Simultaneous Presentation Research Articles

Modulation of similarity on the distraction resistance of visual working memory representation.

Controversy exists regarding the distraction resistance of priority items in visual working memory (VWM). The protection account proposes that high-priority items resist distraction more than low-priority items, while the vulnerability account proposes that distractors impair high-priority items more. We proposed another available resource threshold account: distraction will not impair items if available resources exceed their threshold needed for sufficient processing. Using a change-detection paradigm, we manipulated item priority by color similarity and inserted distractors during VWM retention. We investigated the effect of similarity on distraction resistance of relevant (color) and irrelevant (shape) feature representations (Experiments 1-2), and the neural mechanism of this effect using event-related potentials (ERPs; Experiment 3). Behavioral results showed distractors impaired the accuracy of dissimilar items when relevant features were memorized and of similar items when irrelevant features were memorized under simultaneous presentation of similar and dissimilar items. Moreover, distractors impaired the accuracy of dissimilar items when relevant features were memorized and of both similar and dissimilar items when irrelevant features were memorized under separate presentation of items. ERP results showed a smaller negative slow wave and P2 but larger N2 under the similar condition. Similarity protected relevant features of similar items against distraction by reducing memory load, decreasing attentional resources allocated to distractors, and strengthening inhibition of distractors. However, similarity did not protect irrelevant features of similar items. Our results support the available resource threshold account, suggesting that VWM is a flexible and intelligent system despite its limited capacity.

Cerebral Salt Wasting after Pituitary Surgery for Acromegaly: A Case Report

Cerebral salt wasting, a rare complication of cranial neurosurgery, has not been reported after a functional pituitary tumor resection. The simultaneous presentation of diabetes insipidus (DI) and cerebral salt wasting after pituitary surgery presents a unique diagnostic challenge. We present a case of a 27 y.o. man with a 6-month history of acromegaly as evident by an IGF-1 of 1040 ng/mL (reference range: 101-307 ng/mL). MRI of the pituitary revealed a 3.2 cm × 3.2 cm × 3.1 cm macroadenoma extending beyond the sella turcica.

Intact high-resolution working memory binding in a patient with developmental amnesia and selective hippocampal damage.

Debate continues regarding the possible role of the hippocampus across short‐term and working memory tasks. The current study examined the possibility of a hippocampal contribution to precise, high‐resolution cognition and conjunctive memory. We administered visual working memory tasks featuring a continuous response component to a well‐established developmental amnesic patient with relatively selective bilateral hippocampal damage (Jon) and healthy controls. The patient was able to produce highly accurate response judgments regarding conjunctions of color and orientation or color and location, using simultaneous or sequential presentation of stimuli, with no evidence of any impairment in working memory binding, categorical accuracy, or continuous precision. These findings indicate that hippocampal damage does not necessarily lead to deficits in high‐resolution cognitive performance, even when the damage is severe and bilateral.

Abstract 2890: The development of an Adaptable Drug Affinity Conjugate (ADAC) targeting CD40 for a flexible therapeutic peptide cargo delivery to dendritic cells

