Perception of patterns of musical beat distribution in phonological developmental dyslexia:significant longitudinal relations with word reading and reading comprehension

In a recent study, we reported that the accurate perception of beat structure in music ('perception of musical meter') accounted for over 40% of the variance in single word reading in children with and without dyslexia (Huss et al., 2011). Performance in the musical task was most strongly associated with the auditory processing of rise time, even though beat structure was varied by manipulating the duration of the musical notes.

Timekeeping strategies operate independently from spatial and accuracy demands in beat-interception movements

The prevailing paradigm for researching sensorimotor synchronisation in humans involves finger tapping and temporal accuracy measures. However, many successful sensorimotor synchronisation actions require not only to be 'in time', but also to be in a predefined spatial position. Reaching this spatial position in many everyday actions often exceeds the average amplitude of a finger movement. The aim of this study is to address how people coordinate their movement to be in the right place at the right time when the scale of the movement varies. Does the scale of the movement and accuracy demands of the movement change the ability to accurately synchronise? To address these questions, a sensorimotor synchronisation task with three different inter-beat intervals, two different movement amplitudes and two different target widths was used. Our experiment demonstrated that people use different timing strategies-employing either a movement strategy (varying movement time) or a waiting strategy (keeping movement time constant) for large-scale movements. Those two strategies were found to be equally successful in terms of temporal accuracy and variability (spread of errors). With longer interval durations (2.5 and 3.5 s), variability of sensorimotor synchronisation performance increased (measured as the spread of errors). Analysing the data using the Vorberg and Wing (Handbook of perception and action. Academic Press, New York, pp 181-262, 1996) model shows a need to develop further existing timing models of sensorimotor synchronisation so that they could apply to large-scale movements, where different movement strategies naturally emerge.

Primary motor cortex involvement in initial learning during visuomotor adaptation

Human motor behaviour is continually modified on the basis of errors between desired and actual movement outcomes. It is emerging that the role played by the primary motor cortex (M1) in this process is contingent upon a variety of factors, including the nature of the task being performed, and the stage of learning. Here we used repetitive TMS to test the hypothesis that M1 is intimately involved in the initial phase of sensorimotor adaptation. Inhibitory theta burst stimulation was applied to M1 prior to a task requiring modification of torques generated about the elbow/forearm complex in response to rotations of a visual feedback display. Participants were first exposed to a 30° clockwise (CW) rotation (Block A), then a 60° counterclockwise rotation (Block B), followed immediately by a second block of 30° CW rotation (A2). In the STIM condition, participants received 20s of continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) prior to the initial A Block. In the conventional (CON) condition, no stimulation was applied. The overt characteristics of performance in the two conditions were essentially equivalent with respect to the errors exhibited upon exposure to a new variant of the task. There were however, profound differences between the conditions in the latency of response preparation, and the excitability of corticospinal projections from M1, which accompanied phases of de-adaptation and re-adaptation (during Blocks B and A2). Upon subsequent exposure to the A rotation 24h later, the rate of re-adaptation was lower in the stimulation condition than that present in the conventional condition. These results support the assertion that primary motor cortex assumes a key role in a network that mediates adaptation to visuomotor perturbation, and emphasise that it is engaged functionally during the early phase of learning.

Comparison of consumer perception and acceptability for steaks cooked to different endpoints: Validation of photographic approach

Photographs have been used to enhance consumer reporting of preference of meat doneness, however, the use of photographs has not been validated for this purpose. This study used standard cooking methods to produce steaks of five different degrees of doneness (rare medium, medium well, well done and very well done) to study the consumer’s perception of doneness, from both the external and internal surface of the cooked steak and also from corresponding photographs of each sample. Consumers evaluated each surface of the cooked steaks in relation to doneness for acceptability, ‘just about right’ and perception of doneness. Data were analysed using a split plot ANOVA and least significant test. Perception scores (for both external and internal surfaces) between different presentation methods (steak samples and corresponding photos), were not significantly different (p > 0.05). The result indicates that photographs can be used as a valid approach for assessing preference for meat doneness.

Stable isotopes challenge the perception of ocean sunfish Mola mola as obligate jellyfish predators

Evidence is provided from stable isotope analysis that aggregations of small ocean sunfish Mola mola (total length <1 m) feed broadly within coastal food webs and their classification as obligate predators of gelatinous zooplankton requires revision.

