Response-based Approaches Research Articles

Two roads leading to the same evaluative conditioning effect? Stimulus-response binding versus operant conditioning

ABSTRACT Evaluative Conditioning (EC) refers to changes in our liking or disliking of a stimulus due to its pairing with other positive or negative stimuli. In addition to stimulus-based mechanisms, recent research has shown that action-based mechanisms can also lead to EC effects. Research, based on action control theories, has shown that pairing a positive or negative action with a neutral stimulus results in EC effects (Stimulus-Response binding). Similarly, research studies using Operant Conditioning (OC) approaches have also observed EC effects. The aim of the present study is to directly compare EC effects elicited by two different response-based approaches – S-R bindings and OC. To this end, participants were randomly assigned to an S-R binding procedure and an OC procedure. EC effects were measured in conditions and compared. Implications for EC theory are discussed.

COMPARING RESPONSE-BASED AND EVENT-BASED OVERTOPPING DESIGN

Coastal structure crest elevations are routinely designed to a specific hazard level. In the U.S., for example, levee crest elevations often correspond to the 1 percent annual exceedance probability (AEP) overtopping rate at 90 percent confidence level (CL). Statistical methods to compute coastal structure response range from simply inputting wave and water level forcing conditions at a certain AEP into a response equation (i.e. event-based or frequency-based approach) to a fully stochastic Monte Carlo numerical simulation where thousands of storm responses are sampled and epistemic uncertainties incorporated (i.e. response-based approach). Event-based approaches oversimplify both statistics and physics; however, time, cost, and complexity can limit application of the response-based simulation. Response-based stochastic simulation approaches tend to more realistically characterize structure responses. Herein we compare common frequency-based and response-based stochastic approaches for levee and floodwall overtopping design. For frequency-based approaches, structure responses are computed using wave and water level forcings at a given AEP, and for response-based approaches, a large number of storms are sampled in a Monte Carlo simulation.

Comparison of environmental contour and response-based approaches for system reliability analysis of floating structures

Long-term extreme design loads have typically been estimated using an environmental contour (EC) approach, in which the maximum extreme responses of a structural system associated with critical sea states along the contours are applied for mechanical design purposes, to avoid the tedious task of direct integration. The variabilities in short-term extreme response and the contributions of all sea states have been ignored, and this has caused unreliable results. Considering concerns over the sensitivity of the hydrodynamic performance of floating structures to wave data, the objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of environmental conditions on the short-term extreme response parameters and present a full long-term analysis for the failure probability evaluation of floating structures. Numerical simulations are conducted to establish a representative and reliable database which consists of wave variables and the corresponding short-term extreme response parameters for a semi-submersible platform based on a discrete scheme, using the specialised finite element software ANSYS/AQWA. Tension and offset extreme data are derived from time-domain simulations of the coupled system using the peak-over-threshold method to determine the short-term load distribution. Starting with the database, a linear interpolation scheme and intelligent algorithm are utilised to predict extreme response parameters for any other environmental conditions. Surrogate models are employed for three scenarios: (1) design load estimations obtained from various ECs as a basis for long-term load evaluation, (2) full long-term extreme response distribution calculation accounting for all possible sea states, and (3) system reliability analysis of floating systems. A simplified long-term analysis based on EC-based design loads is proposed, and the results are compared with those of the full long-term methodology. The system reliability of a floating system is calculated considering mooring line breaking, fatigue, and floater offset. These expressions provide a means of preliminary design evaluation of floating structures, accounting for all sea state contributions, which can be used to address the design loads and failure probability of an entire system.

