34 research outputs found

    Technology Assessment in a Globalized World

    Get PDF
    This open access book explores the relevance of the concept of technology assessment (TA) on an international and global level. Technologies play a key role in addressing global challenges such as climate change, population aging, digitization, and health. At the same time, their use increases the need for coordinated action and governance at the global level in the field of science, technology and innovation (STI). Featuring case studies on STI fields such as energy, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and health technology, as well as TA activities at the national and international levels, this book reflects on the challenges and opportunities of global technology governance. It also provides an in-depth discussion of current governmental STI cultures and systems, societal expectations, and the policy priorities needed to achieve coordinated and effective STI intervention in policymaking and public debate at the global level. Lastly, the book promotes the establishment of a forum for a truly global dialogue of TA practitioners, fostering the articulation of their needs, knowledge and perspectives

    Vocal emotions on the brain: the role of acoustic parameters and musicality

    Get PDF
    The human voice is a powerful transmitter of emotions. This dissertation addresses three main gaps in the field of vocal emotion perception. The first is the quantification of the relative contribution of fundamental frequency (F0) and timbre cues to the perception of different emotions and their associated electrophysiological correlates. Using parameter-specific voice morphing, the results show that both F0 and timbre carry unique information that allow emotional inferences, although F0 seems to be relatively more important overall. The electrophysiological data revealed F0- and timbre-specific modulations in several ERP components, such as the P200 and the N400. Second, it was explored how musicality affects the processing of emotional voice cues, by providing a review on the literature linking musicality to emotion perception and subsequently showing that musicians have a benefit in vocal emotion perception compared to non-musicians. The present data offer original insight into the special role of pitch cues: musicians outperformed non-musicians when emotions were expressed by the pitch contour only, but not when they were expressed by vocal timbre. Although the electrophysiological patterns were less conclusive, they imply that musicality may modulate brain responses to vocal emotions. Third, this work provides a critical reflection on parameter-specific voice morphing and its suitability to study the processing of vocal emotions. Distortions in voice naturalness resulting from extreme acoustic manipulations were identified as one of the major threats to the ecological validity of the stimulus material produced with this technique. However, the results suggested that while voice morphing does affect the perceived naturalness of stimuli, behavioral measures of emotion perception were found to be remarkably robust against these distortions. Thus, the present data advocate parameter-specific voice morphing as a valid tool for vocal emotional research

    Impact of press freedom on reportage of corruption in the Nigerian oil and gas industry : a comparative content analysis of four Nigerian Newspapers

    Get PDF
    A free press is pivotal to eradication of corruption in the society as the press remains the most powerful channel of communication that cut across all publics. Thus, this study seeks to evaluate the impact of press freedom on reportage of corruption in the oil and gas industry through a content analysis of four Nigerian newspapers (The Punch, Vanguard, Guardian and Nigerian Tribune). The study adopted a mixed research method involving both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Quantitative data were collected and analysed through content analysis of the selected newspapers while the qualitative data collected through interview of the respective newspaper correspondents were analysed using thematic analysis. The study revealed that 534 stories were published on corruption in the Nigerian oil and gas sector by all the newspapers within the study period (July 2018-June 2019), with the Punch having the highest magnitude of stories (n = 196, 36.70percent) while Nigerian Tribune had the highest number of stories reported on its front and back pages (n = 143, 92.25percent). However, Guardian had the highest number of full-paged stories (n = 15, 20percent) whereas the Punch and Nigerian Tribune adopted the widest range of publication formats with news being the most dominant format employed by all the dailies (n = 462, 86.52percent). Although, all the newspapers employed more episodic frame (n = 432, 80.89percent) than thematic frame (n = 93,17.41percent), framing analysis revealed oil theft, vandalism, alleged-fraud, environmental consequences and economic consequences as the major frames used in the coverage of stories on corruption in the Nigerian oil and gas industry. Thematic analysis showed that the newspaper correspondents did not have access to adequate information on corruption in the sector while journalists in the country are still being subjected to intimidation, arrest and imprisonment. These findings suggest that the selected newspapers gave prominence to reportage of corruption in the oil and gas sector in country, which implies that the newspapers are fulfilling their agenda-setting roles and social responsibility in the society. Nevertheless, the level of press freedom in Nigeria has partly affected the reportage of corruption in the oil and gas sector of the country as this has restricted the use of investigative reporting occasioned by the lack of access to classified information on corruption and envisaged harm by potential sources and journalists. Nevertheless, this study proposes an anticorruption-media model, which focuses on the significance of the media as an anticorruption agent in a developing country.Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 202

