Action Control Research Articles

Pengaruh Penerapan Strategi Pembelajaran PQ4R Terhadap Keterampilan Membaca Siswa Kelas V SDN 04 Tala Kabupaten Pangkep

The main problem in this study is the low absorption of students. This can be seen from the average student learning outcomes which are still a cause for concern. This study aims to determine the effect of implementing the PQ4R learning strategy on the reading skills of fifth grade students at SDN 04 Tala, Pangkep Regency. This type of research is an actual experimental research (true experiment). The population of this study were fifth grade students at SDN 04 Tala Pangkep Regency with a total of 26 students who were divided into 2 classes. The sample in this study, namely fifth grade students at SDN 04 Tala, consisted of 13 experimental class students and 13 control class students. The research design used was the Posttest Only Control Group Design. The results of this study indicate that the effect of the PQ4R learning strategy on students' reading skills. The average value of reading skills given action by applying PQ4R learning strategies (experimental class) is 8.76, while the average value of reading skills that are not given action by not implementing PQ4R learning strategies (control class) is 6. So, skills The reading comprehension of students who were given the PQ4R strategy action (experimental class) was higher at 8.76 than students who were not given the PQ4R strategy action (control class).

Implicit signatures of voluntary action reduce with repeated motor practice

The sense of controlling one’s actions and their consequences is a critical aspect of successful motor activity. While motor performance typically improves with learning, it is unclear whether, how, and why higher order aspects of motor cognition are also affected. Here, we used an implicit measure of sense of agency—the ‘intentional binding’ effect—as participants learned to make a skilled action involving precise control of thumb adduction. These actions were predictably followed by a tone (the outcome). At pre-test, we showed the perceived time of the tone was shifted towards the thumb action, compared to a control condition in which tones occurred without actions. Next, a relevant training group learned to refine the direction of the thumb movement, while an irrelevant training group was trained on another movement. Manipulation checks demonstrated that, as expected, the relevant training group improved performance of the trained movement, while the irrelevant training group did not. Critically, while both groups still showed binding of the tone towards the thumb action at post-test, the relevant training group showed less binding than the irrelevant training group. Given the link between intentional binding and volitional control of action, we suggest our result demonstrates subjective agency over the outcome of a skilled action decreases as practice makes the skilled action more fluent. We suggest that this reduction in sense of agency over movement outcomes is consistent with the decreasing cognitive engagement, or automatization, that occurs during skill learning.

Torque ripples reduction of electric vehicle synchronous reluctance motor drive using the strong action controller

Smart, Micro and Nano-grids are the future of electric power systems. In parallel with this future, electric vehicles (EVs) take a great deal of attention, as they are one of the important elements in these systems. Also, with the passage of time, the development continues in the technology of manufacturing EVs. Since the electric motor is the main component in these vehicles, research and development is continuing to find the most suitable motors that can work in such vehicles. The synchronous reluctance motor (SynRM) is the newest motor used in this industry. SynRMs faces different challenges, one of which is the torque ripples. Different trials were used to reduce or eliminate or minimize these ripples. Most of previous work focuses on the SynRM design parameters to reduce torque ripples. In this paper, the control methodology and the strong action controller (SAC) are used as a tool to reduce these ripples. The simulation results showed the effectiveness of the application of the proposed SAC in ripples factor reduction. This reduction represents a new contribution over the already existed techniques.

Anxious individuals shift emotion control from lateral frontal pole to dorsolateral prefrontal cortex

Anxious individuals consistently fail in controlling emotional behavior, leading to excessive avoidance, a trait that prevents learning through exposure. Although the origin of this failure is unclear, one candidate system involves control of emotional actions, coordinated through lateral frontopolar cortex (FPl) via amygdala and sensorimotor connections. Using structural, functional, and neurochemical evidence, we show how FPl-based emotional action control fails in highly-anxious individuals. Their FPl is overexcitable, as indexed by GABA/glutamate ratio at rest, and receives stronger amygdalofugal projections than non-anxious male participants. Yet, high-anxious individuals fail to recruit FPl during emotional action control, relying instead on dorsolateral and medial prefrontal areas. This functional anatomical shift is proportional to FPl excitability and amygdalofugal projections strength. The findings characterize circuit-level vulnerabilities in anxious individuals, showing that even mild emotional challenges can saturate FPl neural range, leading to a neural bottleneck in the control of emotional action tendencies.

