The Dissociation between Early and Late Selection in Older Adults

Older adults exhibit a reduced ability to ignore task-irrelevant stimuli; however, it remains to be determined where along the information processing stream the most salient age-associated changes occur. In the current study, ERPs provided an opportunity to determine whether age-related differences in processing task-irrelevant stimuli were uniform across information processing stages or disproportionately affected either early or late selection. ERPs were measured in young and old adults during a color-selective attention task in which participants responded to target letters in a specified color (attend condition) while ignoring letters in a different color (ignore condition). Old participants were matched to two groups of young participants on the basis of neuropsychological test performance: one using age-appropriate norms and the other using test scores not adjusted for age. There were no age-associated differences in the magnitude of early selection (attend–ignore), as indexed by the size of the anterior selection positivity and posterior selection negativity. During late selection, as indexed by P3b amplitude, both groups of young participants generated neural responses to target letters under the attend versus ignore conditions that were highly differentiated. In striking contrast, old participants generated a P3b to target letters with no reliable differences between conditions. Individuals who were slow to initiate early selection appeared to be less successful at executing late selection. Despite relative preservation of the operations of early selection, processing delays may lead older participants to allocate excessive resources to task-irrelevant stimuli during late selection

The influence of executive capacity on selective attention and subsequent processing

Recent investigations that suggest selective attention (SA) is dependent on top-down control mechanisms lead to the expectation that individuals with high executive capacity (EC) would exhibit more robust neural indices of SA. This prediction was tested by using event-related potentials (ERPs) to examine differences in markers of information processing across 25 subjects divided into two groups based on high vs. average EC, as defined by neuropsychological test scores. Subjects performed an experimental task requiring SA to a specified color. In contrast to expectation, individuals with high and average EC did not differ in the size of ERP indices of SA: the anterior Selection Positivity (SP) and posterior Selection Negativity (SN). However, there were substantial differences between groups in markers of subsequent processing, including the anterior N2 (a measure of attentional control) and the P3a (an index of the orienting of attention). EC predicted speed of processing at both early and late attentional stages. Individuals with lower EC exhibited prolonged SN, P3a, and P3b latencies. However, the delays in carrying out SA operations did not account for subsequent delays in decision making, or explain excessive orienting and reduced attentional control mechanisms in response to stimuli that should have been ignored. SN latency, P3 latency, and the size of the anterior N2 made independent contributions to the variance of EC. In summary, our findings suggest that current views regarding the relationship between top-down control mechanisms and SA may need refinement

The impact of visual acuity on age-related differences in neural markers of early visual processing

The extent to which age-related differences in neural markers of visual processing are influenced by changes in visual acuity has not been systematically investigated. Studies often indicate that their subjects had normal or corrected-to-normal vision, but the assessment of visual acuity seems to most frequently be based only on self-report. Consistent with prior research, to be included in the current study, subjects had to report normal or corrected-to-normal vision. Additionally, visual acuity was formally tested using a Snellen eye chart. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were studied in young adults (18–32 years old), young–old adults (65–79 years old), and old–old adults (80 + years old) while they performed a visual processing task involving selective attention to color. Age-related differences in the latency and amplitude of ERP markers of early visual processing, the posterior P1 and N1 components, were examined. All results were then re-analyzed after controlling for visual acuity. We found that visual acuity declined as a function of age. Accounting for visual acuity had an impact on whether older and younger adults differed significantly in the size and latency of the posterior P1 and N1 components. After controlling for visual acuity, age-related increases in P1 and N1 latency did not remain significant, and older adults were found to have a larger P1 amplitude than young adults. Our results suggest that until the relationship between age-associated differences in visual acuity and early ERPs is clearly established, investigators should be cautious when interpreting the meaning of their findings. Self-reports about visual acuity may be inaccurate, necessitating formal measures. Additional investigation is needed to help establish guidelines for future research, especially of very old adults

Sorption Capacity of Reindeer Horn Tissue in Relation to Pb2+ Ions

В работе р ассмотрена с орбционная с пособность т кани р огов с еверных оленей в отношении ионов Pb2+. Исследованы структурно-функциональные особенности строения биополимеров, входящих в состав ткани рогов северных оленей с использованием ИК‑спектроскопии. Проведена сравнительная оценка сорбционных показателей (константы сорбционной ёмкости, коэффициента связывающей емкости, степени сродства, а также коэффициента интенсивности сорбции) ткани рогов и полисорба в отношении ионов свинца. В работе показана возможность использования ткани рогов северных оленей в качестве энтеросорбентов при хронических отравлениях солями свинцаThe paper considers the sorption capacity of reindeer horn tissue in relation to Pb2+ ions. The structural and functional features of the structure of biopolymers included in the tissue of reindeer antlers using IR spectroscopy have been studied. A comparative assessment of sorption parameters (sorption capacity constants, binding capacity coefficient, degree of affinity, as well as sorption intensity coefficient) of horn tissue and polysorb with respect to lead ions was carried out. The paper shows the possibility of using reindeer horn tissue as enterosorbents in chronic poisoning with lead salt