    New Insight into Cerebrovascular Diseases

    Get PDF
    “Brain circulation is a true road map that consists of large extended navigation territories and a number of unimagined and undiscovered routes.” Dr. Patricia Bozzetto Ambrosi This book combines an update on the review of cerebrovascular diseases in the form of textbook chapters, which has been carefully reviewed by Dr. Patricia Bozzetto Ambrosi, Drs. Rufai Ahmad and Auwal Abdullahi and Dr. Amit Agrawal, high-performance academic editors with extensive experience in neurodisciplines, including neurology, neurosurgery, neuroscience, and neuroradiology, covering the best standards of neurological practice involving basic and clinical aspects of cerebrovascular diseases. Each topic was carefully revised and prepared using smooth, structured vocabulary, plus superb graphics and scientific illustrations. In emphasizing the most common aspects of cerebrovascular diseases: stroke burden, pathophysiology, hemodynamics, diagnosis, management, repair, and healing, the book is comprehensive but concise and should become the standard reference guide for this neurological approach

    Brain Injury

    Get PDF
    The present two volume book "Brain Injury" is distinctive in its presentation and includes a wealth of updated information on many aspects in the field of brain injury. The Book is devoted to the pathogenesis of brain injury, concepts in cerebral blood flow and metabolism, investigative approaches and monitoring of brain injured, different protective mechanisms and recovery and management approach to these individuals, functional and endocrine aspects of brain injuries, approaches to rehabilitation of brain injured and preventive aspects of traumatic brain injuries. The collective contribution from experts in brain injury research area would be successfully conveyed to the readers and readers will find this book to be a valuable guide to further develop their understanding about brain injury

    Hybridizing 3-dimensional multiple object tracking with neurofeedback to enhance preparation, performance, and learning

    Full text link
    Le vaste domaine de l’amĂ©lioration cognitive traverse les applications comportementales, biochimiques et physiques. Aussi nombreuses sont les techniques que les limites de ces premiĂšres : des Ă©tudes de pauvre mĂ©thodologie, des pratiques Ă©thiquement ambiguĂ«s, de faibles effets positifs, des effets secondaires significatifs, des couts financiers importants, un investissement de temps significatif, une accessibilitĂ© inĂ©gale, et encore un manque de transfert. L’objectif de cette thĂšse est de proposer une mĂ©thode novatrice d’intĂ©gration de l’une de ces techniques, le neurofeedback, directement dans un paradigme d’apprentissage afin d’amĂ©liorer la performance cognitive et l’apprentissage. Cette thĂšse propose les modalitĂ©s, les fondements empiriques et des donnĂ©es Ă  l’appui de ce paradigme efficace d’apprentissage ‘bouclé’. En manipulant la difficultĂ© dans une tĂąche en fonction de l’activitĂ© cĂ©rĂ©brale en temps rĂ©el, il est dĂ©montrĂ© que dans un paradigme d’apprentissage traditionnel (3-dimentional multiple object tracking), la vitesse et le degrĂ© d’apprentissage peuvent ĂȘtre amĂ©liorĂ©s de maniĂšre significative lorsque comparĂ©s au paradigme traditionnel ou encore Ă  un groupe de contrĂŽle actif. La performance amĂ©liorĂ©e demeure observĂ©e mĂȘme avec un retrait du signal de rĂ©troaction, ce qui suggĂšre que les effets de l’entrainement amĂ©liorĂ© sont consolidĂ©s et ne dĂ©pendent pas d’une rĂ©troaction continue. Ensuite, cette thĂšse rĂ©vĂšle comment de tels effets se produisent, en examinant les corrĂ©lĂ©s neuronaux des Ă©tats de prĂ©paration et de performance Ă  travers les conditions d’état de base et pendant la tĂąche, de plus qu’en fonction du rĂ©sultat (rĂ©ussite/Ă©chec) et de la difficultĂ© (basse/moyenne/haute vitesse). La prĂ©paration, la performance et la charge cognitive sont mesurĂ©es via des liens robustement Ă©tablis dans un contexte d’activitĂ© cĂ©rĂ©brale fonctionnelle mesurĂ©e par l’électroencĂ©phalographie quantitative. Il est dĂ©montrĂ© que l’ajout d’une assistance- Ă -la-tĂąche apportĂ©e par la frĂ©quence alpha dominante est non seulement appropriĂ©e aux conditions de ce paradigme, mais influence la charge cognitive afin de favoriser un maintien du sujet dans sa zone de dĂ©veloppement proximale, ce qui facilite l’apprentissage et amĂ©liore la performance. Ce type de paradigme d’apprentissage peut contribuer Ă  surmonter, au minimum, un des limites fondamentales du neurofeedback et des autres techniques d’amĂ©lioration cognitive : le manque de transfert, en utilisant une mĂ©thode pouvant ĂȘtre intĂ©grĂ©e directement dans le contexte dans lequel l’amĂ©lioration de la performance est souhaitĂ©e.The domain of cognitive enhancement is vast, spanning behavioral, biochemical and physical applications. The techniques are as numerous as are the limitations: poorly conducted studies, ethically ambiguous practices, limited positive effects, significant side-effects, high financial costs, significant time investment, unequal accessibility, and lack of transfer. The purpose of this thesis is to propose a novel way of integrating one of these techniques, neurofeedback, directly into a learning context in order to enhance cognitive performance and learning. This thesis provides the framework, empirical foundations, and supporting evidence for a highly efficient ‘closed-loop’ learning paradigm. By manipulating task difficulty based on a measure of cognitive load within a classic learning scenario (3-dimentional multiple object tracking) using real-time brain activity, results demonstrate that over 10 sessions, speed and degree of learning can be substantially improved compared with a classic learning system or an active sham-control group. Superior performance persists even once the feedback signal is removed, which suggests that the effects of enhanced training are consolidated and do not rely on continued feedback. Next, this thesis examines how these effects occur, exploring the neural correlates of the states of preparedness and performance across baseline and task conditions, further examining correlates related to trial results (correct/incorrect) and task difficulty (slow/medium/fast speeds). Cognitive preparedness, performance and load are measured using well-established relationships between real-time quantified brain activity as measured by quantitative electroencephalography. It is shown that the addition of neurofeedback-based task assistance based on peak alpha frequency is appropriate to task conditions and manages to influence cognitive load, keeping the subject in the zone of proximal development more often, facilitating learning and improving performance. This type of learning paradigm could contribute to overcoming at least one of the fundamental limitations of neurofeedback and other cognitive enhancement techniques : a lack of observable transfer effects, by utilizing a method that can be directly integrated into the context in which improved performance is sought

