scholarly journals On the evolution of neural decisions from uncertain visual input to uncertain actions

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandro Tomassini ◽  
Darren Price ◽  
Jiaxiang Zhang ◽  
James B Rowe

AbstractBehavior can be conceived as the result of a sequence in which the outcomes of perceptual decisions inform decisions on which action to take. However, the relationship between these processes, and spatiotemporal dynamics of the visual-to-motor transformation remains unclear. Here, we combined accumulation-to-threshold models and electro-magnetoencephalography, to trace neural correlates of sensorimotor decisions in space, time and frequency. We challenge the assumption of sequential decisions, with evidence that visuomotor processing unfolds through a continuous flow of information from sensory to motor regions. Action selection is initiated before regional visual decisions are completed. By linking behavior and physiology through theoretical decision models, we identify simultaneous forward and backward flow of information for visuomotor decisions between sensory and motor regions, in beta and gamma ranges. The model of integrated visuomotor decisions provides a powerful approach to investigate behavioral disorders that impair the ability to use sensory inputs to guide appropriate actions.

Author(s):  
Terence Young ◽  
Alan MacEachern ◽  
Lary Dilsaver

This essay explores the evolving international relationship of the two national park agencies that in 1968 began to offer joint training classes for protected-area managers from around the world. Within the British settler societies that dominated nineteenth century park-making, the United States’ National Park Service (NPS) and Canada’s National Parks Branch were the most closely linked and most frequently cooperative. Contrary to campfire myths and nationalist narratives, however, the relationship was not a one-way flow of information and motivation from the US to Canada. Indeed, the latter boasted a park bureaucracy before the NPS was established. The relationship of the two nations’ park leaders in the half century leading up to 1968 demonstrates the complexity of defining the influences on park management and its diffusion from one country to another.


2006 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-34
Author(s):  
Aliaa Ibrahim Dakroury

Although claims questioning whether religious sacred books can be “translated” or not have been heard for quite some time, they have increased with the emergence of globalization and the increasing openness and flow of information due to modern technology. In the context of the relationship between hermeneutics and communication, one could argue that interpreting the Qur’an is an interesting case study for many reasons. Among them is the number of debates and discourses that have been raised both for and against its translation. Another reason, perhaps one of the largest barriers according to some religious Muslim groups, is that the Qur’an is fundamentally revealed and written in Arabic, and, therefore, its true meaning cannot be translated into another language. Certain verses, such as “It is a Qur’an in Arabic, without any crookedness (therein): in order that they may guard against evil” (28:39), have been presented to support this argument.


2015 ◽  
Vol 74 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
S. M. Zain ◽  
N. L. Ching ◽  
S. Jusoh ◽  
S. Y. Yunus

The aim of this study is to identify the relationship between the rate of electricity generation and the rate of carbon and nitrogen removal from wastewater using different MFC processes.  Determining whether the generation of electricity using MFC process could be related to the rate of pollutant removal from wastewater is noteworthy. Three types of MFC process configurations include the batch mode (SS), a continuous flow of influent with ferricyanide (PF) as the oxidizing agent and a continuous flow of influent with oxygen (PU) as the oxidizing agent. The highest quantity of electricity generation was achieved using the continuous flow mode with ferricyanide (0.833 V), followed by the continuous flow mode with oxygen (0.589 V) and the batch mode (0.352 V). The highest efficiency of carbon removal is also achieved by the continuous flow mode with ferricyanide (87%), followed by the continuous flow mode with oxygen (51%) and the batch mode (46%). Moreover, the continuous flow mode with ferricyanide produced the highest efficiency for nitrogen removal (63%), followed by the continuous flow mode with oxygen (54%) and the batch mode (27%).


2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 74-81
Author(s):  
Daniel Goodman ◽  
Shea Mullins ◽  
Josh McDonald ◽  
James Cho ◽  
Gregory Boylan

It is often asserted that more information on the battlefield leads to greater situational awareness (SA) which, in turn, translates to enhanced mission performance and outcomes.  However, the volume of available information on the modern networked battlefield is extensive and growing, which induces risk of indecision due to cognitive overload.  The potential overload highlights the need to streamline the flow of information to those critical streams that provide the most value to a tactical leader’s decision process at particular points in time. The purpose of this study is to identify critical information streams required by tactical leaders within the various phases of a dismounted search and attack/react to contact scenario.  Domain Mapping Matrix methodology (DMM) is utilized to quantify the value of various information streams relative to the sub -phases within the scenario using a constructed nominal scale. The significance of the highlighted interactions is validated through the use of statistical analysis, with combat veterans serving as test cases. The findings of this study will facilitate the development of decision models that will eventually enable more accurate and realistic simulation of the leader’s decision processes that increased SA purportedly enhances.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marianyela Petrizzelli ◽  
Dominique de Vienne ◽  
Thibault Nidelet ◽  
Camille Noûs ◽  
Christine Dillmann

The relationship between different levels of integration is a key feature for understanding the genotype-phenotype map.Here, we describe a novel method of integrated data analysis that incorporates protein abundance data into constraint-based modeling to elucidate the biological mechanisms underlying phenotypic variation. Specifically, we studied yeast genetic diversity at three levels of phenotypic complexity in a population of yeast obtained by pairwise crosses of eleven strains belonging to two species, Saccha-romyces cerevisiae and S. uvarum. The data included protein abundances, integrated traits (life-history/fermentation) and computational estimates of metabolic fluxes.Results highlighted that the negative correlation between production traits such as population carrying capacity (K) and traits associated with growth and fermentation rates (Jmax) is explained by a differential usage of energy production pathways: a high K was associated with high TCA fluxes, while a high Jmax was associated with high glycolytic fluxes. Enrichment analysis of protein sets confirmed our results.This powerful approach allowed us to identify the molecular and metabolic bases of integrated trait variation, and therefore has a broad applicability domain.


