Estimating null and potent modes of feedforward communication in a computational model of cortical activity

Communication across anatomical areas of the brain is key to both sensory and motor processes. Dimensionality reduction approaches have shown that the covariation of activity across cortical areas follows well-delimited patterns. Some of these patterns fall within the "potent space" of neural interactions and generate downstream responses; other patterns fall within the "null space" and prevent the feedforward propagation of synaptic inputs. Despite growing evidence for the role of null space activity in visual processing as well as preparatory motor control, a mechanistic understanding of its neural origins is lacking. Here, we developed a mean-rate model that allowed for the systematic control of feedforward propagation by potent and null modes of interaction. In this model, altering the number of null modes led to no systematic changes in firing rates, pairwise correlations, or mean synaptic strengths across areas, making it difficult to characterize feedforward communication with common measures of functional connectivity. A novel measure termed the null ratio captured the proportion of null modes relayed from one area to another. Applied to simultaneous recordings of primate cortical areas V1 and V2 during image viewing, the null ratio revealed that feedforward interactions have a broad null space that may reflect properties of visual stimuli.

SURFACE WATER QUALITY IN KHARKIV RECREATIONAL AREAS: 2006-2020

The aim of the paper is to assess dynamics of water quality in four main recreational areas in Kharkiv and to develop recommendations for water quality improvement. Methods. Field and laboratory methods and analytical data processing. Results. The paper presents analysis of dynamics in water quality for four main recreational areas located in Kharkiv: Zhuravlevskiy Hydropark, Oleksiivskiy Lugopark, Udyanskiy Hydropark and Osnovyanske Lake. Period of study: 2006-2020, time: May-June and August-September. Average data are presented. Samples were analysed at certified Laboratory of Analytical Chemical Research of the Karazin Institute of Environmental Sciences. Laboratory data were compared with national UA standards and European ones. Conclusions were made for the following key parameters: dissolved oxygen and BOD5, total mineralization, biogenic substances content, oil products and surfactants, toxic heavy metals content. There is no specific dynamics on the pollution level. Conclusions. The following recommendations for improvement of water quality were developed: (i) to preform regular monitoring of water quality; (ii) to introduce regular and systematic control by one local authority; (iii) to improve infrastructure of recreational areas; (iv) to introduce regular cleaning of the recreational areas; (v) to install bio-WC; (vi) to install additional waste containers (preferably with separate waste collection); (vii) plant trees for better isolation from highways; (viii) to improve level of water treatment on WWTP; (ix) to create nature protected areas along rivers

Methodology for the implementation and use of text reuse detection systems in secondary education

The article analyses the situation with the lack of systematic control over the originality of texts of students’ written works in secondary schools, including individual projects, provided by the Russian Federal State Educational Standards. The authors point out that compliance with the academic program’s requirements to observe the norms and rules of citation and absence of plagiarism in the texts of individual projects is not ensured in practice in any way. In particular, schools have not developed evaluation criteria and procedures for monitoring. Also, there is no access to the necessary text reuse detection tools. The article substantiates the necessity for secondary education to check students’ for reused text by using specialized software on the example of the “Antiplagiat” system. As a result of the study, a methodology of introducing digital tools for text reuse detection in schools is presented. We developed such a methodology for secondary schools for the first time. It will allow avoiding the repetition of methodological errors made during the introduction of tools for text reuse detection in higher education, provide methodological support to teachers, and establish adequate criteria for assessing the originality of works, considering the specifics of the school.

Exploring Clinical Correlates of Metacognition in Bipolar Disorders Using Moderation Analyses: The Role of Antipsychotics

The determinants of metacognition are still poorly understood in bipolar disorders (BD). We aimed to examine the clinical determinants of metacognition, defined as the agreement between objective and subjective cognition in individuals with BD. The participants consisted of 281 patients with BD who underwent an extensive neuropsychological battery and clinical evaluation. To assess subjective cognition, participants provided a general rating of their estimated cognitive difficulties. Clinical characteristics of BD were also recorded, along with medication. We studied the potential moderation of the association between cognitive complaints and global objective cognitive performance by several clinical variables with ordinal logistic regressions. Depression and impulsivity were associated with greater cognitive complaints. The only variable that moderated the relationship between objective and subjective cognition in the global model was the prescription of antipsychotics. Patients taking antipsychotics had a poorer association between cognitive complaints and objective neuropsychological performance. This result suggests a role for dopamine in the modulation of metacognitive performance, and calls for the systematic control of antipsychotic medication in future studies documenting metacognitive deficits in severe and persistent mental disorders. Depression and impulsivity should be investigated as potential therapeutic targets for individuals with BD and cognitive complaints, before proposing an extensive neuropsychological evaluation.

