scholarly journals Bilateral Ablation of Auditory Cortex in Mongolian Gerbil Affects Discrimination of Frequency Modulated Tones but not of Pure Tones

1999 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 347-362 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank W. Ohl ◽  
Wolfram Wetzel ◽  
Thomas Wagner ◽  
Alexander Rech ◽  
Henning Scheich
Keyword(s):  
Auditory Cortex ◽  
Mongolian Gerbil ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Differential Involvement ◽  
Pure Tones ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Tone Discrimination

This study examines the role of auditory cortex in the Mongolian gerbil in differential conditioning to pure tones and to linearly frequency-modulated (FM) tones by analyzing the effects of bilateral auditory cortex ablation. Learning behavior and performance were studied in a GO/NO-GO task aiming at avoidance of a mild foot shock by crossing a hurdle in a two-way shuttle box. Hurdle crossing as the conditioned response to the reinforced stimulus (CR+), as false alarm in response to the unreinforced stimulus (CR−), intertrial activity, and reaction times were monitored. The analysis revealed no effects of lesion on pure tone discrimination but impairment of FM tone discrimination. In the latter case lesion effects were dependent on timing of lesion relative to FM tone discrimination training. Lesions before training in naive animals led to a reduced CR+ rate and had no effect on CR− rate. Lesions in pretrained animals led to an increased CR− rate without effects on the CR+ rate. The results suggest that auditory cortex plays a more critical role in discrimination of FM tones than in discrimination of pure tones. The different lesion effects on FM tone discrimination before and after training are compatible with both the hypothesis of a purely sensory deficit in FM tone processing and the hypothesis of a differential involvement of auditory cortex in acquisition and retention, respectively.

scholarly journals Expectancy of Stress-Reducing Aromatherapy Effect and Performance on a Stress-Sensitive Cognitive Task

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irina Chamine ◽  
Barry S. Oken
Keyword(s):  
Task Performance ◽  
Stress Reduction ◽  
Cognitive Task ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Event Related Potentials ◽  
Specific Effects ◽  
N200 Amplitude ◽  
Related Potentials ◽  
And Performance

Objective. Stress-reducing therapies help maintain cognitive performance during stress. Aromatherapy is popular for stress reduction, but its effectiveness and mechanism are unclear. This study examined stress-reducing effects of aromatherapy on cognitive function using the go/no-go (GNG) task performance and event related potentials (ERP) components sensitive to stress. The study also assessed the importance of expectancy in aromatherapy actions.Methods. 81 adults were randomized to 3 aroma groups (active experimental, detectable, and undetectable placebo) and 2 prime subgroups (prime suggesting stress-reducing aroma effects or no-prime). GNG performance, ERPs, subjective expected aroma effects, and stress ratings were assessed at baseline and poststress.Results. No specific aroma effects on stress or cognition were observed. However, regardless of experienced aroma, people receiving a prime displayed faster poststress median reaction times than those receiving no prime. A significant interaction for N200 amplitude indicated divergent ERP patterns between baseline and poststress for go and no-go stimuli depending on the prime subgroup. Furthermore, trends for beneficial prime effects were shown on poststress no-go N200/P300 latencies and N200 amplitude.Conclusion. While there were no aroma-specific effects on stress or cognition, these results highlight the role of expectancy for poststress response inhibition and attention.

EFFECT OF REACTION TRAINING ON DURATION AND REACTION TIMES

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (27) ◽  
pp. 86-92
Author(s):  
Tülin ATAN
Keyword(s):  
Reaction Time ◽  
Normal Distribution ◽  
Training Program ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Rank Test ◽  
Tennis Players ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Speed Performance ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Training Exercises

In this study, it was aimed to examine the effects of reaction training on reaction time and speed in tennis players. For this purpose a total of 18 tennis players; 9 male (age; 13.33 ± 1.80 years) and 7 female (13.85 ± 2.19 years) were voluntarily participated the study. In this study, the reaction training program, which was applied for 2 days a week for 12 weeks, was prepared in addition to tennis training. In the reaction training, exercises suitable for visual and auditory reaction were used. Before and after the 12-week reaction training, a 30 m speed running test and reaction time tests were performed. Whether the data showed normal distribution was analyzed with the Shapiro Wilk test and it was determined that the data did not show normal distribution. Mann Whitney U test was used in comparisons between the two groups. Wilcoxan Signd Rank test was used in the comparisons made before and after the training. As a result of the statistical analysis, it was seen that both the physical characteristics and performance parameters of males and females in our study group were not statistically different (p>0.05). For this reason, all subjects were taken into consideration regardless of gender in comparisons before and after tennis training. After the reaction training program applied to the subjects, it was determined that the 30 m speed performance values were shortened in duration compared to the pre-training period, that is, the speed improved (p <0.01). When the reaction time values were compared before and after the training program applied, it was seen that the reaction time values improved significantly after the training (p <0.01). As a result, reaction training performed in tennis players’ increases speed and reaction time performance. Reaction training is recommended in sports branches where this type of motor is important.

