Inducing a mental context for associative memory formation with real-time fMRI neurofeedback

Memory, one of the hallmarks of human cognition, can be modified when humans voluntarily modulate neural population activity using neurofeedback. However, it is currently unknown whether neurofeedback can influence the integration of memories, and whether memory is facilitated or impaired after such neural perturbation. In this study, participants memorized objects while we provided them with abstract neurofeedback based on their brain activity patterns in the ventral visual stream. This neurofeedback created an implicit face or house context in the brain while memorizing the objects. The results revealed that participants created associations between each memorized object and its implicit context solely due to the neurofeedback manipulation. Our findings shed light onto how memory formation can be influenced by synthetic memory tags with neurofeedback and advance our understanding of mnemonic processing

The Role of Visual Feedback and Creative Exploration for the Improvement of Timing Accuracy in Performing Musical Ornaments

IN DEVELOPING A VISUAL FEEDBACK SYSTEM FOR A CREATIVE activity such as music performance, the objective is not just to reinforce one particular manner of performing. Instead, a desirable characteristic might be that the visual feedback enhances flexibility and originality, in addition to contributing to performance precision. In an experimental study focused on the timing of a musical ornament, we examined whether the instruction to explore ornament timing in training trials with or without visual feedback leads to improved temporal precision in imitating target performances of the ornament, and whether visual feedback enhances the performance diversity during training. The study uncovered distinct strategies of exploration of the performance of the musical ornament and highlighted the dynamics of exploration behavior during training. Visual feedback enhanced exploration of temporal characteristics and influenced imitation accuracy. This study opens up educational possibilities for the training of performance skills and provides direction for further investigation of creative processes in performance

Measuring utility without mixing apples and oranges and eliciting beliefs about stock prices

In day-to-day life we encounter decisions amongst prospects that do not have a convex structure. To address this concern, Herstein and Milnor introduce mixture sets and provide necessary and sufficient conditions for a cardinal and linear utility representation. We derive the same utility representation for partial mixture sets: where the mixture operation is only partially defined. The resulting model has an interesting application to finance. In particular, we use paths instead of events to elicit utility and beliefs about stock prices. This feature is promising for settings where the dimension of the state space is large

The N400 for Brain Computer Interfacing: complexities and opportunities

The N400 is an Event Related Potential that is evoked in response to conceptually meaningful stimuli. It is for instance more negative in response to incongruent than congruent words in a sentence, and more negative for unrelated than related words following a prime word. This sensitivity to semantic content of a stimulus in relation to the mental context of an individual makes it a signal of interest for Brain Computer Interfaces. Given this potential it is notable that the BCI literature exploiting the N400 is limited. We identify three existing application areas: (1) exploiting the semantic processing of faces to enhance matrix speller performance, (2) detecting language processing in patients with Disorders of Consciousness, and (3) using semantic stimuli to probe what is on a user's mind. Drawing on studies from these application areas, we illustrate that the N400 can successfully be exploited for BCI purposes, but that the signal-to-noise ratio is a limiting factor, with signal strength also varying strongly across subjects. Furthermore, we put findings in context of the general N400 literature, noting open questions and identifying opportunities for further research.Comment: 28 pages, 2 figures, 2 table

Social & Indigenous Entrepreneurship

This lecture will discuss social entrepreneurship, students and remote indigenous Australia. Researching, teaching or learning about entrepreneurship is very different to researching teaching or learning about functional disciplines such as accounting and finance. In functional disciplines there is generally a well defined skill set, this is not the case with entrepreneurship as it is as much a mind set as it is a set of activities. Identification of opportunities, learning about them and taking actions all take place within a context

Pro-inflammatory cytokines stimulate CFTR-dependent anion secretion in pancreatic ductal epithelium

Background: Loss of CFTR-dependent anion and fluid secretion in the ducts of the exocrine pancreas is thought to contribute to the development of pancreatitis, but little is known about the impact of inflammation on ductal CFTR function. Here we used adult stem cell-derived cell cultures (organoids) obtained from porcine pancreas to evaluate the effects of pro-inflammatory cytokines on CFTR function. Methods: Organoids were cultured from porcine pancreas and used to prepare ductal epithelial monolayers. Monolayers were characterized by immunocytochemistry. Epithelial bicarbonate and chloride secretion, and the effect of IL-1β, IL-6, IFN-γ, and TNF-α on CFTR function was assessed by electrophysiology. Results:Immunolocalization of ductal markers, including CFTR, keratin 7, and zonula occludens 1, demonstrated that organoid-derived cells formed a highly polarized epithelium. Stimulation by secretin or VIP triggered CFTR-dependent anion secretion across epithelial monolayers, whereas purinergic receptor stimulation by UTP, elicited CFTR-independent anion secretion. Most of the anion secretory response was attributable to bicarbonate transport. The combination of IL-1β, IL-6, IFN-γ, and TNF-α markedly enhanced CFTR expression and anion secretion across ductal epithelial monolayers, whereas these cytokines had little effect when tested separately. Although TNF-α triggered apoptotic signaling, epithelial barrier function was not significantly affected by cytokine exposure. Conclusions: Pro-inflammatory cytokines enhance CFTR-dependent anion secretion across pancreatic ductal epithelium. We propose that up-regulation of CFTR in the early stages of the inflammatory response, may serve to promote the removal of pathogenic stimuli from the ductal tree, and limit tissue injury.</p