Classic identity negative priming involves accessing semantic representations in the left anterior temporal cortex

Classic identity negative priming (NP) refers to the finding that when an object is ignored, subsequent naming responses to it are slower than when it has not been previously ignored (Tipper, S.P., 1985. The negative priming effect: inhibitory priming by ignored objects. Q. J. Exp. Psychol. 37A, 571-590). It is unclear whether this phenomenon arises due to the involvement of abstract semantic representations that the ignored object accesses automatically. Contemporary connectionist models propose a key role for the anterior temporal cortex in the representation of abstract semantic knowledge (e.g., McClelland, J.L., Rogers, T.T., 2003. The parallel distributed processing approach to semantic cognition. Nat. Rev. Neurosci. 4, 310-322), suggesting that this region should be involved during performance of the classic identity NP task if it involves semantic access. Using high-field (4 T) event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging, we observed increased BOLD responses in the left anterolateral temporal cortex including the temporal pole that was directly related to the magnitude of each individual's NP effect, supporting a semantic locus. Additional signal increases were observed in the supplementary eye fields (SEF) and left inferior parietal lobule (IPL).

Negative priming in naming of categorically related objects: An fMRI study

Ignoring an object slows subsequent naming responses to it, a phenomenon known as negative priming (NP). A central issue in NP research concerns the level of representation at which the effect occurs. As object naming is typically considered to involve access to abstract semantic representations, Tipper 1985 proposed that the NP effect occurred at this level of processing, and other researchers supported this proposal by demonstrating a similar result with categorically related objects (e.g., Allport et al., 1985; Murray, 1995), an effect referred to as semantic NP. However, objects within categories share more physical or structural features than objects from different categories. Consequently, the NP effect observed with categorically related objects might occur at a structural rather than semantic level of representation. We used event related fMRI interleaving overt object naming and image acquisition to demonstrate for the first time that the semantic NP effect activates the left posterior-mid fusiform and insular-opercular cortices. Moreover, both naming latencies and left posterior-mid fusiform cortex responses were influenced by the structural similarity of prime-probe object pairings in the categorically related condition, increasing with the number of shared features. None of the cerebral regions activated in a previous fMRI study of the identity NP effect (de Zubicaray et al., 2006) showed similar activation during semantic NP, including the left anterolateral temporal cortex, a region considered critical for semantic processing. The results suggest that the identity and semantic NP effects differ with respect to their neural mechanisms, and the label "semantic NP" might be a misnomer. We conclude that the effect is most likely the result of competition between structurally similar category exemplars that determines the efficiency of object name retrieval.

Inhibitory control in memory: evidence for negative priming in free recall

Cognitive control mechanisms—such as inhibition—decrease the likelihood that goal-directed activity is ceded to irrelevant events. Here, we use the action of auditory distraction to show how retrieval from episodic long-term memory is affected by competitor inhibition. Typically, a sequence of to-be-ignored spoken distracters drawn from the same semantic category as a list of visually-presented to-be-recalled items impairs free recall performance. In line with competitor inhibition theory (Anderson, 2003), free recall was worse for items on a probe trial if they were a repeat of distracter items presented during the previous, prime, trial (Experiment 1). This effect was only produced when the distracters were dominant members of the same category as the to-be-recalled items on the prime. For prime trials in which distracters were low-dominant members of the to-be-remembered item category or were unrelated to that category—and hence not strong competitors for retrieval—positive priming was found (Experiments 2 & 3). These results are discussed in terms of inhibitory approaches to negative priming and memory retrieval.

Negative priming in free recall reconsidered

Recent investigations of the phenomenon of forgetting have been driven mostly by the development of a novel theoretical framework which places great emphasis on inhibitory control (Anderson, 2003; Anderson & Spellman, 1995; Bjork, 1989). Whereas traditional, interference-based theories consider forgetting to be a by-product of storing new information, the inhibitory framework postulates a specialized mechanism, or a group of mechanisms, that serves the function of ‘deactivating’ information which is currently irrelevant. This process of inhibiting currently irrelevant information is thought to have lasting consequences, affecting memory for the irrelevant information on subsequent tests. The active and functional perspective on forgetting embedded in the inhibitory framework opens new fields for examining the role of forgetting in cognitive functioning. Differences in the ability to inhibit irrelevant information have been postulated to play important roles in a range of clinical conditions (e.g., Soriano, Jiménez, Román, & Bajo, 2009; Storm & White, 2010) and the trajectory of cognitive development (e.g., Aslan & Bäuml, 2010) as well as contributing to individual differences in many other cognitive and social domains (Redick, Heitz, & Engle, 2007).

