Neural correlates of subjective timing precision and confidence

Humans perceptual judgments are imprecise, as repeated exposures to the same physical stimulation (e.g. audio-visual inputs separated by a constant temporal offset) can result in different decisions. Moreover, there can be marked individual differences – precise judges will repeatedly make the same decision about a given input, whereas imprecise judges will make different decisions. The causes are unclear. We examined this using audio-visual (AV) timing and confidence judgments, in conjunction with electroencephalography (EEG) and multivariate pattern classification analyses. One plausible cause of differences in timing precision is that it scales with variance in the dynamics of evoked brain activity. Another possibility is that equally reliable patterns of brain activity are evoked, but there are systematic differences that scale with precision. Trial-by-trial decoding of input timings from brain activity suggested precision differences may not result from variable dynamics. Instead, precision was associated with evoked responses that were exaggerated (more different from baseline) ~300 ms after initial physical stimulations. We suggest excitatory and inhibitory interactions within a winner-take-all neural code for AV timing might exaggerate responses, such that evoked response magnitudes post-stimulation scale with encoding success

Visual predictions, neural oscillations and naïve physics

Prediction is a core function of the human visual system. Contemporary research suggests the brain builds predictive internal models of the world to facilitate interactions with our dynamic environment. Here, we wanted to examine the behavioural and neurological consequences of disrupting a core property of peoples' internal models, using naturalistic stimuli. We had people view videos of basketball and asked them to track the moving ball and predict jump shot outcomes, all while we recorded eye movements and brain activity. To disrupt people's predictive internal models, we inverted footage on half the trials, so dynamics were inconsistent with how movements should be shaped by gravity. When viewing upright videos people were better at predicting shot outcomes, at tracking the ball position, and they had enhanced alpha-band oscillatory activity in occipital brain regions. The advantage for predicting upright shot outcomes scaled with improvements in ball tracking and occipital alpha-band activity. Occipital alpha-band activity has been linked to selective attention and spatially-mapped inhibitions of visual brain activity. We propose that when people have a more accurate predictive model of the environment, they can more easily parse what is relevant, allowing them to better target irrelevant positions for suppression-resulting in both better predictive performance and in neural markers of inhibited information processing

Occipital alpha-band brain waves when the eyes are closed are shaped by ongoing visual processes

One of the seminal findings of cognitive neuroscience is that the power of occipital alpha-band (~ 10 Hz) brain waves is increased when peoples’ eyes are closed, rather than open. This has encouraged the view that alpha oscillations are a default dynamic, to which the visual brain returns in the absence of input. Accordingly, we might be unable to increase the power of alpha oscillations when the eyes are closed, above the level that would normally ensue when people close their eyes. Here we report counter evidence. We used electroencephalography (EEG) to record brain activity when people had their eyes open and closed, both before and after they had adapted to radial motion. The increase in alpha power when people closed their eyes was increased by prior adaptation to a broad range of radial motion speeds. This effect was greatest for 10 Hz motion, but robust for other frequencies (and especially 7.5 Hz). This discredits a persistent entrainment of activity at the adaptation frequency as an explanation for our findings. Our data show that the power of occipital alpha-band brain waves can be increased by motion sensitive visual processes that persist when the eyes are closed. Consequently, we suggest that the power of these brain waves is, at least in part, an index of the degree to which visual brain activity is being subjected to inhibition. This is increased when people close their eyes, but can be even further increased by pre-adaptation to radial motion

International consensus definition of low anterior resection syndrome

Aim: Low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) is pragmatically defined as disordered bowel function after rectal resection leading to a detriment in quality of life. This broad characterization does not allow for precise estimates of prevalence. The LARS score was designed as a simple tool for clinical evaluation of LARS. Although the LARS score has good clinical utility, it may not capture all important aspects that patients may experience. The aim of this collaboration was to develop an international consensus definition of LARS that encompasses all aspects of the condition and is informed by all stakeholders. Method: This international patient–provider initiative used an online Delphi survey, regional patient consultation meetings, and an international consensus meeting. Three expert groups participated: patients, surgeons and other health professionals from five regions (Australasia, Denmark, Spain, Great Britain and Ireland, and North America) and in three languages (English, Spanish, and Danish). The primary outcome measured was the priorities for the definition of LARS. Results: Three hundred twenty-five participants (156 patients) registered. The response rates for successive rounds of the Delphi survey were 86%, 96% and 99%. Eighteen priorities emerged from the Delphi survey. Patient consultation and consensus meetings refined these priorities to eight symptoms and eight consequences that capture essential aspects of the syndrome. Sampling bias may have been present, in particular, in the patient panel because social media was used extensively in recruitment. There was also dominance of the surgical panel at the final consensus meeting despite attempts to mitigate this. Conclusion: This is the first definition of LARS developed with direct input from a large international patient panel. The involvement of patients in all phases has ensured that the definition presented encompasses the vital aspects of the patient experience of LARS. The novel separation of symptoms and consequences may enable greater sensitivity to detect changes in LARS over time and with intervention

