Cognitive processes in categorical and associative priming: a diffusion model analysis

Cognitive processes and mechanisms underlying different forms of priming were investigated using a diffusion model approach. In a series of 6 experiments, effects of prime-target associations and of a semantic and affective categorical match of prime and target were analyzed for different tasks. Significant associative and categorical priming effects were found in standard analyses of response times (RTs) and error frequencies. Results of diffusion model analyses revealed that priming effects of associated primes were mapped on the drift rate parameter (v), while priming effects of a categorical match on a task-relevant dimension were mapped on the extradecisional parameters (t(0) and d). These results support a spreading activation account of associative priming and an explanation of categorical priming in terms of response competition. Implications for the interpretation of priming effects and the use of priming paradigms in cognitive psychology and social cognition are discussed

Interpreting Ambiguous Stimuli: Separating Perceptual and Judgmental Biases

Interpreting ambiguous situations is not a purely data-driven process but can be biased towards positive interpretations by top-down influences. The present study tries to identify the underlying processes of these top-down influences. There are two separable types of processes that can be influenced by motivational biases: A perceptual bias affects information uptake whereas a judgmental bias affects acceptance criteria for positive and negative outcomes. In the present study, motivated influences on perception and judgment were investigated with a simple color discrimination task in which ambiguous stimuli had to be classified according to their dominating color. One of two colors indicated a financial gain or a loss, whereas a third color was neutral. To separate perceptual and judgmental biases, Ratcliff’s (1978) diffusion model was employed. Results revealed motivational influences on perception and judgment

Protozoans as a food source for Antarctic krill, Euphausia superba: complementary insights from stomach content, fatty acids, and stable isotopes

We studied the diet of Antarctic krill, Euphausia superba, at five stations across the southwest Atlantic sector in summer 2003 by analyzing stomach content, fatty acids, and stable isotopes on the same individuals. Our aim was to examine what each method could contribute to our understanding of krill nutrition and whether differences seen in growth rates were linked to their food. All three methods indicated clear regional differences in diet, but small ontogenetic and sex-related differences. Overall, diatoms were the most abundant item in the stomach, but at three of the stations, tintinnids, large dinoflagellates, and other armored flagellates dominated the identifiable biomass. Copepod remains were rare. Fatty acids profiles gave additional information about feeding on weakly silicified diatoms and athecate heterotrophic dinoflagellates, with the latter being the main food source at one of the stations. Two independent indices of carnivory, d15N and the fatty acid ratio 18:1(n-9)/18:1(n-7), were correlated among krill from the same swarm, suggesting consistent differences in diet between individuals. An internal index of trophic position, (i.e., d15Nglutamic acid-d15Nphenylalanine) underlined the importance of heterotrophic food for the nutrition of krill, even in summer. Highest growth rates of krill were found during a diatom bloom and coincided with a mixed diet, large digestive gland, and fast stomach passage. However, even in a nonbloom, flagellate-dominated system, krill were able to sustain medium growth rates when feeding on heterotrophic dinoflagellates. Each method supplied specific information on krill nutrition, and the true picture is only revealed when the various methods are used together

Interventions to Ameliorate the Psychosocial Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Children-A Systematic Review

The aim of this study was to identify interventions targeting children and their caregivers to reduce psychosocial problems in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic and comparable outbreaks. The review was performed using systematic literature searches in MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO and COVID-19-specific databases, including the CDC COVID-19 Research Database, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Database on COVID-19 Research and the Cochrane COVID-19 Study Register, ClinicalTrials.gov, the EU Clinical Trials Register and the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS) up to 25th September 2020. The search yielded 6657 unique citations. After title/abstract and full text screening, 11 study protocols reporting on trials planned in China, the US, Canada, the UK, and Hungary during the COVID-19 pandemic were included. Four interventions targeted children \geq10 years directly, seven system-based interventions targeted the parents and caregivers of younger children and adolescents. Outcome measures encompassed mainly anxiety and depressive symptoms, different dimensions of stress or psychosocial well-being, and quality of supportive relationships. In conclusion, this systematic review revealed a paucity of studies on psychosocial interventions for children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further research should be encouraged in light of the expected demand for child mental health management

Long-lived [1.1.1.1]- and [2.2.1.1]-‘Isopagodane’ dications: novel 4C/2e σ-bishomoaromatic dications†

The dications generated from [1.1.1.1] and [2.2.1.1]iso- pagodane in SbF 5 –SO 2 ClF solution at 278 °C are of s-bishomoaromatic nature (4C/2e), very similar in geometry, yet chemically different in their properties

Improved X-ray detection and particle identification with avalanche photodiodes

Avalanche photodiodes are commonly used as detectors for low energy x-rays. In this work we report on a fitting technique used to account for different detector responses resulting from photo absorption in the various APD layers. The use of this technique results in an improvement of the energy resolution at 8.2 keV by up to a factor of 2, and corrects the timing information by up to 25 ns to account for space dependent electron drift time. In addition, this waveform analysis is used for particle identification, e.g. to distinguish between x-rays and MeV electrons in our experiment.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figure