Attending to the distractor and old/new discriminations in negative priming

When participants ignore an irrelevant distractor they typically show impaired responding to that item if it becomes the relevant stimulus on a subsequent trial. In Experiment 1 (N = 64), a masked white colour name was presented briefly before a Stroop display. Negative priming in colour naming occurred when the colour of the lettering for the Stroop stimulus matched the colour name displayed in the first display, consistent with the proposal of temporal discrimination theory that negative priming arises because a recurrence of an unattended stimulus cannot readily be classified as old or new. Experiment 2 (N = 32) replicated negative priming in the interleaved-word display where participants had to name the red word from a pair of red and green words. In Experiment 3 (N = 32) and Experiment 4 (N = 28) the participants were required to attend to but not respond to the words in the prime display and name one of two interleaved words in the probe display. Negative priming was observed in this arrangement, consistent with the episodic retrieval theory of negative priming. The temporal discrimination model may need to be extended to situations in which the attended stimuli have different responses attached to them.

Classic identity negative priming involves accessing semantic representations in the left anterior temporal cortex

Classic identity negative priming (NP) refers to the finding that when an object is ignored, subsequent naming responses to it are slower than when it has not been previously ignored (Tipper, S.P., 1985. The negative priming effect: inhibitory priming by ignored objects. Q. J. Exp. Psychol. 37A, 571-590). It is unclear whether this phenomenon arises due to the involvement of abstract semantic representations that the ignored object accesses automatically. Contemporary connectionist models propose a key role for the anterior temporal cortex in the representation of abstract semantic knowledge (e.g., McClelland, J.L., Rogers, T.T., 2003. The parallel distributed processing approach to semantic cognition. Nat. Rev. Neurosci. 4, 310-322), suggesting that this region should be involved during performance of the classic identity NP task if it involves semantic access. Using high-field (4 T) event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging, we observed increased BOLD responses in the left anterolateral temporal cortex including the temporal pole that was directly related to the magnitude of each individual's NP effect, supporting a semantic locus. Additional signal increases were observed in the supplementary eye fields (SEF) and left inferior parietal lobule (IPL). (c) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Rice husk biochar and crop residue amendment in subtropical cropping soils: Effect on biomass production, nitrogen use efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions

We investigated the effect of maize residues and rice husk biochar on biomass production, fertiliser nitrogen recovery (FNR) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions for three different subtropical cropping soils. Maize residues at two rates (0 and 10 t ha−1) combined with three rates (0, 15 and 30 t ha-1) of rice husk biochar were added to three soil types in a pot trial with maize plants. Soil N2O emissions were monitored with static chambers for 91 days. Isotopic 15N-labelled urea was applied to the treatments without added crop residues to measure the FNR. Crop residue incorporation significantly reduced N uptake in all treatments but did not affect overall FNR. Rice husk biochar amendment had no effect on plant growth and N uptake but significantly reduced N2O and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in two of the three soils. The incorporation of crop residues had a contrasting effect on soil N2O emissions depending on the mineral N status of the soil. The study shows that effects of crop residues depend on soil properties at the time of application. Adding crop residues with a high C/N ratio to soil can immobilise N in the soil profile and hence reduce N uptake and/or total biomass production. Crop residue incorporation can either stimulate or reduce N2O emissions depending on the mineral N content of the soil. Crop residues pyrolysed to biochar can potentially stabilise native soil C (negative priming) and reduce N2O emissions from cropping soils thus providing climate change mitigation potential beyond the biochar C storage in soils. Incorporation of crop residues as an approach to recycle organic materials and reduce synthetic N fertiliser use in agricultural production requires a thorough evaluation, both in terms of biomass production and greenhouse gas emissions.

