mechanisms underlying efficient coordination during manual interactions can be understood as probabilistic optimization. For this purpose we studied in several experiments a simple manual handover task concentrating on the action of the receiver. We found that the duration until the receiver reacts to the handover decreases over trials, but strongly depends on the position of the handover. We then replaced the human deliverer by different types of robots to further investigate the influence of the delivering movement on the reaction of the receiver. Durations were found to depend on movement kinematics and the robot's joint configuration. Modeling the task was based on the assumption that the receiver's decision to act is based on the accumulated evidence for a specific handover position. The evidence for this handover position is collected from observing the hand movement of the deliverer over time and, if appropriate, by integrating this sensory likelihood with prior expectation that is updated over trials. The close match of model simulations and experimental results shows that the efficiency of handover coordination can be explained by an adaptive probabilistic fusion of a-priori expectation and online estimation.

  11. Correlates of problem recognition and intentions to change among caregivers of abused and neglected children.

    PubMed

    Littell, Julia H; Girvin, Heather

    2006-12-01

    To identify individual, family, and caseworker characteristics associated with problem recognition (PR) and intentions to change (ITC) in a sample of caregivers who received in-home child welfare services following substantiated reports of child abuse or neglect. Caregivers were interviewed at 4 weeks, 16 weeks, and 1 year after referral for in-home services. In these interviews, the University of Rhode Island Change Assessment scale assessed PR and ITC in relation to caregiving practices. Additional data were obtained from administrative records and surveys of in-home services caseworkers. We used growth models to identify caregiver, family, and caseworker characteristics associated with initial levels of PR and ITC, and with changes in PR and ITC over time. Contrary to expectations, there were no overall increases in PR and ITC during the first 4 months of in-home services. PR and ITC scores fluctuated over time, in relation to some external events, case characteristics, and caseworker characteristics; however, we were able to account for small portions of the variance in PR and ITC. Controlling for social desirability bias and other variables in the analysis, negative life events, lack of network support, and the severity of caregiver depression were associated with greater PR; housing problems were associated with lower PR. Caregiver depression and age were associated with ITC. Caregivers whose children had been removed from their homes showed significant increases in ITC in the first few months of in-home services. The duration of caseworkers' child welfare experience predicted increases in their clients' PR in the first 4 months and more frequent contacts with an experienced caseworker predicted small, but significant increases in ITC over time. PR and ITC are associated with somewhat different case characteristics and may be affected by caseworkers' experience.

  12. Understanding, management and modelling of urban hydrology and its consequences for receiving waters: A state of the art

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fletcher, T. D.; Andrieu, H.; Hamel, P.

    2013-01-01

    Urban hydrology has evolved to improve the way urban runoff is managed for flood protection, public health and environmental protection. There have been significant recent advances in the measurement and prediction of urban rainfall, with technologies such as radar and microwave networks showing promise. The ability to predict urban hydrology has also evolved, to deliver models suited to the small temporal and spatial scales typical of urban and peri-urban applications. Urban stormwater management increasingly consider the needs of receiving environments as well as those of humans. There is a clear trend towards approaches that attempt to restore pre-development flow-regimes and water quality, with an increasing recognition that restoring a more natural water balance benefits not only the environment, but enhances the liveability of the urban landscape. Once regarded only as a nuisance, stormwater is now increasingly regarded as a resource. Despite the advances, many important challenges in urban hydrology remain. Further research into the spatio-temporal dynamics of urban rainfall is required to improve short-term rainfall prediction. The performance of stormwater technologies in restoring the water balance and in removing emerging priority pollutants remain poorly quantified. All of these challenges are overlaid by the uncertainty of climate change, which imposes a requirement to ensure that stormwater management systems are adaptable and resilient to changes. Urban hydrology will play a critical role in addressing these challenges.

  13. Accurate, fast, and secure biometric fingerprint recognition system utilizing sensor fusion of fingerprint patterns

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    El-Saba, Aed; Alsharif, Salim; Jagapathi, Rajendarreddy

    2011-04-01

    Fingerprint recognition is one of the first techniques used for automatically identifying people and today it is still one of the most popular and effective biometric techniques. With this increase in fingerprint biometric uses, issues related to accuracy, security and processing time are major challenges facing the fingerprint recognition systems. Previous work has shown that polarization enhancementencoding of fingerprint patterns increase the accuracy and security of fingerprint systems without burdening the processing time. This is mainly due to the fact that polarization enhancementencoding is inherently a hardware process and does not have detrimental time delay effect on the overall process. Unpolarized images, however, posses a high visual contrast and when fused (without digital enhancement) properly with polarized ones, is shown to increase the recognition accuracy and security of the biometric system without any significant processing time delay.

  14. Implementation of Human Trafficking Education and Treatment Algorithm in the Emergency Department.

    PubMed

    Egyud, Amber; Stephens, Kimberly; Swanson-Bierman, Brenda; DiCuccio, Marge; Whiteman, Kimberly

    2017-11-01

    Health care professionals have not been successful in recognizing or rescuing victims of human trafficking. The purpose of this project was to implement a screening system and treatment algorithm in the emergency department to improve the identification and rescue of victims of human trafficking. The lack of recognition by health care professionals is related to inadequate education and training tools and confusion with other forms of violence such as trauma and sexual assault. A multidisciplinary team was formed to assess the evidence related to human trafficking and make recommendations for practice. After receiving education, staff completed a survey about knowledge gained from the training. An algorithm for identification and treatment of sex trafficking victims was implemented and included a 2-pronged identification approach: (1) medical red flags created by a risk-assessment tool embedded in the electronic health record and (2) a silent notification process. Outcome measures were the number of victims who were identified either by the medical red flags or by silent notification and were offered and accepted intervention. Survey results indicated that 75% of participants reported that the education improved their competence level. The results demonstrated that an education and treatment algorithm may be an effective strategy to improve recognition. One patient was identified as an actual victim of human trafficking; the remaining patients reported other forms of abuse. Education and a treatment algorithm were effective strategies to improve recognition and rescue of human trafficking victims and increase identification of other forms of abuse. Copyright © 2017 Emergency Nurses Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Transient increase in Zn2+ in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons causes reversible memory deficit.

    PubMed

    Takeda, Atsushi; Takada, Shunsuke; Nakamura, Masatoshi; Suzuki, Miki; Tamano, Haruna; Ando, Masaki; Oku, Naoto

    2011-01-01

    The translocation of synaptic Zn(2+) to the cytosolic compartment has been studied to understand Zn(2+) neurotoxicity in neurological diseases. However, it is unknown whether the moderate increase in Zn(2+) in the cytosolic compartment affects memory processing in the hippocampus. In the present study, the moderate increase in cytosolic Zn(2+) in the hippocampus was induced with clioquinol (CQ), a zinc ionophore. Zn(2+) delivery by Zn-CQ transiently attenuated CA1 long-term potentiation (LTP) in hippocampal slices prepared 2 h after i.p. injection of Zn-CQ into rats, when intracellular Zn(2+) levels was transiently increased in the CA1 pyramidal cell layer, followed by object recognition memory deficit. Object recognition memory was transiently impaired 30 min after injection of ZnCl(2) into the CA1, but not after injection into the dentate gyrus that did not significantly increase intracellular Zn(2+) in the granule cell layer of the dentate gyrus. Object recognition memory deficit may be linked to the preferential increase in Zn(2+) and/or the preferential vulnerability to Zn(2+) in CA1 pyramidal neurons. In the case of the cytosolic increase in endogenous Zn(2+) in the CA1 induced by 100 mM KCl, furthermore, object recognition memory was also transiently impaired, while ameliorated by co-injection of CaEDTA to block the increase in cytosolic Zn(2+). The present study indicates that the transient increase in cytosolic Zn(2+) in CA1 pyramidal neurons reversibly impairs object recognition memory.

  16. Transient Increase in Zn2+ in Hippocampal CA1 Pyramidal Neurons Causes Reversible Memory Deficit

    PubMed Central

    Takeda, Atsushi; Takada, Shunsuke; Nakamura, Masatoshi; Suzuki, Miki; Tamano, Haruna; Ando, Masaki; Oku, Naoto

    2011-01-01

    The translocation of synaptic Zn2+ to the cytosolic compartment has been studied to understand Zn2+ neurotoxicity in neurological diseases. However, it is unknown whether the moderate increase in Zn2+ in the cytosolic compartment affects memory processing in the hippocampus. In the present study, the moderate increase in cytosolic Zn2+ in the hippocampus was induced with clioquinol (CQ), a zinc ionophore. Zn2+ delivery by Zn-CQ transiently attenuated CA1 long-term potentiation (LTP) in hippocampal slices prepared 2 h after i.p. injection of Zn-CQ into rats, when intracellular Zn2+ levels was transiently increased in the CA1 pyramidal cell layer, followed by object recognition memory deficit. Object recognition memory was transiently impaired 30 min after injection of ZnCl2 into the CA1, but not after injection into the dentate gyrus that did not significantly increase intracellular Zn2+ in the granule cell layer of the dentate gyrus. Object recognition memory deficit may be linked to the preferential increase in Zn2+ and/or the preferential vulnerability to Zn2+ in CA1 pyramidal neurons. In the case of the cytosolic increase in endogenous Zn2+ in the CA1 induced by 100 mM KCl, furthermore, object recognition memory was also transiently impaired, while ameliorated by co-injection of CaEDTA to block the increase in cytosolic Zn2+. The present study indicates that the transient increase in cytosolic Zn2+ in CA1 pyramidal neurons reversibly impairs object recognition memory. PMID:22163318

  17. Aluminum Exposure at Human Dietary Levels for 60 Days Reaches a Threshold Sufficient to Promote Memory Impairment in Rats.

    PubMed

    Martinez, Caroline S; Alterman, Caroline D C; Peçanha, Franck M; Vassallo, Dalton V; Mello-Carpes, Pâmela B; Miguel, Marta; Wiggers, Giulia A

    2017-01-01

    Aluminum (Al) is a significant environmental contaminant. While a good deal of research has been conducted on the acute neurotoxic effects of Al, little is known about the effects of longer-term exposure at human dietary Al levels. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of 60-day Al exposure at low doses for comparison with a model of exposure known to produce neurotoxicity in rats. Three-month-old male Wistar rats were divided into two major groups: (1) low aluminum levels, and (2) a high aluminum level. Group 1 rats were treated orally by drinking water for 60 days as follows: (a) control-received ultrapure drinking water; (b) aluminum at 1.5 mg/kg b.w., and (c) aluminum at 8.3 mg/kg b.w. Group 2 rats were treated through oral gavages for 42 days as follows: (a) control-received ultrapure water; (b) aluminum at 100 mg/kg b.w. We analyzed cognitive parameters, biomarkers of oxidative stress and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Al treatment even at low doses promoted recognition memory impairment seen in object recognition memory testing. Moreover, Al increased hippocampal reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation, reduced antioxidant capacity, and decreased AChE activity. Our data demonstrate that 60-day subchronic exposure to low doses of Al from feed and added to the water, which reflect human dietary Al intake, reaches a threshold sufficient to promote memory impairment and neurotoxicity. The elevation of oxidative stress and cholinergic dysfunction highlight pathways of toxic actions for this metal.

  18. Propofol sedation in children: sleep trumps amnesia.

    PubMed

    Veselis, Robert; Kelhoffer, Eric; Mehta, Meghana; Root, James C; Robinson, Fay; Mason, Keira P

    Detailed assessments of the effects of propofol on memory in children are lacking. We assessed the feasibility of measuring memory during propofol infusion, as commonly performed in sedation for MRI scanning. In addition, we determined the onset of memory loss in relation to the onset of sedation measured by verbal responsiveness. Children scheduled for sedation for MRI received a 10-min infusion of propofol (3 mg/kg) as they viewed and named 100 simple line drawings, one shown every five seconds, until they were no longer responsive (encoding). A control group receiving no sedation for MRI underwent similar tasks. Sedation was measured as any verbal response, regardless of correctness. After recovery from sedation, recognition memory was tested, with correct yes/no recognitions matched to sedation responses during encoding (subsequent memory paradigm). Of the 48 children who received propofol, 30 could complete all study tasks (6.2 ± 1.6 years, 16 males). Individual responses could be modeled in all 30 children. On average, there was a 50% probability of no verbal response 3.1 min after the start of infusion, with 50% memory loss at 2.7 min. Children receiving propofol recognized 65 ± 16% of the pictures seen, whereas the control group recognized 93 ± 5%. Measurement of memory and sedation is possible in verbal children receiving propofol by infusion in a clinical setting. Despite propofol being an amnestic agent, there was little or no amnestic effect of propofol while the child was verbally responsive. It is important for sedation providers to realize that propofol sedation does not always produce amnesia while the child is responsive. CLINICALTRIALS. NCT02278003. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  19. What are families most grateful for after receiving palliative care? Content analysis of written documents received: a chance to improve the quality of care.

