Competition for consciousness among visual events: The psychophysics of reentrant visual processes.

Advances in neuroscience implicate reentrant signaling as the predominant form of communication between brain areas. This principle was used in a series of masking experiments that defy explanation by feed-forward theories. The masking occurs when a brief display of target plus mask is continued with the mask alone. Two masking processes were found: an early process affected by physical factors such as adapting luminance and a later process affected by attentional factors such as set size. This later process is called masking by object substitution, because it occurs whenever there is a mismatch between the reentrant visual representation and the ongoing lower level activity. Iterative reentrant processing was formalized in a computational model that provides an excellent fit to the data. The model provides a more comprehensive account of all forms of visual masking than do the long-held feed-forward views based on inhibitory contour interactions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Visual awareness and the on-line modification of action.

Notes that an influential theory of visually guided action proposes that (1) conscious perception of target displacement disrupts on-line action and (2) small target perturbations are inconsequential, provided the participant is unaware of them. This study examined these claims in a study of 13 Ss' rapid aiming movements to targets. Novel features included on-line verbal reports of target displacement, and the factorial combination of small vs large displacements occurring near peak saccadic velocity or 100 ms later. Results show that although awareness of target displacement had no effect on movement kinematics, even small target displacements near peak saccadic velocity affected kinematic measures. These results support both a strong view of visual stream separation in the on-line control of action and richer spatial coding by unconscious processes than has previously been acknowledged. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Elimination of the O-linked glycosylation site at Thr 104 results in the generation of a soluble human-transferrin receptor

The transferrin receptor (TfR) is the plasma membrane protein responsible for the binding and internalization of the major iron-transport protein, transferrin. The function of the single O-linked oligosaccharide near the transmembrane domain of the TfR at amino acid Thr 104 is unknown. To elucidate the effect of the O-linked carbohydrate on TfR function, the oligosaccharide was eliminated by replacing Thr 104 with Asp and the mutated cDNA was expressed in a cell line lacking endogenous TfR. Elimination of the oligosaccharide at Thr 104 results in a form of the receptor that is susceptible to cleavage. A 78-kD soluble TfR that can bind transferrin is released into the growth medium. The intact mutant TfR is not grossly altered in its structure and does not differ significantly from the wild-type human receptor in many respects: (1) It shows the same distribution between the plasma membrane and intracellular compartments; (2) the binding constant for transferrin is similar to that of the wild-type TfR; and (3) it is not rapidly degraded. Protein-sequence analysis of the soluble form indicates that the sequence begins at amino acid 101 of the intact receptor. This is the same cleavage site reported for a soluble form of normal receptor found in human serum. Substitution of Gly, Glu, or Met at position 104 also results in increased cleavage of the TfR and suggests that elimination of the O-linked carbohydrate at position 104 enhances the susceptibility of TfR to cleavage and may mimic a naturally occurring process previously described as being related to erythropoiesis.     

Perception and painting: a search for effective, engagingvisualizations

Scientific visualization represents information as images that let us explore, discover, analyze and validate large collections of data. Much research in this area is dedicated to designing effective visualizations that support specific analysis needs. Recently, though, we've considered visualizations from another angle. We've started asking, "Are visualizations beautiful? Can we consider visualizations works of art?" You might expect answers to these questions to vary widely depending on an individual's interpretation what it means to be artistic. We believe that the issues of effectiveness and aesthetics may not be as independent as they seem initially. We can learn much from studying two related disciplines - human psychophysics and art theory and history. Human psychophysics teaches us how we see the world around us. Art history shows us how artistic masters capture our attention by designing works that evoke an emotional response. The common interest in visual attention provides an important bridge between these domains. We're using this bridge to produce effective and engaging visualizations, and in this article, we share some of the lessons we've learned along the way     

Effect of the extent of cure on the modulus,glass transition,water absorptio,and density of an amine-cured epoxy

The modulus, density, glass transition temperature (T_g), and water absorption characteristics of an amine-cured resin [diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (Epon 828)/diaminodiphenyl sulfone (DDS)] were studied as a function of extent of cure. The glass transition is a function of the extent of cure and reaches a maximum temperature, T, when it is completely cured; specimens with different extents of cure were formed by isothermal cure below T, for different times. After slowly cooling, the density at each extent of cure was obtained at room temperature. Moisture absorption was monitored gravimetrically at 25°C for 2 months at several humidity levels. The room temperature density and modulus decreased with increasing extent of conversion whereas the glass transition temperature and equilibrium water absorption increased. The equilibrium water absorption increased linearly with relative humidity, and the absorptivity increased linearly with specific volume. An interpretation of these anomalous results is made in terms of the nonequilibrium nature of the glassy state. The glass transition temperature increases as the extent of cure increases resulting in a material that is further from equilibrium at room temperature and therefore has more free volume and a greater propensity to absorb water.     