Abstract CD40 agonistic antibodies targeting antigen-presenting cells rely on simultaneous antigen presentation for optimal efficacy, as the co-stimulatory signal alone will not lead to T cell activation. Herein we have developed a novel Adaptable Drug Affinity Conjugate (ADAC), a refinement of a traditional Antibody Drug Conjugate (ADC) with a focus on tailored drug design. The cargo for ADAC is synthetic long peptides that can be modified with the profiled genetic data for each patient. The ADAC technology relies on a high-affinity interaction between a short non-immunogenic peptide-tag (pTag) and a single-chain fragment (scFv) and the targeting of CD40 expressing antigen-presenting cells. As a proof-of-concept study, we have generated data supporting a ~20 times improved half-life of peptide therapeutics bound up by the ADAC technology (in vitro), translating to improved peptide half-life in vivo along with a superior expansion of T cells in vitro and in vivo, compared to peptide and antibody mixed but not interacting physically. Through phage-display selection screening of novel CD40 agonistic antibodies, we identified a unique clone (STRIKE-1001). STRIKE-1001 binds a defined structural epitope (HDX-MS) of CD40 in a low nM range and is agonistic in an IgG2 format. Similar to selicrelumab, STRIKE-1001 does not block CD40L binding to Fc-CD40. STRIKE-1001 shows a dose-dependent agonistic activity (EC50 of ~28 nM based on measured induction of HLA-DR expression) on human DCs and can be designed into a bispecific antibody without loss of agonistic activity. STRIKE-1001 is currently incorporated into the ADAC platform to be used as the first-in-class candidate for flexible peptide cargo delivery ensuring T cell priming and expansion in vivo as a means to transform CD40 agonistic antibody to clinically relevant drug candidates. Citation Format: Ida Laurén, Mohamed Eltahir, Aman Mebrahtu, Rosanne Veerman, Juan Astorga, Aljona Saleh, Jimmy Ytterberg, Annika Lindqvist, Leif Dahllund, Anders Olsson, Oskar Andersson, Johan Rockberg, Helena Persson, Sara Mangsbo. The development of an Adaptable Drug Affinity Conjugate (ADAC) targeting CD40 for a flexible therapeutic peptide cargo delivery to dendritic cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 2890.

Does Mode of Input Affect How Second Language Learners Create Form–Meaning Connections and Pronounce Second Language Words?

AbstractThis study examined how mode of input affects the learning of pronunciation and form–meaning connection of second language (L2) words. Seventy‐five Japanese learners of English were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 conditions (reading while listening, reading only, listening only), studied 40 low‐frequency words while viewing their corresponding pictures, and completed a picture‐naming test 3 times (before, immediately, and about 6 days after treatment). The elicited speech samples were assessed for form–meaning connection (spoken form recall) and pronunciation accuracy (accentedness, comprehensibility). Results showed that the reading‐while‐listening group recalled a significantly greater number of spoken word forms than did the listening‐only group. Learners in the reading‐while‐listening and listening‐only modes were judged to be less accented and more comprehensible compared to learners in the reading‐only mode. However, only learners receiving spoken input without orthographic support retained more target‐like (less accented) pronunciation compared to learners receiving only written input. Furthermore, sound–spelling consistency of words significantly moderated the degree to which different learning modes impacted pronunciation learning. Taken together, the findings suggest that simultaneous presentation of written and spoken forms is optimal for the development of form–meaning connection and comprehensibility of novel words but that provision of only spoken input may be beneficial for the attainment of target‐like accent.

Simultaneous bilateral inflammatory choroidal neovascularization in a case of healed serpiginous-like choroiditis.

Objective: Inflammatory choroidal neovascularization (i-CNV) is an infrequent but sight-threatening complication of posterior uveitis. Although it can occur in a wide range of infectious and non-infectious uveitides, presence of simultaneous bilateral i-CNV is rare. In this report, we present a unique case of bilateral simultaneous i-CNV in a young patient of healed tubercular serpiginous-like choroiditis.Method: A 20-year-old male presented with recent worsening of vision in the right eye for one month. Fundus examination revealed bilateral multifocal healed choroiditis lesions with right eye tiny subfoveal hemorrhage raising the suspicion of an underlying choroidal neovascularization. Fundus fluorescein angiography and optical coherence tomography confirmed presence of choroidal neovascular membrane in both eyes.Result:Resolution of activity was noted in both eyes after bilateral sequential intravitreal bevacizumab injections.Conclusion:Inflammatory choroidal neovascularization may be seen in patients with healed tubercular serpiginous-like choroiditis, after a long period of quiescence. Simultaneous bilateral presentation is rare but possible, requiring mandatory multimodal imaging of both eyes under high index of suspicion. Early institution of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor may salvage optimum vision in such a scenario.