Action-orientation shields against primed cognitive conflict effects on effort-related cardiac response.

This article presents a quasi-experiment (N = 79 university students) testing whether individual differences in action-state orientation moderate primed cognitive conflict's effects on sympathetically mediated cardiac response during task performance reflecting effort. Action control theory posits that action-oriented individuals are less receptive to distracting affective stimuli during goal pursuit than state-oriented individuals because action-orientation is related to higher volitional skills. Therefore, we expected that action-oriented individuals should be shielded against conflict primes' effect on effort-related responses in the cardiovascular system. By contrast, state-oriented individuals should be more sensitive to irrelevant negative affective stimulation and therefore mobilize higher resources under such conditions. Responses of the cardiac pre-ejection period (PEP) during a moderately difficult short-term memory task corroborated these predictions. The present findings provide the first evidence that individual differences in action-state orientation indeed moderate previously demonstrated cognitive conflict priming effects on effort-related cardiac response and extend recent findings on action shielding.

Construction of a questionnaire based on the Health Action Process Approach for psycho-social cognitive determinants of parents in brushing children's teeth in the Netherlands.

The health action process approach (HAPA) model is promising to increase the frequency of brushing children's teeth by parents to improve their children's oral health. A validated HAPA questionnaire is needed as one of the measures of the effects of such an intervention. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether our data, based on a translated and adopted version of the Health Action Process Approach (HAPA)-based questionnaire on dental flossing, supported the constructs of the HAPA model. If so, a next aim was to assess whether these constructs could be measured reliably. In this cross-sectional study, 269 questionnaires filled out in dental offices by parents of children 1-10 years old were analysed. Scale validation was performed according to the 6-step protocol of Dima, including Mokken scale analyses (MSA), graded response model (GRM), factor analyses and reliability measures. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated to identify divergent validity and test-retest reliability. MSA showed a unidimensional, medium total scale. Three items were removed based on this analysis. The total scale with the remaining 26 items did not fit the GRM. Factor analysis extracted five factors and two components for the total scale. The separate subscales, except the 'intention' construct, fitted the MSA and did not fit the GRM. The data fitted a seven-factor model better than a one-factor model. Reliability measures varied from acceptable to excellent, but were poor for 'action control'. Test-retest reliability (r's 0.60-0.83) was questionable to good. Our results did not fully support the constructs of the HAPA model. To support the HAPA constructs, modification to the subscales risk perceptions, intention, action planning, action control and self-reported behaviour are suggested. With these adjustments, the reliability and validity of the questionnaire could be significantly improved".

Maintaining eye fixation relieves pressure of cognitive action control

Cognitive control enables humans to behave guided by their current goals and intentions. Cognitive control in one task generally suffers when humans try to engage in another task on top. However, we discovered an additional task that supports conflict resolution. In two experiments, participants performed a spatial cognitive control task. For different blocks of trials, they either received no instruction regarding eye movements or were asked to maintain the eyes fixated on a stimulus. The additional eye fixation task did not reduce task performance, but selectively ameliorated the adverse effects of cognitive conflicts on reaction times (Experiment 1). Likewise, in urgent situations, the additional task reduced performance impairments due to stimulus-driven processing overpowering cognitive control (Experiment 2). These findings suggest that maintaining eye fixation locks attentional resources that would otherwise induce spatial cognitive conflicts. This reveals an attentional disinhibition that boosts goal-directed action by relieving pressure from cognitive control.