MRP performance effects due to lot size and planned lead time settings

The effects of lot size and planned lead time settings are evaluated in a shop producing assembled products with common components. Material requirements planning (MRP) logic is used for production planning. A framework for the analysis of delays within the production system is presented. These delays are evaluated using spreadsheet-based MRP software linked to a simulation package that emulates shopfloor activity. Results show that by selecting the proper lot sizes and then using the planned leadtimes to control delivery performance, the required inventory levels can be minimized.     

Selection difficulty and interitem competition are independent factors in rapid visual stream perception.

When observers try to identify successive targets in a visual stream at a rate of 100 ms per item, accuracy for the 2nd target is impaired for intertarget lags of 100-500 ms. Yet, when the same stream is presented more rapidly (e.g., 50 ms per item), this pattern reverses and a 1st-target deficit is obtained. M. C. Potter, A. Staub, and D. H. O'Connor (2002) accounted for these findings with a 2-stage competition theory (detection followed by identification) in which each stage is limited by its own pool of resources. In 5 experiments we varied the items that preceded the 1st target. The results show strong influences of these leading items on the 1st-target deficit, with almost no influence on 2nd-target accuracy. This is interpreted as strong support for multiple factors influencing target accuracy in rapid visual streams (J. Kawahara, J. T. Enns, & V. Di Lollo, 2006). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Layout Synthesis Design Flow for Special-Purpose Reconfigurable Systems-on-a-Chip

Russian Microelectronics - A layout synthesis design flow for implementing designs on reconfigurable systems-on-chip is developed by the Institute for Design Problems in Microelectronics of Russian...     

Prediction of suicide intent in aboriginal and non-aboriginal adolescent inpatients: a research note

At 488 nm argon-ion laser excitation human mononuclear cells emit flavoprotein-related autofluorescence signals. Approximately 60% of these are caused by the mitochondrial flavoproteins alpha-lipoamide dehydrogenase and electron transfer flavoprotein, having differences in their fluorescence emission spectra. At the emission wavelength of 530 nm the redox changes of alpha-lipoamide dehydrogenase fluorescence in human mononuclear cells can be monitored by flow cytometry. This allows the estimation of the steady-state reduction level of this flavoprotein being in redox equilibrium with the mitochondrial NAD-system. We applied this method to elucidate the possible impairment of mitochondrial function in subpopulations of mononuclear cells of patients harboring deletions of the mitochondrial DNA in skeletal muscle. In the monocyte fraction of three patients and in the lymphocyte fraction of one patient we observed in the presence of the mitochondrial substrate octanoate elevated steady-state reduction levels of alpha-lipoamide dehydrogenase. This is an indication for the presence of respiratory chain-inhibited mitochondria in mononuclear cell subpopulations of the described patients. These data were confirmed by conventional determinations of maximal oxygen consumption rates of digitonin-permeabilized cells. Therefore, the flow cytometric determination of flavoprotein-caused autofluorescence changes is a useful and sensitive method for the detection of an impairment of mitochondrial respiratory chain in subpopulations of heterogeneous cell suspensions.     

Reduced muscle lactate during prolonged exercise following induced plasma volume expansion

To examine the effects of a dilutional mediated decrease in arterial O2 content on muscle metabolic and substrate behaviour during exercise, plasma volume was acutely expanded by either 14% (LOW) or 21% (HIGH) using a 6% dextran solution dissolved in saline (Macrodex) and compared with a control (CON) condition. The exercise protocol, performed by eight untrained males (VO2max = 45.2 +/- 2.2 mL.kg-1.min-1, X +/- SE) and with the conditions randomized, was conducted for 120 min at 46 +/- 4% VO2max. The content of inosine monophosphate determined on muscle tissue extracted from the vastus lateralis increased (p < 0.05) by 120 min of exercise (0.119 +/- 0.02 vs 0.493 +/- 0.19 mmol/kg dry weight) in CON. No effect of either LOW or HIGH expansion of plasma volume was found. Similarly, phosphocreatine content (mmol/kg dry weight), although reduced (p < 0.05) with exercise, was not different between the conditions at either 3 min (61.9 +/- 3.5, 66.2 +/- 3.5, 64.3 +/- 2.1) or 120 min (52.5 +/- 6.3, 53.8 +/- 5.8, 59.4 +/- 5.5) of exercise. In contrast, both pyruvate and lactate were reduced (p < 0.05) by 3 min of exercise in both LOW and HIGH compared with CON. The reduction in these metabolites with plasma volume expansion was not accompanied by an alteration in glycogen depletion rates. Steady-state VO2 was unaffected by acute hypervolemia. These results suggest that moderate exercise following an approximate 10% reduction in arterial O2 content can be performed without increasing the imbalance between ATP production and utilization rates. Since high energy phosphate transfer and glycolysis appeared not to be increased, mitochondrial respiration was apparently preserved by mechanisms as yet undetermined.