P301 FULMINANT COVID–19 RELATED MYOCARDITIS: A CASE REPORT

The caseA 58–year–old man presented to ED because of fever, non–productive cough and worsening dyspnea. The patient’s medical history was unremarkable. On examination there was a hypoxic respiratory failure and the clinical picture rapidly evolved towards a cardiogenic shock characterized by altered mental status and cool extremities. Vital parameters: peripheral blood pressure was of 60/30 mmHg, pulse rate of 126 bpm, respiratory rate of 30 breaths/min, temperature of 38 °C. Two episodes of ventricular fibrillation were resolved by electrical shocks. The nasopharyngeal swab tested positive for COVID–19 on real–time reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction assay. Arterial blood gas analysis showed a severe metabolic acidosis with hyperlactacidaemia (pH 7.26, excess basis–22 mEq/L, lactates 10 mmol/dL) and hypoxaemia. Situation evolved towards an end–organ hypoperfusion associated with multisystem organ failure (MOF). High resolution chest CT demonstrated bilateral ground glass opacities consisting of COVID–19 related interstitial pneumonia. 12–leads ECG demonstrated sinus rhythm with diffuse concave ST–segment elevation. T–T echocardiogram showed: 1) severely thickened LV walls; 2) decreased LV systolic function; 3) segmental wall motion abnormalities consisting of akinesis of the LV distal segments with relatively preserved function at the base; 4) LVEF) of 25%; 5) pericardial effusion. Thickened LV walls meant myocardial inflammatory infiltration/edema and the final diagnosis was FULMINANT COVID–19 related MYOCARDITIS. Patient underwent oro–tracheal intubation+invasive ventilation. An intra–aortic balloon pump (IABP) was placed on top of adrenaline (0.07μg/kg/min), and noradrenaline (0.1μg/kg/min) was added for worsening hypotension (systolic blood pressure: 80/67/60 mmHg). Additional therapy consisted of intravenous high dose diuretics, methyprednisolone, tucilizumab, immunoglobulin, ceftriaxone, remdesivir. After 3 weeks, patient recovered a good respiratory and haemodinamic status, LV wall thicknesses decreased and EF increased to normal values. The final outcome was favorable. DiscussionThe prevalence of fulminant myocarditis among COVID–19 patients is unclear. This simultaneous presentation of fulminant myocarditis and COVID–19 pneumonia favors an alternative pathogenetic pathway with possible acute replication and direct dissemination of the virus through the blood or the lymphatic system from the respiratory tract to the myocardium.

Programmed teaching attempted by means of an experiment

In Indonesia, there have been many attempts to educate the nation. Efforts like that make it possible to serve the rights of the people who serve independence. Among other things, the right to get learning opportunities, as can be found in article 31 of the 1945 Constitution. If the Constitution states that such a right is the property of every citizen, this means that teaching must be equitable to all people. Equitable teaching broadly must pay attention to issues such as geographic size, equal distribution of quality, simultaneous presentation methods, and so on. Thus the effort to equalize education is something that needs to be supported not only by good faith, but also by intensive research and other concrete efforts.

Electrophysiological correlates of proportion congruency manipulation in a temporal flanker task.

Response conflict evoked by a distractor stimulus object in interference tasks is associated with longer reaction times and a pronounced ERP component referred to as the fronto-central N2. Increasing the proportion congruency (PC, i.e., the proportion of trials in which target and distractor are associated with the same response) is assumed to enhance distractor-evoked conflict via defocusing of attention. Findings concerning the effect of the PC on the N2 in Eriksen flanker task experiments have been inconsistent, however, lending little support to the notion that the N2 reflects a conflict monitoring process. Here, we analyze the N2 in a temporal flanker task, in which the distractor stimuli, presented in advance of the target, elicit pronounced activation of the associated responses (as inferred from the lateralized readiness potential) when the PC is high. Consistent with result pattern obtained in other tasks involving successive presentation of the distractor and the target, conflict trials in a high-PC condition evoked a particularly large N2. These findings accord with the assumption that the N2 reflects either conflict monitoring or conflict-induced regulatory measures (i.e., reactive control). In light of the discrepancy of results obtained under conditions of simultaneous and successive distractor-target presentation, we speculate that the N2 is pronounced in situations that offer strong hints for classifying dominating response activation as incorrect, possibly reflecting particular control to counter this activation. Additional properties of the temporal flanker task, related to ERP investigations, are discussed.