    PubMed

    Aparicio, María; Centeno, Carlos; Carrasco, José Miguel; Barbosa, Antonio; Arantzamendi, María

    2017-09-06

    Family members are involved in the care of palliative patients at home and therefore, should be viewed as important sources of information to help clinicians better understand the quality palliative care service patients receive. The objective of the study was to analyse what is valued most by family carers undergoing bereavement of a palliative care home service in order to identify factors of quality of care. Qualitative exploratory study based on documentary analysis. Content analysis of 77 gratitude documents received over 8 years by a palliative home service in Odivelas, near Lisbon (Portugal) was undertaken, through an inductive approach and using investigator triangulation. Frequency of distinct categories was quantitatively defined. Three different content categories emerged from the analysis: a) Recognition of the care received and the value of particular aspects of care within recognised difficult situations included aspects such as kindness, listening, attention to the family, empathy, closeness, affection and the therapeutic relationships established (63/77 documents); b) Family recognition of the achievements of the palliative care team (29/77) indicated as relief from suffering for the patient and family, opportunity of dying at home, help in facing difficult situations, improvement in quality of life and wellbeing, and feeling of serenity during bereavement; c) Messages of support (45/77) related to the need of resources provided. The relational component emerges as an underlying key aspect of family carers' experience with palliative care home service. Family carers show spontaneous gratitude for the professionalism and humanity found in palliative care. The relational component of care emerges as key to achieve a high quality care experience of palliative care homes service, and could be one indicator of quality of palliative care.

  20. To recognize the use of international standards for making harmonized regulation of medical devices in Asia-pacific.

    PubMed

    Anand, K; Saini, Ks; Chopra, Y; Binod, Sk

    2010-07-01

    'Medical Devices' include everything from highly sophisticated, computerized, medical equipment, right down to simple wooden tongue depressors. Regulations embody the public expectations for how buildings and facilities are expected to perform and as such represent public policy. Regulators, who develop and enforce regulations, are empowered to act in the public's interest to set this policy and are ultimately responsible to the public in this regard. Standardization contributes to the basic infrastructure that underpins society including health and environment, while promoting sustainability and good regulatory practice. The international organizations that produce International Standards are the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). With the increasing globalization of markets, International Standards (as opposed to regional or national standards) have become critical to the trading process, ensuring a level playing field for exports, and ensuring that imports meet the internationally recognized levels of performance and safety. The development of standards is done in response to sectors and stakeholders that express a clearly established need for them. An industry sector or other stakeholder group typically communicates its requirement for standards to one of the national members. To be accepted for development, a proposed work item must receive a majority support of the participating members, who verify the global relevance of the proposed item. The regulatory authority (RA) should provide a method for the recognition of international voluntary standards and for public notification of such recognition. The process of recognition may vary from country to country. Recognition may occur by periodic publication of lists of standards that a regulatory authority has found will meet the Essential Principles. In conclusion, International standards, such as, basic standards, group standards, and product standards, are a tool for harmonizing regulatory processes, to assure the safety, quality, and performance of medical devices. Standards represent the opinion of experts from all interested parties, including industry, regulators, users, and others.

  1. Stress reaction process-based hierarchical recognition algorithm for continuous intrusion events in optical fiber prewarning system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Qu, Hongquan; Yuan, Shijiao; Wang, Yanping; Yang, Dan

    2018-04-01

    To improve the recognition performance of optical fiber prewarning system (OFPS), this study proposed a hierarchical recognition algorithm (HRA). Compared with traditional methods, which employ only a complex algorithm that includes multiple extracted features and complex classifiers to increase the recognition rate with a considerable decrease in recognition speed, HRA takes advantage of the continuity of intrusion events, thereby creating a staged recognition flow inspired by stress reaction. HRA is expected to achieve high-level recognition accuracy with less time consumption. First, this work analyzed the continuity of intrusion events and then presented the algorithm based on the mechanism of stress reaction. Finally, it verified the time consumption through theoretical analysis and experiments, and the recognition accuracy was obtained through experiments. Experiment results show that the processing speed of HRA is 3.3 times faster than that of a traditional complicated algorithm and has a similar recognition rate of 98%. The study is of great significance to fast intrusion event recognition in OFPS.

  2. Chemical disguise of myrmecophilous cockroaches and its implications for understanding nestmate recognition mechanisms in leaf-cutting ants.

    PubMed

    Nehring, Volker; Dani, Francesca R; Calamai, Luca; Turillazzi, Stefano; Bohn, Horst; Klass, Klaus-Dieter; d'Ettorre, Patrizia

    2016-08-05

    Cockroaches of the genus Attaphila regularly occur in leaf-cutting ant colonies. The ants farm a fungus that the cockroaches also appear to feed on. Cockroaches disperse between colonies horizontally (via foraging trails) and vertically (attached to queens on their mating flights). We analysed the chemical strategies used by the cockroaches to integrate into colonies of Atta colombica and Acromyrmex octospinosus. Analysing cockroaches from nests of two host species further allowed us to test the hypothesis that nestmate recognition is based on an asymmetric mechanism. Specifically, we test the U-present nestmate recognition model, which assumes that detection of undesirable cues (non-nestmate specific substances) leads to strong rejection of the cue-bearers, while absence of desirable cues (nestmate-specific substances) does not necessarily trigger aggression. We found that nests of Atta and Acromyrmex contained cockroaches of two different and not yet described Attaphila species. The cockroaches share the cuticular chemical substances of their specific host species and copy their host nest's colony-specific cuticular profile. Indeed, the cockroaches are accepted by nestmate but attacked by non-nestmate ant workers. Cockroaches from Acromyrmex colonies bear a lower concentration of cuticular substances and are less likely to be attacked by non-nestmate ants than cockroaches from Atta colonies. Nest-specific recognition of Attaphila cockroaches by host workers in combination with nest-specific cuticular chemical profiles suggest that the cockroaches mimic their host's recognition labels, either by synthesizing nest-specific substances or by substance transfer from ants. Our finding that the cockroach species with lower concentration of cuticular substances receives less aggression by both host species fully supports the U-present nestmate recognition model. Leaf-cutting ant nestmate recognition is thus asymmetric, responding more strongly to differences than to similarities.

  3. Vasopressin infusion into the lateral septum of adult male rats rescues progesterone-induced impairment in social recognition.

    PubMed

    Bychowski, M E; Mena, J D; Auger, C J

    2013-08-29

    It is well established that social recognition memory is mediated, in part, by arginine vasopressin (AVP). AVP cells within the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BST) and medial amygdala (MeA) send AVP-ergic projections to the lateral septum (LS). We have demonstrated that progesterone treatment decreases AVP immunoreactivity within the BST, the MeA and the LS, and that progesterone treatment impairs social recognition. These data suggested that progesterone may impair social recognition memory by decreasing AVP. In the present experiment, we hypothesized that infusions of AVP into the LS would rescue the progesterone-induced impairment in social recognition within adult male rats. One week after adult male rats underwent cannula surgery, they were given systemic injections of either a physiological dose of progesterone or oil control for 3 days. Four hours after the last injection, we tested social recognition memory using the social discrimination paradigm, a two-trial test that is based on the natural propensity for rats to be highly motivated to investigate novel conspecifics. Immediately after the first exposure to a juvenile, each animal received bilateral infusions of either AVP or artificial cerebrospinal fluid into the LS. Our results show that, as expected, control animals exhibited normal social discrimination. In corroboration with our previous results, animals given progesterone have impaired social discrimination. Interestingly, animals treated with progesterone and AVP exhibited normal social discrimination, suggesting that AVP treatment rescued the impairment in social recognition caused by progesterone. These data also further support a role for progesterone in modulating vasopressin-dependent behavior within the male brain. Copyright © 2013 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. The cingulo-opercular network provides word-recognition benefit.

    PubMed

    Vaden, Kenneth I; Kuchinsky, Stefanie E; Cute, Stephanie L; Ahlstrom, Jayne B; Dubno, Judy R; Eckert, Mark A

    2013-11-27

    Recognizing speech in difficult listening conditions requires considerable focus of attention that is often demonstrated by elevated activity in putative attention systems, including the cingulo-opercular network. We tested the prediction that elevated cingulo-opercular activity provides word-recognition benefit on a subsequent trial. Eighteen healthy, normal-hearing adults (10 females; aged 20-38 years) performed word recognition (120 trials) in multi-talker babble at +3 and +10 dB signal-to-noise ratios during a sparse sampling functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) experiment. Blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) contrast was elevated in the anterior cingulate cortex, anterior insula, and frontal operculum in response to poorer speech intelligibility and response errors. These brain regions exhibited significantly greater correlated activity during word recognition compared with rest, supporting the premise that word-recognition demands increased the coherence of cingulo-opercular network activity. Consistent with an adaptive control network explanation, general linear mixed model analyses demonstrated that increased magnitude and extent of cingulo-opercular network activity was significantly associated with correct word recognition on subsequent trials. These results indicate that elevated cingulo-opercular network activity is not simply a reflection of poor performance or error but also supports word recognition in difficult listening conditions.

  5. Using an Improved SIFT Algorithm and Fuzzy Closed-Loop Control Strategy for Object Recognition in Cluttered Scenes

    PubMed Central

    Nie, Haitao; Long, Kehui; Ma, Jun; Yue, Dan; Liu, Jinguo

    2015-01-01

    Partial occlusions, large pose variations, and extreme ambient illumination conditions generally cause the performance degradation of object recognition systems. Therefore, this paper presents a novel approach for fast and robust object recognition in cluttered scenes based on an improved scale invariant feature transform (SIFT) algorithm and a fuzzy closed-loop control method. First, a fast SIFT algorithm is proposed by classifying SIFT features into several clusters based on several attributes computed from the sub-orientation histogram (SOH), in the feature matching phase only features that share nearly the same corresponding attributes are compared. Second, a feature matching step is performed following a prioritized order based on the scale factor, which is calculated between the object image and the target object image, guaranteeing robust feature matching. Finally, a fuzzy closed-loop control strategy is applied to increase the accuracy of the object recognition and is essential for autonomous object manipulation process. Compared to the original SIFT algorithm for object recognition, the result of the proposed method shows that the number of SIFT features extracted from an object has a significant increase, and the computing speed of the object recognition processes increases by more than 40%. The experimental results confirmed that the proposed method performs effectively and accurately in cluttered scenes. PMID:25714094

  6. Effects of bilateral eye movements on the retrieval of item, associative, and contextual information.

    PubMed

    Parker, Andrew; Relph, Sarah; Dagnall, Neil

    2008-01-01

    Two experiments are reported that investigate the effects of saccadic bilateral eye movements on the retrieval of item, associative, and contextual information. Experiment 1 compared the effects of bilateral versus vertical versus no eye movements on tests of item recognition, followed by remember-know responses and associative recognition. Supporting previous research, bilateral eye movements enhanced item recognition by increasing the hit rate and decreasing the false alarm rate. Analysis of remember-know responses indicated that eye movement effects were accompanied by increases in remember responses. The test of associative recognition found that bilateral eye movements increased correct responses to intact pairs and decreased false alarms to rearranged pairs. Experiment 2 assessed the effects of eye movements on the recall of intrinsic (color) and extrinsic (spatial location) context. Bilateral eye movements increased correct recall for both types of context. The results are discussed within the framework of dual-process models of memory and the possible neural underpinnings of these effects are considered.

  7. Retrieval Failure Contributes to Gist-Based False Recognition

    PubMed Central

    Guerin, Scott A.; Robbins, Clifford A.; Gilmore, Adrian W.; Schacter, Daniel L.

    2011-01-01

    People often falsely recognize items that are similar to previously encountered items. This robust memory error is referred to as gist-based false recognition. A widely held view is that this error occurs because the details fade rapidly from our memory. Contrary to this view, an initial experiment revealed that, following the same encoding conditions that produce high rates of gist-based false recognition, participants overwhelmingly chose the correct target rather than its related foil when given the option to do so. A second experiment showed that this result is due to increased access to stored details provided by reinstatement of the originally encoded photograph, rather than to increased attention to the details. Collectively, these results suggest that details needed for accurate recognition are, to a large extent, still stored in memory and that a critical factor determining whether false recognition will occur is whether these details can be accessed during retrieval. PMID:22125357

  8. Variability in the impairment of recognition memory in patients with frontal lobe lesions.

    PubMed

    Bastin, Christine; Van der Linden, Martial; Lekeu, Françoise; Andrés, Pilar; Salmon, Eric

    2006-10-01

    Fourteen patients with frontal lobe lesions and 14 normal subjects were tested on a recognition memory task that required discriminating between target words, new words that are synonyms of the targets and unrelated distractors. A deficit was found in 12 of the patients. Moreover, three different patterns of recognition impairment were identified: (I) poor memory for targets, (II) normal hits but increased false recognitions for both types of distractors, (III) normal hit rates, but increased false recognitions for synonyms only. Differences in terms of location of the damage and behavioral characteristics between these subgroups were examined. An encoding deficit was proposed to explain the performance of patients in subgroup I. The behavioral patterns of the patients in subgroups II and III could be interpreted as deficient post-retrieval verification processes and an inability to recollect item-specific information, respectively.

