Investigating the Features of the M170 in Congenital Prosopagnosia

Face perception generates specific neural activity as early as 170 ms post-stimulus onset, termed the M170 when measured with Magnetoencephalography (MEG). We examined the M170 in six people with congenital prosopagnosia (CP) and 11 typical controls. Previous research indicates that there are two neural generators for the M170 (one within the right lateral occipital area - rLO and one within the right fusiform gyrus - rFG), and in the current study we explored whether these sources reflect the processing of different types of information. Individuals with CP showed face-selective M170 responses within the rLO and right rFG, which did not differ in magnitude to those of the controls. To examine possible links between neural activity and behavior we correlated the CPs' MEG activity generated within rLO and rFG with their face perception skills. The rLO-M170 correlated with holistic/configural face processing, whereas the rFG-M170 correlated with featural processing. Hence, the results of our study demonstrate that individuals with CP can show an M170 that is within the normal range, and that the M170 in the rLO and rFG are involved in different aspects of face processing

Context-Dependent Memory under Stressful Conditions: The Case of Skydiving

Two experiments examined the effect of differing levels of emotional arousal on learning and memory for words in matching and mismatching contexts. In Experiment 1, experienced skydivers learned words either in the air or on the ground and recalled them in the same context or in the other context. Experiment 2 replicated the stimuli and design of the first experiment except that participants were shown a skydiving video in lieu of skydiving. Recall was poor in air-learning conditions with actual skydiving, but when lists were learned on land, recall was higher in the matching context than in the mismatching context. In the skydiving video experiment, recall was higher in matching learn-recall contexts regardless of the situation in which learning occurred. We propose that under extremely emotionally arousing circumstances, environmental and/or mood cues are unlikely to become encoded or linked to newly acquired information and thus cannot serve as cues to retrieval. Results can be applied to understanding variations in context-dependent memory in occupations (e.g., police, military special operations, and Special Weapons and Tactics teams) in which the worker experiences considerable emotional stress while learning or recalling new information

Growing a Student Organic Garden within the Context of University Sustainability Initiatives

Abstract: Purpose- The purpose of this paper is to examine the evolution of a student organic garden at a large public university, as an example of student initiatives that promote both campus sustainability and student-focused sustainability education on campus. Design/ Methodology/ Approach- The authors conducted quantitative and qualitative analysis to document the evolution of the university’s Local Organic Gardening Initiative of Carbondale (LOGIC), which is the student initiated and operated organic garden. Findings- The student organic garden evolved in three stages, each of which had specific goals and accomplishments. Stage I (establishment): students in Geography courses took action to get the garden established; key components included funds from a sustainability scholarship and the student initiated campus Green Fund, dedicated undergraduate students, negotiating campus bureaucracy, and motivating broad support. Stage II (evolution): a high tunnel was added to the original garden, a graduate assistant position was filled to manage the garden, additional funds were secured, a Permaculture demonstration site was added, the volunteer base was established, and LOGIC began being included in campus and community events. Stage III (future) challenges include: consistent leadership, long-term funding, guarantee of land availability, student graduation/turnover, and increasing student involvement. Originality/ Value- This paper provides a longitudinal perspective on the evolution of student-led sustainability efforts which require progressive, inclusive action from multiple stakeholders across campus and in the community. Several replicable practices include student leadership in sustainability initiatives, actions for promoting local food in the university structure, and methods of negotiating complex institutional settings

From Head to Toe: Evidence for Selective Brain Activation Reflecting Visual Perception of Whole Individuals

Our ability to recognize other people’s faces and bodies is crucial for our social interactions. Previous neuroimaging studies have repeatedly demonstrated the existence of brain areas that selectively respond to visually presented faces and bodies. In daily life, however, we see “whole” people and not just isolated faces and bodies, and the question remains of how information from these two categories of stimuli is integrated at a neural level. Are faces and bodies merely processed independently, or are there neural populations that actually code for whole individuals? In the current study we addressed this question using a functional magnetic resonance imaging adaptation paradigm involving the sequential presentation of visual stimuli depicting whole individuals. It is known that adaptation effects for a component of a stimulus only occur in neural populations that are sensitive to that particular component. The design of our experiment allowed us to measure adaptation effects occurring when either just the face, just the body, or both the face and the body of an individual were repeated. Crucially, we found novel evidence for the existence of neural populations in fusiform as well as extrastriate regions that showed selective adaptation for whole individuals, which could not be merely explained by the sum of adaptation for face and body respectively. The functional specificity of these neural populations is likely to support fast and accurate recognition and integration of information conveyed by both faces and bodies. Hence, they can be assumed to play an important role for identity as well as emotion recognition in everyday life