The transcription regulator Lmo3 is required for the development of medial ganglionic eminence derived neurons in the external globus pallidus

The external globus pallidus (GPe) is an essential component of the basal ganglia, a group of subcortical nuclei that are involved in control of action. Changes in the firing of GPe neurons are associated with both passive and active body movements. Aberrant activity of GPe neurons has been linked to motor symptoms of a variety of movement disorders, such as Parkinson's Disease, Huntington's disease and dystonia. Recent studies have helped delineate functionally distinct subtypes of GABAergic GPe projection neurons. However, not much is known about specific molecular mechanisms underlying the development of GPe neuronal subtypes. We show that the transcriptional regulator Lmo3 is required for the development of medial ganglionic eminence derived Nkx2.1+ and PV+ GPe neurons, but not lateral ganglionic eminence derived FoxP2+ neurons. As a consequence of the reduction in PV+ neurons, Lmo3-null mice have a reduced GPe input to the subthalamic nucleus.

THE EFFECT OF LOW-FIBER DIETS ON COLORECTAL CANCER INCIDENCE IN SOUTHEAST AND EAST ASIA: SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS

Introduction : Colorectal cancer is a malignant tumor that grows in the colon tissue. In the Asian region, in 2018, cases and deaths from colorectal cancer are highest in East Asia (there were 736,573 cases and 325,128 of them died) and Southeast Asia (there were 95,223 cases and 52,475 of them died). Aims: Several studies have been conducted regarding the effect of a low-fiber diet and an increased risk of colorectal cancer, but it still shows mixed results. Methods: This study is an unobstrutive study with a systematic review and meta-analysis method. Data sources came from 14 primary studies with a case-control study design that met the inclusion criteria. Data analysis was performed using CMA software trial version 3.0 with a confidence level of α = 5%. Research with low-fiber diet variables shows heterogeneous variations in results so that the chosen model is random effect model. Result: The analysis states that there was a significant relationship between a low-fiber diet (CI: 0.421–0.867) and an increased risk of colorectal cancer due to the role of soluble and insoluble fiber. Lack of intake of soluble fiber can decrease insulin action and blood sugar control or the production of short-chain fatty acids, whereas insufficient intake of insoluble fiber can increase the potential for interactions between mutagens and colonic mucosa. Conclusion: The results of the study are expected to be an input for a proper diet so that there is no increase in cases of colorectal cancer.

Compact, portable, automatic sample changer stick for cryostats and closed-cycle refrigerators

Beamlines are facilities that produce and deliver highly focused and intense beams of radiation, typically x rays, synchrotron radiation, or neutrons, for scientific research purposes. Millions of dollars are spent annually to maintain and operate these scientific beamlines, oftentimes running continuously between cycles. To reduce human intervention and improve productivity, mechanical sample changers are often commissioned for use. Designing sample changers is difficult because mechanical parts can be bulky, expensive, and challenging to design for instruments with low volume access, high radiation, and cryogenic environments. We present a portable and inexpensive sample changer stick that can hold and manipulate up to four samples, specifically designed for use with cryogenic closed-cycle refrigerators. The sample changer stick enables rapid and efficient exchange of samples without manual intervention, and is compatible with standard sample mounts such as vanadium cans. The sample changer stick includes a motorized rotation and lancing mechanism, which enables the precise positioning of each sample in the neutron beam, while ensuring compatibility with the operating temperatures and vacuum conditions required for closed-cycle refrigerators. The design has been successfully tested at the VISION beamline at the Spallation Neutron Source. The mechanical action and software controls are detailed. The sample changer stick is a valuable tool for scientists working with cryogenic closed-cycle refrigerators.

The Covid-19 pandemic and management controls

We examine how firms respond to the Covid-19 pandemic by adjusting their management controls and what the consequences are in terms of firms’ resilience to the crisis. We review literature that deals with the influence of the Covid-19 pandemic on business and investigate results from a survey conducted within a large international multi-divisional service firm and the German Business Panel. We find evidence consistent with the claim that the Covid-19 pandemic is associated with a shock to transparency and increased incentive problems. We document firms’ adjustments of their management controls in response to the Covid-19 crisis: Action controls are stronger, result controls are more flexible, and cultural controls are weaker. Regarding firms’ resilience, we provide supportive evidence that more resilient firms face a smaller shock to transparency, adjust their management controls to a smaller extent, and are associated with stronger cultural controls in terms of higher organisational trust.