Effect of using the simultaneous electronic presentations strategy in teaching basic skills of basketball to second-grade intermediate students

The primary aim of this study was to identify the effect of using the simultaneous electronic presentations strategy in teaching basic skills of basketball to second-grade intermediate students. The present study had a parallel group, pre-post experimental design. In the present study the students of the Salah al-Din Intermediate School for the academic year 2020-2021 constituted the research community. A total of 75 students were present in the research community. Out of 75 students 16 students were selected as the participants for the study. The students falling within the age group of 13-14 years were recruited as the study participants, making up a percentage of 21.33 of the total number. Based on the results of the present study, the researcher concluded that the use of the simultaneous electronic presentations strategy created an interactive environment, which reflected positively on teaching basic skills of basketball to second-grade intermediate students. The primary aim of this study was to identify the effect of using the simultaneous electronic presentations strategy in teaching basic skills of basketball to second-grade intermediate students. The present study had a parallel group, pre-post experimental design. In the present study the students of the Salah al-Din Intermediate School for the academic year 2020-2021 constituted the research community. A total of 75 students were present in the research community. Out of 75 students 16 students were selected as the participants for the study. The students falling within the age group of 13-14 years were recruited as the study participants, making up a percentage of 21.33 of the total number. Based on the results of the present study, the researcher concluded that the use of the simultaneous electronic presentations strategy created an interactive environment, which reflected positively on teaching basic skills of basketball to second-grade intermediate students.

Learning the two translations of translation-ambiguous words: Simultaneous vs. consecutive presentation

Some words have more than one translation across languages. Such translation-ambiguous words are harder to learn, recognize, and produce for individuals across the language learning spectrum. Past research demonstrates that learning both translations of translation-ambiguous words on consecutive trials confers an accuracy advantage relative to learning them on separate sessions. We tested the proposal that presenting the two translations of translation-ambiguous words simultaneously on the screen could facilitate the formation of a more integrated mapping, because this would enable learners to make direct comparisons between them, whether implicitly or explicitly. We predicted that this facilitation would especially hold for translation-ambiguous words with related translations. Fifty native English speakers learned 48 German words with one or two translations that varied in the meaning similarity of their translations. Paired associate training took place on a Monday, and a first language (L1) to second language (L2) translation production test took place on Wednesday and Friday. Generally, higher translation similarity facilitated translation speed. In accuracy, training condition interacted with the similarity of the translations; translation accuracy was more affected by translation similarity in the simultaneous condition and went up as similarity increased. Overall, the consecutive condition demonstrated higher accuracy and faster reaction times than the simultaneous training condition, suggesting that learners may have been unable to successfully divide their study time between multiple words on the screen without explicit instruction.

Mechanisms of associative word learning: Benefits from the visual modality and synchrony of labeled objects

Despite humans' ability to communicate about concepts relating to different senses, word learning research tends to largely focus on labeling visual objects. Although sensory modality is known to influence memory and learning, its specific role for word learning remains largely unclear. We investigated associative word learning in adults, that is the association of an object with its label, by means of event-related brain potentials (ERPs). We evaluated how learning is affected by object modality (auditory vs visual) and temporal synchrony of object-label presentations (sequential vs simultaneous). Across 4 experiments, adults were, in training phases, presented either visual objects (real-world images) or auditory objects (environmental sounds) in temporal synchrony with or followed by novel pseudowords (2 × 2 design). Objects and pseudowords were paired either in a consistent or an inconsistent manner. In subsequent testing phases, the consistent pairs were presented in matching or violated pairings. Here, behavioral and ERP responses should reveal whether consistent object–pseudoword pairs had been successfully associated with one another during training. The visual-object experiments yielded behavioral learning effects and an increased N400 amplitude for violated versus matched pairings indicating short-term retention of object–word associations, in both the simultaneous and sequential presentation conditions. For the auditory-object experiments, only the simultaneous, but not the sequential presentation, revealed similar results. Across all experiments, we found behavioral and ERP correlates of associative word learning to be affected by both sensory modality and partly, by temporal synchrony of object-label combinations. Based on our findings, we argue for independent advantages of temporal synchrony and visual modality in associative word learning.