  9. A Validation Argument for a Simulation-Based Training Course Centered on Assessment, Recognition, and Early Management of Pediatric Sepsis.

    PubMed

    Geis, Gary L; Wheeler, Derek S; Bunger, Amy; Militello, Laura G; Taylor, Regina G; Bauer, Jerome P; Byczkowski, Terri L; Kerrey, Benjamin T; Patterson, Mary D

    2018-02-01

    Early recognition of sepsis remains one of the greatest challenges in medicine. Novice clinicians are often responsible for the recognition of sepsis and the initiation of urgent management. The aim of this study was to create a validity argument for the use of a simulation-based training course centered on assessment, recognition, and early management of sepsis in a laboratory-based setting. Five unique simulation scenarios were developed integrating critical sepsis cues identified through qualitative interviewing. Scenarios were piloted with groups of novice, intermediate, and expert pediatric physicians. The primary outcome was physician recognition of sepsis, measured with an adapted situation awareness global assessment tool. Secondary outcomes were physician compliance with pediatric advanced life support (PALS) guidelines and early sepsis management (ESM) recommendations, measured by two internally derived tools. Analysis compared recognition of sepsis by levels of expertise and measured association of sepsis recognition with the secondary outcomes. Eighteen physicians were recruited, six per study group. Each physician completed three sepsis simulations. Sepsis was recognized in 19 (35%) of 54 simulations. The odds that experts recognized sepsis was 2.6 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.5-13.8] times greater than novices. Adjusted for severity, for every point increase in the PALS global performance score, the odds that sepsis was recognized increased by 11.3 (95% CI = 3.1-41.4). Similarly, the odds ratio for the PALS checklist score was 1.5 (95% CI = 0.8-2.6). Adjusted for severity and level of expertise, the odds of recognizing sepsis was associated with an increase in the ESM checklist score of 1.8 (95% CI = 0.9-3.6) and an increase in ESM global performance score of 4.1 (95% CI = 1.7-10.0). Although incomplete, evidence from initial testing suggests that the simulations of pediatric sepsis were sufficiently valid to justify their use in training novice pediatric physicians in the assessment, recognition, and management of pediatric sepsis.

  10. Association between recognition and help-seeking preferences and stigma towards people with mental illness.

    PubMed

    Picco, L; Abdin, E; Pang, S; Vaingankar, J A; Jeyagurunathan, A; Chong, S A; Subramaniam, M

    2018-02-01

    The ability to recognise a mental illness has important implications as it can aid in timely and appropriate help-seeking, and ultimately improve outcomes for people with mental illness. This study aims to explore the association between recognition and help-seeking preferences and stigmatising attitudes, for alcohol abuse, dementia, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and schizophrenia, using a vignette-based approach. This was a population-based, cross-sectional survey conducted among Singapore Residents (n = 3006) aged 18-65 years. All respondents were asked what they think is wrong with the person in the vignette and who they should seek help from. Respondents were also administered the Personal and Perceived sub scales of the Depression Stigma Scale and the Social Distance Scale. Weighted frequencies and percentages were calculated for categorical variables. A series of multiple logistic and linear regression models were performed separately by vignette to generate odd ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the relationship between help-seeking preference, and recognition and beta coefficients and 95% confidence intervals for the relationship between stigma and recognition. Correct recognition was associated with less preference to seek help from family and friends for depression and schizophrenia. Recognition was also associated with increased odds of endorsing seeking help from a psychiatric hospital for dementia, depression and schizophrenia, while there was also an increased preference to seek help from a psychologist and psychiatrist for depression. Recognition was associated with less personal and perceived stigma for OCD and less personal stigma for schizophrenia, however, increased odds of social distancing for dementia. The ability to correctly recognise a mental illness was associated with less preference to seek help from informal sources, whilst increased preference to seek help from mental health professionals and services and less personal and perceived stigma. These findings re-emphasise the need to improve mental health literacy and reinforce the potential benefits recognition can have to individuals and the wider community in Singapore.

  11. Effect of Meaningful Recognition on Critical Care Nurses' Compassion Fatigue.

    PubMed

    Kelly, Lesly A; Lefton, Cindy

    2017-11-01

    As caregivers in high-pressure environments, critical care nurses are at risk for burnout and secondary trauma-components of compassion fatigue. Recent findings have increased understanding of the phenomena, specifically that satisfaction and meaningful recognition may play a role in reducing burnout and raising compassion satisfaction; however, no large multisite studies of compassion fatigue have been conducted. To examine the effect of meaningful recognition and other predictors on compassion fatigue in a multicenter national sample of critical care nurses. A quantitative, descriptive online survey was completed by 726 intensive care unit nurses in 14 hospitals with an established meaningful recognition program and 410 nurses in 10 hospitals without such a program. Site coordinators at each hospital coordinated distribution of the survey to nurses to assess multiple predictors against outcomes, measured by the Professional Quality of Life Scale. Cross-validation and linear regression modeling were conducted to determine significant predictors of burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and compassion satisfaction. Similar levels of burnout, secondary traumatic stress, compassion satisfaction, overall satisfaction, and intent to leave were reported by nurses in hospitals with and without meaningful recognition programs. Meaningful recognition was a significant predictor of decreased burnout and increased compassion satisfaction. Additionally, job satisfaction and job enjoyment were highly predictive of decreased burnout, decreased secondary traumatic stress, and increased compassion satisfaction. In addition to acknowledging and valuing nurses' contributions to care, meaningful recognition could reduce burnout and boost compassion satisfaction. ©2017 American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.

  12. Experience and information loss in auditory and visual memory.

    PubMed

    Gloede, Michele E; Paulauskas, Emily E; Gregg, Melissa K

    2017-07-01

    Recent studies show that recognition memory for sounds is inferior to memory for pictures. Four experiments were conducted to examine the nature of auditory and visual memory. Experiments 1-3 were conducted to evaluate the role of experience in auditory and visual memory. Participants received a study phase with pictures/sounds, followed by a recognition memory test. Participants then completed auditory training with each of the sounds, followed by a second memory test. Despite auditory training in Experiments 1 and 2, visual memory was superior to auditory memory. In Experiment 3, we found that it is possible to improve auditory memory, but only after 3 days of specific auditory training and 3 days of visual memory decay. We examined the time course of information loss in auditory and visual memory in Experiment 4 and found a trade-off between visual and auditory recognition memory: Visual memory appears to have a larger capacity, while auditory memory is more enduring. Our results indicate that visual and auditory memory are inherently different memory systems and that differences in visual and auditory recognition memory performance may be due to the different amounts of experience with visual and auditory information, as well as structurally different neural circuitry specialized for information retention.

  13. Bio-Mimetic Sensors Based on Molecularly Imprinted Membranes

    PubMed Central

    Algieri, Catia; Drioli, Enrico; Guzzo, Laura; Donato, Laura

    2014-01-01

    An important challenge for scientific research is the production of artificial systems able to mimic the recognition mechanisms occurring at the molecular level in living systems. A valid contribution in this direction resulted from the development of molecular imprinting. By means of this technology, selective molecular recognition sites are introduced in a polymer, thus conferring it bio-mimetic properties. The potential applications of these systems include affinity separations, medical diagnostics, drug delivery, catalysis, etc. Recently, bio-sensing systems using molecularly imprinted membranes, a special form of imprinted polymers, have received the attention of scientists in various fields. In these systems imprinted membranes are used as bio-mimetic recognition elements which are integrated with a transducer component. The direct and rapid determination of an interaction between the recognition element and the target analyte (template) was an encouraging factor for the development of such systems as alternatives to traditional bio-assay methods. Due to their high stability, sensitivity and specificity, bio-mimetic sensors-based membranes are used for environmental, food, and clinical uses. This review deals with the development of molecularly imprinted polymers and their different preparation methods. Referring to the last decades, the application of these membranes as bio-mimetic sensor devices will be also reported. PMID:25196110

  14. Automatic lip reading by using multimodal visual features

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Takahashi, Shohei; Ohya, Jun

    2013-12-01

    Since long time ago, speech recognition has been researched, though it does not work well in noisy places such as in the car or in the train. In addition, people with hearing-impaired or difficulties in hearing cannot receive benefits from speech recognition. To recognize the speech automatically, visual information is also important. People understand speeches from not only audio information, but also visual information such as temporal changes in the lip shape. A vision based speech recognition method could work well in noisy places, and could be useful also for people with hearing disabilities. In this paper, we propose an automatic lip-reading method for recognizing the speech by using multimodal visual information without using any audio information such as speech recognition. First, the ASM (Active Shape Model) is used to track and detect the face and lip in a video sequence. Second, the shape, optical flow and spatial frequencies of the lip features are extracted from the lip detected by ASM. Next, the extracted multimodal features are ordered chronologically so that Support Vector Machine is performed in order to learn and classify the spoken words. Experiments for classifying several words show promising results of this proposed method.

  15. An Indoor Pedestrian Positioning Method Using HMM with a Fuzzy Pattern Recognition Algorithm in a WLAN Fingerprint System

    PubMed Central

    Ni, Yepeng; Liu, Jianbo; Liu, Shan; Bai, Yaxin

    2016-01-01

    With the rapid development of smartphones and wireless networks, indoor location-based services have become more and more prevalent. Due to the sophisticated propagation of radio signals, the Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) shows a significant variation during pedestrian walking, which introduces critical errors in deterministic indoor positioning. To solve this problem, we present a novel method to improve the indoor pedestrian positioning accuracy by embedding a fuzzy pattern recognition algorithm into a Hidden Markov Model. The fuzzy pattern recognition algorithm follows the rule that the RSSI fading has a positive correlation to the distance between the measuring point and the AP location even during a dynamic positioning measurement. Through this algorithm, we use the RSSI variation trend to replace the specific RSSI value to achieve a fuzzy positioning. The transition probability of the Hidden Markov Model is trained by the fuzzy pattern recognition algorithm with pedestrian trajectories. Using the Viterbi algorithm with the trained model, we can obtain a set of hidden location states. In our experiments, we demonstrate that, compared with the deterministic pattern matching algorithm, our method can greatly improve the positioning accuracy and shows robust environmental adaptability. PMID:27618053

  16. The medial prefrontal cortex-lateral entorhinal cortex circuit is essential for episodic-like memory and associative object-recognition.

    PubMed

    Chao, Owen Y; Huston, Joseph P; Li, Jay-Shake; Wang, An-Li; de Souza Silva, Maria A

    2016-05-01

    The prefrontal cortex directly projects to the lateral entorhinal cortex (LEC), an important substrate for engaging item-associated information and relaying the information to the hippocampus. Here we ask to what extent the communication between the prefrontal cortex and LEC is critically involved in the processing of episodic-like memory. We applied a disconnection procedure to test whether the interaction between the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and LEC is essential for the expression of recognition memory. It was found that male rats that received unilateral NMDA lesions of the mPFC and LEC in the same hemisphere, exhibited intact episodic-like (what-where-when) and object-recognition memories. When these lesions were placed in the opposite hemispheres (disconnection), episodic-like and associative memories for object identity, location and context were impaired. However, the disconnection did not impair the components of episodic memory, namely memory for novel object (what), object place (where) and temporal order (when), per se. Thus, the present findings suggest that the mPFC and LEC are a critical part of a neural circuit that underlies episodic-like and associative object-recognition memory. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  17. Anti-PD1 following ipilimumab for mucosal melanoma: durable tumor response associated with severe hypothyroidism and rhabdomyolysis.

    PubMed

    Min, Le; Hodi, F Stephen

    2014-01-01

    Treatment with fully human monoclonal antibodies against programmed death 1 (PD1) receptor has shown great promise for a number of advanced malignancies. Although inflammatory adverse events have been well described with anti-CTL antigen 4 (CTLA4) therapy, experience with the range of adverse effects of anti-PD1 remains comparatively limited. Here, we report on a patient with advanced mucosal melanoma who received four doses of MK-3475, a fully human monoclonal antibody against PD1, and experienced a durable near-complete response but developed severe hypothyroidism, rhabdomyolysis, and acute kidney injury. To our knowledge, this is the first case reported of a patient with advanced mucosal melanoma who responded to anti-PD1 therapy. With the promising antitumor effects of anti-PD1 in a wide array of tumors, we expect an increasing number of patients to be exposed to anti-PD1 therapies. Recognition of infrequent presentations of adverse events such as elevated creatine kinase levels and thyroid disorders in patients who receive anti-PD1 therapy is important. ©2014 AACR.

