Feature-Based Change Detection Reveals Inconsistent Individual Differences in Visual Working Memory Capacity

Visual working memory (VWM) is a key cognitive system that enables people to hold visual information in mind after a stimulus has been removed and compare past and present to detect changes that have occurred. VWM is severely capacity limited to around 3–4 items, although there are robust individual differences in this limit. Importantly, these individual differences are evident in neural measures of VWM capacity. Here, we capitalized on recent work showing that capacity is lower for more complex stimulus dimension. In particular, we asked whether individual differences in capacity remain consistent if capacity is shifted by a more demanding task, and, further, whether the correspondence between behavioral and neural measures holds across a shift in VWM capacity. Participants completed a change detection (CD) task with simple colors and complex shapes in an fMRI experiment. As expected, capacity was significantly lower for the shape dimension. Moreover, there were robust individual differences in behavioral estimates of VWM capacity across dimensions. Similarly, participants with a stronger BOLD response for color also showed a strong neural response for shape within the lateral occipital cortex, intraparietal sulcus (IPS), and superior IPS. Although there were robust individual differences in the behavioral and neural measures, we found little evidence of systematic brain-behavior correlations across feature dimensions. This suggests that behavioral and neural measures of capacity provide different views onto the processes that underlie VWM and CD. Recent theoretical approaches that attempt to bridge between behavioral and neural measures are well positioned to address these findings in future work

Cost of inpatient rehabilitation care in the Department of Veterans Affairs

Abstract—We investigated the determinants of inpatient rehabilitation costs in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and examined the relationship between length of stay (LOS) and discharge costs using data from VA and community rehabilitation hospitals. We estimated regression models to identify patient characteristics associated with specialized inpatient rehabilitation costs. VA data included 3,535 patients discharged from 63 facilities in fiscal year 2001. We compared VA costs to community rehabilitation hospitals using a sample from the Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation of 190,112 patients discharged in 1999 from 697 facilities. LOS was a strong predictor of cost for VA and non-VA hospitals. Functional status, measured by Functional Independence Measure (FIM) scores at admission, was statistically significant but added little explanatory value after controlling for LOS. Although FIM scores were associated with LOS, FIM scores accounted for little variance in cost after controlling for LOS. These results are most applicable to researchers conducting cost-effectiveness analyses.average costs, billing, charges, cost, health economics, micro-cost methods, reimbursement, rehabilitation, VA, veterans

State of the Work: Tackling the Tough Challenges to Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

D5?s 2014 State of the Work highlights new tools and resources, recently completed research, and new organizational approaches that can help foundations and philanthropic organizations take action, achieve their goals regarding DEI, and advance the common good. The 2014 State of the Work also features perspectives and analysis of three thought leaders on DEI issues and their charge to their peers in philanthropy: Ange-Marie Hancock, Associate Professor of Political Science and Gender Studies at the University of Southern California; Todd Vogel, the Managing Director of Loom; and Gerri Spilka, Founding Director of the OMG Center for Collaborative Learning. The new report catalogs the progress D5 has made in laying the groundwork for a growing movement including several long-term projects that came to fruition in the past year:An Analysis of Policies, Practices, and Programs for Advancing DEI. In fall 2013, D5 released a comprehensive scan and analysis of scores of written and web-based resources.Deployment of a Regional Strategy. Recognizing that most philanthropy occurs on the local level, D5 complemented its national work by implementing a regional strategy, which targets DEI resources and support to pre-existing and emerging local networks in select regions of the country.Insights on Diversity: Three Commissioned Research Projects. D5 commissioned a series of research projects to explore: 1) The role of leadership in advancing DEI; 2) Career pathways for people of color in philanthropy; 3) The interactive factors between philanthropy and nonprofit organizations

Environmental Marketing

Foremost in the minds of most customers are quality images at a reasonable cost. But customers are becoming increasingly concerned with the environmental impacts of their print jobs. Effective marketing of your environmental protection efforts may provide you with a keen competitive advantage. As general environmental awareness continues to sharpen, environmental marketing will play a larger role in attracting and retaining customers.Ope

Plate Developing Pollution Prevention Fact Sheet

Many plate developers are solvent-based, and therefore may be potentially hazardous. Some can be flammable, have a high biological oxygen demand (BOD)(1) or very high or low pH. Opportunities to reduce waste from platemaking processes can save money through reduced waste disposal costs. Two ways to prevent pollution from plate developing are aqueous-based plate developing systems and electronic prepress technology.Ope

Pollution Prevention Self-Assessment Checklist for Commercial Printing

Many printers are now finding that pollution prevention pays. This checklist will help you reduce waste and increase efficiency. No matter what size your print shop is, there are viable pollution prevention options for you.Ope

Pollution Prevention: Working with Suppliers

Suppliers and vendors are usually the first place printers go for technical advice or troubleshooting. But this does not necessarily mean that suppliers and vendors have all the right answers, or necessarily even the right products for you. There are thousands of suppliers in this region. There is no reason you should settle for a given supplier just because of proximity. Some printers find that working with out-of-state suppliers is more appropriate for them. By the same token, local suppliers can be knowledgeable and adaptive provided that you -- their customers -- create a demand for a given service. The fact sheets in this packet provide a wide variety of pollution prevention suggestions. Some of the techniques or process modifications highlighted are leading edge technologies that some supplier may not yet be familiar with. By working closely with suppliers locally and far away, you will be better informed, and suppliers and vendors will have incentives to adapt their product lines and services to meet the changing needs of the industry.Ope

Facts about Paper

For most printers, paper represents one of the largest input costs. But because paper prices can fluctuate suddenly and unpredictably, printers of all sizes can feel the strain of the paper industry's boom-bust cycles. The good news is that environmental considerations provide opportunities to improve efficiency and reduce costs. While printers often must defer to customers' specifications, they can play a major role in shaping those specifications. The key is staying abreast of the changes in the paper demand and manufacture, and learning how to help influence the changes. This fact sheet highlights some of the facts about paper related to the printing industry.Ope