Vision rivals audition in alerting humans for fast action

Successful behaviour requires that humans act promptly upon the ubiquitous rapid changes in the environment. Prompt actions are supported by phasic alertness, the increased readiness for perception and action elicited by warning stimuli (alerting cues). Audition is assumed to induce phasic alertness for action faster and more strongly than other senses. Here, we show that vision can be equally effective as audition. We investigated the temporal evolution and the effectiveness of visual and auditory alerting for action in a speeded choice task, while controlling for basic sensitivity differences between the modalities that are unrelated to action control (by matching auditory and visual stimuli according to reaction times in a prior simple detection task). Results revealed that alerting sped up responses, but this happened equally fast and equally strong for visual and auditory alerting cues. Thus, these findings argue that vision rivals audition in phasic alerting for prompt actions, and suggest that the underlying mechanisms work across both modalities.

Are parents of high caries risk Dutch children motivated to brush their children's teeth? An assessment using the health action process approach questionnaire.

To assess the social cognitive constructs of the Health Action Process Approach (HAPA) of parents of high caries risk children to be treated under intravenous sedation (IVS) or with behavioural guidance techniques (BGT), and to assess the changes in these constructs for each treatment group after treatment. In this cohort study, 160 children aged 3-10years were allocated by their paediatric dentist to either IVS (77.4%) or BGT. Their parents filled out a HAPA questionnaire, before (T1, n = 160), immediately (T2, n = 108) and three months (T3, n = 71) after their children's dental rehabilitation. Before treatment, all parents had high scores on all social cognitive constructs. There were no differences in mean HAPA scores between the treatment groups (p > 0.05). After treatment, mean scores changed in both groups. In the BGT group, action self-efficacy changed from 3.64 (T1) to 3.36(T2) (p = 0.027) and to 3.13 (T3) (p = 0.021) and coping self-efficacy changed from 3.63 (T1) to 3.23 (T2) (p = 0.015). In the IVS group, action planning changed from 3.25 (T1) to 3.05(T3) (p = 0.036) and action control changed from 2.58 (T1) to 2.82 (T2) (p = 0.012) and to 2.87 (T3) (p = 0.006). High scores on social cognitive constructs of parents of children referred to a paediatric dentist showed that they seem to be motivated to brush their children's teeth, irrespective of the treatment group. Small changes were observed in the HAPA constructs, however, these are not considered clinically relevant.

Land scale heterogeneity, collective action and soil erosion control: evidence from the Loess Plateau of China

This paper investigates the effect of land scale heterogeneity on participation by farmers in collective action and the level of erosion control, and its mechanism of action, using survey data from 45 villages and 1,149 households in a typical erosion area of the Yellow River basin. The results show that there is a non-linear, U-shaped relationship between land size heterogeneity and farmers’ participation in collective action and the level of erosion control, respectively, and that collective action plays a mediating role in the U-shaped relationship between land size heterogeneity and level of erosion control. This implies that maintaining a homogeneous distribution of land among households within the village collectivity and a large disparity in land allocation both promote participation in collective action and thus improve the level of erosion control. Using an endogenous regression transformation model to deal with endogeneity and robustness tests, the findings remain robust. In the mechanism analysis section, variables for the level of trust and co-ordination of interests are introduced and a non-linear, U-shaped relationship is found between land size heterogeneity through the effect of both on collective action. This suggests that the allocation of land resources as described above can co-ordinate the level of trust and the direction of interests among farmers, leading to conditions for co-operation and thus facilitating farmers’ participation in collective action.

The intention-behaviour gap in physical activity: a systematic review and meta-analysis of the action control framework

ObjectiveIntention is the proximal antecedent of physical activity in many popular psychological models. Despite the utility of these models, the discrepancy between intention and actual behaviour, known as the intention-behaviour...