  18. Superstar of the Sloan Minority Ph.D. Program.

    PubMed

    Greenwood, Ted

    2013-01-01

    In AY 1994-95 the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation launched a program, later known as the Minority Ph.D. Program, to increase the number of underrepresented minority students earning Ph.D.s in natural sciences, engineering and mathematics (SEM). This program emerged from a recognition that African Americans, Hispanic Americans and American Indians were very underrepresented at all levels and in all aspects of SEM disciplines and that, although undergraduate education had received and continued to received much attention by universities, private funders and government agencies, there was still relatively little attention being paid to the graduate and especially the Ph.D. level. Because earning the Ph.D. is a necessary milestone along the pathway to a faculty position and the effort to diversify the graduates of SEM disciplines depends, in large part, on diversifying the faculty at American universities, this relative lack of attention to Ph.D. education was, in the opinion of the Sloan Foundation, a significant deficiency of national efforts. As a Program Director at the Sloan Foundation, I initiated this Minority Ph.D. Program and ran it until my retirement in June 2011.

  19. Psychoactive drugs and false memory: comparison of dextroamphetamine and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol on false recognition

    PubMed Central

    Ballard, Michael E.; Gallo, David A.; de Wit, Harriet

    2014-01-01

    Rationale Several psychoactive drugs are known to influence episodic memory. However, these drugs’ effects on false memory, or the tendency to incorrectly remember nonstudied information, remain poorly understood. Objectives Here, we examined the effects of two commonly used psychoactive drugs, one with memory-enhancing properties (dextroamphetamine; AMP), and another with memory-impairing properties (Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol; THC), on false memory using the Deese/Roediger–McDermott (DRM) illusion. Methods Two parallel studies were conducted in which healthy volunteers received either AMP (0, 10, and 20 mg) or THC (0, 7.5, and 15 mg) in within-subjects, randomized, double-blind designs. Participants studied DRM word lists under the influence of the drugs, and their recognition memory for the studied words was tested 2 days later, under sober conditions. Results As expected, AMP increased memory of studied words relative to placebo, and THC reduced memory of studied words. Although neither drug significantly affected false memory relative to placebo, AMP increased false memory relative to THC. Across participants, both drugs’ effects on true memory were positively correlated with their effects on false memory. Conclusions Our results indicate that AMP and THC have opposing effects on true memory, and these effects appear to correspond to similar, albeit more subtle, effects on false memory. These findings are consistent with previous research using the DRM illusion and provide further evidence that psychoactive drugs can affect the encoding processes that ultimately result in the creation of false memories. PMID:21647577

  20. Psychoactive drugs and false memory: comparison of dextroamphetamine and δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol on false recognition.

    PubMed

    Ballard, Michael E; Gallo, David A; de Wit, Harriet

    2012-01-01

    Several psychoactive drugs are known to influence episodic memory. However, these drugs' effects on false memory, or the tendency to incorrectly remember nonstudied information, remain poorly understood. Here, we examined the effects of two commonly used psychoactive drugs, one with memory-enhancing properties (dextroamphetamine; AMP), and another with memory-impairing properties (Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol; THC), on false memory using the Deese/Roediger-McDermott (DRM) illusion. Two parallel studies were conducted in which healthy volunteers received either AMP (0, 10, and 20 mg) or THC (0, 7.5, and 15 mg) in within-subjects, randomized, double-blind designs. Participants studied DRM word lists under the influence of the drugs, and their recognition memory for the studied words was tested 2 days later, under sober conditions. As expected, AMP increased memory of studied words relative to placebo, and THC reduced memory of studied words. Although neither drug significantly affected false memory relative to placebo, AMP increased false memory relative to THC. Across participants, both drugs' effects on true memory were positively correlated with their effects on false memory. Our results indicate that AMP and THC have opposing effects on true memory, and these effects appear to correspond to similar, albeit more subtle, effects on false memory. These findings are consistent with previous research using the DRM illusion and provide further evidence that psychoactive drugs can affect the encoding processes that ultimately result in the creation of false memories.

  1. Fifty years of progress in speech and speaker recognition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Furui, Sadaoki

    2004-10-01

    Speech and speaker recognition technology has made very significant progress in the past 50 years. The progress can be summarized by the following changes: (1) from template matching to corpus-base statistical modeling, e.g., HMM and n-grams, (2) from filter bank/spectral resonance to Cepstral features (Cepstrum + DCepstrum + DDCepstrum), (3) from heuristic time-normalization to DTW/DP matching, (4) from gdistanceh-based to likelihood-based methods, (5) from maximum likelihood to discriminative approach, e.g., MCE/GPD and MMI, (6) from isolated word to continuous speech recognition, (7) from small vocabulary to large vocabulary recognition, (8) from context-independent units to context-dependent units for recognition, (9) from clean speech to noisy/telephone speech recognition, (10) from single speaker to speaker-independent/adaptive recognition, (11) from monologue to dialogue/conversation recognition, (12) from read speech to spontaneous speech recognition, (13) from recognition to understanding, (14) from single-modality (audio signal only) to multi-modal (audio/visual) speech recognition, (15) from hardware recognizer to software recognizer, and (16) from no commercial application to many practical commercial applications. Most of these advances have taken place in both the fields of speech recognition and speaker recognition. The majority of technological changes have been directed toward the purpose of increasing robustness of recognition, including many other additional important techniques not noted above.

  2. Psilocybin with psychological support improves emotional face recognition in treatment-resistant depression.

    PubMed

    Stroud, J B; Freeman, T P; Leech, R; Hindocha, C; Lawn, W; Nutt, D J; Curran, H V; Carhart-Harris, R L

    2018-02-01

    Depressed patients robustly exhibit affective biases in emotional processing which are altered by SSRIs and predict clinical outcome. The objective of this study is to investigate whether psilocybin, recently shown to rapidly improve mood in treatment-resistant depression (TRD), alters patients' emotional processing biases. Seventeen patients with treatment-resistant depression completed a dynamic emotional face recognition task at baseline and 1 month later after two doses of psilocybin with psychological support. Sixteen controls completed the emotional recognition task over the same time frame but did not receive psilocybin. We found evidence for a group × time interaction on speed of emotion recognition (p = .035). At baseline, patients were slower at recognising facial emotions compared with controls (p < .001). After psilocybin, this difference was remediated (p = .208). Emotion recognition was faster at follow-up compared with baseline in patients (p = .004, d = .876) but not controls (p = .263, d = .302). In patients, this change was significantly correlated with a reduction in anhedonia over the same time period (r = .640, p = .010). Psilocybin with psychological support appears to improve processing of emotional faces in treatment-resistant depression, and this correlates with reduced anhedonia. Placebo-controlled studies are warranted to follow up these preliminary findings.

  3. Using hypnosis to disrupt face processing: mirrored-self misidentification delusion and different visual media

    PubMed Central

    Connors, Michael H.; Barnier, Amanda J.; Coltheart, Max; Langdon, Robyn; Cox, Rochelle E.; Rivolta, Davide; Halligan, Peter W.

    2014-01-01

    Mirrored-self misidentification delusion is the belief that one’s reflection in the mirror is not oneself. This experiment used hypnotic suggestion to impair normal face processing in healthy participants and recreate key aspects of the delusion in the laboratory. From a pool of 439 participants, 22 high hypnotisable participants (“highs”) and 20 low hypnotisable participants were selected on the basis of their extreme scores on two separately administered measures of hypnotisability. These participants received a hypnotic induction and a suggestion for either impaired (i) self-face recognition or (ii) impaired recognition of all faces. Participants were tested on their ability to recognize themselves in a mirror and other visual media – including a photograph, live video, and handheld mirror – and their ability to recognize other people, including the experimenter and famous faces. Both suggestions produced impaired self-face recognition and recreated key aspects of the delusion in highs. However, only the suggestion for impaired other-face recognition disrupted recognition of other faces, albeit in a minority of highs. The findings confirm that hypnotic suggestion can disrupt face processing and recreate features of mirrored-self misidentification. The variability seen in participants’ responses also corresponds to the heterogeneity seen in clinical patients. An important direction for future research will be to examine sources of this variability within both clinical patients and the hypnotic model. PMID:24994973

  4. The effect of letter string length and report condition on letter recognition accuracy.

    PubMed

    Raghunandan, Avesh; Karmazinaite, Berta; Rossow, Andrea S

    Letter sequence recognition accuracy has been postulated to be limited primarily by low-level visual factors. The influence of high level factors such as visual memory (load and decay) has been largely overlooked. This study provides insight into the role of these factors by investigating the interaction between letter sequence recognition accuracy, letter string length and report condition. Letter sequence recognition accuracy for trigrams and pentagrams were measured in 10 adult subjects for two report conditions. In the complete report condition subjects reported all 3 or all 5 letters comprising trigrams and pentagrams, respectively. In the partial report condition, subjects reported only a single letter in the trigram or pentagram. Letters were presented for 100ms and rendered in high contrast, using black lowercase Courier font that subtended 0.4° at the fixation distance of 0.57m. Letter sequence recognition accuracy was consistently higher for trigrams compared to pentagrams especially for letter positions away from fixation. While partial report increased recognition accuracy in both string length conditions, the effect was larger for pentagrams, and most evident for the final letter positions within trigrams and pentagrams. The effect of partial report on recognition accuracy for the final letter positions increased as eccentricity increased away from fixation, and was independent of the inner/outer position of a letter. Higher-level visual memory functions (memory load and decay) play a role in letter sequence recognition accuracy. There is also suggestion of additional delays imposed on memory encoding by crowded letter elements. Copyright © 2016 Spanish General Council of Optometry. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  5. Context-Dependent Repetition Effects on Recognition Memory

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Opitz, Bertram

    2010-01-01

    One widely acknowledged way to improve our memory performance is to repeatedly study the to be learned material. One aspect that has received little attention in past research regards the context sensitivity of this repetition effect, that is whether the item is repeated within the same or within different contexts. The predictions of a…

  6. Community Colleges in the Spotlight and under the Microscope

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boggs, George R.

    2011-01-01

    Never before have community colleges received so much attention and recognition. From modest beginnings at the start of the twentieth century, community colleges have become the largest, most affordable, and most responsive sector of American higher education. Policy makers, media, and the public in general seem to have only now discovered…

  7. ACHP | News | ACHP Issue Spotlight: Transmission Lines in the West

    Science.gov Websites

    Leadership Chairman Wayne Donaldson Receives AIA Award for Leadership ACHP Chairman Milford Wayne Donaldson recognition of leadership provided by Milford Wayne Donaldson, FAIA, in historic preservation at the national experience, creativity, and leadership when they were greatly needed. Donaldson was accompanied by his wife

  8. The Changing Influence of Educational Policy and Race on Metropolitan Inequality, 1970-2010

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnson, Odis, Jr.

    2017-01-01

    Schools do not receive much recognition within urban sociological research for the role they perform in shaping the demographic, structural, and social features of neighborhoods, cities, and metropolitan areas. In contrast, this article links schools, and the racial avoidance that operates through educational policy, to the extreme economic…

  9. Constitution Day: Start the School Year with Civics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lesser, Eli J.

    2006-01-01

    The celebration and recognition of Constitution Day on September 17th is now required by federal law. The new law, known colloquially as the Byrd Amendment, requires all schools receiving any federal assistance, from kindergarten to higher education, to teach students about the Constitution on Constitution Day. The concept of a school's civic…

  10. The Periphery of Care: Emergency Services for Homeless People in Rural Areas

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cloke, Paul; Johnsen, Sarah; May, Jon

    2007-01-01

    Until recently, homelessness in rural areas has received little recognition because of overwhelming assumptions about the urban-centeredness of homeless people and their needs. This paper seeks to build on recent research that has begun to uncover some of the problems and characteristics of rural homelessness, by suggesting two significant…

  11. The English Language of the Nigeria Police

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chinwe, Udo Victoria

    2015-01-01

    In the present day Nigeria, the quality of the English language spoken by Nigerians, is perceived to have been deteriorating and needs urgent attention. The proliferation of books and articles in the recent years can be seen as the native outcrop of its received attention and recognition as a matter of discourse. Evidently, every profession,…

  12. 24 CFR 586.20 - Overview of the process.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... either on or off the installation; (C) Learn about the LRA's process and schedule for receiving notices... 24 Housing and Urban Development 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Overview of the process. 586.20...-COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AND HOMELESS ASSISTANCE § 586.20 Overview of the process. (a) Recognition of the LRA...

  13. Conjunction Faces Alter Confidence-Accuracy Relations for Old Faces

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reinitz, Mark Tippens; Loftus, Geoffrey R.

    2017-01-01

    The authors used a state-trace methodology to investigate the informational dimensions used to recognize old and conjunction faces (made by combining parts of separately studied faces). Participants in 3 experiments saw faces presented for 1 s each. They then received a recognition test; faces were presented for varying brief durations and…

  14. [An innovative policy for supporting pregnant women].

    PubMed

    Perz, Stéphanie

    2015-04-01

    Improving working conditions for pregnant women can boost their feeling of wellbeing in their job. As a result of its innovative work in this area, Seclin general hospital, in the north of France, has received special recognition for its policy in supporting pregnant women. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  15. Financial Management and Relationship Skills Education: Gauging Consumer Interest and Delivery Preferences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Futris, Ted G.; Nielsen, Robert B.; Barton, Allen W.