Using te reo Māori and ta re Moriori in taxonomy

AUHEKE Ko ngā ingoa Linnaean ka noho hei pou mō te pārongo e pā ana ki ngā momo koiora. He mea nui rawa kia mārama, kia ahurei hoki ngā ingoa pūnaha whakarōpū. Me pēnei kia taea ai te whakawhitiwhiti kōrero ā-pūtaiao nei. Nā tēnā kua āta whakatakotohia ētahi ture, tohu ārahi hoki hei whakahaere i ngā whakamārama pūnaha whakarōpū. Kua whakamanahia ēnei kia noho hei tikanga mō te ao pūnaha whakarōpū. Heoi, arā noa atu ngā hua o te tukanga waihanga ingoa Linnaean mō ngā momo koiora i tua atu i te tautohu noa i ngā momo koiora. Ko tētahi o aua hua ko te whakarau: (1) i te mātauranga o ngā iwi takatake, (2) i te kōrero rānei mai i te iwi o te rohe, (3) i ngā kōrero pūrākau rānei mō te wāhi whenua. Kei te piki haere tēnei āhua whakamahinga hei āwhina kia whakamanahia ngā iwi taketake i roto i te mahi pūnaha whakarōpū. Nā tēnā ka whakamanawahia te iwi i runga i tōna mōhio he hoa-rangapū ia i roto i te mahi whiriwhiri ingoa kōrero pūrākau. Kua roa noa atu a Aotearoa e whakamahi ana i te reo taketake o Aotearoa / Rēkohu rānei i roto i te mahi whakamārama pūnaha whakarōpū. Engari ahakoa tērā, kāore i te pērā rawa te kaha o te ao pūnaha whakarōpū ki te whakapiri mai ki ngā iwi taketake i roto i tēnei tukanga. Kei roto i te rangahau nei i arotakengia ngā tau ki muri, me te aha, ko tōna kitenga e pēnei na: mai i tau 1830, neke atu i te 1,288 ngā wā kua whakamahia te reo Māori, te reo Moriori rānei i roto i te pūnaha whakarōpū. Kei te piki haere hoki tēnei tatauranga. Ko tētahi kitenga o te arotake nei, ko te tohu atu i ētahi āhuatanga whakamahi i te reo Māori, reo Moriori hoki. Hei tauira: (1) ngā momo whakarerekētanga whakamahi o ngā kupu “Māori, Moriori” rānei hei tohu atu tērā i ahu mai tēnā momo koiora mai i Aotearoa. (2) ngā ingoa kōrero pūrākau Māori / Moriori mō ngā momo koiora; (3) ngā ingoa whenua Māori / Moriori hoki e whai hononga ana ki ngā momo koiora (4) ētahi ingoa whakamārama i hangaia mai i ngā kupu Māori / Moriori hoki me (5) ētahi ingoa hou kua whakaarahia e te iwi e mahi ngātahi nei ki te taha o ngā kaipūnaha whakarōpū. Ko tā mātou nei, he arotahi he tautoko hoki i te tuarima o ēnei āhuatanga. He pūnaha mahi ngātahi tēnei hei whakamārama i ngā momo koiora. Ka pēnei mā te āta titiro ki ētahi tauira. Ko ēnei tauira ka whakamiramira i ngā huanga me ngā uauatanga o tēnei pūnaha mahi ngātahi hei whakamārama i ngā momo koiora. Ka tuku āwhina hoki mātou hei ārahi i ngā kaipūnaha whakarōpū kia pai ake te whakapiri atu ki te iwi mō te whakamārama momo koiora. Ka mātua matapakihia ngā take e pā ana ki te “whakarōmahanga” o ētahi kupu Māori, te whakamahinga o te tohutō, me te hiranga hoki kia whakapiri atu ki te iwi mā te roanga atu o te tukanga whakaingoa. Ko tā mātou hoki e tohutohu nei kia kohia katoatia ngā ingoa reo Māori, reo Moriori hoki kia noho hei rārangi tohutoro mō te wā anamata hei ārahi i te whakamahinga, hei hanga pātengi raraunga hoki mō Aotearoa. Ko tēnei pātengi raraunga me māmā te tomo atu, me wātea hoki hei rauemi whakamahi mā te kaiarangahau. ABSTRACT Linnaean names are an anchor for biological information about a species, and having clear, unique, taxonomic names is vital for scientific communication. Accordingly, there are specific rules and guidelines enshrined in codes that govern nomenclature and taxonomic description. The process of creating Linnean names for species can however provide multiple functions beyond identification, including the incorporation of cultural knowledge, vernacular and place names as epithets. Increasingly this usage helps engage and empower Indigenous cultures in taxonomic work through a shared sense of ownership over the species and the choice of epithet. Aotearoa New Zealand has a long history of using both the indigenous Maori language – te reo, and the Indigenous language of Rekohu (the Chatham Islands) – ta re Moriori, in taxonomic description, but not necessarily one of engaging Maori and Moriori in this process. Here we review this history, finding that since its first use in 1830, te reo and ta re have been incorporated over 1288 times within taxonomic nomenclature, and that this usage is increasing. We identify five central ways in which te reo and ta re have been incorporated, including the use of (1) variations of the words “Maori” and “Moriori” to designate Aotearoa New Zealand origins, (2) Maori / Moriori vernacular names for species, (3) Maori / Moriori place names associated with species, (4) novel descriptive names created from Māori and Moriori words, (5) novel names suggested by Maori in collaboration with taxonomists. We focus on and promote this last, collaborative system for species description through case studies that highlighting the advantages and the potential challenges of this process, and we provide guidance for taxonomists to better engage with iwi / imi in species description. Specifically, we discuss issues relating to the Latinisation of Maori words, the use of macrons, and the need for engagement of iwi / imi throughout the naming process. We also recommend creation of a central depository to log te reo and ta re names to act as a reference for future usage and provide a readily accessible electronic database for Aotearoa New Zealand people and researchers to use