Non-contingent affective outcomes influence judgments of control

Our main goal in these experiments was to examine whether affective valence plays a role in judgments of control (JoC) in intentional action. To test this, we asked participants to completevariationsofasimple aiming task in which words appeared in place of clicked targets. The affective content of the words was manipulated during the experiments but was not contingent on participants’ performance. Throughout the task, participants were periodically asked to judge their JoC.Thus, JoC judgments in this task included contributions of a well-established cue to judgments of control, task performance, and a source of affect that was not related to task performance. We found thatmetacognitions of controlvaried consistentlyacross levels of affect, with stronger judgments of being in control for conditions with positive outcome words (e.g., ‘puppy’) and the weaker judgments of being in control for conditions with negative outcome words (e.g.,‘killer’).These results suggestaffective outcomes can influence JoC, even though the outcomes are not related to performance.

Psychometric evaluation of the Chinese version of the Elderly-Constipation Impact Scale: a translation and validation study

ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to translate the Elderly-Constipation Impact Scale into Chinese and to examine its reliability and validity in a population of older people suffering from chronic constipation.MethodsIn this study, the scale was paraphrased, back-translated, cross-culturally adapted and pre-experimented using the Brislin double translation-back-translation method to create the initial Chinese version of the Elderly-Constipation Impact Scale. A convenience sampling method was used to select 564 study participants who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria in Liaoning and Shanxi, China, to evaluate the reliability and validity of the scale. General information about the study population was using descriptive statistics; item analysis was used to screen the items of the scale. Content validity, exploratory factor analysis, and validation factor analysis were chosen to validate the scales; internal consistency, spilt-half reliability and retest reliability were used determine the reliability of the measurement scales.ResultsThe Chinese version of the Elderly-Constipation Impact Scale contains 7 dimensions and 21 items. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the total scale was 0.901 and the range of Cronbach's alpha values for each dimension was 0.707 to 0.918. The split-half reliability of the scale was 0.736 and the retest reliability was 0.763. The exploratory factor analysis showed a KMO value of 0.873 and a Bartlett's spherical test X2 value of 3499.978 (p < 0.001). A total of seven common factors were extracted, namely daily activities, treatment satisfaction, lack of control of bodily function, diet restriction, symptom intensity, anxiety and preventive actions, with a cumulative variance contribution of 77.813%. Each item had a loading value > 0.4 on its common factor. In the validation factor analysis, the model fit results were X2 / df = 1.886, GFI = 0.910, AGFI = 0.874, PGFI = 0.654, IFI = 0.955, TLI = 0.942, CFI = 0.954, RMSEA = 0.056 and PNFI = 0.718. The model fit indicators were all within acceptable limits.ConclusionThe Chinese version of the E-CIS has good reliability and validity in the chronic constipation population of elderly individuals. The results of the questionnaire can effectively and comprehensively reflect the impact of chronic constipation on the quality of life of elderly individuals. It provides a meaningful reference for identifying targets for intervention.

Effect-less? Event-files are not terminated by distal action effects

Event-files that bind features of stimuli, responses, and action effects figure prominently in contemporary views of action control. When a previous feature repeats, a previous event-file is retrieved and can influence current performance. It is unclear, however, what terminates an event-file. A tacit assumption is that registering the distal (e.g., visual or auditory) sensory consequences of an action (i.e., the “action effect”) terminates the event-file, thereby making it available for retrieval. We tested three different action-effect conditions (no distal action effect, visual action effect, or auditory action effect) in the same stimulus-response (S-R) binding task and observed no modulation of S-R binding effects. Instead, there were comparably large binding effects in all conditions. This suggests that proximal (e.g., somatosensory, proprioceptive) action effects terminate event-files independent of distal (e.g., visual, auditory) action effects or that the role event-file termination plays for S-R binding effects needs to be corrected. We conclude that current views of action control require further specification.

