Time processing in visual cortices: How the visual brain encodes and keeps track of time

Time is embedded in any sensory experience: the movements of a dance, the rhythm of a piece of music, the words of a speaker are all examples of temporally structured sensory events. In humans, if and how visual cortices perform temporal processing remains unclear. Here we show that both primary visual cortex (V1) and extrastriate area V5/MT are causally involved in encoding and keeping time in memory and that this involvement is independent from low-level visual processing. Most importantly we demonstrate that V1 and V5/MT are functionally linked and temporally synchronized during time encoding whereas they are functionally independent and operate serially (V1 followed by V5/MT) while maintaining temporal information in working memory. These data challenge the traditional view of V1 and V5/MT as visuo-spatial features detectors and highlight the functional contribution and the temporal dynamics of these brain regions in the processing of time in millisecond range. The present project resulted in the paper entitled: 'How the visual brain encodes and keeps track of time' by Paolo Salvioni, Lysiann Kalmbach, Micah Murray and Domenica Bueti that is now submitted for publication to the Journal of Neuroscience.

Klebsiella pneumoniae strains producing extended-spectrum beta-lactamases in Spain: microbiological and clinical features.

Extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL) of the CTX-M, SHV, and TEM families were recognized in 76 (67%), 31 (27%), and 6 (5%) isolates, respectively, among 162 ESBL-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (ESBL-Kp) strains obtained in a multicenter study in Spain. Predisposing factors for ESBL-Kp acquisition included invasive procedures, mechanical ventilation, and previous antimicrobial use.

The Multiscenario Multienvironment BioSecure Multimodal Database (BMDB)

A new multimodal biometric database designed and acquired within the framework of the European BioSecure Network of Excellence is presented. It is comprised of more than 600 individuals acquired simultaneously in three scenarios: 1) over the Internet, 2) in an office environment with desktop PC, and 3) in indoor/outdoor environments with mobile portable hardware. The three scenarios include a common part of audio/video data. Also, signature and fingerprint data have been acquired both with desktop PC and mobile portable hardware. Additionally, hand and iris data were acquired in the second scenario using desktop PC. Acquisition has been conducted by 11 European institutions. Additional features of the BioSecure Multimodal Database (BMDB) are: two acquisitionsessions, several sensors in certain modalities, balanced gender and age distributions, multimodal realistic scenarios with simple and quick tasks per modality, cross-European diversity, availability of demographic data, and compatibility with other multimodal databases. The novel acquisition conditions of the BMDB allow us to perform new challenging research and evaluation of eithermonomodal or multimodal biometric systems, as in the recent BioSecure Multimodal Evaluation campaign. A description of this campaign including baseline results of individual modalities from the new database is also given. The database is expected to beavailable for research purposes through the BioSecure Association during 2008.

Reconeixement de veu mitjançant xarxes neuronals

La interacció home-màquina per mitjà de la veu cobreix moltes àrees d’investigació. Es destaquen entre altres, el reconeixement de la parla, la síntesis i identificació de discurs, la verificació i identificació de locutor i l’activació per veu (ordres) de sistemes robòtics. Reconèixer la parla és natural i simple per a les persones, però és un treball complex per a les màquines, pel qual existeixen diverses metodologies i tècniques, entre elles les Xarxes Neuronals. L’objectiu d’aquest treball és desenvolupar una eina en Matlab per al reconeixement i identificació de paraules pronunciades per un locutor, entre un conjunt de paraules possibles, i amb una bona fiabilitat dins d’uns marges preestablerts. El sistema és independent del locutor que pronuncia la paraula, és a dir, aquest locutor no haurà intervingut en el procés d’entrenament del sistema. S’ha dissenyat una interfície que permet l’adquisició del senyal de veu i el seu processament mitjançant xarxes neuronals i altres tècniques. Adaptant una part de control al sistema, es podria utilitzar per donar ordres a un robot com l’Alfa6Uvic o qualsevol altre dispositiu.

Au commencement était le Verbe: perpétuation de l'oralité du "muet" dans quelques incipit filmiques des premières années du parlant

Partant d'une perspective sémiotique appliquée aux débuts de film pour élargir l'approche à une réflexion historique sur l'intermédialité, cet article examine le postulat selon lequel les spectacles vivants qui précédaient la projection des films dans les années 1920 ont été en quelque sorte « happés » par le discours filmique. A travers l'examen d'un ensemble de films réalisés entre 1927 et 1937 qui accordent dans leurs génériques ou leurs prologues une place prépondérante à l'adresse vocale, l'auteur met en évidence certains phénomènes de résurgence de l'oralité propre à la période « muette », les speaker des premiers talkies endossant une fonction à certains égards similaire à celle du bonimenteur des premiers temps. L'accent est mis sur la production cinématographique de Guitry, dont la passion pour la « théâtralité » l'incite à proposer des formes singulières d'auto-mise en scène et d'adresse au spectateur. La question de la réflexivité des incipit passe également par la prise en compte de la dimension technologique, qui est parfois intégrée au film même, à l'instar de l'ouverture radiophonique de L'Atlantide de Pabst. Ces considérations s'inscrivent plus généralement dans une réflexion sur les diverses imitations de la voix vive à l'ère des technologies de l'audiovisuel.