    2011-01-01

    The study reported here explored level of interest and preferred delivery method of Extension programming related to financial management and relationship skills education. These two subjects comprise areas of Extension that often receive less recognition but appear as pertinent issues in the lives of many individuals. Using a diverse sample of…

  16. Speech Recognition in Fluctuating and Continuous Maskers: Effects of Hearing Loss and Presentation Level.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Summers, Van; Molis, Michelle R.

    2004-01-01

    Listeners with normal-hearing sensitivity recognize speech more accurately in the presence of fluctuating background sounds, such as a single competing voice, than in unmodulated noise at the same overall level. These performance differences ore greatly reduced in listeners with hearing impairment, who generally receive little benefit from…

  17. Where Do College Drinkers Draw the Line?: A Qualitative Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Terry, Danielle L.; Garey, Lorra; Carey, Kate B.

    2014-01-01

    Alcohol use among college students has received nationwide recognition as a public health concern. The primary aim of this study was to explore students' opinions of when drinking crosses the line from acceptable to unacceptable. This study used qualitative methods to: (a) examine unappealing aspects of drinking by relationship type…

  18. Scene perception and memory revealed by eye movements and receiver-operating characteristic analyses: does a cultural difference truly exist?

    PubMed

    Evans, Kris; Rotello, Caren M; Li, Xingshan; Rayner, Keith

    2009-02-01

    Cultural differences have been observed in scene perception and memory: Chinese participants purportedly attend to the background information more than did American participants. We investigated the influence of culture by recording eye movements during scene perception and while participants made recognition memory judgements. Real-world pictures with a focal object on a background were shown to both American and Chinese participants while their eye movements were recorded. Later, memory for the focal object in each scene was tested, and the relationship between the focal object (studied, new) and the background context (studied, new) was manipulated. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves show that both sensitivity and response bias were changed when objects were tested in new contexts. However, neither the decrease in accuracy nor the response bias shift differed with culture. The eye movement patterns were also similar across cultural groups. Both groups made longer and more fixations on the focal objects than on the contexts. The similarity of eye movement patterns and recognition memory behaviour suggests that both Americans and Chinese use the same strategies in scene perception and memory.

  19. Feature-based RNN target recognition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bakircioglu, Hakan; Gelenbe, Erol

    1998-09-01

    Detection and recognition of target signatures in sensory data obtained by synthetic aperture radar (SAR), forward- looking infrared, or laser radar, have received considerable attention in the literature. In this paper, we propose a feature based target classification methodology to detect and classify targets in cluttered SAR images, that makes use of selective signature data from sensory data, together with a neural network technique which uses a set of trained networks based on the Random Neural Network (RNN) model (Gelenbe 89, 90, 91, 93) which is trained to act as a matched filter. We propose and investigate radial features of target shapes that are invariant to rotation, translation, and scale, to characterize target and clutter signatures. These features are then used to train a set of learning RNNs which can be used to detect targets within clutter with high accuracy, and to classify the targets or man-made objects from natural clutter. Experimental data from SAR imagery is used to illustrate and validate the proposed method, and to calculate Receiver Operating Characteristics which illustrate the performance of the proposed algorithm.

  20. Making Employee Recognition a Tool for Achieving Improved Performance: Implication for Ghanaian Universities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Amoatemaa, Abena Serwaa; Kyeremeh, Dorcas Darkoah

    2016-01-01

    Many organisations are increasingly making use of employee recognition to motivate employees to achieve high performance and productivity. Research has shown that effective recognition occurs in organisations that have strong supportive culture, understand the psychology of praising employees for their good work, and apply the principles of…

  1. Oxytocin Promotes Facial Emotion Recognition and Amygdala Reactivity in Adults with Asperger Syndrome

    PubMed Central

    Domes, Gregor; Kumbier, Ekkehardt; Heinrichs, Markus; Herpertz, Sabine C

    2014-01-01

    The neuropeptide oxytocin has recently been shown to enhance eye gaze and emotion recognition in healthy men. Here, we report a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that examined the neural and behavioral effects of a single dose of intranasal oxytocin on emotion recognition in individuals with Asperger syndrome (AS), a clinical condition characterized by impaired eye gaze and facial emotion recognition. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we examined whether oxytocin would enhance emotion recognition from facial sections of the eye vs the mouth region and modulate regional activity in brain areas associated with face perception in both adults with AS, and a neurotypical control group. Intranasal administration of the neuropeptide oxytocin improved performance in a facial emotion recognition task in individuals with AS. This was linked to increased left amygdala reactivity in response to facial stimuli and increased activity in the neural network involved in social cognition. Our data suggest that the amygdala, together with functionally associated cortical areas mediate the positive effect of oxytocin on social cognitive functioning in AS. PMID:24067301

  2. Oxytocin promotes facial emotion recognition and amygdala reactivity in adults with asperger syndrome.

    PubMed

    Domes, Gregor; Kumbier, Ekkehardt; Heinrichs, Markus; Herpertz, Sabine C

    2014-02-01

    The neuropeptide oxytocin has recently been shown to enhance eye gaze and emotion recognition in healthy men. Here, we report a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that examined the neural and behavioral effects of a single dose of intranasal oxytocin on emotion recognition in individuals with Asperger syndrome (AS), a clinical condition characterized by impaired eye gaze and facial emotion recognition. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we examined whether oxytocin would enhance emotion recognition from facial sections of the eye vs the mouth region and modulate regional activity in brain areas associated with face perception in both adults with AS, and a neurotypical control group. Intranasal administration of the neuropeptide oxytocin improved performance in a facial emotion recognition task in individuals with AS. This was linked to increased left amygdala reactivity in response to facial stimuli and increased activity in the neural network involved in social cognition. Our data suggest that the amygdala, together with functionally associated cortical areas mediate the positive effect of oxytocin on social cognitive functioning in AS.

  3. Investigation of Carbohydrate Recognition via Computer Simulation

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

    Johnson, Quentin R.; Lindsay, Richard J.; Petridis, Loukas

    Carbohydrate recognition by proteins, such as lectins and other (bio)molecules, can be essential for many biological functions. Interest has arisen due to potential protein and drug design and future bioengineering applications. A quantitative measurement of carbohydrate-protein interaction is thus important for the full characterization of sugar recognition. Here, we focus on the aspect of utilizing computer simulations and biophysical models to evaluate the strength and specificity of carbohydrate recognition in this review. With increasing computational resources, better algorithms and refined modeling parameters, using state-of-the-art supercomputers to calculate the strength of the interaction between molecules has become increasingly mainstream. We reviewmore » the current state of this technique and its successful applications for studying protein-sugar interactions in recent years.« less

  4. Investigation of Carbohydrate Recognition via Computer Simulation

    DOE PAGES

    Johnson, Quentin R.; Lindsay, Richard J.; Petridis, Loukas; ...

    2015-04-28

    Carbohydrate recognition by proteins, such as lectins and other (bio)molecules, can be essential for many biological functions. Interest has arisen due to potential protein and drug design and future bioengineering applications. A quantitative measurement of carbohydrate-protein interaction is thus important for the full characterization of sugar recognition. Here, we focus on the aspect of utilizing computer simulations and biophysical models to evaluate the strength and specificity of carbohydrate recognition in this review. With increasing computational resources, better algorithms and refined modeling parameters, using state-of-the-art supercomputers to calculate the strength of the interaction between molecules has become increasingly mainstream. We reviewmore » the current state of this technique and its successful applications for studying protein-sugar interactions in recent years.« less

  5. When the face fits: recognition of celebrities from matching and mismatching faces and voices.

    PubMed

    Stevenage, Sarah V; Neil, Greg J; Hamlin, Iain

    2014-01-01

    The results of two experiments are presented in which participants engaged in a face-recognition or a voice-recognition task. The stimuli were face-voice pairs in which the face and voice were co-presented and were either "matched" (same person), "related" (two highly associated people), or "mismatched" (two unrelated people). Analysis in both experiments confirmed that accuracy and confidence in face recognition was consistently high regardless of the identity of the accompanying voice. However accuracy of voice recognition was increasingly affected as the relationship between voice and accompanying face declined. Moreover, when considering self-reported confidence in voice recognition, confidence remained high for correct responses despite the proportion of these responses declining across conditions. These results converged with existing evidence indicating the vulnerability of voice recognition as a relatively weak signaller of identity, and results are discussed in the context of a person-recognition framework.

  6. Selective attention to emotional cues and emotion recognition in healthy subjects: the role of mineralocorticoid receptor stimulation.

    PubMed

    Schultebraucks, Katharina; Deuter, Christian E; Duesenberg, Moritz; Schulze, Lars; Hellmann-Regen, Julian; Domke, Antonia; Lockenvitz, Lisa; Kuehl, Linn K; Otte, Christian; Wingenfeld, Katja

    2016-09-01

    Selective attention toward emotional cues and emotion recognition of facial expressions are important aspects of social cognition. Stress modulates social cognition through cortisol, which acts on glucocorticoid (GR) and mineralocorticoid receptors (MR) in the brain. We examined the role of MR activation on attentional bias toward emotional cues and on emotion recognition. We included 40 healthy young women and 40 healthy young men (mean age 23.9 ± 3.3), who either received 0.4 mg of the MR agonist fludrocortisone or placebo. A dot-probe paradigm was used to test for attentional biases toward emotional cues (happy and sad faces). Moreover, we used a facial emotion recognition task to investigate the ability to recognize emotional valence (anger and sadness) from facial expression in four graded categories of emotional intensity (20, 30, 40, and 80 %). In the emotional dot-probe task, we found a main effect of treatment and a treatment × valence interaction. Post hoc analyses revealed an attentional bias away from sad faces after placebo intake and a shift in selective attention toward sad faces compared to placebo. We found no attentional bias toward happy faces after fludrocortisone or placebo intake. In the facial emotion recognition task, there was no main effect of treatment. MR stimulation seems to be important in modulating quick, automatic emotional processing, i.e., a shift in selective attention toward negative emotional cues. Our results confirm and extend previous findings of MR function. However, we did not find an effect of MR stimulation on emotion recognition.

  7. Smartphone-Based Patients' Activity Recognition by Using a Self-Learning Scheme for Medical Monitoring.

    PubMed

    Guo, Junqi; Zhou, Xi; Sun, Yunchuan; Ping, Gong; Zhao, Guoxing; Li, Zhuorong

    2016-06-01

    Smartphone based activity recognition has recently received remarkable attention in various applications of mobile health such as safety monitoring, fitness tracking, and disease prediction. To achieve more accurate and simplified medical monitoring, this paper proposes a self-learning scheme for patients' activity recognition, in which a patient only needs to carry an ordinary smartphone that contains common motion sensors. After the real-time data collection though this smartphone, we preprocess the data using coordinate system transformation to eliminate phone orientation influence. A set of robust and effective features are then extracted from the preprocessed data. Because a patient may inevitably perform various unpredictable activities that have no apriori knowledge in the training dataset, we propose a self-learning activity recognition scheme. The scheme determines whether there are apriori training samples and labeled categories in training pools that well match with unpredictable activity data. If not, it automatically assembles these unpredictable samples into different clusters and gives them new category labels. These clustered samples combined with the acquired new category labels are then merged into the training dataset to reinforce recognition ability of the self-learning model. In experiments, we evaluate our scheme using the data collected from two postoperative patient volunteers, including six labeled daily activities as the initial apriori categories in the training pool. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed self-learning scheme for activity recognition works very well for most cases. When there exist several types of unseen activities without any apriori information, the accuracy reaches above 80 % after the self-learning process converges.

  8. International Mutual Recognition: Progress and Prospects. Working Paper.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hager, Paul

    Increasing the mobility of service providers, including professionals, via mutual recognition (of regulatory systems) agreements (MRAs) has become a significant issue worldwide. Despite increasing interest in MRAs, it may be argued that MRAs are but one of a larger range of major developments that have fueled current interest in occupational…

  9. Listening effort and perceived clarity for normal-hearing children with the use of digital noise reduction.

    PubMed

    Gustafson, Samantha; McCreery, Ryan; Hoover, Brenda; Kopun, Judy G; Stelmachowicz, Pat

    2014-01-01

    The goal of this study was to evaluate how digital noise reduction (DNR) impacts listening effort and judgment of sound clarity in children with normal hearing. It was hypothesized that when two DNR algorithms differing in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) output are compared, the algorithm that provides the greatest improvement in overall output SNR will reduce listening effort and receive a better clarity rating from child listeners. A secondary goal was to evaluate the relation between the inversion method measurements and listening effort with DNR processing. Twenty-four children with normal hearing (ages 7 to 12 years) participated in a speech recognition task in which consonant-vowel-consonant nonwords were presented in broadband background noise. Test stimuli were recorded through two hearing aids with DNR off and DNR on at 0 dB and +5 dB input SNR. Stimuli were presented to listeners and verbal response time (VRT) and phoneme recognition scores were measured. The underlying assumption was that an increase in VRT reflects an increase in listening effort. Children rated the sound clarity for each condition. The two commercially available HAs were chosen based on: (1) an inversion technique, which was used to quantify the magnitude of change in SNR with the activation of DNR, and (2) a measure of magnitude-squared coherence, which was used to ensure that DNR in both devices preserved the spectrum. One device provided a greater improvement in overall output SNR than the other. Both DNR algorithms resulted in minimal spectral distortion as measured using coherence. For both devices, VRT decreased for the DNR-on condition, suggesting that listening effort decreased with DNR in both devices. Clarity ratings were also better in the DNR-on condition for both devices. The device showing the greatest improvement in output SNR with DNR engaged improved phoneme recognition scores. The magnitude of this improved phoneme recognition was not accurately predicted with measurements of output SNR. Measured output SNR varied in the ability to predict other outcomes. Overall, results suggest that DNR effectively reduces listening effort and improves subjective clarity ratings in children with normal hearing but that these improvements are not necessarily related to the output SNR improvements or preserved speech spectra provided by the DNR.