A tentative I/O curve with consciousness: Effects of multiple simultaneous ambiguous figures presentation on perceptual reversals and time estimation

This study was aimed at investigating mechanisms of consciousness using bistable perception. In 4 experimental conditions, 1, 2, 4 or 8 Rubin’s face-vase ambiguous figures were presented for 3 min.In Experiment 1, 40 subjects looked at the center of the screen and pressed a specific key correspondent to the figure where they perceived a reversal. In Experiment 2, 32 subjects controlled with eye-tracker performed a similar task in which they pressed the spacebar whenever they perceived a reversal in any of the figures.At the end of each condition subjects estimated its duration. Results showed that changing the number of figures does not alter the number of reversals, producing a flat I/O curve between the two parameters. Estimated time lapse showed a negative correlation with the number of reversals. These findings are discussed considering the relationships between bistable perception, attention, and consciousness, as well as the time perception literature.

The sizable difficulty in matching unfamiliar faces differing only moderately in orientation in depth is a function of image dissimilarity

Attempting to match unfamiliar, highly similar faces at moderate differences in orientation in depth is surprisingly difficult. No neurocomputational account of these costs that addressed the representation of faces by which a face-similarity metric can be derived has been offered. A metric specifying the similarity of the to-be-distinguished faces is required as the rotation costs will be a function of the difficulty in distinguishing the faces. Consequently, rotation costs have typically been described in terms of angle of disparity, rather than the dissimilarity of the faces produced by the rotation. We assessed the effects of orientation disparity in a match-to-sample paradigm of a simultaneous presentation of a triangular display of three faces. Two lower test faces, a matching face and a foil, were always at the same orientation and differed by 0° to 20° from the sample on top. The similarity of the images was scaled by a model based on simple cell tuning, modeled as Gabor wavelets, that correlates almost perfectly with psychophysical similarity. Two measures of face similarity, with approximately additive effects on reaction times, accounted for matching performance: a) the decrease in similarity between the images of the matching and sample faces produced by increases in their orientation disparity, and b) the similarity between the matching face and the selection of a particular foil. The 20° orientation disparity was sufficient to yield a sizeable 301 msec increase in reaction time. An implication of the results is that the activity in V1 produced by viewing a face is fed forward to areas responsible for the individuation of that face.

Sequential versus simultaneous presentation of memoranda in verbal working memory: (How) does it matter?

To-be-memorized information in verbal working memory (WM) can be presented sequentially, like in oral language, and simultaneously, like in written language. Few studies have addressed the importance and implications for verbal WM processing of these two presentation modes. While sequential presentation may favor discrete, temporal encoding processes, simultaneous presentation may favor spatial encoding processes. We compared immediate serial recall tasks for sequential versus simultaneous word list presentation with a specific focus on serial position curves of recall performance, transposition gradients, and the nature of serial order errors. First, we observed higher recall performance in the simultaneous compared to the sequential conditions, with a particularly large effect at end-of-list items. Moreover, results showed more transposition errors between non-adjacent items for the sequential condition, as well as more omission errors especially for start-of-list items. This observation can be explained in terms of differences in refreshing opportunities for start-of-list items during encoding between conditions. This study shows that the presentation mode of sequential material can have a significant impact on verbal WM performance, with an advantage for simultaneous encoding of sequence information.

Getting more out of the zebrafish light dark transition test

In (eco-)toxicological studies the light/dark transition (LDT) test is one of the most frequently used behaviour assays with zebrafish eleutheroembryos. However, study results vary regarding data presentation and analysis and mostly focus on a limited amount of the recorded data. In this study, we investigated whether monitoring two behavioural outcomes (time and distance moved) together with analysing multiple parameters can improve test sensitivity and data interpretation. As a proof of principle 5-day old zebrafish (Danio rerio) eleutheroembryos exposed to either endocrine disruptors (EDs) or acetylcholine esterase (AChE) inhibitors were investigated. We analysed conventional parameters such as mean and sum and implemented additional endpoints such as minimum or maximum distance moved and new parameters assessing the bursting response of eleutheroembryos. Furthermore, changes in eleutheroembryonic behaviour during the moment of the light to dark transition were added. To improve data presentation control-normalised results were displayed in radar charts, enabling the simultaneous presentation of different parameters in relation to each other. This enabled us to identify parameters most relevant to a certain behavioural response. A cut off threshold using control data was applied to identify parameters that were altered in a biological relevant manner. Our approach was able to detect effects on different parameters that remained undetected when analysis was done using conventional bar graphs on - in most cases analysed - averaged, mean distance moved values. By combining the radar charts with additional parameters and by using control-based thresholds, we were able to increase the test sensitivity and promote a deeper understanding of the behaviour response of zebrafish eleutheroembryos in the LDT test and thereby increased its usability for behavioural toxicity studies.