Artificial immune systems applied to fault detection and isolation: A brief review of immune response-based approaches and a case study

This paper aims to document the application of a new generation of artificial immune systems (AIS) in fault detection and isolation problems. These kind of algorithms are able to explore normal and anomalous behavior evidences, however, they may often require a more explicit prior knowledge provided by experts, usually difficult to obtain in some practical cases. Thus, many immune inspired approaches applied to fault detection and isolation (FDI) in the literature are based on negative selection algorithms. Considering these points, this work presents a review on three AIS approaches. Once reviewed and contextualized, the evaluated techniques are properly adjusted considering their main parameters and ways of processing data, and then, applied to a case study of fault detection and isolation in order to provide a performance analysis of these techniques, according to their applicability to these problems.

Different ATM Signaling in Response to Chromium(VI) Metabolism via Ascorbate and Nonascorbate Reduction: Implications for in Vitro Models and Toxicogenomics.

BackgroundCarcinogenic hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] requires cellular reduction to generate DNA damage. Metabolism of Cr(VI) by its principal reducer ascorbate (Asc) lacks a Cr(V) intermediate, which is abundant in reactions with a minor reducing agent, glutathione. Cultured cells are widely used in mechanistic studies of Cr(VI) toxicity; however, they typically contain < 1% of normal Asc levels. Asc deficiency is also expected to diminish protection against reactive oxygen species.ObjectivesWe assessed how the presence of Asc in cells affects their stress signaling and survival responses to chromate.MethodsWe investigated the effects of Asc restoration in human lung H460 cells and normal human lung fibroblasts on the activation and functional role of ATM kinase, which controls DNA damage responses involving several hundreds of proteins.ResultsTreatment of standard cultures with Cr(VI) strongly activated ATM, as indicated by its automodification at Ser1981 and by phosphorylation of checkpoint kinase 2 (CHK2) and chromatin/transcription regulator KRAB-associated protein 1 (KAP1). Confirming the importance of activated ATM, its inhibition impaired replication recovery and clonogenic survival. In contrast, fully Asc-restored cells lacked ATM activation by Cr(VI), and ATM silencing produced no significant effects on p53 stabilization, apoptosis, replication recovery, or clonogenic survival. Dose dependence studies found a close correlation between ATM activation and the extent of Cr(VI) reduction by glutathione.ConclusionsAsc restoration in cultured cells dramatically altered their stress responses to Cr(VI) by preventing activation of the oxidant-sensitive ATM network. We suggest that toxicogenomic and other cell response-based approaches likely underestimate Cr(VI) genotoxicity when standard ATM-activating carcinogens are used as references.CitationLuczak MW, Green SE, Zhitkovich A. 2016. Different ATM signaling in response to chromium(VI) metabolism via ascorbate and nonascorbate reduction: implications for in vitro models and toxicogenomics. Environ Health Perspect 124:61–66; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1409434

Interlinking backscatter, grain size and benthic community structure

The relationship between acoustic backscatter, sediment grain size and benthic community structure is examined using three different quantitative methods, covering image- and angular response-based approaches. Multibeam time-series backscatter (300 kHz) data acquired in 2008 off the coast of East Anglia (UK) are compared with grain size properties, macrofaunal abundance and biomass from 130 Hamon and 16 Clamshell grab samples. Three predictive methods are used: 1) image-based (mean backscatter intensity); 2) angular response-based (predicted mean grain size), and 3) image-based (1st principal component and classification) from Quester Tangent Corporation Multiview software. Relationships between grain size and backscatter are explored using linear regression. Differences in grain size and benthic community structure between acoustically defined groups are examined using ANOVA and PERMANOVA+. Results for the Hamon grab stations indicate significant correlations between measured mean grain size and mean backscatter intensity, angular response predicted mean grain size, and 1st principal component of QTC analysis (all p < 0.001). Results for the Clamshell grab for two of the methods have stronger positive correlations; mean backscatter intensity (r2 = 0.619; p < 0.001) and angular response predicted mean grain size (r2 = 0.692; p < 0.001). ANOVA reveals significant differences in mean grain size (Hamon) within acoustic groups for all methods: mean backscatter (p < 0.001), angular response predicted grain size (p < 0.001), and QTC class (p = 0.009). Mean grain size (Clamshell) shows a significant difference between groups for mean backscatter (p = 0.001); other methods were not significant. PERMANOVA for the Hamon abundance shows benthic community structure was significantly different between acoustic groups for all methods (p ≤ 0.001). Overall these results show considerable promise in that more than 60% of the variance in the mean grain size of the Clamshell grab samples can be explained by mean backscatter or acoustically-predicted grain size. These results show that there is significant predictive capacity for sediment characteristics from multibeam backscatter and that these acoustic classifications can have ecological validity.

