scholarly journals Conjunctive representations that integrate stimuli, responses, and rules are critical for action selection

2020 ◽  
Vol 117 (19) ◽  
pp. 10603-10608 ◽  
Author(s):  
Atsushi Kikumoto ◽  
Ulrich Mayr
Keyword(s):  
Direct Evidence ◽  
Response Times ◽  
Control Point ◽  
Action Selection ◽  
Necessary Condition ◽  
Time Resolved ◽  
Partial Overlap ◽  
Temporal Profiles ◽  
Behavioral Indicator

People can use abstract rules to flexibly configure and select actions for specific situations, yet how exactly rules shape actions toward specific sensory and/or motor requirements remains unclear. Both research from animal models and human-level theories of action control point to the role of highly integrated, conjunctive representations, sometimes referred to as event files. These representations are thought to combine rules with other, goal-relevant sensory and motor features in a nonlinear manner and represent a necessary condition for action selection. However, so far, no methods exist to track such representations in humans during action selection with adequate temporal resolution. Here, we applied time-resolved representational similarity analysis to the spectral-temporal profiles of electroencephalography signals while participants performed a cued, rule-based action selection task. In two experiments, we found that conjunctive representations were active throughout the entire selection period and were functionally dissociable from the representation of constituent features. Specifically, the strength of conjunctions was a highly robust predictor of trial-by-trial variability in response times and was selectively related to an important behavioral indicator of conjunctive representations, the so-called partial-overlap priming pattern. These results provide direct evidence for conjunctive representations as critical precursors of action selection in humans.

scholarly journals Conjunctive Representations that Integrate Stimuli, Responses, and Rules are Critical for Action Selection

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Atsushi Kikumoto ◽  
Ulrich Mayr
Keyword(s):  
Response Times ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Action Selection ◽  
Sensory Response ◽  
Time Resolved ◽  
Event Files ◽  
Partial Overlap ◽  
Temporal Profiles ◽  
Behavioral Indicator ◽  
Selection Of

AbstractPeople can use abstract rules to flexibly configure and select actions for specific situations. Yet how exactly rules shape actions towards specific sensory and/or motor requirements remains unclear. One possibility is that rules become integrated with sensory/response features in a non-linear, conjunctive manner (e.g., event files; Hommel, 1998) to drive rule-guided action selection. To dynamically track such conjunctive representations during action selection, we applied a time-resolved representational similarity analysis to the spectral-temporal profiles of the EEG signal, while participants selected actions based on varying rules. Across two experiments, we found that action selection engages conjunctive representations binding action rules to specific sensory/motor settings throughout the entire selection period. The strength of conjunctions was the most important predictor of trial-by-trial variability in response times (RTs) and was closely, and selectively, related to an important behavioral indicator of event files—the partial-overlap priming pattern. Thus, conjunctive representations were functionally dissociated from their constituent action features and play a critical role during flexible selection of action.

scholarly journals Which properties of the visual stimuli predict the type of representation used in mental rotation?

2019 ◽  
Vol 72 (10) ◽  
pp. 2462-2473
Author(s):  
Binglei Zhao ◽  
Chuan Zhu ◽  
Sergio Della Sala
Keyword(s):  
Mental Rotation ◽  
Direct Evidence ◽  
Response Times ◽  
Visual Stimuli ◽  
Internal Representation ◽  
Stimulus Complexity ◽  
Vertex Number ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Representation Types

Two modes of internal representation, holistic and piecemeal transformation, have been reported as a means to perform mental rotation (MR) tasks. The stimulus complexity effect has been proposed as an indicator to disentangle between these two representation types. However, the complexity effect has not been fully confirmed owing to the fact that different performances could result from different types of stimuli. Moreover, whether the non-mirror foils play a role in forcing participants to encode all the information from the stimuli in MR tasks is still under debate. This study aims at testing the association between these two common types of representation with different stimuli in MR tasks. First, the numbers of segments and vertices in polygon stimuli were manipulated to test which property of the visual stimuli is more likely to influence the representation in MR tasks. Second, the role of non-mirror foils was examined by comparing the stimulus complexity effect in both with- and without-non-mirror foils conditions. The results revealed that the segment number affected the slope of the linear function relating response times to rotation angle, but the vertex number in the polygons did not. This suggests that a holistic representation was more likely to be adopted in processing integrated objects, whereas a piecemeal transformation was at play in processing multi-part objects. In addition, the stimulus complexity effect was observed in the with-non-mirror foils condition but not in the without-non-mirror foils one, providing a direct evidence to support the role of non-mirror foils in MR tasks.

Direct Evidence for the Role of Inhibition in Resolving Interference

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Karl Healey ◽  
Karen L. Campbell ◽  
Lynn Hasher ◽  
Lynn Ossher
Keyword(s):  
Direct Evidence

The Temptations of Christ and Other Stories

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleonore Stump
Keyword(s):  
Human Person ◽  
Necessary Condition ◽  
Biblical Narratives ◽  
God's Love ◽  
The Way

This chapter examines biblical narratives to illuminate the role of Christ’s passion and death in bringing a person to a life in grace. Reflection on the narratives shows that Christ’s passion and death are a most promising way for God to help a human person to the surrender which is the necessary condition for spiritual and moral regeneration. The stories of the temptations of Christ show the way in which Christ’s suffering and death are connected to justification and sanctification. A person’s ceasing to resist the grace of God and surrendering to God’s love is the pinnacle on which her salvation has to stand. If we focus on this necessary condition for salvation, we can see the reason for Christ’s suffering. What can be gained by weakness that could not be gotten through power is the melting of a heart accustomed to willed loneliness and hardened against joy.