2010 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristina Benedeti Guilhem

Resumo Este artigo tem como objetivo expor algumas diretrizes que possam concorrer para a inserção de conteúdos na Web, a fim de promover acesso facilitado e fluxo contínuo de disseminação às informações em um ambiente no qual permite acesso, compartilhamento, interação e colaboração da informação e do conhecimento. Com o intuito de atingir esse fim, o artigo discorre acerca dos seguintes assuntos: virtualidade do texto, seis propostas para o próximo milênio de Ítalo Calvino, sendo: leveza, rapidez, exatidão, visualização, multiplicidade e consistência e diretrizes apontadas a partir dessas características. Palavras-chave conteúdos informacionais; diretrizes; tecnologia de informação e comunicação (TIC); web; bens imateriais Abstract This article aims to display some directions in which the insertion of contents on the Web can concur in order to promote easier access and continuous flow of information diffusion in an environment which allows access, sharing, interaction and contribution of information and knowledge. To this end, the article discusses the following subjects: potentiality of the text, six proposals for the next millenium to Ítalo Calvino, being: slightness, rapidity, exactness, visualization, multiplicity and consistency and the directions these characteristics point to. Keywords informational contents; lines of direction; information and communication technology (ICT); web; incorporeal personal properties    


2006 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-34
Author(s):  
Aliaa Ibrahim Dakroury

Although claims questioning whether religious sacred books can be “translated” or not have been heard for quite some time, they have increased with the emergence of globalization and the increasing openness and flow of information due to modern technology. In the context of the relationship between hermeneutics and communication, one could argue that interpreting the Qur’an is an interesting case study for many reasons. Among them is the number of debates and discourses that have been raised both for and against its translation. Another reason, perhaps one of the largest barriers according to some religious Muslim groups, is that the Qur’an is fundamentally revealed and written in Arabic, and, therefore, its true meaning cannot be translated into another language. Certain verses, such as “It is a Qur’an in Arabic, without any crookedness (therein): in order that they may guard against evil” (28:39), have been presented to support this argument.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (s1) ◽  
pp. 37-38
Author(s):  
Kathleen Miley ◽  
Fang Yu ◽  
Ian Ramsay ◽  
Sophia Vinogradov

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Development of interventions that improve social functioning (SF) in first episode psychosis (FEP) is hindered by a poor understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying SF deficits. This research aims to identify neural correlates of social functioning in FEP, and to evaluate whether this substrate is malleable in response to cognitive training. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: This is a secondary data-analysis of participants in an ongoing randomized clinical trial investigating whether 12 weeks of targeted cognitive training is neuroprotective in FEP, versus treatment as usual. Baseline and post-training assessments include a brain MRI, three measures of SF, and a neurocognitive battery. Healthy controls complete MRI only. Differences in cortical thickness (CTh) and gray matter volume (GMV) in regions of interest between FEP and controls will be determined with ANCOVA. Multiple linear regression will be used to determine the relationship between neural substrate and SF in FEP. Linear mixed models will be used to examine the relationship between change in CTh and GMV and change in SF. Data collection is ongoing for this study. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: In preliminary data including 12 FEP and 9 healthy controls, FEP demonstrated cortical loss in the right superior frontal cortex and the right isthmus-posterior cingulate. Greater cortical thickness in the posterior cingulate cortex was associated with better social functioning across multiple measures when controlling for global cognition. Gray matter volume in the parahippocampal gyrus was also associated with better social functioning. Preliminary results evaluating whether targeted cognitive training is neuroprotective in these regions of interest in a manner that is associated with improved social functioning will also be presented. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: Preliminary results link the posterior cingulate and parahippocampal gyrus to SF in FEP. Further research will investigate the contribution of changes in these brain regions to improved SF. The identification of biological treatment targets for SF may lead to development and optimization of novel interventions to alleviate SF deficits in FEP.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 211-235 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neal R. Norrick

Abstract This article investigates the flow of information in conversational narrative performance in light of research on the epistemics of talk in interaction and epistemic vigilance on the part of story recipients. Based on examples from a range of corpora, it reassesses the relationship between storytellers and recipients consistent with recipient design, and investigates cases of too little and too much information in narrative. Viewing narrative performance as sharing territories of knowledge provides new insights into the notions of telling rights and tellability as well as teller competence and credibility. The narrative performance may contain gaps and discrepancies along with clusters of copious information from which recipients must pick and choose to construct a dynamic narrative model to be tested against further information. In the communal presentation of family narratives, territories of knowledge merge, shared events are illuminated from separate perspectives, gaps in knowledge are filled, and evaluations are enriched.


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