Enhancing physical activity and reducing symptoms of patients with osteoarthritis of the knee: a randomized controlled trial of the PrevOP-Psychological Adherence Program

BackgroundThis primary analysis evaluated the “PREVenting the impairment of primary Osteoarthritis by high-impact long-term Physical exercise regimen—Psychological Adherence Program” (PrevOP-PAP), designed to support patients with osteoarthritis of the knee (OAK) to engage in regular moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) to reduce OAK symptoms (WOMAC scores). Theory-based on the health action process approach (HAPA), the intervention targeted volitional precursors of MVPA change: action and coping planning, maintenance and recovery self-efficacy, action control, and social network formation. We hypothesized that compared to an active control condition, increases in MVPA at the end of the 12-month intervention would translate into lower WOMAC scores at 24 months in the intervention condition.MethodsParticipants with radiographically verified moderate OAK (N = 241; 62.66% female; M(SD) = 65.60(7.61) years) were randomly assigned to the intervention (51%) or the active control condition. WOMAC scores (24 months) were the primary -, accelerometer-assessed MVPA (12 months) the key secondary outcomes. The PrevOP-PAP was a 12-month intervention with computer-assisted face-to-face and phone-based sessions designed to increase HAPA-proposed volitional precursors of MVPA change (up to 24 months; secondary outcomes). Intent-to-treat analyses included multiple regression and manifest path models.ResultsMVPA (12 months) did not mediate effects of the PrevOP-PAP on WOMAC scores (24 months). Compared to the active control condition, WOMAC scores (24 months) were lower in the intervention condition, but this effect did not remain stable in sensitivity analyses (b(SE) = -8.41(4.66), 95%-CI [-17.53; 0.71]). However, exploratory analyses revealed significantly stronger reductions in WOMAC-pain (24 months) in the intervention condition (b(SE) = -2.99(1.18), 95%-CI [-5.36; -0.63]). Groups did not differ in MVPA at 12 months (b(SE) = -3.78(3.42), 95%-CI [-10.80; 2.58]). Of the proposed precursors of MVPA change, action planning was higher in the intervention than in the control condition (24 months; b(SE) = 0.64(0.26), 95%-CI [0.14; 1.15]).ConclusionsCompared to an active control condition, the PrevOP-PAP did not produce reliable effects on WOMAC scores and none on preceding MVPA. Of the HAPA-proposed volitional precursors, only action planning was sustainably increased. Future interventions should use m-health applications to digitally support long-term changes in proposed volitional precursors of MVPA change.Trial registrationGerman Clinical Trials Register; https://drks.de/search/de/trial/DRKS00009677; also available at http://apps.who.int/trialsearch/; registration number: DRKS00009677; date of registration: 26/01/2016.

Automated Design of Broadband Folded-Waveguide Slow-Wave Structures for Traveling-Wave Tubes via Deep Reinforcement Learning

In this article, deep reinforcement learning (DRL) is utilized to explore high-performance folded-waveguide (FWG) slow-wave structures (SWSs) for broadband application in traveling-wave tubes (TWTs). DRL combines deep learning (DL) for perception and reinforcement learning (RL) for decision-making to form a complete automated system from input data to output action control. The deep <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\textit{Q}$</tex-math> </inline-formula> -network (DQN), a typical model of DRL is employed to learn how to design FWG SWSs like human beings, and to apply the learned design experience to meet different application requirements. To verify the effectiveness of this method concretely, a DQN is trained in <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\textit{G}$</tex-math> </inline-formula> -band to explore the general design policy of FWG SWSs for realizing broadband beam-wave interaction, and it will be exploited to search for well-structured FWG SWSs in the frequency band centered at 850 GHz. Using CST to predict the performance of the structure designed by the DQN, the simulation results show that the reflection coefficient <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\textit{S}_{\text{11}}$</tex-math> </inline-formula> is less than <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$-$</tex-math> </inline-formula> 20.3 dB and the transmission loss is less than 1.95 dB/mm from 750 to 1000 GHz. With a pencil electron beam of 20 kV and 10 mA, the hot simulation results show that the 3-dB bandwidth with the output power greater than 1.6 W and the gain greater than 26 dB can reach 110 GHz from 800 to 910 GHz. Such a design method will facilitate researchers to obtain a practical FWG structure at specified operating conditions, and help to get a deeper insight into the design process from the perspective of artificial intelligence (AI).