  10. Listening effort and perceived clarity for normal hearing children with the use of digital noise reduction

    PubMed Central

    Gustafson, Samantha; McCreery, Ryan; Hoover, Brenda; Kopun, Judy G; Stelmachowicz, Pat

    2013-01-01

    Objectives The goal of this study was to evaluate how digital noise reduction (DNR) impacts listening effort and judgment of sound clarity in children with normal hearing. It was hypothesized that, when two DNR algorithms differing in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) output are compared, the algorithm which provides the greatest improvement in overall output SNR will reduce listening effort and receive a better clarity rating from child listeners. A secondary goal was to evaluate the relation between the inversion method measurements and listening effort with DNR processing. Design Twenty-four children with normal hearing (ages 7-12 years) participated in a speech recognition task in which consonant-vowel-consonant nonwords were presented in broadband background noise. Test stimuli were recorded through two hearing aids with DNR-off and DNR-on at 0 dB and +5 dB input SNR. Stimuli were presented to listeners and verbal response time (VRT) and phoneme recognition scores were measured. The underlying assumption was that an increase in VRT reflects an in increase in listening effort. Children rated the sound clarity for each condition. The two commercially available HAs were chosen based on: 1) an inversion technique which was used to quantify the magnitude of change in SNR with the activation of DNR, and 2) a measure of magnitude-squared coherence which was used to ensure that DNR in both devices preserved the spectrum. Results One device provided a greater improvement in overall output SNR than the other. Both DNR algorithms resulted in minimal spectral distortion as measured using coherence. For both devices, VRT decreased for the DNR-on condition suggesting that listening effort decreased with DNR in both devices. Clarity ratings were also better in the DNR-on condition for both devices. The device showing the greatest improvement in output SNR with DNR engaged improved phoneme recognition scores. The magnitude of this improved phoneme recognition was not accurately predicted with measurements of output SNR. Measured output SNR varied in the ability to predict other outcomes. Conclusions Overall, results suggest that DNR effectively reduces listening effort and improves subjective clarity ratings in children with normal hearing but that these improvements are not necessarily related to the output SNR improvements or preserved speech spectra provided by the DNR. PMID:24473240

  11. The influence of audibility on speech recognition with nonlinear frequency compression for children and adults with hearing loss

    PubMed Central

    McCreery, Ryan W.; Alexander, Joshua; Brennan, Marc A.; Hoover, Brenda; Kopun, Judy; Stelmachowicz, Patricia G.

    2014-01-01

    Objective The primary goal of nonlinear frequency compression (NFC) and other frequency lowering strategies is to increase the audibility of high-frequency sounds that are not otherwise audible with conventional hearing-aid processing due to the degree of hearing loss, limited hearing aid bandwidth or a combination of both factors. The aim of the current study was to compare estimates of speech audibility processed by NFC to improvements in speech recognition for a group of children and adults with high-frequency hearing loss. Design Monosyllabic word recognition was measured in noise for twenty-four adults and twelve children with mild to severe sensorineural hearing loss. Stimuli were amplified based on each listener’s audiogram with conventional processing (CP) with amplitude compression or with NFC and presented under headphones using a software-based hearing aid simulator. A modification of the speech intelligibility index (SII) was used to estimate audibility of information in frequency-lowered bands. The mean improvement in SII was compared to the mean improvement in speech recognition. Results All but two listeners experienced improvements in speech recognition with NFC compared to CP, consistent with the small increase in audibility that was estimated using the modification of the SII. Children and adults had similar improvements in speech recognition with NFC. Conclusion Word recognition with NFC was higher than CP for children and adults with mild to severe hearing loss. The average improvement in speech recognition with NFC (7%) was consistent with the modified SII, which indicated that listeners experienced an increase in audibility with NFC compared to CP. Further studies are necessary to determine if changes in audibility with NFC are related to speech recognition with NFC for listeners with greater degrees of hearing loss, with a greater variety of compression settings, and using auditory training. PMID:24535558

  12. Intrusion recognition for optic fiber vibration sensor based on the selective attention mechanism

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xu, Haiyan; Xie, Yingjuan; Li, Min; Zhang, Zhuo; Zhang, Xuewu

    2017-11-01

    Distributed fiber-optic vibration sensors receive extensive investigation and play a significant role in the sensor panorama. A fiber optic perimeter detection system based on all-fiber interferometric sensor is proposed, through the back-end analysis, processing and intelligent identification, which can distinguish effects of different intrusion activities. In this paper, an intrusion recognition based on the auditory selective attention mechanism is proposed. Firstly, considering the time-frequency of vibration, the spectrogram is calculated. Secondly, imitating the selective attention mechanism, the color, direction and brightness map of the spectrogram is computed. Based on these maps, the feature matrix is formed after normalization. The system could recognize the intrusion activities occurred along the perimeter sensors. Experiment results show that the proposed method for the perimeter is able to differentiate intrusion signals from ambient noises. What's more, the recognition rate of the system is improved while deduced the false alarm rate, the approach is proved by large practical experiment and project.

  13. Brief daily exposures to Asian females reverses perceptual narrowing for Asian faces in Caucasian infants

    PubMed Central

    Anzures, Gizelle; Wheeler, Andrea; Quinn, Paul C.; Pascalis, Olivier; Slater, Alan M.; Heron-Delaney, Michelle; Tanaka, James W.; Lee, Kang

    2012-01-01

    Perceptual narrowing in the visual, auditory, and multisensory domains has its developmental origins in infancy. The present study shows that experimentally induced experience can reverse the effects of perceptual narrowing on infants’ visual recognition memory of other-race faces. Caucasian 8- to 10-month-olds who could not discriminate between novel and familiarized Asian faces at the beginning of testing were given brief daily experience with Asian female faces in the experimental condition and Caucasian female faces in the control condition. At the end of three weeks, only infants who received daily experience with Asian females showed above-chance recognition of novel Asian female and male faces. Further, infants in the experimental condition showed greater efficiency in learning novel Asian females compared to infants in the control condition. Thus, visual experience with a novel stimulus category can reverse the effects of perceptual narrowing in infancy via improved stimulus recognition and encoding. PMID:22625845

  14. Developing Signal-Pattern-Recognition Programs

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Shelton, Robert O.; Hammen, David

    2006-01-01

    Pattern Interpretation and Recognition Application Toolkit Environment (PIRATE) is a block-oriented software system that aids the development of application programs that analyze signals in real time in order to recognize signal patterns that are indicative of conditions or events of interest. PIRATE was originally intended for use in writing application programs to recognize patterns in space-shuttle telemetry signals received at Johnson Space Center's Mission Control Center: application programs were sought to (1) monitor electric currents on shuttle ac power busses to recognize activations of specific power-consuming devices, (2) monitor various pressures and infer the states of affected systems by applying a Kalman filter to the pressure signals, (3) determine fuel-leak rates from sensor data, (4) detect faults in gyroscopes through analysis of system measurements in the frequency domain, and (5) determine drift rates in inertial measurement units by regressing measurements against time. PIRATE can also be used to develop signal-pattern-recognition software for different purposes -- for example, to monitor and control manufacturing processes.

  15. Oxytocin eliminates the own-race bias in face recognition memory☆

    PubMed Central

    Blandón-Gitlin, Iris; Pezdek, Kathy; Saldivar, Sesar; Steelman, Erin

    2015-01-01

    The neuropeptide Oxytocin influences a number of social behaviors, including processing of faces. We examined whether Oxytocin facilitates the processing of out-group faces and reduce the own-race bias (ORB). The ORB is a robust phenomenon characterized by poor recognition memory of other-race faces compared to the same-race faces. In Experiment 1, participants received intranasal solutions of Oxytocin or placebo prior to viewing White and Black faces. On a subsequent recognition test, whereas in the placebo condition the same-race faces were better recognized than other-race faces, in the Oxytocin condition Black and White faces were equally well recognized, effectively eliminating the ORB. In Experiment 2, Oxytocin was administered after the study phase. The ORB resulted, but Oxytocin did not significantly reduce the effect. This study is the first to show that Oxytocin can enhance face memory of out-group members and underscore the importance of social encoding mechanisms underlying the own-race bias. PMID:23872107

  16. Identifying preferred format and source of exercise information in persons with multiple sclerosis that can be delivered by health-care providers.

    PubMed

    Learmonth, Yvonne C; Adamson, Brynn C; Balto, Julia M; Chiu, Chung-Yi; Molina-Guzman, Isabel M; Finlayson, Marcia; Riskin, Barry J; Motl, Robert W

    2017-10-01

    There is increasing recognition of the benefits of exercise in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS), yet the MS population does not engage in sufficient amounts of exercise to accrue health benefits. There has been little qualitative inquiry to establish the preferred format and source for receiving exercise information from health-care providers among persons with MS. We sought to identify the desired and preferred format and source of exercise information for persons with MS that can be delivered through health-care providers. Participants were adults with MS who had mild or moderate disability and participated in a range of exercise levels. All participants lived in the Midwest of the United States. Fifty semi-structured interviews were conducted and analysed using thematic analysis. Two themes emerged, (i) approach for receiving exercise promotion and (ii) ideal person for promoting exercise. Persons with MS want to receive exercise information through in-person consultations with health-care providers, print media and electronic media. Persons with MS want to receive exercise promotion from health-care providers with expertise in MS (ie neurologists) and with expertise in exercise (eg physical therapists). These data support the importance of understanding how to provide exercise information to persons with MS and identifying that health-care providers including neurologists and physical therapists should be involved in exercise promotion. © 2017 The Authors Health Expectations Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  17. Effects of the medial or basolateral amygdala upon social anxiety and social recognition in mice.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yu; Zhao, Shanshan; Liu, Xu; Fu, Qunying

    2014-01-01

    Though social anxiety and social recognition have been studied extensively, the roles of the medial or basolateral amygdala in the control of social anxiety and social recognition remain to be determined. This study investigated the effects of excitotoxic bilateral medial or basolateral amygdala lesions upon social anxiety and social recognition in-mice. Animals at 9 weeks of age were given bilateral medial or basolateral amygdala lesions via infusion of N-methyl- D-aspartate and then were used for behavioral tests: anxiety-related tests (including open-field test, light-dark test, and elevated-plus maze test), social behavior test in a novel environment, social recognition test, and flavor recognition test. Medial or basolateral amygdala-lesioned mice showed lower levels of anxiety and increased social behaviors in a novel environment. Destruction of the medial or basolateral amygdala neurons impaired social recognition but not flavor recognition. The medial or basolateral amygdala is involved in the control of anxiety-related behavior (social anxiety and social behaviors) in mice. Moreover, both the medial and the basolateral amygdala are essential for social recognition but not flavor recognition in mice.

  18. The effect of genetic counseling for adult offspring of patients with type 2 diabetes on attitudes toward diabetes and its heredity: a randomized controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Nishigaki, M; Tokunaga-Nakawatase, Y; Nishida, J; Kazuma, K

    2014-10-01

    The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of diabetes genetic counseling on attitudes toward diabetes and its heredity in relatives of type 2 diabetes patients. This study was an unmasked, randomized controlled trial at a medical check-up center in Japan. Subjects in this study are healthy adults between 30 and 60 years of age who have a family history of type 2 diabetes in their first degree relatives. Participants in the intervention group received a brief genetic counseling session for approximately 10 min. Genetic counseling was structured based on the Health Belief Model. Both intervention and control groups received a booklet for general diabetes prevention. Risk perception and recognition of diabetes, and attitude towards its prevention were measured at baseline, 1 week and 1 year after genetic counseling. Participants who received genetic counseling showed significantly higher recognition about their sense of control over diabetes onset than control group both at 1 week and 1 year after the session. On the other hand, anxiety about diabetes did not change significantly. The findings show that genetic counseling for diabetes at a medical check center helped adults with diabetes family history understand they are able to exert control over the onset of their disease through lifestyle modification.

