Evidence for episodic retrieval of inadequate prime responses in auditory negative priming.

Four experiments are reported in which the mechanisms underlying auditory negative priming were investigated. In Experiments 1A and 1B, preprime-prime intervals and prime-probe intervals were manipulated. The ratio between the 2 intervals determined the size of the negative priming effect. Results are compatible with the episodic retrieval account, according to which the retrieval of inappropriate response information associated with the previous distractor slows down responding when that stimulus becomes the target. Experiment 2 tested a variant of this account, according to which the retrieval of the prime response rather than the retrieval of nonresponse information interferes with responding. Consistent with this variant, participants erroneously responded with the prime response more frequently in the ignored repetition condition than in the control condition. Experiment 3 replicated this finding and generalized it to the visual modality. The authors conclude that the retrieval of the inappropriate prime response is a determinant of the negative priming phenomenon. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

L-Dopa-Decarboxylase (DDC) Is a Positive Prognosticator for Breast Cancer Patients and Epinephrine Regulates Breast Cancer Cell (MCF7 and T47D) Growth In Vitro According to Their Different Expression of Gi- Protein- Coupled Receptors

A coherence between thyroid dysfunction and breast cancer incidence exists. Thyroid hormone metabolites bind to TAAR1 (trace amine-associated receptor 1) and through that modulate the serotonergic and dopaminergic system. Catecholamines themselves are synthesized by the L-dopa decarboxylase (DDC). The aim of our study was to analyze the influence of catecholamines on the DDC expression in primary breast cancer patients and the role of DDC concerning overall survival (OS). DDC expression was analyzed by immunohistochemistry. The effect of epinephrine on the expression of DDC and the Gi- protein was analyzed on the protein level via Western blot. A viability assay was performed to test the metabolic cell viability. The overexpression of DDC in the primary tumor was associated with longer OS (p = 0.03). Stimulation with epinephrine induced the downregulation of DDC (p = 0.038) and significantly increased viability in T47D cells (p = 0.028). In contrast, epinephrine induced an upregulation of DDC and decreased the proliferation of MCF7 cells (p = 0.028). Epinephrine led to an upregulation of Gi protein expression in MCF7 cells (p = 0.008). DDC is a positive prognostic factor for OS in breast cancer patients, and it is regulated through epinephrine differently in MCF7 and T47D. DDC may represent a novel target for the treatment of breast cancer, especially concerning its interaction with epinephrine.     

The technical impact of the unbundling process and regulatoryaction

The process, referred to as unbundling, of allowing alternative operators to use the copper twisted wire pairs installed and owned by the local or national monopoly telephone operator is currently underway in many parts of the world. Not entirely without reason, most see this as a purely economical and legal matter, but it also has a surprisingly large impact on the engineering of broadband communication systems. This applies to the standardization and design phase as well as to the deployment phase. We survey the background of unbundling, and the goals and thinking of a regulator, and elaborate on the technical impact of unbundling. Examples are taken from VDSL standardization and the regulatory situation in various European countries     

Hochwasserschutz Antiesen – Rückhaltebecken Hof

Since being put into service, the Hof Flood Retention Reservoir has been filled by 3 major flooding events in different seasons. The damages expected in connection with these 3 floods for the downstream inhabited areas, above all in the city Ried im Innkreis and in the municipality of Aurolzmünster, were completely avoided, a testament to the reservoir’s performance.     

Phase equilibria and multiphase reaction diffusion in the Cr-C and Cr-N systems

The phase formation in the Cr-C and Cr-N systems was investigated using reaction diffusion couples. The carbides were prepared by reaction of chromium metal with graphite powder in the range 1143 to 1413 °C in argon atmosphere; the nitride samples by reaction of the metal with N₂ (≤31 bar) in the range 1155 to 1420 °C. While the carbide samples showed the three chromium carbide phases in form of dense diffusion layers between 1100 and 1400 °C, porosity occurred at temperatures above 1400 °C. The composition of the phase bands was measured by the means of electron probe microanalysis. For the Cr₂₃C₆ phase, a slightly higher C composition was found than given in the literature. In Cr-N diffusion couples both the δCrN_1−x and βCr₂N formed phase bands at T≥1150 °C. Because decomposition processes occurred upon cooling, quenching experiments were carried out in the range 1370 to 1420 °C at 31 bar N₂ to stabilize the phases. The EPMA investigations of the homogeneity ranges yielded a large increase of the homogeneity range for δCrN_1−x with increasing temperature. The nonmetal diffusion coefficients in all phases of both systems were calculated from layer growth and/or from concentration profiles. In δCrN_1−x the N diffusivity was found to be strongly dependent on the composition. The Vickers microhardnesses of the various phases were obtained by measuring the diffusion layers.     

Changing internal constraints on action: The role of backward inhibition.

Flexible control of action requires the ability to disengage from previous goals or task sets. The authors tested the hypothesis that disengagement during intentional shifts between task sets is accompanied by inhibition of the previous task set ("backward inhibition"). As an expression of backward inhibition the authors predicted increased response times when shifting to a task set that had to be abandoned recently and, thus, suffers residual inhibition. The critical backward inhibition effect on the level of abstractly defined perceptual task sets was obtained across 6 different experiments. In addition, it was shown that backward inhibition can be differentiated from negative priming (Experiment 2), that it is tied to top-down sequential control (Experiment 3), that it can account at least partially for "residual shift costs" in set-shifting experiments (Experiment 4), and that it occurs even in the context of preplanned sequences of task sets (Experiment 5). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Simulation Preorder over Simple Process Algebras

We consider the problem of simulation preorder/equivalence between infinite-state processes and finite-state ones. First, we describe a general method how to utilize the decidability of bisimulation problems to solve (certain instances of) the corresponding simulation problems. For certain process classes, the method allows us to design effective reductions of simulation problems to their bisimulation counterparts and some new decidability results for simulation have already been obtained in this way. Then we establish the decidability border for the problem of simulation preorder/equivalence between infinite-state processes and finite-state ones w.r.t. the hierarchy of process rewrite systems. In particular, we show that simulation preorder (in both directions) and simulation equivalence are decidable in EXPTIME between pushdown processes and finite-state ones. On the other hand, simulation preorder is undecidable between PA and finite-state processes in both directions. These results also hold for those PA and finite-state processes which are deterministic and normed, and thus immediately extend to trace preorder. Regularity (finiteness) w.r.t. simulation and trace equivalence is also shown to be undecidable for PA. Finally, we prove that simulation preorder (in both directions) and simulation equivalence are intractable between all classes of infinite-state systems (in the hierarchy of process rewrite systems) and finite-state ones. This result is obtained by showing that the problem whether a BPA (or BPP) process simulates a finite-state one is PSPACE-hard and the other direction is co -hard; consequently, simulation equivalence between BPA (or BPP) and finite-state processes is also co -hard.     

Liebe GI-Mitglieder, sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Application of Gate Arrays in Implants for Nerve Stimulation (Remobilization of Paraplegic Patients)

The aim of a research project founded in 1977 is to make paraplegic patients stand up and walk again by means of functional electrostimulation (FES). This is accomplished by electrostimulation of nerves innervating the muscles to be activated. The fundamental condition is physiological function of nerves and muscles which is characteristic in most cases of paraplegia. Compared to a heart pacemaker stimulation strategy, FES is much more complicated because not one stimulation impulse, but a full train of impulses adequate in amplitude, stimulation impulse duration, polarity, and frequency is necessary for one movement cycle to allow smooth and well-controlled movement of limbs. Beyond that, it must be possible to stimulate several nerves or muscle groups individually as well as simultaneously for proper walking.