Concurrent Use of Cigarettes and Smokeless Tobacco among US Males and Females

Background. The current study describes concurrent use of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco (CiST) among males and females and evaluates factors associated with CiST use. Methods. Cross-sectional data were drawn from the 2010 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). Weighted stratified analyses were performed to find associations between CiST use and sociodemographic factors by gender. CiST users were compared to three different tobacco use groups: nonusers, exclusive smokers, and exclusive ST users. Results. Younger age and heavy alcohol consumption were consistently associated with increased odds of CiST use among both males and females, and regardless of comparison group. Among males, education was inversely related to CiST use, and these findings were consistent in all three comparisons. Among women, those unable to work or out of work were more likely to be CiST users, which was consistent across comparisons. American Indian females had higher odds of CiST use than White females when nontobacco users or smokers were the comparison group. Conclusion. This study identified sociodemographic characteristics associated with CiST use, and differences in these associations among women and men. Additionally, this study highlights the need to carefully consider what comparison groups should be used to examine factors associated with CiST use

Hunter Participation, Harvest, and Hunting Behavior During the 2015 Illinois Conservation Order Season

Harvest of light geese(Chen caerulescens, Chen rossii)during the 2015Illinois Light Goose Conservation Order season was estimated at 123,944. An estimated 2,599 hunters participated in the 2015 Illinois Light Goose Conservation Order season. Hunters spent an estimated 30,360days afield during 2015, and the majority (53%) of the snow goose harvest occurred during the month of February. Due to changes in sampling of addresses and calculation of estimates,comparisons should not be made to years2013 and before in figures and tables. Addresses were sampled from Harvest Information Program (HIP)registrants who reported they hunted snow and other light geese (including Ross’ and Blue geese) during the 2014Light Goose Conservation Order seasons. Electronic calls were used by 78% of hunters, 77% used unplugged shotguns, and 60% reported hunting between sunset and ½ hour after sunset. Forty-five percent of snow goose hunters indicated an increase in effort over the past five years, and 39% of hunters perceived an increase in snow goose abundance during the regular goose seasons. A majority of the hunters(80%) were interested in snow goose hunting to extend their hunting season.Federal Aid Project Number W-112-R-24IDNR Division of WildlifeU.S. Fish & Wildlife Serviceunpublishednot peer reviewe

2014-2015 Illinois Otter Trapper Report

llinois otter trapping was reinstated during the 2012-2013 Illinois Furbearer Trapping season. During 2014-2015, thethirdyear of reinstatement, 495 Illinois residents who trapped an otter were provided anotter permit; each otter trapper was mailed a 4-page questionnaire. We received 342 (74%) usable questionnaires. During the 2014-15 season, an average of 30 traps were set per trapper over the course of 43 days or nights. Respondents harvested an average of 2.2 otters (Lontra canadensis) for a total of 723 otters, which represented a 25% decrease from 2013-14. Participants also harvested 15,513 raccoons (Procyon lotor), 7,410 muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus), and 2,557 opossum (Didelphis virginiana) during the 2014-2015 Illinois trapping season. Trapper attitudes toward wildlife related issuesand marketing practices were also examined.IDNR Division of WildlifeU.S. Fish & Wildlife ServiceFederal Aid Project Number W-112-R-24unpublishednot peer reviewe

Problems Related to Participants\u27 Roles and Programmatic Goals in Student Teaching Supervision

Current practices regarding the roles of cooperating teachers and university supervisors and the goals of student teaching were examined through an analysis of student teaching handbooks from midwest teacher education programs. Handbooks, representing 61 of the 340 teacher education programs in 13 midwest states, were analyzed to determine the roles assigned to cooperating teachers and university supervisors and to compare the goals of these programs to the outcomes measured in their evaluation instruments. The study found that student teaching materials lacked clear statements of program goals and objectives and lacked clear definitions of the roles of cooperating teachers and university supervisors. Correlation analysis indicated a lack of congruence between the stated program goals and the outcomes assessed in evaluative criteria. Recommendations relate to the clarity in defining roles and tasks and consistency between goals and outcomes