Modelling the control of interceptive actions

In recent years, several phenomenological dynamical models have been formulated that describe how perceptual variables are incorporated in the control of motor variables. We call these short-route models as they do not address how perception-action patterns might be constrained by the dynamical properties of the sensory, neural and musculoskeletal subsystems of the human action system. As an alternative, we advocate a long-route modelling approach in which the dynamics of these subsystems are explicitly addressed and integrated to reproduce interceptive actions. The approach is exemplified through a discussion of a recently developed model for interceptive actions consisting of a neural network architecture for the online generation of motor outflow commands, based on time-to-contact information and information about the relative positions and velocities of hand and ball. This network is shown to be consistent with both behavioural and neurophysiological data. Finally, some problems are discussed with regard to the question of how the motor outflow commands (i.e. the intended movement) might be modulated in view of the musculoskeletal dynamics.

Illness perception clusters at diagnosis predict psychological distress among women with breast cancer at 6 months post-diagnosis.

OBJECTIVE:

This study aimed to examine the extent to which illness perceptions and coping strategies among women diagnosed with breast cancer explain psychological distress at diagnosis and at 6?months post diagnosis relative to demographic and illness-related variables.

METHODS:

Women were recruited to the study shortly after diagnosis. A total of 90 women completed study materials (Illness Perception Questionnaire-Revised, the Cancer Coping Questionnaire and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) at time 1. The same questionnaires were sent approximately 6?months later to those who had consented at time 1, and completed questionnaires were returned by 72 women.

RESULTS:

Cluster analysis was used to identify groups of respondents who reported a similar profile of illness perception scores. Regression analysis demonstrated that one of these clusters was more likely to experience psychological distress than the other both at diagnosis and at 6?months post diagnosis. Illness perception cluster membership and positive focus type coping were the most important and consistent predictors of lower psychological distress at diagnosis and at 6?months post diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONS:

Illness perceptions remained relatively stable over the study period, and therefore we are unable to clarify whether changes in illness cognitions are associated with a corresponding change in psychological symptoms. Future research should evaluate the impact on psychological distress of interventions specifically designed to modify illness cognitions among women with breast cancer.

Content validity of the Illness Perception Questionnaire-Revised for people with Type 2 Diabetes: A Think-Aloud study

Objectives: To access the cognitions of adults with type 2 diabetes whilst completing items on the Illness Perceptions Questionnaire – Revised (IPQ-R). To determine whether these cognitions are congruent with the meaning of items and subscales as interpreted by researchers and clinicians using the IPQ-R and to identify the nature and extent of problems that individuals experience when completing the IPQ-R.
Design: Participants (n=36) were recruited from a primary care diabetes clinic and a hospital diabetes clinic. They were asked to complete the IPQ-R using a ‘think-aloud’ methodology.
Main Outcome Measures: Transcripts were analysed to identify instances where participants expressed problems with item completion, or where there was inconsistency between verbal and written responses.
Results: The most problematic subscales were those of ‘personal control’ and ‘consequences’.
Conclusion: Generally, participants found the IPQ-R unproblematic. However, participants had problems with the concept of ‘cure’ and ‘symptoms’ in the context of type 2 diabetes, and with the negative phrasing used in some items. These findings have important implications for the interpretation of IPQ-R scores, particularly when the IPQ-R is used as the basis for individualised interventions among people with type 2 diabetes.

Neonatal pain, parenting stress and interaction, in relation to cognitive and motor development at 8 and 18 months in preterm infants

Procedural pain in the neonatal intensive care unit triggers a cascade of physiological, behavioral and hormonal disruptions which may contribute to altered neurodevelopment in infants born very preterm, who undergo prolonged hospitalization at a time of physiological immaturity and rapid brain development. The aim of this study was to examine relationships between cumulative procedural pain (number of skin-breaking procedures from birth to term, adjusted for early illness severity and overall intravenous morphine exposure), and later cognitive, motor abilities and behavior in very preterm infants at 8 and 18 months corrected chronological age (CCA), and further, to evaluate the extent to which parenting factors modulate these relationships over time. Participants were N=211 infants (n=137 born preterm 32 weeks gestational age [GA] and n=74 full-term controls) followed prospectively since birth. Infants with significant neonatal brain injury (periventricular leucomalacia, grade 3 or 4 intraventricular hemorrhage) and/or major sensori-neural impairments, were excluded. Poorer cognition and motor function were associated with higher number of skin-breaking procedures, independent of early illness severity, overall intravenous morphine, and exposure to postnatal steroids. The number of skin-breaking procedures as a marker of neonatal pain was closely related to days on mechanical ventilation. In general, greater overall exposure to intravenous morphine was associated with poorer motor development at 8 months, but not at 18 months CCA, however, specific protocols for morphine administration were not evaluated. Lower parenting stress modulated effects of neonatal pain, only on cognitive outcome at 18 months.