Aesthetic, functional and physical features of glulam in building architecture

The main purpose of this research is to prove the efficiency of glulam to meet various architectural needs. The three features of glulam such as: plasticity and aesthetic value, functional efficiency, supporting properties and resistance to extreme conditions, are compared with the same features of concrete and steel, the most widely used materials nowadays. The methods are based upon actual test results and practical experience in creating glulam constructions. The research shows that plasticity of glulam allows to create complex curved surfaces and its surface and texture clearly demonstrate the unique aesthetic features of the elements made of this material. Glulam can also be efficiently used to create various space morphotypes such as compact rooms, linear vertical and horizontal space, hall space, space with a complex spatial configuration. It is also proved that glulam strength expressed in Constructive Quality Ratio (CQR) surpasses steel and concrete in supporting ability and its durability also exceeds steel structures durability and is comparable to concrete

Social norms in corruption : a bribery experiment

This paper analyzes social norms in corruption by exploring whether engagement in bribery induces costly third-party punishment. By introducing third-party punishment in a bribery experiment we disentangle social norms from other non-normative motives ̶ such as retaliation, negative reciprocity ̶ maintained merely by parties involved in corruption. We manipulate two main characteristics of bribery: the private benefits gained by corrupt actors, and the negative externality generated by bribery on passive members of society. We find that third parties punish bribers more often than the bribed, but to a lesser extent. Greater private benefits induce third parties to punish more, whereas greater negative externalities have no impact on punishment choices. We unveil the role of emphatic anger as a microdeterminant of third-party punishment. We find gender differences in punishment behavior, with females being more willing to punish the bribed than males, but to a lesser amount

Contagious corruption : cross-country comparisons

We investigate how prescriptive and descriptive norms affect the development of corruption over time. In particular, we are interested in whether the extent of corruption converges. If it does, we study how the level at which it converges depends on the prescriptive norms in the environment in which it takes place and on the information individuals have about others’ corrupt choices, that is, on descriptive norms. In a laboratory experiment implemented in Italy, China and the Netherlands, a Gneezy-type corruption task is used, with a real-effort task. We use a Krupka-Weber elicitation method to obtain information about existing prescriptive norms with respect to corrupt behavior. To induce natural variation in descriptive norms, we vary the type of information about others’ choices. Our results show that corruption is highly contagious everywhere, that is, descriptive norms affect choices. Nevertheless, differences in the effects of descriptive norms are evident across countries. Prescriptive norms concerning bribers’ and judges’ behaviors are observed to differ across the considered subject pools. While in China and the Netherlands it is highly socially inappropriate to bribe and, if you are a decision maker, to treat unfavorably people with high efforts and low bribes, in Italy the norms are the opposite

Function-topological model of urban space sectoral zoning

This study supplements the function-topological model of analysis of city organization and development with a sectoral model of administrative-territorial division. The function-topological model allows revealing unique features of objects of the same profile, located in different space sectors. Besides, significant objects are usually placed in strictly defined sectors. Identification of general principles of spatial arrangement at all levels from geopolitics to the structure of private farmsteads on the cases of various cities, metropolitan areas and architectural ensembles is of great general scientific significance. It deals with the principles described in regional traditions: the Indian Vastu Vidya and the Chinese Feng Shui. The analysis shows that, on an intuitive level, the same principles are implemented in the activities of specialists, designers, who make decisions about the location of industries, residential areas and architectural complexes. Recognition and study of these principles are hindered by the materialistic attitudes of twentieth-century science. The results of the study lead to a radical step in recognizing many spatial elements of the mythological picture of the world as reliable ones

Management and promotion of economic innovation potential

Our paper focuses on scrutinizing the determinants and the structure of economic innovative potential as well as the existing methods of its assessment at the macroeconomic level. We employ a case study of Russian Federation to tackle these issues and to analyze the problems associated with developing and managing economic potential. The paper analyzes the selection and placement in world research rakings, ratings, and indices, as well as the dynamics of change in the indicators characterizing the innovative potential in research and development issues. Our results enable us identify and reveal the key issues and the main problems of research and development potential and to formulate the comprehensive contingency strategic management plan along with the directions and guidelines of innovative development for the years to come. Our findings reveal the main problems in the development of economic innovative potential of Russian Federation and help us to formulate policy implications for the long-term economic horizon