An Explanation for the Role of the Amygdala in Aesthetic Judgments

Contains fulltext : 168787.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)It has been proposed that the top-down guidance of feature-based attention is the basis for the involvement of the amygdala in various tasks requiring emotional decision-making (Jacobs, Renken, Aleman & Cornelissen, 2012). Aesthetic judgements are correlated with particular visual features and can be considered emotional in nature (Jacobs et al., 2016). Moreover, we have previously shown that various aesthetic judgements result in observers preferentially attending to different visual features (Jacobs et al., 2010). Here, we argue that - together - this explains why the amygdalae become active during aesthetic judgements of visual materials. We discuss potential implications and predictions of this theory that can be tested experimentally.7 p

Effects of Ionizing Radiation on the Size Distribution of Proteoglycan Aggregates Synthesized by Chondrocytes in Agarose

Effects of ionizing radiation on the structure and size-distribution of newly synthesized proteoglycan aggregates are studied in-vitro. Chondrocytes, isolated from embryonic chick sterna, are cultured for 7 days in a tri-dimensional agarose system. Single radiation doses of 10, 20 and 50 Gy are given before starting the culture. Digestion of the artificial agarose matrix liberates the newly synthesized proteoglycans. Spreading with cytochrome C allows electron microscopic investigations of the individual, newly synthesized molecules. The structure of aggregates synthesized by control and irradiated chondrocytes is comparable. However, radiation causes alterations in the size-distributions of the aggregate-populations. For the control cultures, an average aggregate contains 27 aggrecans per aggregate. 34 pro mille of the molecules contain more than 100 aggrecans per aggregate. Irradiation with 10 Gy doesn\u27t cause alterations. With radiation doses of 20 and 50 Gy, an average molecule contains 20 aggrecans. Only about 9 pro mille of the aggregates contain more than 100 aggrecans. Stimulation of lysosomal activity after irradiation could explain the observed alterations

Effects of Ionizing Radiation on Cartilage: Emphasis on Effects on the Extracellular Matrix

In this report, we review data dealing with radiation effects on cartilage. More specifically, we emphasize on alterations caused in the extra-cellular cartilage matrix. Although radiation studies predominantly describe the effect on the structure of DNA and on the mitotic activity of cells, alterations caused by the effect on the non-mitotic activity can also be important. Cartilage, having an extracellular matrix composed of 2 major components, aggrecan and collagen, provides a good model to study this kind of radiation effects. The following topics concerning literature data are summarized: effects on the amount of matrix synthesized, effects on the activity of certain enzymes and effects on the structure and morphology of the matrix. Some new findings concerning the radiation effect on the size distribution of aggrecan-aggregate populations, de novo synthesized by chondrocyte cultures, either derived from calcifying or from non-calcifying cartilage, are given

Data-driven Determination of Disease Markers’ Threshold Values in Rot-affected Wine Grapes

Grapevine bunch rot is detrimental to grape and wine quality. Traditionally, detecting and quantifyingthe severity of rot infection is executed visually. This study aimed at defining local, area-specific thresholdvalues of rot-associated disease markers. This is a first step towards making informed decisions aboutthe quality of grapes delivered at winery intake. Viticulturists visually assessed on-vine rot infection innine white wine grape cultivars. Results showed that severity ratings were consistent between assessors.Chemical analyses of the grape must from these assessed samples were done. Multiple factor analysis (MFA)showed that rot severity was positively correlated with glycerol, alcohol, gluconic acid and acetic acidconcentrations. As severity increased, gluconic acid, glycerol, alcohol, Brix, acetic acid and total titratableacidity (TA) concentrations also increased. Following the probability chosen for sensitivity and specificity,grape rot indicators’ threshold values in white grape must are as follow: Alcohol ≥ 0.10 %v/v; acetic acid≥ 0.17 g/L; glycerol ≥ 0.79 g/L; gluconic acid ≥ 0.99 g/L; TA ≥ 8.86 g/L. Statistical determined thresholdvalues differentiating between rot-affected and healthy grape must, would eliminate the subjectivity andbias associated with visual assessments

Wat is het verband tussen het adoptieproces en het implementatieproces, van het BBV?: Het Besluit Begroting en Verantwoording: Een onderzoek naar de status van implementatie van het Besluit Begroting en Verantwoording bij de Nederlandse gemeenten

in deze scriptie wordt onderzoek gedaan naar de vraag wat het verband is tussen eigenschappen van het adoptieproces en eigenschappen van het implementatieproces, gebaseerd op de implementatie van het Besluit Begroting en Verantwoording (BBV) bij de Nederlandse gemeenten

Training compensatory viewing strategies:feasiblity and effect on practical fitness to drive in subjects with visual field defects

Fifty-one subjects with visual field defects were trained to use compensatory viewing strategies.The subjects were referred to the training program by an official driving examiner of the Dutch Central Bureau of Driving Licenses. Three training programs were compared: laboratory training, mobility training, and motor traffic training. Viewing behavior, visual attention, and practical fitness to drive were assessed before and after training. Practical fitness to drive was assessed on the road as well as in a driving simulator. It was observed that compensatory viewing behavior and practical fitness to drive could be improved by training. Subjects in the motor traffic training showed a small advantage with regard to practical fitness to drive, suggesting that training is task-specific and that generalization is limited. The effect of visual field defect on viewing behavior and practical fitness to drive was analyzed separately for subjects with central or peripheral visual field defects. It was observed that none of the outcome measures differed between the central and peripheral visual field defect groups