Search results for " Stimulus"
showing 10 items of 75 documents
Some Necessary Revisions of the Neuronal Model Concept of the Orienting Response
1978
Sokolov's neural trace model as well as his entropy model of the orienting response are examined. Both seem inadequate for empirical and theoretical reasons. The role of the relevance aspect of a stimulus is stressed. It is proposed to consider the information transmitted by a stimulus as in some way being weighted by the relevance of the context to which it belongs. It is furthermore proposed to restrict the neural trace concept to the physical properties of the stimulus. Major theoretical gain is achieved by viewing information content of a stimulus and its physical properties independently and by breaking the motivation determining the strength of an orienting response into a situation-s…
Testing selective influence directly using trackball movement tasks
2019
Abstract Systems factorial technology (SFT; Townsend & Nozawa, 1995) is regarded as a useful tool to diagnose if features (or dimensions) of the investigated stimulus are processed in a parallel or serial fashion. In order to use SFT, one has to assume the speed to process each feature is influenced by that feature only, termed as selective influence (Sternberg, 1969). This assumption is usually untestable as the processing time for a stimulus feature is not observable. Stochastic dominance is traditionally used as an indirect evidence for selective influence (e.g., Townsend & Fific, 2004). However, one should keep in mind that selective influence may be violated even when stochastic domina…
Heat-induced action potential discharges in nociceptive primary sensory neurons of rats.
2009
Although several transducer molecules for noxious stimuli have been identified, little is known about the transformation of the resulting generator currents into action potentials (APs). Therefore we investigated the transformation process for stepped noxious heat stimuli (42-47 degrees C, 3-s duration) into membrane potential changes and subsequent AP discharges using the somata of acutely dissociated small dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons (diameteror=32.5 microm) of adult rats as a model for their own peripheral terminals. Three types of heat-induced membrane potential changes were differentiated: type 1, heat-induced AP discharges (approximately 37% of the neurons); type 2, heat-induce…
Sexual selection in the wolf spider Hygrolycosa rubrofasciata: female preference for drum duration and pulse rate
2002
The unusual form of sexual signaling, the drumming produced by the wolf spider Hygrolycosa rubrofasciata, allows exceptionally detailed studies of female preference patterns against signal characteristics. It is easy to manipulate the signals and to use large numbers of females in playback experiments. Males of H. rubrofasciata produce drums by striking their abdomen against dry leaves on the ground. Drums travel not only as substrate-borne vibrations, but also as airborne acoustic signals. Females respond sooner to drums transferred as substrate borne, but the mode of signal transfer has no effect on female preference for different types of drums. We investigated the effects of two key com…
Effects of Fiscal Stimulus in Structural Models
2010
The paper assesses, using seven structural models used heavily by policymaking institutions, the effectiveness of temporary fiscal stimulus. Models can, more easily than empirical studies, account for differences between fiscal instruments, for differences between structural characteristics of the economy, and for monetary-fiscal policy interactions. Findings are: (i) There is substantial agreement across models on the sizes of fiscal multipliers. (ii) The sizes of spending and targeted transfers multipliers are large. (iii) Fiscal policy is most effective if it has some persistence and if monetary policy accommodates it. (iv) The perception of permanent fiscal stimulus leads to significant…
The influence of innovation stimulus, facilitating factors and support mechanisms on innovation performance in Brazilian small textile firms
2020
The ability of the organisation to develop new products is crucial in rapidly changing business environments, and thus, customer demographics, consumers' expectations and buying behaviour play an important role. Hence, exploring the antecedents of innovation performance becomes more important. This study analyses the relationships among innovation stimulus, facilitating factors and support mechanisms for innovative performance in the textile industry of Santa Catarina, Brazil. The sample included 128 respondents, who were all employees of five small and medium-sized textile firms; data were analysed using structural equation modelling. We found that innovation stimulus, facilitating factors…
Inactivation and tachyphylaxis of heat-evoked inward currents in nociceptive primary sensory neurones of rats.
2000
In contrast to other sensory modalities, pain does not decrease when a noxious stimulus is applied at constant intensity (Greene & Hardy, 1962). From this lack of adaptation on the perceptive level it has traditionally been implied that primary nociceptive afferents also do not adapt upon constant stimulation. This is in contrast to the results of recordings from these afferents, which exhibit pronounced adaptation for physical as well as chemical stimuli (Meyer et al. 1994). Peripheral adaptation of nociceptive nerve endings is compensated by central summation (Mendell & Wall, 1965; Price et al. 1977); this slow summation process of small fibre input to the dorsal horn of the spinal cord i…
Effects of whole-body vibration exercise on muscular strength and power, functional mobility and self-reported knee function in middle-aged and older…
2013
Abstract Background Whole-body vibration training using vertical-vibration machines is called “acceleration training” (AT). The purpose of this study was to elucidate the effect of AT on lower-limb muscular strength and power, functional mobility and self-reported knee function in middle-aged and older Japanese women with knee pain. Methods Thirty-eight middle-aged and older Japanese women (aged 50–73 years) with knee pain were divided into two groups: (1) the AT group (n = 29) engaged in AT three times per week for eight weeks, and (2) the control group (C group, n = 9). The AT program consisted of flexibility training, strength training of mainly the quadriceps and surrounding muscles and…
Indoor artificial lighting: Prediction of the circadian effects of different spectral power distributions.
2014
The study presented in this paper aims to evaluate if and how the environment affects the circadian impact of a light source by predicting circadian stimulus (CS) resulting from the exposure to different light scenes, using equations reported in studies by Rea et al. The main findings are: (1) Above 600 lx at eye level the increase of CS is little; (2) Between 50 lx and 200 lx at the eye level an increase of only 50 lx determines a significant increase of CS; (3) Light sources with correlated colour temperatures between 2900 K and 4200 K have similar impacts on the circadian system according to the calculation method used; (4) Even an almost neutral environment affects the circadian impact…
The effects of morphine on the temporal structure of Wistar rat behavioral response to pain in hot-plate
2016
Rationale: The largest amount of researches on the hot-plate test was carried out using quantitative assessments. However, the evaluation of the relationships among the different elements that compose the behavioral response to pain requires different approaches. Although previous studies have provided clear information on the behavioral structure of the response, no data are available on its temporal structure. Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate the temporal structure of the behavioral response to pain in Wistar rat tested in hot-plate and how this structure was influenced by morphine-induced analgesia. Methods: The behavior of four groups of subjects tested in hot-…