Journal of the State Convention on Repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment, July 10, 1933

Proposing an amendment to the constitution of the United States. Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled (two-thirds of each House concurring therein), That the following article is hereby proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when ratified by conventions in three-fourths of the several states. "Article-"Section 1. The eighteenth article of amendment to the Constitutionof the United States is hereby repealed. "Sec. 2. The transportation or importation into any State, Territory, or possession of the United States for delivery or use therein of intoxicating liquors, in violation of the laws thereof, is hereby prohibited. "Sec. 3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by conventions in the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven yearsfrom the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress.” Jno. Garner, Speaker of the House of Representatives. Charles Curtis, Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate

How the visual brain encodes and keeps track of time.

Time is embedded in any sensory experience: the movements of a dance, the rhythm of a piece of music, the words of a speaker are all examples of temporally structured sensory events. In humans, if and how visual cortices perform temporal processing remains unclear. Here we show that both primary visual cortex (V1) and extrastriate area V5/MT are causally involved in encoding and keeping time in memory and that this involvement is independent from low-level visual processing. Most importantly we demonstrate that V1 and V5/MT come into play simultaneously and seem to be functionally linked during interval encoding, whereas they operate serially (V1 followed by V5/MT) and seem to be independent while maintaining temporal information in working memory. These data help to refine our knowledge of the functional properties of human visual cortex, highlighting the contribution and the temporal dynamics of V1 and V5/MT in the processing of the temporal aspects of visual information.

Milloin natiivi korjaa ei-natiivin kielioppia keskustelussa?

Summary: When does a native speaker correct the grammar of a non-native speaker in conversation

Pieces of Iowa’s Past, January 11, 2012

Pieces of Iowa’s Past, published by the Iowa State Capitol Tour Guides weekly during the legislative session, features historical facts about Iowa, the Capitol, and the early workings of state government. All historical publications are reproduced here with the actual spelling, punctuation, and grammar retained. January 11, 2012 THIS WEEK: PROFESSORSHIPS AND STUDENT ENROLLMENT AT THE STATE UNIVERSITY BACKGROUND: The Ninth General Assembly convened January 13, 1862, and adjourned April 8, 1862—an 86-day session. The Brick Capitol in Des Moines had been the seat of government for four years. John R. Needham was the Lt. Governor presiding in the Senate, and Rush Clark was the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The Republican Party had the majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The legislature had 140 members. Samuel Kirkwood was the governor, serving his second term. Governor Kirkwood was the first governor of Iowa to be re-elected to a second term and the first governor to serve nonconsecutive terms. He was 46 at the time of his first Inaugural on January 11, 1860. The 1860 census showed Iowa’s population at 674,913.

Pieces of Iowa’s Past, January 18, 2012

Pieces of Iowa’s Past, published by the Iowa State Capitol Tour Guides weekly during the legislative session, features historical facts about Iowa, the Capitol, and the early workings of state government. All historical publications are reproduced here with the actual spelling, punctuation, and grammar retained. January 18, 2012 THIS WEEK: Report by Annie Wittenmyer, State Sanitary Agent BACKGROUND: The 10th General Assembly convened on January 11, 1864, and adjourned on March 29—a 79-day session. There were 138 members in the legislature. The members included 42 Republicans in the Senate and 87 Republicans in the House of Representatives. Democrats numbered four in the Senate and five in the House. Jacob Butler was the Speaker of the House, and Enoch W. Eastman was the Lt. Governor presiding in the Senate. William Stone was Iowa’s governor. Stone was inaugurated on January 14, 1864. He was 36 years old. Governor Stone, a friend of President Abraham Lincoln, rode Lincoln’s funeral train to Springfield, Illinois

Pieces of Iowa’s Past, January 16, 2013

Pieces of Iowa’s Past, published by the Iowa State Capitol Tour Guides weekly during the legislative session, features historical facts about Iowa, the Capitol, and the early workings of state government. All historical publications are reproduced here with the actual spelling, punctuation, and grammar retained. January 16, 2013 THIS WEEK: Iowa Senator James Harlan Becomes U.S. Senator BACKGROUND: Fifth Iowa General Assembly The Fifth Iowa General Assembly convened December 4, 1854, and adjourned January 26, 1855, a 54-day session. The Democrats numbered 17 members in the Senate and 31 members in the House. The Whigs held 14 seats in the Senate and 40 seats in the House—a total of 102 members. Iowa’s population at the 1850 census was 192,214. Iowa’s President of the Senate was Maturin Fisher and the Speaker of the House of Representatives was Rueben Noble. During the Fifth General Assembly, Stephen P. Hempstead finished his term as Governor and James W. Grimes was sworn in as Iowa’s third governor.

