Is that a belt or a snake? object attentional selection affects the early stages of visual sensory processing

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>There is at present crescent empirical evidence deriving from different lines of ERPs research that, unlike previously observed, the earliest sensory visual response, known as C1 component or P/N80, generated within the striate cortex, might be modulated by selective attention to visual stimulus features. Up to now, evidence of this modulation has been related to space location, and simple features such as spatial frequency, luminance, and texture. Additionally, neurophysiological conditions, such as emotion, vigilance, the reflexive or voluntary nature of input attentional selection, and workload have also been related to C1 modulations, although at least the workload status has received controversial indications. No information is instead available, at present, for objects attentional selection.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In this study object- and space-based attention mechanisms were conjointly investigated by presenting complex, familiar shapes of artefacts and animals, intermixed with distracters, in different tasks requiring the selection of a relevant target-category within a relevant spatial location, while ignoring the other shape categories within this location, and, overall, all the categories at an irrelevant location. EEG was recorded from 30 scalp electrode sites in 21 right-handed participants.</p> <p>Results and Conclusions</p> <p>ERP findings showed that visual processing was modulated by both shape- and location-relevance <it>per se</it>, beginning separately at the latency of the early phase of a precocious negativity (60-80 ms) at mesial scalp sites consistent with the C1 component, and a positivity at more lateral sites. The data also showed that the attentional modulation progressed conjointly at the latency of the subsequent P1 (100-120 ms) and N1 (120-180 ms), as well as later-latency components. These findings support the views that (1) V1 may be precociously modulated by direct top-down influences, and participates to object, besides simple features, attentional selection; (2) object spatial and non-spatial features selection might begin with an early, parallel detection of a target object in the visual field, followed by the progressive focusing of spatial attention onto the location of an actual target for its identification, somehow in line with neural mechanisms reported in the literature as "object-based space selection", or with those proposed for visual search.</p

Neural markers of a greater female responsiveness to social stimuli

Abstract Background There is fMRI evidence that women are neurally predisposed to process infant laughter and crying. Other findings show that women might be more empathic and sensitive than men to emotional facial expressions. However, no gender difference in the brain responses to persons and unanimated scenes has hitherto been demonstrated. Results Twenty-four men and women viewed 220 images portraying persons or landscapes and ERPs were recorded from 128 sites. In women, but not in men, the N2 component (210–270) was much larger to persons than to scenes. swLORETA showed significant bilateral activation of FG (BA19/37) in both genders when viewing persons as opposed to scenes. Only women showed a source of activity in the STG and in the right MOG (extra-striate body area, EBA), and only men in the left parahippocampal area (PPA). Conclusion A significant gender difference was found in activation of the left and right STG (BA22) and the cingulate cortex for the subtractive condition women minus men, thus indicating that women might have a greater preference or interest for social stimuli (faces and persons).</p

O estado brasileiro e a cultura de segurança da informação: estudo de caso sobre a implantação de um projeto de segurança da informação em um órgão da administração pública federal

