WorldWideScience

Sample records for impulse response technique

  1. Impulse response identification with deterministic inputs using non-parametric methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bhargava, U.K.; Kashyap, R.L.; Goodman, D.M.

    1985-01-01

    This paper addresses the problem of impulse response identification using non-parametric methods. Although the techniques developed herein apply to the truncated, untruncated, and the circulant models, we focus on the truncated model which is useful in certain applications. Two methods of impulse response identification will be presented. The first is based on the minimization of the C/sub L/ Statistic, which is an estimate of the mean-square prediction error; the second is a Bayesian approach. For both of these methods, we consider the effects of using both the identity matrix and the Laplacian matrix as weights on the energy in the impulse response. In addition, we present a method for estimating the effective length of the impulse response. Estimating the length is particularly important in the truncated case. Finally, we develop a method for estimating the noise variance at the output. Often, prior information on the noise variance is not available, and a good estimate is crucial to the success of estimating the impulse response with a nonparametric technique

  2. Temporal impulse and step responses of the human eye obtained psychophysically by means of a drift-correcting perturbation technique

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Roufs, J.A.J.; Blommaert, F.J.J.

    1981-01-01

    Internal impulse and step responses are derived from the thresholds of short probe flashes by means of a drift-correcting perturbation technique. The approach is based on only two postulated systems properties: quasi-linearity and peak detection. A special feature of the technique is its strong

  3. Spray deposition using impulse atomization technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ellendt, N.; Schmidt, R.; Knabe, J.; Henein, H.; Uhlenwinkel, V.

    2004-01-01

    A novel technique, impulse atomization, has been used for spray deposition. This single fluid atomization technique leads to different spray characteristics and impact conditions of the droplets compared to gas atomization technique which is the common technique used for spray deposition. Deposition experiments with a Cu-6Sn alloy were conducted to evaluate the appropriateness of impulse atomization to produce dense material. Based on these experiments, a model has been developed to simulate the thermal history and the local solidification rates of the deposited material. A numerical study shows how different cooling conditions affect the solidification rate of the material

  4. Filtered backprojection for modifying the impulse response of circular tomosynthesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stevens, Grant M.; Fahrig, Rebecca; Pelc, Norbert J.

    2001-01-01

    A filtering technique has been developed to modify the three-dimensional impulse response of circular motion tomosynthesis to allow the generation of images whose appearance is like those of some other imaging geometries. In particular, this technique can reconstruct images with a blurring function which is more homogeneous for off-focal plane objects than that from circular tomosynthesis. In this paper, we describe the filtering process, and demonstrate the ability to alter the impulse response in circular motion tomosynthesis from a ring to a disk. This filtering may be desirable because the blurred out-of-plane objects appear less structured

  5. Limitations caused by distortion in room impulse response measurements by swept sine technique

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Stojic, Branko; Ciric, Dejan; Markovic, Milos

    2011-01-01

    The significance of a room impulse response implies the requirement that its measurement should have a high level of accuracy in certain applications. One of the common problems in a measurement process is nonlinearity leading to the distortion of a room impulse response. Limitations caused...... domain with or without memory. On the other hand, the distortion in measurements is achieved either by applying the nonlinearity model or by using higher excitation level and a loudspeaker with a highly nonlinear characteristic. The results show that the most of distortion energy is located in the non...

  6. Impulse Response of the Exchange Rate Volatility to a Foreign Exchange Intervention Shock

    OpenAIRE

    Hoshikawa, Takeshi

    2009-01-01

    This paper uses Lin's technique (1997) to report on the impulse response function analysis that traces the dynamics of exchange rate volatility from innovations in Japanese foreign exchange intervention. Using a multivariate GARCH model, we employed a volatility impulse response function based on Lin (1997) to detect the impulse response of exchange rate volatility on a one-unit foreign exchange intervention shock. The main findings of t his paper are as follows: (1) a foreign exchange inter...

  7. Impulse-response analysis of the market share attraction model

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    D. Fok (Dennis); Ph.H.B.F. Franses (Philip Hans)

    1999-01-01

    textabstractWe propose a simulation-based technique to calculate impulse-response functions and their confidence intervals in a market share attraction model [MCI]. As an MCI model implies a reduced form model for the logs of relative market shares, simulation techniques have to be used to obtain

  8. Temporal impulse and step responses of the human eye obtained psychophysically by means of a drift-correcting perturbation technique

    OpenAIRE

    Roufs, J.A.J.; Blommaert, F.J.J.

    1981-01-01

    Internal impulse and step responses are derived from the thresholds of short probe flashes by means of a drift-correcting perturbation technique. The approach is based on only two postulated systems properties: quasi-linearity and peak detection. A special feature of the technique is its strong reduction of the concealing effect of sensitivity drift within and between sessions. Results were found to be repeatable, even after about one year. For a 1° foveal disk at 1200 td stationary level, im...

  9. Self-reported impulsivity, but not behavioral choice or response impulsivity, partially mediates the effect of stress on drinking behavior.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamilton, Kristen R; Ansell, Emily B; Reynolds, Brady; Potenza, Marc N; Sinha, Rajita

    2013-01-01

    Stress and impulsivity contribute to alcohol use, and stress may also act via impulsivity to increase drinking behavior. Impulsivity represents a multi-faceted construct and self-report and behavioral assessments may effectively capture distinct clinically relevant factors. The present research investigated whether aspects of impulsivity mediate the effect of stress on alcohol use. A community-based sample of 192 men and women was assessed on measures of cumulative stress, alcohol use, self-reported impulsivity, and behavioral choice and response impulsivity. Data were analyzed using regression and bootstrapping techniques to estimate indirect effects of stress on drinking via impulsivity. Cumulative adversity exhibited both direct effects and indirect effects (via self-reported impulsivity) on drinking behavior. Additional models examining specific types of stress indicated direct and indirect effects of trauma and recent life events, and indirect effects of major life events and chronic stressors on drinking behavior. Overall, cumulative stress was associated with increased drinking behavior, and this effect was partially mediated by self-reported impulsivity. Self-reported impulsivity also mediated the effects of different types of stress on drinking behavior. These findings highlight the value of mediation models to examine the pathways through which different types of stress increase drinking behavior. Treatment and prevention strategies should focus on enhancing stress management and self-control.

  10. Comprehensive evaluation of the acoustic impulse-response of apples as a measure of fruit quality

    OpenAIRE

    Landahl, Sandra

    2007-01-01

    The acoustic impulse-response technique is a means to evaluate apple quality. In this work the effect of physiological changes in the fruit on the physical measurements of fruit quality are examined. In the acoustic impulse-response technique the fruit is mechanically excited by an impact force and starts to vibrate at its own natural frequency. The resulting sound waves are then recorded and analysed. It is a fast method and yields a produce-averaged value: the stiffness factor. Experimen...

  11. Spatio-temporal dynamics of impulse responses to figure motion in optic flow neurons.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu-Jen Lee

    Full Text Available White noise techniques have been used widely to investigate sensory systems in both vertebrates and invertebrates. White noise stimuli are powerful in their ability to rapidly generate data that help the experimenter decipher the spatio-temporal dynamics of neural and behavioral responses. One type of white noise stimuli, maximal length shift register sequences (m-sequences, have recently become particularly popular for extracting response kernels in insect motion vision. We here use such m-sequences to extract the impulse responses to figure motion in hoverfly lobula plate tangential cells (LPTCs. Figure motion is behaviorally important and many visually guided animals orient towards salient features in the surround. We show that LPTCs respond robustly to figure motion in the receptive field. The impulse response is scaled down in amplitude when the figure size is reduced, but its time course remains unaltered. However, a low contrast stimulus generates a slower response with a significantly longer time-to-peak and half-width. Impulse responses in females have a slower time-to-peak than males, but are otherwise similar. Finally we show that the shapes of the impulse response to a figure and a widefield stimulus are very similar, suggesting that the figure response could be coded by the same input as the widefield response.

  12. Numerical analysis on acoustic impulse response for watermelon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Yong Sul; Yang, Dong Hoon; Choi, Young Jae; Bae, Tas Joo; So, Chul Ho; Lee, Yun Ho

    2002-01-01

    In this study, we conducted both analysis on impact pulse signal and acoustic impulse response method using numerical analysistic finite element method. Considering its velocity, density, Young's Modulus, and Poisson's Ratio, we extracted featured parameters and compared both results of analysis on impact pulse signal and numerical analysis on acoustic impulse response then we found the feature of generated acoustic sound signal by way of numerical analysis varying featured parameters and consequently intended to extract feature indices influenced on its internal maturity through analysis of acoustic impulse response. As we analyzed impact pulse signal and extracted featured parameters concerned with evaluation of its ripeness, we found the plausibility of progress on nondestructive evaluation of ripeness and adoption of numerical analysis on acoustic impulse response.

  13. Prediction of thresholds and latency on the basis of experimentally determined impulse responses

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Blommaert, F.J.J.; Roufs, J.A.J.

    As was shown before (Roufs and Blommaert 1981), temporal impluse responsses and step responses can be obtained psychophysically using a driftcorrecting perturbation technique. In this paper, experimentally determined impulse responses are given for eight subjects using different experimental

  14. New hybrid technique for impulsive noise suppression in OFDM systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mirza, A.; Zeb, A.; Sheikh, S.A.

    2017-01-01

    In this paper, a new hybrid technique employing RS (Reed Solomon) coding and adaptive filter for impulsive noise suppression in OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) systems is presented. Adaptive filter creates a more accurate estimate of the original OFDM signal after impulsive noise cancellation. The residual impulsive noise is further mitigated by RS decoder in the second stage of proposed technique. Three members of adaptive filters family i.e. NLMS (Normalized Least Mean Square) algorithm, RLS (Recursive Least Square) algorithm and Bhagyashri algorithm are tested with RS decoder in the proposed hybrid technique. Furthermore, the results in terms of steady state MSE (Mean Square Error) reduction, BER (Bit Error Rate) improvement and SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio) enhancement confirm the effectiveness of the proposed dual faceted technique when compared with the recently reported techniques in literature. (author)

  15. Numerical analysis on acoustic impulse response for watermelon

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Yong Sul; Yang, Dong Hoon; Choi, Young Jae; Bae, Tas Joo; So, Chul Ho [Dongshin University, Naju (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Yun Ho [Korea Inspection and Engineering CO.,LTD., Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2002-11-15

    In this study, we conducted both analysis on impact pulse signal and acoustic impulse response method using numerical analysistic finite element method. Considering its velocity, density, Young's Modulus, and Poisson's Ratio, we extracted featured parameters and compared both results of analysis on impact pulse signal and numerical analysis on acoustic impulse response then we found the feature of generated acoustic sound signal by way of numerical analysis varying featured parameters and consequently intended to extract feature indices influenced on its internal maturity through analysis of acoustic impulse response. As we analyzed impact pulse signal and extracted featured parameters concerned with evaluation of its ripeness, we found the plausibility of progress on nondestructive evaluation of ripeness and adoption of numerical analysis on acoustic impulse response.

  16. A new approach to calculating spatial impulse responses

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Jørgen Arendt

    1997-01-01

    Using linear acoustics the emitted and scattered ultrasound field can be found by using spatial impulse responses as developed by Tupholme (1969) and Stepanishen (1971). The impulse response is calculated by the Rayleigh integral by summing the spherical waves emitted from all of the aperture...

  17. Impulsive response of nonuniform density liquid in a laterally excited tank

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tang, Y.; Chang, Y.W.

    1994-04-01

    A study on the impulsive component of the dynamic response of a liquid of nonuniform density in a tank undergoing lateral base excitations is presented. The system considered is a circular cylindrical tank containing an incompressible and inviscid liquid whose density increases with the liquid depth. The density distribution along the depth can be of any arbitrary continuous or discontinuous function. In the analysis, the liquid field is divided into n layers. The thickness of the liquid layers can be different, but the density of each liquid layer is considered to be uniform and is equal to the value of the original liquid density at the mid-height of that layer. The problem is solved by the eigenfunction expansion in conjunction with the transfer matrix technique. The effect of the nonuniform liquid density on the impulsive component of the dynamic response is illustrated in a numerical example in which the linear and cosine distributions of the liquid density are assumed. The response quantities examined include the impulsive pressure, base shear and moments. The results are presented in tabular and graphical forms. It is found that the impulsive pressure distribution along the tank wall is not sensitive to the detailed distribution function of the density, and the base shear and moments for the nonuniform liquid can be estimated by assuming an equivalent uniform liquid density that preserves the total liquid weight. The effect of tank flexibility is assessed by a simple approach in which the response quantities for flexible tanks are evaluated by simplified equations

  18. The impulsive control synchronization of the drive-response complex system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhao Yanhong; Yang Yongqing

    2008-01-01

    This Letter investigates projective synchronization between the drive system and response complex dynamical system. An impulsive control scheme is adapted to synchronize the drive-response dynamical system to a desired scalar factor. By using the stability theory of the impulsive differential equation, the criteria for the projective synchronization are derived. The feasibility of the impulsive control of the projective synchronization is demonstrated in the drive-response dynamical system

  19. Arbitrary magnetic field gradient waveform correction using an impulse response based pre-equalization technique.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goora, Frédéric G; Colpitts, Bruce G; Balcom, Bruce J

    2014-01-01

    The time-varying magnetic fields used in magnetic resonance applications result in the induction of eddy currents on conductive structures in the vicinity of both the sample under investigation and the gradient coils. These eddy currents typically result in undesired degradations of image quality for MRI applications. Their ubiquitous nature has resulted in the development of various approaches to characterize and minimize their impact on image quality. This paper outlines a method that utilizes the magnetic field gradient waveform monitor method to directly measure the temporal evolution of the magnetic field gradient from a step-like input function and extracts the system impulse response. With the basic assumption that the gradient system is sufficiently linear and time invariant to permit system theory analysis, the impulse response is used to determine a pre-equalized (optimized) input waveform that provides a desired gradient response at the output of the system. An algorithm has been developed that calculates a pre-equalized waveform that may be accurately reproduced by the amplifier (is physically realizable) and accounts for system limitations including system bandwidth, amplifier slew rate capabilities, and noise inherent in the initial measurement. Significant improvements in magnetic field gradient waveform fidelity after pre-equalization have been realized and are summarized. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Impulse response measurements with an off-line cross correlator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Corran, E.R.; Cummins, J.D.

    1963-11-01

    The impulse responses of simulated systems have been computed by off-line cross-correlation of the system input and output signals. The input test signal consisted of a discrete interval binary code whose autocorrelation was a triangular pulse at zero lag. The main object of the experiments was to study the inaccuracies introduced in ideal, noise free systems by determining the impulse response digitally from sampled versions of the system input and output signals. A second object was to determine the error introduced by adding controlled amounts of uncorrelated noise at the system outputs. The experimental results showed that for signal to noise ratios greater than 10:1 in the mean square sense, the impulse responses may be determined with reasonable accuracy using only one cycle of the binary code. The method lends itself to on-line computation of system impulse responses. The latter could be used to monitor the stability of the system or to determine control parameters in an adaptive control system. (author)

  1. Impulse response measurements with an off-line cross correlator

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Corran, E R; Cummins, J D [Dynamics Group, Control and Instrumentation Division, Atomic Energy Establishment, Winfrith, Dorchester, Dorset (United Kingdom)

    1963-11-15

    The impulse responses of simulated systems have been computed by off-line cross-correlation of the system input and output signals. The input test signal consisted of a discrete interval binary code whose autocorrelation was a triangular pulse at zero lag. The main object of the experiments was to study the inaccuracies introduced in ideal, noise free systems by determining the impulse response digitally from sampled versions of the system input and output signals. A second object was to determine the error introduced by adding controlled amounts of uncorrelated noise at the system outputs. The experimental results showed that for signal to noise ratios greater than 10:1 in the mean square sense, the impulse responses may be determined with reasonable accuracy using only one cycle of the binary code. The method lends itself to on-line computation of system impulse responses. The latter could be used to monitor the stability of the system or to determine control parameters in an adaptive control system. (author)

  2. Subtypes of trait impulsivity differentially correlate with neural responses to food choices

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Laan, Laura N.; Barendse, Marjolein E. A.; Viergever, Max A.; Smeets, Paul A. M.

    2016-01-01

    Impulsivity is a personality trait that is linked to unhealthy eating and overweight. A few studies assessed how impulsivity relates to neural responses to anticipating and tasting food, but it is unknown how impulsivity relates to neural responses during food choice. Although impulsivity is a

  3. Impulsivity modulates performance under response uncertainty in a reaching task.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tzagarakis, C; Pellizzer, G; Rogers, R D

    2013-03-01

    We sought to explore the interaction of the impulsivity trait with response uncertainty. To this end, we used a reaching task (Pellizzer and Hedges in Exp Brain Res 150:276-289, 2003) where a motor response direction was cued at different levels of uncertainty (1 cue, i.e., no uncertainty, 2 cues or 3 cues). Data from 95 healthy adults (54 F, 41 M) were analysed. Impulsivity was measured using the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale version 11 (BIS-11). Behavioral variables recorded were reaction time (RT), errors of commission (referred to as 'early errors') and errors of precision. Data analysis employed generalised linear mixed models and generalised additive mixed models. For the early errors, there was an interaction of impulsivity with uncertainty and gender, with increased errors for high impulsivity in the one-cue condition for women and the three-cue condition for men. There was no effect of impulsivity on precision errors or RT. However, the analysis of the effect of RT and impulsivity on precision errors showed a different pattern for high versus low impulsives in the high uncertainty (3 cue) condition. In addition, there was a significant early error speed-accuracy trade-off for women, primarily in low uncertainty and a 'reverse' speed-accuracy trade-off for men in high uncertainty. These results extend those of past studies of impulsivity which help define it as a behavioural trait that modulates speed versus accuracy response styles depending on environmental constraints and highlight once more the importance of gender in the interplay of personality and behaviour.

  4. Estimation of channel impulse response and FPGA simulation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    YU Longjie

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA is a 3G wireless communication network.The common pilot channel in downlink of WCDMA provides an effective method to estimate the channel impulse response.In this paper,universal software radio peripheral (USRP is utilized to sample and process WCDMA signal which is emitted by China Unicom base station.Firstly,the received signal is pre-processed with filtering and down-sampling.Secondly,fast algorithm of WCDMA cell search is fulfilled.Thirdly,frequency shift caused by USRP′s crystal oscillator is checked and compensated.Eventually,channel impulse response is estimated.In this paper,MATLAB is used to describe the above algorithm and field programmable gate array (FPGA is used to simulate algorithm.In the process of simulation,pipeline and IP core multiplexing are introduced.In the case of 32 MHz clock frequency,FPGA simulation time is 80.861 ms.Simulation results show that FPGA is able to estimate the channel impulse response quickly and accurately with less hardware resources.

  5. Design and application of finite impulse response digital filters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miller, T.R.; Sampathkumaran, K.S.

    1982-01-01

    The finite impulse response (FIR) digital filter is a spatial domain filter with a frequency domain representation. The theory of the FIR filter is presented and techniques are described for designing FIR filters with known frequency response characteristics. Rational design principles are emphasized based on characterization of the imaging system using the modulation transfer function and physical properties of the imaged objects. Bandpass, Wiener, and low-pass filters were designed and applied to 201 Tl myocardial images. The bandpass filter eliminates low-frequency image components that represent background activity and high-frequency components due to noise. The Wiener, or minimum mean square error filter 'sharpens' the image while also reducing noise. The Wiener filter illustrates the power of the FIR technique to design filters with any desired frequency reponse. The low-pass filter, while of relative limited use, is presented to compare it with a popular elementary 'smoothing' filter. (orig.)

  6. Increased multiaxial lumbar motion responses during multiple-impulse mechanical force manually assisted spinal manipulation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gunzburg Robert

    2006-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Spinal manipulation has been found to create demonstrable segmental and intersegmental spinal motions thought to be biomechanically related to its mechanisms. In the case of impulsive-type instrument device comparisons, significant differences in the force-time characteristics and concomitant motion responses of spinal manipulative instruments have been reported, but studies investigating the response to multiple thrusts (multiple impulse trains have not been conducted. The purpose of this study was to determine multi-axial segmental and intersegmental motion responses of ovine lumbar vertebrae to single impulse and multiple impulse spinal manipulative thrusts (SMTs. Methods Fifteen adolescent Merino sheep were examined. Tri-axial accelerometers were attached to intraosseous pins rigidly fixed to the L1 and L2 lumbar spinous processes under fluoroscopic guidance while the animals were anesthetized. A hand-held electromechanical chiropractic adjusting instrument (Impulse was used to apply single and repeated force impulses (13 total over a 2.5 second time interval at three different force settings (low, medium, and high along the posteroanterior axis of the T12 spinous process. Axial (AX, posteroanterior (PA, and medial-lateral (ML acceleration responses in adjacent segments (L1, L2 were recorded at a rate of 5000 samples per second. Peak-peak segmental accelerations (L1, L2 and intersegmental acceleration transfer (L1–L2 for each axis and each force setting were computed from the acceleration-time recordings. The initial acceleration response for a single thrust and the maximum acceleration response observed during the 12 multiple impulse trains were compared using a paired observations t-test (POTT, alpha = .05. Results Segmental and intersegmental acceleration responses mirrored the peak force magnitude produced by the Impulse Adjusting Instrument. Accelerations were greatest for AX and PA measurement axes. Compared to

  7. Model Predictive Control based on Finite Impulse Response Models

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Prasath, Guru; Jørgensen, John Bagterp

    2008-01-01

    We develop a regularized l2 finite impulse response (FIR) predictive controller with input and input-rate constraints. Feedback is based on a simple constant output disturbance filter. The performance of the predictive controller in the face of plant-model mismatch is investigated by simulations...... and related to the uncertainty of the impulse response coefficients. The simulations can be used to benchmark l2 MPC against FIR based robust MPC as well as to estimate the maximum performance improvements by robust MPC....

  8. An Impulsive Three-Species Model with Square Root Functional Response and Mutual Interference of Predator

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhen Wang

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available An impulsive two-prey and one-predator model with square root functional responses, mutual interference, and integrated pest management is constructed. By using techniques of impulsive perturbations, comparison theorem, and Floquet theory, the existence and global asymptotic stability of prey-eradication periodic solution are investigated. We use some methods and sufficient conditions to prove the permanence of the system which involve multiple Lyapunov functions and differential comparison theorem. Numerical simulations are given to portray the complex behaviors of this system. Finally, we analyze the biological meanings of these results and give some suggestions for feasible control strategies.

  9. Measurement Techniques Used for Study of Electrical Discharge Mechanisms in Insulating Ester Fluids under Lightning Impulse

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    ROZGA, P.

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available This article describes the measurement techniques used for the study of mechanisms of electrical discharge development in ester fluids under lightning impulse voltage. These techniques were applied in a laboratory experimental system which enabled the acquisition of a wide range of experimental data. An analysis of the data gives the possibility of assessing the processes responsible for electrical discharge propagation in different types of dielectric liquids. The photographic registration system provides photographs of developing discharges. This uses the shadowgraph method with an impulse laser as a flash lamp. The system of light emission registration enables collection of the time courses of light emitted by the developing discharge. Both systems operating together are synchronized using light guide communication. They are also unaffected by external disturbances such as network overvoltages and high electrical field stress. Preliminary results obtained on the basis of the described techniques, in the field of electrical discharge development in synthetic and natural esters, are presented in the article. These results confirm suitability of the methods used and give the possibility to formulate first conclusions.

  10. Response inhibition and impulsive decision-making in sexual offenders against children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turner, Daniel; Laier, Christian; Brand, Matthias; Bockshammer, Tamara; Welsch, Robin; Rettenberger, Martin

    2018-05-31

    Current theories view impulsivity as an important factor in the explanation of sexual offending. While impulsivity itself is a multidimensional construct, response inhibition and impulsive decision-making are frequently discussed subcomponents. Impulsivity in sexual offenders could be triggered by sexual cues with high emotional significance. The present study compared response inhibition abilities and the degree of impulsive decision-making between 63 child sexual abusers and 63 nonoffending controls. A Go/No-Go task was used to assess response inhibition, while the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) and the Game of Dice Task (GDT) were used for the assessment of decision-making. In contrast to previous studies, modified versions of the Go/No-Go task and the IGT were used, including pictures of the Not Real People-Set depicting nude adults and children. Child sexual abusers showed more deficits in response inhibition in the Go/No-Go task. Furthermore, decision-making was especially impaired by the presence of child images in child sexual abusers with more intense pedophilic sexual interests. In contrast, in the nonoffending controls the presence of preferred sexual cues (pictures of women) improved decision-making performance. No differences in overall GDT performance were found between the groups; however, child sexual abusers chose the riskiest option more frequently than nonoffending controls. In line with theoretical assumptions about the processes underlying sexual offending, child sexual abusers show more deficits in neuropsychological functioning, which may be related to more impulsive behaviors. These impairments could be triggered by the presence of sexually relevant cues. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

  11. Time series analysis of wind speed using VAR and the generalized impulse response technique

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ewing, Bradley T. [Area of Information Systems and Quantitative Sciences, Rawls College of Business and Wind Science and Engineering Research Center, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409-2101 (United States); Kruse, Jamie Brown [Center for Natural Hazard Research, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC (United States); Schroeder, John L. [Department of Geosciences and Wind Science and Engineering Research Center, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX (United States); Smith, Douglas A. [Department of Civil Engineering and Wind Science and Engineering Research Center, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX (United States)

    2007-03-15

    This research examines the interdependence in time series wind speed data measured in the same location at four different heights. A multiple-equation system known as a vector autoregression is proposed for characterizing the time series dynamics of wind. Additionally, the recently developed method of generalized impulse response analysis provides insight into the cross-effects of the wind series and their responses to shocks. Findings are based on analysis of contemporaneous wind speed time histories taken at 13, 33, 70 and 160 ft above ground level with a sampling rate of 10 Hz. The results indicate that wind speeds measured at 70 ft was the most variable. Further, the turbulence persisted longer at the 70-ft measurement than at the other heights. The greatest interdependence is observed at 13 ft. Gusts at 160 ft led to the greatest persistence to an 'own' shock and led to greatest persistence in the responses of the other wind series. (author)

  12. Frequency-modulated impulse response photothermal detection through optical reflectance. 2: Experimental.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Power, J F; Mandelis, A

    1988-08-15

    A fast thermoreflectance impulse response photothermal imager was assembled and tested with several solid materials [quartz, stainless steel, and polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF)I. The instrument was found to yield quantitative data in agreement with Green's function theoretical models of time domain heat conduction. The FM chirp laser intensity modulation technique used in these experiments gave wide bandwidth photothermal signals and was found to be only limited by the FFT instrumentation frequency response (100 kHz). Thermal diffusivities were calculated, while thermal lensing and thermoelastic effects were further observed. The imager was thus shown to be capable of replacing pulsed laser devices for truly nondestructive applications with materials with low damage threshold to optical pulses.

  13. A negative relationship between ventral striatal loss anticipation response and impulsivity in borderline personality disorder

    OpenAIRE

    Herbort, Maike C.; Soch, Joram; W?stenberg, Torsten; Krauel, Kerstin; Pujara, Maia; Koenigs, Michael; Gallinat, J?rgen; Walter, Henrik; Roepke, Stefan; Schott, Bj?rn H.

    2016-01-01

    Patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) frequently exhibit impulsive behavior, and self-reported impulsivity is typically higher in BPD patients when compared to healthy controls. Previous functional neuroimaging studies have suggested a link between impulsivity, the ventral striatal response to reward anticipation, and prediction errors. Here we investigated the striatal neural response to monetary gain and loss anticipation and their relationship with impulsivity in 21 female BP...

  14. Astrocytes promote myelination in response to electrical impulses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ishibashi, Tomoko; Dakin, Kelly A; Stevens, Beth; Lee, Philip R; Kozlov, Serguei V; Stewart, Colin L; Fields, R Douglas

    2006-03-16

    Myelin, the insulating layers of membrane wrapped around axons by oligodendrocytes, is essential for normal impulse conduction. It forms during late stages of fetal development but continues into early adult life. Myelination correlates with cognitive development and can be regulated by impulse activity through unknown molecular mechanisms. Astrocytes do not form myelin, but these nonneuronal cells can promote myelination in ways that are not understood. Here, we identify a link between myelination, astrocytes, and electrical impulse activity in axons that is mediated by the cytokine leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF). These findings show that LIF is released by astrocytes in response to ATP liberated from axons firing action potentials, and LIF promotes myelination by mature oligodendrocytes. This activity-dependent mechanism promoting myelination could regulate myelination according to functional activity or environmental experience and may offer new approaches to treating demyelinating diseases.

  15. Sex differences in impulsive action and impulsive choice

    OpenAIRE

    Weafer, Jessica; de Wit, Harriet

    2013-01-01

    Here, we review the evidence for sex differences in behavioral measures of impulsivity for both humans and laboratory animals. We focus on two specific components of impulsivity: impulsive action (i.e., difficulty inhibiting a prepotent response) and impulsive choice (i.e., difficulty delaying gratification). Sex differences appear to exist on these measures, but the direction and magnitude of the differences vary. In laboratory animals, impulsive action is typically greater in males than fem...

  16. A negative relationship between ventral striatal loss anticipation response and impulsivity in borderline personality disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herbort, Maike C; Soch, Joram; Wüstenberg, Torsten; Krauel, Kerstin; Pujara, Maia; Koenigs, Michael; Gallinat, Jürgen; Walter, Henrik; Roepke, Stefan; Schott, Björn H

    2016-01-01

    Patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) frequently exhibit impulsive behavior, and self-reported impulsivity is typically higher in BPD patients when compared to healthy controls. Previous functional neuroimaging studies have suggested a link between impulsivity, the ventral striatal response to reward anticipation, and prediction errors. Here we investigated the striatal neural response to monetary gain and loss anticipation and their relationship with impulsivity in 21 female BPD patients and 23 age-matched female healthy controls using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Participants performed a delayed monetary incentive task in which three categories of objects predicted a potential gain, loss, or neutral outcome. Impulsivity was assessed using the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11). Compared to healthy controls, BPD patients exhibited significantly reduced fMRI responses of the ventral striatum/nucleus accumbens (VS/NAcc) to both reward-predicting and loss-predicting cues. BIS-11 scores showed a significant positive correlation with the VS/NAcc reward anticipation responses in healthy controls, and this correlation, while also nominally positive, failed to reach significance in BPD patients. BPD patients, on the other hand, exhibited a significantly negative correlation between ventral striatal loss anticipation responses and BIS-11 scores, whereas this correlation was significantly positive in healthy controls. Our results suggest that patients with BPD show attenuated anticipation responses in the VS/NAcc and, furthermore, that higher impulsivity in BPD patients might be related to impaired prediction of aversive outcomes.

  17. Impulsivity and Stress Response in Pathological Gamblers During the Trier Social Stress Test.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maniaci, G; Goudriaan, A E; Cannizzaro, C; van Holst, R J

    2018-03-01

    Gambling has been associated with increased sympathetic nervous system output and stimulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. However it is unclear how these systems are affected in pathological gambling. This study aimed to investigate the effect of the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) on cortisol and on cardiac interbeat intervals in relation to impulsivity, in a sample of male pathological gamblers compared to healthy controls. In addition, we investigated the correlation between the TSST, duration of the disorder and impulsivity. A total of 35 pathological gamblers and 30 healthy controls, ranging from 19 to 58 years old and all male, participated in this study. Stress response was measured during and after the TSST by salivary cortisol and cardiac interbeat intervals; impulsivity was assessed with the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11). Exposure to the TSST produced a significant increase in salivary cortisol and interbeat intervals in both groups, without differences between groups. We found a negative correlation between baseline cortisol and duration of pathological gambling indicating that the longer the duration of the disorder the lower the baseline cortisol levels. Additionally, we found a main effect of impulsivity across groups on interbeat interval during the TSST, indicating an association between impulsivity and the intensity of the neurovegetative stress response during the TSST. Involvement of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in pathological gambling was confirmed together with evidence of a correlation between length of the disorder and diminished baseline cortisol levels. Impulsivity emerged as a personality trait expressed by pathological gamblers; however the neurovegetative response to the TSST, although associated with impulsivity, appeared to be independent of the presence of pathological gambling.

  18. Impulse Force Balance for Ultrashort Duration Hypersonic Test Facilities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P. Singh

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents the measurement of side force, pitching, and yawing moments on a model, using an accelerometer force balance, in a short duration hypersonic shock tunnel. The test model is a blunt-nosed, flapped delta wing, mounted on a support sting through a force balance. The flexible rubber bushes constituting the balance allow the model to float freely on the sting during the test. The accelerometers were located in the model to record accelerations in the directions of interest. The model was tested in shock tunnel at Mach 8 at different angles of incidence with the freestream. Dynamic calibration of the test assembly was carried out for the acquisition of impulse response functions for the above components of force and moments, using an impulse hammer. The convolution technique was applied to derive the impulse response functions. The accelerometer outputs from the model in the hypersonic freestream were processed using the respective impulse response functions to derive the unknown aerodynamic force and moments. The newly adopted convolution technique has been found very effective for data reduction from accelerometer force balances developed for shock tunnel applications.

  19. An Impulse Based Substructuring approach for impact analysis and load case simulations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rixen, Daniel J.; van der Valk, Paul L. C.

    2013-12-01

    In the present paper we outline the basic theory of assembling substructures for which the dynamics are described as Impulse Response Functions. The assembly procedure computes the time response of a system by evaluating per substructure the convolution product between the Impulse Response Functions and the applied forces, including the interface forces that are computed to satisfy the interface compatibility. We call this approach the Impulse Based Substructuring method since it transposes to the time domain the Frequency Based Substructuring approach. In the Impulse Based Substructuring technique the Impulse Response Functions of the substructures can be gathered either from experimental tests using a hammer impact or from time-integration of numerical submodels. In this paper the implementation of the method is outlined for the case when the impulse responses of the substructures are computed numerically. A simple bar example is shown in order to illustrate the concept. The Impulse Based Substructuring allows fast evaluation of impact response of a structure when the impulse response of its components is known. It can thus be used to efficiently optimize designs of consumer products by including impact behavior at the early stage of the design, but also for performing substructured simulations of complex structures such as offshore wind turbines.

  20. Reliability of estimating the room volume from a single room impulse response

    OpenAIRE

    Kuster, M.

    2008-01-01

    The methods investigated for the room volume estimation are based on geometrical acoustics, eigenmode, and diffuse field models and no data other than the room impulse response are available. The measurements include several receiver positions in a total of 12 rooms of vastly different sizes and acoustic characteristics. The limitations in identifying the pivotal specular reflections of the geometrical acoustics model in measured room impulse responses are examined both theoretically and expe...

  1. A food chain model with impulsive perturbations and Holling IV functional response

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Shuwen; Wang Fengyan; Chen Lansun

    2005-01-01

    In this paper, we investigate a three trophic level food chain system with Holling IV functional responses and periodic constant impulsive perturbations of top predator. Conditions for extinction of predator are given. By using the Floquet theory of impulsive equation and small amplitude perturbation skills, we consider the local stability of predator eradication periodic solution. Further, influences of the impulsive perturbation on the inherent oscillation are studied numerically, which shows the rich dynamics in the positive octant

  2. Modification of an impulse-factoring orbital transfer technique to account for orbit determination and maneuver execution errors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kibler, J. F.; Green, R. N.; Young, G. R.; Kelly, M. G.

    1974-01-01

    A method has previously been developed to satisfy terminal rendezvous and intermediate timing constraints for planetary missions involving orbital operations. The method uses impulse factoring in which a two-impulse transfer is divided into three or four impulses which add one or two intermediate orbits. The periods of the intermediate orbits and the number of revolutions in each orbit are varied to satisfy timing constraints. Techniques are developed to retarget the orbital transfer in the presence of orbit-determination and maneuver-execution errors. Sample results indicate that the nominal transfer can be retargeted with little change in either the magnitude (Delta V) or location of the individual impulses. Additonally, the total Delta V required for the retargeted transfer is little different from that required for the nominal transfer. A digital computer program developed to implement the techniques is described.

  3. Impulsive traits and unplanned suicide attempts predict exaggerated prefrontal response to angry faces in the elderly.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vanyukov, Polina M; Szanto, Katalin; Siegle, Greg J; Hallquist, Michael N; Reynolds, Charles F; Aizenstein, Howard J; Dombrovski, Alexandre Y

    2015-08-01

    Abnormal responses to social stimuli are seen in people vulnerable to suicidal behavior, indicating possible disruptions in the neural circuitry mediating the interpretation of socioemotional cues. These disruptions have not been empirically related to psychological and cognitive pathways to suicide. In the present study of older suicide attempters, we examined neural responses to emotional faces and their relationship to impulsivity, one of the components of the suicidal diathesis. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we recorded neurohemodynamic responses to angry faces in a carefully characterized sample of 18 depressed elderly with history of suicide attempts, 13 depressed nonsuicidal patients, and 18 healthy individuals, all aged 60+. Impulsivity was assessed with the Social Problem Solving Inventory Impulsivity/Carelessness Style subscale and Barratt Impulsiveness Scale. The Suicide Intent Scale planning subscale was used to describe the degree of planning associated with the most lethal attempt. Depression and history of attempted suicide were not associated with neural responses to angry faces, failing to replicate earlier studies. Higher impulsivity, however, predicted exaggerated responses to angry faces in fronto-opercular and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (pcorr suicide attempts also predicted increased fronto-opercular responses. Results were robust to effects of medication exposure, comorbid anxiety and addiction, severity of depression, burden of physical illness, and possible brain injury from suicide attempts. Impulsive traits and history of unplanned suicide attempts partly explain the heterogeneity in neural responses to angry faces in depressed elderly. Displays of social emotion command excessive cortical processing in impulsive suicide attempters. Copyright © 2015 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Determination of acoustical transfer functions using an impulse method

    Science.gov (United States)

    MacPherson, J.

    1985-02-01

    The Transfer Function of a system may be defined as the relationship of the output response to the input of a system. Whilst recent advances in digital processing systems have enabled Impulse Transfer Functions to be determined by computation of the Fast Fourier Transform, there has been little work done in applying these techniques to room acoustics. Acoustical Transfer Functions have been determined for auditoria, using an impulse method. The technique is based on the computation of the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) of a non-ideal impulsive source, both at the source and at the receiver point. The Impulse Transfer Function (ITF) is obtained by dividing the FFT at the receiver position by the FFT of the source. This quantity is presented both as linear frequency scale plots and also as synthesized one-third octave band data. The technique enables a considerable quantity of data to be obtained from a small number of impulsive signals recorded in the field, thereby minimizing the time and effort required on site. As the characteristics of the source are taken into account in the calculation, the choice of impulsive source is non-critical. The digital analysis equipment required for the analysis is readily available commercially.

  5. APPLICATION OF STIMULUS & RESPONSE MODEL TO IMPULSE BUYING BEHAVIOR OF ALGERIAN CONSUMERS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amel Graa

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available This paper investigates the influence of situational factors on the impulse buying behavior usinga Mehrabian and Russell's (1974 framework (Stimulus & response model. The results suggest thata consumer's emotions can be a mediating factor in the impulse purchase process. In this study, weidentify and explore how situational factors and emotional states may influence various dimensionsof impulse purchase behavior of Algerian shoppers. By tapping the responses of 687 consumers inthe area of Algeria’ west, we obtain that there is a positive relationship between independent anddependent variables.According to the results, pleasure was associated with design, whereas arousal was associatedwith perception of crowding, but dominance was linked to time spent in the store. Retailers can takethese findings to maintain trained their employees and provide adequate signs and best environmentwhenever some relocation of products took place.

  6. Methylphenidate and Atomoxetine-Responsive Prefrontal Cortical Genetic Overlaps in "Impulsive" SHR/NCrl and Wistar Rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dela Peña, Ike; Dela Peña, Irene Joy; de la Peña, June Bryan; Kim, Hee Jin; Shin, Chan Young; Han, Doug Hyun; Kim, Bung-Nyun; Ryu, Jong Hoon; Cheong, Jae Hoon

    2017-09-01

    Impulsivity, the predisposition to act prematurely without foresight, is associated with a number of neuropsychiatric disorders, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Identifying genetic underpinnings of impulsive behavior may help decipher the complex etiology and neurobiological factors of disorders marked by impulsivity. To identify potential genetic factors of impulsivity, we examined common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of adolescent SHR/NCrl and Wistar rats, which showed marked decrease in preference for the large but delayed reward, compared with WKY/NCrl rats, in the delay discounting task. Of these DEGs, we examined drug-responsive transcripts whose mRNA levels were altered following treatment (in SHR/NCrl and Wistar rats) with drugs that alleviate impulsivity, namely, the ADHD medications methylphenidate and atomoxetine. Prefrontal cortical genetic overlaps between SHR/NCrl and Wistar rats in comparison with WKY/NCrl included genes associated with transcription (e.g., Btg2, Fos, Nr4a2), synaptic plasticity (e.g., Arc, Homer2), and neuron apoptosis (Grik2, Nmnat1). Treatment with methylphenidate and/or atomoxetine increased choice of the large, delayed reward in SHR/NCrl and Wistar rats and changed, in varying degrees, mRNA levels of Nr4a2, Btg2, and Homer2, genes with previously described roles in neuropsychiatric disorders characterized by impulsivity. While further studies are required, we dissected potential genetic factors that may influence impulsivity by identifying genetic overlaps in the PFC of "impulsive" SHR/NCrl and Wistar rats. Notably, these are also drug-responsive transcripts which may be studied further as biomarkers to predict response to ADHD drugs, and as potential targets for the development of treatments to improve impulsivity.

  7. Adaptive-impulsive synchronization in drive-response networks of continuous systems and its application

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun Mei; Zeng Changyan; Tao Yangwei; Tian Lixin

    2009-01-01

    Based on the comparison theorem for the stability of impulsive control system, adaptive-impulsive synchronization in drive-response networks of continuous systems with time-delay and non-time-delay is investigated. And the continuous control input, the simple updated laws and a linear impulsive controller are proposed. Moreover, two numerical examples are presented to verify the effectiveness and correctness of the theorem, using the energy resource system and Lue's system as the nodes of the networks.

  8. Sex differences in impulsive action and impulsive choice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weafer, Jessica; de Wit, Harriet

    2014-11-01

    Here, we review the evidence for sex differences in behavioral measures of impulsivity for both humans and laboratory animals. We focus on two specific components of impulsivity: impulsive action (i.e., difficulty inhibiting a prepotent response) and impulsive choice (i.e., difficulty delaying gratification). Sex differences appear to exist on these measures, but the direction and magnitude of the differences vary. In laboratory animals, impulsive action is typically greater in males than females, whereas impulsive choice is typically greater in females. In humans, women discount more steeply than men, but sex differences on measures of impulsive action depend on tasks and subject samples. We discuss implications of these findings as they relate to drug addiction. We also point out the major gaps in this research to date, including the lack of studies designed specifically to examine sex differences in behavioral impulsivity, and the lack of consideration of menstrual or estrous phase or sex hormone levels in the studies. © 2013.

  9. Impulse response measurement in the HgCdTe avalanche photodiode

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Anand; Pal, Ravinder

    2018-04-01

    HgCdTe based mid-wave infrared focal plane arrays (MWIR FPAs) are being developed for high resolution imaging and range determination of distant camouflaged targets. Effect of bandgap grading on the response time in the n+/ν/p+ HgCdTe electron avalanche photodiode (e-APD) is evaluated using impulse response measurement. Gain normalized dark current density of 2 × 10-9 A/cm2 at low reverse bias for passive mode and 2 × 10-4 A/cm2 at -8 V for active mode is measured in the fabricated APD device, yielding high gain bandwidth product of 2.4 THZ at the maximum gain. Diffusion of carriers is minimized to achieve transit time limited impulse response by introducing composition grading in the HgCdTe epilayer. The noise equivalent photon performance less than one is achievable in the FPA that is suitable for active cum passive imaging applications.

  10. Multivariate Volatility Impulse Response Analysis of GFC News Events

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    D.E. Allen (David); M.J. McAleer (Michael); R.J. Powell (Robert)

    2015-01-01

    markdownabstract__Abstract__ This paper applies the Hafner and Herwartz (2006) (hereafter HH) approach to the analysis of multivariate GARCH models using volatility impulse response analysis. The data set features ten years of daily returns series for the New York Stock Exchange Index and the

  11. Calculation of reactivity using a finite impulse response filter

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Suescun Diaz, Daniel [COPPE/UFRJ, Programa de Engenharia Nuclear, Caixa Postal 68509, CEP 21941-914, RJ (Brazil); Senra Martinez, Aquilino [COPPE/UFRJ, Programa de Engenharia Nuclear, Caixa Postal 68509, CEP 21941-914, RJ (Brazil)], E-mail: aquilino@lmp.ufrj.br; Carvalho Da Silva, Fernando [COPPE/UFRJ, Programa de Engenharia Nuclear, Caixa Postal 68509, CEP 21941-914, RJ (Brazil)

    2008-03-15

    A new formulation is presented in this paper to solve the inverse kinetics equation. This method is based on the Laplace transform of the point kinetics equations, resulting in an expression equivalent to the inverse kinetics equation as a function of the power history. Reactivity can be written in terms of the summation of convolution with response to impulse, characteristic of a linear system. For its digital form the Z-transform is used, which is the discrete version of the Laplace transform. This new method of reactivity calculation has very special features, amongst which it can be pointed out that the linear part is characterized by a filter named finite impulse response (FIR). The FIR filter will always be, stable and non-varying in time, and, apart from this, it can be implemented in the non-recursive form. This type of implementation does not require feedback, allowing the calculation of reactivity in a continuous way.

  12. Impulsive stabilization and impulsive synchronization of discrete-time delayed neural networks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Wu-Hua; Lu, Xiaomei; Zheng, Wei Xing

    2015-04-01

    This paper investigates the problems of impulsive stabilization and impulsive synchronization of discrete-time delayed neural networks (DDNNs). Two types of DDNNs with stabilizing impulses are studied. By introducing the time-varying Lyapunov functional to capture the dynamical characteristics of discrete-time impulsive delayed neural networks (DIDNNs) and by using a convex combination technique, new exponential stability criteria are derived in terms of linear matrix inequalities. The stability criteria for DIDNNs are independent of the size of time delay but rely on the lengths of impulsive intervals. With the newly obtained stability results, sufficient conditions on the existence of linear-state feedback impulsive controllers are derived. Moreover, a novel impulsive synchronization scheme for two identical DDNNs is proposed. The novel impulsive synchronization scheme allows synchronizing two identical DDNNs with unknown delays. Simulation results are given to validate the effectiveness of the proposed criteria of impulsive stabilization and impulsive synchronization of DDNNs. Finally, an application of the obtained impulsive synchronization result for two identical chaotic DDNNs to a secure communication scheme is presented.

  13. Validation of Infinite Impulse Response Multilayer Perceptron for Modelling Nuclear Dynamics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F. Cadini

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Artificial neural networks are powerful algorithms for constructing nonlinear empirical models from operational data. Their use is becoming increasingly popular in the complex modeling tasks required by diagnostic, safety, and control applications in complex technologies such as those employed in the nuclear industry. In this paper, the nonlinear modeling capabilities of an infinite impulse response multilayer perceptron (IIR-MLP for nuclear dynamics are considered in comparison to static modeling by a finite impulse response multilayer perceptron (FIR-MLP and a conventional static MLP. The comparison is made with respect to the nonlinear dynamics of a nuclear reactor as investigated by IIR-MLP in a previous paper. The superior performance of the locally recurrent scheme is demonstrated.

  14. Multivariate Volatility Impulse Response Analysis of GFC News Events

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    D.E. Allen (David); M.J. McAleer (Michael); R.J. Powell (Robert); A.K. Singh (Abhay)

    2015-01-01

    textabstractThis paper applies the Hafner and Herwartz (2006) (hereafter HH) approach to the analysis of multivariate GARCH models using volatility impulse response analysis. The data set features ten years of daily returns series for the New York Stock Exchange Index and the FTSE 100 index from the

  15. Computing level-impulse responses of log-specified VAR systems

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wieringa, J.E.; Horvath, C.

    2005-01-01

    Impulse response functions (IRFs) are often used to analyze the dynamic behavior of a vector autoregressive (VAR) system. In many applications of VAR modelling, the variables are log-transformed before the model is estimated. If this is the case, the results of the IRFs do not have a direct

  16. Speed-accuracy trade-offs in computing spatial impulse responses for simulating medical ultrasound imaging

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Jørgen Arendt

    2001-01-01

    sampling frequency is unnecessary in the final signals, since the transducers used in medical ultrasound are band limited. Approaches to reduce the sampling frequency are, thus, needed to make efficient simulation programs. Field II uses time integration of the spatial impulse responses using a continuous......Medical ultrasound imaging can be simulated realistically using linear acoustics. One of the most powerful approaches is to employ spatial impulse responses. Hereby both emitted fields and pulse-echo responses from point scatterers can be determined. Also any kind of dynamic focusing...

  17. OUTWARD BRAZILIAN FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT: IMPULSES AND RESPONSES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ronald de Oliveira Concer

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper models the outward foreign direct investment from Brazil series using time a series econometrics model, namely the Vector Auto Regressive (VAR model. We have drawn impulse response functions for the key relevant factors that may explain the outward foreign direct investment flows. We start with a review of the literature on the Dunning location approach to international business. We worked with a data set of quarterly observations from Q1-1995 to Q1-2010. We carried also out Granger causality tests as for determining whether international business travelling should be included as an explanatory variable in our model. Results stressed that although the strong exchange rate in Brazil is often blamed for forcing companies to invest abroad, the evidence found in the aggregate data suggests that there is not a significant relationship between the level of foreign exchange rate and the outward Brazilian foreign direct investment. Differently from previous studies, this paper uses impulse response functions to present dynamic results, thus avoiding the typical binary results “affect” or “don’t affect”, and in so doing we provide a more detailed insight into this important location factor.

  18. OUTWARD BRAZILIAN FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT: IMPULSES AND RESPONSES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ronald de Oliveira Concer

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper models the outward foreign direct investment from Brazil series using time a series econometrics model, namely the Vector Auto Regressive (VAR model. We have drawn impulse response functions for the key relevant factors that may explain the outward foreign direct investment flows. We start with a review of the literature on the Dunning location approach to international business. We worked with a data set of quarterly observations from Q1-1995 to Q1-2010. We carried also out Granger causality tests as for determining whether international business travelling should be included as an explanatory variable in our model. Results stressed that although the strong exchange rate in Brazil is often blamed for forcing companies to invest abroad, the evidence found in the aggregate data suggests that there is not a significant relationship between the level of foreign exchange rate and the outward Brazilian foreign direct investment. Differently from previous studies, this paper uses impulse response functions to present dynamic results, thus avoiding the typical binary results “affect” or “don’t affect”, and in so doing we provide a more detailed insight into this important location factor.