  19. Oxytocin, vasopressin and estrogen receptor gene expression in relation to social recognition in female mice

    PubMed Central

    Clipperton-Allen, Amy E.; Lee, Anna W.; Reyes, Anny; Devidze, Nino; Phan, Anna; Pfaff, Donald W.; Choleris, Elena

    2012-01-01

    Inter- and intra-species differences in social behavior and recognition-related hormones and receptors suggest that different distribution and/or expression patterns may relate to social recognition. We used qRT-PCR to investigate naturally occurring differences in expression of estrogen receptor-alpha (ERα), ER-beta (ERβ), progesterone receptor (PR), oxytocin (OT) and receptor, and vasopressin (AVP) and receptors in proestrous female mice. Following four 5 min exposures to the same two conspecifics, one was replaced with a novel mouse in the final trial (T5). Gene expression was examined in mice showing high (85–100%) and low (40–60%) social recognition scores (i.e., preferential novel mouse investigation in T5) in eight socially-relevant brain regions. Results supported OT and AVP involvement in social recognition, and suggest that in the medial preoptic area, increased OT and AVP mRNA, together with ERα and ERβ gene activation, relate to improved social recognition. Initial social investigation correlated with ERs, PR and OTR in the dorsolateral septum, suggesting that these receptors may modulate social interest without affecting social recognition. Finally, increased lateral amygdala gene activation in the LR mice may be associated with general learning impairments, while decreased lateral amygdala activity may indicate more efficient cognitive mechanisms in the HR mice. PMID:22079582

  20. Effects of the potential lithium-mimetic, ebselen, on impulsivity and emotional processing.

    PubMed

    Masaki, Charles; Sharpley, Ann L; Cooper, Charlotte M; Godlewska, Beata R; Singh, Nisha; Vasudevan, Sridhar R; Harmer, Catherine J; Churchill, Grant C; Sharp, Trevor; Rogers, Robert D; Cowen, Philip J

    2016-07-01

    Lithium remains the most effective treatment for bipolar disorder and also has important effects to lower suicidal behaviour, a property that may be linked to its ability to diminish impulsive, aggressive behaviour. The antioxidant drug, ebselen, has been proposed as a possible lithium-mimetic based on its ability in animals to inhibit inositol monophosphatase (IMPase), an action which it shares with lithium. The aim of the study was to determine whether treatment with ebselen altered emotional processing and diminished measures of risk-taking behaviour. We studied 20 healthy participants who were tested on two occasions receiving either ebselen (3600 mg over 24 h) or identical placebo in a double-blind, randomized, cross-over design. Three hours after the final dose of ebselen/placebo, participants completed the Cambridge Gambling Task (CGT) and a task that required the detection of emotional facial expressions (facial emotion recognition task (FERT)). On the CGT, relative to placebo, ebselen reduced delay aversion while on the FERT, it increased the recognition of positive vs negative facial expressions. The study suggests that at the dosage used, ebselen can decrease impulsivity and produce a positive bias in emotional processing. These findings have implications for the possible use of ebselen in the disorders characterized by impulsive behaviour and dysphoric mood.

  1. A new perspective on John Snow's communicable disease theory.

    PubMed

    Winkelstein, W

    1995-11-01

    When John Snow undertook the studies of the cholera epidemic of 1854 in London, he was testing his theory of communicable disease, which had been enunciated in an oration delivered at the 80th anniversary of the Medical Society of London. Snow had been elected orator of the year for 1853 and, according to his biographer, had spent the better part of a year in preparation. The oration was titled, "On Continuous Molecular Changes, More Particularly in Their Relation to Epidemic Diseases." Although the text of this oration is readily available in the 1936 Commonwealth Fund facsimile reprint of Snow's more famous cholera studies, few modern epidemiologists are familiar with the work. In it, Snow lays out a theory which includes recognition that for each communicable disease there is a distinct and specific cause, that the causal agent is a living organism which is stable over many generations of propagation, that infection is necessary for communication to occur, and that the quantity of infectious material transmitted is increased by multiplication after infection to produce disease manifestations. Although Snow's theory is similar to Jacob Henle's formulations of a decade earlier, it is more precise, more comprehensive, and more explicit. On the basis of this work alone, Snow deserves broader recognition than he has received.

  2. Adolescents' Responses to Pictorial Warnings on Their Parents' Cigarette Packs

    PubMed Central

    Peebles, Kathryn; Hall, Marissa G.; Pepper, Jessica K.; Byron, M. Justin; Noar, Seth M.; Brewer, Noel T.

    2016-01-01

    Purpose Pictorial cigarette pack warnings are a promising policy solution to increase smoking cessation among adults. However, little is known regarding adolescents' responses to pictorial warnings, particularly in real-world settings. Methods Participants were 112 adolescent children, ages 13–17, whose parents received either text-only warnings on the side of their cigarette packs or pictorial warnings on the top half of the front and back of their cigarette packs for 4 weeks as part of a trial. We measured adolescents' recall and recognition of these warnings, negative emotional reactions to the warnings, perceived effectiveness of the warnings, social interactions about the warnings, and smoking risk beliefs. Results Adolescents accurately recalled pictorial warnings more often than text-only warnings (82% vs. 19%, p < .001). Recognition of warnings was also higher for pictorial than text-only warnings (82% vs. 34%, p < .001). Pictorial warnings drew greater attention (p < .001), elicited greater negative emotional reactions (p < .05), and sparked more social interactions (p < .01) than text-only warnings. Conclusions Pictorial warnings on cigarette packs may have important effects on adolescent children of smokers. Future research should further investigate the impact of such messages on adolescents' susceptibility to smoking initiation and interest in quitting smoking, particularly as the United States and other countries work to implement pictorial warning regulations. PMID:27646499

  3. Some effects of stress on users of a voice recognition system: A preliminary inquiry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    French, B. A.

    1983-03-01

    Recent work with Automatic Speech Recognition has focused on applications and productivity considerations in the man-machine interface. This thesis is an attempt to see if placing users of such equipment under time-induced stress has an effect on their percent correct recognition rates. Subjects were given a message-handling task of fixed length and allowed progressively shorter times to attempt to complete it. Questionnaire responses indicate stress levels increased with decreased time-allowance; recognition rates decreased as time was reduced.

  4. Declines in Representational Quality and Strategic Retrieval Processes Contribute to Age-Related Increases in False Recognition

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Trelle, Alexandra N.; Henson, Richard N.; Green, Deborah A. E.; Simons, Jon S.

    2017-01-01

    In a Yes/No object recognition memory test with similar lures, older adults typically exhibit elevated rates of false recognition. However, the contributions of impaired retrieval, relative to reduced availability of target details, are difficult to disentangle using such a test. The present investigation sought to decouple these factors by…

  5. Proactive Interference in Short-Term Recognition and Recall Memory

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dillon, Richard F.; Petrusic, William M.

    1972-01-01

    Purpose of study was to (a) compare the rate of increase of proactive interference over the first few trials under recall and recognition memory test conditions, (2) determine the effects of two types of distractors on short-term recognition, and (3) test memory after proactive interference had reached a stable level under each of three test…

  6. Facial Expression Recognition Deficits and Faulty Learning: Implications for Theoretical Models and Clinical Applications

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sheaffer, Beverly L.; Golden, Jeannie A.; Averett, Paige

    2009-01-01

    The ability to recognize facial expressions of emotion is integral in social interaction. Although the importance of facial expression recognition is reflected in increased research interest as well as in popular culture, clinicians may know little about this topic. The purpose of this article is to discuss facial expression recognition literature…

  7. Development of Face Recognition in 5- to 15-Year-Olds

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kinnunen, Suna; Korkman, Marit; Laasonen, Marja; Lahti-Nuuttila, Pekka

    2013-01-01

    This study focuses on the development of face recognition in typically developing preschool- and school-aged children (aged 5 to 15 years old, "n" = 611, 336 girls). Social predictors include sex differences and own-sex bias. At younger ages, the development of face recognition was rapid and became more gradual as the age increased up…

  8. The Struggle for Identity in Today's Schools: Cultural Recognition in a Time of Increasing Diversity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jenlink, Patrick M., Ed; Townes, Faye Hicks, Ed

    2009-01-01

    The "Struggle for Identity in Today's Schools" examines cultural recognition and the struggle for identity in America's schools. In particular, the contributing authors focus on the recognition and misrecognition as antagonistic cultural forces that work to shape, and at times distort identity. What surfaces throughout the chapters are two lessons…

  9. Effects of acute psychosocial stress on neural activity to emotional and neutral faces in a face recognition memory paradigm.

    PubMed

    Li, Shijia; Weerda, Riklef; Milde, Christopher; Wolf, Oliver T; Thiel, Christiane M

    2014-12-01

    Previous studies have shown that acute psychosocial stress impairs recognition of declarative memory and that emotional material is especially sensitive to this effect. Animal studies suggest a central role of the amygdala which modulates memory processes in hippocampus, prefrontal cortex and other brain areas. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate neural correlates of stress-induced modulation of emotional recognition memory in humans. Twenty-seven healthy, right-handed, non-smoker male volunteers performed an emotional face recognition task. During encoding, participants were presented with 50 fearful and 50 neutral faces. One hour later, they underwent either a stress (Trier Social Stress Test) or a control procedure outside the scanner which was followed immediately by the recognition session inside the scanner, where participants had to discriminate between 100 old and 50 new faces. Stress increased salivary cortisol, blood pressure and pulse, and decreased the mood of participants but did not impact recognition memory. BOLD data during recognition revealed a stress condition by emotion interaction in the left inferior frontal gyrus and right hippocampus which was due to a stress-induced increase of neural activity to fearful and a decrease to neutral faces. Functional connectivity analyses revealed a stress-induced increase in coupling between the right amygdala and the right fusiform gyrus, when processing fearful as compared to neutral faces. Our results provide evidence that acute psychosocial stress affects medial temporal and frontal brain areas differentially for neutral and emotional items, with a stress-induced privileged processing of emotional stimuli.

  10. Food marketing towards children: brand logo recognition, food-related behavior and BMI among 3-13-year-olds in a south Indian town.

    PubMed

    Ueda, Peter; Tong, Leilei; Viedma, Cristobal; Chandy, Sujith J; Marrone, Gaetano; Simon, Anna; Stålsby Lundborg, Cecilia

    2012-01-01

    To assess exposure to marketing of unhealthy food products and its relation to food related behavior and BMI in children aged 3-13, from different socioeconomic backgrounds in a south Indian town. Child-parent pairs (n=306) were recruited at pediatric clinics. Exposure to food marketing was assessed by a digital logo recognition test. Children matched 18 logos of unhealthy food (high in fat/sugar/salt) featured in promotion material from the food industry to pictures of corresponding products. Children's nutritional knowledge, food preferences, purchase requests, eating behavior and socioeconomic characteristics were assessed by a digital game and parental questionnaires. Anthropometric measurements were recorded. Recognition rates for the brand logos ranged from 30% to 80%. Logo recognition ability increased with age (p<0.001) and socioeconomic level (p<0.001 comparing children in the highest and lowest of three socioeconomic groups). Adjusted for gender, age and socioeconomic group, logo recognition was associated with higher BMI (p=0.022) and nutritional knowledge (p<0.001) but not to unhealthy food preferences or purchase requests. Children from higher socioeconomic groups in the region had higher brand logo recognition ability and are possibly exposed to more food marketing. The study did not lend support to a link between exposure to marketing and poor eating behavior, distorted nutritional knowledge or increased purchase requests. The correlation between logo recognition and BMI warrants further investigation on food marketing towards children and its potential role in the increasing burden of non-communicable diseases in this part of India.

  11. Dispatcher assistance and automated external defibrillator performance among elders.

    PubMed

    Ecker, R; Rea, T D; Meischke, H; Schaeffer, S M; Kudenchuk, P; Eisenberg, M S

    2001-10-01

    Automated external defibrillators (AEDs) provide an opportunity to improve survival in out-of-hospital, ventricular fibrillation (VF) cardiac arrest by enabling laypersons not trained in rhythm recognition to deliver lifesaving therapy. The potential role of emergency dispatchers in the layperson use of AEDs is uncertain. This study was performed to examine whether dispatcher telephone assistance affected AED skill performance during a simulated VF cardiac arrest among a cohort of older adults. The hypothesis was that dispatcher assistance would increase the proportion who were able to correctly deliver a shock, but might require additional time. One hundred fifty community-dwelling persons aged 58-84 years were recruited from eight senior centers in King County, Washington. All participants had received AED training approximately six months previously. For this study, the participants were randomized to AED operation with or without dispatcher assistance during a simulated VF cardiac arrest. The proportions who successfully delivered a shock and the time intervals from collapse to shock were compared between the two groups. The participants who received dispatcher assistance were more likely to correctly deliver a shock with the AED during the simulated VF cardiac arrest (91% vs 68%, p = 0.001). Among those who were able to deliver a shock, the participants who received dispatcher assistance required a longer time interval from collapse to shock [median (25th, 75th percentile) = 193 seconds (165, 225) for dispatcher assistance, and 148 seconds (138, 166) for no dispatcher assistance, p = 0.001]. Among older laypersons previously trained in AED operation, dispatcher assistance may increase the proportion who can successfully deliver a shock during a VF cardiac arrest.