scholarly journals CHOP-Dependent Stress-Inducible Expression of a Novel Form of Carbonic Anhydrase VI

1999 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 495-504 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Sok ◽  
Xiao-Zhong Wang ◽  
Nikoleta Batchvarova ◽  
Masahiko Kuroda ◽  
Heather Harding ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbonic Anhydrase ◽  
Target Gene ◽  
Target Genes ◽  
Direct Evidence ◽  
Nuclear Protein ◽  
Intracellular Form ◽  
Carbonic Anhydrase Vi ◽  
Responsive Element

ABSTRACT CHOP (also called GADD153) is a stress-inducible nuclear protein that dimerizes with members of the C/EBP family of transcription factors and was initially identified as an inhibitor of C/EBP binding to classic C/EBP target genes. Subsequent experiments suggested a role for CHOP-C/EBP heterodimers in positively regulating gene expression; however, direct evidence that this is the case has so far not been uncovered. Here we describe the identification of a positively regulated direct CHOP-C/EBP target gene, that encoding murine carbonic anhydrase VI (CA-VI). The stress-inducible form of the gene is expressed from an internal promoter and encodes a novel intracellular form of what is normally a secreted protein. Stress-induced expression of CA-VI is both CHOP and C/EBPβ dependent in that it does not occur in cells deficient in either gene. A CHOP-responsive element was mapped to the inducibleCA-VI promoter, and in vitro footprinting revealed binding of CHOP-C/EBP heterodimers to that site. Rescue of CA-VIexpression in c/ebpβ−/− cells by exogenous C/EBPβ and a shorter, normally inhibitory isoform of the protein known as LIP suggests that the role of the C/EBP partner is limited to targeting the CHOP-containing heterodimer to the response element and points to a preeminent role for CHOP in CA-VI induction during stress.

scholarly journals Stoichiometric Analysis of Shifting in Subcellular Compartmentalization of HSP70 within Ischemic Penumbra

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (12) ◽  
pp. 3578
Author(s):  
Federica Mastroiacovo ◽  
Francesca Biagioni ◽  
Paola Lenzi ◽  
Larisa Ryskalin ◽  
Stefano Puglisi-Allegra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Direct Evidence ◽  
Neuronal Survival ◽  
Hsp 70 ◽  
Preclinical Models ◽  
Brain Areas ◽  
Cell Compartments ◽  
Control Brain ◽  
Disease Modifier ◽  
Subcellular Compartmentalization

The heat shock protein (HSP) 70 is considered the main hallmark in preclinical studies to stain the peri-infarct region defined area penumbra in preclinical models of brain ischemia. This protein is also considered as a potential disease modifier, which may improve the outcome of ischemic damage. In fact, the molecule HSP70 acts as a chaperonine being able to impact at several level the homeostasis of neurons. Despite being used routinely to stain area penumbra in light microscopy, the subcellular placement of this protein within area penumbra neurons, to our knowledge, remains undefined. This is key mostly when considering studies aimed at deciphering the functional role of this protein as a determinant of neuronal survival. The general subcellular placement of HSP70 was grossly reported in studies using confocal microscopy, although no direct visualization of this molecule at electron microscopy was carried out. The present study aims to provide a direct evidence of HSP70 within various subcellular compartments. In detail, by using ultrastructural morphometry to quantify HSP70 stoichiometrically detected by immuno-gold within specific organelles we could compare the compartmentalization of the molecule within area penumbra compared with control brain areas. The study indicates that two cell compartments in control conditions own a high density of HSP70, cytosolic vacuoles and mitochondria. In these organelles, HSP70 is present in amount exceeding several-fold the presence in the cytosol. Remarkably, within area penumbra a loss of such a specific polarization is documented. This leads to the depletion of HSP70 from mitochondria and mostly cell vacuoles. Such an effect is expected to lead to significant variations in the ability of HSP70 to exert its physiological roles. The present findings, beyond defining the neuronal compartmentalization of HSP70 within area penumbra may lead to a better comprehension of its beneficial/detrimental role in promoting neuronal survival.

scholarly journals The role of spin in the degradation of organic photovoltaics

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivan Ramirez ◽  
Alberto Privitera ◽  
Safakath Karuthedath ◽  
Anna Jungbluth ◽  
Johannes Benduhn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transient Absorption ◽  
Bulk Heterojunction ◽  
Critical Factor ◽  
Model Systems ◽  
Transient Absorption Spectroscopy ◽  
Triplet States ◽  
Paramagnetic Resonance ◽  
Time Resolved ◽  
A Charge

AbstractStability is now a critical factor in the commercialization of organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices. Both extrinsic stability to oxygen and water and intrinsic stability to light and heat in inert conditions must be achieved. Triplet states are known to be problematic in both cases, leading to singlet oxygen production or fullerene dimerization. The latter is thought to proceed from unquenched singlet excitons that have undergone intersystem crossing (ISC). Instead, we show that in bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells the photo-degradation of C60 via photo-oligomerization occurs primarily via back-hole transfer (BHT) from a charge-transfer state to a C60 excited triplet state. We demonstrate this to be the principal pathway from a combination of steady-state optoelectronic measurements, time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance, and temperature-dependent transient absorption spectroscopy on model systems. BHT is a much more serious concern than ISC because it cannot be mitigated by improved exciton quenching, obtained for example by a finer BHJ morphology. As BHT is not specific to fullerenes, our results suggest that the role of electron and hole back transfer in the degradation of BHJs should also be carefully considered when designing stable OPV devices.

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