This paper aims at showing to what extent the culture of Information Security is present in an organ of the Brazilian Federal Public Administration, emphasizing the difference in perception between professionals of Information Technology and professionals who work in the final activity of the organization. The data on the basis of this case study were collected through a questionnaire prepared with the intention of capturing, within the research theme, the current situation of the company as senior management positions itself as the mechanisms used impact the work of professionals consulted and how they position themselves in relation to the subject. The initial attempt to understand the data and analysis of results, by comparing the answers by reading the questionnaires, it turned out dry and difficult to implement. The data analysis was only possible after the completion of a consolidation of the main arguments raised by respondents in separate worksheets for profile professional performance. From this intermediate result could clearly see the difference in position coming from the expectations inherent in the respective fields, and consider more clearly the motivations for agreement and disagreement in the responses observed. Occupational Information Technology wishing to establish a strong culture of Information Security, because they understand that this protects the organization and people from real threats and increasingly present in contemporary society, the professionals who are customers of Technology information organization, despite understanding the need to establish a strong culture of Information Security, worries that the hype in the establishment and implementation of rules and security mechanisms can seriously damage your productivity and your quality of life. The points of agreement observed shows risks to the Brazilian government plans to establish a culture of Information Security throughout the structure of the Federal Public Administration, because they reveal a lack of commitment from top management, lack of standards and a level of awareness and encourage adoption of best safety practices in daily activities of people, as well as lack of interest of the entire management structure with the proposals presented to them in order to carry out any activity or start a process of educating the public about the risks that are subject in their daily activities and that they put their organization at risk. Considering the results obtained, it is necessary to monitor the developments in this organization, especially after the disclosure of this work in order to see how the reaction will be the decision makers.O presente trabalho tem por objetivo demonstrar em que grau a cultura de Segurança da Informação está presente em um órgão da Administração Pública Federal Brasileira, enfatizando a diferença de percepção entre os profissionais de Tecnologia da Informação e profissionais que atuam na atividade fim da organização. Os dados em que se baseou esse estudo de caso foram levantados através de um questionário preparado com a intenção de capturar, dentro do tema da pesquisa, a situação atual da empresa, como a alta direção se posiciona, como os mecanismos utilizados impactam o trabalho dos profissionais consultados e como estes se posicionam em relação ao tema.. A tentativa inicial de compreensão dos dados e análise dos resultados, através da comparação das respostas pela leitura direta dos questionários, revelou-se árida e de difícil implementação. A compreensão dos dados só foi possível após a realização de uma consolidação dos principais argumentos levantados pelos respondentes em planilhas separadas por perfil de atuação profissional. A partir desse resultado intermediário foi possível visualizar claramente a diferença de posicionamento oriunda das expectativas inerentes aos respectivos campos de atuação, assim como analisar com maior clareza as motivações que levam às concordâncias e discordâncias observadas nas respostas. Os profissionais de Tecnologia da Informação desejam o estabelecimento de uma sólida cultura de Segurança da Informação, porque entendem que esta protege a organização e as pessoas de ameaças reais e cada vez mais presentes na sociedade contemporânea; os profissionais que são usuários dos serviços de Tecnologia da Informação da organização, apesar de compreenderem a necessidade do estabelecimento de uma forte cultura de Segurança da Informação, preocupam-se que o exagero no estabelecimento e implementação de regras e mecanismos de segurança possam prejudicar seriamente sua produtividade e sua qualidade de vida profissional. Os pontos de concordância observados revelam riscos aos planos do governo brasileiro de estabelecer a cultura de Segurança da Informação em toda a estrutura da Administração Pública Federal, porque revelam falta de compromisso da alta direção, inexistência de normativos e de um plano de conscientização e incentivo à adoção das melhores práticas de segurança nas atividades diárias das pessoas, assim como falta de interesse de toda a estrutura de gestão com relação às propostas que lhes foram apresentadas no sentido de realizar alguma atividade ou iniciar algum processo de conscientização das pessoas para os riscos a que estão sujeitas no seu dia a dia e que colocam a própria organização em risco. Diante dos resultados obtidos, faz-se necessário o acompanhamento da evolução dos acontecimentos nessa organização, especialmente após a divulgação deste trabalho, a fim de observar como será a reação dos tomadores de decisão

The Effect of Water Spray Systems on Thermal and Solar Performance of an ETFE Panel for Building Envelope

ETFE membranes are generally used in architecture for large roofing and façade systems, because of their transparency and lightness compared to glass alternatives. Multilayer ETFE panels are used to improve single membrane systems performances, reducing thermal losses, by the use of an air gap between two or more ETFE foils, generally serigraphed or surface treated to reduce solar gains. Surface temperatures and global solar radiation strongly affects mean radiant temperature (MRT), and comfort perceived by a user facing a transparent envelope as well as solar gains strongly influences primary energy use for cooling in summer conditions. In the following paper an alternative dynamic solar gains mitigation strategy is presented and applied to a double layer, non-cushions, ETFE panel for façades. We measured the effectiveness of a water spray system located in the air-gap between the parallel ETFE foils and used to reduce surface temperatures and solar access depending on different summer solar radiation values and outdoor/indoor air temperature conditions. Systems alternative with different in nozzle dimension, water spray geometry and water consumption were already tested to evaluate the best compromise between solar gains reduction and water use. The results are preliminary but we noticed that a reduction up to the 10% of the total solar gains could be achieved as well as a reduction of 10 °C of surface temperature. Comfort evaluation for a standard indoor space were already done

Neural Markers of Opposite-Sex Bias in Face Processing

Some behavioral and neuroimaging studies suggest that adults prefer to view attractive faces of the opposite sex more than attractive faces of the same sex. However, unlike the other-race face effect (Caldara et al., 2004), little is known regarding the existence of an opposite-/same-sex bias in face processing. In this study, the faces of 130 attractive male and female adults were foveally presented to 40 heterosexual university students (20 men and 20 women) who were engaged in a secondary perceptual task (landscape detection). The automatic processing of face gender was investigated by recording ERPs from 128 scalp sites. Neural markers of opposite- vs. same-sex bias in face processing included larger and earlier centro–parietal N400s in response to faces of the opposite sex and a larger late positivity (LP) to same-sex faces. Analysis of intra-cortical neural generators (swLORETA) showed that facial processing-related (FG, BA37, BA20/21) and emotion-related brain areas (the right parahippocampal gyrus, BA35; uncus, BA36/38; and the cingulate gyrus, BA24) had higher activations in response to opposite- than same-sex faces. The results of this analysis, along with data obtained from ERP recordings, support the hypothesis that both genders process opposite-sex faces differently than same-sex faces. The data also suggest a hemispheric asymmetry in the processing of opposite-/same-sex faces, with the right hemisphere involved in processing same-sex faces and the left hemisphere involved in processing faces of the opposite sex. The data support previous literature suggesting a right lateralization for the representation of self-image and body awareness