scholarly journals Innovative CRM and Performance of SMEs: The Moderating Role of Relational Capital

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 155
Author(s):  
Nagwan AlQershi ◽  
Sany Sanuri Mohd Mokhtar ◽  
Zakaria Bin Abas
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Customer Relationship ◽  
Relational Capital ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Medium Enterprises ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Key Customer

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is more than an information tool and plays a critical role in small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The present study explored the moderating effect of relational capital (RC) on the relationship between CRM dimensions and the performance of 284 Yemeni manufacturing SMEs. Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the study’s hypotheses. Results indicate that only three of the CRM dimensions have a significant effect on performance. The moderating effects of relational capital on this relationship were also examined and were found to be significant for only two CRM dimensions: technology-based CRM and CRM organization. Key customer focus and CRM knowledge management had no effect. The findings of this study offer important insights for owners and managers of SMEs, researchers, and policymakers to further understand the effects of relational capital and CRM on SMEs’ performance. SMEs should be encouraged to develop their CRM and relational capital to improve their performance.

scholarly journals Impact of The HEROES Project on First Responders’ Well-Being

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel M. Blumberg ◽  
Luciano Giromini ◽  
Konstantinos Papazoglou ◽  
A. Renee Thornton
Keyword(s):  
First Responders ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Psychological Resources ◽  
Trauma Symptoms ◽  
Breathing Exercises ◽  
Before And After ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Impact

First responders experience a myriad of stressors (e.g., operational, organizational, personal) over the course of their career. An abundance of empirical evidence shows that the impact of those stressors on first responders’ health, well-being, and performance can be detrimental. Nevertheless, previous research has mainly focused on the role of a specific technique (e.g., mindfulness, breathing exercises, psychoeducation) towards the promotion of well-being among first responders. This allows us to explore the role of a single technique in supporting first responders. However, given the complexity of stressors experienced by this population, it appears that a synergistic role of multileveled intervention is imperative to promote lasting improvement in first responders’ well-being. To this end, The HEROES Project, an eight-week online training program, was developed to address the aforementioned gap in the literature. The HEROES Project incorporates lessons that aim to build a cluster of skills that together promote first responders’ wellbeing. In the present study, a sample of first responders (n = 124) from the US Midwest were recruited and completed The HEROES Project. They were assessed before and after completion of the program, and then follow-up measurements were obtained for two years following the baseline assessment. Results showed that participants with higher distress and lower psychological resources before the training benefited most from The HEROES Project, but that the training significantly improved psychological capital and reduced stress, depression, anxiety, and trauma symptoms for all participants. Clinical and training implications as well as future research directions are discussed.

MECHANICAL PERFORMANCE OF NOVEL POLYISOBUTYLENE-BASED ELASTOMERIC POLYURETHANES BEFORE AND AFTER HYDROLYSIS

2019 ◽  
Vol 92 (3) ◽  
pp. 481-495 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jozsef Kantor ◽  
Elizabeth A. Collister ◽  
Judit E. Puskas ◽  
Michael P. Mallamaci ◽  
Val C. Comes
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Performance ◽  
Hydrolytic Stability ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
High Viscosity ◽  
Stability Testing ◽  
Synthesis Conditions ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Hard Segments ◽  
And Performance ◽  
American Society

ABSTRACT The mechanical performance of thermoplastic elastomeric polyurethanes (PUs) before and after hydrolysis is investigated. These new PUs were prepared with a new asymmetric polyisobutylene-diol (PIB-diol), without the use of solvents, and with short reaction times. The PUs were made with dicyclohexylmethane 4,4′-diisocyanate and 1,4-butanediol in the hard segments and poly(hexamethylene carbonate) (PC)-diol and polyisobutylene (PIB)-diol in the soft segments. The functionality of PIB-diol was verified by mass spectrometry. Optimum solventless synthesis conditions and performance were found with a mixture of 50/50 PIB-diol/PC-diol (28.9 wt% PIB in the PU). This PU had 26.03 ± 1.19 MPa tensile strength with 286.92 ± 12.17% elongation before and 16.22 ± 0.65 with 301.17 ± 15.08% elongation after American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) hydrolytic stability testing. Importantly, after the hydrolytic stability testing, the stress–strain plot of this PIB–PU was similar to that of the control PC–PU. The PU with 70/30 PIB-diol/PC-diol (41.2 wt% PIB in the PU) performed slightly better but needed solvent during synthesis because of the high viscosity of the mixtures.

scholarly journals Role of Auditory Cortex in Sound Localization in the Midsagittal Plane

2007 ◽  
Vol 98 (3) ◽  
pp. 1763-1774 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer K. Bizley ◽  
Fernando R. Nodal ◽  
Carl H. Parsons ◽  
Andrew J. King
Keyword(s):  
Auditory Cortex ◽  
Sound Localization ◽  
Primary Auditory Cortex ◽  
Midsagittal Plane ◽  
Spectral Localization ◽  
Approximate Location ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Significant Deficit ◽  
Vertical Localization

