Perceptual properties of feedback stimuli influence the feedback‐related negativity in the flanker gambling task

A negative deflection in the event‐related potential is enhanced following error‐ and loss‐related feedback in decision‐making and simple gambling tasks. Researchers have assumed that the perceptual properties of the feedback stimuli are unimportant in explaining these effects. This assumption was tested in the present study through a flanker gambling task, in which the perceptual properties of the feedback were manipulated. Consistent with previous studies, loss elicited a larger feedback‐related negativity ( FRN ) than gain feedback. However, this FRN reward effect was modulated by the perceptual properties of the feedback stimuli. When gain and loss feedback were perceptually similar to each other, the enhancement of the FRN following the loss feedback was smaller compared to when the gain and loss feedback were different from each other. In addition, incongruent feedback elicited a larger FRN than congruent feedback; this FRN congruency effect was larger following gain than loss feedback. These results suggested that perceptual properties of the feedback stimuli play a role in the elicitation of the FRN .Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/108013/1/psyp12216.pd

Psychophysiological Measures of Driver Distraction and Workload While Intoxicated

The crash risk associated with cell phone use while driving is acontentious issue. Many states are introducing Advanced Traveler InformationSystems (ATIS) that may be accessed with cell phones while driving (e.g., 511Traveler Information Services). In these contexts, there is a need for relevantresearch to determine the risk of cell phone use. This study compared driverperformance while conversing on a hands-free cell phone to conditions ofoperating common in-vehicle controls (e.g., radio, fan, air conditioning) andalcohol intoxication (BAC 0.08). In addition, the study examined the combinedeffects of being distracted and being intoxicated given that there may be a higherrisk of a crash if the driver engages in a combination of risk factors. Duringsimulated traffic scenarios, resource allocation was assessed through an eventrelatedpotential (ERP) novelty oddball paradigm. Intoxicated drivers were lessattentive to all stimuli and drivers engaged in secondary tasks had weakerresponses to unexpected novel sounds in brain regions associated with evaluativeprocessing. Drivers conversing on the cell phone and in-vehicle tasks while soberhad lower accuracy during the target tone task than intoxicated drivers notcompleting any secondary task

A Close Companion Search Around L Dwarfs Using Aperture Masking Interferometry and Palomar Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics

We present a close companion search around 16 known early L dwarfs using aperture masking interferometry with Palomar laser guide star adaptive optics (LGS AO). The use of aperture masking allows the detection of close binaries, corresponding to projected physical separations of 0.6-10.0 AU for the targets of our survey. This survey achieved median contrast limits of ΔK ~ 2.3 for separations between 1.2λ/D-4λ/D and ΔK ~ 1.4 at 2/3λ/D. We present four candidate binaries detected with moderate-to-high confidence (90%-98%). Two have projected physical separations less than 1.5 AU. This may indicate that tight-separation binaries contribute more significantly to the binary fraction than currently assumed, consistent with spectroscopic and photometric overluminosity studies. Ten targets of this survey have previously been observed with the Hubble Space Telescope as part of companion searches. We use the increased resolution of aperture masking to search for close or dim companions that would be obscured by full aperture imaging, finding two candidate binaries. This survey is the first application of aperture masking with LGS AO at Palomar. Several new techniques for the analysis of aperture masking data in the low signal-to-noise regime are explored