维持性血液透析患者认知功能特点研究

Objective: To study the episodic memory, semantic memory, cognitive planning ability and inhibition ability in MHD patients. Method: Neuropsychological research methods such as Action memory of verb-object phrase, Trail Making Test (A and B), Verbal Fluency Test, Go-No/Go test and Stroop Color Naming Task were used to investigate Episodic Memory 、Semantic Memory、Executive Function of 40 MHD and 40 NC. Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Self-Rating Depression Scale(SDS), Social Support Scale, Life Satisfaction Scale, and biochemical examination were applied and their relationships with cognitive function were analized. The mean age and education level of MHD group and NC group have no significant difference. Result: 1.Action memory of verb-object phrase differed significantly between MHD group and NC group. 2.Two tests of Verbal Fluency differed significantly between MHD group and NC group. 3.Trail Making Test A, Trail Making Test B, the baseline condition of Go-No/Go Test and Stroop Color Naming Test differed significantly between MHD group and NC group. 4.There is no significant difference between MHD group and NC group on the correct rate of No/Go Test and the baseline condition. Both groups showed Stroop Effect in Go-No/Go test, but MHD group performed significantly worse. 5.In Stroop Color Naming Task Test, NC group showed Stroop Effect, significant Repeated Distraction Promotion Effect and significant Negative Priming Effect,while MHD group showed only Stroop Effect and no Repeated Distraction Promotion Effect and no Negative Priming Effect. There is significant difference in Stroop Effect between MHD group and NC group. Conclusion: 1.Comparing with NC group, episodic memory, semantic memory, cognitive planning ability, and inhibition ability of MHD group were impaired significantly. 2.The pathological aging of Executive Function in MHD group showed: executive Function should be a unitary system. 3.Cognitive impairment is negatively correlated with serum creatinine, blood pressure and anxiety score in MHD patients; and is related with hemoglobin, hematocrit, social support and life satisfaction. Keyword: maintenance hemodialysis, episodic memory, semantic memory, cognitive planning, inhibition ability.

2型糖尿病患者认知功能特点及相关影响因素研究

Objective: Type 2 diabetes patients’ performances of action memory , semantic memory and working memory and the related factors were explored. Methods: 60 Type 2 diabetes patients were compared with 60 age and gender and level of education matched non-diabetes controls. Mood were tested by SAS and SDS, MMSE was used to test the basic cognitive function, Trail Making Test A and B, Verbal fluency test, Go-No/Go test, and Stroop color-word test were used to investigate the executive function of Type 2 diabetes patients and normal controls (NC). Patients’ GLU, TG, TCH, HbA1c, insulin and Cp were tested and correlated with their action memory and working memory. Results: There was no difference between NC group and Type 2 diabetes patients in MMSE scores. There is depression and anxiety mood in Type 2 diabetes patients. Type 2 diabetes patients get lower score in action memory test. Comparing to NC group, Type 2 diabetes patients performed significantly worse in Trail Making Test A and B and verbal fluency test. In Stroop Test, NC group showed significant Stroop Effect and Repeated Distraction Promotion Effect and Negative Priming Effect. However, In Type 2 diabetes group, only the Stroop Effect appeared, but no Repeated Distraction Promotion Effect and Negative Priming Effect. There is no difference between Type 2 diabetes and NC in Stroop Effect. In Go-No/Go test, both of two groups showed significant Stroop Effect, however, there was no difference between them. And also there is no difference on error rate of all levels between them. The course of disease, GL, HbA1c, TG, TCH, INS and Cp affected action memory and working memory. Conclusion: Type 2 diabetes patients’ action memory, semantic memory and working memory were partially impaired. Controlling the levels of GLU, TG and TCH can delay these kinds of impairment.