  19. Assessing personal financial management in patients with bipolar disorder and its relation to impulsivity and response inhibition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheema, Marvi K; MacQueen, Glenda M; Hassel, Stefanie

    2015-01-01

    Impulsivity and risk-taking behaviours are reported in bipolar disorder (BD). We examined whether financial management skills are related to impulsivity in patients with BD. We assessed financial management skills using the Executive Personal Finance Scale (EPFS), impulsivity using the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS) and response inhibition using an emotional go/no-go task in bipolar individuals (N = 21) and healthy controls (HC; N = 23). Patients had fewer financial management skills and higher levels of impulsivity than HC. In patients and controls, increased impulsivity was associated with poorer personal financial management. Patients and HC performed equally on the emotional go/no-go task. Higher BIS scores were associated with faster reaction times in HC. In patients, however, higher BIS scores were associated with slower reaction times, possibly indicating compensatory cognitive strategies to counter increased impulsivity. Patients with BD may have reduced abilities to manage personal finances, when compared against healthy participants. Difficulty with personal finance management may arise in part as a result of increased levels of impulsivity. Patients may learn to compensate for increased impulsivity by modulating response times in our experimental situations although whether such compensatory strategies generalize to real-world situations is unknown.

  20. Measuring long impulse responses with pseudorandom sequences and sweep signals

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Torras Rosell, Antoni; Jacobsen, Finn

    2010-01-01

    In architectural acoustics, background noise, loudspeaker nonlinearities, and time variances are the most common disturbances that can compromise a measurement. The effects of such disturbances on measurement of long impulse responses with pseudorandom sequences (maximum-length sequences (MLS) an...

  1. Basic concept on the responses of structural members and structures under impact or impulsive loadings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takeda, J.I.; Tachikawa, H.; Fujimoto, K.

    1982-01-01

    The responses of structural members and structures subjected to impact or impulsive loadings are generated by the interaction between acting bodies and structures, and the interaction is affected by many factors, e.g. the relations of masses, sizes, rigidities, etc. between acting bodies and structures and especially by relative velocity. The development of the responses of structural members and structures are controlled by the constitutive equations and failure criteria of constituent materials, the relationships of cowork system between the constituent materials and existing stress waves. Furthermore, the first two are influenced by rate effects and they all widely change by the speeds of impact and impulsive loadings. This paper deals with the physical meaning of the responses of structures under impact and impulsive loadings. (orig.) [de

  2. Evaluation of the autonomic neuropathy function immediately after a change to upright posture using the impulse response function; Impulse oto kansu wo mochiita shisei henkan katoki ni okeru jiritsu shinkei kino hyoka

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yokoyama, K. [Nagoya City University, Nagoya (Japan); Moyoshi, M.; Takata, K. [Daido Institute of Technology, Nagoya (Japan); Watanabe, Y. [Toyota College of Technology, Aichi (Japan)

    1997-05-20

    Autonomic neuropathy function immediately after a change to upright posture has been evaluated by applying transient response function of the system to the blood regulation system. The impulse response function was determined from the change in heart rate before postural change to the upright posture, and was compared with the transient change immediately after a change to the upright posture. The time series of R-R interval of electrocardiogram was used as the time series of the change in heart rate. To determine the impulse response function, an autoregressive model was applied to the R-R interval time series. The impulse response function at the steady state is a transient reaction at the impulse stimulation added to the blood regulation system. The R-R interval decreases rapidly by the autonomic neuropathy reaction in which the blood is rapidly transferred into the legs immediately after a change to upright posture. There is a close correlation between the initial temporary decrease in R-R interval and the impulse response function derived from the change in heart rate immediately after a change to the upright posture. Accordingly, the blood regulation and autonomic neuropathy functions can be evaluated by the impulse response function without actual standing test and load of tested persons. 9 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab.

  3. The Dynamics of an Impulsive Predator-Prey System with Stage Structure and Holling Type III Functional Response

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhixiang Ju

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Based on the biological resource management of natural resources, a stage-structured predator-prey model with Holling type III functional response, birth pulse, and impulsive harvesting at different moments is proposed in this paper. By applying comparison theorem and some analysis techniques, the global attractivity of predator-extinction periodic solution and the permanence of this system are studied. At last, examples and numerical simulations are given to verify the validity of the main results.

  4. Analysis of sensor impulse response effects on Cramèr–Rao lower bounds for signal parameter estimators

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ephraim S. Gower

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available In this study, a generic analysis of sensor impulse response effects on linearly filtered channel noise is presented to illustrate the resulting variations to the Cramèr–Rao lower bounds (CRLBs of signal parameter estimators in signal processing and communication applications. The authors start by deriving the density function of a filtered signal, which is shown to be a mixture density, and hence the exact expressions for the mean and variance. Simulation results are used to confirm the derivations, which are then used to investigate the effects of impulse response length and variance, as well as channel noise length and variance effects on the resulting CRLBs. Results indicate that for non-zero-mean channel noise and impulse responses, the resulting mean of filtered noise can be relatively large causing adverse deviations to parameter estimations. The filtered noise variance is shown to be proportional to the impulse response energy, where for long duration of signal capture the CRLB is significantly increased.

  5. Dynamic Characterization and Impulse Response Modeling of Amplitude and Phase Response of Silicon Nanowires

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Cleary, Ciaran S.; Ji, Hua; Dailey, James M.

    2013-01-01

    Amplitude and phase dynamics of silicon nanowires were measured using time-resolved spectroscopy. Time shifts of the maximum phase change and minimum amplitude as a function of pump power due to saturation of the free-carrier density were observed. A phenomenological impulse response model used t...

  6. The Right Superior Frontal Gyrus and Individual Variation in Proactive Control of Impulsive Response.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Sien; Ide, Jaime S; Zhang, Sheng; Li, Chiang-Shan R

    2016-12-14

    A hallmark of cognitive control is the ability to rein in impulsive responses. Previously, we used a Bayesian model to describe trial-by-trial likelihood of the stop signal or p(Stop) and related regional activations to p(Stop) to response slowing in a stop signal task. Here, we characterized the regional processes of conflict anticipation in association with intersubject variation in impulse control in 114 young adults. We computed the stop signal reaction time (SSRT) and a measure of motor urgency, indexed by the reaction time (RT) difference between go and stop error trials or "GoRT - SERT," where GoRT is the go trial RT and SERT is the stop error RT. Motor urgency and SSRT were positively correlated across subjects. A linear regression identified regional activations to p(Stop), each in correlation with SSRT and motor urgency. We hypothesized that shared neural activities mediate the correlation between motor urgency and SSRT in proactive control of impulsivity. Activation of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate cortex and right superior frontal gyrus (SFG) during conflict anticipation correlated negatively with the SSRT. Activation of the right SFG also correlated negatively with GoRT - SERT. Therefore, activation of the right SFG was associated with more efficient response inhibition and less motor urgency. A mediation analysis showed that right SFG activation to conflict anticipation mediates the correlation between SSRT and motor urgency bidirectionally. The current results highlight a specific role of the right SFG in translating conflict anticipation to the control of impulsive response, which is consistent with earlier studies suggesting its function in action restraint. Individuals vary in impulse control. However, the neural bases underlying individual variation in proactive control of impulsive responses remain unknown. Here, in a large sample of young adults, we showed that activation of the right superior frontal gyrus (SFG

  7. Association between impulsivity, reward responsiveness and body mass index in children

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Van den Berg, L.; Pieterse, K.; Malik, J.A.; Luman, M.; Willems van Dijk, K.; Oosterlaan, J.; Delemarre-van de Waal, H.A.

    2011-01-01

    Background:Childhood obesity is a major health problem. An association between children's body mass index (BMI) and overeating has been established, but mechanisms leading to overeating are poorly understood. The personality characteristics impulsivity and reward responsiveness may be involved in

  8. HITCal: a software tool for analysis of video head impulse test responses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rey-Martinez, Jorge; Batuecas-Caletrio, Angel; Matiño, Eusebi; Perez Fernandez, Nicolás

    2015-09-01

    The developed software (HITCal) may be a useful tool in the analysis and measurement of the saccadic video head impulse test (vHIT) responses and with the experience obtained during its use the authors suggest that HITCal is an excellent method for enhanced exploration of vHIT outputs. To develop a (software) method to analyze and explore the vHIT responses, mainly saccades. HITCal was written using a computational development program; the function to access a vHIT file was programmed; extended head impulse exploration and measurement tools were created and an automated saccade analysis was developed using an experimental algorithm. For pre-release HITCal laboratory tests, a database of head impulse tests (HITs) was created with the data collected retrospectively in three reference centers. This HITs database was evaluated by humans and was also computed with HITCal. The authors have successfully built HITCal and it has been released as open source software; the developed software was fully operative and all the proposed characteristics were incorporated in the released version. The automated saccades algorithm implemented in HITCal has good concordance with the assessment by human observers (Cohen's kappa coefficient = 0.7).

  9. Low-complexity Wireless Monitoring of Respiratory Movements Using Ultra-wideband Impulse Response Estimation

    KAUST Repository

    Sana, Furrukh

    2014-03-01

    In this paper; we present a comprehensive scheme for wireless monitoring of the respiratory movements in humans. Our scheme overcomes the challenges low signal-to-noise ratio, background clutter and high sampling rates. It is based on the estimation of the ultra-wideband channel impulse response. We suggest techniques for dealing with background clutter in situations when it might be time variant. We also present a novel methodology for reducing the required sampling rate of the system significantly while achieving the accuracy offered by the Nyquist rate. Performance results from simulations conducted with pre-recorded respiratory signals demonstrate the robustness of our scheme for tackling the above challenges and providing a low-complexity solution for the monitoring of respiratory movements.

  10. The dynamical behaviors of a food chain model with impulsive effect and Ivlev functional response

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xiang Zhongyi; Song Xinyu

    2009-01-01

    In this paper, a food chain model with Ivlev functional response and impulsive effect of top predator is investigated. Conditions for extinction of mid-level predator are given. By using the Floquet theory of linear τ-period impulsive differential equation and small amplitude perturbation skills, we show that the lowest-level prey and the mid-level predator extinction periodic solution is unstable, while the mid-level predator eradication periodic solution is stable, and meanwhile, we prove that the system is permanent if the impulsive period is larger than some critical value. Furthermore, influences of the impulsive perturbation on the inherent oscillation are studied numerically, which displays complicated behavior including a sequence of direct and inverse cascade of period doubling, period halfing as well as chaos.

  11. Ethanol induces impulsive-like responding in a delay-of-reward operant choice procedure: impulsivity predicts autoshaping.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tomie, A; Aguado, A S; Pohorecky, L A; Benjamin, D

    1998-10-01

    Autoshaping conditioned responses (CRs) are reflexive and targeted motor responses expressed as a result of experience with reward. To evaluate the hypothesis that autoshaping may be a form of impulsive responding, within-subjects correlations between performance on autoshaping and impulsivity tasks were assessed in 15 Long-Evans hooded rats. Autoshaping procedures [insertion of retractable lever conditioned stimulus (CS) followed by the response-independent delivery of food (US)] were followed by testing for impulsive-like responding in a two-choice lever-press operant delay-of-reward procedure (immediate small food reward versus delayed large food reward). Delay-of-reward functions revealed two distinct subject populations. Subjects in the Sensitive group (n=7) were more impulsive-like, increasing immediate reward choices at longer delays for large reward, while those in the Insensitive group (n=8) responded predominantly on only one lever. During the prior autoshaping phase, the Sensitive group had performed more autoshaping CRs, and correlations revealed that impulsive subjects acquired the autoshaping CR in fewer trials. In the Sensitive group, acute injections of ethanol (0, 0.25, 0.50, 1.00, 1.50 g/kg) given immediately before delay-of-reward sessions yielded an inverted U-shaped dose-response curve with increased impulsivity induced by the 0.25, 0.50, and 1.00 g/kg doses of ethanol, while choice strategy of the Insensitive group was not influenced by ethanol dose. Ethanol induced impulsive-like responding only in rats that were flexible in their response strategy (Sensitive group), and this group also performed more autoshaping CRs. Data support the hypothesis that autoshaping and impulsivity are linked.

  12. Impaired decisional impulsivity in pathological videogamers.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael A Irvine

    Full Text Available Pathological gaming is an emerging and poorly understood problem. Impulsivity is commonly impaired in disorders of behavioural and substance addiction, hence we sought to systematically investigate the different subtypes of decisional and motor impulsivity in a well-defined pathological gaming cohort.Fifty-two pathological gaming subjects and age-, gender- and IQ-matched healthy volunteers were tested on decisional impulsivity (Information Sampling Task testing reflection impulsivity and delay discounting questionnaire testing impulsive choice, and motor impulsivity (Stop Signal Task testing motor response inhibition, and the premature responding task. We used stringent diagnostic criteria highlighting functional impairment.In the Information Sampling Task, pathological gaming participants sampled less evidence prior to making a decision and scored fewer points compared with healthy volunteers. Gaming severity was also negatively correlated with evidence gathered and positively correlated with sampling error and points acquired. In the delay discounting task, pathological gamers made more impulsive choices, preferring smaller immediate over larger delayed rewards. Pathological gamers made more premature responses related to comorbid nicotine use. Greater number of hours played also correlated with a Motivational Index. Greater frequency of role playing games was associated with impaired motor response inhibition and strategy games with faster Go reaction time.We show that pathological gaming is associated with impaired decisional impulsivity with negative consequences in task performance. Decisional impulsivity may be a potential target in therapeutic management.

  13. Ice Sheet Roughness Estimation Based on Impulse Responses Acquired in the Global Ice Sheet Mapping Orbiter Mission

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niamsuwan, N.; Johnson, J. T.; Jezek, K. C.; Gogineni, P.

    2008-12-01

    The Global Ice Sheet Mapping Orbiter (GISMO) mission was developed to address scientific needs to understand the polar ice subsurface structure. This NASA Instrument Incubator Program project is a collaboration between Ohio State University, the University of Kansas, Vexcel Corporation and NASA. The GISMO design utilizes an interferometric SAR (InSAR) strategy in which ice sheet reflected signals received by a dual-antenna system are used to produce an interference pattern. The resulting interferogram can be used to filter out surface clutter so as to reveal the signals scattered from the base of the ice sheet. These signals are further processed to produce 3D-images representing basal topography of the ice sheet. In the past three years, the GISMO airborne field campaigns that have been conducted provide a set of useful data for studying geophysical properties of the Greenland ice sheet. While topography information can be obtained using interferometric SAR processing techniques, ice sheet roughness statistics can also be derived by a relatively simple procedure that involves analyzing power levels and the shape of the radar impulse response waveforms. An electromagnetic scattering model describing GISMO impulse responses has previously been proposed and validated. This model suggested that rms-heights and correlation lengths of the upper surface profile can be determined from the peak power and the decay rate of the pulse return waveform, respectively. This presentation will demonstrate a procedure for estimating the roughness of ice surfaces by fitting the GISMO impulse response model to retrieved waveforms from selected GISMO flights. Furthermore, an extension of this procedure to estimate the scattering coefficient of the glacier bed will be addressed as well. Planned future applications involving the classification of glacier bed conditions based on the derived scattering coefficients will also be described.

  14. A Reduced-Order Model for Evaluating the Dynamic Response of Multilayer Plates to Impulsive Loads

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-04-12

    A REDUCED-ORDER MODEL FOR EVALUATING THE DYNAMIC RESPONSE OF MULTILAYER PLATES TO IMPULSIVE LOADS Weiran Jiang, Alyssa Bennett, Nickolas...innovative multilayer materials or structures to optimize the dynamic performance as a mechanism to absorb and spread energy from an impulsive load...models. • Optimizing the structural weight and levels of protection of the multilayer plates with a good combination of materials. Technical Approach 2016

  15. Neuroanatomical and Neurochemical Basis of Impulsivity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kemal Yazici

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available The term ‘impulsivity’ encompasses a multitude of behaviours that are poorly conceived, premature, inappropriate, and that frequently result in unwanted or deleterious outcomes. Impulsivity manifests as impatience carelessness, risk-taking, sensation-seeking and pleasure-seeking, an underestimated sense of harm, and extroversion. Impulsivity is a core symptom of a broad spectrum of psychiatric disorders. Through focusing on different aspects of impulsive behavior, it has proved possible to devise a variety of behavioral paradigms to measure impulsivity in both human and non-human subjects. These can be broadly divided into two categories: those measuring impulsive action or motoric impulsivity, and those measuring impulsive choice or impulsive decision-making. Impulsive action can be broadly defined as the inability to withhold from making a response. Within the framework of behavioral neuroscience and cognitive psychology, impulse control has been described as an active inhibitory mechanism which modulates the internally or externally driven pre-potent desire for primary reinforcers such as food, sex or other highly desirable rewards. This inhibitory control mechanism may provide the substrate by which rapid conditioned responses and reflexes are transiently suppressed, so that slower cognitive mechanisms can guide behavior. This process is referred to as response inhibition. Two of the most common tests used to study inhibitory processes are the go/no-go and stop-signal reaction time tasks. Impulsivity is also evident in the making of impulsive decisions or choices as well as in impulsive actions. Here, there is no “pre-potent” response that is primed and then forcibly inhibited, but a decision-making processes. Impulsive decision making or impulsive choice is defined as initiating actions without adequately considering other possible choices or consequences. Impulsive choice is typically measured in the delay discounting paradigm. In

  16. Comparison Study of Airway Reactivity Outcomes due to a Pharmacologic Challenge Test: Impulse Oscillometry versus Least Mean Squared Analysis Techniques

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elena Rodriguez

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The technique of measuring transpulmonary pressure and respiratory airflow with manometry and pneumotachography using the least mean squared analysis (LMS has been used broadly in both preclinical and clinical settings for the evaluation of neonatal respiratory function during tidal volume breathing for lung tissue and airway frictional mechanical properties measurements. Whereas the technique of measuring respiratory function using the impulse oscillation technique (IOS involves the assessment of the relationship between pressure and flow using an impulse signal with a range of frequencies, requires less cooperation and provides more information on total respiratory system resistance (chest wall, lung tissue, and airways. The present study represents a preclinical animal study to determine whether these respiratory function techniques (LMS and IOS are comparable in detecting changes in respiratory resistance derived from a direct pharmacological challenge.

  17. Clarifying relations between dispositional aggression and brain potential response: overlapping and distinct contributions of impulsivity and stress reactivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Venables, Noah C; Patrick, Christopher J; Hall, Jason R; Bernat, Edward M

    2011-03-01

    Impulsive-aggressive individuals exhibit deficits in amplitude of the P3 brain potential response, however, it remains unclear how separable dispositional traits account for this association. The current study sought to clarify the basis of this association by examining contributions of trait impulsiveness and stress reactivity to the observed relationship between dispositional aggression and amplitude of the P3 brain potential response in a visual novelty-oddball procedure. A significant negative association was found between aggressiveness and amplitude of P3 response to both target and novel stimuli over frontal-central scalp sites. Impulsivity showed a parallel inverse relationship with P3 amplitude, attributable to its overlap with dispositional aggression. In contrast, stress reactivity did not exhibit a zero-order association with P3 amplitude, but modestly predicted P3 in a positive direction after accounting for its overlap with aggression. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for individual difference variables and brain processes underlying impulsive-aggressive behavior. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Impulsivity and Cluster B Personality Disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turner, Daniel; Sebastian, Alexandra; Tüscher, Oliver

    2017-03-01

    Impulsivity is a multifaceted construct and an important personality trait in various mental health conditions. Among personality disorders (PDs), especially cluster B PDs are affected. The aims of this review are to summarize the relevant findings of the past 3 years concerning impulsivity in cluster B PDs and to identify those subcomponents of self-reported impulsivity and experimentally measured impulse control that are most affected in these disorders. All studies referred to antisocial (ASPD) or borderline PD (BPD), and none were found for narcissistic or histrionic PD. In ASPD as well as BPD, self-report scales primarily revealed heightened impulsivity compared to healthy controls. In experimental tasks, ASPD patients showed impairments in response inhibition, while fewer deficits were found in delay discounting. BPD patients showed specific impairments in delay discounting and proactive interference, while response inhibition was less affected. However, after inducing high levels of stress, deficits in response inhibition could also be observed in BPD patients. Furthermore, negative affect led to altered brain activation patterns in BPD patients during impulse control tasks, but no behavioral impairments were found. As proposed by the DSM-5 alternative model for personality disorders, heightened impulsivity is a core personality trait in BPD and ASPD, which is in line with current research findings. However, different components of experimentally measured impulse control are affected in BPD and ASPD, and impulsivity occurring in negative emotional states or increased distress seems to be specific for BPD. Future research could be focused on measures that assess impulsive behaviors on a momentary basis as this is a promising approach especially for further ecological validation and transfer into clinical practice.

  19. fMRI investigation of response inhibition, emotion, impulsivity, and clinical high-risk behaviour in adolescents

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matthew R G Brown

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available High-risk behaviour in adolescents is associated with injury, mental health problems, and poor outcomes in later life. Improved understanding of the neurobiology of high-risk behaviour and impulsivity shows promise for informing clinical treatment and prevention as well as policy to better address high-risk behaviour. We recruited 21 adolescents (age 14-17 with a wide range of high-risk behaviour tendencies, including medically high-risk participants recruited from psychiatric clinics. Risk tendencies were assessed using the Adolescent Risk Behaviour Screen (ARBS. ARBS risk scores correlated highly (0.78 with impulsivity scores from the Barratt Impulsivity scale (BIS. Participants underwent 4.7 Tesla functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI while performing an emotional Go/NoGo task. This task presented an aversive or neutral distractor image simultaneously with each Go or NoGo stimulus. Risk behaviour and impulsivity tendencies exhibited similar but not identical associations with fMRI activation patterns in prefrontal brain regions. We interpret these results as reflecting differences in response inhibition, emotional stimulus processing, and emotion regulation in relation to participant risk behaviour tendencies and impulsivity levels. The results are consistent with high impulsivity playing an important role in determining high risk tendencies in this sample containing clinically high-risk adolescents.

  20. fMRI investigation of response inhibition, emotion, impulsivity, and clinical high-risk behavior in adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Matthew R G; Benoit, James R A; Juhás, Michal; Dametto, Ericson; Tse, Tiffanie T; MacKay, Marnie; Sen, Bhaskar; Carroll, Alan M; Hodlevskyy, Oleksandr; Silverstone, Peter H; Dolcos, Florin; Dursun, Serdar M; Greenshaw, Andrew J

    2015-01-01

    High-risk behavior in adolescents is associated with injury, mental health problems, and poor outcomes in later life. Improved understanding of the neurobiology of high-risk behavior and impulsivity shows promise for informing clinical treatment and prevention as well as policy to better address high-risk behavior. We recruited 21 adolescents (age 14-17) with a wide range of high-risk behavior tendencies, including medically high-risk participants recruited from psychiatric clinics. Risk tendencies were assessed using the Adolescent Risk Behavior Screen (ARBS). ARBS risk scores correlated highly (0.78) with impulsivity scores from the Barratt Impulsivity scale (BIS). Participants underwent 4.7 Tesla functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while performing an emotional Go/NoGo task. This task presented an aversive or neutral distractor image simultaneously with each Go or NoGo stimulus. Risk behavior and impulsivity tendencies exhibited similar but not identical associations with fMRI activation patterns in prefrontal brain regions. We interpret these results as reflecting differences in response inhibition, emotional stimulus processing, and emotion regulation in relation to participant risk behavior tendencies and impulsivity levels. The results are consistent with high impulsivity playing an important role in determining high risk tendencies in this sample containing clinically high-risk adolescents.

  1. On the effects of nonlinearities in room impulse response measurements with exponential sweeps

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ciric, Dejan; Markovic, Milos; Mijic, Miomir

    2013-01-01

    In room impulse response measurements, there are some common disturbances that affect the measured results. These disturbances include nonlinearity, noise and time variance. In this paper, the effects of nonlinearities in the measurements with exponential sweep-sine signals are analyzed from diff...

  2. Impulsive Buying Pada Dewasa Awal Di YOGYAKARTA

    OpenAIRE

    Henrietta, Paulus

    2012-01-01

    This research aimed to know the impulsive buying tendency of early adult in Yogyakarta. Impulsive buying was a buying activity without cosideration, and accompanied by strong emotional response. High impulsive buying tendency occured between age 18 to 39 years old. This research was a quantitative descriptive research with 395 subjects. Generally, the impulsive buying tendency in this research was low. Based on comparation between man and woman, it was found that woman was more impulsive than...

  3. IMPULSIVE BUYING PADA DEWASA AWAL DI YOGYAKARTA

    OpenAIRE

    Paulus Henrietta

    2012-01-01

    T his research aimed to know the impulsive buying tendency of early adult in Yogyakarta. Impulsive buying was a buying activity without cosideration, and accompanied by strong emotional response. High impulsive buying tendency occured between age 18 to 39 years old. This research was a quantitative descriptive research with 395 subjects. Generally, the impulsive buying tendency in this research was low. Based on comparation between man and woman, it was found that woman was more impulsive...

  4. Dose-response relationship of autonomic nervous system responses to individualized training impulse in marathon runners.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manzi, Vincenzo; Castagna, Carlo; Padua, Elvira; Lombardo, Mauro; D'Ottavio, Stefano; Massaro, Michele; Volterrani, Maurizio; Iellamo, Ferdinando

    2009-06-01

    In athletes, exercise training induces autonomic nervous system (ANS) adaptations that could be used to monitor training status. However, the relationship between training and ANS in athletes has been investigated without regard for individual training loads. We tested the hypothesis that in long-distance athletes, changes in ANS parameters are dose-response related to individual volume/intensity training load and could predict athletic performance. A spectral analysis of heart rate (HR), systolic arterial pressure variability, and baroreflex sensitivity by the sequences technique was investigated in eight recreational athletes during a 6-mo training period culminating with a marathon. Individualized training load responses were monitored by a modified training impulse (TRIMP(i)) method, which was determined in each athlete using the individual HR and lactate profiling determined during a treadmill test. Monthly TRIMP(i) steadily increased during the training period. All the ANS parameters were significantly and very highly correlated to the dose of exercise with a second-order regression model (r(2) ranged from 0.90 to 0.99; P marathon. These results suggest that in recreational athletes, ANS adaptations to exercise training are dose related on an individual basis, showing a progressive shift toward a sympathetic predominance, and that LF oscillations in HRV at peak training load could predict athletic achievement in this athlete population.

  5. Modeling transducer impulse responses for predicting calibrated pressure pulses with the ultrasound simulation program Field II

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bæk, David; Jensen, Jørgen Arendt; Willatzen, Morten

    2010-01-01

    FIELD II is a simulation software capable of predicting the field pressure in front of transducers having any complicated geometry. A calibrated prediction with this program is, however, dependent on an exact voltage-to-surface acceleration impulse response of the transducer. Such impulse response...... is not calculated by FIELD II. This work investigates the usability of combining a one-dimensional multilayer transducer modeling principle with the FIELD II software. Multilayer here refers to a transducer composed of several material layers. Measurements of pressure and current from Pz27 piezoceramic disks...... transducer model and the FIELD II software in combination give good agreement with measurements....

  6. The clinical assessment of impulsivity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nagesh Brahmavar Pai

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The term impulsivity is often used to describe behavior that is both spontaneous and detrimental. Impulsivity is multidimensional and derives from personality, general psychopathology as well as specific mental disorders. Thus, the construct of impulsivity is important as it is associated with numerous mental disorders as well as socially deviant behaviors ranging from behaviors targeted towards others such as aggression, to behaviors targeted toward oneself, for example, self-harm and suicide. As a clinical construct impulsivity is highly predictive of poor prognosis thus further emphasizing its clinical relevance. Therefore, the need exists for impulsivity to be clinically assessed and this assessment should take place at the same time as the assessment of risk. As risk and impulsivity are interrelated and interact. Although there are existing self-report rating scales for trait-based impulsivity, a dearth exists in regards to assessment of impulsivity in clinical practice that is focused and pragmatic. Thus, a pragmatic rubric to guide the individualized assessment of impulsivity in a clinical population is proposed. The quadrants espoused will assist both with the formulation of questions and categorization of responses to determine the most appropriate interventions for the client.

  7. Unique aspects of impulsive traits in substance use and overeating: specific contributions of common assessments of impulsivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beaton, Derek; Abdi, Hervé; Filbey, Francesca M

    2014-11-01

    Abstract Background: Impulsivity is a complex trait often studied in substance abuse and overeating disorders, but the exact nature of impulsivity traits and their contribution to these disorders are still debated. Thus, understanding how to measure impulsivity is essential for comprehending addictive behaviors. Identify unique impulsivity traits specific to substance use and overeating. Impulsive Sensation Seeking (ImpSS) and Barratt's Impulsivity scales (BIS) Scales were analyzed with a non-parametric factor analytic technique (discriminant correspondence analysis) to identify group-specific traits on 297 individuals from five groups: Marijuana (n = 88), Nicotine (n = 82), Overeaters (n = 27), Marijuauna + Nicotine (n = 63), and CONTROLs (n = 37). A significant overall factor structure revealed three components of impulsivity that explained respectively 50.19% (pperm Overeating: lacks focus, but plans (short and long term). Our results reveal impulsivity traits specific to each group. This may provide better criteria to define spectrums and trajectories - instead of categories - of symptoms for substance use and eating disorders. Defining symptomatic spectrums could be an important step forward in diagnostic strategies.

  8. A note on errors and signal to noise ratio of binary cross-correlation measurements of system impulse response

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cummins, J.D.

    1964-02-01

    The sources of error in the measurement of system impulse response using test signals of a discrete interval binary nature are considered. Methods of correcting for the errors due to theoretical imperfections are given and the variance of the estimate of the system impulse response due to random noise is determined. Several topics related to the main topic are considered e.g. determination of a theoretical model from experimental results. General conclusions about the magnitude of the errors due to the theoretical imperfections are made. (author)

  9. A note on errors and signal to noise ratio of binary cross-correlation measurements of system impulse response

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cummins, J D [Dynamics Group, Control and Instrumentation Division, Atomic Energy Establishment, Winfrith, Dorchester, Dorset (United Kingdom)

    1964-02-15

    The sources of error in the measurement of system impulse response using test signals of a discrete interval binary nature are considered. Methods of correcting for the errors due to theoretical imperfections are given and the variance of the estimate of the system impulse response due to random noise is determined. Several topics related to the main topic are considered e.g. determination of a theoretical model from experimental results. General conclusions about the magnitude of the errors due to the theoretical imperfections are made. (author)

  10. IMPULSIVE BUYING PADA DEWASA AWAL DI YOGYAKARTA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paulus Henrietta

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available T his research aimed to know the impulsive buying tendency of early adult in Yogyakarta. Impulsive buying was a buying activity without cosideration, and accompanied by strong emotional response. High impulsive buying tendency occured between age 18 to 39 years old. This research was a quantitative descriptive research with 395 subjects. Generally, the impulsive buying tendency in this research was low. Based on comparation between man and woman, it was found that woman was more impulsive than man. The result also showed that married person was more impulsive than unmarried person. Based on the types of job, there was several different among those types. But there was no different of impulsive buying tendency based on the education background level. Keywords: impulsive buying, early adult

  11. Dynamic Analysis of an Impulsively Controlled Predator-Prey Model with Holling Type IV Functional Response

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yanzhen Wang

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The dynamic behavior of a predator-prey model with Holling type IV functional response is investigated with respect to impulsive control strategies. The model is analyzed to obtain the conditions under which the system is locally asymptotically stable and permanent. Existence of a positive periodic solution of the system and the boundedness of the system is also confirmed. Furthermore, numerical analysis is used to discover the influence of impulsive perturbations. The system is found to exhibit rich dynamics such as symmetry-breaking pitchfork bifurcation, chaos, and nonunique dynamics.

  12. Impulsivity in binge eating disorder: food cues elicit increased reward responses and disinhibition.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kathrin Schag

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Binge eating disorder (BED represents a distinct eating disorder diagnosis. Current approaches assume increased impulsivity to be one factor leading to binge eating and weight gain. We used eye tracking to investigate both components of impulsivity, namely reward sensitivity and rash-spontaneous behaviour towards food in BED for the first time. METHODS: Overweight and obese people with BED (BED+; n = 25, without BED (BED-; n = 26 and healthy normal-weight controls (NWC; n = 25 performed a free exploration paradigm measuring reward sensitivity (experiment 1 and a modified antisaccade paradigm measuring disinhibited, rash-spontaneous behaviour (experiment 2 using food and nonfood stimuli. Additionally, trait impulsivity was assessed. RESULTS: In experiment 1, all participants located their initial fixations more often on food stimuli and BED+ participants gazed longer on food stimuli in comparison with BED- and NWC participants. In experiment 2, BED+ participants had more difficulties inhibiting saccades towards food and nonfood stimuli compared with both other groups in first saccades, and especially towards food stimuli in second saccades and concerning sequences of first and second saccades. BED- participants did not differ significantly from NWC participants in both experiments. Additionally, eye tracking performance was associated with self-reported reward responsiveness and self-control. CONCLUSIONS: According to these results, food-related reward sensitivity and rash-spontaneous behaviour, as the two components of impulsivity, are increased in BED in comparison with weight-matched and normal-weight controls. This indicates that BED represents a neurobehavioural phenotype of obesity that is characterised by increased impulsivity. Interventions for BED should target these special needs of affected patients.

  13. Complex Projective Synchronization in Drive-Response Stochastic Complex Networks by Impulsive Pinning Control

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xuefei Wu

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The complex projective synchronization in drive-response stochastic coupled networks with complex-variable systems is considered. The impulsive pinning control scheme is adopted to achieve complex projective synchronization and several simple and practical sufficient conditions are obtained in a general drive-response network. In addition, the adaptive feedback algorithms are proposed to adjust the control strength. Several numerical simulations are provided to show the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed methods.

  14. Rearing practices and impulsivity/hyperactivity symptoms in relation to inflated responsibility and obsessive-compulsive symptoms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smári, Jakob; Martinsson, Davíð Rúrik; Einarsson, Hjalti

    2010-10-01

    The aim of the study was to investigate potential precursors of inflated responsibility (responsibility attitudes) and obsessive-compulsive (OCD) symptoms. It was argued that both parental overprotection and impulsivity, separately and in interaction with each other, contribute to inflated responsibility and OCD symptoms. In a large sample of young adults (N = 570), self-report measures of OCD symptoms (OCI-R), responsibility attitudes (RAS), anxiety/depression (HADS), rearing practices (EMBU), present and past impulsivity/hyperactivity symptoms (IMP/HY) were administered. Overprotection as well as IMP/HY were found to predict OCD symptoms as well as inflated responsibility. Finally, a significant interaction was found between IMP/HY and overprotection with regard to both OCD symptoms and inflated responsibility. This effect reflected that IMP/HY was more strongly related to OCD symptoms and responsibility in people who had not been overprotected than in people who had been. Conversely overprotection was related to OCD symptoms and responsibility in people low but not in people high in IMP/HY. The results seem to indicate that the inadequacy between offer and need for parental control may play a role in the development of OCD symptoms. © 2010 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology © 2010 The Scandinavian Psychological Associations.

  15. Projectile Aerodynamic Jump Due to Lateral Impulsives

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Cooper, Gene

    2003-01-01

    .... The formulation shows for sufficiently long-range target interception; lateral impulse trajectory response for a guided projectile is independent of when the impulse is activated during the yaw cycle...

  16. Generalized synchronization via impulsive control

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Rong; Xu Zhenyuan; Yang, Simon X.; He Xueming

    2008-01-01

    This paper demonstrates theoretically that two completely different systems can implement GS via impulsive control, moreover by using impulsive control, for a given manifold y = H(x) we construct a response system to achieve GS with drive system and the synchronization manifold is y = H(x). Our theoretical results are supported by numerical examples

  17. Relationships between trait impulsivity and cognitive control: the effect of attention switching on response inhibition and conflict resolution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leshem, Rotem

    2016-02-01

    This study examined the relationship between trait impulsivity and cognitive control, as measured by the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS) and a focused attention dichotic listening to words task, respectively. In the task, attention was manipulated in two attention conditions differing in their cognitive control demands: one in which attention was directed to one ear at a time for a whole block of trials (blocked condition) and another in which attention was switched pseudo-randomly between the two ears from trial to trial (mixed condition). Results showed that high impulsivity participants exhibited more false alarm and intrusion errors as well as a lesser ability to distinguish between stimuli in the mixed condition, as compared to low impulsivity participants. In the blocked condition, the performance levels of the two groups were comparable with respect to these measures. In addition, total BIS scores were correlated with intrusions and laterality index in the mixed but not the blocked condition. The findings suggest that high impulsivity individuals may be less prone to attentional difficulties when cognitive load is relatively low. In contrast, when attention switching is involved, high impulsivity is associated with greater difficulty in inhibiting responses and resolving cognitive conflict than is low impulsivity, as reflected in error-prone information processing. The conclusion is that trait impulsivity in a non-clinical population is manifested more strongly when attention switching is required than during maintained attention. This may have important implications for the conceptualization and treatment of impulsivity in both non-clinical and clinical populations.

  18. Barratt Impulsivity and Neural Regulation of Physiological Arousal.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sheng Zhang

    Full Text Available Theories of personality have posited an increased arousal response to external stimulation in impulsive individuals. However, there is a dearth of studies addressing the neural basis of this association.We recorded skin conductance in 26 individuals who were assessed with Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS-11 and performed a stop signal task during functional magnetic resonance imaging. Imaging data were processed and modeled with Statistical Parametric Mapping. We used linear regressions to examine correlations between impulsivity and skin conductance response (SCR to salient events, identify the neural substrates of arousal regulation, and examine the relationship between the regulatory mechanism and impulsivity.Across subjects, higher impulsivity is associated with greater SCR to stop trials. Activity of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC negatively correlated to and Granger caused skin conductance time course. Furthermore, higher impulsivity is associated with a lesser strength of Granger causality of vmPFC activity on skin conductance, consistent with diminished control of physiological arousal to external stimulation. When men (n = 14 and women (n = 12 were examined separately, however, there was evidence suggesting association between impulsivity and vmPFC regulation of arousal only in women.Together, these findings confirmed the link between Barratt impulsivity and heightened arousal to salient stimuli in both genders and suggested the neural bases of altered regulation of arousal in impulsive women. More research is needed to explore the neural processes of arousal regulation in impulsive individuals and in clinical conditions that implicate poor impulse control.

  19. Barratt Impulsivity and Neural Regulation of Physiological Arousal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Sheng; Hu, Sien; Hu, Jianping; Wu, Po-Lun; Chao, Herta H; Li, Chiang-shan R

    2015-01-01

    Theories of personality have posited an increased arousal response to external stimulation in impulsive individuals. However, there is a dearth of studies addressing the neural basis of this association. We recorded skin conductance in 26 individuals who were assessed with Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS-11) and performed a stop signal task during functional magnetic resonance imaging. Imaging data were processed and modeled with Statistical Parametric Mapping. We used linear regressions to examine correlations between impulsivity and skin conductance response (SCR) to salient events, identify the neural substrates of arousal regulation, and examine the relationship between the regulatory mechanism and impulsivity. Across subjects, higher impulsivity is associated with greater SCR to stop trials. Activity of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) negatively correlated to and Granger caused skin conductance time course. Furthermore, higher impulsivity is associated with a lesser strength of Granger causality of vmPFC activity on skin conductance, consistent with diminished control of physiological arousal to external stimulation. When men (n = 14) and women (n = 12) were examined separately, however, there was evidence suggesting association between impulsivity and vmPFC regulation of arousal only in women. Together, these findings confirmed the link between Barratt impulsivity and heightened arousal to salient stimuli in both genders and suggested the neural bases of altered regulation of arousal in impulsive women. More research is needed to explore the neural processes of arousal regulation in impulsive individuals and in clinical conditions that implicate poor impulse control.

  20. Overlapping and disease specific trait, response, and reflection impulsivity in adolescents with first-episode schizophrenia spectrum disorders or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jepsen, J R M; Rydkjaer, J; Fagerlund, B; Pagsberg, A K; Jespersen, R Av F; Glenthøj, B Y; Oranje, B

    2018-03-01

    Schizophrenia and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are developmental disorders with shared clinical characteristics such as cognitive impairments and impulsivity. Impulsivity is a core feature of ADHD and an important factor in aggression, violence, and substance use in schizophrenia. Based on the hypothesis that schizophrenia and ADHD represent a continuum of neurodevelopmental impairments, the aim was to identify overlapping and disease specific forms of impulsivity. Adolescents between 12 and 17 years of age were assessed with the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-aged Children - Present and Lifetime Version. Subjects with early-onset, first-episode schizophrenia spectrum disorders (EOS) (N = 29) or ADHD (N = 29) and healthy controls (N = 45) were compared on two performance measures (Information Sampling Task, Stop Signal Task) and a subjective personality trait measure of impulsivity (Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, Version 11 (BIS-11)). Significantly increased reflection impulsivity was observed in ADHD but not in the EOS group. No significant response inhibition deficits (stop signal reaction time) were found in the two clinical groups. The ADHD and the EOS group showed significantly increased motor, attentional, and non-planning subtraits of impulsivity. Impaired pre-decisional information gathering appeared to be specific for ADHD while the information gathering was not significantly reduced in subjects with EOS. Neither the ADHD nor EOS group showed impaired response inhibition but shared increased personality subtraits of attentional, non-planning, and motor impulsivity although the latter was significantly more pronounced in ADHD. These increased subtraits of impulsivity may reflect diagnostic non-specific neurodevelopmental impairments in ADHD and EOS in adolescence.

  1. Analysis of an impulse response measured at the basilar membrane of the chinchilla (L)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wit, Hero P.; Bell, Andrew

    In a recent paper [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 133, 2224-2239 (2013)], Shera and Cooper report on the impulse response of the basilar membrane (BM) of a chinchilla, a waveform which shows repetitive bursts. They explain the bursts in terms of repeated coherent reflection at BM discontinuities and partial

  2. Bulk microstructure and local elastic properties of carbon nanocomposites studied by impulse acoustic microscopy technique

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levin, V.; Petronyuk, Yu.; Morokov, E.; Chernozatonskii, L.; Kuzhir, P.; Fierro, V.; Celzard, A.; Bellucci, S.; Bistarelli, S.; Mastrucci, M.; Tabacchioni, I.

    2016-05-01

    Bulk microstructure and elastic properties of epoxy-nanocarbon nanocomposites for diverse types and different content of carbon nanofiller has been studied by using impulse acoustic microscopy technique. It has been shown occurrence of various types of mesoscopic structure formed by nanoparticles inside the bulk of nanocomposite materials, including nanoparticle conglomerates and nanoparticle aerogel systems. In spite of the bulk microstructure, nanocarbon composites demonstrate elastic uniformity and negligible influence of nanofiller on elastic properties of carbon nanocomposite materials.

  3. Identification of pulse echo impulse responses for multi source transmission

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gran, Fredrik; Jensen, Jørgen Arendt

    2004-01-01

    is a mixture of the information corresponding to several transmitters. There is, thus, no direct way of determining which information corresponds to which transmitter, preventing proper focusing. In this paper we decode the received signal by estimating the pulse echo impulse responses between every....... The method is evaluated using the simulation tool Field II. Three point spread functions are simulated where axial movement of 1 m/s is present. The axial resolution for the moving scatterer is 0.249 mm (-3dB) and 0.291 mm (-6dB), which is compared to a standard STA transmission scheme with sequential...

  4. Effects of Acute Tryptophan Depletion on Three Different Types of Behavioral Impulsivity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Donald M. Dougherty

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction While central nervous system serotonin has been implicated in a variety of problematic impulsive behaviors, biological manipulation of brain serotonin using acute tryptophan depletion for studying changes in impulsive behavior has received little attention. Methods Using identical treatment conditions, we examined the effects of reduced serotonin synthesis for each of three matched groups using acute tryptophan depletion. Thirty healthy men and women (ages 18–45 were assigned to perform one of three tasks assessing different types of behavioral impulsivity: response initiation, response inhibition, and consequence sensitivity ( N = 90. Participants completed two experimental days during which each consumed either a tryptophan-depletion or balanced-placebo amino-acid formulation and completed 5 sessions of their respective tasks at 0.25 h before and 1.5, 4.0, 5.0, and 6.0 h after beverage consumption. Results During peak effectiveness (5.0 h to 6.0 h following amino-acid consumption, depletion produced selective differences dependent on the type of impulsivity being tested. Specifically, relative to baseline testing (pre-depletion, response initiation impulsivity was significantly increased during the peak effects of depletion. And, when compared to placebo control, both response initiation and consequence sensitivity impulsivity were increased during the peak effects of depletion. Conclusion Though response initiation and consequence sensitivity impulsivity were affected by tryptophan depletion, response inhibition impulsivity was not, suggesting that other biological processes may underlie this specific component of impulsivity. Future research in other populations or using different pharmacological agents is warranted to further examine the biological processes underlying these components of impulsivity.

  5. Effects of Acute Tryptophan Depletion on Three Different Types of Behavioral Impulsivity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Donald M. Dougherty

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: While central nervous system serotonin has been implicated in a variety of problematic impulsive behaviors, biological manipulation of brain serotonin using acute tryptophan depletion for studying changes in impulsive behavior has received little attention. Methods: Using identical treatment conditions, we examined the effects of reduced serotonin synthesis for each of three matched groups using acute tryptophan depletion. Thirty healthy men and women (ages 18–45 were assigned to perform one of three tasks assessing different types of behavioral impulsivity: response initiation, response inhibition, and consequence sensitivity (N = 90. Participants completed two experimental days during which each consumed either a tryptophan-depletion or balanced-placebo amino-acid formulation and completed 5 sessions of their respective tasks at 0.25 h before and 1.5, 4.0, 5.0, and 6.0 h after beverage consumption. Results: During peak effectiveness (5.0 h to 6.0 h following amino-acid consumption, depletion produced selective differences dependent on the type of impulsivity being tested. Specifically, relative to baseline testing (pre-depletion, response initiation impulsivity was significantly increased during the peak effects of depletion. And, when compared to placebo control, both response initiation and consequence sensitivity impulsivity were increased during the peak effects of depletion. Conclusion: Though response initiation and consequence sensitivity impulsivity were affected by tryptophan depletion, response inhibition impulsivity was not, suggesting that other biological processes may underlie this specific component of impulsivity. Future research in other populations or using different pharmacological agents is warranted to further examine the biological processes underlying these components of impulsivity.

  6. The relationship between lateral differences in tympanic membrane temperature and behavioral impulsivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Helton, William S

    2010-11-01

    In this study lateral differences in tympanic membrane temperature (T(Ty)) were explored as a correlate of either impulsive or cautious responding in Go-No-Go tasks. Thirty-two women and men performed two sustained attention to response tasks (Go-No-Go tasks). Those with warmer right in comparison to left tympanic membranes were more cautious, and those with warmer left in comparison to right tympanic membranes were more impulsive. This finding is in line with previous research and theory indicating a hemispheric bias for active and passive behavior. T(Ty) may be a useful addition to the techniques employed by neuropsychologists. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Linear Ordinary Differential Equations with Constant Coefficients. Revisiting the Impulsive Response Method Using Factorization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Camporesi, Roberto

    2011-01-01

    We present an approach to the impulsive response method for solving linear constant-coefficient ordinary differential equations based on the factorization of the differential operator. The approach is elementary, we only assume a basic knowledge of calculus and linear algebra. In particular, we avoid the use of distribution theory, as well as of…

  8. Impulsivity, self-control, and hypnotic suggestibility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ludwig, V U; Stelzel, C; Krutiak, H; Prunkl, C E; Steimke, R; Paschke, L M; Kathmann, N; Walter, H

    2013-06-01

    Hypnotic responding might be due to attenuated frontal lobe functioning after the hypnotic induction. Little is known about whether personality traits linked with frontal functioning are associated with responsiveness to hypnotic suggestions. We assessed whether hypnotic suggestibility is related to the traits of self-control and impulsivity in 154 participants who completed the Brief Self-Control Scale, the Self-Regulation Scale, the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11), and the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility (HGSHS:A). BIS-11 non-planning impulsivity correlated positively with HGSHS:A (Bonferroni-corrected). Furthermore, in the best model emerging from a stepwise multiple regression, both non-planning impulsivity and self-control positively predicted hypnotic suggestibility, and there was an interaction of BIS-11 motor impulsivity with gender. For men only, motor impulsivity tended to predict hypnotic suggestibility. Hypnotic suggestibility is associated with personality traits linked with frontal functioning, and hypnotic responding in men and women might differ. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Impulsive responses to emotion as a transdiagnostic vulnerability to internalizing and externalizing symptoms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Sheri L; Carver, Charles S; Joormann, Jutta

    2013-09-25

    This study explored the hypothesis that impulsive reactions to heightened emotion may reflect a transdiagnostic vulnerability to both externalizing and internalizing symptoms. A sample of undergraduates completed self-report measures of aggression, borderline personality disorder symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and alcohol problems, and a subset completed interviews that assessed suicidality. All participants also completed self-report measures relating to impulsivity. We predicted that emotion-reactive impulsivity, but not other aspects of impulsivity, would be related to the set of psychopathology symptoms. Multiple regression analyses found that emotion-reactive impulsivity was uniquely related to each of the psychopathology scales, whereas non-emotion-relevant impulsivity was uniquely related only to alcohol problems. Discussion focuses on limitations and clinical implications. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Application of light-initiated explosive for simulating x-ray blowoff impulse effects on a full scale reentry vehicle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Benham, R.A.; Mathews, F.H.; Higgins, P.B.

    1976-01-01

    Laboratory nuclear effects testing allows the study of reentry vehicle response to simulated exoatmospheric x-ray encounters. Light-initiated explosive produces the nearly simultaneous impulse loading of a structure by using a spray painted coating of explosive which is detonated by an intense flash of light. A lateral impulse test on a full scale reentry vehicle is described which demonstrates that the light-initiated explosive technique can be extended to the lateral loading of very large systems involving load discontinuities. This experiment required the development of a diagnostic method for verifying the applied impulse, and development of a large light source for simultaneously initiating the explosive over the surface of the vehicle. Acceptable comparison between measured strain response and code predictions is obtained. The structural capability and internal response of a vehicle subjected to an x-ray environment was determined from a light-initiated explosive test

  11. Applied impulsive mathematical models

    CERN Document Server

    Stamova, Ivanka

    2016-01-01

    Using the theory of impulsive differential equations, this book focuses on mathematical models which reflect current research in biology, population dynamics, neural networks and economics. The authors provide the basic background from the fundamental theory and give a systematic exposition of recent results related to the qualitative analysis of impulsive mathematical models. Consisting of six chapters, the book presents many applicable techniques, making them available in a single source easily accessible to researchers interested in mathematical models and their applications. Serving as a valuable reference, this text is addressed to a wide audience of professionals, including mathematicians, applied researchers and practitioners.

  12. Impulsivity, Working Memory, and Impaired Control over Alcohol: A Latent Variable Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wardell, Jeffrey D.; Quilty, Lena C.; Hendershot, Christian S.