Defining the Public Health Threat of Dietary Supplement Fraud.

Adverse health events resulting from dietary supplement fraud (DSF)-fraud conducted for economic gain using dietary supplements-have received increased recognition from agencies and industry. There is a growing awareness that this issue represents a significant public health threat. With increasing consumption of supplements, there are increasing consequences-good and bad-for food science and food safety. "Dietary supplements" are a special category of food that consists of finished products (for example, a vitamin D tablet) that contain 1 or more dietary ingredients. "Dietary ingredients" are the components of those finished products (for example, vitamin D added to a food product such as breakfast cereal). Due to a number of factors, potentially harmful dietary supplements reach-and often remain-in the market. DSF is a type of product fraud, as is food fraud, which is often classified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as Economically Motivated Adulteration (EMA). Since the adulterants are unconventional, DSF may represent an even greater public health threat than traditional dietary supplement safety issues (though it is important to note that adulteration is only one type of fraud). Criminology concepts such as situational crime prevention and the crime triangle deepen understanding of the relationship of fraud opportunity as it relates to fraudsters and established hurdles to fraud. The purpose of this research is to provide a comprehensive overview on the public health threat of DSF, and to focus on altering current intervention and response-based approaches that are prevention-based.

Pediatric oncology and the future of oncological imaging

The future of pediatric oncology will be influenced by changes in drug design and treatment strategy, with genomic medicine and molecular-based diagnostics and therapeutics playing increasingly important roles. The role of imaging as a means of measuring response to therapy has also evolved, with the development of new technologies and higher sensitivity means of detecting tumors. Conventional anatomical imaging techniques are being increasingly supplemented with functional techniques, including FDG-PET imaging and diffusion-weighted MR imaging. The risk-adapted treatment regimens of the past, which led to improved event-free and overall survival in many pediatric cancers, have paved the way for new response-based treatment paradigms. Response-based approaches seek to identify patients with a high likelihood of cure, treating them less aggressively, while those not responding to therapy are identified early and redirected into more aggressive therapeutic regimens. These advances will require concurrent development of imaging biomarkers as surrogates of early response to therapy. Incorporating these techniques into new response-directed treatment algorithms will be crucial as personalized medicine and molecular-targeted, tumor-specific therapies gain acceptance for the treatment of children with cancer.

Response-Based Multimedia and the Culture of the Classroom: A Pilot Study ofKid's Spacein Four Elementary Classrooms

There are several reasons to believe that multimedia environments may support and enhance language arts education (see, for example, Meskill and Swan, 1995 [18]; Swan and Meskill, 1995 [17]). This project of the National Research Center on English Learning and Achievement is concerned with the match, real and potential, between the attributes of multimedia technology and students' development of literary understandings in response-based learning contexts. The study set out to determine how software that is specifically designed to complement response-based approaches to reading and writing ( Kid's Space) fared in four elementary classrooms. Precisely what factors influence the ways in which such software gets integrated into and used within diverse classroom contexts was the focus of our investigation. Results indicate that there is little doubt that it is a teacher's orientation to and incorporation of any technology that is paramount to its successful integration. One indication from this pilot is that technology may represent a means for promoting teacher reflection on their practice. By considering the intended role and purpose of response-based software, teachers can come to understand how discourse can impact understandings both personal and through interaction with a community of readers, writers, and responders.