Predictors of academic achievement and social competence in adolescence : facilitation, inhibition and general cognitive processing /

The relevance of attentional measures to cognitive and social adaptive behaviour was examined in an adolescent sample. Unlike previous research, the influence of both inhibitory and facilitory aspects of attention were studied. In addition, contributions made by these attentional processes were compared with traditional psychometric measures of cognitive functioning. Data were gathered from 36 grade 10 and 1 1 high school students (20 male and 16 female students) with a variety of learning and attentional difficulties. Data collection was conducted in the course of two testing sessions. In the first session, students completed questionnaires regarding their medical history, and everyday behaviours (the Brock Adaptive Functioning Questionnaire), along with non-verbal problem solving tasks and motor speed tasks. In the second session, students performed working memory measures and computer-administered tasks assessing inhibitory and facilitory aspects of attention. Grades and teacher-rated measures of cognitive and social impulsivity were also gathered. Results indicate that attentional control has both cognitive and social/emotional implications. Performance on negative priming and facilitation trials from the Flanker task predicted grades in core courses, social functioning measures, and cognitive and social impulsivity ratings. However, beneficial effects for academic and social functioning associated with inhibition were less prevalent in those demonstrating a greater ability to respond to facilitory cues. There was also some evidence that high levels of facilitation were less beneficial to academic performance, and female students were more likely to exceed optimal levels of facilitory processing. Furthermore, lower negative priming was ''S'K 'i\':y-: -'*' - r " j«v ; ''*.' iij^y Inhibition, Facilitation and Social Competence 3 associated with classroom-rated distraction and hyperactivity, but the relationship between inhibition and social aspects of impulsivity was stronger for adolescents with learning or reading problems, and the relationship between inhibition and cognitive impulsivity was stronger for male students. In most cases, attentional measures were predictive of performance outcomes independent of traditional psychometric measures of cognitive functioning. >,, These findings provide support for neuropsychological models linking inhibition to control of interference and arousal, and emphasize the fundamental role of attention in everyday adolescent activities. The findings also warrant further investigation into the ways which inhibitory and facilitory attentional processes interact, and the contextdependent nature of attentional control.associated with classroom-rated distraction and hyperactivity, but the relationship between inhibition and social aspects of impulsivity was stronger for adolescents with learning or reading problems, and the relationship between inhibition and cognitive impulsivity was stronger for male students. In most cases, attentional measures were predictive of performance outcomes independent of traditional psychometric measures of cognitive functioning. >,, These findings provide support for neuropsychological models linking inhibition to control of interference and arousal, and emphasize the fundamental role of attention in everyday adolescent activities. The findings also warrant further investigation into the ways which inhibitory and facilitory attentional processes interact, and the contextdependent nature of attentional control.

Distraction control processes in free recall: benefits and costs to performance

How is semantic memory influenced by individual differences under conditions of distraction? This question was addressed by observing how visual target words—drawn from a single category—were recalled whilst ignoring spoken distracter words that were either members of the same, or members of a different (single) category. Working memory capacity (WMC) was related to disruption only with synchronous, not asynchronous, presentation and distraction was greater when the words were presented synchronously. Subsequent experiments found greater negative priming of distracters amongst individuals with higher WMC but this may be dependent on targets and distracters being comparable category exemplars. With less dominant category members as distracters, target recall was impaired – relative to control – only amongst individuals with low WMC. The results highlight the role of cognitive control resources in target-distracter selection and the individual-specific cost implications of such cognitive control.

Kriterien effizienter Informationsverarbeitung als Prädiktoren des Karriereerfolgs

