Representational organization of novel task sets during proactive encoding

Recent multivariate analyses of brain data have boosted our understanding of the organizational principles that shape neural coding. However, most of this progress has focused on perceptual visual regions (Connolly et al., 2012), whereas far less is known about the organization of more abstract, action-oriented representations. In this study, we focused on humans{\textquoteright} remarkable ability to turn novel instructions into actions. While previous research shows that instruction encoding is tightly linked to proactive activations in fronto-parietal brain regions, little is known about the structure that orchestrates such anticipatory representation. We collected fMRI data while participants (both males and females) followed novel complex verbal rules that varied across control-related variables (integrating within/across stimuli dimensions, response complexity, target category) and reward expectations. Using Representational Similarity Analysis (Kriegeskorte et al., 2008) we explored where in the brain these variables explained the organization of novel task encoding, and whether motivation modulated these representational spaces. Instruction representations in the lateral prefrontal cortex were structured by the three control-related variables, while intraparietal sulcus encoded response complexity and the fusiform gyrus and precuneus organized its activity according to the relevant stimulus category. Reward exerted a general effect, increasing the representational similarity among different instructions, which was robustly correlated with behavioral improvements. Overall, our results highlight the flexibility of proactive task encoding, governed by distinct representational organizations in specific brain regions. They also stress the variability of motivation-control interactions, which appear to be highly dependent on task attributes such as complexity or novelty.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTIn comparison with other primates, humans display a remarkable success in novel task contexts thanks to our ability to transform instructions into effective actions. This skill is associated with proactive task-set reconfigurations in fronto-parietal cortices. It remains yet unknown, however, how the brain encodes in anticipation the flexible, rich repertoire of novel tasks that we can achieve. Here we explored cognitive control and motivation-related variables that might orchestrate the representational space for novel instructions. Our results showed that different dimensions become relevant for task prospective encoding depending on the brain region, and that the lateral prefrontal cortex simultaneously organized task representations following different control-related variables. Motivation exerted a general modulation upon this process, diminishing rather than increasing distances among instruction representations

Digital Video Manipulation Detection Technique Based on Compression Algorithms

Digital images and videos play a very important role in everyday life. Nowadays, people have access the affordable mobile devices equipped with advanced integrated cameras and powerful image processing applications. Technological development facilitates not only the generation of multimedia content, but also the intentional modification of it, either with recreational or malicious purposes. This is where forensic techniques to detect manipulation of images and videos become essential. This paper proposes a forensic technique by analysing compression algorithms used by the H.264 coding. The presence of recompression uses information of macroblocks, a characteristic of the H.264-MPEG4 standard, and motion vectors. A Vector Support Machine is used to create the model that allows to accurately detect if a video has been recompressed

Fusarium Mycotoxins and Metabolites that Modulate Their Production

The genus Fusarium is a group of fungi producing several types of toxins with toxicological effect in both humans and animals. Such fungi are commonly found in soils so it can contaminate various types of crops, preferably cereals, leading to significant economic losses. Relative humidity, storage temperature and various handling in cereales increase the possibility of contamination by Fusarium toxins. Cereals naturally have secondary metabolites that may help attenuate contamination by these toxins, but it is necessary to know strategies and mechanisms that generate inactivation mycotoxins. This chapter reviews relevant information about cereal mycotoxin contamination, as well as the production of cereal secondary metabolites as a strategy to reduce the possibility of mycotoxin contamination

Characterization of micromobility crashes in Spain (2016-2020)

Micromobility has a direct impact on the urban area, since it tries to make cities more liveable, o:ffering an alternative transport option that contributes to reduce air and noise pollution. Additionally, it promotes intennodality, promotes money savings, reduces parking space and helps to avoid road congestion in cities that have their own lanes for the use of micromobility vehicles such as bicycles, stand-up e-scooters (escooters) and other personal mobility vehicles (PMVs). In Spain, micromobility has significantly increased in recent years, through the increase in the supply and demand for bicycles and other PMVs, mainly e-scooters. There are many reasons that have motivated users to prioritize the bicycle and the other PMVs over other means of tra.nsport. In addition to the growing concern for health and the environment, the COVID-19 pandemic has also driven the growth in the use ofthe different PMVs in 2020. Accordmg to data from Global Public Transport Report, published by the mobility application Moovit, 31 % of Spanianis have used bicycles, scooters or e-scooters in 2020, increasing their use by 7% since 2019. However, in parallel and because of the increase in PMVs exposure, the number of crashes involving users of these vehicles has also increased in recent years. For this reason, among road safety researchers, interest and concern for the study of this kind of crashes have also increased The aim of this research is to characterize the crashes in Spain in which at least one PMV (bicycle, e-scooter or other PMV) is involved between the years 2016 and 2020

Esika factores de éxito

Este estudio ha tenido como objetivo identificar algunas de las empresas que importan y exportan productos desde nuestro país Colombia a otros, pero de manera específica a México por ser el país elegido para ser visitado por la universidad Minuto de Dios con la Facultad de Ciencias Empresariales; siendo esta una de las opciones que se ofrecen a los futuros Administradores de Empresas

Compact Groups analysis using weak gravitational lensing II: CFHT Stripe 82 data

In this work we present a lensing study of Compact Groups (CGs) using data obtained from the high-quality Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Stripe 82 Survey. Using stacking techniques we obtain the average density contrast profile. We analyse the lensing signal dependence on the groups' surface brightness and morphological content, for CGs in the redshift range z = 0.2-0.4.We obtain a larger lensing signal for CGs with higher surface brightness, probably due to their lower contamination by interlopers. Also, we find a strong dependence of the lensing signal on the group concentration parameter, with the most concentrated quintile showing a significant lensing signal, consistent with an isothermal sphere with σV = 336 ± 28 km s-1 and a NFW profile with R200 = 0.60 ± 0.05 h-1 70 Mpc. We also compare lensing results with dynamical estimates finding a good agreement with lensing determinations for CGs with higher surface brightness and higher concentration indexes. On the other hand, CGs that are more contaminated by interlopers show larger dynamical dispersions, since interlopers bias dynamical estimates to larger values, although the lensing signal is weakened.Fil: Chalela Garcia, Martin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Astronomía Teórica y Experimental. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Observatorio Astronómico de Córdoba. Instituto de Astronomía Teórica y Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Gonzalez, Elizabeth Johana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Astronomía Teórica y Experimental. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Observatorio Astronómico de Córdoba. Instituto de Astronomía Teórica y Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Makler, Martín. Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Físicas; BrasilFil: Garcia Lambas, Diego Rodolfo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Astronomía Teórica y Experimental. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Observatorio Astronómico de Córdoba. Instituto de Astronomía Teórica y Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Pereira, Maria E.S.. Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Físicas; BrasilFil: O'Mill, Ana Laura. Instituto de Astronomia Teorica y Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Shan, Huan Yuan. Argelander-Institut fur Astronomie; Alemani