  12. Hybrid coconut seedlings, scholarships, and discount cards for family planning acceptors.

    PubMed

    Sumarsono

    1989-10-01

    Having learned from failed family planning (FP) incentive schemes in other countries, Indonesia implemented a reward system designed to popularize FP in the community. In order to overcome cultural opposition to FP, many countries in the 1970s opted to give incentives--money, materials, etc.--to new contraceptive acceptors and the FP workers who successfully recruited them. These countries, which oftentimes spent up to 1/4 of their program budget on incentives, saw rapid increases in the number of new acceptors. The results, however, only reflected a superficial acceptance of FP. When the incentives stopped, the number of acceptors dropped considerably. Recognizing this, the Indonesian government set out to increase FP acceptance by making the small family the norm in the community. And one of the approaches for doing so was a reward system. The goals of the reward program were: 1) to raise awareness of the recognition given to individuals or groups that have accepted FP; 2) to create pride among FP workers and new acceptors; and 3) to generate leadership in the community. Villages with high FP acceptance receive rewards such as deep-wells that provide clean water or income generating projects. Individuals also receive rewards that sometimes include hybrid coconut seedlings which, after 3 years, can yield up to 700 coconuts, which can provide a family with a significant supplemental income. The government also gives scholarships to children of FP acceptors. Also, the president of Indonesia publicly recognized family planning acceptors. In 1989, over 800,000 couples received awards for practicing contraception over the past 5-16 years.

  13. Impact of community-based interventions on maternal and neonatal health indicators: Results from a community randomized trial in rural Balochistan, Pakistan.

    PubMed

    Midhet, Farid; Becker, Stan

    2010-11-05

    Pakistan has high maternal mortality, particularly in the rural areas. The delay in decision making to seek medical care during obstetric emergencies remains a significant factor in maternal mortality. We present results from an experimental study in rural Pakistan. Village clusters were randomly assigned to intervention and control arms (16 clusters each). In the intervention clusters, women were provided information on safe motherhood through pictorial booklets and audiocassettes; traditional birth attendants were trained in clean delivery and recognition of obstetric and newborn complications; and emergency transportation systems were set up. In eight of the 16 intervention clusters, husbands also received specially designed education materials on safe motherhood and family planning. Pre- and post-intervention surveys on selected maternal and neonatal health indicators were conducted in all 32 clusters. A district-wide survey was conducted two years after project completion to measure any residual impact of the interventions. Pregnant women in intervention clusters received prenatal care and prophylactic iron therapy more frequently than pregnant women in control clusters. Providing safe motherhood education to husbands resulted in further improvement of some indicators. There was a small but significant increase in percent of hospital deliveries but no impact on the use of skilled birth attendants. Perinatal mortality reduced significantly in clusters where only wives received information and education in safe motherhood. The survey to assess residual impact showed similar results. We conclude that providing safe motherhood education increased the probability of pregnant women having prenatal care and utilization of health services for obstetric complications.

  14. Transfer-appropriate processing in recognition memory: perceptual and conceptual effects on recognition memory depend on task demands.

    PubMed

    Parks, Colleen M

    2013-07-01

    Research examining the importance of surface-level information to familiarity in recognition memory tasks is mixed: Sometimes it affects recognition and sometimes it does not. One potential explanation of the inconsistent findings comes from the ideas of dual process theory of recognition and the transfer-appropriate processing framework, which suggest that the extent to which perceptual fluency matters on a recognition test depends in large part on the task demands. A test that recruits perceptual processing for discrimination should show greater perceptual effects and smaller conceptual effects than standard recognition, similar to the pattern of effects found in perceptual implicit memory tasks. This idea was tested in the current experiment by crossing a levels of processing manipulation with a modality manipulation on a series of recognition tests that ranged from conceptual (standard recognition) to very perceptually demanding (a speeded recognition test with degraded stimuli). Results showed that the levels of processing effect decreased and the effect of modality increased when tests were made perceptually demanding. These results support the idea that surface-level features influence performance on recognition tests when they are made salient by the task demands. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

  15. WHOLE BODY VIBRATION IMPROVES ATTENTION AND MOTOR PERFORMANCE IN MICE DEPENDING ON THE DURATION OF THE WHOLE-BODY VIBRATION SESSION.

    PubMed

    Keijser, Jan N; van Heuvelen, Marieke J G; Nyakas, Csaba; Tóth, Kata; Schoemaker, Regien G; Zeinstra, Edzard; van der Zee, Eddy A

    2017-01-01

    Whole body vibration (WBV) is a form of physical stimulation via mechanical vibrations transmitted to a subject. It is assumed that WBV induces sensory stimulation in cortical brain regions through the activation of skin and muscle receptors responding to the vibration. The effects of WBV on muscle strength are well described. However, little is known about the impact of WBV on the brain. Recently, it was shown in humans that WBV improves attention in an acute WBV protocol. Preclinical research is needed to unravel the underlying brain mechanism. As a first step, we examined whether chronic WBV improves attention in mice. A custom made vibrating platform for mice with low intensity vibrations was used. Male CD1 mice (3 months of age) received five weeks WBV (30 Hz; 1.9 G), five days a week with sessions of five (n=12) or 30 (n=10) minutes. Control mice (pseudo-WBV; n=12 and 10 for the five and 30 minute sessions, respectively) were treated in a similar way, but did not receive the actual vibration. Object recognition tasks were used as an attention test (novel and spatial object recognition - the primary outcome measure). A Balance beam was used for motor performance, serving as a secondary outcome measure. WBV sessions of five (but not WBV sessions of 30 minutes) improved balance beam performance (mice gained 28% in time needed to cross the beam) and novel object recognition (mice paid significantly more attention to the novel object) as compared to pseudo WBV, but no change was found for spatial object performance (mice did not notice the relocation). Although 30 minutes WBV sessions were not beneficial, it did not impair either attention or motor performance. These results show that brief sessions of WBV improve, next to motor performance, attention for object recognition, but not spatial cues of the objects. The selective improvement of attention in mice opens the avenue to unravel the underlying brain mechanisms.

  16. Loss of object recognition memory produced by extended access to methamphetamine self-administration is reversed by positive allosteric modulation of metabotropic glutamate receptor 5.

    PubMed

    Reichel, Carmela M; Schwendt, Marek; McGinty, Jacqueline F; Olive, M Foster; See, Ronald E

    2011-03-01

    Chronic methamphetamine (meth) abuse can lead to persisting cognitive deficits. Here, we utilized a long-access meth self-administration (SA) protocol to assess recognition memory and metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR) expression, and the possible reversal of cognitive impairments with the mGluR5 allosteric modulator, 3-cyano-N-(1,3-diphenyl-1H-pyrazol-5-yl) benzamide (CDPPB). Male, Long-Evans rats self-administered i.v. meth (0.02 mg/infusion) on an FR1 schedule of reinforcement or received yoked-saline infusions. After seven daily 1-h sessions, rats were switched to 6-h daily sessions for 14 days, and then underwent drug abstinence. Rats were tested for object recognition memory at 1 week after meth SA at 90 min and 24 h retention intervals. In a separate experiment, rats underwent the same protocol, but received either vehicle or CDPPB (30 mg/kg) after familiarization. Rats were killed on day 8 or 14 post-SA and brain tissue was obtained. Meth intake escalated over the extended access period. Additionally, meth-experienced rats showed deficits in both short- and long-term recognition memory, demonstrated by a lack of novel object exploration. The deficit at 90 min was reversed by CDPPB treatment. On day 8, meth intake during SA negatively correlated with mGluR expression in the perirhinal and prefrontal cortex, and mGluR5 receptor expression was decreased 14 days after discontinuation of meth. This effect was specific to mGluR5 levels in the perirhinal cortex, as no differences were identified in the hippocampus or in mGluR2/3 receptors. These results from a clinically-relevant animal model of addiction suggest that mGluR5 receptor modulation may be a potential treatment of cognitive dysfunction in meth addiction.

  17. Compensation for Blur Requires Increase in Field of View and Viewing Time

    PubMed Central

    Kwon, MiYoung; Liu, Rong; Chien, Lillian

    2016-01-01

    Spatial resolution is an important factor for human pattern recognition. In particular, low resolution (blur) is a defining characteristic of low vision. Here, we examined spatial (field of view) and temporal (stimulus duration) requirements for blurry object recognition. The spatial resolution of an image such as letter or face, was manipulated with a low-pass filter. In experiment 1, studying spatial requirement, observers viewed a fixed-size object through a window of varying sizes, which was repositioned until object identification (moving window paradigm). Field of view requirement, quantified as the number of “views” (window repositions) for correct recognition, was obtained for three blur levels, including no blur. In experiment 2, studying temporal requirement, we determined threshold viewing time, the stimulus duration yielding criterion recognition accuracy, at six blur levels, including no blur. For letter and face recognition, we found blur significantly increased the number of views, suggesting a larger field of view is required to recognize blurry objects. We also found blur significantly increased threshold viewing time, suggesting longer temporal integration is necessary to recognize blurry objects. The temporal integration reflects the tradeoff between stimulus intensity and time. While humans excel at recognizing blurry objects, our findings suggest compensating for blur requires increased field of view and viewing time. The need for larger spatial and longer temporal integration for recognizing blurry objects may further challenge object recognition in low vision. Thus, interactions between blur and field of view should be considered for developing low vision rehabilitation or assistive aids. PMID:27622710

  18. Neural microgenesis of personally familiar face recognition

    PubMed Central

    Ramon, Meike; Vizioli, Luca; Liu-Shuang, Joan; Rossion, Bruno

    2015-01-01

    Despite a wealth of information provided by neuroimaging research, the neural basis of familiar face recognition in humans remains largely unknown. Here, we isolated the discriminative neural responses to unfamiliar and familiar faces by slowly increasing visual information (i.e., high-spatial frequencies) to progressively reveal faces of unfamiliar or personally familiar individuals. Activation in ventral occipitotemporal face-preferential regions increased with visual information, independently of long-term face familiarity. In contrast, medial temporal lobe structures (perirhinal cortex, amygdala, hippocampus) and anterior inferior temporal cortex responded abruptly when sufficient information for familiar face recognition was accumulated. These observations suggest that following detailed analysis of individual faces in core posterior areas of the face-processing network, familiar face recognition emerges categorically in medial temporal and anterior regions of the extended cortical face network. PMID:26283361

  19. Neural microgenesis of personally familiar face recognition.

    PubMed

    Ramon, Meike; Vizioli, Luca; Liu-Shuang, Joan; Rossion, Bruno

    2015-09-01

    Despite a wealth of information provided by neuroimaging research, the neural basis of familiar face recognition in humans remains largely unknown. Here, we isolated the discriminative neural responses to unfamiliar and familiar faces by slowly increasing visual information (i.e., high-spatial frequencies) to progressively reveal faces of unfamiliar or personally familiar individuals. Activation in ventral occipitotemporal face-preferential regions increased with visual information, independently of long-term face familiarity. In contrast, medial temporal lobe structures (perirhinal cortex, amygdala, hippocampus) and anterior inferior temporal cortex responded abruptly when sufficient information for familiar face recognition was accumulated. These observations suggest that following detailed analysis of individual faces in core posterior areas of the face-processing network, familiar face recognition emerges categorically in medial temporal and anterior regions of the extended cortical face network.

  20. Improved recognition of ineffective chest compressions after a brief Crew Resource Management (CRM) training: a prospective, randomised simulation study.

    PubMed

    Haffner, Leopold; Mahling, Moritz; Muench, Alexander; Castan, Christoph; Schubert, Paul; Naumann, Aline; Reddersen, Silke; Herrmann-Werner, Anne; Reutershan, Jörg; Riessen, Reimer; Celebi, Nora

    2017-03-03

    Chest compressions are a core element of cardio-pulmonary resuscitation. Despite periodic training, real-life chest compressions have been reported to be overly shallow and/or fast, very likely affecting patient outcomes. We investigated the effect of a brief Crew Resource Management (CRM) training program on the correction rate of improperly executed chest compressions in a simulated cardiac arrest scenario. Final-year medical students (n = 57) were randomised to receive a 10-min computer-based CRM or a control training on ethics. Acting as team leaders, subjects performed resuscitation in a simulated cardiac arrest scenario before and after the training. Team members performed standardised overly shallow and fast chest compressions. We analysed how often the team leader recognised and corrected improper chest compressions, as well as communication and resuscitation quality. After the CRM training, team leaders corrected improper chest compressions (35.5%) significantly more often compared with those undergoing control training (7.7%, p = 0.03*). Consequently, four students have to be trained (number needed to treat = 3.6) for one improved chest compression scenario. Communication quality assessed by the Leader Behavior Description Questionnaire significantly increased in the intervention group by a mean of 4.5 compared with 2.0 (p = 0.01*) in the control group. A computer-based, 10-min CRM training improved the recognition of ineffective of chest compressions. Furthermore, communication quality increased. As guideline-adherent chest compressions have been linked to improved patient outcomes, our CRM training might represent a brief and affordable approach to increase chest compression quality and potentially improve patient outcomes.

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