Die vorliegende Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit Kriterien effizienter und flexibler Informationsverarbeitung und deren Auswirkungen auf den Karriereerfolg. Die Kriterien Interferenz, Interferenz unter der negativen Priming-Bedingung und die Spontanflexibilität wurden in drei aufeinander aufbauenden Studien untersucht. Die Interferenzindices wurden mit einer modifizierten Form des Stroop-Tests erhoben, und das Konstrukt der Spontanflexibilität wurde mit der Gauß-Aufgabe, der Wasserumschüttaufgabe, dem Wortgruppentest und der Anagramm-Aufgabe operationalisiert. Bei diesen Aufgaben wurde eine Lösungsstrategie vorgegeben, aber es gab zusätzlich eine effizientere Lösungsstrategie, die während der Bearbeitung der Einzelaufgaben immer offensichtlicher wurde. Da die einzelnen Aufgaben nicht signifikant miteinander korrelierten, wurde im Rahmen einer Nachuntersuchung die Reliabilität über Parallelaufgaben geprüft. Für die Diagnose von Gruppenunterschieden erwiesen sich die Indikatoren der Spontanflexibilität als hinreichend reliabel. Die Wortdarbietungszeiten der Interferenzindices waren hochreliabel. Zwischen den Interferenzindices zeigte sich ein starker positiver Zusammenhang. Zur Validierung der Aufgaben wurden Beurteilungen über die berufliche Leistung der Versuchsteilnehmer herangezogen. Zwischen den einzelnen Beurteilungskriterien zeigten sich hohe Zusammenhänge. Die Gauß-Aufgabe korrelierte mit einem Beurteilungskriterium, dessen Verhaltensbeschreibungen sehr gut mit der Definition der Spontanflexibilität übereinstimmten. Die Wasserumschüttaufgabe korrelierte mit einem Beurteilungskriterium, welches eher eine durch die Situation herausgeforderte Flexibilität widerspiegelt. Die Interferenzindikatoren korrelierten mit Beurteilungskriterien, die zum einen die Fähigkeit zum Aufbauen von professionellen Beziehungen und zum anderen die Effizienz und den Qualitätsstandard eines Mitarbeiters bewerteten. Aufgrund der replizierten Zusammenhänge kann davon ausgegangen werden, dass die Interferenz, die Interferenz unter der negativen Priming-Bedingung, die Spontanflexibilität und die herausgeforderte Flexibilität Einfluss auf den Karriereerfolg eines Mitarbeiters nehmen. Aus diesem Grund bieten sich im Bereich der Arbeits- und Organisationspsychologie vielversprechende Einsatzmöglichkeiten für die in dieser Untersuchung entwickelten Tests an.

Studio dell'interazione di HIV-1 sulle cellule progenitrici ematopoietiche CD34+ (HPCs)

Oltre alla progressiva perdita dei linfociti T CD4, i pazienti HIV-infetti presentano diverse citopenie periferiche. In particolare l’anemia si riscontra nel 10% dei pazienti asintomatici e nel 92% di quelli con AIDS e la terapia cART non è in grado di risolvere tale problematica. I meccanismi patogenetici alla base di questa citopenia si ritiene che possano riguardare la deregolazione citochinica, il danno alle HPCs, alle cellule in differenziamento e alle cellule stromali. Le cellule progenitrici ematopoietiche CD34+, dopo essere state separate da sangue cordonale e differenziate verso la linea eritroide, sono state trattate con HIV-1 attivo, inattivato al calore e gp120. In prima istanza è stata messa in luce la mancata suscettibilità all’infezione e l’aumento dell’ apoptosi dovuto al legame gp120-CD4/CXCR4 e mediato dal TGF-β1 nelle cellule progenitrici indifferenziate. L’aspetto innovativo di questo studio però si evidenzia esaminando l’effetto di gp120 durante il differenziamento verso la filiera eritrocitaria. Sono stati utilizzati due protocolli sperimentali: nel primo le cellule sono inizialmente trattate per 24 ore con gp120 (o con HIV-1 inattivato al calore) e poi indotte in differenziamento, nel secondo vengono prima differenziate e poi trattate con gp120. Il “priming” negativo determina una apoptosi gp120-indotta molto marcata già dopo 48 ore dal trattamento ed una riduzione del differenziamento. Se tali cellule vengono invece prima differenziate per 24 ore e poi trattate con gp120, nei primi 5 giorni dal trattamento, è presente un aumento di proliferazione e differenziamento, a cui segue un brusco arresto che culmina con una apoptosi molto marcata (anch’essa dipendente dal legame gp120-CD4 e CXCR4 e TGF-β1 dipendente) e con una drastica riduzione del differenziamento. L’insieme dei risultati ha permesso di definire in modo consistente la complessità della genesi dell’anemia in questi pazienti e di poter suggerire nuovi target terapeutici in questi soggetti, già sottoposti a cART.