The practical use of decision support system NegFry in potato cultivation

Celem badań przeprowadzonych w latach 2010–2011 było porównanie ochrony chemicznej przeciw zarazie ziemniaka prowadzonej w systemie intensywnym oraz według systemu decyzyjnego (SD) NegFry. Badania przeprowadzono na polu produkcyjnym w Przytocku (woj. pomorskie) na średnio wczesnej, jadalnej odmianie ziemniaka Asterix. Porównywano następujące warianty ochrony przeciwko Phytophthora infestans: intensywny (start ochrony chemicznej na początku zwierania się roślin w rzędzie, aplikacja fungicydów, co 5–10 dni); według SD NegFry (początek ochrony chemicznej oraz termin następnych aplikacji wg obliczeń systemu decyzyjnego) a kontrolę stanowiły poletka bez ochrony przeciwko zarazie ziemniaka. Na wariancie intensywnym w 2010 wykonano 11 aplikacji fungicydowych, a w 2011 roku — 9 zabiegów. Na polu, gdzie prowadzono ochronę chemiczną z wykorzystaniem systemu decyzyjnego NegFry, w obu latach badań wykonano po 6 zabiegów. Skuteczność ochrony chemicznej w obu badanych systemach (intensywny i NegFry), w każdym roku badań wynosiła powyżej 90%. Plon użytkowy (bulwy powyżej 30 mm) w wariantach, gdzie zastosowano ochronę chemiczną, był wyższy o 31,5–130% w porównaniu do kontroli.The aim of research conducted in 2010–2011 was to compare the chemical protection against potato late blight conducted in an intensive system, and by a decision support system (DSS) NegFry. Research was carried out in the field of production in Przytocko (north part of Poland) for mid-early, table potato variety Asterix. The following variants of protection against Phytophthora infestans were compared: intensive (chemical protection starts at the beginning of closing the plant in a row, the application of fungicides every 5–10 days); according to DSS NegFry (the beginning of chemical protection, and the next application deadline according to calculations of DSS) and control (no protection against potato late blight). The intensive variant in 2010 consisted of 11 fungicide applications and in the year 2011 — 9 treatments. In the field, where we conducted chemical protection by decision support system NegFry in both research years 6 treatments were performed. The effectiveness of chemical protection in both treatment variants (intensive and acc. NegFry) in each year of research was more than 90%. The marketable yield (tubers greater than 30 mm) in the variants, which use chemical protection, was higher by about 31.5–130% compared to control

Affect valence and unconscious processing: An event-related potential study.

This study undertakes to answer the following question: what are the signal properties of the brain related to the conscious and unconscious processing of subjective affective stimuli? We hypothesized that (1) subjective ratings of emotionally valent stimuli can be differentiated by event-related potentials (ERPs), and (2) subliminal and supraliminal stimuli can be differentiated by ERPs. ERP component amplitude measures (N100, P200, P300, and N400) were used to relate subjective ratings of emotional stimuli (Osgood semantic differential evaluative scale) with both supraliminal (conscious) and subliminal (unconscious) presentations of these emotional stimuli. Four datasets were used to investigate these hypotheses. Two datasets use words as stimuli and two datasets use schematic faces as stimuli. A consistent set of analyses was applied across these four data sets looking at pleasant and unpleasant emotion ratings and conscious and unconscious processing. Findings supported both hypotheses. Component amplitudes differentiated pleasant from unpleasant stimuli, both supraliminally and subliminally. For words a positivity across component for negative words supraliminally was found. For one of two datasets based on words this pattern reversed subliminally, the other showed a pattern consistent with the supraliminal. For faces, an interrelationship among components differentiated the pleasant and unpleasant stimuli both supraliminally and subliminally. However, this differentiation for faces showed exactly opposite component amplitude directions supraliminally and subliminally. Findings are discussed in the context of growing interest in basic research in the areas of emotion and unconscious processing.Ph.D.Clinical psychologyCognitive psychologyPsychologyUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/130656/2/9811029.pd

Polytobacco Use Among Metropolitan and Non-Metropolitan Adolescents: A Latent Class Analysis