Empowering professional and ethical balance in digital record management

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the professional skills and ethical values balanced to generate policies and procedures with significant guidance to give insights into systematic control of integrating simultaneous integrity between the use and maintenance in digital-based recordkeeping.Design/methodology/approachThe investigation was conducted using keywords responsibilities engagement, professional and ethical balance, and records management. Descriptive analysis was applied with the initiative on integrating, evaluating and interpreting the findings of multiple types of research from recent grounded theory.FindingsThe finding reveals that determining the potential value of foregoing effort to provide an ultimate application guideline as a counter measure against the emerging challenges of the dynamic records management system needs to adopt appropriate professional and ethical empowerment across the procedural stage in underlying the demand and the response with the express purpose of promoting appropriate and wise usage for the sustainable positive benefit of responsibilities on recording management.Originality/valueAs a pivotal role in determining the potential value of foregoing effort as aimed in this paper, the initiative to provide an ultimate application guideline as a counter measure against the emerging challenges of the dynamic records management system needs to bring along with urging for an appropriate professional and ethical empowerment across the procedural stage proposed referring to the demand and the response with the express purpose of promoting appropriate and wise usage for the sustainable positive benefit of responsibilities on recording management.

Exploring Clinical Correlates of Metacognition in Bipolar Disorders Using Moderation Analyses: The Role of Antipsychotics

The determinants of metacognition are still poorly understood in bipolar disorders (BD). We aimed to examine the clinical determinants of metacognition, defined as the agreement between objective and subjective cognition in individuals with BD. The participants consisted of 281 patients with BD who underwent an extensive neuropsychological battery and clinical evaluation. To assess subjective cognition, participants provided a general rating of their estimated cognitive difficulties. Clinical characteristics of BD were also recorded, along with medication. We studied the potential moderation of the association between cognitive complaints and global objective cognitive performance by several clinical variables with ordinal logistic regressions. Depression and impulsivity were associated with greater cognitive complaints. The only variable that moderated the relationship between objective and subjective cognition in the global model was the prescription of antipsychotics. Patients taking antipsychotics had a poorer association between cognitive complaints and objective neuropsychological performance. This result suggests a role for dopamine in the modulation of metacognitive performance, and calls for the systematic control of antipsychotic medication in future studies documenting metacognitive deficits in severe and persistent mental disorders. Depression and impulsivity should be investigated as potential therapeutic targets for individuals with BD and cognitive complaints, before proposing an extensive neuropsychological evaluation.

Prospects for the Growth of Labor Productivity in the Transition to Postindustrial Technological Paradigms

The purpose of the work was to determine the reasons for the loss by the education system of the function of forming human capital in the country, which manifests itself in the loss of the “education premium” by the employed population of the country. As result of the research, established that the most important factor-giving rise to educational problems is the ineffectiveness of management. In the education system, management based on outdated approaches and principles, which are characterized as an administrative and control style of management that has developed in the industrial economy and goes back to Taylorism, against the backdrop of limited funding. Numerous norms, standards, indicators and results of work, reports of educational institutions, subject to systematic control, are typical for the management of the education system. The practice-oriented approach implemented in education standards enhances the effect of obstacles on the path of innovative development during the transition to post-industrial economic structures. The educational system of modern Russia does not correspond to the possibility of solving the problem of developing the national economy. To bring the education system in line with modern requirements, a revision and im-provement of education policy is required.

Impact of vertical succussion strokes vs. vortex potentization on droplet evaporation patterns obtained from Iscador Quercus 3x potency

Background Pharmaceutical processing of homeopathic potencies consists of consecutively performed dilution and succussion steps. While the dilution steps are well defined, the manner of performing the succussions varies broadly among potency producers. Aims To study the impact of potentization consisting in the performance of vertical succussion strokes vs. vortex-like flow on droplet evaporation patterns obtained from Iscador Quercus 3x (ISCQ 3x). Methodology ISCQ 3x was prepared in three following variants: potentized for 2.5 min (i) by application of mechanically performed vertical strokes, or (ii) hand-made vortex-like flows; or (iii) only diluted and not-succussed control. Droplet evaporation method was performed as described in (1); in short: droplets of the three ISCQ 3x variants were evaporated on microscope slides (56 droplets of each variant distributed on four slides were evaporated in one experimental repetition). The experimental setup robustness was monitored by means of positive systematic control experiments, where on all 12 slides droplets of the ISCQ 3x variant potentized by the application of strokes were evaporated. The experiments were repeated five times. The resulting droplet residues were photographed in magnification 100x; the patterns were analyzed by means of the Image J software for their grey level distribution and textural and fractal parameters. Results and discussion All three ISCQ 3x variants could be significantly differentiated regarding some textural and fractal parameters; most parameters differentiated between the variant potentized by means of vertical strokes and the control and vortex-potentized variants. Fractal and textural parameters ranked the samples differently. Control experiments showed a reasonable experimental setup robustness. Conclusion The potentization by performing mechanical strokes vs. hand-made vortex-like flows influenced some phenomenological aspects of droplet evaporation patterns. This might indicate that some changes occurred on substance level as consequence of the mechanical impact. Further studies are necessary in this field.