The neural bases of resilient semantic system: evidence of variable neuro-displacement in cognitive systems

The purpose of this study was to explore an important research goal in cognitive and clinical neuroscience: What are the neurocomputational mechanisms that make cognitive systems “well engineered” and thus resilient across a range of performance demands and to mild levels of perturbation or even damage? A new hypothesis called ‘variable neuro-displacement’ suggests that cognitive systems are formed with dynamic, spare processing capacity, which balances energy consumption against performance requirements and can be resilient to changes in performance demands. Here, we tested this hypothesis by investigating the neural dynamics of the semantic system by manipulating performance demand. The performance demand was manipulated with two levels of task difficulty (easy vs. hard) in two different ways (stimulus type and response timing). We found that the demanding semantic processing increased regional activity in both the domain-specific semantic representational system (anterior temporal lobe) and the parallel executive control networks (prefrontal, posterior temporal, and parietal regions). Functional connectivity between these regions was also increased during demanding semantic processing and these increases were related to better semantic task performance. Our results suggest that semantic cognition is made resilient by flexible, dynamic changes including increased regional activity and functional connectivity across both domain-specific and domain-general systems. It reveals the intrinsic resilience-related mechanisms of semantic cognition, mimicking alterations caused by perturbation or brain damage. Our findings provide a strong implication that the intrinsic mechanisms of a well-engineered semantic system might be attributed to the compensatory functional alterations in the impaired brain.

Basophil counting in hematology analyzers: time to discontinue?

Basophils (basophilic granulocytes) are the least abundant cells in blood. Nowadays, basophils are included in the complete blood count performed by hematology analyzers and therefore reported in practically all patients in whom hematologic investigations are requested. However, hematology analyzers are not reliable enough to report clinically useful results. This is due to a combination of very high analytical imprecision and poor specificity, because the chemical and physical methods used for basophil counting in hematology analyzers are ill-defined and thus basophils are not well recognized by the analyzers. As a result, false basophil counts are quite common. In view of increasing analytical performance demands, hematology laboratories should stop reporting basophil counts produced by hematology analyzers. Suggestions for alternative pathways are presented for those situations where basophils are of clinical relevance.

Understanding Anti-performance: The performative division of experience and the standpoint of the non-performer

Performance theorists have long been drawn to the potential of performance to subvert established institutions. The results of performance are never fully determined in advance; performances subject established images to reinterpretation; they take place before an audience that can criticize and intervene. But performative principles also play a role in maintaining established institutions and ways of being. Performance demands that participants take on roles and perform them more or less effectively. Performance also establishes a separation between the relatively active people who have the authority to perform publicly important roles and relatively passive audiences who observe those institutionalized performances. In this paper I argue for a balanced view of the subversive potential of performance, taking seriously the tradition of anti-theatricality, in order to determine the role of performance both in undermining and in upholding established institutions, and I call attention to the potentially subversive (but often contradictory) role of what I call anti-performance, the attempt (which is just as contradictory as performance itself) to move beyond the performativity that is imposed by established institutions, in order to achieve new forms of being that are experienced not only as “played” but as “real.”

Emotional Intelligence and Job Performance.

The era of business and commerce have witnessed the swift in alternation towards globalization and competitiveness among the organization. Expanding technological advancement and development of service industry runs as an inseparable unit growing performance demands. In order to ensure remarkable performance the human resource today is required to perform physically and emotionally. Thus,emotional intelligence (EI)is acquired crucial importance in the field of human resource, EI is the ability to sense ,understand and effectively apply power and acumen of emotions to a source as a human energy ,information, connection and influence.

The health-performance framework of presenteeism: Towards understanding an adaptive behaviour

The substantial health and financial costs of presenteeism are well-documented. Paradoxically, presenteeism also has a positive side, which has been largely overlooked. Emerging evidence shows that presenteeism can be a choice that offers a range of positive benefits to the ‘presentee’ (an employee who works through illness). In this conceptual article, we view presenteeism as purposeful and adaptive behaviour: a dynamic process that serves the purpose of balancing health constraints and performance demands in tandem. We propose a 2×2 framework of presenteeism (therapeutic, functional, overachieving, and dysfunctional) and suggest that the success of the presenteeism adaptation process depends on the availability of internal capacities and flexible work resources. When the workplace is supportive and provides adequate resources to aid adaptation, presenteeism can be a sustainable choice for maintaining performance under impaired health. We examine the role of resources for functional presenteeism by drawing on conservation of resources theory and self-determination theory. This framework can contribute to a better understanding of presenteeism by viewing it as an adaptive process, considering presentees as heterogeneous groups, and exploring the importance of internal and work resources for balancing health and performance demands. It sketches new avenues for research and practice and the effective management of presenteeism, health, and performance.

Cardiorespiratory Profile and Performance Demands of Elite Hip-Hop Dancers: Breaking and New Style

AIMS: Dancers need to constantly maintain and develop their physiological capabilities to support their performances. Previously these physiological demands have been investigated only in traditional dance styles such as ballet and modern. The aim of this study was to examine the physiological demands of two types of hip-hop: new style and break dance. METHODS: Nine female new style dancers (age 20±6 yrs, height 163.5±1.4 cm, mass 55.8±22 kg) and 9 male break dancers (age 23±4.2 yrs, height 178.2±5.7 cm, mass 62.1±7.7 kg) volunteered for the study. Each subject completed a maximal graded treadmill test and a dance performance routine, either new style (approx 1:45–2:30 min) or breaking (2 min). Breathe-by-breathe gas analysis and heart rate (HR) were collected by a portable gas analyser, and blood lactate (BLa) was measured at the end of the treadmill test and each routine. RESULTS: The male breaker dancers had significantly higher VO2 peak than other equivalent dancers in other genres, whilst the female new style dancers were similar to that previously reported for female dancers. Performance data showed significant differences between the two styles for VO2, HR, and BLa (p<0.001) and for VO2 and HR relative to individual maximal treadmill data (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: New style is more comparable to other theatrical dance genres, with a lower relative mean VO2 demand, whilst break dance is shorter in duration, allowing a higher cardiorespiratory demand and generating significant levels of blood lactate. This difference is also reflected in the dancers’ cardiorespiratory profiles.