Pieces of Iowa’s Past, January 23, 2013

Pieces of Iowa’s Past, published by the Iowa State Capitol Tour Guides weekly during the legislative session, features historical facts about Iowa, the Capitol, and the early workings of state government. All historical publications are reproduced here with the actual spelling, punctuation, and grammar retained. January 23, 2013 THIS WEEK: Iowa’s Grasshopper Plague of 1873 BACKGROUND: Fifteen General Assembly The 15th General Assembly convened January 12 and adjourned March 19, 1874—a 67-day session. The Senate had six Democratic members, 34 Republican members, and 10 Independent members. The House of Representatives had six Democratic members, 50 Republican members, and 44 Independent members. There were a total of 150 legislators in Iowa. By 1874, the Capital had been relocated to Des Moines. The legislature had occupied the old Brick Capitol since 1858. Joseph Dysart was the Lieutenant Governor presiding in the Senate, and John Gear was Speaker of the House of Representatives. Iowa’s population at the 1870 federal census had grown to 1,194,020. Both House and Senate journals from the 15th Iowa General Assembly include several references to assisting the destitution brought on by the 1874 plague of grasshoppers in Northwestern Iowa. Senator Perkins, from the Special Committee appointed to inquire into the reports of destitution in the northwestern counties of Iowa, submitted the following report, in part: “We have examined such evidence as is attainable here, and made such inquiries of parties interested in affording temporary relief as were to be met, and are pieces satisfied in our own minds that the case is one of sufficient importance to command the attention of the State.”

Pieces of Iowa’s Past, February 6, 2013

Pieces of Iowa’s Past, published by the Iowa State Capitol Tour Guides weekly during the legislative session, features historical facts about Iowa, the Capitol, and the early workings of state government. All historical publications are reproduced here with the actual spelling, punctuation, and grammar retained. THIS WEEK: Women’s and Children’s Building BACKGROUND: 35TH IOWA GENERAL ASSEMBLY The Thirty-fifth General Assembly convened January 13 and adjourned April 19, 1913—a 97-day session. Edward Cunningham was Speaker of the House and William Harding was the Lieutenant Governor presiding over the Senate. The Senate had 18 Democratic members and 32 Republican members. The House of Representatives had 66 Republican members and 42 Democratic members. There were a total of 158 members in the General Assembly. Governor Beryl Carroll finished his term in January 1913 and Governor George Clarke was sworn in on January 16, 1913. He was 60 years old. The 1910 federal census showed Iowa’s population at 2,224,771.

Pieces of Iowa’s Past, February 13, 2013

Pieces of Iowa’s Past, published by the Iowa State Capitol Tour Guides weekly during the legislative session, features historical facts about Iowa, the Capitol, and the early workings of state government. All historical publications are reproduced here with the actual spelling, punctuation, and grammar retained. THIS WEEK: Repealing the Iowa State Census: Looking Back at the 1858 Census BACKGROUND: 45TH IOWA GENERAL ASSEMBLY The Forty-fifth Iowa General Assembly convened January 9 and adjourned April 20, 1933—a 102-day session. Nelson G. Kraschel was the Lieutenant Governor presiding in the Senate. The Senate was evenly divided with 25 Democrats and 25 Republican members. George E. Miller was Speaker of the House. The House of Representatives had 76 Democratic members and 32 Republican members. Daniel Turner finished out his term as Governor and Clyde Herring was inaugurated January 12, 1933, at the age of 53. The federal census of 1930 showed Iowa’s population at 2,470,939.

Pieces of Iowa’s Past, February 20, 2013

Pieces of Iowa’s Past, published by the Iowa State Capitol Tour Guides weekly during the legislative session, features historical facts about Iowa, the Capitol, and the early workings of state government. All historical publications are reproduced here with the actual spelling, punctuation, and grammar retained. THIS WEEK: Walnut Street Extension, Des Moines, Iowa BACKGROUND: 55TH IOWA GENERAL ASSEMBLY The Fifty-fifth Iowa General Assembly convened January 12 and adjourned April 29, 1953—a 108-day session. The Senate had 46 Republican and four Democratic members. In the House of Representatives, there were 105 Republican and seven Democratic members. Leo Elthon was the Lieutenant Governor presiding over the Senate. William Lynes was Speaker of the House. William Beardsley was Governor. Beardsley was inaugurated for his first term at the age of 47 on January 13, 1949. Iowa’s population at the 1950 census was 2,621,073.