    Impact of press freedom on reportage of corruption in the Nigerian oil and gas industry : a comparative content analysis of four Nigerian Newspapers

    Get PDF
    A free press is pivotal to eradication of corruption in the society as the press remains the most powerful channel of communication that cut across all publics. Thus, this study seeks to evaluate the impact of press freedom on reportage of corruption in the oil and gas industry through a content analysis of four Nigerian newspapers (The Punch, Vanguard, Guardian and Nigerian Tribune). The study adopted a mixed research method involving both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Quantitative data were collected and analysed through content analysis of the selected newspapers while the qualitative data collected through interview of the respective newspaper correspondents were analysed using thematic analysis. The study revealed that 534 stories were published on corruption in the Nigerian oil and gas sector by all the newspapers within the study period (July 2018-June 2019), with the Punch having the highest magnitude of stories (n = 196, 36.70percent) while Nigerian Tribune had the highest number of stories reported on its front and back pages (n = 143, 92.25percent). However, Guardian had the highest number of full-paged stories (n = 15, 20percent) whereas the Punch and Nigerian Tribune adopted the widest range of publication formats with news being the most dominant format employed by all the dailies (n = 462, 86.52percent). Although, all the newspapers employed more episodic frame (n = 432, 80.89percent) than thematic frame (n = 93,17.41percent), framing analysis revealed oil theft, vandalism, alleged-fraud, environmental consequences and economic consequences as the major frames used in the coverage of stories on corruption in the Nigerian oil and gas industry. Thematic analysis showed that the newspaper correspondents did not have access to adequate information on corruption in the sector while journalists in the country are still being subjected to intimidation, arrest and imprisonment. These findings suggest that the selected newspapers gave prominence to reportage of corruption in the oil and gas sector in country, which implies that the newspapers are fulfilling their agenda-setting roles and social responsibility in the society. Nevertheless, the level of press freedom in Nigeria has partly affected the reportage of corruption in the oil and gas sector of the country as this has restricted the use of investigative reporting occasioned by the lack of access to classified information on corruption and envisaged harm by potential sources and journalists. Nevertheless, this study proposes an anticorruption-media model, which focuses on the significance of the media as an anticorruption agent in a developing country.Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 202

    Full Proceedings

    Get PDF
    corecore