A rare case of 46,XX gonadal dysgenesis, Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser syndrome, pituitary and thyroid hypoplasia.

SummaryMayer–Rokitansky–Kuster–Hauser syndrome is characterized by congenital absence or hypoplasia of the uterus and upper two-thirds of the vagina in both phenotypically and karyotypically normal females with functional ovaries, whereas gonadal dysgenesis is a primary ovarian defect in otherwise normal 46,XX females. An association between these two conditions is extremely rare. We report a 21-year-old female presented with primary amenorrhea and undeveloped secondary sexual characteristics. The karyotype was 46,XX and the hormonal profile revealed hypothyroidism and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. Pelvic MRI showed class I Mullerian duct anomaly with ovarian dysgenesis. Ultrasound showed bilateral thyroid hypoplasia and brain MRI suggested anterior pituitary hypoplasia. Levothyroxine and hormone replacement therapy were started.Learning pointsThe simultaneous presentation of 46,XX gonadal dysgenesis, Mayer–Rokitansky–Kuster–Hauser syndrome, hypothyroidism, and pituitary hypoplasia is a Possibility.Extensive evaluation should be made when a patient presents with one or more of these features.The diagnosis imposes a significant psychological burden on patients and adequate counseling should be provided.Hormone replacement therapy remains the only therapeutic option for the development of secondary sexual characteristics and the prevention of osteoporosis.

Cumulative childhood trauma and complex psychiatric symptoms in pregnant women and expecting men

BackgroundWomen and men having been exposed to childhood trauma would be at high risk of various mental health symptoms while awaiting a child. This study aimed to evaluate the association between cumulative childhood trauma and the accumulation of symptoms belonging to different psychiatric problems in pregnant women and expecting men.MethodsWe first examined prevalence rates of childhood trauma across our samples of 2853 pregnant women and 561 expecting men from the community. Second, we evaluated the association between cumulative childhood trauma and symptom complexity (i.e., the simultaneous presentation of symptoms belonging to multiple psychiatric problems) using subsamples of 1779 pregnant women and 118 expecting men. Participants completed self-reported measures of trauma (Childhood Trauma Questionnaire) and psychiatric symptoms (PTSD Checklist for DSM-5; Kessler Psychological Distress Scale; State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory-2; Self and Interpersonal Functioning Scale).ResultsTrauma was more frequent in pregnant women than in expecting men and in participants reporting sociodemographic risk factors than in those not reporting any. A dose-response relationship was observed between the number of different traumas reported by pregnant women and expecting men and the complexity of their psychiatric symptoms, even when controlling for the variance explained by other risk factors. Women having been exposed to cumulative childhood trauma were 4.95 times more at risk of presenting comorbid psychiatric problems during pregnancy than non-exposed women.ConclusionsChildhood trauma is frequent in the general population of pregnant women and expecting men and is associated with symptom complexity during the antenatal period. These findings call for delivering and evaluating innovative trauma-informed antenatal programs to support mental health and adaptation to parenthood in adults having been exposed to childhood trauma.

Simultaneous clinical presentation of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease and ocular tuberculosis: A diagnostic and therapeutic challenge

Simultaneous clinical presentation of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease and ocular tuberculosis: A diagnostic and therapeutic challenge

Dystocia due to simultaneous presentation of foetuses into the birth canal in a pug

Dystocia due to simultaneous presentation of foetuses into the birth canal in a pug