Perceptual properties of feedback stimuli influence the feedback‐related negativity in the flanker gambling task

A negative deflection in the event‐related potential is enhanced following error‐ and loss‐related feedback in decision‐making and simple gambling tasks. Researchers have assumed that the perceptual properties of the feedback stimuli are unimportant in explaining these effects. This assumption was tested in the present study through a flanker gambling task, in which the perceptual properties of the feedback were manipulated. Consistent with previous studies, loss elicited a larger feedback‐related negativity ( FRN ) than gain feedback. However, this FRN reward effect was modulated by the perceptual properties of the feedback stimuli. When gain and loss feedback were perceptually similar to each other, the enhancement of the FRN following the loss feedback was smaller compared to when the gain and loss feedback were different from each other. In addition, incongruent feedback elicited a larger FRN than congruent feedback; this FRN congruency effect was larger following gain than loss feedback. These results suggested that perceptual properties of the feedback stimuli play a role in the elicitation of the FRN .Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/108013/1/psyp12216.pd

Morphological characteristics of the sinus node on postmortem tissue

The sinus node is an intensively researched structure in terms of anatomical, histological, electrophysiological, molecular and genetic approach. For postmortem diagnosis it is still difficult to investigate due to a still reduced accessibility. In this study we tried and succeed to apply molecular biology techniques on postmortem tissues in order to widen the range of postmortem forensic investigation and provide information related to the diagnostic of cardiac arrhythmia. We described the stages of this investigation, with dissection, preservation and analysis that included classical histology, immunohistochemistry, confocal microscope, microdissection, RIN testing, mRNA expression obtaining a precise morphofunctional location of the sinus node

MMC with parallel-connected MOSFETs as an alternative to wide bandgap converters for LVDC distribution networks

LVDC networks offer improved conductor utilisation on existing infrastructure and reduced conversion stages, which can lead to a simpler and more efficient distribution network. However, LVDC networks must continue to support AC loads, requiring efficient, low distortion DC-AC converters. In addition, there are increasing numbers of DC loads on the LVAC network requiring controlled, low distortion, unity power factor AC-DC converters with increasing capacity, and bi-directional capability. An efficient AC-DC/DC-AC converter design is therefore proposed in this paper to minimise conversion loss and maximise power quality. A comparative analysis is carried out for a conventional IGBT 2-level converter, a SiC MOSFET 2-level converter, a Si MOSFET MMC and a GaN HEMT MMC, in terms of power loss, reliability, fault tolerance, converter cost, and heatsink size. The analysis indicates that the 5-level MMC with parallel-connected Si MOSFETs is an efficient, cost effective converter for LV converter applications. MMC converters suffer negligible switching loss, which enables reduced device switching without loss penalty from increased harmonics and filtering. Optimal extent of parallel connection for MOSFETs in an MMC is investigated. Experimental results are presented for current sharing in parallel-connected MOSFETs, showing reduction in device stress and EMI generating transients through the use of reduced switching

Trial-by-Trial Adjustments of Cognitive Control Following Errors and Response Conflict are Altered in Pediatric Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Background: Impairments of cognitive control have been theorized to drive the repetitive thoughts and behaviors of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) from early in the course of illness. However, it remains unclear whether altered trial-by-trial adjustments of cognitive control characterize young patients. To test this hypothesis, we determined whether trial-by-trial adjustments of cognitive control are altered in children with OCD, relative to healthy controls. Methods: Forty-eight patients with pediatric OCD and 48 healthy youth performed the Multi-Source Interference Task. Two types of trial-by-trial adjustments of cognitive control were examined: post-error slowing (i.e., slower responses after errors than after correct trials) and post-conflict adaptation (i.e., faster responses in high-conflict incongruent trials that are preceded by other high-conflict incongruent trials, relative to low-conflict congruent trials). Results: While healthy youth exhibited both post-error slowing and post-conflict adaptation, patients with pediatric OCD failed to exhibit either of these effects. Further analyses revealed that patients with low symptom severity showed a reversal of the post-conflict adaptation effect, whereas patients with high symptom severity did not show any post-conflict adaptation. Conclusion: Two types of trial-by-trial adjustments of cognitive control are altered in pediatric OCD. These abnormalities may serve as early markers of the illness

The Impact of Donor and Recipient Genetic Variation on Outcomes After Solid Organ Transplantation:a Scoping Review and Future Perspectives

At the outset of solid organ transplantation, genetic variation between donors and recipients was recognized as a major player in mechanisms such as allograft tolerance and rejection. Genome-wide association studies have been very successful in identifying novel variant-trait associations, but have been difficult to perform in the field of solid organ transplantation due to complex covariates, era effects, and poor statistical power for detecting donor-recipient interactions. To overcome a lack of statistical power, consortia such as the International Genetics and Translational Research in Transplantation Network have been established. Studies have focused on the consequences of genetic dissimilarities between donors and recipients and have reported associations between polymorphisms in candidate genes or their regulatory regions with transplantation outcomes. However, knowledge on the exact influence of genetic variation is limited due to a lack of comprehensive characterization and harmonization of recipients' or donors' phenotypes and validation using an experimental approach. Causal research in genetics has evolved from agnostic discovery in genome-wide association studies to functional annotation and clarification of underlying molecular mechanisms in translational studies. In this overview, we summarize how the recent advances and progresses in the field of genetics and genomics have improved the understanding of outcomes after solid organ transplantation