Communications Biophysics

Contains research objectives and summary of research on five research projects, with ten sub-topics.National Institutes of Health (Grant 1 RO1 NS10916-01)National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 RO1 NS11000-03)National Institutes of Health (Grant 1 RO1 NS11153-01)Harvard-M.I.T. Rehabilitation Engineering CenterU. S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (Grant 23-P-55854)National Institutes of Health (Grant 1 RO1 NS11680-01)National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 ROI NS11080-02)M.I.T. Health Sciences FundNational Aeronautics and Space Administration (Grant NSG-2032)National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 TO1 GM01555-09)Massachusetts General Hospital Purchase Order F63853Boston City Hospital Purchase Order 4338-7543

Nonlinear corrections to the cosmological matter power spectrum and scale-dependent galaxy bias: implications for parameter estimation

We explore and compare the performances of two nonlinear correction and scale-dependent biasing models for the extraction of cosmological information from galaxy power spectrum data, especially in the context of beyond-LCDM cosmologies. The first model is the well known Q model, first applied in the analysis of 2dFGRS data. The second, the P model, is inspired by the halo model, in which nonlinear evolution and scale-dependent biasing are encapsulated in a single non-Poisson shot noise term. We find that while both models perform equally well in providing adequate correction for a range of galaxy clustering data in standard LCDM cosmology and in extensions with massive neutrinos, the Q model can give unphysical results in cosmologies containing a subdominant free-streaming dark matter whose temperature depends on the particle mass, e.g., relic thermal axions, unless a suitable prior is imposed on the correction parameter. This last case also exposes the danger of analytic marginalisation, a technique sometimes used in the marginalisation of nuisance parameters. In contrast, the P model suffers no undesirable effects, and is the recommended nonlinear correction model also because of its physical transparency.Comment: 21 pages, 8 figures, uses iopart.cls; v2: 22 pages, matches published versio

Communications Biophysics

Contains research objectives and summary of research on nine research projects split into four sections.National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 ROI NS11000-03)National Institutes of Health (Grant 1 P01 NS13126-01)National Institutes of Health (Grant 1 RO1 NS11153-01)National Institutes of Health (Grant 2 R01 NS10916-02)Harvard-M.I.T. Rehabilitation Engineering CenterU. S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (Grant 23-P-55854)National Institutes of Health (Grant 1 ROl NS11680-01)National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 ROI NS11080-03)M.I.T. Health Sciences Fund (Grant 76-07)National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 T32 GM07301-02)National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 TO1 GM01555-10

Prospective memory across the lifespan: Investigating the contribution of retrospective and prospective processes

Prospective memory performance follows an inverted U-shaped function across the lifespan. Findings on the relative contribution of purely prospective memory and retrospective memory processes within prospective memory to this trajectory are scarce and inconclusive. We analyzed age-related differences in prospective memory performance across the lifespan in a cross-sectional design including six age groups (N = 99, 7–83 years) and investigated possible mechanisms by experimentally disentangling the relative contributions of retrospective memory and purely prospective memory processes. Results confirmed the inverted U-shaped function of prospective memory performance across the lifespan. A significant interaction between process type and age group was observed indicating differential relative contributions of retrospective memory and purely prospective memory processes on the development of prospective memory performance. Our results showed that mainly the pure prospective memory processes within prospective memory lead to lower prospective memory performance in young children and old adults. Moreover, the relative contributions of the retrospective memory and purely prospective memory processes are not uniform at both ends of the lifespan, i.e., in later adulthood the purely prospective memory processes seem to determine performance to an even greater extent than in childhood. Nevertheless, age effects were also observed in the retrospective component which thus contributed to the prospective memory performance differences between the age groups

Age Stereotyping in the Game Context: Introducing the Game-Ageism and Age-Gameism Phenomena

Digital games are frequently described as media that can be crucial in strengthening rela-tionships, enhancing cognitive skills and providing social support. Although considerable empirical research on the use of digital games in youth and stereotypes on gender or eth-nicity has been widely covered, there have been few studies on age stereotyping in the game context. In addition, this type of stereotype – game-ageism is likely to negatively affect age identity and intergroup communication amongst players, which could hinder to bridge the gap between different generations. Drawn on a literature review, this position paper introduces the concept of game-ageism as an age stereotype that is still set in our game culture. It also seeks to remedy this problem by suggesting an opposite ideological movement – age-gameism that refers to widening the audience of the game industry to all ages. In general, this paper offers a contribution in the field of media and society by high-lighting the need for developing games for all ages, encouraging a positive age identity, enhancing intergroup communication and a heterogeneous game culture

Age stereotyping in the game context: introducing the game-ageism and age-gameism phenomena

Digital games are frequently described as media that can be crucial in strengthening relationships, enhancing cognitive skills and providing social support. Although considerable empirical research on the use of digital games in youth and stereotypes on gender or ethnicity has been widely covered, there have been few studies on age stereotyping in the game context. In addition, this type of stereotype – game-ageism is likely to negatively affect age identity and intergroup communication amongst players, which could hinder to bridge the gap between different generations. Drawn on a literature review, this position paper introduces the concept of game-ageism as an age stereotype that is still set in our game culture. It also seeks to remedy this problem by suggesting an opposite ideological movement – age-gameism that refers to widening the audience of the game industry to all ages. In general, this paper offers a conribution in the field of media and society by highlighting the need for developing games for all ages, encouraging a positive age identity, enhancing intergroup communication and a heterogeneous game culture.This work was supported by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia and ESF under Community Support Framework III – the project SEDUCE 2.0 nr. POCI-01-0145- FEDER-031696.publishe