Straight trajectory planning for keyhole neurosurgery in sheep with automatic brain structures segmentation

In a translational neuroscience/neurosurgery perspective, sheep are considered good candidates to study because of the similarity between their brain and the human one. Automatic planning systems for safe keyhole neurosurgery maximize the probe/catheter distance from vessels and risky structures. This work consists in the development of a trajectories planner for straight catheters placement intended to be used for investigating the drug diffusivity mechanisms in sheep brain. Automatic brain segmentation of gray matter, white matter and cerebrospinal fluid is achieved using an online available sheep atlas. Ventricles, midbrain and cerebellum segmentation have been also carried out. The veterinary surgeon is asked to select a target point within the white matter to be reached by the probe and to define an entry area on the brain cortex. To mitigate the risk of hemorrhage during the insertion process, which can prevent the success of the insertion procedure, the trajectory planner performs a curvature analysis of the brain cortex and wipes out from the poll of possible entry points the sulci, as part of brain cortex where superficial blood vessels are naturally located. A limited set of trajectories is then computed and presented to the surgeon, satisfying an optimality criteria based on a cost function which considers the distance from critical brain areas and the whole trajectory length. The planner proved to be effective in defining rectilinear trajectories accounting for the safety constraints determined by the brain morphology. It also demonstrated a short computational time and good capability in segmenting gyri and sulci surfaces

App 2.0: strumenti per una didattica innovativa

L\u2019idea di descrivere in maniera sistematica un vasto insieme di app del Web 2.0 nasce all\u2019interno di un progetto di innovazione didattica dedicato alla formazione degli insegnanti di scuola di primo e secondo grado. Il progetto \u201cScuol@ 2.0: conoscere gli strumenti offerti dal Web e sperimentare una didattica innovativa\u201d si \ue8 svolto a Gorizia, nei laboratori informatici del polo universitario di Santa Chiara dell\u2019Universit\ue0 di Udine, nel febbraio/marzo 2016.Prefazione L\u2019idea di descrivere in maniera sistematica un vasto insieme di app del Web 2.0 nasce all\u2019i nterno di un progetto di innovazione didattica dedicato alla formazione degli insegnanti di scuola di primo e secondo grado. Le pagine che seguono presentano una selezione di un centinaio di app, riportando per ognuna di esse: \u2022 il logo; \u2022 il QR code per accedere alla pagina Web dell\u2019app; \u2022 la tipologia di app; \u2022 la descrizione; \u2022 i dettagli tecnici; \u2022 le funzionalit\ue0 e caratteristiche; \u2022 esempi di prodotti e collegamenti a tutorial

Experimental Assessment of the Reflection of Solar Radiation from Façades of Tall Buildings to the Pedestrian Level

Urban climates are highly influenced by the ability of built surfaces to reflect solar radiation, and the use of high-albedo materials has been widely investigated as an effective option to mitigate urban overheating. While diffusely solar reflective walls have attracted concerns in the architectural and thermal comfort community, the potential of concave and polished surfaces, such as glass and metal panels, to cause extreme glare and localized thermal stress has been underinvestigated. Furthermore, there is the need for a systematic comparison of the solar concentration at the pedestrian level in front of tall buildings. Herein, we show the findings of an experimental campaign measuring the magnitude of the sunlight reflected by scale models reproducing archetypical tall buildings. Three 1:100 scaled prototypes with different shapes (classic vertical façade, 10% tilted façade, curved concave façade) and different finishing materials (representative of extremes in reflectance properties of building materials) were assessed. A specular surface was assumed as representative of a glazed façade under high-incidence solar angles, while selected light-diffusing materials were considered sufficient proxies for plaster finishing. With a diffusely reflective façade, the incident radiation at the pedestrian level in front of the building did not increase by more than 30% for any geometry. However, with a specular reflective (i.e., mirror-like) flat façade, the incident radiation at the pedestrian level increased by more than 100% and even by more than 300% with curved solar-concentrating geometries. In addition, a tool for the preliminary evaluation of the solar reflectance risk potential of a generic complex building shape is developed and presented. Our findings demonstrate that the solar concentration risk due to mirror-like surfaces in the built environment should be a primary concern in design and urban microclimatology

An unusual case report on the possible role of Warfarin in migraine prophylaxis

Migraine is a complex disease whose physiopathological mechanisms are still not completely revealed