Visual search training benefits from the integrative effect of enhanced covert attention and optimized overt eye movements

Visual search in a complex environment requires efficient discrimination between target and distractors. Training serves as an effective approach to improve visual search performance when the target does not automatically pop out from the distractors. In the present study, we trained subjects on a conjunction visual search task and examined the training effects in behavior and eye movement from Experiments 1 to 4. The results showed that training improved behavioral performance and reduced the number of saccades and overall scanning time. Training also increased the search initiation time before the first saccade and the proportion of trials in which the subjects correctly identified the target without any saccade, but these effects were modulated by stimulus' parameters. In Experiment 5, we replicated these training effects when eye movements and EEG signals were recorded simultaneously. The results revealed significant N2pc components after the stimulus onset (i.e., stimulus-locked) and before the first saccade (i.e., saccade-locked) when the search target was the trained one. These N2pc components can be considered as the neural signatures for the training-induced boost of covert attention to the trained target. The enhanced covert attention led to a beneficial tradeoff between search initiation time and the number of saccades as a small amount of increase in search initiation time could result in a larger reduction in scanning time. These findings suggest that the enhanced covert attention to target and optimized overt eye movements are coordinated together to facilitate visual search training.

Transcriptome features of trained immunity in Drosophila

Immune memory is an ability of organisms to potentiate immune responses at secondary infection. Current studies have revealed that innate immunity, as well as adaptive immunity, exhibits the memory character called "trained immunity". Although it is suggested that epigenetic reprogramming plays important roles in trained immunity, its underlying mechanism is not fully understood, especially on the individual level. Here we established experimental systems for detecting trained immunity in Drosophila melanogaster. Namely, training infection with low-pathogenic bacteria enhanced the survival rate of the flies at subsequent challenge infection with high-pathogenic bacteria. We found that among low-pathogenic bacteria, Micrococcus luteus (Ml) and Salmonella typhimurium (St) mediated apparent training effects in fly, but seemed to act through different ways. Ml left training effects even after its removal from flies, while living St persisted inside flies for a long time. Our RNA-Seq analysis revealed that Ml-training enhanced the expression of immune-related genes during the challenge infection, but did not do so without challenge infection. In contrast, St-training maintained high expression of the immune-related genes with or without challenge. These results suggest that training effects with Ml and St were due to memory and persistence of immune responses, respectively. Furthermore, we searched the factor involved in Ml-training and identified a candidate, Ada2b, which is a component of the histone modification complex. We found that the Ada2b RNAi and mutant flies showed dampened enhancement of survival rates after Ml-training. These results suggest that Ada2b is involved in the Drosophila trained immunity.

Effects of velocity based training vs. traditional 1RM percentage-based training on improving strength, jump, linear sprint and change of direction speed performance: A Systematic review with meta-analysis

Background There has been a surge of interest on velocity-based training (VBT) in recent years. However, it remains unclear whether VBT is more effective in improving strength, jump, linear sprint and change of direction speed (CODs) than the traditional 1RM percentage-based training (PBT). Objectives To compare the training effects in VBT vs. PBT upon strength, jump, linear sprint and CODs performance. Data sources Web of science, PubMed and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). Study eligibility criteria The qualified studies for inclusion in the meta-analysis must have included a resistance training intervention that compared the effects of VBT and PBT on at least one measure of strength, jump, linear sprint and CODs with participants aged ≥16 yrs. and be written in English or Chinese. Methods The modified Pedro Scale was used to assess the risk of bias. Random-effects model was used to calculate the effects via the mean change and pre-SD (standard deviation). Mean difference (MD) or Standardized mean difference (SMD) was presented correspondently with 95% confidence interval (CI). Results Six studies met the inclusion criteria including a total of 124 participants aged 16 to 30 yrs. The differences of training effects between VBT and PBT were not significant in back squat 1RM (MD = 3.03kg; 95%CI: -3.55, 9.61; I2 = 0%) and load velocity 60%1RM (MD = 0.02m/s; 95%CI: -0.01,0.06; I2 = 0%), jump (SMD = 0.27; 95%CI: -0.15,0.7; I2 = 0%), linear sprint (MD = 0.01s; 95%CI: -0.06, 0.07; I2 = 0%), and CODs (SMD = 0.49; 95%CI: -0.14, 1.07; I2 = 0%). Conclusion Both VBT and PBT can enhance strength, jump, linear sprint and CODs performance effectively without significant group difference.

Training Effects on Affective Perception of Body Movements

What leads us to enjoy watching others’ bodies in motion? In this chapter, the authors discuss their motivation to explore how our bodily experiences, especially in the form of dance training, shape our perceptions and preferences for watching others move, especially in dance contexts. They highlight findings from several studies that they conducted to investigate how general dance experience (or lack thereof) influences our enjoyment of watching dance and how acquiring experience specifically related to the dance piece being observed shapes the pleasure we derive from watching that piece specifically. Overall, our work finds that the richer experience an observer has with learning particular dance movements, the more enjoyment that observer derived from watching those movements. This research underscores the utility of dance as a stimulus and training intervention for addressing key questions relevant to human neuroscience, psychology, and philosophy, particularly in the domain of neuroaesthetics.