Although the auditory cortex is known to be essential for normal sound localization in the horizontal plane, its contribution to vertical localization has not so far been examined. In this study, we measured the acuity with which ferrets could discriminate between two speakers in the midsagittal plane before and after silencing activity bilaterally in the primary auditory cortex (A1). This was achieved either by subdural placement of Elvax implants containing the GABAA receptor agonist muscimol or by making aspiration lesions after determining the approximate location of A1 electrophysiologically. Psychometric functions and minimum audible angles were measured in the upper hemifield for 500-, 200-, and 40-ms noise bursts. Muscimol-Elvax inactivation of A1 produced a small but significant deficit in the animals’ ability to localize brief (40-ms) sounds, which was reversed after removal of the Elvax implants. A similar deficit in vertical localization was observed after bilateral aspiration lesions of A1, whereas performance at longer sound durations was unaffected. Another group of ferrets received larger lesions, encompassing both primary and nonprimary auditory cortical areas, and showed a greater deficit with performance being impaired for long- and short-duration (500- and 40-ms, respectively) stimuli. These data suggest that the integrity of the auditory cortex is required to successfully utilize spectral localization cues, which are thought to provide the basis for vertical localization, and that multiple cortical fields, including A1, contribute to this task.

Role of Model's Affect in Test Anxiety

1980 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 956-958
Author(s):  
David R. Olson ◽  
Robert S. Schlottmann
Keyword(s):  
Task Performance ◽  
State Anxiety ◽  
Task Demands ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Anxiety Levels ◽  
And Performance ◽  
State Scale ◽  
High Test ◽  
And Task

Thirty high test-anxious and 30 low test-anxious undergraduate females were exposed to either an anxious model, a non-anxious model or no model before performing on a spatial visualization task. The STAI A-State scale was also given before and after performance to determine the effects of model conditions and task performance on state anxiety levels. Subjects were then asked to evaluate their performance. Highly test-anxious subjects performed more poorly, reported higher levels of anxiety, and evaluated their performance more negatively than low test-anxious subjects. Type of model had no differential effect on the anxiety level and performance of subjects. Thus, the vicarious effects of a model may sometimes be superceded by task demands even on highly test-anxious subjects.

scholarly journals Dissociating morphological and form priming with novel complex word primes

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 413-434 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Fiorentino ◽  
Stephen Politzer-Ahles ◽  
Natalie S. Pak ◽  
María Teresa Martínez-García ◽  
Caitlin Coughlin
Keyword(s):  
Critical Role ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Masked Priming ◽  
Priming Effects ◽  
Lexical Status ◽  
Morphological Priming ◽  
Novel Complex ◽  
Complex Words ◽  
Orthographic Priming

Recent research suggests that visually-presented words are initially morphologically segmented whenever the letter-string can be exhaustively assigned to existing morphological representations, but not when an exhaustive parse is unavailable; e.g., priming is observed for both hunter → HUNT and brother → BROTH, but not for brothel → BROTH. Few studies have investigated whether this pattern extends to novel complex words, and the results to date (all from novel suffixed words) are mixed. In the current study, we examine whether novel compounds (drugrack → RACK) yield morphological priming which is dissociable from that in novel pseudoembedded words (slegrack → RACK). Using masked priming, we find significant and comparable priming in reaction times for word-final elements of both novel compounds and novel pseudoembedded words. Using overt priming, however, we find greater priming effects (in both reaction times and N400 amplitudes) for novel compounds compared to novel pseudoembedded words. These results are consistent with models assuming across-the-board activation of putative constituents, while also suggesting that morpheme activation may persevere despite the lack of an exhaustive morpheme-based parse when an exhaustive monomorphemic analysis is also unavailable. These findings highlight the critical role of the lexical status of the pseudoembedded prime in dissociating morphological and orthographic priming.

scholarly journals Curating complexity: the role of sentience in parametric design

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Cunha
Keyword(s):  
Parametric Design ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Computational Design ◽  
Qualitative Reasoning ◽  
Architectural Theory ◽  
Architectural Discourse ◽  
Philosophical Foundations ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Current Paradigm

In De Architectura, Vitruvius makes note of three criteria that define architecture; firmitas (durability), utilitas (function) and venustas (delight). These ideals form the philosophical foundations of virtually all modern architectural theory. With the advent of computational tools, many advocates, commonly armed with staggering statistics, frame these methods as a means of increasing efficiency in collaboration, construction and performance - muting the critical role of a sentient designer in architectural discourse of the digital age. The role of the parti has eroded in favour of computational strategies that constrain utilitas to a measure of quantifiable “fitness”. The research herein unveils and reflects upon the mutating role of the architect in computational design, advocating for the importance of qualitative reasoning in a parametric process. Where the current paradigm is negligent, the project aims to illuminate and reinforce the role of today’s sentient designer nested in a cultural milieu of computation.

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