Significance. In recent years, the number of tobacco products on the market has increased, as well as the number of youth reporting the use of more than one tobacco product (i.e., polytobacco use). Studies conducted in the past have shown differences in polytobacco use between demographic groups, such as sex and age. However, no studies have examined polytobacco use comparing metropolitan and non-metropolitan adolescents. Methods. Data from the 2014 Florida Youth Tobacco Survey were analyzed to assess patterns of tobacco product use by metropolitan and non-metropolitan youth. Participants who were in high school (grades 9-12) and aged 14-17 were included in the analysis (n=28,045). Rural urban continuum codes used to classify residence. Results. Overall, 12% of participants reported polytobacco use in the past 30 days (n=3,300). Polytobacco use was more commonly reported among youth living in non-metropolitan than metropolitan areas (14.1% versus 10.3%; Chi-square=35.31, plt;0.01). Latent class analysis was used to examine polytobacco use separately among metropolitan and non-metropolitan youth, controlling for sex, age and race/ethnicity. Past 30 day use of seven tobacco products were examined: (1) cigarettes, (2) chewing tobacco, snuff, or dip, (3) cigars, cigarillos, or little cigars, (4) bidis, kreteks, or tobacco in a pipe, (5) hookah, (6) snus, and (7) e-cigarettes. A five factor solution was identified as the best solution for both groups, but class structure and distribution across five classes differed by metropolitan status. For metropolitan youth, the main products that defined each class were (1) combustibles (35%), (2) smokeless tobacco (21.5%), (3) cigarette & e-cigarette (16.3%), (4) all products (13.8%), and (5) hookah and e-cigarettes (13.3%). In contrast, the main products defining the five classes for non-metropolitan youth were (1) cigars and hookah (31.6%), (2) hookah and e-cigarettes (28.3%), (3) cigarettes and e-cigarettes (16.7%), (4) all products (16.2%), and (5) cigarettes and cigars (7.2%). Conclusions. Polytobacco use is more prevalent among non-metropolitan youth than metropolitan youth, and product use patterns vary among these two groups. Understanding how tobacco products are used together will be critical for the development of interventions designed to reduce polytobacco use. The present findings suggest that interventions to address polytobacco use among youth may need to be tailored to the different polytobacco use patterns by metropolitan status

The use of decision support system NegFry to late blight control

Badania nad przydatnością systemu wspomagania decyzji NegFry, w chemicznej ochronie ziemniaka przed zarazą (Phytophthora infestans), w porównaniu do różnych systemów ochrony, prowadzono w Instytucie Hodowli i Aklimatyzacji Roślin, Zakładzie Nasiennictwa i Ochrony Ziemniaka w Boninie w latach 2007–2008. Ochrona prowadzona wg systemu NegFry pozwoliła na istotne ograniczenie rozwoju zarazy ziemniaka i zredukowanie liczby zabiegów fungicydowych o 2 w porównaniu do konwencjonalnej metody ochrony (7 zabiegów).The assessment of usefulness of a decision support system (DSS) NegFry for chemical control of late blight (Phytophthora infestans) was carried out at the Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute, Department of Potato Protection and Seed Science in Bonin in the years 2007–2008. The DSS NegFry was compared to different potato protection systems. The results obtained show that plant protection performed according to NegFry system significantly restricted late blight development and reduced the number of fungicide treatments by two in comparison to the conventional protection method (7 treatments)

Time-frequency PCA of event-related EEG changes in the orienting reflex

Abstract presented at the 17th World Congress of Psychophysiology (IOP2014) of the International Organization of Psychophysiology (IOP) Hiroshima, Japan, September 23rd to 27th, 201

A Practical Introduction to EEG Time-Frequency Principal Components Analysis (TF-PCA)

This EEG methods tutorial provides both a conceptual and practical introduction to a promising data reduction approach for time-frequency representations of EEG data: Time-Frequency Principal Components Analysis (TF-PCA). Briefly, the unique value of TF-PCA is that it provides a data-reduction approach that does not rely on strong a priori constraints regarding the specific timing or frequency boundaries for an effect of interest. Given that the time-frequency characteristics of various neurocognitive process are known to change across development, the TF-PCA approach is thus particularly well suited for the analysis of developmental TF data. Towards this end, this tutorial provides the background knowledge, theory, and practical information needed to allow individuals with basic EEG experience to begin applying the TF-PCA approach to their own data. Crucially, this tutorial article is accompanied by a companion GitHub repository that contains example code, data, and a step-by-step guide of how to perform TF-PCA: https://github.com/NDCLab/tfpca-tutorial. Although this tutorial is framed in terms of the utility of TF-PCA for developmental data, the theory, protocols and code covered in this tutorial article and companion GitHub repository can be applied more broadly across populations of interest