    2017-01-01

    Impaired control over alcohol is an important risk factor for heavy drinking among young adults and may mediate, in part, the association between personality risk and alcohol problems. Research suggests that trait impulsivity is associated with impaired control over alcohol; however, few studies of this association have included a range of impulsivity facets. The purpose of this study was to examine specific pathways from higher-order impulsivity factors to alcohol problems mediated via impaired control over alcohol. We also examined the moderating role of working memory in these associations. Young heavy drinkers (N=300) completed two multidimensional impulsivity measures (UPPS-P and BIS-11) along with self-report measures of impaired control over alcohol, alcohol use, and alcohol problems. Working memory was assessed using a computerized digit span task. Results showed that the impulsivity facets loaded onto two higher-order factors that were labeled response and reflection impulsivity. Response impulsivity predicted unique variance in self-reported impaired control and alcohol problems, whereas reflection impulsivity predicted unique variance in heavy drinking frequency only. Further, significant indirect associations were observed from response and reflection impulsivity to alcohol problems mediated via impaired control and heavy drinking frequency, respectively. Working memory and sensation seeking were not uniquely associated with the alcohol variables, and no support was found for the moderating role of working memory. The results help to clarify associations among impulsivity, impaired control, and alcohol problems, suggesting that impaired control may play a specific role in the pathway to alcohol problems from response impulsivity but not from reflection impulsivity. PMID:27269291

  13. Shock Tube as an Impulsive Application Device

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Soumya Ranjan Nanda

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Current investigations solely focus on application of an impulse facility in diverse area of high-speed aerodynamics and structural mechanics. Shock tube, the fundamental impulse facility, is specially designed and calibrated for present objectives. Force measurement experiments are performed on a hemispherical test model integrated with the stress wave force balance. Similar test model is considered for heat transfer measurements using coaxial thermocouple. Force and heat transfer experiments demonstrated that the strain gauge and thermocouple have lag time of 11.5 and 9 microseconds, respectively. Response time of these sensors in measuring the peak load is also measured successfully using shock tube facility. As an outcome, these sensors are found to be suitable for impulse testing. Lastly, the response of aluminum plates subjected to impulsive loading is analyzed by measuring the in-plane strain produced during deformation. Thus, possibility of forming tests in shock is also confirmed.

  14. FPGA-based electrocardiography (ECG signal analysis system using least-square linear phase finite impulse response (FIR filter

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohamed G. Egila

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents a proposed design for analyzing electrocardiography (ECG signals. This methodology employs highpass least-square linear phase Finite Impulse Response (FIR filtering technique to filter out the baseline wander noise embedded in the input ECG signal to the system. Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT was utilized as a feature extraction methodology to extract the reduced feature set from the input ECG signal. The design uses back propagation neural network classifier to classify the input ECG signal. The system is implemented on Xilinx 3AN-XC3S700AN Field Programming Gate Array (FPGA board. A system simulation has been done. The design is compared with some other designs achieving total accuracy of 97.8%, and achieving reduction in utilizing resources on FPGA implementation.

  15. Pulsed-laser-activated impulse response encoder: Sensitive detection of surface elastic waves on biomimetic microsized gel spheres

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yasukuni, Ryohei; Fukushima, Ryosuke; Iino, Takanori; Hosokawa, Yoichiroh

    2017-11-01

    A femtosecond-laser-induced impulsive force was applied to microsized calcium alginate (CaAlg) gel spheres as an external force to excite elastic waves. To evaluate elasticity, atomic force microscopy (AFM) was applied to detect vibration propagation. The sphere size dependence of the vibration was well reproduced by finite element method (FEM) simulation for pressure waves and surface acoustic waves. The obtained results indicate that the pulsed-laser-activated impulse response encoder (PLAIRE) enables the sensitive detection of elasticities, not only on inside but also on the surface.

  16. Response of Non-Linear Systems to Renewal Impulses by Path Integration

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Søren R.K.; Iwankiewicz, R.

    The cell-to-cell mapping (path integration) technique has been devised for MDOF non-linear and non-hysteretic systems subjected to random trains of impulses driven by an ordinary renewal point process with gamma-distributed integer parameter interarrival times (an Erlang process). Since the renewal...... point process has not independent increments the state vector of the system, consisting of the generalized displacements and velocities, is not a Markov process. Initially it is shown how the indicated systems can be converted to an equivalent Poisson driven system at the expense of introducing...... additional discrete-valued state variables for which the stochastic equations are also formulated....

  17. A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Novel Self-Help Technique for Impulse Control Disorders: A Study on Nail-Biting

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moritz, Steffen; Treszl, Andras; Rufer, Michael

    2011-01-01

    Nail-biting is currently classified as an impulse control disorder not otherwise specified. Although seldom targeted as a primary symptom, nail-biting is often associated with somatic complications and decreased quality of life. The present study assessed the effectiveness of an innovative self-help technique, titled decoupling (DC). DC aims at…

  18. Stability analysis of impulsive parabolic complex networks

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang Jinliang, E-mail: wangjinliang1984@yahoo.com.cn [Science and Technology on Aircraft Control Laboratory, School of Automation Science and Electrical Engineering, Beihang University, XueYuan Road, No. 37, HaiDian District, Beijing 100191 (China); Wu Huaining [Science and Technology on Aircraft Control Laboratory, School of Automation Science and Electrical Engineering, Beihang University, XueYuan Road, No. 37, HaiDian District, Beijing 100191 (China)

    2011-11-15

    Highlights: > Two impulsive parabolic complex network models are proposed. > The global exponential stability of impulsive parabolic complex networks are considered. > The robust global exponential stability of impulsive parabolic complex networks are considered. - Abstract: In the present paper, two kinds of impulsive parabolic complex networks (IPCNs) are considered. In the first one, all nodes have the same time-varying delay. In the second one, different nodes have different time-varying delays. Using the Lyapunov functional method combined with the inequality techniques, some global exponential stability criteria are derived for the IPCNs. Furthermore, several robust global exponential stability conditions are proposed to take uncertainties in the parameters of the IPCNs into account. Finally, numerical simulations are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the results obtained here.

  19. Stability analysis of impulsive parabolic complex networks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Jinliang; Wu Huaining

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → Two impulsive parabolic complex network models are proposed. → The global exponential stability of impulsive parabolic complex networks are considered. → The robust global exponential stability of impulsive parabolic complex networks are considered. - Abstract: In the present paper, two kinds of impulsive parabolic complex networks (IPCNs) are considered. In the first one, all nodes have the same time-varying delay. In the second one, different nodes have different time-varying delays. Using the Lyapunov functional method combined with the inequality techniques, some global exponential stability criteria are derived for the IPCNs. Furthermore, several robust global exponential stability conditions are proposed to take uncertainties in the parameters of the IPCNs into account. Finally, numerical simulations are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the results obtained here.

  20. Razumikhin-Type Stability Criteria for Differential Equations with Delayed Impulses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Qing; Zhu, Quanxin

    2013-01-01

    This paper studies stability problems of general impulsive differential equations where time delays occur in both differential and difference equations. Based on the method of Lyapunov functions, Razumikhin technique and mathematical induction, several stability criteria are obtained for differential equations with delayed impulses. Our results show that some systems with delayed impulses may be exponentially stabilized by impulses even if the system matrices are unstable. Some less restrictive sufficient conditions are also given to keep the good stability property of systems subject to certain type of impulsive perturbations. Examples with numerical simulations are discussed to illustrate the theorems. Our results may be applied to complex problems where impulses depend on both current and past states.

  1. Razumikhin-type stability criteria for differential equations with delayed impulses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qing Wang

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper studies stability problems of general impulsive differential equations where time delays occur in both differential and difference equations. Based on the method of Lyapunov functions, Razumikhin technique and mathematical induction, several stability criteria are obtained for differential equations with delayed impulses. Our results show that some systems with delayed impulses may be exponentially stabilized by impulses even if the system matrices are unstable. Some less restrictive sufficient conditions are also given to keep the good stability property of systems subject to certain type of impulsive perturbations. Examples with numerical simulations are discussed to illustrate the theorems. Our results may be applied to complex problems where impulses depend on both current and past states.

  2. Impulsive action and impulsive choice across substance and behavioral addictions: cause or consequence?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grant, Jon E; Chamberlain, Samuel R

    2014-11-01

    Substance use disorders are prevalent and debilitating. Certain behavioral syndromes ('behavioral addictions') characterized by repetitive habits, such as gambling disorder, stealing, shopping, and compulsive internet use, may share clinical, co-morbid, and neurobiological parallels with substance addictions. This review considers overlap between substance and behavioral addictions with a particular focus on impulsive action (inability to inhibit motor responses), and impulsive choice (preference for immediate smaller rewards to the detriment of long-term outcomes). We find that acute consumption of drugs with abuse potential is capable of modulating impulsive choice and action, although magnitude and direction of effect appear contingent on baseline function. Many lines of evidence, including findings from meta-analyses, show an association between chronic drug use and elevated impulsive choice and action. In some instances, elevated impulsive choice and action have been found to predate the development of substance use disorders, perhaps signifying their candidacy as objective vulnerability markers. Research in behavioral addictions is preliminary, and has mostly focused on impulsive action, finding this to be elevated versus controls, similar to that seen in chronic substance use disorders. Only a handful of imaging studies has explored the neural correlates of impulsive action and choice across these disorders. Key areas for future research are highlighted along with potential implications in terms of neurobiological models and treatment. In particular, future work should further explore whether the cognitive deficits identified are state or trait in nature: i.e. are evident before addiction perhaps signaling risk; or are a consequence of repetitive engagement in habitual behavior; and effects of novel agents known to modulate these cognitive abilities on various addictive disorders. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Usage of measured reverberation tail in a binaural room impulse response synthesis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Markovic, Milos; Olesen, Søren Krarup; Madsen, Esben

    2011-01-01

    The aim of the modern communication technologies is an immersive experience. One of the applications that should provide the feeling of being together and sharing the same environment during the communication process is BEAMING. The goal of this paper is to improve audible spatial impression...... utilizing correct acoustical properties of the specific environments. Binaural room impulse response (BRIR) synthesis represents one of the main tasks in the binaural auralization. When the BRIRs are simulated, high order reflections (reverberation tail) are usually modeled statistically because of the high...

  4. Impulsive response of an automatic transmission system with multiple clearances: Formulation, simulation and experiment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crowther, Ashley R.; Singh, Rajendra; Zhang, Nong; Chapman, Chris

    2007-10-01

    Impulsive responses in geared systems with multiple clearances are studied when the mean torque excitation and system load change abruptly, with application to a vehicle driveline with an automatic transmission. First, torsional lumped-mass models of the planetary and differential gear sets are formulated using matrix elements. The model is then reduced to address tractable nonlinear problems while successfully retaining the main modes of interest. Second, numerical simulations for the nonlinear model are performed for transient conditions and a typical driving situation that induces an impulsive behaviour simulated. However, initial conditions and excitation and load profiles have to be carefully defined before the model can be numerically solved. It is shown that the impacts within the planetary or differential gears may occur under combinations of engine, braking and vehicle load transients. Our analysis shows that the shaping of the engine transient by the torque converter before reaching the clearance locations is more critical. Third, a free vibration experiment is developed for an analogous driveline with multiple clearances and three experiments that excite different response regimes have been carried out. Good correlations validate the proposed methodology.

  5. FORCED OSCILLATIONS OF SECOND ORDER SUPER-LINEAR DIFFERENTIAL EQUATION WITH IMPULSES

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    2012-01-01

    At first,by means of Kartsatos technique,we reduce the impulsive differential equation to a second order nonlinear impulsive homogeneous equation.We find some suitable impulse functions such that all the solutions to the equation are oscillatory.Several criteria on the oscillations of solutions are given.At last,we give an example to demonstrate our results.

  6. Sub-sampling-based 2D localization of an impulsive acoustic source in reverberant environments

    KAUST Repository

    Omer, Muhammad

    2014-07-01

    This paper presents a robust method for two-dimensional (2D) impulsive acoustic source localization in a room environment using low sampling rates. The proposed method finds the time delay from the room impulse response (RIR) which makes it robust against room reverberations. We consider the RIR as a sparse phenomenon and apply a recently proposed sparse signal reconstruction technique called orthogonal clustering (OC) for its estimation from the sub-sampled received signal. The arrival time of the direct path signal at a pair of microphones is identified from the estimated RIR, and their difference yields the desired time delay estimate (TDE). Low sampling rates reduces the hardware and computational complexity and decreases the communication between the microphones and the centralized location. Simulation and experimental results of an actual hardware setup are presented to demonstrate the performance of the proposed technique.

  7. Sub-sampling-based 2D localization of an impulsive acoustic source in reverberant environments

    KAUST Repository

    Omer, Muhammad; Quadeer, Ahmed A; Sharawi, Mohammad S; Al-Naffouri, Tareq Y.

    2014-01-01

    This paper presents a robust method for two-dimensional (2D) impulsive acoustic source localization in a room environment using low sampling rates. The proposed method finds the time delay from the room impulse response (RIR) which makes it robust against room reverberations. We consider the RIR as a sparse phenomenon and apply a recently proposed sparse signal reconstruction technique called orthogonal clustering (OC) for its estimation from the sub-sampled received signal. The arrival time of the direct path signal at a pair of microphones is identified from the estimated RIR, and their difference yields the desired time delay estimate (TDE). Low sampling rates reduces the hardware and computational complexity and decreases the communication between the microphones and the centralized location. Simulation and experimental results of an actual hardware setup are presented to demonstrate the performance of the proposed technique.

  8. Impulsive generalized function synchronization of complex dynamical networks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Qunjiao; Chen, Juan; Wan, Li

    2013-01-01

    This Letter investigates generalized function synchronization of continuous and discrete complex networks by impulsive control. By constructing the reasonable corresponding impulsively controlled response networks, some criteria and corollaries are derived for the generalized function synchronization between the impulsively controlled complex networks, continuous and discrete networks are both included. Furthermore, the generalized linear synchronization and nonlinear synchronization are respectively illustrated by several examples. All the numerical simulations demonstrate the correctness of the theoretical results

  9. Advantage of impulse oscillometry over spirometry to diagnose chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and monitor pulmonary responses to bronchodilators: An observational study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Constantine Saadeh

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: This retrospective study was a comparative analysis of sensitivity of impulse oscillometry and spirometry techniques for use in a mixed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease group for assessing disease severity and inhalation therapy. Methods: A total of 30 patients with mild-to-moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were monitored by impulse oscillometry, followed by spirometry. Lung function was measured at baseline after bronchodilation and at follow-up (3–18 months. The impulse oscillometry parameters were resistance in the small and large airways at 5 Hz (R5, resistance in the large airways at 15 Hz (R15, and lung reactance (area under the curve X; AX. Results: After the bronchodilator therapy, forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1 readings evaluated by spirometry were unaffected at baseline and at follow-up, while impulse oscillometry detected an immediate improvement in lung function, in terms of AX (p = 0.043. All impulse oscillometry parameters significantly improved at follow-up, with a decrease in AX by 37% (p = 0.0008, R5 by 20% (p = 0.0011, and R15 by 12% (p = 0.0097. Discussion: Impulse oscillometry parameters demonstrated greater sensitivity compared with spirometry for monitoring reversibility of airway obstruction and the effect of maintenance therapy. Impulse oscillometry may facilitate early treatment dose optimization and personalized medicine for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients.

  10. On the limits of Kagan's impulsive reflective distinction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, B; McIntyre, L

    1976-05-01

    A logical analysis is made of the Matching Familiar Figures (MFF) Test on the basis of which children have been classified as "impulsive" or "reflective." The reflective strategy is implicitly preferred to the impulsive because the reflective child makes fewer errors though generally taking longer to make his first response. We show that the test allows the choice of a number of "game plans" and speed-accuracy tradeoffs which in practice may not be very different. Error rates may not indicate perceptual sensitivity, in any case, since sensitivity and response factors may be confounded in the error rate. Using a visual running-memory-span task to avoid the inherent difficulties of the MFF test, we found that children previously classified on the basis of that test as impulsive or reflective did not differ in recognition accuracy but did differ in response bias and response latency. Accuracy and bias are estimated by way of Luce's choice theory (Luce, 1963), and the results are discussed in those terms.

  11. Effect on Perceived Stimulation dan Perceived Crowding on the Decision of the Unplanned Purchase (Impulse Buying

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Enggal Sriwardiningsih

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Purchase decisions aren’t made necessarily planned, because impulsive buying is such a result of environmental stimuli shopping. Things affecting unplanned purchasing decisions are perceived by stimulation and crowding. The purpose of this study is to determine whether there are influences between perceived crowding and stimulation of impulse buying simultaneously or partial. The object used is one of the largest retailers in Cilegon. This research design is quantitative analysis of the consumer unit. The collecting data technique includes using questionnaires, interviews, and literature from previous research. Data processed using the SPSS 16.0 program through the validity and reliability, normality test, and regression analysis. The study states that there is significant influence between perceived crowding and perceived stimulation both simultaneous and partial response to impulse buying. 

  12. Periodicity and stability for variable-time impulsive neural networks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Hongfei; Li, Chuandong; Huang, Tingwen

    2017-10-01

    The paper considers a general neural networks model with variable-time impulses. It is shown that each solution of the system intersects with every discontinuous surface exactly once via several new well-proposed assumptions. Moreover, based on the comparison principle, this paper shows that neural networks with variable-time impulse can be reduced to the corresponding neural network with fixed-time impulses under well-selected conditions. Meanwhile, the fixed-time impulsive systems can be regarded as the comparison system of the variable-time impulsive neural networks. Furthermore, a series of sufficient criteria are derived to ensure the existence and global exponential stability of periodic solution of variable-time impulsive neural networks, and to illustrate the same stability properties between variable-time impulsive neural networks and the fixed-time ones. The new criteria are established by applying Schaefer's fixed point theorem combined with the use of inequality technique. Finally, a numerical example is presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed results. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Impulse-response analysis of monetary policy – Visegád group countries case

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kateřina Myšková

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, we focus on comparability of monetary policies of Visegrád group countries (V4. Main objective of central banks function in V4 countries lies in maintaining price stability. For this purpose, inflation targeting regime is realized in a medium-term focus in V4, which means that there is a certain lag between monetary policy operation and its influence on an inflation target. Central bank does not have a direct impact on its ultimate goals. Therefore, any monetary policy analysis and assumption of its effectiveness comes out from an essential existence of a working transmission mechanism. Thus, changes in settings of monetary policy instruments have to be able to inflict causal changes on intermediary markets and via these markets on target markets. This situation can be modeled by the vector autoregressive (VAR model with suitable variables. Our main task is to compare a relationship between VAR model responses to predefined impulses for all V4 pairs. We use calibration technique for this purpose. Specifically, we will utilize one-dimensional calibration model with a linear calibration function for deriving unknown parameters. Moreover, we will test a significance of estimated parameters. We distinguish between model parameters for before-crisis- and during-crisis- data, because we suppose that financial crisis affects VAR model parameters significantly. Different responses in each country can mean the inability of the common monetary policy for V4 at present.

  14. Suicidality in Bipolar Disorder: The Role of Emotion-Triggered Impulsivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Sheri L; Carver, Charles S; Tharp, Jordan A

    2017-04-01

    A growing body of research suggests that impulsive responses to emotion more robustly predict suicidality than do other forms of impulsivity. This issue has not yet been examined within bipolar disorder, however. Participants diagnosed with bipolar I disorder (n = 133) and control participants (n = 110) diagnosed with no mood or psychotic disorder completed self-report measures of emotion-triggered impulsivity (Negative and Positive Urgency Scales) and interviews concerning lifetime suicidality. Analyses examined the effects of emotion-triggered impulsivity alone and in combination with gender, age of onset, depression severity, comorbid anxiety, comorbid substance use, and medication. A history of suicide ideation and attempts, as well as self-harm, were significantly more common in the bipolar disorder group compared with the control group. Impulsive responses to positive emotions related to suicide ideation, attempts, and self-harm within the bipolar group. Findings extend research on the importance of emotion-triggered impulsivity to a broad range of key outcomes within bipolar disorder. The discussion focuses on limitations and potential clinical implications. © 2016 The American Association of Suicidology.

  15. Identification of Scattering Mechanisms from Measured Impulse Response Signatures of Several Conducting Objects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1984-02-01

    conducting sphere 35 compared to inverse transform of exact solution. 4-5. Measured impulse response of a conducting 2:1 right 37 circular cylinder with...frequency domain. This is equivalent to multiplication in the time domain by the inverse transform of w(n), which is shown in Figure 3-1 for N=15. The...equivalent pulse width from 0.066 T for the rectangular window to 0.10 T for the Hanning window. The inverse transform of the Hanning window is shown

  16. Effect of delayed response in growth on the dynamics of a chemostat model with impulsive input

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jiao Jianjun; Yang Xiaosong; Chen Lansun; Cai Shaohong

    2009-01-01

    In this paper, a chemostat model with delayed response in growth and impulsive perturbations on the substrate is considered. Using the discrete dynamical system determined by the stroboscopic map, we obtain a microorganism-extinction periodic solution, further, the globally attractive condition of the microorganism-extinction periodic solution is obtained. By the use of the theory on delay functional and impulsive differential equation, we also obtain the permanent condition of the investigated system. Our results indicate that the discrete time delay has influence to the dynamics behaviors of the investigated system, and provide tactical basis for the experimenters to control the outcome of the chemostat. Furthermore, numerical analysis is inserted to illuminate the dynamics of the system affected by the discrete time delay.

  17. Dynamics of cholera epidemics with impulsive vaccination and disinfection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sisodiya, Omprakash Singh; Misra, O P; Dhar, Joydip

    2018-04-01

    Waterborne diseases have a tremendous influence on human life. The contaminated drinking water causes water-borne disease like cholera. Pulse vaccination is an important and effective strategy for the elimination of infectious diseases. A waterborne disease like cholera can also be controlled by using impulse technique. In this paper, we have proposed a delayed SEIRB epidemic model with impulsive vaccination and disinfection. We have studied the pulse vaccination strategy and sanitation to control the cholera disease. The existence and stability of the disease-free and endemic periodic solution are investigated both analytically and numerically. It is shown that there exists an infection-free periodic solution, using the impulsive dynamical system defined by the stroboscopic map. It is observed that the infection-free periodic solution is globally attractive when the impulse period is less than some critical value. From the analysis of the model, we have obtained a sufficient condition for the permanence of the epidemic with pulse vaccination. The main highlight of this paper is to introduce impulse technique along with latent period into the SEIRB epidemic model to investigate the role of pulse vaccination and disinfection on the dynamics of the cholera epidemics. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Multiple modes of impulsivity in Parkinson's disease.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cristina Nombela

    Full Text Available Cognitive problems are a major factor determining quality of life of patients with Parkinson's disease. These include deficits in inhibitory control, ranging from subclinical alterations in decision-making to severe impulse control disorders. Based on preclinical studies, we proposed that Parkinson's disease does not cause a unified disorder of inhibitory control, but rather a set of impulsivity factors with distinct psychological profiles, anatomy and pharmacology. We assessed a broad set of measures of the cognitive, behavioural and temperamental/trait aspects of impulsivity. Sixty adults, including 30 idiopathic Parkinson's disease patients (Hoehn and Yahr stage I-III and 30 healthy controls, completed a neuropsychological battery, objective behavioural measures and self-report questionnaires. Univariate analyses of variance confirmed group differences in nine out of eleven metrics. We then used factor analysis (principal components method to identify the structure of impulsivity in Parkinson's disease. Four principal factors were identified, consistent with four different mechanisms of impulsivity, explaining 60% of variance. The factors were related to (1 tests of response conflict, interference and self assessment of impulsive behaviours on the Barrett Impulsivity Scale, (2 tests of motor inhibitory control, and the self-report behavioural approach system, (3 time estimation and delay aversion, and (4 reflection in hypothetical scenarios including temporal discounting. The different test profiles of these four factors were consistent with human and comparative studies of the pharmacology and functional anatomy of impulsivity. Relationships between each factor and clinical and demographic features were examined by regression against factor loadings. Levodopa dose equivalent was associated only with factors (2 and (3. The results confirm that impulsivity is common in Parkinson's disease, even in the absence of impulse control disorders, and

  19. Binary codes with impulse autocorrelation functions for dynamic experiments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Corran, E.R.; Cummins, J.D.

    1962-09-01

    A series of binary codes exist which have autocorrelation functions approximating to an impulse function. Signals whose behaviour in time can be expressed by such codes have spectra which are 'whiter' over a limited bandwidth and for a finite time than signals from a white noise generator. These codes are used to determine system dynamic responses using the correlation technique. Programmes have been written to compute codes of arbitrary length and to compute 'cyclic' autocorrelation and cross-correlation functions. Complete listings of these programmes are given, and a code of 1019 bits is presented. (author)

  20. A Triadic Reflective-Impulsive-Interoceptive Awareness Model of General and Impulsive Information System Use: Behavioral Tests of Neuro-Cognitive Theory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turel, Ofir; Bechara, Antoine

    2016-01-01

    This study examines a behavioral tripartite model developed in the field of addiction, and applies it here to understanding general and impulsive information technology use. It suggests that technology use is driven by two information-processing brain systems: reflective and impulsive, and that their effects on use are modulated by interoceptive awareness processes. The resultant reflective-impulsive-interoceptive awareness model is tested in two behavioral studies. Both studies employ SEM techniques to time-lagged self-report data from n 1 = 300 and n 2 = 369 social networking site users. Study 1 demonstrated that temptations augment the effect of habit on technology use, and reduce the effect of satisfaction on use. Study 2 showed that temptations strengthen the effect of habit on impulsive technology use, and weaken the effect of behavioral expectations on impulsive technology use. Hence, the results consistently support the notion that information technology users' behaviors are influenced by reflective and impulsive information processing systems; and that the equilibrium of these systems is determined, at least in part, by one's temptations. These results can serve as a basis for understanding the etiology of modern day addictions.

  1. Self-reported impulsivity in Huntington's disease patients and relationship to executive dysfunction and reward responsiveness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Patricia L; Potts, Geoffrey F; Sanchez-Ramos, Juan; Cimino, Cynthia R

    2017-09-01

    Few studies have directly investigated impulsivity in Huntington's disease (HD) despite known changes in dopaminergic and frontal functioning, changes that have been associated with impulsivity in other disorders and in the normal population. This study sought to further categorize impulsivity in HD through examining differences in self-reported impulsivity between community controls and HD patients, the relationship between executive dysfunction and impulsivity, and the relationship of a reward/punishment behavioral inhibition task in relation to these self-report measures. It was expected that HD patients would report higher impulsivity and executive dysfunction and that these measures would relate to a reward/punishment behavioral inhibition task. The Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS-11) and Behavioral Inhibition/Behavioral Activation Scale (BIS/BAS) were completed, and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and a reward-based flanker task with punishing and rewarding conditions were administered to 22 HD patients and 14 control participants. HD patients reported higher trait impulsivity (BIS-11) and executive dysfunction (Frontal Systems Behavior Scale, FrSBE) but not increased impulsivity on the BIS/BAS relative to controls. Higher BIS-11 scores were related to increased self-reported executive dysfunction and the attention/working memory factor of the MMSE. On a reward/punishment behavioral inhibition task, BAS was uniquely related to increased accuracy on rewarding trials of the flanker task, but was not related to punishing trials in HD patients. The relationships found suggest that trait impulsivity is reported higher in HD and may not be driven by altered reward evaluation and the appetitive nature of stimuli but rather by increased executive dysfunction and lack of sensitivity to punishment. Impulsivity in HD may represent a combination of trait impulsivity, altered dopaminergic circuitry, and executive dysfunction. Understanding impulsivity in HD is

  2. Time delay estimation in a reverberant environment by low rate sampling of impulsive acoustic sources

    KAUST Repository

    Omer, Muhammad

    2012-07-01

    This paper presents a new method of time delay estimation (TDE) using low sample rates of an impulsive acoustic source in a room environment. The proposed method finds the time delay from the room impulse response (RIR) which makes it robust against room reverberations. The RIR is considered a sparse phenomenon and a recently proposed sparse signal reconstruction technique called orthogonal clustering (OC) is utilized for its estimation from the low rate sampled received signal. The arrival time of the direct path signal at a pair of microphones is identified from the estimated RIR and their difference yields the desired time delay. Low sampling rates reduce the hardware and computational complexity and decrease the communication between the microphones and the centralized location. The performance of the proposed technique is demonstrated by numerical simulations and experimental results. © 2012 IEEE.

  3. Synthesis of Room Impulse Responses for Variable Source Characteristics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Kunkemoeller

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Every acoustic source, e.g. a speaker, a musical instrument or a loudspeaker, generally has a frequency dependent characteristic radiation pattern, which is preeminent at higher frequencies. Room acoustic measurements nowadays only account for omnidirectional source characteristics. This motivates a measurement method that is capable of obtaining room impulse responses for these specific radiation patterns by using a superposition approach of several measurements with technically well-defined sound sources. We propose a method based on measurements with a 12-channel independentlydriven dodecahedron loudspeaker array rotated by an automatically controlled turntable.Radiation patterns can be efficiently described with the use of spherical harmonics representation. We propose a method that uses this representation for the spherical loudspeaker array used for the measurements and the target radiation pattern to be used for the synthesis.We show validating results for a deterministic test sound source inside in a small lecture hall.

  4. Dopa therapy and action impulsivity: subthreshold error activation and suppression in Parkinson's disease

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Fluchère, F.; Deveaux, M.; Burle, B.; Vidal, F.; van den Wildenberg, W.P.M.; Witjas, T.; Eusebio, A.; Azulay, J.-P.; Hasbroucq, T.

    2015-01-01

    Rationale: Impulsive actions entail (1) capture of the motor system by an action impulse, which is an urge to act and (2) failed suppression of that impulse in order to prevent a response error. Several studies indicate that dopaminergic treatment can induce action impulsivity in patients diagnosed

  5. Dopamine Gene Profiling to Predict Impulse Control and Effects of Dopamine Agonist Ropinirole.

    Science.gov (United States)

    MacDonald, Hayley J; Stinear, Cathy M; Ren, April; Coxon, James P; Kao, Justin; Macdonald, Lorraine; Snow, Barry; Cramer, Steven C; Byblow, Winston D

    2016-07-01

    Dopamine agonists can impair inhibitory control and cause impulse control disorders for those with Parkinson disease (PD), although mechanistically this is not well understood. In this study, we hypothesized that the extent of such drug effects on impulse control is related to specific dopamine gene polymorphisms. This double-blind, placebo-controlled study aimed to examine the effect of single doses of 0.5 and 1.0 mg of the dopamine agonist ropinirole on impulse control in healthy adults of typical age for PD onset. Impulse control was measured by stop signal RT on a response inhibition task and by an index of impulsive decision-making on the Balloon Analogue Risk Task. A dopamine genetic risk score quantified basal dopamine neurotransmission from the influence of five genes: catechol-O-methyltransferase, dopamine transporter, and those encoding receptors D1, D2, and D3. With placebo, impulse control was better for the high versus low genetic risk score groups. Ropinirole modulated impulse control in a manner dependent on genetic risk score. For the lower score group, both doses improved response inhibition (decreased stop signal RT) whereas the lower dose reduced impulsiveness in decision-making. Conversely, the higher score group showed a trend for worsened response inhibition on the lower dose whereas both doses increased impulsiveness in decision-making. The implications of the present findings are that genotyping can be used to predict impulse control and whether it will improve or worsen with the administration of dopamine agonists.

  6. Fixed-time stabilization of impulsive Cohen-Grossberg BAM neural networks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Hongfei; Li, Chuandong; Huang, Tingwen; Zhang, Wanli

    2018-02-01

    This article is concerned with the fixed-time stabilization for impulsive Cohen-Grossberg BAM neural networks via two different controllers. By using a novel constructive approach based on some comparison techniques for differential inequalities, an improvement theorem of fixed-time stability for impulsive dynamical systems is established. In addition, based on the fixed-time stability theorem of impulsive dynamical systems, two different control protocols are designed to ensure the fixed-time stabilization of impulsive Cohen-Grossberg BAM neural networks, which include and extend the earlier works. Finally, two simulations examples are provided to illustrate the validity of the proposed theoretical results. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Heavy drinking, impulsivity and attentional narrowing following alcohol cue exposure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hicks, Joshua A; Fields, Sherecce; Davis, William E; Gable, Philip A

    2015-08-01

    Research shows that alcohol-related stimuli have the propensity to capture attention among individuals motivated to consume alcohol. Research has further demonstrated that impulsive individuals are especially prone to this type of attentional bias. Recently, it is suggested that alcohol cue exposure can also produce a general narrowing of attention consistent with the activation of approach motivational states. Based on previous models of addiction and recent research on the activation of approach motivational states, we predicted that impulsive individuals would demonstrate a constriction of attentional focus in response to alcohol cue exposure. Participants (n = 392) completed a task assessing attentional breadth in response to alcohol and non-alcohol cues, followed by measures of alcohol use and impulsivity. The findings revealed that impulsivity scores predicted narrowing of attentional scope following the presentation of alcohol cues for heavier drinkers but not for light drinkers. These results suggest that impulsive individuals who drink more heavily demonstrate a narrowing of attention in the presence of alcohol-related incentive cues. Implications for how these findings might account for the link between impulsivity and alcohol use and misuse are discussed.

  8. Pengaruh Penempatan Produk di Kasir dan Sales Person terhadap Impulse Buying

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dian Tauriana

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Product placement in the cashier and using sales person have important effects for impulse purchasing in a retail that will increase company selling. The purpose of this research is to acknowledge product placement influences in cashier and sales person towards buying impulse in GIANT hypermart in Plaza Semanggi, Jakarta. The research is associative research. Data collecting technique is done by spreading questionnaire to consumers in GIANT Hypermart Plaza Semanggi and interview with the management. Data analysis technique is by validation and reliability test, normality, simple and double regression test with software SPSS 16.0. The research result shows that the product placement variable in cashier and sales person influenced simultaneously and significantly to impulse buying.

  9. Impulsive Alfven coupling between the magnetosphere and ionosphere

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reddy, R.V.; Watanabe, K.; Sato, T.; Watanabe, T.H.

    1994-04-01

    Basic properties of the impulsive Alfven interaction between the magnetosphere and ionosphere have been studied by means of a three-dimensional self-consistent simulation of the coupled magnetosphere and ionosphere system. It is found that the duration time of an impulsive perturbation at the magnetospheric equator, the latitudinal distribution of the Alfven propagation time along the field lines, and the ratio between the magnetospheric impedance and the ionospheric resistance is the main key factors that determine the propagation dynamics and the ionospheric responses for an impulsive MHD perturbation in the magnetosphere. (author)

  10. Impulsive Synchronization and Adaptive-Impulsive Synchronization of a Novel Financial Hyperchaotic System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiuli Chai

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The impulsive synchronization and adaptive-impulsive synchronization of a novel financial hyperchaotic system are investigated. Based on comparing principle for impulsive functional differential equations, several sufficient conditions for impulsive synchronization are derived, and the upper bounds of impulsive interval for stable synchronization are estimated. Furthermore, a nonlinear adaptive-impulsive control scheme is designed to synchronize the financial system using invariant principle of impulsive dynamical systems. Moreover, corresponding numerical simulations are presented to illustrate the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed methods.

  11. The error-related negativity (ERN is an electrophysiological marker of motor impulsiveness on the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11 during adolescence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jasmine B. Taylor

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: Previous studies have postulated that the error-related negativity (ERN may reflect individual differences in impulsivity; however, none have used a longitudinal framework or evaluated impulsivity as a multidimensional construct. The current study evaluated whether ERN amplitude, measured in childhood and adolescence, is predictive of impulsiveness during adolescence. Methods: Seventy-five children participated in this study, initially at ages 7–9 years and again at 12–18 years. The interval between testing sessions ranged from 5 to 9 years. The ERN was extracted in response to behavioural errors produced during a modified visual flanker task at both time points (i.e. childhood and adolescence. Participants also completed the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale − a measure that considers impulsiveness to comprise three core sub-traits − during adolescence. Results: At adolescence, the ERN amplitude was significantly larger than during childhood. Additionally, ERN amplitude during adolescence significantly predicted motor impulsiveness at that time point, after controlling for age, gender, and the number of trials included in the ERN. In contrast, ERN amplitude during childhood did not uniquely predict impulsiveness during adolescence. Conclusions: These findings provide preliminary evidence that ERN amplitude is an electrophysiological marker of self-reported motor impulsiveness (i.e. acting without thinking during adolescence. Keywords: Error-related negativity, ERN, Impulsivity, BIS, Development, Adolescence

  12. A binaural advantage in the subjective modulation transfer function with simple impulse responses

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thompson, Eric Robert; Dau, Torsten

    2008-01-01

    into account that humans listen with two ears. There can be large interaural phase differences in the modulation transfer functions, which can create detectable interaural level difference fluctuations. Measurements were made to determine whether these interaural modulation phase differences can be used......The speech transmission index (STI) has been a popular method for predicting speech intelligibility in rooms. It is based on the magnitude of the modulation transfer function, which can be derived from the impulse response of the room and the background noise levels. However, it does not take...

  13. Periodic components of hand acceleration/deceleration impulses during telemanipulation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Draper, J.V. [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States); Handel, S. [Tennessee Univ., Knoxville, TN (United States). Dept. of Psychology

    1994-01-01

    Responsiveness is the ability of a telemanipulator to recreate user trajectories and impedance in time and space. For trajectory production, a key determinant of responsiveness is the ability of the system to accept user inputs, which are forces on the master handle generated by user hand acceleration/deceleration (a/d) impulses, and translate them into slave arm acceleration/deceleration. This paper presents observations of master controller a/d impulses during completion of a simple target acquisition task. Power spectral density functions (PSDF`s) calculated from hand controller a/d impulses were used to assess impulse waveform. The relative contributions of frequency intervals ranging up to 25 Hz for three spatially different versions of the task were used to determine which frequencies were most important. The highest relative power was observed in frequencies between 1 Hz and 6 Hz. The key frequencies related to task difficulty were in the range from 2 Hz to 8 Hz. the results provide clues to the source of the performance inhibition.

  14. Periodic components of hand acceleration/deceleration impulses during telemanipulation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Draper, J.V.; Handel, S.

    1994-01-01

    Responsiveness is the ability of a telemanipulator to recreate user trajectories and impedance in time and space. For trajectory production, a key determinant of responsiveness is the ability of the system to accept user inputs, which are forces on the master handle generated by user hand acceleration/deceleration (a/d) impulses, and translate them into slave arm acceleration/deceleration. This paper presents observations of master controller a/d impulses during completion of a simple target acquisition task. Power spectral density functions (PSDF's) calculated from hand controller a/d impulses were used to assess impulse waveform. The relative contributions of frequency intervals ranging up to 25 Hz for three spatially different versions of the task were used to determine which frequencies were most important. The highest relative power was observed in frequencies between 1 Hz and 6 Hz. The key frequencies related to task difficulty were in the range from 2 Hz to 8 Hz. the results provide clues to the source of the performance inhibition

  15. Cognitive control training for emotion-related impulsivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peckham, Andrew D; Johnson, Sheri L

    2018-06-01

    Many forms of psychopathology are tied to a heightened tendency to respond impulsively to strong emotions, and this tendency, in turn, is closely tied to problems with cognitive control. The goal of the present study was to test whether a two-week, six-session cognitive control training program is efficacious in reducing emotion-related impulsivity. Participants (N = 52) reporting elevated scores on an emotion-related impulsivity measure completed cognitive control training targeting working memory and response inhibition. A subset of participants were randomized to a waitlist control group. Impulsivity, emotion regulation, and performance on near and far-transfer cognitive tasks were assessed at baseline and after completion of training. Emotion-related impulsivity declined significantly from pre-training to post-training and at two-week follow-up; improvements were not observed in the waitlist control group. A decrease in brooding rumination and an increase in reappraisal were also observed. Participants showed significant improvements on trained versions of the working memory and inhibition tasks as well as improvements on an inhibition transfer task. In sum, these preliminary findings show that cognitive training appears to be well-tolerated for people with significant emotion-driven impulsivity. Results provide preliminary support for the efficacy of cognitive training interventions as a way to reduce emotion-related impulsivity. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. "Impulsive" youth suicide attempters are not necessarily all that impulsive.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Witte, Tracy K; Merrill, Katherine A; Stellrecht, Nadia E; Bernert, Rebecca A; Hollar, Daniel L; Schatschneider, Christopher; Joiner, Thomas E

    2008-04-01

    The relationship between impulsivity and suicide has been conceptualized in the literature as a direct one. In contrast, Joiner's [Joiner, T.E., 2005. Why people die by suicide. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA.] theory posits that this relationship is indirect in that impulsive individuals are more likely to engage in suicidal behavior because impulsivity makes one more likely to be exposed to painful and provocative stimuli. Adolescents were selected from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) sample between the years of 1993-2003 who had planned for a suicide attempt but did not actually attempt (n=5685), who did not plan but did attempt ("impulsive attempters;" n=1172), and who both planned and attempted (n=4807). Items were selected from the YRBS to assess demographic variables, suicidal behaviors, and impulsive behaviors. Participants who had planned suicide without attempting were significantly less impulsive than those who had attempted without planning and than those who had both planned and attempted. Crucially, participants who had made a suicide attempt without prior planning were less impulsive than those who had planned and attempted. We were unable to conduct a multi-method assessment (i.e., measures were self-report); the measure of impulsivity consisted of items pulled from the YRBS rather than a previously validated impulsivity measure. The notion that the most impulsive individuals are more likely to plan for suicide attempts is an important one for many reasons both theoretical and clinical, including that it may refine risk assessment and attendant clinical decision-making.

  17. Position Localization with Impulse Ultra Wide Band

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Zhang, Guoping; Rao, S. V

    2005-01-01

    ...) bias and clock jittering error of TDOA measurement. In our prototype design, we exploit impulse UWB techniques to implement a very low cost localization system that can achieve centimeters localization for indoor applications...

  18. Impulsive control of time-delay systems using delayed impulse and its application to impulsive master-slave synchronization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun Jitao; Han Qinglong; Jiang Xiefu

    2008-01-01

    This Letter is concerned with impulsive control of a class of nonlinear time-delay systems. Some uniform stability criteria for the closed-loop time-delay system under delayed impulsive control are derived by using piecewise Lyapunov functions. Then the criteria are applied to impulsive master-slave synchronization of some secure communication systems with transmission delays and sample delays under delayed impulsive control. Two numerical examples are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the derived results

  19. Generalized fluid impulse functions for oscillating marine structures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Janardhanan, K.; Price, W. G.; Wu, Y.

    1992-03-01

    A selection of generalized impulse response functions is presented for a variety of rigid and flexible marine structures (i.e. mono-hull, SWATH, floating drydock and twin dock, fixed flexible pile). These functions are determined from calculated and experimental frequency-dependent hydrodynamic data, and the characteristics of these data depend on the type of structure considered. This information is reflected in the shape and duration of the generalized impulse response functions which are pre-requisites for a generalized integro-differential mathematical model describing the dynamic behaviour of the structures to seaway excitation.

  20. LMFBR core flowering response to an impulse load

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brochard, D.; Petret, J.C.; Queval, J.C.; Gibert, R.J.

    1993-01-01

    Some incidental situations like MFCI (Meeting Fuel Coolant Incident) may induce a core flowering and lead to consider impulse loans applied to LMFBR core. These highly dynamic loads are very different considering their spatial repartition and their frequency content from the seismic loads which have been deeply studied. Recently, tests have been performed on the LMFBR core mock-up RAPSODIE in order to validate the calculation methods for centered impulse load. These tests consist in injecting water quickly in the mock-up through a specific device replacing the core central assembly. The influence of the injection pressure and the influence of the injection axial position have been investigate. During the tests, the top displacements of some assemblies have been measured. The aim of this paper is first to present the experimental device and the test results. Then a non linear numerical model is described; this model includes the impact between subassemblies and is based on an homogenization method allowing to take into account with accuracy the fluid structure interaction.The comparisons between calculation results an test results will finally be presented

  1. The relationship between impulsive choice and impulsive action: a cross-species translational study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nienke Broos

    Full Text Available Maladaptive impulsivity is a core symptom in various psychiatric disorders. However, there is only limited evidence available on whether different measures of impulsivity represent largely unrelated aspects or a unitary construct. In a cross-species translational study, thirty rats were trained in impulsive choice (delayed reward task and impulsive action (five-choice serial reaction time task paradigms. The correlation between those measures was assessed during baseline performance and after pharmacological manipulations with the psychostimulant amphetamine and the norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor atomoxetine. In parallel, to validate the animal data, 101 human subjects performed analogous measures of impulsive choice (delay discounting task, DDT and impulsive action (immediate and delayed memory task, IMT/DMT. Moreover, all subjects completed the Stop Signal Task (SST, as an additional measure of impulsive action and filled out the Barratt impulsiveness scale (BIS-11. Correlations between DDT and IMT/DMT were determined and a principal component analysis was performed on all human measures of impulsivity. In both rats and humans measures of impulsive choice and impulsive action did not correlate. In rats the within-subject pharmacological effects of amphetamine and atomoxetine did not correlate between tasks, suggesting distinct underlying neural correlates. Furthermore, in humans, principal component analysis identified three independent factors: (1 self-reported impulsivity (BIS-11; (2 impulsive action (IMT/DMT and SST; (3 impulsive choice (DDT. This is the first study directly comparing aspects of impulsivity using a cross-species translational approach. The present data reveal the non-unitary nature of impulsivity on a behavioral and pharmacological level. Collectively, this warrants a stronger focus on the relative contribution of distinct forms of impulsivity in psychopathology.

  2. Buying Impulses: A Study on Impulsive Consumption

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Herabadi, A.G.

    2003-01-01

    This dissertation's objectives were to validate impulse buying tendency as a genuinely distinctive construct related to impulse purchase behavior and attached to fundamental personality traits, and its relationships to a number of relevant factors. Studies reported were steps to a better

  3. Outer Synchronization of Complex Networks by Impulse

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun Wen; Yan Zizong; Chen Shihua; Lü Jinhu

    2011-01-01

    This paper investigates outer synchronization of complex networks, especially, outer complete synchronization and outer anti-synchronization between the driving network and the response network. Employing the impulsive control method which is uncontinuous, simple, efficient, low-cost and easy to implement in practical applications, we obtain some sufficient conditions of outer complete synchronization and outer anti-synchronization between two complex networks. Numerical simulations demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed impulsive control scheme. (general)

  4. Impulsivity and overeating in children in the absence and presence of hunger.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nederkoorn, Chantal; Dassen, Fania C M; Franken, Loes; Resch, Christine; Houben, Katrijn

    2015-10-01

    Overweight children appear to be more responsive to environmental, hedonic cues and easily overeat in the current obesogenic environment. They are also found to overeat in the absence of hunger, and this overeating seems related to impulsivity: impulsive participants are more prone to external eating. However, some studies showed that impulsive adults are also more prone to hunger cues: impulsive participants overate especially when feeling hungry. This would mean impulsive people are more reactive to both external and internal cues. The overeating was limited to palatable high energy-dense foods: hunger made them fancy a snack. In the current study, we wanted to test the interaction between impulsivity, hunger and consumption of food type in children. Impulsivity was measured in 88 children between the ages of 7 and 9. Next, half of the participants performed a taste test before their own regular lunch and half of the participants immediately after their lunch. During the taste test, low, medium and high energy-dense food items were presented. Results showed that impulsive children ate more high energy-dense foods than low impulsive children, both before and after their lunch. No differences were found on low or medium energy-dense foods. Impulsive children therefore showed normal sensitivity for internal hunger and satiety cues, but abnormal response to high energy-dense foods. This might render them vulnerable to tasty temptation in the environment and to weight gain in their future. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Training impulsive choices for healthy and sustainable food.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Veling, Harm; Chen, Zhang; Tombrock, Merel C; Verpaalen, Iris A M; Schmitz, Laura I; Dijksterhuis, Ap; Holland, Rob W

    2017-06-01

    Many people find it hard to change their dietary choices. Food choice often occurs impulsively, without deliberation, and it has been unclear whether impulsive food choice can be experimentally created. Across 3 exploratory and 2 confirmatory preregistered experiments we examined whether impulsive food choice can be trained. Participants were cued to make motor responses upon the presentation of, among others, healthy and sustainable food items. They subsequently selected these food items more often for actual consumption when they needed to make their choices impulsively as a result of time pressure. This effect disappeared when participants were asked to think about their choices, merely received more time to make their choices, or when choosing required attention to alternatives. Participants preferred high to low valued food items under time pressure and without time pressure, suggesting that the impulsive choices reflect valid preferences. These findings demonstrate that it is possible to train impulsive choices for food items while leaving deliberative choices for these items unaffected, and connect research on attention training to dual-process theories of decision making. The present research suggests that attention training may lead to behavioral change only when people behave impulsively. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  6. Impulsive and non-impulsive suicide attempts in patients treated for alcohol dependence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wojnar, Marcin; Ilgen, Mark A; Czyz, Ewa; Strobbe, Stephen; Klimkiewicz, Anna; Jakubczyk, Andrzej; Glass, Jennifer; Brower, Kirk J

    2009-05-01

    Suicidal behavior has been recognized as an increasing problem among alcohol-dependent subjects. The aim of the study was to identify correlates of impulsive and non-impulsive suicide attempts among a treated population of alcohol-dependent patients. A total of 154 patients with alcohol dependence consecutively admitted for addiction treatment participated in the study. Suicidal behavior was assessed together with severity of alcohol dependence, childhood abuse, impulsivity, and family history. A stop-signal procedure was used as a behavioral measure of impulsivity. Lifetime suicide attempts were reported by 43% of patients in alcohol treatment; of which 62% were impulsive. Compared to patients without a suicide attempt, those with a non-impulsive attempt were more likely to have a history of sexual abuse (OR=7.17), a family history of suicide (OR=4.09), and higher scores on a personality measure of impulsiveness (OR=2.27). The only significant factor that distinguished patients with impulsive suicide attempts from patients without a suicide attempt and from patients with a non-impulsive suicide attempt was a higher level of behavioral impulsivity (OR=1.84-2.42). Retrospective self-report of suicide attempts and family history. Lack of diagnostic measure.

  7. The state of online impulse-buying research : a literature analysis.

    OpenAIRE

    Chan, T. K. H.; Cheung, C. M. K.; Lee, Z. W. Y.

    2017-01-01

    Online impulse buying has drawn increasing scholarly attention across disciplines. However, little effort has been made to evaluate the status of research and consolidate the findings in the literature. To address this research gap, we conducted a systematic review of studies of online impulse buying, and used the Stimulus–Organism–Response (SOR) framework to identify and classify the factors that affect online impulse buying. We then built a conceptual framework to explain the interrelations...

  8. Differences in Inhibitory Control between Impulsive and Premeditated Aggression in Juvenile Inmates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhuo Zhang

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Inhibitory control dysfunction was considered a universal characteristic of violent offenders. The aim of this study was to examine differences in inhibitory control between two subtypes of violent youth; those displaying predominantly impulsive and those presenting predominantly premeditated aggression (PM. Forty-four juvenile offenders, defined on the basis of the Procedures for the Classification of Aggressive/Violent Acts (Stanford and Barratt, 2001 participated (N = 23: impulsive; N = 21 premeditated. A visual Go/NoGo task was used to compare behavioral responses and event-related potentials (ERPs between groups. The task contained two letters (W and M, W was the Go stimulus and M the NoGo stimulus. The impulsive youth showed a significantly greater decrease in N2 latency for Go relative to NoGo trials than the premeditated aggressive youth. The differentiation in N2 amplitude between Go and NoGo (N2d was negatively correlated with impulsivity of aggression. Both groups showed no significant central NoGo P3. Our findings suggest that impulsive violent youth show stronger prepotent responses and impaired conflict monitoring during early inhibitory control processing relative to premeditated aggressive youth. Both impulsive and premeditated violent youth may show impaired response inhibition at the late processing stage of inhibitory control.

  9. Cryogenic liquid resettlement activated by impulsive thrust in space-based propulsion system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hung, R. J.; Shyu, K. L.

    1991-01-01

    The purpose of present study is to investigate the most efficient technique for propellant resettling through the minimization of propellant usage and weight penalties. Comparison between the constant reverse gravity acceleration and impulsive reverse gravity acceleration to be used for the activation of propellant resettlement shows that impulsive reverse gravity thrust is superior to constant reverse gravity thrust for liquid reorientation in a reduced gravity environment. Comparison among impulsive reverse gravity thrust with 0.1, 1.0, and 10 Hz frequencies for liquid-filled level in the range between 30 to 80 percent shows that the selection of a medium frequency of 1.0 Hz impulsive thrust over the other frequency ranges of impulsive thrust is the most proper.

  10. Increased impulsivity associated with severity of suicide attempt history in patients with bipolar disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Swann, Alan C; Dougherty, Donald M; Pazzaglia, Peggy J; Pham, Mary; Steinberg, Joel L; Moeller, F Gerard

    2005-09-01

    Impulsivity is a prominent and measurable characteristic of bipolar disorder that can contribute to risk for suicidal behavior. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between impulsivity and severity of past suicidal behavior, a potential predictor of eventual suicide, in patients with bipolar disorder. In bipolar disorder subjects with either a definite history of attempted suicide or no such history, impulsivity was assessed with both a questionnaire (Barratt Impulsiveness Scale) and behavioral laboratory performance measures (immediate memory/delayed memory tasks). Diagnosis was determined with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV. Interviews of patients and review of records were used to determine the number of past suicide attempts and the medical severity of the most severe attempt. Subjects with a history of suicide attempts had more impulsive errors on the immediate memory task and had shorter response latencies, especially for impulsive responses. Impulsivity was highest in subjects with the most medically severe suicide attempts. Effects were not accounted for by presence of depression or mania at the time of testing. Barratt Impulsiveness Scale scores were numerically, but not significantly, higher in subjects with suicide attempts. A history of alcohol abuse was associated with greater probability of a suicide attempt. Multivariate analysis showed that ethanol abuse history and clinical state at the time of testing did not have a significant effect after impulsivity was taken into account. These results suggest that a history of severe suicidal behavior in patients with bipolar disorder is associated with impulsivity, manifested as a tendency toward rapid, unplanned responses.

  11. Impulse response and spatio-temporal wave-packets: The common feature of rogue waves, tsunami, and transition to turbulence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhaumik, Swagata; Sengupta, Tapan K.

    2017-12-01

    Here, we present the impulse response of the canonical zero pressure gradient boundary layer from the dynamical system approach. The fundamental physical mechanism of the impulse response is in creation of a spatio-temporal wave-front (STWF) by a localized, time-impulsive wall excitation of the boundary layer. The present research is undertaken to explain the unit process of diverse phenomena in geophysical fluid flows and basic hydrodynamics. Creation of a tsunami has been attributed to localized events in the ocean-bed caused by earthquakes, landslides, or volcanic eruptions, whose manifestation is in the run up to the coast by surface waves of massive amplitude but of very finite fetch. Similarly rogue waves have often been noted; a coherent account of the same is yet to appear, although some explanations have been proposed. Our studies in both two- and three-dimensional frameworks in Sengupta and Bhaumik ["Onset of turbulence from the receptivity stage of fluid flows," Phys. Rev. Lett. 107(15), 154501 (2011)] and Bhaumik and Sengupta ["Precursor of transition to turbulence: Spatiotemporal wave front," Phys. Rev. E 89(4), 043018 (2014)] have shown that the STWF provides the central role for causing transition to turbulence by reproducing carefully conducted transition experiments. Here, we furthermore relax the condition of time behavior and use a Dirac-delta wall excitation for the impulse response. The present approach is not based on any simplification of the governing Navier-Stokes equation (NSE), which is unlike solving a nonlinear shallow water equation and/or nonlinear Schrödinger equation. The full nonlinear Navier-Stokes equation (NSE) is solved here using high accuracy dispersion relation preserving numerical schemes and using appropriate formulation of the NSE which minimizes error. The adopted numerical methods and formulation have been extensively validated with respect to various external and internal 2D and 3D flow problems. We also present

  12. Project Ancient Acoustics Part 1 of 4 : a method for accurate impulse response measurements in large open air theatres

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hak, C.C.J.M.; Hoekstra, N.; Nicolai, B.; Wenmaekers, R.H.C.

    2016-01-01

    Selecting an appropriate method for measuring ‘normal’ indoor concert hall acoustics is always a trade-off between time, stimulus type, number of measurements and measurement quality. For ISO 3382 room acoustic parameters to be derived accurately from impulse responses, this tradeoff aims at a

  13. Axisymmetrical impulsive responses of an infinite circular cylindrical shell filled with liquid

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ujihashi, Sadayuki; Matsumoto, Hiroyuki; Nakahara, Ichiro; Shigeta, Masayuki.

    1986-01-01

    In this paper, dynamic interaction phenomena on solid and liquid interfaces are discussed. Axisymmetrical responses of an infinite circular cylindrical shell perfectly filled with liquid are analyzed, based on Fluegge's theory for a circular cylindrical shell and the potential theory for the ideal fluid under conditions of the impulsive external band pressure given on the outer surface of the shell. The deflection and the moment of the shell and the pressure in the fluid are evaluated by using the numerical inversion of the Laplace transformation method. The approximate solution for the shell with an equivalent mass on it is analyzed and is evaluated, based on the solution for the solid and liquid interaction. (author)

  14. FIR Filter Sharpening by Frequency Masking and Pipelining-Interleaving Technique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    CIRIC, M. P.

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available This paper focuses on the improvements of digital filters with a highly sharp transition zone on the Xilinx FPGA chips by combining a sharpening method based on the amplitude change function and frequency masking and PI (Pipelining-Interleaving techniques. A linear phase requires digital filter realizations with Finite Impulse Response (FIR filters. On the other hand, a drawback of FIR filters applications is a low computational efficiency, especially in applications such as filter sharpening techniques, because this technique uses processing the data by repeated passes through the same filter. Computational efficiency of FIR filters can be significantly improved by using some of the multirate techniques, and such a degree of computation savings cannot be achieved in multirate implementations of IIR (Infinite Impulse Response filters. This paper shows the realization of a filter sharpening method with FIR filters combined with frequency masking and PI (Pipelining-Interleaving technique in order to effectively realize the filter with improved characteristic. This realization at the same time keeps the good features of FIR filters such as the linear phase characteristic.

  15. Dynamic Systems Driven by Non-Poissonian Impulses

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Søren R.K.; Iwankiewicz, R.

    interarrival times. The moment equations for the augmented Poisson driven system are derived and closed by an ordinary cumulant neglect closure at the order N=4. The obtained moments are compared with these obtained by Monte Carlo simulations for both the original process with lognormally distributed......Dynamic systems under random trains of impulses driven by renewal point processes are studied. Then the system state variables no longer form a Markov vector as it is in the case of Poisson impulses. A general format is given for the replacing an ordinary renewal process by an equivalent Poisson...... process at the expense of the introduction of auxiliary state variables. A technique is devised for truncating the hierarchy of stochastic equations governing the auxiliary state variables. For the generalized Erlang process, suitable for approximating a wide class of renewal processes, the technique...

  16. Comparison principle for impulsive functional differential equations with infinite delays and applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xiaodi; Shen, Jianhua; Akca, Haydar; Rakkiyappan, R.

    2018-04-01

    We introduce the Razumikhin technique to comparison principle and establish some comparison results for impulsive functional differential equations (IFDEs) with infinite delays, where the infinite delays may be infinite time-varying delays or infinite distributed delays. The idea is, under the help of Razumikhin technique, to reduce the study of IFDEs with infinite delays to the study of scalar impulsive differential equations (IDEs) in which the solutions are easy to deal with. Based on the comparison principle, we study the qualitative properties of IFDEs with infinite delays , which include stability, asymptotic stability, exponential stability, practical stability, boundedness, etc. It should be mentioned that the developed results in this paper can be applied to IFDEs with not only infinite delays but also persistent impulsive perturbations. Moreover, even for the special cases of non-impulsive effects or/and finite delays, the criteria prove to be simpler and less conservative than some existing results. Finally, two examples are given to illustrate the effectiveness and advantages of the proposed results.

  17. Be quick about it. Endogenous estradiol level, menstrual cycle phase and trait impulsiveness predict impulsive choice in the context of reward acquisition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diekhof, Esther K

    2015-08-01

    This article is part of a Special Issue "Estradiol and Cognition". Variations in the steroid hormone 17ß-estradiol (E2) may promote intra-individual differences in reward seeking behavior and temporal decision-making (Reimers et al., 2014; Front. Neurosci. 8: 401). Yet, in humans the exact role of E2 in impulsive choice still needs to be determined. The present study assessed the effect of a cycle-dependent rise in endogenous E2 on temporal response adaptation across the follicular phase (FP). For this purpose a reward acquisition paradigm was employed that is sensitive to hormone-induced changes in central dopamine (DA) level. The present data show that women acted more impulsively in the early as opposed to the late FP. Early follicular E2 further correlated with an increased capacity to speed up for reward maximization, while simultaneously the ability to wait for higher reward was compromised. This correlation was most pronounced in women with low trait impulsiveness. In contrast, E2 and optimized response speed failed to correlate in women with high trait impulsiveness and in the late FP, despite a generally higher E2 level. Collectively, these findings support the theory that E2 may act as an endogenous DA agonist. The fact that the hormone-behavior relationship was restricted to women with low trait impulsiveness and thus supposedly lower central DA level provides indirect support for this idea. Yet, choices became relatively less impulsive in the state of heightened E2 (i.e., in the late FP), suggesting that the relationship between E2 and impulsive choice may not be linear, but might resemble an inverted U-function. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Eyes Wide Shopped: Shopping Situations Trigger Arousal in Impulsive Buyers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Serfas, Benjamin G.; Büttner, Oliver B.; Florack, Arnd

    2014-01-01

    The present study proposes arousal as an important mechanism driving buying impulsiveness. We examined the effect of buying impulsiveness on arousal in non-shopping and shopping contexts. In an eye-tracking experiment, we measured pupil dilation while participants viewed and rated pictures of shopping scenes and non-shopping scenes. The results demonstrated that buying impulsiveness is closely associated with arousal as response to viewing pictures of shopping scenes. This pertained for hedonic shopping situations as well as for utilitarian shopping situations. Importantly, the effect did not emerge for non-shopping scenes. Furthermore, we demonstrated that arousal of impulsive buyers is independent from cognitive evaluation of scenes in the pictures. PMID:25489955

  19. Eyes wide shopped: shopping situations trigger arousal in impulsive buyers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Serfas, Benjamin G; Büttner, Oliver B; Florack, Arnd

    2014-01-01

    The present study proposes arousal as an important mechanism driving buying impulsiveness. We examined the effect of buying impulsiveness on arousal in non-shopping and shopping contexts. In an eye-tracking experiment, we measured pupil dilation while participants viewed and rated pictures of shopping scenes and non-shopping scenes. The results demonstrated that buying impulsiveness is closely associated with arousal as response to viewing pictures of shopping scenes. This pertained for hedonic shopping situations as well as for utilitarian shopping situations. Importantly, the effect did not emerge for non-shopping scenes. Furthermore, we demonstrated that arousal of impulsive buyers is independent from cognitive evaluation of scenes in the pictures.

  20. A Fresh Look at Linear Ordinary Differential Equations with Constant Coefficients. Revisiting the Impulsive Response Method Using Factorization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Camporesi, Roberto

    2016-01-01

    We present an approach to the impulsive response method for solving linear constant-coefficient ordinary differential equations of any order based on the factorization of the differential operator. The approach is elementary, we only assume a basic knowledge of calculus and linear algebra. In particular, we avoid the use of distribution theory, as…

  1. The interactive effect of hunger and impulsivity on food intake and purchase in a virtual supermarket.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nederkoorn, C; Guerrieri, R; Havermans, R C; Roefs, A; Jansen, A

    2009-08-01

    It has been shown repeatedly that impulsivity, obesity and food intake are related; obese people are more impulsive than lean people and impulsive people eat more than less impulsive people. The relation between impulsivity and food intake might be state dependent; hunger motivates food seeking behaviour and food consumption, especially of high caloric food. Difficulties to overrule automatic behavioural tendencies might make impulsive people more susceptible to the effects of hunger on food selection. Therefore, they are expected to increase their intake more than low impulsive people when feeling hungry. STUDY 1: Fifty-seven female participants were randomly assigned to a hunger or sated condition. Response inhibition (a measure of impulsivity) and food intake were measured. Results show that impulsive participants ate significantly more, but only when feeling hungry. STUDY 2: Ninety-four undergraduate students participated. Hunger, response inhibition and the purchase of food in a virtual supermarket were measured. The same interaction was found: impulsive participants bought most calories, especially from snack food, but only when feeling hungry. Hunger and impulsivity interact in their influence on consumption. These data suggest that reducing hunger during calorie restricting diets is important for successful weight loss, particularly for the impulsive dieters.

  2. Weighted finite impulse response filter for chromatic dispersion equalization in coherent optical fiber communication systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeng, Ziyi; Yang, Aiying; Guo, Peng; Feng, Lihui

    2018-01-01

    Time-domain CD equalization using finite impulse response (FIR) filter is now a common approach for coherent optical fiber communication systems. The complex weights of FIR taps are calculated from a truncated impulse response of the CD transfer function, and the modulus of the complex weights is constant. In our work, we take the limited bandwidth of a single channel signal into account and propose weighted FIRs to improve the performance of CD equalization. The key in weighted FIR filters is the selection and optimization of weighted functions. In order to present the performance of different types of weighted FIR filters, a square-root raised cosine FIR (SRRC-FIR) and a Gaussian FIR (GS-FIR) are investigated. The optimization of square-root raised cosine FIR and Gaussian FIR are made in term of the bit rate error (BER) of QPSK and 16QAM coherent detection signal. The results demonstrate that the optimized parameters of the weighted filters are independent of the modulation format, symbol rate and the length of transmission fiber. With the optimized weighted FIRs, the BER of CD equalization signal is decreased significantly. Although this paper has investigated two types of weighted FIR filters, i.e. SRRC-FIR filter and GS-FIR filter, the principle of weighted FIR can also be extended to other symmetric functions super Gaussian function, hyperbolic secant function and etc.

  3. Reinforcement Schedules in a Verbal Reinforcement Combination and Renection-Impulsivity

    OpenAIRE

    TAMASE, Koji; UEDA, Masako

    1986-01-01

    It was predicted that higher proportion of the negative reinforcement "Wrong" than that of the positive reinforcement "Right" in a reinforcement combination will produce higher proportion of the correct response and this trend will be greater in reflective children than in impulsive children. From 140 kindergarten children 30 reflective and 30 impulsive children were selected and they were given a two-hole marble-dropping task. The best performance in the ratio of correct responses was obtain...

  4. The determination of acoustic reflection coefficients by using cepstral techniques, II: Extensions of the technique and considerations of accuracy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bolton, J. S.; Gold, E.

    1986-10-01

    In a companion paper the cepstral technique for the measurement of reflection coefficients was described. In particular the concepts of extraction noise and extraction delay were introduced. They are considered further here, and, in addition, a means of extending the cepstral technique to accommodate surfaces having lengthy impulse responses is described. The character of extraction noise, a cepstral component which interferes with reflection measurements, is largely determined by the spectrum of the signal radiated from the source loudspeaker. Here the origin and effects of extraction noise are discussed and it is shown that inverse filtering techniques may be used to reduce extraction noise without making impractical demands of the electrical test signal or the source loudspeaker. The extraction delay, a factor which is introduced when removing the reflector impulse response from the power cepstrum, has previously been estimated by a cross-correlation technique. Here the importance of estimating the extraction delay accurately is emphasized by showing the effect of small spurious delays on the calculation of the normal impedance of a reflecting surface. The effects are shown to accord with theory, and it was found that the real part of the estimated surface normal impedance is very nearly maximized when the spurious delay is eliminated; this has suggested a new way of determining the extraction delay itself. Finally, the basic cepstral technique is suited only to the measurement of surfaces whose impulse responses are shorter than τ, the delay between the arrival of the direct and specularly reflected components at the measurement position. Here it is shown that this restriction can be eliminated, by using a process known as cepstral inversion, when the direct cepstrum has a duration less than τ and cepstral aliasing is insignificant. It is also possible to use this technique to deconvolve a signal from an echo sequence in the time domain, an operation

  5. Overweight in adolescent, psychiatric inpatients: A problem of general or food-specific impulsivity?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deux, Natalie; Schlarb, Angelika A; Martin, Franziska; Holtmann, Martin; Hebebrand, Johannes; Legenbauer, Tanja

    2017-05-01

    Adolescent psychiatric patients are vulnerable to weight problems and show an overrepresentation of overweight compared to the healthy population. One potential factor that can contribute to the etiology of overweight is higher impulsivity. As of yet, it is unclear whether it is a general impulse control deficit or weight-related aspects such as lower impulse control in response to food that have an impact on body weight. As this may have therapeutic implications, the current study investigated differences between overweight and non-overweight adolescent psychiatric inpatients (N = 98; aged 12-20) in relation to trait impulsivity and behavioral inhibition performance. The Barratt Impulsiveness Scale and two go/no-go paradigms with neutral and food-related stimulus materials were applied. Results indicated no significant differences concerning trait impulsivity, but revealed that overweight inpatients had significantly more difficulties in inhibition performance (i.e. they reacted more impulsively) in response to both food and neutral stimuli compared to non-overweight inpatients. Furthermore, no specific inhibition deficit for high-caloric vs. low-caloric food cues emerged in overweight inpatients, whereas non-overweight participants showed significantly lower inhibition skills in response to high-caloric than low-caloric food stimuli. The results highlight a rather general, non-food-specific reduced inhibition performance in an overweight adolescent psychiatric population. Further research is necessary to enhance the understanding of the role of impulsivity in terms of body weight status in this high-risk group of adolescent inpatients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Impulse holograms in amorphous semiconductor films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ozols, A.; Ivanovs, G.; Lazarevs, S.

    2002-01-01

    Impulse hologram recording in amorphous chalcogenide semiconductor films with pulse duration from minutes to picoseconds is considered. Nanosecond pulses are shown to be optimal due to the nonlinearity to films. Millisecond impulse hologram recording is experimentally studied. It is found that about 500 times lower exposure is needed to reach the same diffraction efficiency when compared to CW case. The millisecond recording is non-permanent. A nonlinear photoinduced recharging of localized states in the band gap is found to be responsible for the millisecond recording. It can be applied for non-permanent optical storage and optical information processing. (authors)

  7. A TECHNIQUE OF EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATIONS OF LINEAR IMPULSE ELECTROMECHANICAL CONVERTERS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V.F. Bolyukh

    2017-04-01

    figures obtained by means of a mathematical model that describes the ultrafast electromagnetic, thermal and mechanical processes that occur when the yoke moves relative to the inductor. Originality. For the first time offered during experimental studies of impulse linear electromechanical converter to both to measure the electrical parameters, namely the inductor winding current, and mechanical parameters characterizing the power and velocity performance with yoke actuator. Practical value. The technique of experimental investigations the parameters of the linear pulse electromechanical converter that can be used to investigate the shock-power devices and electromechanical accelerators is proposed.

  8. Is impulsivity a link between childhood abuse and suicide?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Braquehais, M Dolores; Oquendo, Maria A; Baca-García, Enrique; Sher, Leo

    2010-01-01

    Childhood abuse and neglect are known to affect psychological states through behavioral, emotional, and cognitive pathways. They increase the risk of having psychiatric diseases in adulthood and have been considered risk factors for suicidal behavior in all diagnostic categories. Early, prolonged, and severe trauma is also known to increase impulsivity, diminishing the capacity of the brain to inhibit negative actions and to control and modulate emotions. Many neurobiological studies hold that childhood maltreatment may lead to a persistent failure of the inhibitory processes ruled mainly by the frontal cortex over a fear-motivated hyperresponsive limbic system. Multiple neurotransmitters and hormones are involved in the stress response, but, to our knowledge, the two major biological consequences of the chronic exposure to trauma are the hypofunction of the serotonergic system and changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function. Some of these findings overlap with the neurobiological features of impulsivity and of suicidal behavior. Impulsivity has also been said to be both a consequence of trauma and a risk factor for the development of a pathological response to trauma. Thus, we suggest that impulsivity could be one of the links between childhood trauma and suicidal behavior. Prevention of childhood abuse could significantly reduce suicidal behavior in adolescents and adults, in part, through a decrease in the frequency of impulsive behaviors in the future. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. CO2 impulse response curves for GWP calculations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jain, A.K.; Wuebbles, D.J.

    1993-01-01

    The primary purpose of Global Warming Potential (GWP) is to compare the effectiveness of emission strategies for various greenhouse gases to those for CO 2 , GWPs are quite sensitive to the amount of CO 2 . Unlike all other gases emitted in the atmosphere, CO 2 does not have a chemical or photochemical sink within the atmosphere. Removal of CO 2 is therefore dependent on exchanges with other carbon reservoirs, namely, ocean and terrestrial biosphere. The climatic-induced changes in ocean circulation or marine biological productivity could significantly alter the atmospheric CO 2 lifetime. Moreover, continuing forest destruction, nutrient limitations or temperature induced increases of respiration could also dramatically change the lifetime of CO 2 in the atmosphere. Determination of the current CO 2 sinks, and how these sinks are likely to change with increasing CO 2 emissions, is crucial to the calculations of GWPs. It is interesting to note that the impulse response function is sensitive to the initial state of the ocean-atmosphere system into which CO 2 is emitted. This is due to the fact that in our model the CO 2 flux from the atmosphere to the mixed layer is a nonlinear function of ocean surface total carbon

  10. Dopaminergic influences on executive function and impulsive behaviour in impulse control disorders in Parkinson's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leroi, Iracema; Barraclough, Michelle; McKie, Shane; Hinvest, Neal; Evans, Jonathan; Elliott, Rebecca; McDonald, Kathryn

    2013-09-01

    The development of impulse control disorders (ICDs) in Parkinson's disease (PD) may arise from an interaction among cognitive impairment, impulsive responding and dopaminergic state. Dopaminergic state may be influenced by pharmacologic or genotypic (catechol-O-methyltransferase; COMT) factors. We sought to investigate this interaction further by comparing those with (n = 35) and without (n = 55) ICDs on delay-discounting in different pharmacologic conditions (ON or OFF dopaminergic medication) and on response inhibition as well as aspects of executive functioning in the ON state. We then undertook an exploratory sub-group analysis of these same tasks when the overall PD group was divided into different allelic variants of COMT (val/val vs. met/met). A healthy control group (HC; n = 20) was also included. We found that in those with PD and ICDs, 'cognitive flexibility' (set shifting, verbal fluency, and attention) in the ON medication state was not impaired compared with those without ICDs. In contrast, our working memory, or 'cognitive focus', task was impaired in both PD groups compared with the HC group when ON. During the delay-discounting task, the PD with ICDs group expressed greater impulsive choice compared with the PD group without ICDs, when in the ON, but not the OFF, medication state. However, no group difference on the response inhibition task was seen when ON. Finally, the met homozygous group performed differently on tests of executive function compared with the val homozygous group. We concluded that the disparity in levels of impairment among different domains of executive function and impulsive decision-making distinguishes those with ICD in PD from those without ICD, and may in part be affected by dopaminergic status. Both pharmacologic and genotypic influences on dopaminergic state may be important in ICD. © 2013 The British Psychological Society.

  11. Trait impulsivity and impaired prefrontal impulse inhibition function in adolescents with internet gaming addiction revealed by a Go/No-Go fMRI study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, Wei-na; Sun, Jin-hua; Sun, Ya-Wen; Chen, Xue; Zhou, Yan; Zhuang, Zhi-guo; Li, Lei; Zhang, Yong; Xu, Jian-rong; Du, Ya-song

    2014-05-30

    Recent studies suggest that Internet gaming addiction (IGA) is an impulse disorder, or is at least related to impulse control disorders. In the present study, we hypothesized that different facets of trait impulsivity may be specifically linked to the brain regions with impaired impulse inhibition function in IGA adolescents. Seventeen adolescents with IGA and seventeen healthy controls were scanned during performance of a response-inhibition Go/No-Go task using a 3.0 T MRI scanner. The Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS)-11 was used to assess impulsivity. There were no differences in the behavioral performance on the Go/No-Go task between the groups. However, the IGA group was significantly hyperactive during No-Go trials in the left superior medial frontal gyrus, right anterior cingulate cortex, right superior/middle frontal gyrus, left inferior parietal lobule, left precentral gyrus, and left precuneus and cuneus. Further, the bilateral middle temporal gyrus, bilateral inferior temporal gyrus, and right superior parietal lobule were significantly hypoactive during No-Go trials. Activation of the left superior medial frontal gyrus was positively associated with BIS-11 and Chen Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS) total score across IGA participants. Our data suggest that the prefrontal cortex may be involved in the circuit modulating impulsivity, while its impaired function may relate to high impulsivity in adolescents with IGA, which may contribute directly to the Internet addiction process.

  12. An examination of the relationship between measures of impulsivity and risky simulated driving amongst young drivers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hatfield, Julie; Williamson, Ann; Kehoe, E James; Prabhakharan, Prasannah

    2017-06-01

    The risky driving of young drivers may owe in part to youthful motivations (such as experience-seeking, authority rebellion, desire for peer approval) combined with incompletely developed impulse control. Although self-reported impulsiveness has been positively associated with self-reports of risky driving, results based on objective measures of response inhibition (e.g., Go/No-go tasks) have been inconclusive. The present study examined interrelationships between measures of response inhibition, self-report impulsiveness scales, and responses to events during a simulated drive that were designed to detect impulsive, unsafe behaviours (e.g., turning across on-coming traffic). Participants were 72 first-year Psychology students. More speeding and "Unsafe" responding to critical events during simulated driving were associated with poorer impulse control as assessed by commission errors during a Go/No-Go task. These results consolidate evidence for a relationship between impulse control and risky driving amongst young drivers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Campground marketing - the impulse camper

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilbur F. LaPage; Dale P. Ragain

    1972-01-01

    Impulse or unplanned campground visits may account for one-fourth to one-half of all camping activity. The concepts of impulse travel and impulse camping appear to be potentially useful extensions of the broader concept of impulse purchasing, which has become an important influence in retail marketing. Impulse campers may also be impulse buyers; they were found to...

  14. Eyes wide shopped: shopping situations trigger arousal in impulsive buyers.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Benjamin G Serfas

    Full Text Available The present study proposes arousal as an important mechanism driving buying impulsiveness. We examined the effect of buying impulsiveness on arousal in non-shopping and shopping contexts. In an eye-tracking experiment, we measured pupil dilation while participants viewed and rated pictures of shopping scenes and non-shopping scenes. The results demonstrated that buying impulsiveness is closely associated with arousal as response to viewing pictures of shopping scenes. This pertained for hedonic shopping situations as well as for utilitarian shopping situations. Importantly, the effect did not emerge for non-shopping scenes. Furthermore, we demonstrated that arousal of impulsive buyers is independent from cognitive evaluation of scenes in the pictures.

  15. Apt strain measurement technique for impulsive loading applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nanda, Soumya Ranjan; Kulkarni, Vinayak; Sahoo, Niranjan

    2017-01-01

    The necessity of precise measurement of strain time history for impulsive loading applications has been addressed in the present investigation. Finite element modeling is initially carried out for a hemispherical test model and stress bar assembly to arrive at an appropriate location for strain measurement. In dynamic calibration experiments, strain measurements are performed using two wire and three wire quarter bride arrangements along with half bridge circuit. Usefulness of these arrangements has been verified by analyzing strain signals in time and frequency domains. Comparison of recovered force time histories proved that the half bridge circuit is the most suitable for such applications. Actual shock tube testing of the instrumented hemispherical test model confirmed the applicability of half bridge circuit for short duration strain measurements. (technical note)

  16. Ventral striatal regulation of CREM mediates impulsive action and drug addiction vulnerability

    OpenAIRE

    Miller, Michael L.; Ren, Yanhua; Szutorisz, Henrietta; Warren, Noël A.; Tessereau, Chloé; Egervári, Gábor; Mlodnicka, Agnieszka; Kapoor, Manav; Chaarani, Bader; Morris, Claudia V.; Schumann, Gunter; Garavan, Hugh; Goate, Alison M.; Bannon, Michael J.; Halperin, Jeffrey M.

    2017-01-01

    Impulsivity, a multifaceted behavioral hallmark of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), strongly influences addiction vulnerability and other psychiatric disorders that incur enormous medical and societal burdens yet the neurobiological underpinnings linking impulsivity to disease remain poorly understood. Here we report the critical role of ventral striatal cAMP-response element modulator (CREM) in mediating impulsivity relevant to drug abuse vulnerability. Using an ADHD rat mode...

  17. Anti-impulse-noise Edge Detection via Anisotropic Morphological Directional Derivatives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shui, Peng-Lang; Wang, Fu-Ping

    2017-07-13

    Traditional differential-based edge detection suffers from abrupt degradation in performance when images are corrupted by impulse noises. The morphological operators such as the median filters and weighted median filters possess the intrinsic ability to counteract impulse noise. In this paper, by combining the biwindow configuration with weighted median filters, anisotropic morphological directional derivatives (AMDD) robust to impulse noise are proposed to measure the local grayscale variation around a pixel. For ideal step edges, the AMDD spatial response and directional representation are derived. The characteristics and edge resolution of two kinds of typical biwindows are analyzed thoroughly. In terms of the AMDD spatial response and directional representation of ideal step edges, the spatial matched filter is used to extract the edge strength map (ESM) from the AMDDs of an image. The spatial and directional matched filters are used to extract the edge direction map (EDM). Embedding the extracted ESM and EDM into the standard route of the differential-based edge detection, an anti-impulse-noise AMDD-based edge detector is constructed. It is compared with the existing state-of-the-art detectors on a recognized image dataset for edge detection evaluation. The results show that it attains competitive performance in noise-free and Gaussian noise cases and the best performance in impulse noise cases.

  18. Impulsive control and synchronization of chaotic Hindmarsh-Rose models for neuronal activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu Quanjun; Zhou Jin; Xiang Lan; Liu Zengrong

    2009-01-01

    The issues of impulsive control and synchronization of chaotic Hindmarsh-Rose model are investigated in this paper. Based on impulsive control theory of dynamical systems, some simple yet less conservative criteria ensuring impulsive stabilization and synchronization of the Hindmarsh-Rose models are derived analytically. Furthermore, two numerical results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control techniques. It is shown that the obtained results should be helpful to understand dynamical mechanism of signal encoding and transduction from information processing of real neuronal activity.

  19. Anger and Impulsivity Among Japanese Adolescents: A Nationwide Representative Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Itani, Osamu; Kaneita, Yoshitaka; Munezawa, Takeshi; Ikeda, Maki; Osaki, Yoneatsu; Higuchi, Susumu; Kanda, Hideyuki; Nakagome, Sachi; Suzuki, Kenji; Ohida, Takashi

    2016-07-01

    This study aimed to clarify the prevalence of anger and impulsivity and its associated factors through a nationwide survey of junior and senior high school adolescent students in Japan. A self-administered questionnaire covering (1) personal data, (2) lifestyle, (3) mental health status, and (4) feelings of anger and impulsivity was distributed to junior and senior high school students in Japan. Among the total of 10,955 junior high schools and 5,115 senior high schools nationwide, 130 and 110 were randomly selected, respectively. Of those, 92 junior and 80 senior high schools participated in the survey. The survey period was from December 2008 to the end of January 2009. A total of 95,680 questionnaires were collected. After excluding invalid responses, the remaining 94,777 responses (response rate: 62.3%) were analyzed. From the questions regarding anger and impulsivity, 8.7% (95% CI, 8.5%-8.9%) and 7.5% (95% CI, 7.3%-7.7%) of the participants were considered to have experienced intense anger and impulsivity, respectively. Logistic regression analysis indicated that the odds ratios for experiencing intense feelings of anger were significantly higher (all P values breakfast, did not wish to go to university, had short sleep duration, had decreased positive feelings, had increased depressive feelings, or used mobile phones for longer hours. The odds ratios for experiencing intense impulsivity were significantly higher among students who smoked, consumed alcohol, skipped breakfast, did not participate in club activities, had short sleep duration, had decreased positive feelings, had increased depressive feelings, or used mobile phones for longer hours. The results suggest that healthy lifestyle habits, good sleep habits, and improved mental health are important for preventing intense feelings of anger and impulsivity among adolescents. © Copyright 2016 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

  20. Subthalamic nucleus stimulation influences expression and suppression of impulsive behaviour in Parkinson’s disease

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ridderinkhof, K. Richard; Elias, William J.; Frysinger, Robert C.; Bashore, Theodore R.; Downs, Kara E.; van Wouwe, Nelleke C.; van den Wildenberg, Wery P. M.

    2010-01-01

    Past studies show beneficial as well as detrimental effects of subthalamic nucleus deep-brain stimulation on impulsive behaviour. We address this paradox by investigating individuals with Parkinson’s disease treated with subthalamic nucleus stimulation (n = 17) and healthy controls without Parkinson’s disease (n = 17) on performance in a Simon task. In this reaction time task, conflict between premature response impulses and goal-directed action selection is manipulated. We applied distributional analytic methods to separate the strength of the initial response impulse from the proficiency of inhibitory control engaged subsequently to suppress the impulse. Patients with Parkinson’s disease were tested when stimulation was either turned on or off. Mean conflict interference effects did not differ between controls and patients, or within patients when stimulation was on versus off. In contrast, distributional analyses revealed two dissociable effects of subthalamic nucleus stimulation. Fast response errors indicated that stimulation increased impulsive, premature responding in high conflict situations. Later in the reaction process, however, stimulation improved the proficiency with which inhibitory control was engaged to suppress these impulses selectively, thereby facilitating selection of the correct action. This temporal dissociation supports a conceptual framework for resolving past paradoxical findings and further highlights that dynamic aspects of impulse and inhibitory control underlying goal-directed behaviour rely in part on neural circuitry inclusive of the subthalamic nucleus. PMID:20861152

  1. Cued to Act on Impulse: More Impulsive Choice and Risky Decision Making by Women Susceptible to Overeating after Exposure to Food Stimuli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeomans, Martin R; Brace, Aaron

    2015-01-01

    There is increasing evidence that individual differences in tendency to overeat relate to impulsivity, possibly by increasing reactivity to food-related cues in the environment. This study tested whether acute exposure to food cues enhanced impulsive and risky responses in women classified on tendency to overeat, indexed by scores on the three factor eating questionnaire disinhibition (TFEQ-D), restraint (TFEQ-R) and hunger scales. Ninety six healthy women completed two measures of impulsive responding (delayed discounting, DDT and a Go No-Go, GNG, task) and a measure of risky decision making (the balloon analogue risk task, BART) as well as questionnaire measures of impulsive behaviour either after looking at a series of pictures of food or visually matched controls. Impulsivity (DDT) and risk-taking (BART) were both positively associated with TFEQ-D scores, but in both cases this effect was exacerbated by prior exposure to food cues. No effects of restraint were found. TFEQ-D scores were also related to more commission errors on the GNG, while restrained women were slower on the GNG, but neither effect was modified by cue exposure. Overall these data suggest that exposure to food cues act to enhance general impulsive responding in women at risk of overeating and tentatively suggest an important interaction between tendency for impulsive decision making and food cues that may help explain a key underlying risk factor for overeating.

  2. Tangent-Impulse Interception for a Hyperbolic Target

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dongzhe Wang

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The two-body interception problem with an upper-bounded tangent impulse for the interceptor on an elliptic parking orbit to collide with a nonmaneuvering target on a hyperbolic orbit is studied. Firstly, four special initial true anomalies whose velocity vectors are parallel to either of the lines of asymptotes for the target hyperbolic orbit are obtained by using Newton-Raphson method. For different impulse points, the solution-existence ranges of the target true anomaly for any conic transfer are discussed in detail. Then, the time-of-flight equation is solved by the secant method for a single-variable piecewise function about the target true anomaly. Considering the sphere of influence of the Earth and the upper bound on the fuel, all feasible solutions are obtained for different impulse points. Finally, a numerical example is provided to apply the proposed technique for all feasible solutions and the global minimum-time solution with initial coasting time.

  3. Variable delay-to-signal: a fast paradigm for assessment of aspects of impulsivity in rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hugo eLeite-Almeida

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available Testing impulsive behavior in rodents is challenging and labor-intensive. We developed a new behavioral paradigm – the Variable Delay-to-Signal (VDS test – that provides rapid and simultaneous assessment of response and decision impulsivity in rodents. Presentation of a light at variable delays signals the permission for action (nose poke contingent with a reward. Two blocks of 25 trials at 3s delay flank a block of 70 trials in which light is presented with randomly selected 6s or 12s delays. Exposure to such large delays boosts the rate of premature responses when the delay drops to 3s in the final block, an effect that is blunted by an acute methamphetamine challenge and that correlates with the delay-discounting paradigm (choice impulsivity. Finally, as expected, treatment with the NMDA antagonist MK-801 caused a generalized response increase in all VDS blocks. The pharmacological validation, particularly with methamphetamine which has a well established dual effect on response and decision impulsivity, and the correlations between the impulsive behavior in the delay-discounting and VDS paradigms, suggests that the later is able to provide, in a single session, a multi-dimensional assessment of impulsive behavior.

  4. Effects of Compressibility on the Performance of a Wave-Energy Conversion Device with an Impulse Turbine Using a Numerical Simulation Technique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Thakker

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available This article presents work carried out to predict the behavior of a 0.6 m impulse turbine with fixed guide vanes as compared with that of a 0.6 hub-to-tip ratio turbine under real sea conditions. In order to predict the true performance of the actual oscillating water column (OWC, the numerical technique was fine-tuned by incorporating the compressibility effect. Water surface elevation versus time history was used as the input data for this purpose. The effect of compressibility inside the air chamber and the turbine's performance under unsteady and irregular flow conditions were analyzed numerically. Considering the quasi-steady assumptions, the unidirectional steady-flow experimental data was used to simulate the turbines characteristics under irregular unsteady flow conditions. The results showed that the performance of this type of turbine is quite stable and that the efficiency of the air chamber and the mean conversion efficiency are reduced by around 8% and 5%, respectively, as a result of the compressibility inside the air chamber. The mean efficiencies of the OWC device and the impulse turbine were predicted for 1 month, based on the Irish wave climate, and it was found that the total time period of wave data used is one of the important factors in the simulation technique.

  5. Mu and delta opioid receptors oppositely regulate motor impulsivity in the signaled nose poke task.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mary C Olmstead

    Full Text Available Impulsivity is a primary feature of many psychiatric disorders, most notably attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and drug addiction. Impulsivity includes a number of processes such as the inability to delay gratification, the inability to withhold a motor response, or acting before all of the relevant information is available. These processes are mediated by neural systems that include dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, glutamate and cannabinoids. We examine, for the first time, the role of opioid systems in impulsivity by testing whether inactivation of the mu- (Oprm1 or delta- (Oprd1 opioid receptor gene alters motor impulsivity in mice. Wild-type and knockout mice were examined on either a pure C57BL6/J (BL6 or a hybrid 50% C57Bl/6J-50% 129Sv/pas (HYB background. Mice were trained to respond for sucrose in a signaled nose poke task that provides independent measures of associative learning (responses to the reward-paired cue and motor impulsivity (premature responses. Oprm1 knockout mice displayed a remarkable decrease in motor impulsivity. This was observed on the two genetic backgrounds and did not result from impaired associative learning, as responses to the cue signaling reward did not differ across genotypes. Furthermore, mutant mice were insensitive to the effects of ethanol, which increased disinhibition and decreased conditioned responding in wild-type mice. In sharp contrast, mice lacking the Oprd1 gene were more impulsive than controls. Again, mutant animals showed no deficit in associative learning. Ethanol completely disrupted performance in these animals. Together, our results suggest that mu-opioid receptors enhance, whereas delta-opioid receptors inhibit, motor impulsivity. This reveals an unanticipated contribution of endogenous opioid receptor activity to disinhibition. In a broader context, these data suggest that alterations in mu- or delta-opioid receptor function may contribute to impulse control disorders.

  6. The short (S) allele of the serotonin transporter polymorphism and acute tryptophan depletion both increase impulsivity in men.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walderhaug, Espen; Herman, Aryeh Isaac; Magnusson, Andres; Morgan, Michael John; Landrø, Nils Inge

    2010-04-12

    Reduced serotonergic neurotransmission is implicated in impulsive behavior. We studied the triallelic system of the serotonin transporter gene linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) and acute manipulation of serotonin together to further delineate the mechanisms by which serotonergic neurotransmission affects impulsivity. Fifty-two healthy participants (38 men and 14 women) underwent acute tryptophan depletion (ATD) or placebo in a randomized, double-blind, parallel group experiment. Impulsive response style was measured on two versions of the Continuous Performance Task (CPT), and calculated using signal detection theory. We observed a dose-dependent effect for the short (S') allele of the 5-HTTLPR on impulsive response style. Individuals who had the S'/S' genotype were more impulsive than individuals with the L/S' genotype. Participants with the L/S' genotype were more impulsive than those with the L/L genotype. ATD increased impulsivity in men, and decreased impulsivity in women. These data demonstrate for the first time that reduced serotonergic tone as a result of either 5-HTTLPR genotype, or experimental ATD, are both independently and additively, associated with elevated impulsive response style in Caucasian men. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Exponential p-stability of impulsive stochastic differential equations with delays

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang Zhiguo; Xu Daoyi; Xiang Li

    2006-01-01

    In this Letter, we establish a method to study the exponential p-stability of the zero solution of impulsive stochastic differential equations with delays. By establishing an L-operator inequality and using the properties of M-cone and stochastic analysis technique, we obtain some new conditions ensuring the exponential p-stability of the zero solution of impulsive stochastic differential equations with delays. Two illustrative examples have been provided to show the effectiveness of our results

  8. A generalized Halanay inequality on impulsive delayed dynamical systems and its applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu Quanjun; Zhang Hua; Xiang Lan; Zhou Jin

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► A generalized Halanay differential inequality is derived. ► By using the inequality, we can stabilize an unstable dynamical system via impulses. ► The results are applied to chaos-based secure communication systems. ► The results may develop an effective impulsive control strategy. - Abstract: The main objective of this paper is to extend previous results on Halanay inequality for impulsive delayed dynamical systems. Based on the Razumikhin technique, a generalized Halanay differential inequality on impulsive delayed dynamical systems is analytically established. Compared with some existing works, the distinctive feature of this work is that it can be used to stabilize an unstable delayed dynamical system via impulses. The generalized Halanay inequality may be applied to secure communication systems, and a numerical example is given for illustrating and interpreting the theoretical results.

  9. Lone-actor Terrorism and Impulsivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meloy, J Reid; Pollard, Jeffrey W

    2017-11-01

    In some recent cases of lone-actor terrorism, there is evidence the subject acted impulsively, often in response to a triggering event which contained a loss and humiliation. Evidence suggests the subjects acted precipitously, despite planning and preparation carried out in the preceding weeks or months, and their attacks failed to include the often considerable preparation that had been done. The pathway became a runway. The authors recommend the traditional assessment of impulsivity in persons of concern for lone acts of terrorism, as well as other proximal warning behaviors for targeted violence. Both indirect and direct assessment guidelines are proposed, with an emphasis upon self-report, psychological testing, collateral data gathering, and historical records. © 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

  10. ZrN coatings deposited by high power impulse magnetron sputtering and cathodic arc techniques

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Purandare, Yashodhan, E-mail: Y.Purandare@shu.ac.uk; Ehiasarian, Arutiun; Hovsepian, Papken [Nanotechnology Centre for PVD Research, Materials and Engineering Research Institute, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield S1 1WB (United Kingdom); Santana, Antonio [Ionbond AG Olten, Industriestrasse 211, CH-4600 Olten (Switzerland)

    2014-05-15

    Zirconium nitride (ZrN) coatings were deposited on 1 μm finish high speed steel and 316L stainless steel test coupons. Cathodic Arc (CA) and High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering (HIPIMS) + Unbalanced Magnetron Sputtering (UBM) techniques were utilized to deposit coatings. CA plasmas are known to be rich in metal and gas ions of the depositing species as well as macroparticles (droplets) emitted from the arc sports. Combining HIPIMS technique with UBM in the same deposition process facilitated increased ion bombardment on the depositing species during coating growth maintaining high deposition rate. Prior to coating deposition, substrates were pretreated with Zr{sup +} rich plasma, for both arc deposited and HIPIMS deposited coatings, which led to a very high scratch adhesion value (L{sub C2}) of 100 N. Characterization results revealed the overall thickness of the coatings in the range of 2.5 μm with hardness in the range of 30–40 GPa depending on the deposition technique. Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy and tribological experiments such as dry sliding wear tests and corrosion studies have been utilized to study the effects of ion bombardment on the structure and properties of these coatings. In all the cases, HIPIMS assisted UBM deposited coating fared equal or better than the arc deposited coatings, the reasons being discussed in this paper. Thus H+U coatings provide a good alternative to arc deposited where smooth, dense coatings are required and macrodroplets cannot be tolerated.

  11. Pathological gambling: an impulse control disorder? Measurement of impulsivity using neurocognitive tests.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dannon, Pinhas N; Shoenfeld, Netta; Rosenberg, Oded; Kertzman, Semion; Kotler, Moshe

    2010-04-01

    Pathological gambling is classified in the DSM-IV-TR (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) and in the ICD-10 (International Classification of Disease) as an impulse control disorder. The association between impulsivity and pathological gambling remains a matter of debate: some researchers find high levels of impulsivity within pathological gamblers, others report no difference compared to controls, and yet others even suggest that it is lower. In this review we examine the relationship between pathological gambling and impulsivity assessed by various neurocognitive tests. These tests--the Stroop task, the Stop Signal Task, the Matching Familiar Figures Task, the Iowa Gambling Task, the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, the Tower of London test, and the Continuous Performance Test--demonstrated less impulsivity in gambling behavior. The differences in performance between pathological gamblers and healthy controls on the neurocognitive tasks could be due to addictive behavior features rather than impulsive behavior.

  12. Test-retest reliability of behavioral measures of impulsive choice, impulsive action, and inattention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weafer, Jessica; Baggott, Matthew J; de Wit, Harriet

    2013-12-01

    Behavioral measures of impulsivity are widely used in substance abuse research, yet relatively little attention has been devoted to establishing their psychometric properties, especially their reliability over repeated administration. The current study examined the test-retest reliability of a battery of standardized behavioral impulsivity tasks, including measures of impulsive choice (i.e., delay discounting, probability discounting, and the Balloon Analogue Risk Task), impulsive action (i.e., the stop signal task, the go/no-go task, and commission errors on the continuous performance task), and inattention (i.e., attention lapses on a simple reaction time task and omission errors on the continuous performance task). Healthy adults (n = 128) performed the battery on two separate occasions. Reliability estimates for the individual tasks ranged from moderate to high, with Pearson correlations within the specific impulsivity domains as follows: impulsive choice (r range: .76-.89, ps reliable measures and thus can be confidently used to assess various facets of impulsivity as intermediate phenotypes for drug abuse.

  13. Sex differences in impulsivity and brain morphometry in methamphetamine users.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kogachi, Shannon; Chang, Linda; Alicata, Daniel; Cunningham, Eric; Ernst, Thomas

    2017-01-01

    Methamphetamine (METH) is an addictive stimulant, and METH users have abnormal brain structures and function. The aims of this study were to investigate the relationships between impulsivity, brain structures, and possible sex-specific differences between METH users and non-drug using Controls. Structural MRI and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS) questionnaire were completed in 124 subjects: 62 METH (ages 41.2 ± 1.4 years, 34 males) and 62 Controls (ages 43.3 ± 2.3 years, 36 males). Independent and interactive effects of METH use status and sex were evaluated. Relationships between METH usage characteristics, brain morphometry, and impulsivity scores were examined. METH users had higher impulsivity scores, on both the Cognitive and Behavioral Factors from the BIS (p impulsivity (interaction-p ≤ 0.05). Only female METH users showed relatively larger nucleus accumbens (interaction-p = 0.03). Greater impulsivity and thinner frontal cortices in METH users are validated. Larger superior frontal cortex in male METH users with greater cognitive impulsivity suggest decreased dendritic pruning during adolescence might have contributed to their impulsive and drug use behaviors. In the female METH users, smaller frontal cortices and the associated greater impulsivity suggest greater neurotoxicity to these brain regions, while their relatively larger nucleus accumbens suggest an estrogen-mediated neuroprotective glial response. Men and women may be affected differently by METH use.

  14. Design of shielded voltage divider for impulse voltage measurement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kato, Shohei; Kouno, Teruya; Maruyama, Yoshio; Kikuchi, Koji.

    1976-01-01

    The dividers used for the study of the insulation and electric discharge phenomena in high voltage equipments have the problems of the change of response characteristics owing to adjacent bodies and of induced noise. To improve the characteristics, the enclosed type divider shielded with metal has been investigated, and the divider of excellent response has been obtained by adopting the frequency-separating divider system, which is divided into two parts, resistance divider (lower frequency region) and capacitance divider (higher frequency region), for avoiding to degrade the response. Theoretical analysis was carried out in the cases that residual inductance can be neglected or can not be neglected in the small capacitance divider, and that the connecting wires are added. Next, the structure of the divider and the design of the electric field for the divider manufactured on the basis of the theory are described. The response characteristics were measured. The results show that 1 MV impulse voltage can be measured within the response time of 10 ns. Though this divider aims at the impulse voltage, the duration time of which is about that of standard lightning impulse, in view of the heat capacity because of the input resistance of 10.5 kΩ, it is expected that the divider can be applied to the voltage of longer duration time by increasing the input resistance in future. (Wakatsuki, Y.)

  15. Modulating presence and impulsiveness by external stimulation of the brain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Baumgartner Thomas

    2008-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background "The feeling of being there" is one possible way to describe the phenomenon of feeling present in a virtual environment and to act as if this environment is real. One brain area, which is hypothesized to be critically involved in modulating this feeling (also called presence is the dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC, an area also associated with the control of impulsive behavior. Methods In our experiment we applied transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS to the right dlPFC in order to modulate the experience of presence while watching a virtual roller coaster ride. During the ride we also registered electro-dermal activity. Subjects also performed a test measuring impulsiveness and answered a questionnaire about their presence feeling while they were exposed to the virtual roller coaster scenario. Results Application of cathodal tDCS to the right dlPFC while subjects were exposed to a virtual roller coaster scenario modulates the electrodermal response to the virtual reality stimulus. In addition, measures reflecting impulsiveness were also modulated by application of cathodal tDCS to the right dlPFC. Conclusion Modulating the activation with the right dlPFC results in substantial changes in responses of the vegetative nervous system and changed impulsiveness. The effects can be explained by theories discussing the top-down influence of the right dlPFC on the "impulsive system".

  16. Cued to Act on Impulse: More Impulsive Choice and Risky Decision Making by Women Susceptible to Overeating after Exposure to Food Stimuli.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martin R Yeomans

    Full Text Available There is increasing evidence that individual differences in tendency to overeat relate to impulsivity, possibly by increasing reactivity to food-related cues in the environment. This study tested whether acute exposure to food cues enhanced impulsive and risky responses in women classified on tendency to overeat, indexed by scores on the three factor eating questionnaire disinhibition (TFEQ-D, restraint (TFEQ-R and hunger scales. Ninety six healthy women completed two measures of impulsive responding (delayed discounting, DDT and a Go No-Go, GNG, task and a measure of risky decision making (the balloon analogue risk task, BART as well as questionnaire measures of impulsive behaviour either after looking at a series of pictures of food or visually matched controls. Impulsivity (DDT and risk-taking (BART were both positively associated with TFEQ-D scores, but in both cases this effect was exacerbated by prior exposure to food cues. No effects of restraint were found. TFEQ-D scores were also related to more commission errors on the GNG, while restrained women were slower on the GNG, but neither effect was modified by cue exposure. Overall these data suggest that exposure to food cues act to enhance general impulsive responding in women at risk of overeating and tentatively suggest an important interaction between tendency for impulsive decision making and food cues that may help explain a key underlying risk factor for overeating.

  17. Impulsive force on the head during performance of typical ukemi techniques following different judo throws.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hashimoto, Toshihiko; Ishii, Takanori; Okada, Naoyuki; Itoh, Masahiro

    2015-01-01

    In this study, eight judo athletes who are major candidates for the Japan national team were recruited as participants. Kinematic analysis of exemplary ukemi techniques was carried out using two throws, o-soto-gari, a throw linked to frequent injury, and o-uchi-gari. The aim of this study was to kinematically quantify the timing patterns of exemplary ukemi techniques and to obtain kinematic information of the head, in a sequence of ukemi from the onset of the throw to the completion of ukemi. The results indicated that the vertical velocity with which the uke's head decelerated was reduced by increasing the body surface exposed to the collision with the tatami and by increasing the elapsed time. In particular, overall upper limb contact with the tatami is greatly associated with deceleration. In o-soto-gari, the impulsive force on the faller's head as the head reached the lowest point was 204.82 ± 19.95 kg m · s(-2) while in o-uchi-gari it was 118.46 ± 63.62 kg m · s(-2), z = -1.75, P = 0.08, and it did present a large-sized effect with r = 0.78. These findings indicate that the exemplary o-soto-gari as compared to o-uchi-gari is the technique that causes more significant damage to the uke's head.

  18. Impulsivity in borderline personality disorder: a matter of disturbed impulse control or a facet of emotional dysregulation?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sebastian, Alexandra; Jacob, Gitta; Lieb, Klaus; Tüscher, Oliver

    2013-02-01

    Impulsivity is regarded as a clinical, diagnostic and pathophysiological hallmark of borderline personality disorder (BPD). Self-report measures of impulsivity consistently support the notion of higher impulsive traits in BPD patients as compared to healthy control subjects. Laboratory tests of impulsivity, i.e. neuropsychological tests of impulse control render weak and inconsistent results both across different cognitive components of impulse control and within the same cognitive component of impulse control. One important factor worsening impulsive behaviors and impulse control deficits in BPD is comorbid attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In addition, emotional dysregulation interacts with impulse control especially for BPD salient emotions. In sum, although basic mechanisms of impulse control seem not to be disturbed in BPD, clinically well observed impulsive behaviors may be explained by comorbid ADHD or may be the consequence of dysregulation of BPD salient emotions.

  19. Choice-impulsivity in children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): A meta-analytic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patros, Connor H G; Alderson, R Matt; Kasper, Lisa J; Tarle, Stephanie J; Lea, Sarah E; Hudec, Kristen L

    2016-02-01

    Impulsive behavior is a core DSM-5 diagnostic feature of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) that is associated with several pejorative outcomes. Impulsivity is multidimensional, consisting of two sub-constructs: rapid-response impulsivity and reward-delay impulsivity (i.e., choice-impulsivity). While previous research has extensively examined the presence and implications of rapid-response impulsivity in children with ADHD, reviews of choice-impulsive behavior have been both sparse and relatively circumscribed. This review used meta-analytic methods to comprehensively examine between-group differences in choice-impulsivity among children and adolescents with and without ADHD. Twenty-eight tasks (from 26 studies), consisting of 4320 total children (ADHD=2360, TD=1,960), provided sufficient information to compute an overall between-group effect size for choice-impulsivity performance. Results revealed a medium-magnitude between-group effect size (g=.47), suggesting that children and adolescents with ADHD exhibited moderately increased impulsive decision-making compared to TD children and adolescents. Further, relative to the TD group, children and adolescents with ADHD exhibited similar patterns of impulsive decision-making across delay discounting and delay of gratification tasks. However, the use of single-informant diagnostic procedures relative to multiple informants yielded larger between-group effects, and a similar pattern was observed across samples that excluded females relative to samples that included females. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. A path model of different forms of impulsivity with externalizing and internalizing psychopathology: Towards greater specificity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Sheri L; Tharp, Jordan A; Peckham, Andrew D; Carver, Charles S; Haase, Claudia M

    2017-09-01

    A growing empirical literature indicates that emotion-related impulsivity (compared to impulsivity that is unrelated to emotion) is particularly relevant for understanding a broad range of psychopathologies. Recent work, however, has differentiated two forms of emotion-related impulsivity: A factor termed Pervasive Influence of Feelings captures tendencies for emotions (mostly negative emotions) to quickly shape thoughts, and a factor termed Feelings Trigger Action captures tendencies for positive and negative emotions to quickly and reflexively shape behaviour and speech. This study used path modelling to consider links from emotion-related and non-emotion-related impulsivity to a broad range of psychopathologies. Undergraduates completed self-report measures of impulsivity, depression, anxiety, aggression, and substance use symptoms. A path model (N = 261) indicated specificity of these forms of impulsivity. Pervasive Influence of Feelings was related to anxiety and depression, whereas Feelings Trigger Action and non-emotion-related impulsivity were related to aggression and substance use. The findings of this study suggest that emotion-relevant impulsivity could be a potentially important treatment target for a set of psychopathologies. Recent work has differentiated two forms of emotion-related impulsivity. This study tests a multivariate path model linking emotion-related and non-emotion-related impulsivity with multiple forms of psychopathology. Impulsive thoughts in response to negative emotions were related to anxiety and depression. Impulsive actions in response to emotions were related to aggression and substance use, as did non-emotion-related impulsivity. The study was limited by the reliance on self-report measures of impulsivity and psychopathology. There is a need for longitudinal work on how these forms of impulsivity predict the onset and course of psychopathology. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

  1. Nucleus accumbens and impulsivity

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Basar, K.; Sesia, T.; Groenewegen, H.J.; Steinbusch, H.W.; Visser-vandewalle, V.; Temel, Y.

    2010-01-01

    The multifaceted concept of impulsivity implies that different impulsivity aspects, mediated by different neural processes, influence behavior at different levels. The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is a key component of the neural processes regulating impulsivity. In this review, we discuss the findings

  2. Impulse-response analysis of planar computed tomography for nondestructive test

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Dae Cheon; Kim, Seung Ho; Kim, Ho Kyung [KAERI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-05-15

    There have been reported that the use of radiation imaging such as digital radiography, computed tomography (CT), and digital tomosynthesis (DTS) for the nondestructive test (NDT) widely is spreading. These methods have merits and demerits of their own, in terms of image quality and inspection speed. Therefore, image for these methods for NDT should have acceptable image quality and high speed. In this study, we quantitatively evaluate impulse responses of reconstructed images from the filtered backprojection (FBP), which are most widely used in planar computed tomography (pCT) systems. We first evaluate image performance metrics due to the contrast, depth resolution, and then we design the figure of merit including image performance and system parameters, such as tube load and reconstruction speed. The final goal of this study is the application of these methods to the nondestructive test. In order to accomplish it, further study is needed. First of all, the results of the ASF from various numbers of views. Second, the analysis of modulation transfer function, noise power spectrum, and detective quantum efficiency from various angular range and numbers of views.

  3. Qualitative analysis of MTEM response using instantaneous attributes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fayemi, Olalekan; Di, Qingyun

    2017-11-01

    This paper introduces new technique for qualitative analysis of multi-transient electromagnetic (MTEM) earth impulse response over complex geological structures. Instantaneous phase and frequency attributes were used in place of the conventional common offset section for improved qualitative interpretation of MTEM data by obtaining more detailed information from the earth impulse response. The instantaneous attributes were used to describe the lateral variation in subsurface resistivity and the visible geological structure with respect to given offsets. Instantaneous phase attribute was obtained by converting the impulse response into a complex form using the Hilbert transform. Conversely, the polynomial phase difference (PPD) estimator was favored over the center finite difference (CFD) approximation method in calculating the instantaneous frequency attribute because it is computationally efficient and has the ability to give a smooth variation of the instantaneous frequency over a common offset section. The observed results from the instantaneous attributes were in good agreement with both the subsurface model used and the apparent resistivity section obtained from the MTEM earth impulse response. Hence, this study confirms the capability of both instantaneous phase and frequency attributes as highly effective tools for MTEM qualitative analysis.

  4. Multidimensional Assessment of Impulsivity in Relation to Obesity and Food Addiction

    Science.gov (United States)

    VanderBroek-Stice, Lauren; Stojek, Monika K.; Beach, Steven R. H.; vanDellen, Michelle R.; MacKillop, James

    2017-01-01

    Based on similarities between overconsumption of food and addictive drugs, there is increasing interest in “food addiction,” a compulsive eating pattern defined using symptoms parallel to substance use disorders. Impulsivity, a multidimensional construct robustly linked to drug addiction, has been increasingly examined as an obesity determinant, but with mixed findings. This study sought to clarify relations between three major domains of impulsivity (i.e., impulsive personality traits, discounting of delayed rewards, and behavioral inhibition) in both obesity and food addiction. Based on the association between impulsivity and compulsive drug use, the general hypothesis was that the impulsivity-food addiction relation would be stronger than and responsible for the impulsivity-obesity relation. Using a cross-sectional dimensional design, participants (N = 181; 32% obese) completed a biometric assessment, the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS), the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scales, a Go/NoGo task, and measures of monetary delay discounting. Results revealed significantly higher prevalence of food addiction among obese participants and stronger zero-order associations between impulsivity indices and YFAS compared to obesity. Two aspects of impulsivity were independently significantly associated with food addiction: (a) a composite of Positive and Negative Urgency, reflecting proneness to act impulsively during intense mood states, and (b) steep discounting of delayed rewards. Furthermore, the results supported food addiction as a mediator connecting both urgency and delay discounting with obesity. These findings provide further evidence linking impulsivity to food addiction and obesity, and suggest that food addiction may be a candidate etiological pathway to obesity for individuals exhibiting elevations in these domains. PMID:28087369

  5. On the Spur of the Moment: Intrinsic Predictors of Impulse Sports Betting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hing, Nerilee; Li, En; Vitartas, Peter; Russell, Alex M T

    2018-06-01

    Betting on impulse, without thoughtful consideration, research or informed decision-making, may cause financial and other harms and lead to the development of gambling problems. Impulse betting undermines responsible consumption of gambling because it reflects self-regulatory failure, impaired control, unreflective decision-making and betting more than planned. In this paper we define impulse gambling and report on a study that aimed to understand more about the intrinsic characteristics of sports bettors who have a greater tendency to bet on impulse. Specifically, the study aimed to identify behavioural, psychological and socio-demographic predictors of impulse sports betting. A sample of 1816 Australian sports bettors completed an online survey that measured the proportion of their bets placed on impulse both before and during sporting events, as well as bets that were researched and planned in advance. Impulse betting was common, accounting for nearly one-half of all past-year sports bets by respondents. Over three-quarters of respondents had placed one or more impulse bets in the last year and one in seven respondents had made all of their sports bets on impulse. More impulsive sports bettors were characterised as having higher trait impulsiveness, higher problem gambling severity, more frequent sports betting and a shorter history of sports betting. They favoured betting on in-match contingencies instead of overall match outcomes. While health promotion strategies are needed to discourage impulse betting, research into contextual factors that arouse urges to bet would also provide direction for harm minimisation measures that help consumers to resist impulsive betting decisions.

  6. Sex differences in impulsivity and brain morphometry in methamphetamine users

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kogachi, Shannon; Chang, Linda; Alicata, Daniel; Cunningham, Eric; Ernst, Thomas

    2016-01-01

    Methamphetamine (METH) is an addictive stimulant, and METH users have abnormal brain structures and function. The aims of this study were to investigate the relationships between impulsivity, brain structures, and possible sex-specific differences between METH users and non-drug using Controls. Structural MRI and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS) questionnaire were completed in 124 subjects: 62 METH (ages 41.2 ± 1.4 years, 34 males) and 62 Controls (ages 43.3 ± 2.3 years, 36 males). Independent and interactive effects of METH use status and sex were evaluated. Relationships between METH usage characteristics, brain morphometry, and impulsivity scores were examined. METH users had higher impulsivity scores, on both the Cognitive and Behavioral Factors from the BIS (p users had larger, while female METH users had smaller, right superior frontal cortex (interaction-p = 0.0005). The male METH users with larger frontal volumes and female METH users with smaller or thinner frontal cortices had greater Cognitive impulsivity (interaction-p ≤ 0.05). Only female METH users showed relatively larger nucleus accumbens (interaction-p = 0.03). Greater impulsivity and thinner frontal cortices in METH users are validated. Larger superior frontal cortex in male METH users with greater cognitive impulsivity suggest decreased dendritic pruning during adolescence might have contributed to their impulsive and drug use behaviors. In the female METH users, smaller frontal cortices and the associated greater impulsivity suggest greater neurotoxicity to these brain regions, while their relatively larger nucleus accumbens suggest an estrogen-mediated neuroprotective glial response. Men and women may be affected differently by METH use. PMID:27095357

  7. Original article Impulsive antisociality and executive control problems: evidence from go/no-go and stop-signal tasks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jarosław M. Michałowski

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Background People with impulsive-antisocial traits may engage in unplanned behaviors that reduce their efficiency and may even result in harm to self and others. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between executive control functions and impulsive antisociality, as assessed with the Psychopathic Personality Inventory (PPI. Using go/no-go and stop-signal paradigms, we examined whether healthy participants with high impulsive-antisocial traits would show delayed response inhibition and error monitoring deficits when compared to those reporting low levels of impulsive antisociality. Participants and procedure A total of 26 participants were recruited from different Warsaw universities based on the Impulsive Antisociality subscale scores of the PPI. Subjects scoring in the first quartile were assigned to the low and those with a score in the fourth quartile were selected for the high impulsivity group. All participants were tested with go/no-go and stop-signal tasks that were executed in a random order. Results Higher levels of impulsive-antisocial traits were associated with poorer executive control. In particular, high impulsive-antisocial individuals demonstrated reduced post-error slowing in response to go stimuli following an error and took longer to respond to the stop signal than the control group. The two groups did not differ in their performance accuracy. Conclusions The study extends previous findings regarding the relationship between impulsivity and executive control showing that non-clinical impulsive antisociality results in decreased conflict detection ability and delayed response inhibition. These problems may result in reduced executive effectiveness in everyday life situations.

  8. Callous-unemotional, impulsive-irresponsible, and grandiose-manipulative traits: Distinct associations with heart rate, skin conductance, and startle responses to violent and erotic scenes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fanti, Kostas A; Kyranides, Melina N; Georgiou, Giorgos; Petridou, Maria; Colins, Olivier F; Tuvblad, Catherine; Andershed, Henrik

    2017-05-01

    The present study aimed to examine whether callous-unemotional, grandiose-manipulative, and impulsive-irresponsible dimensions of psychopathy are differentially related to various affective and physiological measures, assessed at baseline and in response to violent and erotic movie scenes. Data were collected from young adults (N = 101) at differential risk for psychopathic traits. Findings from regression analyses revealed a unique predictive contribution of grandiose-manipulative traits in particular to higher ratings of positive valence for violent scenes. Callous-unemotional traits were uniquely associated with lower levels of sympathy toward victims and lower ratings of fear and sadness during violent scenes. All three psychopathy dimensions and the total psychopathy scale showed negative zero-order correlations with heart rate at baseline, but regression analyses revealed that only grandiose manipulation was uniquely predictive of lower baseline heart rate. Grandiose manipulation was also significantly associated with lower baseline skin conductance. Regarding autonomic activity, findings resulted in a unique negative association between grandiose manipulation and heart rate activity in response to violent scenes. In contrast, the impulsive-irresponsible dimension was positively related with heart rate activity to violent scenes. Finally, findings revealed that only callous-unemotional traits were negatively associated with startle potentiation in response to violent scenes. No associations during erotic scenes were identified. These findings point to unique associations between the three assessed dimensions of psychopathy with physiological measures, indicating that grandiose manipulation is associated with hypoarousal, impulsive irresponsibility with hyperarousal, and callous-unemotional traits with low emotional and fear responses to violent scenes. © 2017 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

  9. Impulse generation by detonation tubes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cooper, Marcia Ann

    Impulse generation with gaseous detonation requires conversion of chemical energy into mechanical energy. This conversion process is well understood in rocket engines where the high pressure combustion products expand through a nozzle generating high velocity exhaust gases. The propulsion community is now focusing on advanced concepts that utilize non-traditional forms of combustion like detonation. Such a device is called a pulse detonation engine in which laboratory tests have proven that thrust can be achieved through continuous cyclic operation. Because of poor performance of straight detonation tubes compared to conventional propulsion systems and the success of using nozzles on rocket engines, the effect of nozzles on detonation tubes is being investigated. Although previous studies of detonation tube nozzles have suggested substantial benefits, up to now there has been no systematic investigations over a range of operating conditions and nozzle configurations. As a result, no models predicting the impulse when nozzles are used exist. This lack of data has severely limited the development and evaluation of models and simulations of nozzles on pulse detonation engines. The first experimental investigation measuring impulse by gaseous detonation in plain tubes and tubes with nozzles operating in varying environment pressures is presented. Converging, diverging, and converging-diverging nozzles were tested to determine the effect of divergence angle, nozzle length, and volumetric fill fraction on impulse. The largest increases in specific impulse, 72% at an environment pressure of 100 kPa and 43% at an environment pressure of 1.4 kPa, were measured with the largest diverging nozzle tested that had a 12° half angle and was 0.6 m long. Two regimes of nozzle operation that depend on the environment pressure are responsible for these increases and were first observed from these data. To augment this experimental investigation, all data in the literature regarding

  10. Lagrangian and energy forms for retrieving the impulse response of the Earth due to random electromagnetic forcing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slob, Evert; Weiss, Chester J

    2011-08-01

    We distinguish between trivial and nontrivial differences in retrieving the real or imaginary parts of the Green's function. Trivial differences come from different Green's function definitions. The energy and lagrangian forms constitute nontrivial differences. Magnetic noise sources suffice to extract the quasistatic electromagnetic-field Earth impulse response in the lagrangian form. This is of interest for Earth subsurface imaging. A numerical example demonstrates that all source vector components are necessary to extract a single-field vector component.

  11. A deconvolution technique for processing small intestinal transit data

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brinch, K. [Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, Glostrup Hospital, University Hospital of Copenhagen (Denmark); Larsson, H.B.W. [Danish Research Center of Magnetic Resonance, Hvidovre Hospital, University Hospital of Copenhagen (Denmark); Madsen, J.L. [Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, Hvidovre Hospital, University Hospital of Copenhagen (Denmark)

    1999-03-01

    The deconvolution technique can be used to compute small intestinal impulse response curves from scintigraphic data. Previously suggested approaches, however, are sensitive to noise from the data. We investigated whether deconvolution based on a new simple iterative convolving technique can be recommended. Eight healthy volunteers ingested a meal that contained indium-111 diethylene triamine penta-acetic acid labelled water and technetium-99m stannous colloid labelled omelette. Imaging was performed at 30-min intervals until all radioactivity was located in the colon. A Fermi function=(1+e{sup -{alpha}{beta}})/(1+e{sup (t-{alpha}){beta}}) was chosen to characterize the small intestinal impulse response function. By changing only two parameters, {alpha} and {beta}, it is possible to obtain configurations from nearly a square function to nearly a monoexponential function. Small intestinal input function was obtained from the gastric emptying curve and convolved with the Fermi function. The sum of least squares was used to find {alpha} and {beta} yielding the best fit of the convolved curve to the oberved small intestinal time-activity curve. Finally, a small intestinal mean transit time was calculated from the Fermi function referred to. In all cases, we found an excellent fit of the convolved curve to the observed small intestinal time-activity curve, that is the Fermi function reflected the small intestinal impulse response curve. Small intestinal mean transit time of liquid marker (median 2.02 h) was significantly shorter than that of solid marker (median 2.99 h; P<0.02). The iterative convolving technique seems to be an attractive alternative to ordinary approaches for the processing of small intestinal transit data. (orig.) With 2 figs., 13 refs.

  12. The Effect of Visual Merchandising on Impulsive Buying with Impulsive Buying Tendency As Moderating Variable

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jessica Novia

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available This research aims to classify the female consumer demographic segments linked by impulsive buying, to determine the effect of visual merchandising on impulsive buying, and to determine the effect of visual merchandising on impulsive buying with impulsive buying tendency as moderating variable on customers of Gaudi in Taman Anggrek Mall. This research is quantitative research with a total sample of 100 people. Data were obtained by distributing questionnaires to the respondents by cross sectional. Research used Cluster Analysis and Moderated Regression Analysis. Data processing was performed using SPSS software for Windows version 20. Research found that customers of Gaudi were divided into three groups: the way of the world, sufficient money, and promotions. Then, research found that visual merchandising affected impulsive buying. In addition, there visual merchandising had also an effect on impulsive buying with impulsive buying tendency as moderating variable. As a conclusion, moderating variable strengthens the effect of visual merchandising on impulse buying.

  13. Impulsive-choice patterns for food in genetically lean and obese Zucker rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boomhower, Steven R; Rasmussen, Erin B; Doherty, Tiffany S

    2013-03-15

    Behavioral-economic studies have shown that differences between lean and obese Zuckers in food consumption depend on the response requirement for food. Since a response requirement inherently increases the delay to reinforcement, differences in sensitivity to delay may also be a relevant mechanism of food consumption in the obese Zucker rat. Furthermore, the endocannabinoid neurotransmitter system has been implicated in impulsivity, but studies that attempt to characterize the effects of cannabinoid drugs (e.g., rimonabant) on impulsive choice may be limited by floor effects. The present study aimed to characterize impulsive-choice patterns for sucrose using an adjusting-delay procedure in genetically lean and obese Zuckers. Ten lean and ten obese Zucker rats chose between one lever that resulted in one pellet after a standard delay (either 1 s or 5 s) and a second lever that resulted in two or three pellets after an adjusting delay. After behavior stabilized under baseline, rimonabant (0-10 mg/kg) was administered prior to some choice sessions in the two-pellet condition. Under baseline, obese Zuckers made more impulsive choices than leans in three of the four standard-delay/pellet conditions. Additionally, in the 2-pellet condition, rimonabant increased impulsive choice in lean rats in the 1-s standard-delay condition; however, rimonabant decreased impulsive choice in obese rats in the 1-s and 5-s standard-delay conditions. These data suggest that genetic factors that influence impulsive choice are stronger in some choice conditions than others, and that the endocannabinoid system may be a relevant neuromechanism. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Impulsive social influence increases impulsive choices on a temporal discounting task in young adults.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jodi M Gilman

    Full Text Available Adolescents and young adults who affiliate with friends who engage in impulsive behavior are more likely to engage in impulsive behaviors themselves, and those who associate with prosocial (i.e. more prudent, future oriented peers are more likely to engage in prosocial behavior. However, it is difficult to disentangle the contribution of peer influence vs. peer selection (i.e., whether individuals choose friends with similar traits when interpreting social behaviors. In this study, we combined a novel social manipulation with a well-validated delay discounting task assessing impulsive behavior to create a social influence delay discounting task, in which participants were exposed to both impulsive (smaller, sooner or SS payment and non-impulsive (larger, later or LL payment choices from their peers. Young adults in this sample, n = 51, aged 18-25 had a higher rate of SS choices after exposure to impulsive peer influence than after exposure to non-impulsive peer influence. Interestingly, in highly susceptible individuals, the rate of non-impulsive choices did not increase after exposure to non-impulsive influence. There was a positive correlation between self-reported suggestibility and degree of peer influence on SS choices. These results suggest that, in young adults, SS choices appear to be influenced by the choices of same-aged peers, especially for individuals who are highly susceptible to influence.

  15. Impulsive Social Influence Increases Impulsive Choices on a Temporal Discounting Task in Young Adults

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilman, Jodi M.; Curran, Max T.; Calderon, Vanessa; Stoeckel, Luke E.; Evins, A. Eden

    2014-01-01

    Adolescents and young adults who affiliate with friends who engage in impulsive behavior are more likely to engage in impulsive behaviors themselves, and those who associate with prosocial (i.e. more prudent, future oriented) peers are more likely to engage in prosocial behavior. However, it is difficult to disentangle the contribution of peer influence vs. peer selection (i.e., whether individuals choose friends with similar traits) when interpreting social behaviors. In this study, we combined a novel social manipulation with a well-validated delay discounting task assessing impulsive behavior to create a social influence delay discounting task, in which participants were exposed to both impulsive (smaller, sooner or SS payment) and non-impulsive (larger, later or LL payment) choices from their peers. Young adults in this sample, n = 51, aged 18–25 had a higher rate of SS choices after exposure to impulsive peer influence than after exposure to non-impulsive peer influence. Interestingly, in highly susceptible individuals, the rate of non-impulsive choices did not increase after exposure to non-impulsive influence. There was a positive correlation between self-reported suggestibility and degree of peer influence on SS choices. These results suggest that, in young adults, SS choices appear to be influenced by the choices of same-aged peers, especially for individuals who are highly susceptible to influence. PMID:24988440

  16. The use of linear programming techniques to design optimal digital filters for pulse shaping and channel equalization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Houts, R. C.; Burlage, D. W.

    1972-01-01

    A time domain technique is developed to design finite-duration impulse response digital filters using linear programming. Two related applications of this technique in data transmission systems are considered. The first is the design of pulse shaping digital filters to generate or detect signaling waveforms transmitted over bandlimited channels that are assumed to have ideal low pass or bandpass characteristics. The second is the design of digital filters to be used as preset equalizers in cascade with channels that have known impulse response characteristics. Example designs are presented which illustrate that excellent waveforms can be generated with frequency-sampling filters and the ease with which digital transversal filters can be designed for preset equalization.

  17. Reconstruction of systems with impulses and delays from time series data

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jeon, Jong-ha; Kim, Pilwon

    2014-01-01

    In this paper, we present an approach to identification of dynamical systems with irregular impulses and time delays. The suggested method enables one to reconstruct the underlying differential equations, using the l 1 -minimization technique in signal processing which takes advantage of the signal’s sparseness. Based on the idea that irregular impulses can be regarded as sparse error in the fitting procedure, we obtain an efficient algorithm for reconstructions that separates the regular parts of dynamics from impulsive ones. From time series data sampled from an impulsive ecological models, the suggested method restores an essential dynamics of the original systems. The method also applies to chaotic systems perturbed by intermittent impacts and successfully captures dynamics reflecting qualitative behavior independent of impacts. In addition, we can identify a time-delay Lotka–Volterra model with no prior information on delay time given, to which conventional parameter estimate methods are hardly applicable

  18. Chaos in periodically forced Holling type IV predator-prey system with impulsive perturbations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Shuwen; Tan Dejun; Chen Lansun

    2006-01-01

    The effect of periodic forcing and impulsive perturbations on predator-prey model with Holling type IV functional response is investigated. The periodic forcing is affected by assuming a periodic variation in the intrinsic growth rate of the prey. The impulsive perturbations are affected by introducing periodic constant impulsive immigration of predator. The dynamical behavior of the system is simulated and bifurcation diagrams are obtained for different parameters. The results show that periodic forcing and impulsive perturbation can easily give rise to complex dynamics, including (1) quasi-periodic oscillating, (2) period doubling cascade, (3) chaos, (4) period halfing cascade

  19. Chaos in periodically forced Holling type II predator-prey system with impulsive perturbations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Shuwen; Tan Dejun; Chen Lansun

    2006-01-01

    The effect of periodic forcing and impulsive perturbations on predator-prey model with Holling type II functional response is investigated. The periodic forcing is affected by assuming a periodic variation in the intrinsic growth rate of prey. The impulsive perturbation is affected by introducing periodic constant impulsive immigration of predator. The dynamical behavior of the system is simulated and bifurcation diagrams are obtained for different parameters. The results show that periodic forcing and impulsive perturbation can very easily give rise to complex dynamics, including (1) quasi-periodic oscillating, (2) period doubling cascade, (3) chaos, (4) period halfing cascade, (5) non-unique dynamics

  20. Multidimensional assessment of impulsivity in relation to obesity and food addiction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    VanderBroek-Stice, Lauren; Stojek, Monika K; Beach, Steven R H; vanDellen, Michelle R; MacKillop, James

    2017-05-01

    Based on similarities between overconsumption of food and addictive drugs, there is increasing interest in "food addiction," a compulsive eating pattern defined using symptoms parallel to substance use disorders. Impulsivity, a multidimensional construct robustly linked to drug addiction, has been increasingly examined as an obesity determinant, but with mixed findings. This study sought to clarify relations between three major domains of impulsivity (i.e., impulsive personality traits, discounting of delayed rewards, and behavioral inhibition) in both obesity and food addiction. Based on the association between impulsivity and compulsive drug use, the general hypothesis was that the impulsivity-food addiction relation would be stronger than and responsible for the impulsivity-obesity relation. Using a cross-sectional dimensional design, participants (N = 181; 32% obese) completed a biometric assessment, the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS), the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scales, a Go/NoGo task, and measures of monetary delay discounting. Results revealed significantly higher prevalence of food addiction among obese participants and stronger zero-order associations between impulsivity indices and YFAS compared to obesity. Two aspects of impulsivity were independently significantly associated with food addiction: (a) a composite of Positive and Negative Urgency, reflecting proneness to act impulsively during intense mood states, and (b) steep discounting of delayed rewards. Furthermore, the results supported food addiction as a mediator connecting both urgency and delay discounting with obesity. These findings provide further evidence linking impulsivity to food addiction and obesity, and suggest that food addiction may be a candidate etiological pathway to obesity for individuals exhibiting elevations in these domains. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Cue-induced striatal dopamine release in Parkinson's disease-associated impulsive-compulsive behaviours.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Sullivan, Sean S; Wu, Kit; Politis, Marios; Lawrence, Andrew D; Evans, Andrew H; Bose, Subrata K; Djamshidian, Atbin; Lees, Andrew J; Piccini, Paola

    2011-04-01

    Impulsive-compulsive behaviours are a significant source of morbidity for patients with Parkinson's disease receiving dopaminergic therapy. The development of these behaviours may reflect sensitization of the neural response to non-drug rewards, similar to that proposed for sensitization to drug rewards in addiction. Here, by using (11)C-raclopride positron emission tomography imaging, we investigated the effects of reward-related cues and L-dopa challenge in patients with Parkinson's disease with and without impulsive-compulsive behaviours on striatal levels of synaptic dopamine. Eighteen patients (11 with and seven without impulsive-compulsive behaviours) underwent three (11)C-raclopride positron emission tomography scans. The impulsive-compulsive behaviours included hypersexuality, binge eating, punding, compulsive use of dopamine replacement therapy, compulsive buying and pathological gambling, with eight patients exhibiting more than one impulsive-compulsive behaviour. There were no significant differences in baseline dopamine D2 receptor availability between the Parkinson's disease groups. No differences were found when comparing the percentage change of raclopride binding potential between the two Parkinson's disease groups following L-dopa challenge with neutral cues. The group with Parkinson's disease with impulsive-compulsive behaviours had a greater reduction of ventral striatum (11)C-raclopride binding potential following reward-related cue exposure, relative to neutral cue exposure, following L-dopa challenge (16.3% compared with 5.8% in Parkinson's disease controls, P = 0.016). The heightened response of striatal reward circuitry to heterogeneous reward-related visual cues among a group of patients with different impulsive-compulsive behaviours is consistent with a global sensitization to appetitive behaviours with dopaminergic therapy in vulnerable individuals. Our findings are relevant for the broader debate on the relation between impulsive

  2. A minimax technique for time-domain design of preset digital equalizers using linear programming

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vaughn, G. L.; Houts, R. C.

    1975-01-01

    A linear programming technique is presented for the design of a preset finite-impulse response (FIR) digital filter to equalize the intersymbol interference (ISI) present in a baseband channel with known impulse response. A minimax technique is used which minimizes the maximum absolute error between the actual received waveform and a specified raised-cosine waveform. Transversal and frequency-sampling FIR digital filters are compared as to the accuracy of the approximation, the resultant ISI and the transmitted energy required. The transversal designs typically have slightly better waveform accuracy for a given distortion; however, the frequency-sampling equalizer uses fewer multipliers and requires less transmitted energy. A restricted transversal design is shown to use the least number of multipliers at the cost of a significant increase in energy and loss of waveform accuracy at the receiver.

  3. The impact of comorbid impulsive/compulsive disorders in problematic Internet use.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chamberlain, Samuel R; Ioannidis, Konstantinos; Grant, Jon E

    2018-05-23

    Background and aims Problematic Internet use (PIU) is commonplace but is not yet recognized as a formal mental disorder. Excessive Internet use could result from other conditions such as gambling disorder. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of impulsive-compulsive comorbidities on the presentation of PIU, defined using Young's Diagnostic Questionnaire. Methods A total of 123 adults aged 18-29 years were recruited using media advertisements, and attended the research center for a detailed psychiatric assessment, including interviews, completion of questionnaires, and neuropsychological testing. Participants were classified into three groups: PIU with no comorbid impulsive/compulsive disorders (n = 18), PIU with one or more comorbid impulsive/compulsive disorders (n = 37), and healthy controls who did not have any mental health diagnoses (n = 67). Differences between the three groups were characterized in terms of demographic, clinical, and cognitive variables. Effect sizes for overall effects of group were also reported. Results The three groups did not significantly differ on age, gender, levels of education, nicotine consumption, or alcohol use (small effect sizes). Quality of life was significantly impaired in PIU irrespective of whether or not individuals had comorbid impulsive/compulsive disorders (large effect size). However, impaired response inhibition and decision-making were only identified in PIU with impulsive/compulsive comorbidities (medium effect sizes). Discussion and conclusions Most people with PIU will have one or more other impulsive/compulsive disorders, but PIU can occur without such comorbidities and still present with impaired quality of life. Response inhibition and decision-making appear to be disproportionately impacted in the case of PIU comorbid with other impulsive/compulsive conditions, which may account for some of the inconsistencies in the existing literature. Large scale international collaborations are

  4. Cluster synchronization of community network with distributed time delays via impulsive control

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Leng Hui; Wu Zhao-Yan

    2016-01-01

    Cluster synchronization is an important dynamical behavior in community networks and deserves further investigations. A community network with distributed time delays is investigated in this paper. For achieving cluster synchronization, an impulsive control scheme is introduced to design proper controllers and an adaptive strategy is adopted to make the impulsive controllers unified for different networks. Through taking advantage of the linear matrix inequality technique and constructing Lyapunov functions, some synchronization criteria with respect to the impulsive gains, instants, and system parameters without adaptive strategy are obtained and generalized to the adaptive case. Finally, numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the theoretical results. (paper)

  5. Impulse pumping modelling and simulation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pierre, B; Gudmundsson, J S

    2010-01-01

    Impulse pumping is a new pumping method based on propagation of pressure waves. Of particular interest is the application of impulse pumping to artificial lift situations, where fluid is transported from wellbore to wellhead using pressure waves generated at wellhead. The motor driven element of an impulse pumping apparatus is therefore located at wellhead and can be separated from the flowline. Thus operation and maintenance of an impulse pump are facilitated. The paper describes the different elements of an impulse pumping apparatus, reviews the physical principles and details the modelling of the novel pumping method. Results from numerical simulations of propagation of pressure waves in water-filled pipelines are then presented for illustrating impulse pumping physical principles, and validating the described modelling with experimental data.

  6. Personality differences in the susceptibility to stress-eating: The influence of emotional control and impulsivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Blyderveen, Sherry; Lafrance, Adele; Emond, Michael; Kosmerly, Stacey; O'Connor, Megan; Chang, Felicia

    2016-12-01

    Stress has been associated with deviations from typical eating patterns, with respect to both food choice and overall caloric intake. Both increases and decreases in dietary intake have been previously noted in response to stress. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether the affect regulation strategies of emotional control and impulsivity predict susceptibility to eating in response to stress. Specifically, it was anticipated that emotional suppression would predict decreases in caloric intake, whereas impulsivity would predict increases in caloric intake, in response to a stressor. Participants were randomly assigned to view either a video designed to elicit stress or a control video. Food was provided during the video and the amount and type of food consumed was measured. Participants' nutritional intake was greater in the stress condition than in the control condition. One aspect of affect regulation, impulsivity, moderated this relationship, with a tendency for greater impulsivity to be associated with greater caloric intake in the stress condition. The degree of negative affect that participants experienced in the stress condition predicted food choice and overall caloric intake. Both emotional control and impulsivity moderated the relationship between negative affect and both food choice and caloric intake in the stress condition. The present study highlights the importance of considering the personality attributes of both impulsivity and emotional suppression in understanding stress eating. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  7. Chaotic behavior of a three-species Beddington-type system with impulsive perturbations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Weiming; Wang Hailing; Li Zhenqing

    2008-01-01

    In this paper, a three-species food chain system with Beddington-type functional response and impulsive perturbations on the top predator is established. Subsequently, using Maple, the influence of the impulsive perturbations on the inherent oscillation is investigated, which shows rich dynamics. The work is useful for studying the dynamic and complexity of ecosystems

  8. Digital high-pass filter deconvolution by means of an infinite impulse response filter

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Födisch, P., E-mail: p.foedisch@hzdr.de [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf, Department of Research Technology, Bautzner Landstr. 400, 01328 Dresden (Germany); Wohsmann, J. [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf, Department of Research Technology, Bautzner Landstr. 400, 01328 Dresden (Germany); Dresden University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Friedrich-List-Platz 1, 01069 Dresden (Germany); Lange, B. [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf, Department of Research Technology, Bautzner Landstr. 400, 01328 Dresden (Germany); Schönherr, J. [Dresden University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Friedrich-List-Platz 1, 01069 Dresden (Germany); Enghardt, W. [OncoRay - National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, PF 41, 01307 Dresden (Germany); Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf, Institute of Radiooncology, Bautzner Landstr. 400, 01328 Dresden (Germany); German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg (Germany); Kaever, P. [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf, Department of Research Technology, Bautzner Landstr. 400, 01328 Dresden (Germany); Dresden University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Friedrich-List-Platz 1, 01069 Dresden (Germany)

    2016-09-11

    In the application of semiconductor detectors, the charge-sensitive amplifier is widely used in front-end electronics. The output signal is shaped by a typical exponential decay. Depending on the feedback network, this type of front-end electronics suffers from the ballistic deficit problem, or an increased rate of pulse pile-ups. Moreover, spectroscopy applications require a correction of the pulse-height, while a shortened pulse-width is desirable for high-throughput applications. For both objectives, digital deconvolution of the exponential decay is convenient. With a general method and the signals of our custom charge-sensitive amplifier for cadmium zinc telluride detectors, we show how the transfer function of an amplifier is adapted to an infinite impulse response (IIR) filter. This paper investigates different design methods for an IIR filter in the discrete-time domain and verifies the obtained filter coefficients with respect to the equivalent continuous-time frequency response. Finally, the exponential decay is shaped to a step-like output signal that is exploited by a forward-looking pulse processing.

  9. Lesions to the subthalamic nucleus decrease impulsive choice but impair autoshaping in rats: the importance of the basal ganglia in Pavlovian conditioning and impulse control.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Winstanley, Catharine A; Baunez, Christelle; Theobald, David E H; Robbins, Trevor W

    2005-06-01

    Although the subthalamic nucleus (STN) is involved in regulating motor function, and inactivation of this structure relieves the motor symptoms in Parkinsonian patients, recent data indicate that corticosubthalamic connections are involved in both the regulation of attention and the ability to withhold from responding. Considerable evidence suggests that the neural circuitry underlying such behavioural disinhibition or impulsive action can be at least partially dissociated from that implicated in impulsive decision-making and it has been suggested that the tendency to choose impulsively is related to the ability to form and use Pavlovian associations. To explore these hypotheses further, STN-lesioned rats were tested on the delay-discounting model of impulsive choice, where impulsivity is defined as the selection of a small immediate over a larger delayed reward, as well as in a rodent autoshaping paradigm. In contrast to previous reports of increased impulsive action, STN lesions decreased impulsive choice but dramatically impaired the acquisition of the autoshaping response. When the STN was lesioned after the establishment of autoshaping behaviour, lesioned subjects were more sensitive to the omission of reward, indicative of a reduction in the use of Pavlovian associations to control autoshaping performance. These results emphasize the importance of the STN in permitting conditioned stimulus-unconditioned stimulus associations to regulate goal-seeking, a function which may relate to the alterations in impulsive choice observed in the delay-discounting task. These data bear a striking similarity to those observed after lesions of the orbitofrontal cortex and are suggestive of an important role for corticosubthalamic connections in complex cognitive behaviour.

  10. Implementasi Filter Finite Impulse Response (FIR Window Hamming dan Blackman menggunakan DSK TMS320C6713

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    LITA LIDYAWATI

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRAK Filter didefinisikan sebagai proses atau rangkaian yang melewatkan pita frekuensi tertentu yang diinginkan dan meredam pita frekuensi lainnya. Salah satu metode perancangan filter digital Finite Impulse Response (FIR adalah metode windowing. Dalam penelitian ini digunakan jenis window Hamming dan Blackman. Simulasi dilakukan dengan menggunakan software Matlab dengan memasukan frekuensi passband, frekuensi stopband, ripple passband, dan stopband attenuation. Dengan frekuensi sampling sebesar 15000 Hz, frekuensi passband sebesar 3000 Hz, frekuensi stopband sebesar 5000 Hz. Setelah simulasi dilakukan implementasi filter dengan parameter yang sama menggunakan DSK TMS 320C6713 dengan bantuan software CCS. Simulasi dan implementasi dilakukan pada semua band frekuensi. Hasil pengujian terhadap implementasi filter adalah respon magnitude, frekuensi cut-off, bandwidth, dan faktor kualitas dengan hasil simulasi tidak menunjukkan perbedaan yang signifikan. Kata kunci: filter digital, windowing, Hamming, Blackman, frekuensi cut-off . ABSTRACT Filter is defined as a process or series that skip certain desired frequency band and other frequency bands drown. One method of designing a digital filter Finite Impulse Response (FIR is a windowing method. This study used the type of window Hamming and Blackman. Simulations performed using Matlab software by inserting a frequency passband, stopband frequency, passband ripple, and stopband attenuation. With a sampling frequency of 15,000 Hz, a frequency of 3000 Hz passband, stopband frequency of 5000 Hz. After the simulation is completed, implementation of the filter with the same parameters using TMS 320C6713 DSK with the help of software CCS. Simulation and implmentasi performed on all frequency bands. The test results of the implementation of the filter is the Magnitude response, the cut-off frequency, bandwidth, and quality factor with simulation results showed no significant difference. Keywords: digital

  11. Differences between Impulsive and Non-Impulsive Suicide Attempts among Individuals Treated in Emergency Rooms of South Korea

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lim, Meerae; Lee, Soojung

    2016-01-01

    Objective A considerable proportion of suicide attempts are the result of sudden desires. Understanding such impulsive suicide attempts is necessary for effective interventions. We evaluated the impulsivity of suicide attempters treated in emergency rooms. The aim of the study was to identify the characteristics of impulsive suicide attempts by comparing these individuals to those who attempted to commit suicide in a non-impulsive manner. Methods This study analyzed suicide attempters who visited the emergency departments of seven selected university hospitals. A total of 269 medical records in which impulsivity of suicide attempt were confirmed were subject to be analyzed. The impulsivity of the suicide attempt was examined using a summative score of items 6 and 15 on the Suicide Intent Scale. Results A total of 48.0% of the participants were impelled by sudden inclinations to attempt suicide. Impulsive attempters were younger, unmarried and less physical illness than non-impulsive attempters, whereas no significant differences were found on psychiatric history and previous suicide history. Impulsive suicide attempters had suicide ideations that were not as severe (χ2=55.33, pimpulsive suicide attempts were better than non-impulsive suicide attempts (t=-3.77, psuicide attempts were the result of sudden inclinations. Impulsive attempts were made in relatively earlier stages of suicide ideation; consequently, they have less intent than non-impulsive attempts. PMID:27482239

  12. Impulse Plasma In Surface Engineering - a review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zdunek, K.; Nowakowska-Langier, K.; Chodun, R.; Okrasa, S.; Rabinski, M.; Dora, J.; Domanowski, P.; Halarowicz, J.

    2014-11-01

    The article describes the view of the plasma surface engineering, assuming the role of non-thermal energy effects in the synthesis of materials and coatings deposition. In the following study it was underlined that the vapor excitation through the application of an electric field during coatings deposition gives new possibilities for coatings formation. As an example the IPD method was chosen. During the IPD (Impulse Plasma Deposition) the impulse plasma is generated in the coaxial accelerator by strong periodic electrical pulses. The impulse plasma is distributed in the form of energetic plasma pockets. Due to the almost completely ionization of gas, the nucleation of new phases takes place on ions directly in the plasma itself. As a result the coatings of metastable materials with nano-amorphous structure and excellent adhesion to the non-heated intentionally substrates could be deposited. Recently the novel way of impulse plasma generation during the coatings deposition was proposed and developed by our group. An efficient tool for plasma process control, the plasma forming gas injection to the interelectrode space was used. Periodic changing the gas pressure results in increasing both the degree of dispersion and the dynamics of the plasma pulses. The advantage of the new technique in deposition of coatings with exceptionally good properties has been demonstrated in the industrial scale not only in the case of the IPD method but also in the case of very well known magnetron sputtering method.

  13. Does impulsivity predict outcome in treatment for binge eating disorder? A multimodal investigation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manasse, Stephanie M; Espel, Hallie M; Schumacher, Leah M; Kerrigan, Stephanie G; Zhang, Fengqing; Forman, Evan M; Juarascio, Adrienne S

    2016-10-01

    Multiple dimensions of impulsivity (e.g., affect-driven impulsivity, impulsive inhibition - both general and food-specific, and impulsive decision-making) are associated with binge eating pathology cross-sectionally, yet the literature on whether impulsivity predicts treatment outcome is limited. The present pilot study explored impulsivity-related predictors of 20-week outcome in a small open trial (n = 17) of a novel treatment for binge eating disorder. Overall, dimensions of impulsivity related to emotions (i.e., negative urgency) and food cues emerged as predictors of treatment outcomes (i.e., binge eating frequency and global eating pathology as measured by the Eating Disorders Examination), while more general measures of impulsivity were statistically unrelated to global eating pathology or binge frequency. Specifically, those with higher levels of negative urgency at baseline experienced slower and less pronounced benefit from treatment, and those with higher food-specific impulsivity had more severe global eating pathology at baseline that was consistent at post-treatment and follow-up. These preliminary findings suggest that patients high in negative urgency and with poor response inhibition to food cues may benefit from augmentation of existing treatments to achieve optimal outcomes. Future research will benefit from replication with a larger sample, parsing out the role of different dimensions of impulsivity in treatment outcome for eating disorders, and identifying how treatment can be improved to accommodate higher levels of baseline impulsivity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Efficacy of Executive Functions Training (Response Inhibition on the Rate of Impulsivity in Preschool Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder: A Single-Subject Research

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Farnoush Kavianpour

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: The present study aims to investigate the efficacy of executive functions training (response inhibition on the rate of impulsivity in preschool children with developmental coordination disorder in Isfahan city.  Materials & Methods: The participants of this study were three preschool children which were recognized to have developmental coordination disorder. To collect data, we used NEPSY neuropsychology test, Conner’s parent rating scale, Wechsler intelligence scale for children, basic motor ability tests and clinical interview. A single-subject method with MBD design research methodology was used as well. Results: The results of the data chart analysis based on descriptive statistics' and visual analysis indices revealed that the intervention has been effective on the three participants (PND of 80%, 70% and 70% for test number one, two and three, respectively. Conclusion: The results of the present study show that response inhibition executive function training can reduce level of impulsivity.

  15. Diet-induced impulsivity: Effects of a high-fat and a high-sugar diet on impulsive choice in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steele, Catherine C; Pirkle, Jesseca R A; Kirkpatrick, Kimberly

    2017-01-01

    Impulsive choice is a common charactertistic among individuals with gambling problems, obesity, and substance abuse issues. Impulsive choice has been classified as a trans-disease process, and understanding the etiology of trait impulsivity could help to understand how diseases and disorders related to impulsive choice are manifested. The Western diet is a possible catalyst of impulsive choice as individuals who are obese and who eat diets high in fat and sugar are typically more impulsive. However, such correlational evidence is unable to discern the direction and causal nature of the relationship. The present study sought to determine how diet may directly contribute to impulsive choice. After 8 weeks of dietary exposure (high-fat, high-sugar, chow), the rats were tested on an impulsive choice task, which presented choices between a smaller-sooner reward (SS) and a larger-later reward (LL). Then, the rats were transferred to a chow diet and retested on the impulsive choice task. The high-sugar and high-fat groups made significantly more impulsive choices than the chow group. Both groups became more self-controlled when they were off the diet, but there were some residual effects of the diet on choice behavior. These results suggest that diet, specifically one high in processed fat or sugar, induces impulsive choice. This diet-induced impulsivity could be a precursor to other disorders that are characterized by impulsivity, such as diet-induced obesity, and could offer potential understanding of the trans-disease nature of impulsive choice.

  16. Specific cognitive-neurophysiological processes predict impulsivity in the childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder combined subtype.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bluschke, A; Roessner, V; Beste, C

    2016-04-01

    Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most prevalent neuropsychiatric disorders in childhood. Besides inattention and hyperactivity, impulsivity is the third core symptom leading to diverse and serious problems. However, the neuronal mechanisms underlying impulsivity in ADHD are still not fully understood. This is all the more the case when patients with the ADHD combined subtype (ADHD-C) are considered who are characterized by both symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity. Combining high-density electroencephalography (EEG) recordings with source localization analyses, we examined what information processing stages are dysfunctional in ADHD-C (n = 20) compared with controls (n = 18). Patients with ADHD-C made more impulsive errors in a Go/No-go task than healthy controls. Neurophysiologically, different subprocesses from perceptual gating to attentional selection, resource allocation and response selection processes are altered in this patient group. Perceptual gating, stimulus-driven attention selection and resource allocation processes were more pronounced in ADHD-C, are related to activation differences in parieto-occipital networks and suggest attentional filtering deficits. However, only response selection processes, associated with medial prefrontal networks, predicted impulsive errors in ADHD-C. Although the clinical picture of ADHD-C is complex and a multitude of processing steps are altered, only a subset of processes seems to directly modulate impulsive behaviour. The present findings improve the understanding of mechanisms underlying impulsivity in patients with ADHD-C and might help to refine treatment algorithms focusing on impulsivity.

  17. Impulse control disorder and response-inhibition alterations in Parkinson's disease. A rare case of totally absent functionality of the medial-prefrontal cortex and review of literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palermo, Sara; Morese, Rosalba; Zibetti, Maurizio; Dematteis, Francesca; Sirgiovanni, Stefano; Stanziano, Mario; Valentini, Maria Consuelo; Lopiano, Leonardo

    2017-11-01

    This report illustrates a Parkinson's disease (PD) patient with impulse-control disorder (ICD) and selective impairment in response-inhibition abilities as revealed by the performance in a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) anterior cingulate cortex - sensitive go-nogo task. In line with hypothesis on the role of response-inhibition disabilities in the arising of impulsivity in PD, the patient completely failed the go-nogo task. Moreover, fMRI acquisition revealed absent task-sensitive activity in the anterior cingulate cortex, medial prefrontal, and orbitofrontal cortices for the contrast nogo versus go, which signifying that a hypo-function of this network could be associated with ICD. A fronto-striatal and cingulo-frontal dysfunction may reflect impairment in metacognitive-executive abilities (such as response-inhibition, action monitoring, and error awareness) and promote compulsive repetition of behavior. Response-inhibition tasks may be useful in PD post-diagnostic phase, to better identify individuals at risk of developing ICD with dopaminergic medication.

  18. Attention switching after dietary brain 5-HT challenge in high impulsive subjects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Markus, C Rob; Jonkman, Lisa M

    2007-09-01

    High levels of impulsivity have adverse effects on performance in cognitive tasks, particularLy in those tasks that require high attention investment. Furthermore, both animal and human research has indicated that reduced brain serotonin (5-HT) function is associated with increases in impulsive behaviour or decreased inhibition ability, but the effects of 5-HT challenge have not yet been investigated in subjects vulnerable to impulsivity. The present study aimed to investigate whether subjects with high trait impulsivity perform worse than low impulsive subjects in a task switching paradigm in which they have to rapidly shift their attention between two response rules, and to investigate the influence of a 5-HT enhancing diet. Healthy subjects with high ( n = 19) and low (n = 18) trait impulsivity scores participated in a double-blind placebo-controlled study. All subjects performed the attention switch task in the morning following breakfast containing either tryptophan-rich alpha-lactalbumin (4.8 g/100 g TRP) or placebo protein (1.4 g/100 g TRP). Whereas there were no baseline differences between high and low impulsive subjects in task switching abilities, high impulsive subjects made significantly more switch errors and responded slower after dietary 5-HT stimulation, whereas no dietary effects were found on task switching performance in low-impulsive subjects. The deterioration in task switching performance induced by the 5-HT enhancing diet in high impulsive subjects was suggested to be established by general arousal/attention-reducing effects of 5-HT, which might have a larger impact in high impulsive subjects due to either different brain circuitry involved in task switching in this group or lower baseline arousal levels.

  19. Implementation of high-speed–low-power adaptive finite impulse response filter with novel architecture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manish Jaiswal

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available An energy efficient high-speed adaptive finite impulse response filter with novel architecture is developed. Synthesis results along with novel architecture on different complementary metal–oxide semiconductor (CMOS families are presented. Analysis is performed using Artix-7, Spartan-6 and Virtex-4 for most popular adaptive least mean square filter for different orders such as N = 8, 16, 32. The presented work is done using MATLAB (2013b and Xilinx (14.2. From the synthesis results, it can be found that CMOS (28 nm achieves the lowest power and critical path delay compared to others, and thus proves its efficiency in terms of energy. Different parameters are considered such as look up tables and input–output blocks, along with their optimised results.

  20. The effect of pulse pile-up on threshold crossing rates in a system with a known impulse response

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nikitin, A.V.; Davidchack, R.L.; Armstrong, T.P.

    1998-01-01

    The problem of counting rates in a counting detection system is viewed as a stochastic problem of mean threshold crossing rates for a dynamic system driven by a stationary random force. We present a general formula for calculating the rates of such a system at an arbitrary threshold for all values of event occurrence rates, given that the amplitude distribution of the incoming events and the impulse response of the detection system are known. From a single general formula we derive asymptotic expressions for counting rates at both limits of high and low incoming rates. We give a simple expression for the saturation counting rate of a detection system and show that for a high-order pile-up the average intensity and variation of the incoming signal can be determined by measuring the counting rates at two thresholds. For low incoming rates, we show how the unknown incoming distribution can be computed from the measured pulse-height spectrum. Based on the asymptotic results, we demonstrate how to construct an approximation to the impulse response function of the detection system, which facilitates numerical evaluation of the general formula. In each case, we present a comparison with numerical experiments. Throughout the paper, we illustrate how well-known experimental facts can be deduced from a single general formula. (orig.)

  1. What does See the Impulse Acoustic Microscopy inside Nanocomposites?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levin, V. M.; Petronyuk, Y. S.; Morokov, E. S.; Celzard, A.; Bellucci, S.; Kuzhir, P. P.

    The paper presents results of studying bulk microstructure in carbon nanocomposites by impulse acoustic microscopy technique. Nanocomposite materials are in the focus of interest because of their outstanding properties in minimal nanofiller content. Large surface area and high superficial activity cause strong interaction between nanoparticles that can result in formation of fractal conglomerates. This paper involves results of the first direct observation of nanoparticle conglomerates inside the bulk of epoxy-carbon nanocomposites. Diverse types of carbon nanofiller have been under investigation. The impulse acoustic microscope SIAM-1 (Acoustic Microscopy Lab, IBCP RAS) has been employed for 3D imaging bulk microstructure and measuring elastic properties of the nanocomposite specimens. The range of 50-200 MHz allows observing microstructure inside the entire specimen bulk. Acoustic images are obtained in the ultramicroscopic regime; they are formed by the Rayleigh type scattered radiation. It has been found the high-resolution acoustic vision (impulse acoustic microscopy) is an efficient technique to observe mesostructure formed by fractal cluster inside nanocomposites. The clusterization takes its utmost form in nanocomposites with graphite nanoplatelets as nanofiller. The nanoparticles agglomerate into micron-sized conglomerates distributed randomly over the material. Mesostructure in nanocomposites filled with carbon nanotubes is alternation of regions with diverse density of nanotube packing. Regions with alternative density of CNT packing are clearly seen in acoustical images as neighboring pixels of various brightness.

  2. Volatility transmission and volatility impulse response functions in European electricity forward markets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Le Pen, Yannick; Sevi, Benoit

    2008-01-01

    Using daily data from March 2001 to June 2005, we estimate a VAR-BEKK model and find evidence of return and volatility spillovers between the German, the Dutch and the British forward electricity markets. We apply Hafner and Herwartz [2006, Journal of International Money and Finance 25, 719-740] Volatility Impulse Response Function(VIRF) to quantify the impact of shock on expected conditional volatility. We observe that a shock has a high positive impact only if its size is large compared to the current level of volatility. The impact of shocks are usually not persistent, which may be an indication of market efficiency. Finally, we estimate the density of the VIRF at different forecast horizon. These fitted distributions are asymmetric and show that extreme events are possible even if their probability is low. These results have interesting implications for market participants whose risk management policy is based on option prices which themselves depend on the volatility level. (authors)

  3. Relationship between impulsivity, hyperactivity and working memory: a differential analysis in the rat

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dellu-Hagedorn Françoise

    2006-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Impulsivity is a behavioural trait that comprises several distinct processes. It is a key feature of many psychopathologies such as mania, addictive disorders or attention deficit-hyperactivity disorders. To date, the aspects of impulsiveness involved in these pathologies have not yet been explicitly defined. In these disorders, sensation or drug seeking and cognitive deficits are closely related, but the nature of these relationships remains largely unknown. A new animal model of impulsiveness based on spontaneous inter-individual differences is proposed here to help clarify the relationship between characteristic aspects of impulsive-related pathologies. Methods Rats were divided into sub-groups according to their scores in three operant tasks with varying degrees of behavioural inhibition, timing and motor vs. cognitive impulsivity demands. These tasks included a fixed consecutive number schedule (ability to complete an action to receive a reinforcer, a multiple fixed-interval/extinction schedule of reinforcement (high level of responding, and a delayed reward task (delay discounting. In addition, measurements of locomotor responses to novelty and to amphetamine in a circular corridor, and working memory in an 8-arm radial maze were obtained. Results Substantial behavioural inter-individual differences were observed in each task, whereas few inter-task relationships were found. Impulsive rats, as defined in a task requiring inhibition of premature responses, presented a higher increase in amphetamine-induced locomotion. Reduced working memory performance was only observed in hyperactive rats in an extinction schedule. Conclusion This novel approach shows that distinct aspects of impulsiveness and hyperactivity can be expressed based on large inter-individual differences that vary from poorly to highly adapted behaviours ones in a normal population of rats. Inhibitory deficit was related to a higher response to

  4. Behavioral Impulsivity and Risk-Taking Trajectories Across Early Adolescence in Youths With and Without Family Histories of Alcohol and Other Drug Use Disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dougherty, Donald M; Lake, Sarah L; Mathias, Charles W; Ryan, Stacy R; Bray, Bethany C; Charles, Nora E; Acheson, Ashley

    2015-08-01

    Youths with family histories of alcohol and other drug use disorders (FH+) are at increased susceptibility for developing substance use disorders relative to those without such histories (FH-). This vulnerability may be related to impaired adolescent development of impulse control and elevated risk-taking. However, no previous studies have prospectively examined impulse control and risk-taking in FH+ youth across adolescence. A total of 386 pre-adolescents (305 FH+, 81 FH-; aged 10 to 12) with no histories of regular alcohol or other drug use were compared on behavioral measures of impulsivity including delay discounting, response initiation (Immediate Memory Task), response inhibition impulsivity (GoStop Impulsivity Paradigm), and risk-taking (Balloon Analogue Risk Task-Youth). Youths completed these laboratory tasks every 6 months, allowing for the examination of 10- to 15-year-olds. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to characterize the development of impulse control and risk-taking as shown in performance of these tasks throughout adolescence. We found that (i) FH+ youths had increased levels of delay discounting and response inhibition impulsivity at study entry; (ii) regardless of FH status, all youths had relatively stable delay discounting across time, improvements in response inhibition and response initiation impulsivity, and increased risk-taking; and (iii) although FH+ youths had increased response inhibition impulsivity at pre-adolescence, these differences were negligible by mid-adolescence. Heightened delay discounting in FH+ pre-adolescents coupled with normal adolescent increases in risk-taking may contribute to their increased susceptibility toward problem substance use in adolescence. Copyright © 2015 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

  5. The Effect of Visual Merchandising on Impulsive Buying with Impulsive Buying Tendency As Moderating Variable

    OpenAIRE

    Jessica Novia

    2015-01-01

    This research aims to classify the female consumer demographic segments linked by impulsive buying, to determine the effect of visual merchandising on impulsive buying, and to determine the effect of visual merchandising on impulsive buying with impulsive buying tendency as moderating variable on customers of Gaudi in Taman Anggrek Mall. This research is quantitative research with a total sample of 100 people. Data were obtained by distributing questionnaires to the respondents by cross secti...

  6. Endogenous opioid blockade and impulsive responding in alcoholics and healthy controls.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitchell, Jennifer M; Tavares, Venessa C; Fields, Howard L; D'Esposito, Mark; Boettiger, Charlotte A

    2007-02-01

    The opioid receptor antagonist naltrexone (NTX) is one of few approved treatments for alcoholism, yet the mechanism by which it reduces drinking remains unclear. In rats, NTX reduces morphine-induced impulsive choice bias; however, nothing is known about the drug's effect on discrete aspects of impulsive behavior in humans, such as decision-making and inhibitory control. Here, we used a modified delay discounting procedure to investigate whether NTX improves decision-making or inhibitory control in humans. We measured the effect of acute NTX (50 mg) on choice between smaller sooner (SS) and larger later monetary rewards and on response errors (motor mismatch) in a high conflict condition in a group of abstinent alcoholics (AA) and healthy control subjects (CS). We previously reported that AA selected the SS option significantly more often than did CS in this paradigm. If the choice bias of AA is due to enhanced endogenous opioid signaling in response to potential reward, NTX should reduce such bias in the AA group. We found that NTX did not reliably reduce impulsive choice in the AA group; however, NTX's effect on choice bias across individuals was robustly predictable. NTX's effect on choice bias was significantly correlated with scores on Rotter's Locus of Control (LOC) scale; increasingly internal LOC scores predicted increasing likelihood of impulsive choices on NTX. In addition, we found that NTX significantly enhanced control of motor responses, particularly within the CS group. These results suggest that endogenous opioids may impair response selection during decision-making under conflict, and that NTX's effects on explicit decision-making are personality-dependent. Determining the biological basis of this dependence could have important implications for effective alcoholism treatment.

  7. Impulsive behavior in adults with attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder: characterization of attentional, motor and cognitive impulsiveness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malloy-Diniz, L; Fuentes, D; Leite, W Borges; Correa, H; Bechara, A

    2007-07-01

    Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is characterized by inattention and/or hyperactivity/impulsivity. Impulsivity persists in adults with ADHD and might be the basis of much of the impairment observed in the daily lives of such individuals. The objective of this study was to address the presence, and more importantly, the three dimensions of impulsivity: attentional, non-planning and motor, in how they may relate to neuropsychological mechanisms of impulse control. We studied a sample of 50 adults with ADHD and 51 healthy comparison controls using the Barratt Impulsivity Scale Version 11 (BIS), and neuropsychological tasks, namely the Continuous Performance Task (CPT-II) and the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). The ADHD group showed more signs of impulsivity on the three dimensions of BIS, committed more errors of omission and commission on the CPT-II, and made more disadvantageous choices on the IGT. These results support the existence of deficits related to three components of impulsivity: motor, cognitive, and attentional among adults with ADHD. Most importantly, this study also highlights the complementary nature of self-report questionnaires and neuropsychological tasks in the assessment of impulsivity in ADHD adults.

  8. Alcohol-Preferring Rats Show Goal Oriented Behaviour to Food Incentives but Are Neither Sign-Trackers Nor Impulsive.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yolanda Peña-Oliver

    Full Text Available Drug addiction is often associated with impulsivity and altered behavioural responses to both primary and conditioned rewards. Here we investigated whether selectively bred alcohol-preferring (P and alcohol-nonpreferring (NP rats show differential levels of impulsivity and conditioned behavioural responses to food incentives. P and NP rats were assessed for impulsivity in the 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT, a widely used translational task in humans and other animals, as well as Pavlovian conditioned approach to measure sign- and goal-tracking behaviour. Drug-naïve P and NP rats showed similar levels of impulsivity on the 5-CSRTT, assessed by the number of premature, anticipatory responses, even when the waiting interval to respond was increased. However, unlike NP rats, P rats were faster to enter the food magazine and spent more time in this area. In addition, P rats showed higher levels of goal-tracking responses than NP rats, as measured by the number of magazine nose-pokes during the presentation of a food conditioned stimulus. By contrast, NP showed higher levels of sign-tracking behaviour than P rats. Following a 4-week exposure to intermittent alcohol we confirmed that P rats had a marked preference for, and consumed more alcohol than, NP rats, but were not more impulsive when re-tested in the 5-CSRTT. These findings indicate that high alcohol preferring and drinking P rats are neither intrinsically impulsive nor do they exhibit impulsivity after exposure to alcohol. However, P rats do show increased goal-directed behaviour to food incentives and this may be associated with their strong preference for alcohol.

  9. Alcohol-Preferring Rats Show Goal Oriented Behaviour to Food Incentives but Are Neither Sign-Trackers Nor Impulsive.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peña-Oliver, Yolanda; Giuliano, Chiara; Economidou, Daina; Goodlett, Charles R; Robbins, Trevor W; Dalley, Jeffrey W; Everitt, Barry J

    2015-01-01

    Drug addiction is often associated with impulsivity and altered behavioural responses to both primary and conditioned rewards. Here we investigated whether selectively bred alcohol-preferring (P) and alcohol-nonpreferring (NP) rats show differential levels of impulsivity and conditioned behavioural responses to food incentives. P and NP rats were assessed for impulsivity in the 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT), a widely used translational task in humans and other animals, as well as Pavlovian conditioned approach to measure sign- and goal-tracking behaviour. Drug-naïve P and NP rats showed similar levels of impulsivity on the 5-CSRTT, assessed by the number of premature, anticipatory responses, even when the waiting interval to respond was increased. However, unlike NP rats, P rats were faster to enter the food magazine and spent more time in this area. In addition, P rats showed higher levels of goal-tracking responses than NP rats, as measured by the number of magazine nose-pokes during the presentation of a food conditioned stimulus. By contrast, NP showed higher levels of sign-tracking behaviour than P rats. Following a 4-week exposure to intermittent alcohol we confirmed that P rats had a marked preference for, and consumed more alcohol than, NP rats, but were not more impulsive when re-tested in the 5-CSRTT. These findings indicate that high alcohol preferring and drinking P rats are neither intrinsically impulsive nor do they exhibit impulsivity after exposure to alcohol. However, P rats do show increased goal-directed behaviour to food incentives and this may be associated with their strong preference for alcohol.

  10. Being impulsive and obese increases susceptibility to speeded detection of high-calorie foods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bongers, Peggy; van de Giessen, Elsmarieke; Roefs, Anne; Nederkoorn, Chantal; Booij, Jan; van den Brink, Wim; Jansen, Anita

    2015-06-01

    Overeating and obesity are associated with impulsivity. In studies among patients with a substance use disorder, impulsivity was found to be associated with substance-related attentional bias. This study examined whether obesity, impulsivity and food craving are associated with an attentional bias for high-calorie food. Obese (n = 185, mean BMI = 38.18 ± 6.17) and matched healthy-weight (n = 134, mean BMI = 22.35 ± 1.63) men (27.9%) and women (72.1%), aged 18-45 years, took part in the study. Participants were tested on several self-report and behavioral measures of impulsivity (i.e., response inhibition and reward sensitivity) and self-reported trait craving. In addition, they performed a visual search task to measure attentional bias for high- and low-caloric foods. Self-reported impulsivity influenced the relationship between weight status and detection speed of high- and low-caloric food items: High-impulsive participants with obesity were significantly faster than high-impulsive healthy-weight participants in detecting a high-caloric food item among neutral items, whereas no such difference was observed among low-impulsive participants. No significant effects were found on low-caloric food items, for trait craving or any of the behavioral measures of impulsivity. Self-reported impulsivity, but not trait craving or behavioral measures of impulsivity, is associated with an attentional bias for high-caloric foods, but only in people with obesity. It is in particular the speedy detection of high-caloric foods in the environment that characterizes the impulsive person with obesity, which in turn may cause risky eating patterns in a society were high-caloric food is overly present. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

  11. Microwave emission from lead zirconate titanate induced by impulsive mechanical load

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Aman, A., E-mail: alexander.aman@ovgu.de [Department of Engineering, Brandenburg University of Applied Science, 14470 Brandenburg an derHavel (Germany); Packaging Group, Institute of Micro- and Sensorsytems, Otto-von-Guericke University, Universitätsplatz 2, 39106 Magdeburg (Germany); Majcherek, S. [Packaging Group, Institute of Micro- and Sensorsytems, Otto-von-Guericke University, Universitätsplatz 2, 39106 Magdeburg (Germany); Hirsch, S. [Department of Engineering, Brandenburg University of Applied Science, 14470 Brandenburg an derHavel (Germany); Schmidt, B. [Chair of Micorsystem Technology, Institute of Micro- and Sensorsytems, Otto-von-Guericke University, Universitätsplatz 2, 39106 Magdeburg (Germany)

    2015-10-28

    This paper focuses on microwave emission from Lead zirconate titanate Pb [Zr{sub x}Ti{sub 1−x}] O{sub 3} (PZT) induced by mechanical stressing. The mechanical stress was initiated by impact of a sharp tungsten indenter on the upper surface of PZT ceramic. The sequences of microwave and current impulses, which flew from indenter to electric ground, were detected simultaneously. The voltage between the upper and lower surface of ceramic was measured to obtain the behavior of mechanical force acting on ceramic during the impact. It was found that the amplitude, form, and frequency of measured microwave impulses were different by compression and restitution phase of impact. Two different mechanisms of electron emission, responsible for microwave impulse generation, were proposed based on the dissimilar impulse behavior. The field emission from tungsten indenter is dominant during compression, whereas ferroemission dominates during restitution phase. Indeed, it was observed that the direction of the current flow, i.e., sign of current impulses is changed by transitions from compression to restitution phase of impact. The observed dissimilar behavior of microwave impulses, caused by increasing and decreasing applied force, can be used to calculate the contact time and behavior of mechanical force during mechanical impact on ceramic surface. It is shown that the generation of microwave impulses exhibits high reproducibility, impulse intensity, a low damping factor, and high mechanical failure resistance. Based on these microwave emission properties of PZT, the development of new type of stress sensor with spatial resolution of few microns becomes possible.

  12. Caffeine's influence on gambling behavior and other types of impulsivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grant, Jon E; Chamberlain, Samuel R

    2018-01-01

    Young adulthood is a developmental period frequently associated with occurrence of impulsive behaviors including gambling. It is estimated that 73% of children and 87% of adults in the United States regularly use caffeine. Questions remain, however, concerning the role of caffeine in the development and maintenance of impulsive behaviors such as gambling. Sixty-one young adults with at least some degree of disordered gambling were recruited from two Mid-Western university communities in the United States using media advertisements. Caffeine intake over the preceding month was quantified using the Caffeine Use Questionnaire. Clinician rating scales, questionnaires, and cognitive tests germane to impulsivity were completed. Relationships between caffeine intake and demographic, gambling symptom, and neurocognitive measures were evaluated using the statistical technique of partial least squares (PLS). Average weekly caffeine intake in the gamblers was 1218.5mg (a figure higher than previously reported in the general population). PLS yielded an optimal model with one latent factor, which explained 14.8% of variation in demographic/clinical/cognitive measures and 32.3% of variation in caffeine intake. In this model, higher caffeine intake was significantly associated with earlier age at first gambling, higher personality-related impulsiveness, more nicotine consumption, older age, and more impulsive decision-making. These data suggest a particularly strong relationship between caffeine intake, earlier age of first gambling, and certain types of impulsivity in gamblers. Providing education about healthy caffeine use may be especially valuable in gamblers. Future work should explore whether the relationship between caffeine use and gambling is due to a common predisposing factor (impulsive tendencies) or, rather, constitutes a form of self-medication in gamblers (or a means of sustaining gambling habits for longer). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. NORMATIVE MODERATORS OF IMPULSE BUYING BEHAVIOR

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Danes Jaya Negara

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available Prior research has presented the moderating role of normative evaluations in the relationship between the impulsive buying trait and consumers’ buying behaviors. In this article the authors show that consumer tendency to buy something spontaneous, unreflectively and immediately can be perceived as a factor which describes buying impulsiveness. This article also shows conceptual and empirical evidence that there is some support for the moderating role of normative evaluations in the relationship between buying impulsiveness and impulse buying behaviors. Significance occurs when consumers believe that act on impulse is suitable. The result suggests that consumers’ normative evaluation can moderate the link between the trait and behavioral aspects of impulse buying.

  14. Effect of geometrical parameters on pressure distributions of impulse manufacturing technologies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brune, Ryan Carl

    Impulse manufacturing techniques constitute a growing field of methods that utilize high-intensity pressure events to conduct useful mechanical operations. As interest in applying this technology continues to grow, greater understanding must be achieved with respect to output pressure events in both magnitude and distribution. In order to address this need, a novel pressure measurement has been developed called the Profile Indentation Pressure Evaluation (PIPE) method that systematically analyzes indentation patterns created with impulse events. Correlation with quasi-static test data and use of software-assisted analysis techniques allows for colorized pressure maps to be generated for both electromagnetic and vaporizing foil actuator (VFA) impulse forming events. Development of this technique aided introduction of a design method for electromagnetic path actuator systems, where key geometrical variables are considered using a newly developed analysis method, which is called the Path Actuator Proximal Array (PAPA) pressure model. This model considers key current distribution and proximity effects and interprets generated pressure by considering the adjacent conductor surfaces as proximal arrays of individual conductors. According to PIPE output pressure analysis, the PAPA model provides a reliable prediction of generated pressure for path actuator systems as local geometry is changed. Associated mechanical calculations allow for pressure requirements to be calculated for shearing, flanging, and hemming operations, providing a design process for such cases. Additionally, geometry effect is investigated through a formability enhancement study using VFA metalworking techniques. A conical die assembly is utilized with both VFA high velocity and traditional quasi-static test methods on varied Hasek-type sample geometries to elicit strain states consistent with different locations on a forming limit diagram. Digital image correlation techniques are utilized to measure

  15. Impulsivity and Concussion in Juvenile Rats: Examining Molecular and Structural Aspects of the Frontostriatal Pathway.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Harleen Hehar

    Full Text Available Impulsivity and poor executive control have been implicated in the pathogenesis of many developmental and neuropsychiatric disorders. Similarly, concussions/mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI have been associated with increased risk for neuropsychiatric disorders and the development of impulsivity and inattention. Researchers and epidemiologists have therefore considered whether or not concussions induce symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD, or merely unmask impulsive tendencies that were already present. The purpose of this study was to determine if a single concussion in adolescence could induce ADHD-like impulsivity and impaired response inhibition, and subsequently determine if inherent impulsivity prior to a pediatric mTBI would exacerbate post-concussion symptomology with a specific emphasis on impulsive and inattentive behaviours. As these behaviours are believed to be associated with the frontostriatal circuit involving the nucleus accumbens (NAc and the prefrontal cortex (PFC, the expression patterns of 8 genes (Comt, Drd2, Drd3, Drd4, Maoa, Sert, Tph1, and Tph2 from these two regions were examined. In addition, Golgi-Cox staining of medium spiny neurons in the NAc provided a neuroanatomical examination of mTBI-induced structural changes. The study found that a single early brain injury could induce impulsivity and impairments in response inhibition that were more pronounced in males. Interestingly, when animals with inherent impulsivity experienced mTBI, injury-related deficits were exacerbated in female animals. The single concussion increased dendritic branching, but reduced synaptic density in the NAc, and these changes were likely associated with the increase in impulsivity. Finally, mTBI-induced impulsivity was associated with modifications to gene expression that differed dramatically from the gene expression pattern associated with inherent impulsivity, despite very similar behavioural phenotypes. Our

  16. Age and impulsive behavior in drug addiction: A review of past research and future directions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Argyriou, Evangelia; Um, Miji; Carron, Claire; Cyders, Melissa A

    2018-01-01

    Impulsive behavior is implicated in the initiation, maintenance, and relapse of drug-seeking behaviors involved in drug addiction. Research shows that changes in impulsive behavior across the lifespan contribute to drug use and addiction. The goal of this review is to examine existing research on the relationship between impulsive behavior and drug use across the lifespan and to recommend directions for future research. Three domains of impulsive behavior are explored in this review: impulsive behavior-related personality traits, delay discounting, and prepotent response inhibition. First, we present previous research on these three domains of impulsive behavior and drug use across developmental stages. Then, we discuss how changes in impulsive behavior across the lifespan are implicated in the progression of drug use and addiction. Finally, we discuss the relatively limited attention given to middle-to-older adults in the current literature, consider the validity of the measures used to assess impulsive behavior in middle-to-older adulthood, and suggest recommendations for future research. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Impulsivity and the Sexes: Measurement and Structural Invariance of the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cyders, Melissa A.

    2013-01-01

    Before it is possible to test whether men and women differ in impulsivity, it is necessary to evaluate whether impulsivity measures are invariant across sex. The UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale (negative urgency, lack of premeditation, lack of perseverance, and sensation seeking, with added subscale of positive urgency) is one measure of five…

  18. Impulsiveness and venturesomeness in German smokers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bernow, Nina; Kruck, Bernadette; Pfeifer, Philippe; Lieb, Klaus; Tüscher, Oliver; Fehr, Christoph

    2011-08-01

    Cigarette smoking is a behavior, which is influenced by genetic, demographic, and psychological factors. A large body of research has examined the association of cigarette smoking variables with individual differences in personality traits. The aim of the current study was to replicate the findings of higher self-reported impulsivity in smokers compared with never-smokers in a German sample using Eysenck´s construct of impulsivity. Furthermore, it was intended to further the knowledge about associations between different self-reported impulsivity components and different smoking variables. We used the Impulsiveness-Venturesomeness-Empathy questionnaire (I7) to measure self-reported impulsiveness and venturesomeness and the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) to measure novelty seeking (NS) in a sample of 82 nicotine-dependent smokers and 119 never-smokers. Smokers scored higher on impulsiveness, venturesomeness, and NS than never-smokers independent of age, gender, and years of education. We found a significant association between venturesomeness, impulsiveness and smoking status in daily smokers. In summary, this study provides evidence that impulsiveness and venturesomeness as well as the novelty-seeking subscale extravagance are significantly associated with smoking status in a German sample of female and male smokers compared with never-smokers.

  19. Structural response of reinforced concrete slabs to impulsive loads

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Florence, A.L.

    1977-01-01

    The structure treated here is a clamped circular slab of reinforced concrete. The loading is a rectangular pulse uniformly distributed over a central area. The practical value of this problem is that it probably represents a most severe loading case for bending response among more realistic cases, because it replaces the local loaded area with a circular area at the slab center, and because it replaces the pulse with a rectangular pulse of the same peak pressure and impulse. In the theoretical treatment the pulse is assumed to produce plastic deformations large enough to neglect elastic deformation but small enough to neglect membrane action. Yielding of the reinforced concrete slab is assumed to be governed by the Johansen criterion and the associated flow rule. For simplicity, the analysis is restricted to isotropic slabs with top and bottom steel reinforcement arranged to provide the same yield moment magnitude for positive and negative curvature changes. A consequence of the assumed rigid-perfectly plastic behavior is that the deformation modes may be considered as simple mechanism governed by a yield circle. Moreover, the yield circle is stationary while the constant pressure is being applied and expands to the support once the pressure is removed. After the yield circle has arrived at the support, the remaining deformation occurs in the static collapse mode. The principal results are explicit simple formulas for permanent central deflection in terms of pressure, duration, loaded area radius, and plate properties (radius, density, yield moment)

  20. Narcissism predicts impulsive buying: phenotypic and genetic evidence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Huajian eCai

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Impulsive buying makes billions of dollars for retail businesses every year, particularly in an era of thriving e-commerce. Narcissism, characterized by impulsivity and materialism, may serve as a potential antecedent to impulsive buying. To test this hypothesis, two studies examined the relationship between narcissism and impulsive buying. In study 1, we surveyed narcissism and the impulsive buying tendency among an online sample and found that while adaptive narcissism was not correlated with impulsive buying, maladaptive narcissism was significantly predictive of the impulsive buying tendency. By investigating narcissism and the impulsive buying tendency in 304 twin pairs, study 2 showed that global narcissism and its two components, adaptive and maladaptive narcissism, as well as the impulsive buying tendency were heritable. The study found, moreover, that the connections between global narcissism and impulsive buying, and between maladaptive narcissism and impulsive buying were genetically based. These findings not only establish a link between narcissism and impulsive buying but also help to identify the origins of the link. The present studies deepen our understanding of narcissism, impulsive buying, and their interrelationship.

  1. Cigarette cravings, impulsivity and the brain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stéphane ePotvin

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Craving is a core feature of tobacco use disorder as well as a significant predictor of smoking relapse. Studies have shown that appetitive smoking-related stimuli (e.g. someone smoking trigger significant cravings in smokers which impedes their self-control capacities and promotes drug seeking behavior. In this review, we begin by an overview of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI studies investigating the neural correlates of smokers to appetitive smoking cues. The literature reveals a complex and vastly distributed neuronal network underlying smokers’ craving response that recruits regions involved in self-referential processing, panning/regulatory processes, emotional responding, attentional biases, and automatic conducts. We then selectively review important factors contributing to the heterogeneity of results that significantly limit the implications of these findings, namely between- (abstinence, smoking expectancies and self-regulation and within-studies factors (severity of smoking dependence, sex-differences, motivation to quit and genetic factors. Remarkably, we found that little to no attention has been devoted to examine the influence of personality traits on the neural correlates of cigarette cravings in fMRI studies. Impulsivity has been linked with craving and relapse in substance and tobacco use, which prompted our research team to examine the influence of impulsivity on cigarette cravings in an fMRI study. We found that the influence of impulsivity on cigarette cravings was mediated by fronto-cingular mechanisms. Given the high prevalence of cigarette smoking in several psychiatric disorders that are characterized by significant levels of impulsivity, we conclude by identifying psychiatric patients as a target population whose tobacco smoking habits deserve further behavioral and neuro-imaging investigation.

  2. Impulsivity: A deficiency of inhibitory control?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lansbergen, M.M.

    2007-01-01

    Impulsivity has been defined as acting without thinking. Impulsivity can be quantified by impulsivity questionnaires, but also by behavioral paradigms which tax inhibitory control. Previous research has repeatedly demonstrated deficient inhibitory control in psychopathological samples characterized

  3. Relativistic impulse dynamics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Swanson, Stanley M

    2011-08-01

    Classical electrodynamics has some annoying rough edges. The self-energy of charges is infinite without a cutoff. The calculation of relativistic trajectories is difficult because of retardation and an average radiation reaction term. By reconceptuallizing electrodynamics in terms of exchanges of impulses rather than describing it by forces and potentials, we eliminate these problems. A fully relativistic theory using photonlike null impulses is developed. Numerical calculations for a two-body, one-impulse-in-transit model are discussed. A simple relationship between center-of-mass scattering angle and angular momentum was found. It reproduces the Rutherford cross section at low velocities and agrees with the leading term of relativistic distinguishable-particle quantum cross sections (Møller, Mott) when the distance of closest approach is larger than the Compton wavelength of the particle. Magnetism emerges as a consequence of viewing retarded and advanced interactions from the vantage point of an instantaneous radius vector. Radiation reaction becomes the local conservation of energy-momentum between the radiating particle and the emitted impulse. A net action is defined that could be used in developing quantum dynamics without potentials. A reinterpretation of Newton's laws extends them to relativistic motion.

  4. Prediction Model for Impulsive Noise on Structures

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-09-01

    integral,11,51 which is simply a convolution of the waveform with the impulse response:        t dFthtx 0  (4.11) Reference 39...All the windows considered herein are single pane windows. The higher surface weight and probable higher damping of double pane or laminated

  5. Parental monitoring may protect impulsive children from overeating.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bennett, C; Blissett, J

    2017-10-01

    Research has highlighted links between impulsivity and weight in children and adults. Nevertheless, little is known about the nature of this link in very young children or about the underlying mechanism by which impulsivity leads to greater adiposity. The present study aimed to explore relationships between impulsivity, weight and eating behaviour in a sample of 95 2 to 4-year-olds. Parent-child dyads visited the laboratory and consumed a meal after which parents completed measures of child impulsivity, eating behaviour and parental feeding, whilst children completed impulsivity tasks measuring the impulsivity facet delay of gratification (Snack Delay task), motor impulsivity (Line Walking task) and inhibitory control (Tower task). Pearson's correlations showed that girls with greater motor impulsivity were heavier. Additionally, monitoring moderated the relationship between impulsivity and food approach behaviour, indicating that monitoring may protect more impulsive children from displaying problematic eating behaviours. The motor impulsivity facet appears particularly relevant to child weight; parents can modulate the impact of impulsivity on child eating behaviour through their feeding style. © 2016 World Obesity Federation.

  6. Impulse: Memory System Support for Scientific Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John B. Carter

    1999-01-01

    Full Text Available Impulse is a new memory system architecture that adds two important features to a traditional memory controller. First, Impulse supports application‐specific optimizations through configurable physical address remapping. By remapping physical addresses, applications control how their data is accessed and cached, improving their cache and bus utilization. Second, Impulse supports prefetching at the memory controller, which can hide much of the latency of DRAM accesses. Because it requires no modification to processor, cache, or bus designs, Impulse can be adopted in conventional systems. In this paper we describe the design of the Impulse architecture, and show how an Impulse memory system can improve the performance of memory‐bound scientific applications. For instance, Impulse decreases the running time of the NAS conjugate gradient benchmark by 67%. We expect that Impulse will also benefit regularly strided, memory‐bound applications of commercial importance, such as database and multimedia programs.

  7. Impulsive behavior and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ohmura, Yu; Tsutsui-Kimura, Iku; Yoshioka, Mitsuhiro

    2012-01-01

    Higher impulsivity is thought to be a risk factor for drug addiction, criminal involvement, and suicide. Excessive levels of impulsivity are often observed in several psychiatric disorders including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and schizophrenia. Previous studies have demonstrated that nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are involved in impulsive behavior. Here, we introduce recent advances in this field and describe the role of the following nAChR-related brain mechanisms in modulating impulsive behavior: dopamine release in the ventral striatum; α4β2 nAChRs in the infralimbic cortex, which is a ventral part of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC); and dopamine release in the mPFC. We also suggest several potential therapeutic drugs to address these mechanisms in impulsivity-related disorders and explore future directions to further elucidate the roles of central nAChRs in impulsive behavior.

  8. Narcissism predicts impulsive buying: phenotypic and genetic evidence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cai, Huajian; Shi, Yuanyuan; Fang, Xiang; Luo, Yu L. L.

    2015-01-01

    Impulsive buying makes billions of dollars for retail businesses every year, particularly in an era of thriving e-commerce. Narcissism, characterized by impulsivity and materialism, may serve as a potential antecedent to impulsive buying. To test this hypothesis, two studies examined the relationship between narcissism and impulsive buying. In Study 1, we surveyed an online sample and found that while adaptive narcissism was not correlated with impulsive buying, maladaptive narcissism was significantly predictive of the impulsive buying tendency. By investigating 304 twin pairs, Study 2 showed that global narcissism and its two components, adaptive and maladaptive narcissism, as well as the impulsive buying tendency were heritable. The study found, moreover, that the connections between global narcissism and impulsive buying, and between maladaptive narcissism and impulsive buying were genetically based. These findings not only establish a link between narcissism and impulsive buying but also help to identify the origins of the link. The present studies deepen our understanding of narcissism, impulsive buying, and their interrelationship. PMID:26217251

  9. Narcissism predicts impulsive buying: phenotypic and genetic evidence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cai, Huajian; Shi, Yuanyuan; Fang, Xiang; Luo, Yu L L

    2015-01-01

    Impulsive buying makes billions of dollars for retail businesses every year, particularly in an era of thriving e-commerce. Narcissism, characterized by impulsivity and materialism, may serve as a potential antecedent to impulsive buying. To test this hypothesis, two studies examined the relationship between narcissism and impulsive buying. In Study 1, we surveyed an online sample and found that while adaptive narcissism was not correlated with impulsive buying, maladaptive narcissism was significantly predictive of the impulsive buying tendency. By investigating 304 twin pairs, Study 2 showed that global narcissism and its two components, adaptive and maladaptive narcissism, as well as the impulsive buying tendency were heritable. The study found, moreover, that the connections between global narcissism and impulsive buying, and between maladaptive narcissism and impulsive buying were genetically based. These findings not only establish a link between narcissism and impulsive buying but also help to identify the origins of the link. The present studies deepen our understanding of narcissism, impulsive buying, and their interrelationship.

  10. Impulsivity and Stress Response in Nondependent Smokers (Tobacco Chippers) in Comparison to Heavy Smokers and Nonsmokers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carim-Todd, Laura; Mitchell, Suzanne H; Oken, Barry S

    2016-05-01

    Tobacco chippers are light smokers with stable patterns of smoking that exhibit lower nicotine dependence severity than heavy smokers. Chippers may provide valuable information about the factors influencing drug dependence. Impulsivity and stress are two factors known to influence smoking. By comparing nondependent smokers (tobacco chippers, n = 25) to dependent smokers (heavy smokers, n = 23) and nonsmokers (n = 25), this study examines the relationship between nicotine dependence, impulsivity, chronic stress, and stress reactivity. A total of 73 adult participants completed a study visit that included questionnaires to measure nicotine dependence, chronic stress, personality, affect, withdrawal, and craving. Impulsivity was measured with the delay discounting task and the flanker task. Stress reactivity was assessed by monitoring respiration, heart rate, and salivary cortisol during performance of a titrated Stroop task. Effects of acute stress on affect and craving were examined. Tobacco chippers were as impulsive as heavy smokers on the delay discounting task but no different from nonsmokers on the flanker task. Heavy smokers reported higher perceived stress than chippers and nonsmokers. Perceived stress was a significant predictor of discounting only in heavy smokers. Acute stress induced changes in respiration, heart rate, and heart rate variability. Craving and negative affect increased after stress in both smoking groups, but craving was associated with affect only in chippers. Tobacco chippers do not differ from heavy smokers in impulsivity, but do differ in perceived stress. One's perception and experience of stress might be associated to nicotine dependence resistance and could inform smoking cessation treatments. By examining impulsivity, chronic stress, and stress reactivity in nondependent smokers (tobacco chippers) compared to dependent smokers and nonsmokers, this study contributes to the understanding of nicotine addiction and informs smoking

  11. Persistent effects of chronic Δ9-THC exposure on motor impulsivity in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Irimia, Cristina; Polis, Ilham Y; Stouffer, David; Parsons, Loren H

    2015-08-01

    In humans, long-term marijuana use is associated with impaired impulse control and attentional capacity, though it has been difficult to distinguish pre-existing cognitive deficits from possible consequences of prolonged marijuana exposure. To evaluate the effects of long-term exposure to Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), the primary psychoactive constituent in marijuana, on indices of impulse control and attentional capacity using the rat 5-Choice Serial Reaction Time Task (5-CSRTT). Ten 14-day cycles of Δ9-THC dosing and 5-CSRTT testing were employed, each comprised of 5-day Δ9-THC dosing (0.3 or 3 mg/kg b.i.d.) and 5-CSRTT testing during the 9 days of drug abstinence. Subsequent 5-CSRTT testing continued during 5 weeks of protracted abstinence. Dose-dependent increases in motor impulsivity (premature responses) and behavioral disinhibition (perseverative responses) emerged following 5 cycles of Δ9-THC exposure that persisted for the remaining dosing and testing cycles. Δ9-THC-related disruptions in motor impulsivity and behavioral inhibition were most pronounced during cognitively challenging 5-CSRTT sessions incorporating varying novel inter-trial intervals (ITIs), and these disruptions persisted for at least 5 weeks of Δ9-THC abstinence. Δ9-THC-related impairments in attentional capacity (response accuracy) were also evident during variable ITI challenge tests, though these attentional disruptions abated within 3 weeks of Δ9-THC abstinence. These observations demonstrate that long-term intermittent exposure to clinically meaningful Δ9-THC doses induces persistent impairments in impulse control and attentional function. If present in humans, these disruptions may impact academic and professional performance.

  12. Trait impulsivity in suicide attempters: preliminary study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doihara, Chiho; Kawanishi, Chiaki; Ohyama, Nene; Yamada, Tomoki; Nakagawa, Makiko; Iwamoto, Yohko; Odawara, Toshinari; Hirayasu, Yoshio

    2012-10-01

    Suicide attempt is a risk factor for suicide. To investigate trait impulsivity among suicide attempters, 93 attempters admitted to an emergency department and 113 healthy controls were evaluated using the Japanese version of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11J). Impulsivity was analyzed in relation to clinical data in the attempters. Total BIS-11J, attention impulsiveness, and motor impulsiveness scores were significantly higher in the attempters than in the controls. Both total BIS-11J and non-planning impulsiveness scores were significantly higher in attempters with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders among the diagnostic groups. Control of impulsivity should be considered as one of the targets for suicide prevention. © 2012 The Authors. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences © 2012 Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology.

  13. Impulsivity and Gambling Type Among Treatment-Seeking Disordered Gamblers: An Explorative Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lutri, Vittorio; Soldini, Emiliano; Ronzitti, Silvia; Smith, Neil; Clerici, Massimo; Blaszczynski, Alex; Bowden-Jones, Henrietta

    2018-03-03

    Several studies have found that certain traits of impulsivity are associated with gambling disorder, and influence its severity. Furthermore, it has been suggested that some forms of gambling, particularly electronic gambling machines, are particularly widespread among pathological gamblers. In the present, exploratory study, we aim to clarify the role played by impulsivity in influencing the choice of specific gambling activities, by examining the relation between individual dimensions of impulsivity, and the choice of specific gambling activities in a clinical population. 100 consecutively admitted pathological gamblers at the National Problem Gambling Clinic in London (UK) in 2014 were administered the UPPS-P and BIS-11 impulsivity questionnaires, the Problem Gambling Severity Index, and underwent a structured interview concerning their gambling activities in the month and year prior to assessment. The correlation between individual gambling activities and impulsivity dimensions was analyzed both at a bivariate level, and using logistic regression. We found a significant correlation between Negative Urgency, Motor impulsivity and low-stakes machine gambling on multivariate analysis. Negative urgency (i.e. the tendency to act impulsively in response to negative affect), and Motor impulsivity (a tendency to rash action and restlessness) might be mediating factors in the choice of electronic gambling machines, particularly among patients whose gambling is escape-oriented. Structural and situational characteristics of gambling machines, particularly the widespread availability of low-stakes-rather than high-stakes-gaming machines, might concur to the choice of this form of gambling among individuals who present higher negative urgency and restlessness.

  14. Measurement of glomerular filtration rate by impulse synthesis: Clinical validation and optimization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Palagi, B.; Verga, P.; Broggi, A.; Picozzi, R.; Villa, F.; Guzzini, F.; Cozzi, C.; Tomasi, A.

    1988-01-01

    Impulse synthesis is a technique which relies upon the logic of continuous infusion but extracts the clearance value from single-injection data by shifting and adding them until an asymptotic value is attained. This study has been aimed at validating and optimizing clinically the measurement of glomerular filtration rate by impulse synthesis. A single intravenous injection of 51 Cr-EDTA has been made in 32 patients and plasma activity monitored over the next 6 h. Glomerular filtration rate computed by a single-exponential fit method (GFR-SEF) has been shown to be significantly (p [de

  15. THz impulse radar for biomedical sensing: nonlinear system behavior

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, E. R.; Sung, Shijun; Grundfest, W. S.; Taylor, Z. D.

    2014-03-01

    The THz impulse radar is an "RF-inspired" sensor system that has performed remarkably well since its initial development nearly six years ago. It was developed for ex vivo skin-burn imaging, and has since shown great promise in the sensitive detection of hydration levels in soft tissues of several types, such as in vivo corneal and burn samples. An intriguing aspect of the impulse radar is its hybrid architecture which combines the high-peak-power of photoconductive switches with the high-responsivity and -bandwidth (RF and video) of Schottky-diode rectifiers. The result is a very sensitive sensor system in which the post-detection signal-to-noise ratio depends super-linearly on average signal power up to a point where the diode is "turned on" in the forward direction, and then behaves quasi-linearly beyond that point. This paper reports the first nonlinear systems analysis done on the impulse radar using MATLAB.

  16. "Impulsive" suicide attempts: What do we really mean?

    Science.gov (United States)

    May, Alexis M; Klonsky, E David

    2016-07-01

    Suicide attempts are often regarded as impulsive acts. However, there is little consensus regarding the definition or clinical characteristics of an "impulsive" attempt. To clarify this issue, we examined 3 indicators of the impulsivity of an attempt: (a) preparation, (b) time contemplating the attempt, and (c) self-report that impulsivity motivated the attempt. We examined relationships among the indicators and their relationship to trait impulsivity and characteristics of the suicide attempt. Adult participants (N = 205) with a history of suicide attempts were administered validated interviews and questionnaires. In general, the 3 attempt impulsivity indicators correlated only moderately with each other and not at all with trait impulsivity or with important characteristics of the attempt (e.g., lethality, preattempt communication, motivations). However, there were 2 exceptions. First, intent to die was inversely related to the 3 attempt impulsivity indicators (rs ranged from -.17 to .45) such that more impulsive attempts were associated with lower intent. Second, self-report that the attempt was motivated by impulsivity was related to 3 facets of trait impulsivity (rs ranged from .16 to .41). These findings suggest that individuals endorsing trait impulsivity are likely to describe their attempts as motivated by impulsivity, regardless of the presence of preparation or prolonged contemplation. Overall, study results suggest that the common conception of a unidimensional impulsive attempt may be inaccurate and that the emphasis on general impulsivity in prevention guidelines should be tempered. Implications for suicide risk assessment and prevention are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  17. Effects of mood state on impulsivity in pathological buying.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nicolai, Jennifer; Darancó, Stefaniá; Moshagen, Morten

    2016-10-30

    Pathological buying is characterized by irrepressible buying behaviour and its negative consequences. A possible mechanism contributing to its development and maintenance is that buying episodes act as a maladaptive strategy to cope with negative emotions. Accordingly, pathological buying has been repeatedly associated with impulsivity, in particular with the tendency to experience strong reactions under negative affect. Relying on an experimental mood induction procedure, the present study tested in a sample of 100 individuals (a) whether individuals with pathological buying symptoms respond more impulsively in the Go/No-Go Task (as a measure of the behavioural inhibition aspect of impulsivity) and (b) whether this association is more pronounced in a negative mood. While controlling for comorbidities, the results show that pathological buying is associated with faster responses and a larger number of commission errors. Moreover, a significant interaction indicated that the association between pathological buying and performance the Go/No-Go Task was stronger in the negative mood condition. The present study thus shows that pathological buying is associated with deficits in the behavioural inhibition component of impulsivity. These deficits are most pronounced when mood is negative; in turn, this provides an explanation for the occurrence of excessive buying episodes following negative affect. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. An elegant impulser developed for flat beam injection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wilson, M.J.; Goerz, D.A.; Speer, R.D.

    1998-01-01

    The following report describes the design, construction, and checkout of a high-voltage (HV) impulser built for the heavy ion fusion (HIF) project [1]. The purpose of this impulser is to provide an adjustable diode voltage source of sufficient quality and level to allow the optimization of beam transport and accelerator sections of HIF [2, 3]. An elegant, low-impedance, high-energy storage capacitor circuit has been selected for this application. Circuit parameters of the retrofit to the diode region [4] have been included to provide the controlled rise time. The critical part of this circuit that is common to all candidates is the impedance matching component. The following report provides a description of the implemented circuit, the basic circuit variables for wave shaping, screening techniques revealing the weakest circuit component, and the resulting output of the injector

  19. Proficient motor impulse control in Parkinson disease patients with impulsive and compulsive behaviors

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Claassen, D.O.; van den Wildenberg, W.P.; Harrison, M.B.; van Wouwe, N.C.; Kanoff, K.; Neimat, J.S.; Wylie, S.A.

    2015-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Parkinson disease (PD) patients treated with dopamine agonist therapy can develop maladaptive reward-driven behaviors, known as impulse control disorder (ICD). In this study, we assessed if ICD patients have evidence of motor-impulsivity. METHODS: We used the stop-signal task in a cohort

  20. Modeling the dynamics of the lead bismuth eutectic experimental accelerator driven system by an infinite impulse response locally recurrent neural network

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zio, Enrico; Pedroni, Nicola; Broggi, Matteo; Golea, Lucia Roxana

    2009-01-01

    In this paper, an infinite impulse response locally recurrent neural network (IIR-LRNN) is employed for modelling the dynamics of the Lead Bismuth Eutectic eXperimental Accelerator Driven System (LBE-XADS). The network is trained by recursive back-propagation (RBP) and its ability in estimating transients is tested under various conditions. The results demonstrate the robustness of the locally recurrent scheme in the reconstruction of complex nonlinear dynamic relationships

  1. The dynamics of a Beddington-type system with impulsive control strategy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Zhenqing; Wang Weiming; Wang Hailing

    2006-01-01

    In this paper, by using the theories and methods of ecology and ordinary differential equation, a prey-predator system with Beddington-type functional response and impulsive control strategy is established. Conditions for the system to be extinct are given by using the theories of impulsive equation and small amplitude perturbation skills. It is proved that the system is permanent via the method of comparison involving multiple Liapunov functions. Furthermore, by using the method of numerical simulation, the influence of the impulsive control strategy on the inherent oscillation are investigated, which shows rich dynamics, such as period doubling bifurcation, crises, symmetry-breaking pitchfork bifurcations, chaotic bands, quasi-periodic oscillation, narrow periodic window, wide periodic window, period-halving bifurcation, etc. That will be useful for study of the dynamic complexity of ecosystems

  2. Rethinking Impulsivity in Suicide

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klonsky, E. David; May, Alexis

    2010-01-01

    Elevated impulsivity is thought to facilitate the transition from suicidal thoughts to suicidal behavior. Therefore, impulsivity should distinguish those who have attempted suicide (attempters) from those who have only considered suicide (ideators-only). This hypothesis was examined in three large nonclinical samples: (1) 2,011 military recruits,…

  3. TRANSITION REGION AND CHROMOSPHERIC SIGNATURES OF IMPULSIVE HEATING EVENTS. I. OBSERVATIONS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Warren, Harry P. [Space Science Division, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375 (United States); Reep, Jeffrey W. [National Research Council Postdoctoral Fellow, Space Science Division, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375 (United States); Crump, Nicholas A. [Naval Center for Space Technology, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375 (United States); Simões, Paulo J. A. [SUPA School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ (United Kingdom)

    2016-09-20

    We exploit the high spatial resolution and high cadence of the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph ( IRIS ) to investigate the response of the transition region and chromosphere to energy deposition during a small flare. Simultaneous observations from the Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager provide constraints on the energetic electrons precipitating into the flare footpoints, while observations of the X-Ray Telescope , Atmospheric Imaging Assembly, and Extreme Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) allow us to measure the temperatures and emission measures from the resulting flare loops. We find clear evidence for heating over an extended period on the spatial scale of a single IRIS pixel. During the impulsive phase of this event, the intensities in each pixel for the Si iv 1402.770 Å, C ii 1334.535 Å, Mg ii 2796.354 Å, and O i 1355.598 Å emission lines are characterized by numerous small-scale bursts typically lasting 60 s or less. Redshifts are observed in Si iv, C ii, and Mg ii during the impulsive phase. Mg ii shows redshifts during the bursts and stationary emission at other times. The Si iv and C ii profiles, in contrast, are observed to be redshifted at all times during the impulsive phase. These persistent redshifts are a challenge for one-dimensional hydrodynamic models, which predict only short-duration downflows in response to impulsive heating. We conjecture that energy is being released on many small-scale filaments with a power-law distribution of heating rates.

  4. Measurement of sound velocity on metal surfaces by impulsive stimulated Brillouin scattering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shimada, Yukihiro; Murakami, Hiroshi; Nishimura, Akihiko

    2005-01-01

    Impulsive stimulated Brillouin Scattering (ISBS) experiment was performed in order to measure acoustic waves on metal surfaces. The ISBS technique offers robust method of obtaining acoustic velocities without physical contact. The generation and detection mechanism were discussed. (author)

  5. Time Domain Characterization of 1-2 GHz Circular-ended Bowtie Antenna Using Normalizad Impulse Response

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joko Suryana

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Frequency domain analysis is a powerful and compact tool for characterizing the antenna parameters such as gain, radiation pattern and the impedance as a function of frequency. However, if time or space is a major concern, such as in the GPR appication, the time domain analysis would be a very important tool due to their unique capability for determining the echo delay and range profile of target image. In this paper, we will describe the classical theory of system characterization in time domain, and then also propose the mathematical model for characterizing the 1 - 2 GHz circular-ended Bowtie antenna. From the measurement results, we concluded that the implemented Bowtie antenna has good normalized impulse response with very small ringing, so it is suitable for GPR applications.

  6. A fresh look at linear ordinary differential equations with constant coefficients. Revisiting the impulsive response method using factorization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Camporesi, Roberto

    2016-01-01

    We present an approach to the impulsive response method for solving linear constant-coefficient ordinary differential equations of any order based on the factorization of the differential operator. The approach is elementary, we only assume a basic knowledge of calculus and linear algebra. In particular, we avoid the use of distribution theory, as well as of the other more advanced approaches: Laplace transform, linear systems, the general theory of linear equations with variable coefficients and variation of parameters. The approach presented here can be used in a first course on differential equations for science and engineering majors.

  7. Examination of the heterogeneity in PTSD and impulsivity facets: A latent profile analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Contractor, Ateka A; Caldas, Stephanie; Weiss, Nicole H; Armour, Cherie

    2018-04-15

    The experience of traumatizing events and resulting posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomology relates to a range of impulsive behaviors. While both PTSD and impulsivity are heterogeneous and multidimensional constructs, no research has used person-centered approaches to examine subgroups of individuals based on these response endorsements. Hence, our study examined PTSD-impulsivity typologies and their construct validity in two samples: university students ( n = 412) and community participants recruited through Amazon's MTurk ( n = 346). Measures included the Stressful Life Events Screening Questionnaire (PTEs), PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PTSD severity), UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale (negative urgency, lack of premeditation, lack of perseverance, sensation seeking). Dimensions of Anger Reaction Scale (anger), and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (depression). For both samples, results of latent profile analyses indicated a best-fitting 3-class solution: High, Moderate, and Low PTSD-Negative Urgency. Negative urgency was the most distinguishing impulsivity facet. Anger and depression severity significantly predicted membership in the more severe symptomatology classes. Thus, individuals can be meaningfully categorized into three subgroups based on PTSD and impulsivity item endorsements. We provide some preliminary evidence for a negative urgency subtype of PTSD characterized by greater depression and anger regulation difficulties; and underscore addressing emotional regulation skills for these subgroup members.

  8. Ultra-Wideband Geo-Regioning: A Novel Clustering and Localization Technique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Armin Wittneben

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available Ultra-wideband (UWB technology enables a high temporal resolution of the propagation channel. Consequently, a channel impulse response between transmitter and receiver can be interpreted as signature for their relative positions. If the position of the receiver is known, the channel impulse response indicates the position of the transmitter and vice versa. This work introduces UWB geo-regioning as a clustering and localization method based on channel impulse response fingerprinting, develops a theoretical framework for performance analysis, and evaluates this approach by means of performance results based on measured channel impulse responses. Complexity issues are discussed and performance dependencies on signal-to-noise ratio, a priori knowledge, observation window, and system bandwidth are investigated.

  9. Random Fuzzy Differential Equations with Impulses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ho Vu

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available We consider the random fuzzy differential equations (RFDEs with impulses. Using Picard method of successive approximations, we shall prove the existence and uniqueness of solutions to RFDEs with impulses under suitable conditions. Some of the properties of solution of RFDEs with impulses are studied. Finally, an example is presented to illustrate the results.

  10. Anger, impulsivity, and anger control in combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chemtob, C M; Hamada, R S; Roitblat, H L; Muraoka, M Y

    1994-08-01

    Empirical evidence of a relationship between combat-related PTSD and increased anger is lacking. In this study, 24 veterans of the Vietnam War with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) scored significantly higher on an Anger factor comprising multiple measures of anger than did comparison groups of 23 well-adjusted Vietnam combat veterans and 12 noncombat Vietnam-era veterans with psychiatric diagnoses. In contrast, the 3 groups did not differ significantly on orthogonal factors, one of which comprised cognitive impulsivity measures and the other of which reflected motor impulsivity. Changes in heart rate in response to provocation loaded positively on the Anger factor and negatively on the 2 Impulsivity factors. Concurrent depression and trait anxiety did not have an effect on level of anger in individuals with PTSD. These empirical findings support and extend the clinical evidence regarding PTSD and anger.

  11. Non-instantaneous impulses in differential equations

    CERN Document Server

    Agarwal, Ravi; O'Regan, Donal

    2017-01-01

    This monograph is the first published book devoted to the theory of differential equations with non-instantaneous impulses. It aims to equip the reader with mathematical models and theory behind real life processes in physics, biology, population dynamics, ecology and pharmacokinetics. The authors examine a wide scope of differential equations with non-instantaneous impulses through three comprehensive chapters, providing an all-rounded and unique presentation on the topic, including: - Ordinary differential equations with non-instantaneous impulses (scalar and n-dimensional case) - Fractional differential equa tions with non-instantaneous impulses (with Caputo fractional derivatives of order q ϵ (0, 1)) - Ordinary differential equations with non-instantaneous impulses occurring at random moments (with exponential, Erlang, or Gamma distribution) Each chapter focuses on theory, proofs and examples, and contains numerous graphs to enrich the reader’s understanding. Additionally, a carefully selected bibliogr...

  12. LONG DURATION FLARE EMISSION: IMPULSIVE HEATING OR GRADUAL HEATING?

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Qiu, Jiong; Longcope, Dana W. [Department of Physics, Montana State University, Bozeman MT 59717-3840 (United States)

    2016-03-20

    Flare emissions in X-ray and EUV wavelengths have previously been modeled as the plasma response to impulsive heating from magnetic reconnection. Some flares exhibit gradually evolving X-ray and EUV light curves, which are believed to result from superposition of an extended sequence of impulsive heating events occurring in different adjacent loops or even unresolved threads within each loop. In this paper, we apply this approach to a long duration two-ribbon flare SOL2011-09-13T22 observed by the Atmosphere Imaging Assembly (AIA). We find that to reconcile with observed signatures of flare emission in multiple EUV wavelengths, each thread should be heated in two phases, an intense impulsive heating followed by a gradual, low-rate heating tail that is attenuated over 20–30 minutes. Each AIA resolved single loop may be composed of several such threads. The two-phase heating scenario is supported by modeling with both a zero-dimensional and a 1D hydrodynamic code. We discuss viable physical mechanisms for the two-phase heating in a post-reconnection thread.

  13. Dynamic Properties of Impulse Measuring Systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, A.; Lausen, P.

    1971-01-01

    After some basic considerations the dynamic properties of the measuring system are subjected to a general examination based on a number of responses, characteristic of the system. It is demonstrated that an impulse circuit has an internal impedance different from zero, for which reason...... the interaction between the generator and the measuring circuit is of paramount importance to the voltage across the test object. Based on the measured values the determination of the applied voltage is considered....

  14. A new definition of boundary point between early reflections and late reverberation in room impulse responses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hidaka, Takayuki; Yamada, Yoshinari; Nakagawa, Takehiko

    2007-07-01

    The early reflections in the room impulse response are usually defined as those observed within the initial 80 ms after the arrival of the direct sound, after which time the sound field is called reverberant. This number was chosen from measurements of other functions in a limited number of halls. In order to give an objective foundation to this time separation and to establish a physical indicator for it, a new method is proposed that defines a "transition time t(L)," which is the time at which the energy correlation between the direct plus initial sound and the subsequent decaying sound first achieves a specified low value. For various halls this number is shown and its relevance as a new parameter is discussed.

  15. The Relationships Between Instagram Social Media Usage, Hedonic Shopping Motives and Financial Literacy on Impulse Buying

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Asri Triwidisari

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available This research aims to determine the effect of using instagram social media and hedonic shopping motives to impulse buying media and to know whether financial literacy is able to moderate the influence of instagram social media use and hedonic shopping motives to impulse buying. This type of research is quantitative research. The population of this research was students of Accounting Economics Education Study Program of Economics Faculty of Universitas Negeri Semarang (UNNES. The research sample was 110 students of class of 2013 which chosen by using purposive sampling technique. The data was analyzed by using descriptive statistic, simple regression analysis, and interaction test (moderation. The result of the research shows that instagram social media usage and hedonic shopping motives have positive and significant effect to students’ impulse buying. The result of regression analysis shows that financial literacy has negative and significant effect on impulse buying. Thus, financial literacy can moderate the influence of instagram social media usage to impulse buying. However, the other regressive result indicates that financial literacy is not able to moderate the influence of hedonic shopping motives on impulse buying.

  16. Context influences decision-making in boys with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A comparison of traditional and novel choice-impulsivity paradigms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patros, Connor H G; Alderson, R Matt; Lea, Sarah E; Tarle, Stephanie J

    2017-02-01

    Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is characterized by an impaired ability to maintain attention and/or hyperactivity/impulsivity. Impulsivity is frequently defined as the preference for small, immediate rewards over larger, delayed rewards, and has been associated with a variety of negative outcomes such as risky behavior and academic difficulty. Extant studies have uniformly utilized the traditional paradigm of presenting two response choices, which limits the generalization of findings to scenarios in which children/adolescents are faced with dichotomous decisions. The current study is the first to examine the effect of manipulating the number of available response options on impulsive decision-making in boys with and without ADHD. A total of 39 boys (ADHD = 16, typically developing [TD] = 23) aged 8-12 years completed a traditional two-choice impulsivity task and a novel five-choice impulsivity task to examine the effect of manipulating the number of choice responses (two vs five) on impulsive decision-making. A five-choice task was utilized as it presents a more continuous array of choice options when compared to the typical two-choice task, and is comparable given its methodological similarity to the two-choice task. Results suggested that boys with ADHD were significantly more impulsive than TD boys during the two-choice task, but not during the five-choice task. Collectively, these findings suggest that ADHD-related impulsivity is not ubiquitous, but rather dependent on variation in demands and/or context. Further, these findings highlight the importance of examining ADHD-related decision-making within the context of alternative paradigms, as the exclusive utilization of two-choice tasks may promote inaccurate conceptualizations of the disorder.

  17. Impulsivity and compulsive buying are associated in a non-clinical sample: an evidence for the compulsivity-impulsivity continuum?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paula, Jonas J de; Costa, Danielle de S; Oliveira, Flavianne; Alves, Joana O; Passos, Lídia R; Malloy-Diniz, Leandro F

    2015-01-01

    Compulsive buying is controversial in clinical psychiatry. Although it is defined as an obsessive-compulsive disorder, other personality aspects besides compulsivity are related to compulsive buying. Recent studies suggest that compulsivity and impulsivity might represent a continuum, with several psychiatric disorders lying between these two extremes. In this sense, and following the perspective of dimensional psychiatry, symptoms of impulsivity and compulsivity should correlate even in a non-clinical sample. The present study aims to investigate whether these two traits are associated in a healthy adult sample. We evaluated 100 adults, with no self-reported psychiatric disorders, using the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 and two scales of compulsive buying. Using multiple linear regressions, we found that impulsivity accounted for about 15% of variance in the compulsive-buying measure. Our results suggest that an association between impulsivity and compulsive buying occurs even in non-clinical samples, evidence that compulsivity and impulsivity might form a continuum and that compulsive buying might be an intermediate condition between these two personality traits.

  18. Frontal dysfunctions of impulse control - a systematic review in borderline personality disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sebastian, Alexandra; Jung, Patrick; Krause-Utz, Annegret; Lieb, Klaus; Schmahl, Christian; Tüscher, Oliver

    2014-01-01

    Disorders such as borderline personality disorder (BPD) or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are characterized by impulsive behaviors. Impulsivity as used in clinical terms is very broadly defined and entails different categories including personality traits as well as different cognitive functions such as emotion regulation or interference resolution and impulse control. Impulse control as an executive function, however, is neither cognitively nor neurobehaviorally a unitary function. Recent findings from behavioral and cognitive neuroscience studies suggest related but dissociable components of impulse control along functional domains like selective attention, response selection, motivational control, and behavioral inhibition. In addition, behavioral and neural dissociations are seen for proactive vs. reactive inhibitory motor control. The prefrontal cortex with its sub-regions is the central structure in executing these impulse control functions. Based on these concepts of impulse control, neurobehavioral findings of studies in BPD and ADHD were reviewed and systematically compared. Overall, patients with BPD exhibited prefrontal dysfunctions across impulse control components rather in orbitofrontal, dorsomedial, and dorsolateral prefrontal regions, whereas patients with ADHD displayed disturbed activity mainly in ventrolateral and medial prefrontal regions. Prefrontal dysfunctions, however, varied depending on the impulse control component and from disorder to disorder. This suggests a dissociation of impulse control related frontal dysfunctions in BPD and ADHD, although only few studies are hitherto available to assess frontal dysfunctions along different impulse control components in direct comparison of these disorders. Yet, these findings might serve as a hypothesis for the future systematic assessment of impulse control components to understand differences and commonalities of prefrontal cortex dysfunction in impulsive disorders.

  19. Narcissism predicts impulsive buying: phenotypic and genetic evidence

    OpenAIRE

    Cai, Huajian; Shi, Yuanyuan; Fang, Xiang; Luo, Yu L. L.

    2015-01-01

    Impulsive buying makes billions of dollars for retail businesses every year, particularly in an era of thriving e-commerce. Narcissism, characterized by impulsivity and materialism, may serve as a potential antecedent to impulsive buying. To test this hypothesis, two studies examined the relationship between narcissism and impulsive buying. In study 1, we surveyed narcissism and the impulsive buying tendency among an online sample and found that while adaptive narcissism was not correlated wi...

  20. Alcohol use and drunk driving: the modifying effect of impulsivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moan, Inger Synnøve; Norström, Thor; Storvoll, Elisabet E

    2013-01-01

    The aim of this study was twofold: (a) to examine how an increase in the frequency of heavy drinking episodes affects the incidence of drunk driving and (b) to examine whether the effect of alcohol use on drunk driving is contingent on impulsivity. Two waves of the Young in Norway Longitudinal Study were applied (N = 2,603; response rate: 67%), when the respondents were on average 17 (1994) and 28 (2005) years of age. Measurements consisted of self-reported heavy episodic drinking, drunk driving, and impulsivity. The first difference method was applied to estimate the association between heavy episodic drinking and drunk driving. This means that changes in the frequency of drunk driving were regressed on changes in the frequency of drinking. In this way, the effects of time-invariant confounders were eliminated. The results showed that every additional episode of heavy drinking was associated with a 2.6% increase in the frequency of drunk driving. The increase for males was significantly higher than among females. The analyses supported the hypothesis that impulsivity modifies the association between alcohol use and drunk driving. The association between drinking and drunk driving is significantly stronger among those with a high score on impulsivity compared with those who have a low score.

  1. Impulsivity and eating behaviour: an examination of subtypes of impulsive behaviour and overeating in healthy females

    OpenAIRE

    Leitch, Margaret

    2011-01-01

    A wealth of support has shown higher levels of state and trait impulsivity can be found among those individuals prone to developing problematic eating behaviors and obesity. Thus, upon commencing the investigations in this thesis, it was hypothesized that impulsivity is an individual difference implicated in overeating behaviour.\\ud \\ud Increasing information indicates that there are divisions within impulsivity subtypes. Prior to this thesis, studies in the field of eating behaviour had not ...

  2. Discriminative capacity of bronchodilator response measured with three different lung function techniques in asthmatic and healthy children aged 2 to 5 years

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, K G; Bisgaard, H

    2001-01-01

    as compared with placebo in healthy control subjects. Lung function improved to a significantly greater extent in asthmatic children than in control subjects as reflected by all methods. sRaw provided the best discriminative power of such a bronchodilator response, with a sensitivity of 66% and specificity......The primary aim of this study was to quantify and compare bronchodilator responsiveness in healthy and asthmatic children aged 2 to 5 yr. The secondary aim of the study was to compare discriminative capacity (i.e., sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of the reversibility test......) as measured with the impulse oscillation technique were assessed before and 20 min after inhalation of terbutaline from a pressurized metered-dose inhaler via a metal spacer by 92 children (37 healthy controls and 55 asthmatic subjects). The study of healthy children followed a randomized, double...

  3. Vestibulo-ocular reflex gain values in the suppression head impulse test of healthy subjects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rey-Martinez, Jorge; Thomas-Arrizabalaga, Izaskun; Espinosa-Sanchez, Juan Manuel; Batuecas-Caletrio, Angel; Trinidad-Ruiz, Gabriel; Matiño-Soler, Eusebi; Perez-Fernandez, Nicolas

    2018-02-15

    To assess whether there are differences in vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) gain for suppression head impulse (SHIMP) and head impulse (HIMP) video head impulse test paradigms, and if so, what are their causes. Prospective multicenter observational double-blind nonrandomized clinical study was performed by collecting 80 healthy subjects from four reference hospitals. SHIMP data was postprocessed to eliminate impulses in which early SHIMP saccades were detected. Differences between HIMP and SHIMP VOR gain values were statistically evaluated. Head impulse maximum velocity, gender, age, direction of impulse, and hospital center were considered as possible influential factors. A small significant statistical difference between HIMP and SHIMP VOR gain values was found on repeated measures analysis of variance (-0.05 ± 0.006, P gain values and did not find influence between gain values differences and maximum head impulse velocity. Both HIMP and SHIMP VOR gain values were significant lower (-0.09, P gain values not adequately explained by known gain modification factors. The persistence of this slight but significant difference indicates that there are more factors causing lower SHIMP VOR gain values. This difference must to be considered in further studies as well as in the clinical SHIMP testing protocols. We hypothesized that VOR phasic response inhibition could be the underlying cause of this difference. IIb. Laryngoscope, 2018. © 2018 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

  4. A comparison of floor response spectra techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yan, M.J.; Galford, J.E.

    1983-01-01

    Floor response spectra (FRS) conventionally have been generated using a time-history method. Babcock and Wilcox has developed a new technique, the Fast Floor Response Spectra (FFRS) method, in which dynamic analyses are done entirely in the frequency domain. This paper compares the two techniques and demonstrates that the FFRS method complies with the 'equivalency' and 'conservatism' requirements of the US NRC's Standard Review Plan. The upper end of a once-through steam generator in the B and W 205 nuclear steam supply system (NSSS) was used to demonstrate that the FFRS method is equivalent to the time-history technique. The two techniques were compared with respect to frequency content and magnitude of response for a given point on the structure. First, the specified forcing function was described in terms of an acceleration time history and an acceleration spectra enveloping that time history. The time-history forcing function was then used in a direct transient analysis to determine the response at the specified point on the NSSS. The resultant response was subsequently converted to a floor response spectra for that point. To show that the FFRS method gave equivalent and conservative results, the FFRS technique was used to determine the modal response directly from the spectral description of the forcing function. The FFRS- and time-history-generated data agreed to within 13 (worst case on conservative side) of each other with the former cutting analytical costs by 99%. (orig./HP)

  5. D4 receptor deficiency in mice has limited effects on impulsivity and novelty seeking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Helms, C M; Gubner, N R; Wilhelm, C J; Mitchell, S H; Grandy, D K

    2008-09-01

    Alleles of the human dopamine D(4) receptor (D(4)R) gene (DRD4.7) have repeatedly been found to correlate with novelty seeking, substance abuse, pathological gambling, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). If these various psychopathologies are a result of attenuated D(4)R-mediated signaling, mice lacking D(4)Rs (D(4)KO) should be more impulsive than wild-type (WT) mice and exhibit more novelty seeking. However, in our study, D(4)KO and WT mice showed similar levels of impulsivity as measured by delay discounting performance and response inhibition on a Go/No-go test, suggesting that D(4)R-mediated signaling may not affect impulsivity. D(4)KO mice were more active than WT mice in the first 5 min of a novel open field test, suggesting greater novelty seeking. For both genotypes, more impulsive mice habituated less in the novel open field. These data suggest that the absence of D(4)Rs is not sufficient to cause psychopathologies associated with heightened impulsivity and novelty seeking.

  6. Almost Periodic Solutions for Impulsive Fractional Stochastic Evolution Equations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Toufik Guendouzi

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, we consider the existence of square-mean piecewise almost periodic solutions for impulsive fractional stochastic evolution equations involving Caputo fractional derivative. The main results are obtained by means of the theory of operators semi-group, fractional calculus, fixed point technique and stochastic analysis theory and methods adopted directly from deterministic fractional equations. Some known results are improved and generalized.

  7. The generation of shared cryptographic keys through channel impulse response estimation at 60 GHz.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Young, Derek P.; Forman, Michael A.; Dowdle, Donald Ryan

    2010-09-01

    Methods to generate private keys based on wireless channel characteristics have been proposed as an alternative to standard key-management schemes. In this work, we discuss past work in the field and offer a generalized scheme for the generation of private keys using uncorrelated channels in multiple domains. Proposed cognitive enhancements measure channel characteristics, to dynamically change transmission and reception parameters as well as estimate private key randomness and expiration times. Finally, results are presented on the implementation of a system for the generation of private keys for cryptographic communications using channel impulse-response estimation at 60 GHz. The testbed is composed of commercial millimeter-wave VubIQ transceivers, laboratory equipment, and software implemented in MATLAB. Novel cognitive enhancements are demonstrated, using channel estimation to dynamically change system parameters and estimate cryptographic key strength. We show for a complex channel that secret key generation can be accomplished on the order of 100 kb/s.

  8. Impulsivity, "advergames," and food intake.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Folkvord, Frans; Anschütz, Doeschka J; Nederkoorn, Chantal; Westerik, Henk; Buijzen, Moniek

    2014-06-01

    Previous studies have focused on the effect of food advertisements on the caloric intake of children. However, the role of individual susceptibility in this effect is unclear. The aim of this study was to examine the role of impulsivity in the effect of advergames that promote energy-dense snacks on children's snack intake. First, impulsivity scores were assessed with a computer task. Then a randomized between-subject design was conducted with 261 children aged 7 to 10 years who played an advergame promoting either energy-dense snacks or nonfood products. As an extra manipulation, half of the children in each condition were rewarded for refraining from eating, the other half were not. Children could eat freely while playing the game. Food intake was measured. The children then completed questionnaire measures, and were weighed and measured. Overall, playing an advergame containing food cues increased general caloric intake. Furthermore, rewarding children to refrain from eating decreased their caloric intake. Finally, rewarding impulsive children to refrain from eating had no influence when they were playing an advergame promoting energy-dense snacks, whereas it did lead to reduced intake among low impulsive children and children who played nonfood advergames. Playing an advergame promoting energy-dense snacks contributes to increased caloric intake in children. The advergame promoting energy-dense snacks overruled the inhibition task to refrain from eating among impulsive children, making it more difficult for them to refrain from eating. The findings suggest that impulsivity plays an important role in susceptibility to food advertisements. Copyright © 2014 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

  9. Chaotic behavior of a Watt-type predator-prey system with impulsive control strategy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Xiaoqin; Wang Weiming; Lin Xiaolin

    2008-01-01

    In this paper, by using theories and methods of ecology and ODE, a predator-prey system with Watt-type functional response and impulsive perturbations on the predator is established. It proves that there exists a locally asymptotically stable prey-eradication periodic solution when the impulse period is less than some critical value, otherwise, the system can be permanent. Further, by using the method of computer simulation, the influences of the impulsive perturbations on the inherent oscillation are investigated, which shows the more complex dynamics of the system we considered, such as quasi-periodic oscillation, narrow periodic window, wide periodic window, chaotic bands, period doubling bifurcation, symmetry-breaking pitchfork bifurcation, period-halving bifurcation and crisis, etc. It will be useful for studying the dynamical complexity of ecosystems

  10. Understanding consumer's responses to negative emotions related to crowding on satisfaction and impulse purchase in retail: the mediating role of coping

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marlette Cassia Oliveira Ferreira

    Full Text Available Abstract The perception of crowding, understood as an individual's response to crowds, can be observed in retail environments and influences positive and negative emotions. In this research we test the mediating effect of coping – rational strategies adopted to deal with negative emotions – in the relationship between negative emotions (resulting from crowding perception and consumer behavior (measured by impulse purchase and satisfaction. The findings related to coping explain to what extent there is a positive response to human density in the retail environment. For this, a theoretical model was developed which includes the relationships among perception of crowding, positive and negative emotions, and consumer behavior. The model enhances the understanding of the crowding phenomenon by including relationships mediated by an oppositional strategy (coping dimension between negative emotions and consumer behaviors. To test the theoretical model, a survey was conducted with 456 respondents and hypothesis tests using structural equation modeling. It was evidenced that crowding perception has more robust effects on negative emotions than positive emotions. It is emphasized that with the inclusion of opposition mediation, the weak direct relationship between negative emotions and behaviors, becomes a positive relationship between negative emotion and impulse purchase, and negative emotion and satisfaction. In addition to the theoretical contributions of the tested model, future research and managerial implications are proposed at the end of the article.

  11. Impulsivity and compulsive buying are associated in a non-clinical sample: an evidence for the compulsivity-impulsivity continuum?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jonas J. de Paula

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Objective:Compulsive buying is controversial in clinical psychiatry. Although it is defined as an obsessive-compulsive disorder, other personality aspects besides compulsivity are related to compulsive buying. Recent studies suggest that compulsivity and impulsivity might represent a continuum, with several psychiatric disorders lying between these two extremes. In this sense, and following the perspective of dimensional psychiatry, symptoms of impulsivity and compulsivity should correlate even in a non-clinical sample. The present study aims to investigate whether these two traits are associated in a healthy adult sample.Methods:We evaluated 100 adults, with no self-reported psychiatric disorders, using the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 and two scales of compulsive buying.Results:Using multiple linear regressions, we found that impulsivity accounted for about 15% of variance in the compulsive-buying measure.Conclusions:Our results suggest that an association between impulsivity and compulsive buying occurs even in non-clinical samples, evidence that compulsivity and impulsivity might form a continuum and that compulsive buying might be an intermediate condition between these two personality traits.

  12. A Methodology for Rapid Prototyping Peak-Constrained Least-Squares Bit-Serial Finite Impulse Response Filters in FPGAs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alex Carreira

    2003-05-01

    Full Text Available Area-efficient peak-constrained least-squares (PCLS bit-serial finite impulse response (FIR filter implementations can be rapidly prototyped in field programmable gate arrays (FPGA with the methodology presented in this paper. Faster generation of the FPGA configuration bitstream is possible with a new application-specific mapping and placement method that uses JBits to avoid conventional general-purpose mapping and placement tools. JBits is a set of Java classes that provide an interface into the Xilinx Virtex FPGA configuration bitstream, allowing the user to generate new configuration bitstreams. PCLS coefficient generation allows passband-to-stopband energy ratio (PSR performance to be traded for a reduction in the filter's hardware cost without altering the minimum stopband attenuation. Fixed-point coefficients that meet the frequency response and hardware cost specifications can be generated with the PCLS method. It is not possible to meet these specifications solely by the quantization of floating-point coefficients generated in other methods.

  13. Impulse position control algorithms for nonlinear systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sesekin, A. N., E-mail: sesekin@list.ru [Ural Federal University, 19 S. Mira, Ekaterinburg, 620002 (Russian Federation); Institute of Mathematics and Mechanics, Ural Division of Russian Academy of Sciences, 16 S. Kovalevskaya, Ekaterinburg, 620990 (Russian Federation); Nepp, A. N., E-mail: anepp@urfu.ru [Ural Federal University, 19 S. Mira, Ekaterinburg, 620002 (Russian Federation)

    2015-11-30

    The article is devoted to the formalization and description of impulse-sliding regime in nonlinear dynamical systems that arise in the application of impulse position controls of a special kind. The concept of trajectory impulse-sliding regime formalized as some limiting network element Euler polygons generated by a discrete approximation of the impulse position control This paper differs from the previously published papers in that it uses a definition of solutions of systems with impulse controls, it based on the closure of the set of smooth solutions in the space of functions of bounded variation. The need for the study of such regimes is the fact that they often arise when parry disturbances acting on technical or economic control system.

  14. Impulse position control algorithms for nonlinear systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sesekin, A. N.; Nepp, A. N.

    2015-11-01

    The article is devoted to the formalization and description of impulse-sliding regime in nonlinear dynamical systems that arise in the application of impulse position controls of a special kind. The concept of trajectory impulse-sliding regime formalized as some limiting network element Euler polygons generated by a discrete approximation of the impulse position control This paper differs from the previously published papers in that it uses a definition of solutions of systems with impulse controls, it based on the closure of the set of smooth solutions in the space of functions of bounded variation. The need for the study of such regimes is the fact that they often arise when parry disturbances acting on technical or economic control system.

  15. Heavy ion fusion (HIF) impulse injector design, construction, and checkout

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wilson, M. J., LLNL

    1998-05-04

    The following report describes the design, construction, and checkout of a high-voltage (HV) impulser built for the heavy ion fusion (HIF) project. The purpose of this impulser is to provide an adjustable diode voltage source of sufficient quality and level to allow the optimization of beam transport and accelerator sections of HIF. An elegant, low-impedance, high-energy storage capacitor circuit has been selected for this application. A retrofit to the diode region has been included to provide additional beam stability and a controlled rise time. The critical part of this circuit that is common to all candidates is the impedance matching component. The following report provides a description of the implemented circuit, the basic circuit variables for wave shaping, component screening techniques, resulting operating parameters, diode modifications, operating considerations, and fault protection.

  16. Destabilizing Effects of Impulse in Delayed Bam Neural Networks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Chuandong; Li, Chaojie; Liu, Chao

    This paper further studies the global exponential stability of the equilibrium point of the delayed bidirectional associative memory (DBAM) neural networks with impulse effects. Several results characterizing the aggregated effects of impulse and dynamical property of the impulse-free DBAM on the exponential stability of the considered DBAM have been established. It is shown that the impulsive DBAM will preserve the global exponential stability of the impulse-free DBAM even if the impulses have enlarging effects on the states of neurons.

  17. Self-reported impulsivity, but not behavioral approach or inhibition, mediates the relationship between stress and self-control.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamilton, Kristen R; Sinha, Rajita; Potenza, Marc N

    2014-11-01

    Stress has been associated with poor self-control. Individual differences in impulsivity and other behavioral tendencies may influence the relationship of stress with self-control, although this possibility has not been examined to date. The present research investigated whether cumulative stress is associated with poor self-control, and whether this relationship is mediated by impulsivity, behavioral approach, and behavioral inhibition in men and women. A community sample of 566 adults (319 women and 247 men) was assessed on the Cumulative Adversity Interview, Brief Self-control Scale, Barratt Impulsivity Scale, and Behavioral Activation System and Behavioral Inhibition System Scale (BIS/BAS). Data were analyzed using regression and bootstrapping techniques. In the total sample, the effects of cumulative stress on self-control were mediated by impulsivity. Neither behavioral inhibition nor behavioral approach mediated the association between cumulative stress and self-control in the total sample. Results were similar when men and women were considered separately, with impulsivity, but not behavioral inhibition or approach, mediating the association between cumulative stress and self-control. Impulsive individuals might benefit preferentially from interventions focusing on stress management and strategies for improving self-control. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Frontal dysfunctions of impulse control – a systematic review in borderline personality disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexandra eSebastian

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Disorders such as borderline personality disorder (BPD or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD are characterized by impulsive behaviors. Impulsivity as used in clinical terms is very broadly defined and entails different categories including personality traits as well as different cognitive functions such as emotion regulation or interference resolution and impulse control. Impulse control as an executive function, however, is neither cognitively nor neurobehaviorally a unitary function. Recent findings from behavioral and cognitive neuroscience studies suggest related but dissociable components of impulse control along functional domains like selective attention, response selection, motivational control and behavioral inhibition. In addition, behavioral and neural dissociations are seen for proactive versus reactive inhibitory motor control. The prefrontal cortex with its sub-regions is the central structure in executing these impulse control functions. Based on these concepts of impulse control, neurobehavioral findings of studies in BPD and ADHD were reviewed and systematically compared. Overall, BPD patients exhibited prefrontal dysfunctions across impulse control components rather in orbitofrontal, dorsomedial and dorsolateral prefrontal regions, whereas ADHD patients displayed disturbed activity mainly in ventrolateral and medial prefrontal regions. Prefrontal dysfunctions, however, varied depending on the impulse control component and from disorder to disorder. This suggests a dissociation of impulse control related frontal dysfunctions in BPD and ADHD, although only few studies are hitherto available to assess frontal dysfunctions along different impulse control components in direct comparison of these disorders. Yet, these findings might serve as a hypothesis for the future systematic assessment of impulse control components to understand differences and commonalities of prefrontal cortex dysfunction in impulsive disorders.

  19. Impulsive synchronization of Chen's hyperchaotic system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haeri, Mohammad; Dehghani, Mahsa

    2006-01-01

    In this Letter the impulsive synchronization of the Chen's hyperchaotic systems is discussed. Some new and sufficient conditions on varying impulsive distance are established in order to guarantee the synchronizabillity of the systems using the synchronization method. In particular, some simple conditions are derived in synchronizing the systems by equal impulsive distances. Two illustrative examples are provided to show the feasibility and the effectiveness of the proposed method. The boundaries of the stable regions are also estimated

  20. Ballistic impulse gauge

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ault, Stanley K.

    1993-01-01

    A gauge for detecting the impulse generated in sample materials by X-rays or other impulse producing mechanisms utilizes a pair of flat annular springs to support a plunger relative to a housing which may itself be supported by a pair of flat annular springs in a second housing. The plunger has a mounting plate mounted on one end and at the other, a position or velocity transducer is mounted. The annular springs consist of an outer ring and an inner ring with at least three arcuate members connecting the outer ring with the inner ring.

  1. Metabolic and transcriptomic response of the wine yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain EC1118 after an oxygen impulse under carbon-sufficient, nitrogen-limited fermentative conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Orellana, Marcelo; Aceituno, Felipe F; Slater, Alex W; Almonacid, Leonardo I; Melo, Francisco; Agosin, Eduardo

    2014-05-01

    During alcoholic fermentation, Saccharomyces cerevisiae is exposed to continuously changing environmental conditions, such as decreasing sugar and increasing ethanol concentrations. Oxygen, a critical nutrient to avoid stuck and sluggish fermentations, is only discretely available throughout the process after pump-over operation. In this work, we studied the physiological response of the wine yeast S. cerevisiae strain EC1118 to a sudden increase in dissolved oxygen, simulating pump-over operation. With this aim, an impulse of dissolved oxygen was added to carbon-sufficient, nitrogen-limited anaerobic continuous cultures. Results showed that genes related to mitochondrial respiration, ergosterol biosynthesis, and oxidative stress, among other metabolic pathways, were induced after the oxygen impulse. On the other hand, mannoprotein coding genes were repressed. The changes in the expression of these genes are coordinated responses that share common elements at the level of transcriptional regulation. Beneficial and detrimental effects of these physiological processes on wine quality highlight the dual role of oxygen in 'making or breaking wines'. These findings will facilitate the development of oxygen addition strategies to optimize yeast performance in industrial fermentations. © 2014 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Impulsive action and motivation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frijda, Nico H

    2010-07-01

    This paper explores the way in which emotions are causal determinants of action. It argues that emotional events, as appraised by the individual, elicit changes in motive states (called states of action readiness), which in turn may (or may not) cause action. Actions can be elicited automatically, without prior intention (called impulsive actions), or intentionally. Impulsive actions reflect the simplest and biologically most general form in which emotions can cause action, since they require no reflection, no foresight, and no planning. Impulsive actions are determined conjointly by the nature of action readiness, the affordances perceived in the eliciting event as appraised, and the individual's action repertoire. Those actions from one's repertoire are performed that both match the perceived affordances and the aim of the state of action readiness. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Global Exponential Stability of Delayed Cohen-Grossberg BAM Neural Networks with Impulses on Time Scales

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yongkun Li

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Based on the theory of calculus on time scales, the homeomorphism theory, Lyapunov functional method, and some analysis techniques, sufficient conditions are obtained for the existence, uniqueness, and global exponential stability of the equilibrium point of Cohen-Grossberg bidirectional associative memory (BAM neural networks with distributed delays and impulses on time scales. This is the first time applying the time-scale calculus theory to unify the discrete-time and continuous-time Cohen-Grossberg BAM neural network with impulses under the same framework.

  4. A Model-based Analysis of Impulsivity Using a Slot-Machine Gambling Paradigm

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saee ePaliwal

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Impulsivity plays a key role in decision-making under uncertainty. It is a significant contributor to problem and pathological gambling. Standard assessments of impulsivity by questionnaires, however, have various limitations, partly because impulsivity is a broad, multi-faceted concept. What remains unclear is which of these facets contribute to shaping gambling behavior. In the present study, we investigated impulsivity as expressed in a gambling setting by applying computational modeling to data from 47 healthy male volunteers who played a realistic, virtual slot-machine gambling task. Behaviorally, we found that impulsivity, as measured independently by the 11th revision of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11, correlated significantly with an aggregate read-out of the following gambling responses: bet increases, machines switches, casino switches and double-ups. Using model comparison, we compared a set of hierarchical Bayesian belief-updating models, i.e. the Hierarchical Gaussian Filter (HGF and Rescorla-Wagner reinforcement learning models, with regard to how well they explained different aspects of the behavioral data. We then examined the construct validity of our winning models with multiple regression, relating subject-specific model parameter estimates to the individual BIS-11 total scores. In the most predictive model (a three-level HGF, the two free parameters encoded uncertainty-dependent mechanisms of belief updates and significantly explained BIS-11 variance across subjects. Furthermore, in this model, decision noise was a function of trial-wise uncertainty about winning probability. Collectively, our results provide a proof of concept that hierarchical Bayesian models can characterize the decision-making mechanisms linked to impulsivity. These novel indices of gambling mechanisms unmasked during actual play may be useful for online prevention measures for at-risk players and future assessments of pathological gambling.

  5. Acute effects of methylphenidate on impulsivity and attentional behavior among adolescents comorbid for ADHD and conduct disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dougherty, Donald M; Olvera, Rene L; Acheson, Ashley; Hill-Kapturczak, Nathalie; Ryan, Stacy R; Mathias, Charles W

    2016-12-01

    Adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Conduct Disorder (CD) experience deficits in neuropsychological measures of attention, inhibition, and reward processes. Methylphenidate treatment for ADHD and CD has acute effects on these processes. Some of these same aspects of performance are separately described in the Behavioral Model of Impulsivity, which uses a modified approach to measurement. This study characterized the acute effects of methylphenidate attention, initiation, inhibition, and reward processes described in this model of impulsivity. Thirty-one adolescents from the United States of America with comorbid ADHD and CD completed measures of impulsivity (response initiation, response inhibition, and consequence) and attention following placebo, 20 mg, and 40 mg of a long-acting dose of methylphenidate. Methylphenidate effects on attentional performance was more robust than on any of the measures of impulsivity. Adolescent performance from this behavioral perspective is interpreted in the context of divergence from previous neuropsychological tests of acute methylphenidate effects. Copyright © 2016 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Validity of proxy data obtained by different psychological autopsy information reconstruction techniques.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fang, L; Zhang, J

    2010-01-01

    Two informants were interviewed for each of 416 living controls (individuals sampled from the normal population) interviewed in a Chinese case-control psychological autopsy study. The validity of proxy data, obtained using seven psychological autopsy information reconstruction techniques (types 1, 2 and A - E), was evaluated, with living controls' self reports used as the gold-standard. Proxy data for reconstruction technique types 1, 2 and D on the Impulsivity Inventory Scale (total impulsivity score) were no different from the living controls' self report gold standard, whereas data for types A and E were smaller than data from living controls. On the 'acceptance or resignation' sub-scale of the avoidance coping dimension of the Moos Coping Response Inventory, information obtained by reconstruction technique types 1 and D was not significantly different from the living controls' self reports, whereas proxy data from types 2, A and E were smaller than those from the living controls. No statistically significant differences were identified for other proxy data obtained by reconstruction technique types 1, 2, A, D and E. These results indicate that using a second informant does not significantly enhance information reconstruction for the target.

  7. The effects of physical activity on impulsive choice: Influence of sensitivity to reinforcement amount and delay.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strickland, Justin C; Feinstein, Max A; Lacy, Ryan T; Smith, Mark A

    2016-05-01

    Impulsive choice is a diagnostic feature and/or complicating factor for several psychological disorders and may be examined in the laboratory using delay-discounting procedures. Recent investigators have proposed using quantitative measures of analysis to examine the behavioral processes contributing to impulsive choice. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of physical activity (i.e., wheel running) on impulsive choice in a single-response, discrete-trial procedure using two quantitative methods of analysis. To this end, rats were assigned to physical activity or sedentary groups and trained to respond in a delay-discounting procedure. In this procedure, one lever always produced one food pellet immediately, whereas a second lever produced three food pellets after a 0, 10, 20, 40, or 80-s delay. Estimates of sensitivity to reinforcement amount and sensitivity to reinforcement delay were determined using (1) a simple linear analysis and (2) an analysis of logarithmically transformed response ratios. Both analyses revealed that physical activity decreased sensitivity to reinforcement amount and sensitivity to reinforcement delay. These findings indicate that (1) physical activity has significant but functionally opposing effects on the behavioral processes that contribute to impulsive choice and (2) both quantitative methods of analysis are appropriate for use in single-response, discrete-trial procedures. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Behind impulsive suicide attempts: indications from a community study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wyder, Marianne; De Leo, Diego

    2007-12-01

    A considerable proportion of suicide attempts are made on impulse. However, knowledge of characteristics of impulsive attempters is still limited. The present study investigated some of these characteristics and aimed to identify the pattern (if any) of suicidal ideation before an impulsive attempt. Data from a randomized and stratified population of 5130 individuals from Brisbane, Australia, were analysed. Computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI) were adopted to recruit subjects. Those reporting previous suicidal behaviour were sent a questionnaire by mail. One hundred and twelve subjects reported a suicide attempt. One quarter of these described a pattern consistent with an impulsive attempt. Most impulsive attempters experienced suicidal thoughts before their attempt. They were less likely to believe that their attempt would cause death, and less likely to experience depression. Impulsive attempters did not differ significantly from non-impulsive attempters in regards to age, gender, and motivations for the attempt. Surprisingly, no differences in mean scores of trait impulsivity between impulsive and non-impulsive attempters were found. In addition, the majority of suicide attempters (whether impulsive or not) experienced the suicidal process as fluctuating and not as developing along a continuum. The number of attempters who validly entered the study limited our ability to identify potential confounders. Due to the retrospective nature of the survey, the reliability of the information collected may have been affected by recall biases. In addition, as the surveys were administered by mail, it is possible that some questions may have been misinterpreted. The presence of suicidal feelings prior to an attempt constitutes an opportunity for intervention also in impulsive attempters. However, the identification of impulsiveness requires more research efforts.

  9. Effects induced on the transverse-spatial-impulse response of an inhomogeneous photoreceptor with a nonsymmetric refractive index profile and arbitrarily located origin

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Calvo, M.L.; Mondal, P.K.

    1987-03-01

    In a few earlier communications, spatial-transverse-impulse response (STIR) associated with the initial field transversely distributed across the entrance pupil of an inhomogeneous optical wave guide (photoreceptor) has been investigated. In the present work, effects of indetermination in the location of the origin on an arbitrarily defined refractive index profile, representing the degree of inhomogeneity at the aperture pupil of a single receptor, have been studied. Some consequences related to a few possible technical applications have been discussed.

  10. The overlapping brain region accounting for the relationship between procrastination and impulsivity: A voxel-based morphometry study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Peiwei; Feng, Tingyong

    2017-09-30

    Procrastination is a prevalent problematic behavior that brings serious consequences, such as lower levels of health, wealth, and well-being. Previous research has verified that impulsivity is one of the traits most strongly correlated with procrastination. However, little is known about why there is a tight behavioral relationship between them. To address this question, we used voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to explore the common neural substrates between procrastination and impulsivity. In line with previous findings, the behavioral results showed a strong behavioral correlation between procrastination and impulsivity. Neuroimaging results showed impulsivity and procrastination shared the common neurobiological underpinnings in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) based on the data from 85 participants (sample 1). Furthermore, the mediation analysis revealed that impulsivity mediated the impact of gray matter (GM) volumes of this overlapping region in the DLPFC on procrastination on another independent 84 participants' data (sample 2). In conclusion, the overlapping brain region in the DLPFC would be responsible for the close relationship between procrastination and impulsivity. As a whole, the present study extends our knowledge on procrastination, and provides a novel perspective to explain the tight impulsivity - procrastination relationship. Copyright © 2017 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. On the performance of piezoelectric harvesters loaded by finite width impulses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doria, A.; Medè, C.; Desideri, D.; Maschio, A.; Codecasa, L.; Moro, F.

    2018-02-01

    The response of cantilevered piezoelectric harvesters loaded by finite width impulses of base acceleration is studied analytically in the frequency domain in order to identify the parameters that influence the generated voltage. Experimental tests are then performed on harvesters loaded by hammer impacts. The latter are used to confirm analytical results and to validate a linear finite element (FE) model of a unimorph harvester. The FE model is, in turn, used to extend analytical results to more general harvesters (tapered, inverse tapered, triangular) and to more general impulses (heel strike in human gait). From analytical and numerical results design criteria for improving harvester performance are obtained.

  12. BMI predicts emotion-driven impulsivity and cognitive inflexibility in adolescents with excess weight.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Delgado-Rico, Elena; Río-Valle, Jacqueline S; González-Jiménez, Emilio; Campoy, Cristina; Verdejo-García, Antonio

    2012-08-01

    Adolescent obesity is increasingly viewed as a brain-related dysfunction, whereby reward-driven urges for pleasurable foods "hijack" response selection systems, such that behavioral control progressively shifts from impulsivity to compulsivity. In this study, we aimed to examine the link between personality factors (sensitivity to reward (SR) and punishment (SP), BMI, and outcome measures of impulsivity vs. flexibility in--otherwise healthy--excessive weight adolescents. Sixty-three adolescents (aged 12-17) classified as obese (n = 26), overweight (n = 16), or normal weight (n = 21) participated in the study. We used psychometric assessments of the SR and SP motivational systems, impulsivity (using the UPPS-P scale), and neurocognitive measures with discriminant validity to dissociate inhibition vs. flexibility deficits (using the process-approach version of the Stroop test). We tested the relative contribution of age, SR/SP, and BMI on estimates of impulsivity and inhibition vs. switching performance using multistep hierarchical regression models. BMI significantly predicted elevations in emotion-driven impulsivity (positive and negative urgency) and inferior flexibility performance in adolescents with excess weight--exceeding the predictive capacity of SR and SP. SR was the main predictor of elevations in sensation seeking and lack of premeditation. These findings demonstrate that increases in BMI are specifically associated with elevations in emotion-driven impulsivity and cognitive inflexibility, supporting a dimensional path in which adolescents with excess weight increase their proneness to overindulge when under strong affective states, and their difficulties to switch or reverse habitual behavioral patterns.

  13. Impulsivity in bipolar disorders in a Tunisian sample.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feki, Ines; Moalla, Mariem; Baati, Imen; Trigui, Dorsaf; Sellami, Rim; Masmoudi, Jaweher

    2016-08-01

    Impulsivity as a trait characteristic is increased in bipolar disorder and may be a core factor of the illness. The objectives of our work are to evaluate the level of impulsivity among patients with bipolar disorder and to study its relation with mood state, alcohol misuse, suicide attempts and other socio-demographic and clinical factors. We measured impulsivity in 60 subjects with bipolar disorder in relationship to socio-demographic and clinical variables. The subjects completed Data included socio-demographic details and clinical variables, the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) in an Arabic version to assess impulsivity, The Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview "MINI" version 05 to screen for alcohol abuse or dependence and mood graphic rate scale (MGRS) to evaluate mood state. Our results show that the mean score of BIS-11 was 71.5. Fifty-five per cent of the patients had a high level of impulsiveness. No differences were found relating to mood state. Impulsivity was related to Male gender, lower educational level, early age of onset, smoking, alcohol and drug misuse and prior suicide attempts. The treatment of patients with BD should consider to reduce impulsivity to improve morbidity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Impulsivity in remitted depression: a meta-analytical review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saddichha, Sahoo; Schuetz, Christian

    2014-06-01

    Depressive disorder and suicide have been associated with impulsivity in several studies. This paper aimed to review measures of trait impulsivity in remitted depressive disorder. We used keywords "impulsivity and depression"; "impulsivity and depressive disorder" to narrow down our search on Medline, EMBASE and Psychinfo to include those studies that had reported impulsivity scores using validated and reliable assessment measures in remitted depressive disorder. We searched all English language studies from 1990 to December 2012 with 9 reports meeting the inclusion criteria for depression, which were then reviewed by the two reviewers independently. We generated weighted mean differences (WMDs) for depression from the pooled data using RevManager 5.1 from Cochrane analysis. The Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS) 11 was the instrument commonly used in depression. 9 studies met inclusion criteria in depression, which yielded a WMD of 10.12 on BIS 11 total scores. There is a strong association of impulsivity and depression, which persists even in remission. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Comparison among various methods of assessment of impulsiveness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carrillo-de-la-Peña, M T; Otero, J M; Romero, E

    1993-10-01

    The current confused status of the research on impulsivity may be attributed to the lack of precise definitions, the reliance of most operationalizations on a single index, and inconsistency among different measures of the construct. Empirical measurements of impulsivity by self-reports, rating scales, or performance tasks suggest that the instruments employed measure aspects that have very little in common, a finding that throws serious doubts on the validity of the construct and implies a need for further research. To clarify this topic, we applied four different measures of impulsivity to 46 7th-grade (12 to 13 years old) schoolchildren. The children were rated by their teachers on an impulsivity behavior scale and were administered Kagan's Matching Familiar Figures Test, Version MFF-20, and two self-report forms, the Eysenck Impulsiveness Questionnaire, and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale. Although the results confirmed the lack of convergence among these measures, high latencies on matching were associated with the cognitive aspect of the self-report scales. Treating impulsivity as a multidimensional construct is discussed.

  16. A high temperature superconducting impulse generator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Locker, J.R.; Geers, S.

    1992-01-01

    A mechanism based upon the Superconducting Vector Switch (SVS) effect displays the property of impulse generation. In this paper the principle of operation of this impulse generator is discussed. Experimental results and analytical predictions are presented

  17. Modern day addictions: The role of temptations in a reflective-impulsive-interoceptive awareness model of information system use

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ofir eTurel

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available This study examines a behavioral tripartite model developed in the field of addiction, and applied here to understanding general and impulsive information technology use. It suggests that technology use is driven by two information-processing brain systems: reflective and impulsive, and that their effects on use are modulated by interoceptive awareness processes. The resultant reflective-impulsive-interoceptive awareness model is tested in two behavioral studies. Both studies employ SEM techniques to time-lagged self-report data from n1=300 and n2=369 social networking site users. Study 1 demonstrated that temptations augment the effect of habit on technology use, and reduce the effect of satisfaction on use. Study 2 showed that temptations strengthen the effect of habit on impulsive technology use, and weaken the effect of behavioral expectations on impulsive technology use. Hence, the results consistently support the notion that information technology users’ behaviors are influenced by reflective and impulsive information processing systems; and that the equilibrium of these systems is determined, at least in part, by one’s temptations. These results can serve as a basis for understanding the etiology of modern day addictions.

  18. The dynamical complexity of a Ivlev-type prey-predator system with impulsive effect

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Hailing; Wang Weiming

    2008-01-01

    Based on the classical predator-prey system with Ivlev-type functional response, an impulsive differential equations to model the process of periodic perturbations on the predator at different fixed time is established. It proves that there exists a locally asymptotically stable prey-eradication periodic solution when the impulse period is less than some critical value, and otherwise, the system can be permanent. Numerical results show that the system considered has more complicated dynamics. such as quasi-periodic oscillation, narrow periodic window, wide periodic window, chaotic bands, symmetry-breaking pitchfork bifurcation and crises, etc

  19. Conjugate gradient determination of optimal plane changes for a class of three-impulse transfers between noncoplanar circular orbits

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burrows, R. R.

    1972-01-01

    A particular type of three-impulse transfer between two circular orbits is analyzed. The possibility of three plane changes is recognized, and the problem is to optimally distribute these plane changes to minimize the sum of the individual impulses. Numerical difficulties and their solution are discussed. Numerical results obtained from a conjugate gradient technique are presented for both the case where the individual plane changes are unconstrained and for the case where they are constrained. Possibly not unexpectedly, multiple minima are found. The techniques presented could be extended to the finite burn case, but primarily the contents are addressed to preliminary mission design and vehicle sizing.

  20. Insight into the relationship between impulsivity and substance abuse from studies using animal models.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Winstanley, Catharine A; Olausson, Peter; Taylor, Jane R; Jentsch, J David

    2010-08-01

    Drug use disorders are often accompanied by deficits in the capacity to efficiently process reward-related information and to monitor, suppress, or override reward-controlled behavior when goals are in conflict with aversive or immediate outcomes. This emerging deficit in behavioral flexibility and impulse control may be a central component of the progression to addiction, as behavior becomes increasingly driven by drugs and drug-associated cues at the expense of more advantageous activities. Understanding how neural mechanisms implicated in impulse control are affected by addictive drugs may therefore prove a useful strategy in the search for new treatment options. Animal models of impulsivity and addiction could make a significant contribution to this endeavor. Here, some of the more common behavioral paradigms used to measure different aspects of impulsivity across species are outlined, and the importance of the response to reward-paired cues in such paradigms is discussed. Naturally occurring differences in forms of impulsivity have been found to be predictive of future drug self-administration, but drug exposure can also increase impulsive responding. Such data are in keeping with the suggestion that impulsivity may contribute to multiple stages within the spiral of addiction. From a neurobiological perspective, converging evidence from rat, monkey, and human studies suggest that compromised functioning within the orbitofrontal cortex may critically contribute to the cognitive sequelae of drug abuse. Changes in gene transcription and protein expression within this region may provide insight into the mechanism underlying drug-induced cortical hypofunction, reflecting new molecular targets for the treatment of uncontrolled drug-seeking and drug-taking behavior.

  1. A Novel Optimal Control Method for Impulsive-Correction Projectile Based on Particle Swarm Optimization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruisheng Sun

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents a new parametric optimization approach based on a modified particle swarm optimization (PSO to design a class of impulsive-correction projectiles with discrete, flexible-time interval, and finite-energy control. In terms of optimal control theory, the task is described as the formulation of minimum working number of impulses and minimum control error, which involves reference model linearization, boundary conditions, and discontinuous objective function. These result in difficulties in finding the global optimum solution by directly utilizing any other optimization approaches, for example, Hp-adaptive pseudospectral method. Consequently, PSO mechanism is employed for optimal setting of impulsive control by considering the time intervals between two neighboring lateral impulses as design variables, which makes the briefness of the optimization process. A modification on basic PSO algorithm is developed to improve the convergence speed of this optimization through linearly decreasing the inertial weight. In addition, a suboptimal control and guidance law based on PSO technique are put forward for the real-time consideration of the online design in practice. Finally, a simulation case coupled with a nonlinear flight dynamic model is applied to validate the modified PSO control algorithm. The results of comparative study illustrate that the proposed optimal control algorithm has a good performance in obtaining the optimal control efficiently and accurately and provides a reference approach to handling such impulsive-correction problem.

  2. Statistics of “Cold” Early Impulsive Solar Flares in X-Ray and Microwave Domains

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lysenko, Alexandra L.; Altyntsev, Alexander T.; Meshalkina, Natalia S.; Zhdanov, Dmitriy; Fleishman, Gregory D.

    2018-04-01

    Solar flares often happen after a preflare/preheating phase, which is almost or entirely thermal. In contrast, there are the so-called early impulsive flares that do not show a (significant) preflare heating, but instead often show the Neupert effect—a relationship where the impulsive phase is followed by a gradual, cumulative-like, thermal response. This has been interpreted as a dominance of nonthermal energy release at the impulsive phase, even though a similar phenomenology is expected if the thermal and nonthermal energies are released in comparable amounts at the impulsive phase. Nevertheless, some flares do show a good quantitative correspondence between the nonthermal electron energy input and plasma heating; in such cases, the thermal response was weak, which results in them being called “cold” flares. We undertook a systematic search for such events among early impulsive flares registered by the Konus-Wind instrument in the triggered mode from 11/1994 to 4/2017, and selected 27 cold flares based on relationships between hard X-ray (HXR) (Konus-Wind) and soft X-ray (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite) emission. For these events, we put together all available microwave data from different instruments. We obtained temporal and spectral parameters of HXR and microwave emissions of the events and examined correlations between them. We found that, compared to a “mean” flare, the cold flares: (i) are weaker, shorter, and harder in the X-ray domain; (ii) are harder and shorter, but not weaker in the microwaves; (iii) have a significantly higher spectral peak frequencies in the microwaves. We discuss the possible physical reasons for these distinctions and implication of the finding.

  3. Training impulsive choices for healthy and sustainable food

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Veling, H.P.; Chen, Z.; Tombrock, M.C.; Verpaalen, I.A.M.; Schmitz, L.I.; Dijksterhuis, A.J.; Holland, R.W.

    2017-01-01

    Many people find it hard to change their dietary choices. Food choice often occurs impulsively, without deliberation, and it has been unclear whether impulsive food choice can be experimentally created. Across 3 exploratory and 2 confirmatory preregistered experiments we examined whether impulsive

  4. Effects induced on the transverse-spatial-impulse response of an inhomogeneous photoreceptor with a nonsymmetric refractive index profile and arbitrarily located origin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Calvo, M.L.

    1987-01-01

    In a few earlier communications, spatial-transverse-impulse response (STIR) associated with the initial field transversely distributed across the entrance pupil of an inhomogeneous optical wave guide (photo-receptor) has been investigated. In the present work, effects of indetermination in the location of the origin on an arbitrarily defined refractive index profile, representing the degree of inhomogenity at the aperture pupil of a single receptor, have been studied. Some consequences related to a few possible technical applications have been discussed

  5. Targeting impulsivity in Parkinson’s disease using atomoxetine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Housden, Charlotte R.; Regenthal, Ralf; Barker, Roger A.; Müller, Ulrich; Rowe, James; Sahakian, Barbara J.; Robbins, Trevor W.

    2014-01-01

    Noradrenergic dysfunction may play a significant role in cognition in Parkinson’s disease due to the early degeneration of the locus coeruleus. Converging evidence from patient and animal studies points to the role of noradrenaline in dopaminergically insensitive aspects of the parkinsonian dysexecutive syndrome, yet the direct effects of noradrenergic enhancement have not to date been addressed. Our aim was to directly investigate these, focusing on impulsivity during response inhibition and decision making. To this end, we administered 40 mg atomoxetine, a selective noradrenaline re-uptake inhibitor to 25 patients with Parkinson’s disease (12 female /13 male; 64.4 ± 6.9 years old) in a double blind, randomized, placebo controlled design. Patients completed an extensive battery of neuropsychological tests addressing response inhibition, decision-making, attention, planning and verbal short term memory. Atomoxetine improved stopping accuracy on the Stop Signal Task [F(1,19) = 4.51, P = 0.047] and reduced reflection impulsivity [F(1,9) = 7.86, P = 0.02] and risk taking [F(1,9) = 9.2, P = 0.01] in the context of gambling. The drug also conferred effects on performance as a function of its measured blood plasma concentration: it reduced reflection impulsivity during information sampling [adjusted R2 = 0.23, F(1,16) = 5.83, P = 0.03] and improved problem solving on the One Touch Stockings of Cambridge [adjusted R2 = 0.29, F(1,17) = 8.34, P = 0.01]. It also enhanced target sensitivity during sustained attention [F(1,9) = 5.33, P = 0.046]. The results of this exploratory study represent the basis of specific predictions in future investigations on the effects of atomoxetine in Parkinson’s disease and support the hypothesis that targeting noradrenergic dysfunction may represent a new parallel avenue of therapy in some of the cognitive and behavioural deficits seen in the disorder. PMID:24893708

  6. Impulsive phase of solar flares: theory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mackinnon, A.L.

    1986-01-01

    The paper reviews the theoretical interpretation of impulsive phase phenomena in solar flares. The impulsive phase is defined to be that period of approx. 10 - 100s duration, during which the flare radiative output undergoes its most rapid, dramatic increase and decrease. The interpretation of the various impulsive phase radiation signatures are examined, including the i) hard x-ray emission, ii) radio emission, iii) UV, Hα and white light emissions and iv) gamma-ray emission. The acceleration mechanisms are discussed with respect to candidate acceleration mechanisms, and the synthesis of the theory and observations. (UK)

  7. An Exploratory Analysis of Sound Field Characteristics using the Impulse Response in a Car Cabin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yoshiharu Soeta

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Sound environments in cars are becoming quieter and receiving attention because of the prevalence of low-noise engines such as hybrid and electric engines and the manifestation of automated driving. Although the car cabin has potential as a listening space, its acoustic quality has not been examined in detail. The present study investigated sound field characteristics in the car cabin using acoustic parameters obtained by impulse response analysis. In particular, effects of the passenger position, open windows and the use of an air conditioner on acoustic parameters were investigated. The passenger position affected the sound strength at low frequencies. Rear seats, except for the rear central seat, had lower interaural correlation than the front seats, suggesting that rear seats have more diffused sound fields. The opening of windows and use of air conditioners attenuated the ratio of early- and late-arriving energy at high frequencies, suggesting a loss of clarity for music.

  8. Reward processing and intertemporal decision making in adults and adolescents: the role of impulsivity and decision consistency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ripke, Stephan; Hübner, Thomas; Mennigen, Eva; Müller, Kathrin U; Rodehacke, Sarah; Schmidt, Dirk; Jacob, Mark J; Smolka, Michael N

    2012-10-10

    Several studies report differences between adults and adolescents in reward processing and impulsivity. Consistently, adolescents are more impulsive in their decision making, as measured by intertemporal choice tasks. Since impulsivity affects an individual's perception and neural processing of rewards, it is unclear whether previously reported differences in brain activation between adults and adolescents are primarily due to maturation of the brain reward system or differences in impulsivity (i.e. discounting behaviour). To disentangle this, we analysed data from 235 adolescents and 29 adults who performed an intertemporal choice task in which monetary rewards were adapted to individual impulsivity. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we measured brain activity and assessed impulsivity and consistency of choices at the behavioural level. Although adolescents discounted delayed rewards more steeply than adults, when controlling for impulsivity, neural processing of reward value did not differ between groups. However, more impulsive subjects showed a lower brain response to delayed rewards, independent of age. Concerning decision making, adolescents exhibited a lower consistency of choices and less brain activity in the parietal network than adults. We conclude that processing of the value of prospective delayed rewards is more sensitive to discounting behaviour than to chronological age. Lower consistency of intertemporal choices might indicate ongoing maturation of parietal brain areas in adolescents. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. High impulsivity predicting vulnerability to cocaine addiction in rats

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Molander, Anna C; Mar, Adam; Norbury, Agnes

    2011-01-01

    RATIONALE: Impulsivity is a vulnerability marker for drug addiction in which other behavioural traits such as anxiety and novelty seeking ('sensation seeking') are also widely present. However, inter-relationships between impulsivity, novelty seeking and anxiety traits are poorly understood...... increasing or decreasing impulsivity in SHI and SLI rats, did reduce the contrast in impulsivity between these two groups of animals. CONCLUSIONS: This investigation indicates that behavioural impulsivity in rats on the 5-CSRTT, which predicts vulnerability for cocaine addiction, is distinct from anxiety...

  10. Characteristics of individuals who make impulsive suicide attempts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spokas, Megan; Wenzel, Amy; Brown, Gregory K; Beck, Aaron T

    2012-02-01

    Previous research has identified only a few variables that have been associated with making an impulsive suicide attempt. The aim of the current study was to compare individuals who made an impulsive suicide attempt with those who made a premeditated attempt on both previously examined and novel characteristics. Participants were classified as making an impulsive or premeditated attempt based on the Suicide Intent Scale (Beck et al., 1974a) and were compared on a number of characteristics relevant to suicidality, psychiatric history, and demographics. Individuals who made an impulsive attempt expected that their attempts would be less lethal; yet the actual lethality of both groups' attempts was similar. Those who made an impulsive attempt were less depressed and hopeless than those who made a premeditated attempt. Participants who made an impulsive attempt were less likely to report a history of childhood sexual abuse and more likely to be diagnosed with an alcohol use disorder than those who made a premeditated attempt. Although the sample size was adequate for bivariate statistics, future studies using larger sample sizes will allow for multivariate analyses of characteristics that differentiate individuals who make impulsive and premeditated attempts. Clinicians should not minimize the significance of impulsive attempts, as they are associated with a similar level of lethality as premeditated attempts. Focusing mainly on depression and hopelessness as indicators of suicide risk has the potential to under-identify those who are at risk for making impulsive attempts. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Global exponential stability of cellular neural networks with mixed delays and impulses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xiong Wanmin; Zhou Qiyuan; Xiao Bing; Yu Yuehua

    2007-01-01

    In this paper cellular neural networks with mixed delays and impulses are considered. Sufficient conditions for the existence and global exponential stability of a unique equilibrium point are established by using the fixed point theorem and differential inequality technique. The results of this paper are new and they complement previously known results

  12. Individual differences in impulsivity predict anticipatory eye movements.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laetitia Cirilli

    Full Text Available Impulsivity is the tendency to act without forethought. It is a personality trait commonly used in the diagnosis of many psychiatric diseases. In clinical practice, impulsivity is estimated using written questionnaires. However, answers to questions might be subject to personal biases and misinterpretations. In order to alleviate this problem, eye movements could be used to study differences in decision processes related to impulsivity. Therefore, we investigated correlations between impulsivity scores obtained with a questionnaire in healthy subjects and characteristics of their anticipatory eye movements in a simple smooth pursuit task. Healthy subjects were asked to answer the UPPS questionnaire (Urgency Premeditation Perseverance and Sensation seeking Impulsive Behavior scale, which distinguishes four independent dimensions of impulsivity: Urgency, lack of Premeditation, lack of Perseverance, and Sensation seeking. The same subjects took part in an oculomotor task that consisted of pursuing a target that moved in a predictable direction. This task reliably evoked anticipatory saccades and smooth eye movements. We found that eye movement characteristics such as latency and velocity were significantly correlated with UPPS scores. The specific correlations between distinct UPPS factors and oculomotor anticipation parameters support the validity of the UPPS construct and corroborate neurobiological explanations for impulsivity. We suggest that the oculomotor approach of impulsivity put forth in the present study could help bridge the gap between psychiatry and physiology.

  13. False-positive head-impulse test in cerebellar ataxia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olympia eKremmyda

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract:The objective of this study was to compare the findings of the bedside head impulse test (HIT, passive head rotation gain, and caloric irrigation in patients with cerebellar ataxia (CA. In 16 patients with CA and bilaterally pathological bedside HIT, VOR gains were measured during HIT and passive head rotation by scleral search coil technique. Eight of the patients had pathologically reduced caloric responsiveness, while the other eight had normal caloric responses. Those with normal calorics showed a slightly reduced HIT gain (mean±SD: 0.73±0.15. In those with pathological calorics, gains 80ms and 100 ms after the HIT as well as the passive rotation VOR gains were significantly lower. The corrective saccade after head turn occurred earlier in patients with pathological calorics (111±62 ms after onset of the HIT than in those with normal calorics. (191±17 ms, p=0.0064 We indentified two groups of patients with CA: those with an isolated moderate HIT deficit only, probably due to floccular dysfunction, and those with combined HIT, passive rotation and caloric deficit, probably due to a peripheral vestibular deficit. From a clinical point of view, these results show that the bedside HIT alone can be false positive for establishing a diagnosis of a bilateral peripheral vestibular deficit in patients with CA.

  14. Ground vibration test results of a JetStar airplane using impulsive sine excitation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kehoe, Michael W.; Voracek, David F.

    1989-01-01

    Structural excitation is important for both ground vibration and flight flutter testing. The structural responses caused by this excitation are analyzed to determine frequency, damping, and mode shape information. Many excitation waveforms have been used throughout the years. The use of impulsive sine (sin omega t)/omega t as an excitation waveform for ground vibration testing and the advantages of using this waveform for flight flutter testing are discussed. The ground vibration test results of a modified JetStar airplane using impulsive sine as an excitation waveform are compared with the test results of the same airplane using multiple-input random excitation. The results indicated that the structure was sufficiently excited using the impulsive sine waveform. Comparisons of input force spectrums, mode shape plots, and frequency and damping values for the two methods of excitation are presented.

  15. An investigation of two dimensions of impulsivity as predictors of loss-of-control eating severity and frequency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Espel, Hallie M; Muratore, Alexandra F; Lowe, Michael R

    2017-10-01

    Loss-of-control (LOC) eating episodes represent one form of dysregulated eating common to full- and sub-threshold eating disorders. Extensive evidence suggests that impulsivity, particularly in the context of negative affect and/or depression, may play an important etiological role in the development and maintenance of LOC eating. However, most prior studies have considered LOC eating as a dichotomous rather than dimensional construct, and few studies have considered the interaction of multiple dimensions of impulsivity while also accounting for the role of depressive symptoms. The present study examined the independent and interacting effects of two facets of impulsivity-response inhibition and negative urgency-on LOC eating episode severity and frequency among college women (N = 102). Depressive symptom severity was included as a covariate. Results indicated that greater negative urgency was associated with greater LOC severity; this effect was moderated by response inhibition, such that the effect of urgency was particularly pronounced for individuals with higher response inhibition capacity. Negative urgency was the only significant predictor of LOC frequency. Depression had no significant effect on either LOC severity or frequency (ps ≥ 0.16). Results support the importance of considering multiple facets of impulsivity in predicting LOC eating behavior, and further indicate that factors influencing subjective severity and frequency of LOC may be distinct. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Reconsidering the link between impulsivity and suicidal behavior.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anestis, Michael D; Soberay, Kelly A; Gutierrez, Peter M; Hernández, Theresa D; Joiner, Thomas E

    2014-11-01

    It is widely accepted that suicidal behavior often occurs with little planning. We propose, however, that suicidal behavior is rarely if ever impulsive-that it is too frightening and physically distressing to engage in without forethought-and that suicidal behavior in impulsive individuals is accounted for by painful and fearsome behaviors capable of enhancing their capacity for suicide. We conducted a meta-analysis of the association between trait impulsivity and suicidal behavior and a critical review of research considering the impulsiveness of specific suicide attempts. Meta-analytic results suggest the relationship between trait impulsivity and suicidal behavior is small. Furthermore, studies examining a mediating role of painful and provocative behaviors have uniformly supported our model. Results from our review suggest that researchers have been unable to adequately measure impulsivity of attempts and that measures sensitive to episodic planning must be developed to further our understanding of this phenomenon. © 2014 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

  17. Impulsivity in self-mutilative behavior: psychometric and biological findings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herpertz, S; Sass, H; Favazza, A

    1997-01-01

    This paper examines impulsivity as a central factor in moderate/superficial self-mutilation such as skin-cutting and burning. A sample of 165 subjects were divided into four groups, namely self-mutilators, patients with any modes of impulsive behavior other than self-mutilation, patients without any impulsive behavior, and normal probands. All were administered the 10th version of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory, and the Inventory for the Assessment of Factors of Aggressiveness. They also were interviewed carefully in regards to both impulsive and self-mutilative behavior. A d-fenfluramine challenge test was administered to 36 females and prolactin levels were measured. On the whole results implicate impulsive personality functioning as a major factor in subjects with moderate/superficial self-mutilative behavior whose trait pathology is similar to personality disordered patients with other modes of self-harming impulsive behavior.

  18. BIS impulsivity and acute nicotine exposure are associated with discounting global consequences in the Harvard game.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hogarth, Lee; Stillwell, David J; Tunney, Richard J

    2013-01-01

    The Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS) provides a transdiagnostic marker for a number of psychiatric conditions and drug abuse, but the precise psychological trait(s) tapped by this questionnaire remain obscure. To address this, 51 smokers completed in counterbalanced order the BIS, a delay discounting task and a Harvard game that measured choice between a response that yielded a high immediate monetary payoff but decreased opportunity to earn money overall (local choice) versus a response that yielded a lower immediate payoff but afforded a greater opportunity to earn overall (global choice). Individual level of BIS impulsivity and self-elected smoking prior to the study were independently associated with increased preference for the local over the global choice in the Harvard game, but not delay discounting. BIS impulsivity and acute nicotine exposure reflect a bias in the governance of choice by immediate reward contingencies over global consequences, consistent with contemporary dual-process instrumental learning theories. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  19. Lamotrigine use in patients with binge eating and purging, significant affect dysregulation, and poor impulse control.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trunko, Mary Ellen; Schwartz, Terry A; Marzola, Enrica; Klein, Angela S; Kaye, Walter H

    2014-04-01

    Some patients with symptoms of binge eating and purging are successfully treated with specific serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), but others experience only partial or no benefit. Significant affect dysregulation and poor impulse control may be characteristics that limit responsiveness. We report on the treatment of five patients with bulimia nervosa (BN), anorexia nervosa-binge/purge type (AN-B/P) or eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS), using the anticonvulsant lamotrigine after inadequate response to SSRIs. Following addition of lamotrigine to an antidepressant in four cases, and switch from an antidepressant to lamotrigine in one case, patients experienced substantial improvement in mood reactivity and instability, impulsive drives and behaviors, and eating-disordered symptoms. These findings raise the possibility that lamotrigine, either as monotherapy or as an augmenting agent to antidepressants, may be useful in patients who binge eat and purge, and have significant affect dysregulation with poor impulse control. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  20. Domain-Specific Impulsivity in School-Age Children

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsukayama, Eli; Duckworth, Angela Lee; Kim, Betty

    2013-01-01

    Impulsivity is a salient individual difference in children with well-established predictive validity for life outcomes. The current investigation proposes that impulsive behaviors vary systematically by domain. In a series of studies with ethnically and socioeconomically diverse samples of middle school students, we find that schoolwork-related and interpersonal-related impulsivity, as observed by teachers, parents, and the students themselves, are distinct, moderately correlated behavioral tendencies. Each demonstrates differentiated relationships with dimensions of childhood temperament, Big Five personality factors, and outcomes, such as sociometric popularity, report card grades, and classroom conduct. Implications for theoretical conceptions of impulsivity as well as for practical applications (e.g., domain-specific interventions) are discussed. PMID:24118714

  1. Impulsivity and Suicidality in Adolescent Inpatients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Auerbach, Randy P; Stewart, Jeremy G; Johnson, Sheri L

    2017-01-01

    Suicide is the second leading cause of death among adolescents, and impulsivity has emerged as a promising marker of risk. The present study tested whether distinct domains of impulsivity are differentially associated with suicide ideation, plans, and attempts. Adolescents (n = 381; boys = 106, girls = 275) aged 13-19 years (M = 15.62, SD = 1.41) were recruited from an acute, residential treatment program. Within 48 h of admission to the hospital, participants were administered structured clinical interviews assessing mental health disorders and suicidality. Following these interviews, participants completed self-report questionnaires assessing symptom severity and impulsivity. Consistent with past research, an exploratory factor analysis of our 90-item impulsivity instrument resulted in a three-factor solution: Pervasive Influence of Feelings, Feelings Trigger Action, and Lack of Follow-Through. Concurrent analysis of these factors confirmed hypotheses of unique associations with suicide ideation and attempts in the past month. Specifically, whereas Pervasive Influence of Feelings (i.e., tendency for emotions to shape thoughts about the self and the future) is uniquely associated with greater suicidal ideation, Feelings Trigger Action (i.e., impulsive behavioral reactivity to emotions) is uniquely associated with the occurrence of suicide attempts, even after controlling for current psychiatric diagnoses and symptoms. Exploratory gender analyses revealed that these effects were significant in female but not male adolescents. These findings provide new insight about how specific domains of impulsivity differentially increase risk for suicide ideation and attempts. Implications for early identification and prevention of youth suicide are discussed.

  2. [Impulsiveness Among Short-Term Prisoners with Antisocial Personality Disorder].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lang, Fabian U; Otte, Stefanie; Vasic, Nenad; Jäger, Markus; Dudeck, Manuela

    2015-07-01

    The study aimed to investigate the correlation between impulsiveness and the antisocial personality disorder among short-term prisoners. The impulsiveness was diagnosed by the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS). Short-term prisoners with antisocial personality disorder scored significant higher marks on the BIS total scale than those without any personality disorder. In detail, they scored higher marks on each subscale regarding attentional, motor and nonplanning impulsiveness. Moderate and high effects were calculated. It is to be considered to regard impulsivity as a conceptual component of antisociality. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  3. The Asymmetric Effects of Oil Price Shocks on the Chinese Stock Market: Evidence from a Quantile Impulse Response Perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Huiming Zhu

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available This paper uses a quantile impulse response approach to investigate the impact of oil price shocks on Chinese stock returns. This process allows us to uncover asymmetric effects of oil price shocks on stock market returns by taking into account the different quantiles of oil price shocks. Our results show that the responses of Chinese stock market returns to oil price shocks differ greatly, depending on whether the oil and stock market is in a bust or boom state and whether the shock is driven by demand or supply. The impacts of oil price shocks on Chinese stock returns present asymmetric features. In particular during a bust phase, oil supply and demand shocks significantly depress stock market returns, while during a boom period, the aggregate demand shock enhances stock market returns. These results suggest some important implications for investors and decision makers.

  4. Dietary restraint and impulsivity modulate neural responses to food in adolescents with obesity and healthy adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hofmann, Johannes; Ardelt-Gattinger, Elisabeth; Paulmichl, Katharina; Weghuber, Daniel; Blechert, Jens

    2015-11-01

    Despite alarming prevalence rates, surprisingly little is known about neural mechanisms underlying eating behavior in juveniles with obesity. To simulate reactivity to modern food environments, event-related potentials (ERP) to appetizing food images (relative to control images) were recorded in adolescents with obesity and healthy adolescents. Thirty-four adolescents with obesity (patients) and 24 matched healthy control adolescents watched and rated standardized food and object images during ERP recording. Personality (impulsivity) and eating styles (trait craving and dietary restraint) were assessed as potential moderators. Food relative to object images triggered larger early (P100) and late (P300) ERPs. More impulsive individuals had considerably larger food-specific P100 amplitudes in both groups. Controls with higher restraint scores showed reduced food-specific P300 amplitudes and subjective palatability ratings whereas patients with higher restraint scores showed increased P300 and palatability ratings. This first ERP study in adolescents with obesity and controls revealed impulsivity as a general risk factor in the current obesogenic environment by increasing food-cue salience. Dietary restraint showed paradoxical effects in patients, making them more vulnerable to visual food-cues. Salutogenic therapeutic approaches that deemphasize strict dietary restraint and foster healthy food choice might reduce such paradoxical effects. © 2015 The Obesity Society.

  5. An Exploration of Taiwanese Adolescents' Impulsive Buying Tendency

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Chien-Huang; Lin, Hung-Ming

    2005-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine via a questionnaire the personal characteristics and impulsive buying tendencies of 15- to 19-year-old Taiwanese adolescents. Results indicated that the impulsive buying was significantly associated with gender, age, and amount of pocket money available. Females indicated more impulsive buying than did…

  6. Resting-state EEG, impulsiveness, and personality in daily and nondaily smokers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rass, Olga; Ahn, Woo-Young; O'Donnell, Brian F

    2016-01-01

    Resting EEG is sensitive to transient, acute effects of nicotine administration and abstinence, but the chronic effects of smoking on EEG are poorly characterized. This study measures the resting EEG profile of chronic smokers in a non-deprived, non-peak state to test whether differences in smoking behavior and personality traits affect pharmaco-EEG response. Resting EEG, impulsiveness, and personality measures were collected from daily smokers (n=22), nondaily smokers (n=31), and non-smokers (n=30). Daily smokers had reduced resting delta and alpha EEG power and higher impulsiveness (Barratt Impulsiveness Scale) compared to nondaily smokers and non-smokers. Both daily and nondaily smokers discounted delayed rewards more steeply, reported lower conscientiousness (NEO-FFI), and reported greater disinhibition and experience seeking (Sensation Seeking Scale) than non-smokers. Nondaily smokers reported greater sensory hedonia than nonsmokers. Altered resting EEG power in daily smokers demonstrates differences in neural signaling that correlated with greater smoking behavior and dependence. Although nondaily smokers share some characteristics with daily smokers that may predict smoking initiation and maintenance, they differ on measures of impulsiveness and resting EEG power. Resting EEG in non-deprived chronic smokers provides a standard for comparison to peak and trough nicotine states and may serve as a biomarker for nicotine dependence, relapse risk, and recovery. Copyright © 2015 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Resting-state EEG, Impulsiveness, and Personality in Daily and Nondaily Smokers†

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rass, Olga; Ahn, Woo-Young; O’Donnell, Brian F.

    2015-01-01

    Objectives Resting EEG is sensitive to transient, acute effects of nicotine administration and abstinence, but the chronic effects smoking on EEG are poorly characterized. This study measures the resting EEG profile of chronic smokers in a non-deprived, non-peak state to test whether differences in smoking behavior and personality traits affect pharmaco-EEG response. Methods Resting EEG, impulsiveness, and personality measures were collected from daily smokers (n=22), nondaily smokers (n=31), and non-smokers (n=30). Results Daily smokers had reduced resting delta and alpha EEG power and higher impulsiveness (Barratt Impulsiveness Scale) compared to nondaily smokers and non-smokers. Both daily and nondaily smokers discounted delayed rewards more steeply, reported lower conscientiousness (NEO-FFI) and reported greater disinhibition and experience seeking (Sensation Seeking Scale) than non-smokers. Nondaily smokers reported greater sensory hedonia than nonsmokers. Conclusions Altered resting EEG power in daily smokers demonstrates differences in neural signaling that correlated with greater smoking behavior and dependence. Although nondaily smokers share some characteristics with daily smokers that may predict smoking initiation and maintenance, they differ on measures of impulsiveness and resting EEG power. Significance Resting EEG in non-deprived chronic smokers provides a standard for comparison to peak and trough nicotine states and may serve as a biomarker for nicotine dependence, relapse risk, and recovery. PMID:26051750

  8. Impulse oscillometry: The state-of-art for lung function testing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Koundinya Desiraju

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Impulse oscillometry (IOS is a variant of forced oscillation technique, described by Dubois over 50 years ago, which permits passive measurement of lung mechanics. In this method, sound waves are superimposed on normal tidal breathing, and the disturbances in flow and pressure caused by the external waves are used to calculate parameters describing the resistance to airflow and reactive parameters that mostly relate to efficient storage and return of energy by the lung. It requires minimal patient cooperation and can be done easily in subjects who are unable to perform spirometry. Importantly, IOS can differentiate small airway obstruction from large airway obstruction and is more sensitive than spirometry for peripheral airway disease. It has been used to study various respiratory disorders, especially asthma and is suitable for measuring bronchodilatory response as well as bronchoprovocation testing. IOS parameters seem to be able to pick up early changes in lung functon such that they are superior to spirometry in predicting loss of control in asthmatic patients and possibly in identifying early airway disease in smokers. Such comparisons, especially for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, are made difficult by widespread use of spirometric parameters as the diagnostic gold standard. Here, we discuss the principles and technique of IOS and review its application in obstructive airway diseases.

  9. Impulse sales cooler. Final report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pedersen, Per Henrik (DTI, Taastrup (Denmark))

    2010-11-15

    In the past years, the use of impulse coolers has increased considerably and it is estimated that at least 30.000 are installed in shops in Denmark. In addition, there are many small barrel-shaped can coolers. Most impulse coolers are open, which results in a large consumption of energy, and the refrigeration systems are often quite inefficient. A typical impulse cooler uses app. 5 - 8 kWh/day corresponding to a consumption of energy in the magnitude of 60 GWh/year. For several years, the Danish company Vestfrost A/S has produced an impulse sales cooler in the high-efficiency end and the energy consumption of the cooler is measured to be 4.15 kWh/day. The POS72 cooler formed the baseline of this project. At the start-up meeting in 2008, several ideas were discussed with the objective to reduce energy consumption and to use natural refrigerants. Among the ideas were better air curtains, removable lids, better condensers, use of R600a refrigeration system and better insulation. Three generations of prototypes were built and tested in a climate chamber at Danish Technological Institute and the third generation showed very good performance: the energy consumption was measured to 2.215 kWh/day, which is a 47% reduction compared to the baseline. That was achieved by: 1) Improving the cold air cycling system including the air curtain. 2) Using the natural refrigerant R600a (isobutane) and the Danfoss NLE9KTK compressor, which has better efficiency compared to the compressor in the baseline product. 3) Using a box type condenser without fins (preventing dust build-up) and with a relatively high surface area. 4) Improving the insulation value of the plastic cabinet by reducing turbulence in the air gap between the plastic walls and improving the insulation value of the EPS moulded insulation surrounding the refrigeration system at the bottom of the cooler. 5) Preventing short-circuit of warm air around the condenser. 6) The improvements are cost efficient and will not add

  10. Is impulsivity a common trait in bipolar and unipolar disorders?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Henna, Elaine; Hatch, John P; Nicoletti, Mark; Swann, Alan C; Zunta-Soares, Giovana; Soares, Jair C

    2013-03-01

    Impulsivity is increased in bipolar and unipolar disorders during episodes and is associated with substance abuse disorders and suicide risk. Impulsivity between episodes predisposes to relapses and poor therapeutic compliance. However, there is little information about impulsivity during euthymia in mood disorders. We sought to investigate trait impulsivity in euthymic bipolar and unipolar disorder patients, comparing them to healthy individuals and unaffected relatives of bipolar disorder patients.   Impulsivity was evaluated by the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11A) in 54 bipolar disorder patients, 25 unipolar disorder patients, 136 healthy volunteers, and 14 unaffected relatives. The BIS-11A mean scores for all four groups were compared through the Games-Howell test for all possible pairwise combinations. Additionally, we compared impulsivity in bipolar and unipolar disorder patients with and without a history of suicide attempt and substance abuse disorder.   Bipolar and unipolar disorder patients scored significantly higher than the healthy controls and unaffected relatives on all measures of the BIS-11A except for attentional impulsivity. On the attentional impulsivity measures there were no differences among the unaffected relatives and the bipolar and unipolar disorder groups, but all three of these groups scored higher than the healthy participant group. There was no difference in impulsivity between bipolar and unipolar disorder subjects with and without suicide attempt. However, impulsivity was higher among bipolar and unipolar disorder subjects with past substance use disorder compared to patients without such a history.   Questionnaire-measured impulsivity appears to be relatively independent of mood state in bipolar and unipolar disorder patients; it remains elevated in euthymia and is higher in individuals with past substance abuse. Elevated attentional and lower non-planning impulsivity in unaffected relatives of bipolar disorder

  11. Impulsivity, aggression and suicide risk among male schizophrenia patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iancu, Iulian; Bodner, Ehud; Roitman, Suzana; Piccone Sapir, Anna; Poreh, Amir; Kotler, Moshe

    2010-01-01

    Impulsivity has been shown to be a major variable in the etiology of suicide and aggression, but has not been researched as much in the schizophrenic population, which is characterized by serious suicide and aggression risks. 68 male schizophrenia patients responded to a battery of measures including the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), the impulsivity control scale (IS), the Suicide Risk Scale (SRS) and the Overt Aggression Scale. We divided our subjects into those who received scores above and below the median on the IS. The high-impulsivity group had higher present and past rates of suicidal ideation and showed a trend for more lifetime suicidal attempts than the low-impulsivity group. The impulsivity score correlated positively with the SRS score and with some of the scores of the PANSS (the positive symptoms score, the general psychopathology score and the total score). A multiple regression analysis revealed that an older age, higher levels of aggression, high impulsivity and an elevated score on the general psychopathology subscale of the PANSS contributed positively and significantly to the explained variance of the SRS. Our study supports the contention that high impulsivity in schizophrenia patients is significant in the etiology of suicide in schizophrenia. However, the relationship between impulsivity and aggression in schizophrenia patients, and also the amelioration of impulsivity by pharmacological interventions, require further study. Copyright (c) 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  12. The dynamic complexity of a three-species Beddington-type food chain with impulsive control strategy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Weiming; Wang Hailing; Li Zhenqing

    2007-01-01

    In this paper, by using theories and methods of ecology and ordinary differential equation, the dynamics complexity of a prey-predator system with Beddington-type functional response and impulsive control strategy is established. Conditions for the system to be extinct are given by using the Floquet theory of impulsive equation and small amplitude perturbation skills. Furthermore, by using the method of numerical simulation with the international software Maple, the influence of the impulsive perturbations on the inherent oscillation is investigated, which shows rich dynamics, such as quasi-periodic oscillation, narrow periodic window, wide periodic window, chaotic bands, period doubling bifurcation, symmetry-breaking pitchfork bifurcation, period-halving bifurcation and crises, etc. The numerical results indicate that computer simulation is a useful method for studying the complex dynamic systems

  13. Mouse and human genetic analyses associate kalirin with ventral striatal activation during impulsivity and with alcohol misuse

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yolanda ePeña-Oliver

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Impulsivity is associated with a spectrum of psychiatric disorders including drug addiction. To investigate genetic associations with impulsivity and initiation of drug taking, we took a two-step approach. First, we identified genes whose expression level in prefrontal cortex, striatum and accumbens were associated with impulsive behaviour in the 5-choice serial reaction time task across 10 BXD recombinant inbred (BXD RI mouse strains and their progenitor C57BL/6J and DBA2/J strains. Behavioural data were correlated with regional gene expression using GeneNetwork (www.genenetwork.org, to identify 44 genes whose probability of association with impulsivity exceeded a false discovery rate of <0.05. We then interrogated the IMAGEN database of 1423 adolescents for potential associations of SNPs in human homologues of those genes identified in the mouse study, with brain activation during impulsive performance in the Monetary Incentive Delay task, and with novelty seeking scores from the Temperament and Character Inventory, as well as alcohol-experience. There was a significant overall association between the human homologues of impulsivity-related genes and percentage of premature responses in the MID task and with fMRI BOLD-response in ventral striatum (VS during reward anticipation. In contrast, no significant association was found between the polygenic scores and anterior cingulate cortex activation. Univariate association analyses revealed that the G allele (major of the intronic SNP rs6438839 in the KALRN gene was significantly associated with increased VS activation. Additionally, the A-allele (minor of KALRN intronic SNP rs4634050, belonging to the same haplotype block, was associated with increased frequency of binge drinking.

  14. Temperament and impulsivity predictors of smoking cessation outcomes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francisca López-Torrecillas

    Full Text Available AIMS: Temperament and impulsivity are powerful predictors of addiction treatment outcomes. However, a comprehensive assessment of these features has not been examined in relation to smoking cessation outcomes. METHODS: Naturalistic prospective study. Treatment-seeking smokers (n = 140 were recruited as they engaged in an occupational health clinic providing smoking cessation treatment between 2009 and 2013. Participants were assessed at baseline with measures of temperament (Temperament and Character Inventory, trait impulsivity (Barratt Impulsivity Scale, and cognitive impulsivity (Go/No Go, Delay Discounting and Iowa Gambling Task. The outcome measure was treatment status, coded as "dropout" versus "relapse" versus "abstinence" at 3, 6, and 12 months endpoints. Participants were telephonically contacted and reminded of follow-up face to face assessments at each endpoint. The participants that failed to answer the phone calls or self-reported discontinuation of treatment and failed to attend the upcoming follow-up session were coded as dropouts. The participants that self-reported continuing treatment, and successfully attended the upcoming follow-up session were coded as either "relapse" or "abstinence", based on the results of smoking behavior self-reports cross-validated with co-oximetry hemoglobin levels. Multinomial regression models were conducted to test whether temperament and impulsivity measures predicted dropout and relapse relative to abstinence outcomes. RESULTS: Higher scores on temperament dimensions of novelty seeking and reward dependence predicted poorer retention across endpoints, whereas only higher scores on persistence predicted greater relapse. Higher scores on the trait dimension of non-planning impulsivity but not performance on cognitive impulsivity predicted poorer retention. Higher non-planning impulsivity and poorer performance in the Iowa Gambling Task predicted greater relapse at 3 and 6 months and 6 months

  15. Chaotification of complex networks with impulsive control.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guan, Zhi-Hong; Liu, Feng; Li, Juan; Wang, Yan-Wu

    2012-06-01

    This paper investigates the chaotification problem of complex dynamical networks (CDN) with impulsive control. Both the discrete and continuous cases are studied. The method is presented to drive all states of every node in CDN to chaos. The proposed impulsive control strategy is effective for both the originally stable and unstable CDN. The upper bound of the impulse intervals for originally stable networks is derived. Finally, the effectiveness of the theoretical results is verified by numerical examples.

  16. Impulsive differential inclusions a fixed point approach

    CERN Document Server

    Ouahab, Abdelghani; Henderson, Johnny

    2013-01-01

    Impulsive differential equations have been developed in modeling impulsive problems in physics, population dynamics, ecology, biotechnology, industrial robotics, pharmacokinetics, optimal control, etc. The questions of existence and stability of solutions for different classes of initial values problems for impulsive differential equations and inclusions with fixed and variable moments are considered in detail. Attention is also given to boundary value problems and relative questions concerning differential equations. This monograph addresses a variety of side issues that arise from its simple

  17. The impact of Environmental Factors on Impulse Buying Behavior Using the Mehrabian and Russell’s Framework

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amel GRAA

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available This study aimed at highlighting the impact of environmental factors on the impulse buying behavior of Algerian shopper using a Stimulus and response model. In this paper, it is identified and explored how factors related to the environment of purchase and emotional states may influence various dimensions of such kind of behavior at food stores in Algeria’ west. According to the results; consumer's emotions cannot be a mediating factor in the impulse purchase process. The results indicate that seller guidance has a significant impact on the impulse buying. We have concluded also that perceived human crowding influence positively the behavior of Algerian shoppers, whereas the time pressure was not approved.

  18. Internet addictive individuals share impulsivity and executive dysfunction with alcohol-dependent patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhenhe eZhou

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Internet addiction disorder (IAD should belong to a kind of behavioral addiction. Previous studies indicated that there are many similarities in the neurobiology of behavior and substance addictions. Up to date, although individuals with IAD have difficulty suppressing their excessive online behaviors in real life, little is known about the patho-physiological and cognitive mechanisms responsible for IAD. Neuropsychological test studies have contributed significantly to our understanding of the effect of IAD on the cognitive function. The purpose of the present study was to examine whether Internet addictive individuals share impulsivity and executive dysfunction with alcohol-dependent individuals. Participants include 22 Internet addictive individuals, 22 alcohol-dependent patients (AD and 22 normal controls (NC. All participants were measured with BIS- 11, go/no-go task, WCST and Digit span task under the same experimental condition. Results showed that BIS-11 scores, false alarm rate, the total response errors, perseverative errors, failure to maintain set of IAD and AD group were significantly higher than that of NC group, and hit rate, percentage of conceptual level responses, the number of categories completed, forwards scores and backwards scores of IAD and AD group were significantly lower than that of NC group, however, no differences in above variables between IAD group and AD group were observed. These results revealed that the existence of impulsivity, deficiencies in executive function and working memory in an IAD and an AD sample, namely, Internet addictive individuals share impulsivity and executive dysfunction with alcohol-dependent patients.

  19. Beyond discounting: possible experimental models of impulse control.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Monterosso, J; Ainslie, G

    1999-10-01

    Animal studies of impulsivity have typically used one of three models: a delay of reward procedure, a differential reinforcement for low rate responding (DRL) procedure, or an autoshaping procedure. In each of these paradigms, we argue, measurement of impulsivity is implicitly or explicitly equated with the effect delay has on the value of reward. The steepness by which delay diminishes value (the temporal discount function) is treated as an index of impulsivity. In order to provide a better analog of human impulsivity, this model needs to be expanded to include the converse of impulsivity - self-control. Through mechanisms such as committing to long range interests before the onset of temptation, or through bundling individual choices into classes of choices that are made at once, human decision-making can often look far less myopic than single trial experiments predict. For people, impulsive behavior may be more often the result of the breakdown of self-control mechanisms than of steep discount functions. Existing animal models of self-control are discussed, and future directions are suggested for psychopharmacological research.

  20. Using Dual Process Models to Examine Impulsivity Throughout Neural Maturation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leshem, Rotem

    2016-01-01

    The multivariate construct of impulsivity is examined through neural systems and connections that comprise the executive functioning system. It is proposed that cognitive and behavioral components of impulsivity can be divided into two distinct groups, mediated by (1) the cognitive control system: deficits in top-down cognitive control processes referred to as action/cognitive impulsivity and (2) the socioemotional system: related to bottom-up affective/motivational processes referred to as affective impulsivity. Examination of impulsivity from a developmental viewpoint can guide future research, potentially enabling the selection of more effective interventions for impulsive individuals, based on the cognitive components requiring improvement.

  1. Impulsive-compulsive buying disorder: clinical overview.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dell'Osso, Bernardo; Allen, Andrea; Altamura, A Carlo; Buoli, Massimiliano; Hollander, Eric

    2008-04-01

    Impulsive-compulsive buying disorder (ICBD) is an impulse control disorder not otherwise specified (ICD-NOS) characterized by impulsive drives and compulsive behaviours (buying unneeded things), personal distress, impaired social and vocational functioning and financial problems. Despite being described in the 19th century, serious attention to ICBD began only in the last decade with the first epidemiological and pharmacological investigation. Biological, social and psychological factors contribute to the aetiology of ICBD. Cognitive-behavioural therapy and selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors are currently considered the more effective interventions in the treatment of ICBD. The present review aims to provide a broad overview of the epidemiology, aetiology, phenomenology and treatment options of ICBD.

  2. Proficient motor impulse control in Parkinson disease patients with impulsive and compulsive behaviors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Claassen, Daniel O; van den Wildenberg, Wery P M; