Visuospatial bootstrapping: spatialized displays enhance digit and nonword sequence learning

Visuospatial bootstrapping describes the observation that performance on a verbal memory task is enhanced by presenting the to‐be‐remembered material in a format with additional embedded spatial information. Thus far, it has only been reported in short‐term memory tasks. Here, we report two experiments assessing the impact of spatial information on the learning of sequences in long‐term memory. Experiment 1 used digits presented within a familiar numeric keypad as stimuli compared against single digits presented in one location. Experiment 2 used novel nonwords, which were either presented in an unchanging arrangement permitting the building‐up of location knowledge or in a constantly changing arrangement. Both experiments demonstrated strong evidence that reliable spatial information facilitated sequence learning, particularly in later sequence positions. It is concluded that the incidental availability of spatialized information during study can facilitate learning of sequences of digits and nonwords. Furthermore, the spatial information can be learned during the task itself and does not need to be preexistent in long‐term knowledge

Sensorimotor control dynamics and cultural biases: learning to move in the right (or left) direction

The nativist hypothesis suggests universal features of human behaviour can be explained by biologically determined cognitive substrates. This nativist account has been challenged recently by evolutionary models showing that the cultural transmission of knowledge can produce behavioural universals. Sensorimotor invariance is a canonical example of a behavioural universal, raising the issue of whether culture can influence not only which skills people acquire but also the development of the sensorimotor system. We tested this hypothesis by exploring whether culture influences the developing sensorimotor system in children. We took kinematic measures of motor control asymmetries in adults and children from differing cultures where writing follows opposite directions. British and Kuwaiti adults (n = 69) and First Grade (5-6 year old) children (n = 140) completed novel rightward and leftward tracing tasks. The Kuwaitis were better when moving their arm leftward whilst the British showed the opposite bias. Bayesian analysis techniques showed that while children were worse than adults, they also showed asymmetries - with the asymmetry magnitude related to accuracy levels. Our findings support the idea that culture influences the sensorimotor system

Using and Distributing Spaceflight Data: The Johnson Space Center Life Sciences Data Archive

Life sciences data collected before, during and after spaceflight are valuable and often irreplaceable. The Johnson Space Center Life is hard to find, and much of the data (e.g. Sciences Data Archive has been designed to provide researchers, engineers, managers and educators interactive access to information about and data from human spaceflight experiments. The archive system consists of a Data Acquisition System, Database Management System, CD-ROM Mastering System and Catalog Information System (CIS). The catalog information system is the heart of the archive. The CIS provides detailed experiment descriptions (both written and as QuickTime movies), hardware descriptions, hardware images, documents, and data. An initial evaluation of the archive at a scientific meeting showed that 88% of those who evaluated the catalog want to use the system when completed. The majority of the evaluators found the archive flexible, satisfying and easy to use. We conclude that the data archive effectively provides key life sciences data to interested users

Modality specificity and integration in working memory: Insights from visuospatial bootstrapping

The question of how meaningful associations between verbal and spatial information might be utilized to facilitate working memory performance is potentially highly instructive for models of memory function. The present study explored how separable processing capacities within specialized domains might each contribute to this, by examining the disruptive impacts of simple verbal and spatial concurrent tasks on young adults’ recall of visually presented digit sequences encountered either in a single location or within a meaningful spatial “keypad” configuration. The previously observed advantage for recall in the latter condition (the “visuospatial bootstrapping effect”) consistently emerged across 3 experiments, indicating use of familiar spatial information in boosting verbal memory. The magnitude of this effect interacted with concurrent activity; articulatory suppression during encoding disrupted recall to a greater extent when digits were presented in single locations (Experiment 1), while spatial tapping during encoding had a larger impact on the keypad condition and abolished the visuospatial bootstrapping advantage (Experiment 2). When spatial tapping was performed during recall (Experiment 3), no task by display interaction was observed. Outcomes are discussed within the context of the multicomponent model of working memory, with a particular emphasis on cross-domain storage in the episodic buffer (Baddeley, 2000)

On the Right Track? Investigating the Effect of Path Characteristics on Visuospatial Bootstrapping in Verbal Serial Recall

Visuospatial bootstrapping (VSB) occurs when memory for verbal material is enhanced via association with meaningful visuospatial information. Sequences of digits are visually presented either in the center of the screen or within a keypad layout in which the digits may be arranged identically to familiar pin pad and mobile phone layouts, or randomly. Recall is consistently higher when digits are presented in the familiar layout. This “bootstrapping” could involve primarily long-term knowledge of the layout, primarily short-term memory of the unique spatial path, or may depend on both. We manipulated the path complexity of sequences to test whether the VSB effect depends on the quality of spatial representations in conjunction with the familiarity of the spatial layout in two experiments. We consistently observed both VSB effects and path complexity effects on verbal serial recall, but never observed any interaction between these factors, even when articulatory suppression was imposed. Analysis of recall by serial position revealed that the VSB effect was focused on the end-of-list items. Our finding of pervasive path complexity effects on verbal serial recall suggests incidental encoding of spatial path occurs during visually-presented verbal tasks regardless of layout familiarity, confirming that spatial factors can affect verbal recall, but ruling out the notion that incidental spatial paths are uniquely and voluntarily encoded with familiar layouts

Who am I? Autobiographical retrieval improves access to self-concepts

It is considered that an individual's current self-concept plays a crucial role in guiding the retrieval of autobiographical memory. Using a novel fluency paradigm, the present research examined whether or not the reverse is also true, that is, does memory retrieval influence the description of the conceptual self? Specifically, this study examined the effect of prior autobiographical reverie on the subsequent retrieval of stored self-concepts. Participants wrote a description of a personally relevant memory or a control topic (of no relevance to the self), following which they had 60 seconds to generate as many self-defining statements as possible, each beginning with I am. Participants engaging in autobiographical retrieval generated significantly more statements than those in the control condition, suggesting that autobiographical retrieval increased access to self-concepts. Type of statement also varied according to group. Participants in the autobiographical memory condition were more likely to conceptualise themselves in relation to their psychological traits, and this was replicated in a second experiment conducted online. Findings support the idea that self and episodic memory are highly related constructs, and are discussed in relation to implications for individuals with autobiographical memory deficits

The efficacy of the thyroid peroxidase marker for distinguishing follicular thyroid carcinoma from follicular adenoma

Aim: Expression of thyroid peroxidase (TPO) in the thyroid gland tissue is well known as a sensitive marker of the thyroid malignancy. We have evaluated immunohistochemical assay of TPO for distinguishing follicular thyroid carcinoma from follicular adenoma. Materials and Methods: Sections of formalin-fixed tissues obtained from 92 patients with thyroid tumors (52 follicular carcinomas and 40 follicular adenomas including the Hurthle cell type) were analyzed using a monoclonal antibody (TPO mAb 47) and the avidin-biotin peroxidase complex immunohistochemical technique. Lesions with staining of more than 80% of the follicular cells/specimen were considered benign, while less than 80% were considered malignant. Results: TPO immunostaining correlated with the histopathological diagnosis in 24/40 cases of follicular adenomas and 41/52 cases of follicular carcinomas, giving a specificity of 60% and a sensitivity of 79%. Conclusion: These results suggest that immunohistochemical assay of TPO expression has limited value for the differential diagnosis of follicular thyroid carcinoma from thyroid follicular adenoma.Цель: уровень экспрессии тироидной пероксидазы (ТПО) в ткани щитовидной железы является чувствительным маркером малигнизации этого органа. В работе представлено попытку оценки метода иммуногистохимический детекции ТПО для дифференциальной диагностики фолликулярной карциномы и фолликулярной аденомы щитовидной железы (ФКЩЖ и ФАЩЖ соответственно). Материалы и методы: срезы ткани, зафиксированные в формалине, были получены у 92 пациентов с опухолями щитовидной железы (52 случая — ФКЩЖ и 40 — ФАЩЖ, в том числе тип с клетками Хюртля). Для иммуногистохимического анализа этих срезов использовали моноклональные антитела против ТПО (ТРОmAb47) и авидин-биотиновый комплекс. Препараты опухолей, содержащих более 80% позитивно окрашенных фолликулярных клеток, признавали доброкачественными, а те, что содержали менее 80% таких клеток, — злокачественными. Результаты: интенсивность иммуноокрашивания препаратов коррелировала с гистопатологическим диагнозом в 24 из 40 случаев ФАЩЖ и в 41 из 52 случаев ФКЩЖ. При этом чувствительность метода составляла 79%, специфичность — 60%. Выводы: иммуногистохимический анализ ТПО имеет недостаточную специфичность для дифференциальной диагностики фолликулярной карциномы и фолликулярной аденомы

Roadmap on semiconductor-cell biointerfaces.

This roadmap outlines the role semiconductor-based materials play in understanding the complex biophysical dynamics at multiple length scales, as well as the design and implementation of next-generation electronic, optoelectronic, and mechanical devices for biointerfaces. The roadmap emphasizes the advantages of semiconductor building blocks in interfacing, monitoring, and manipulating the activity of biological components, and discusses the possibility of using active semiconductor-cell interfaces for discovering new signaling processes in the biological world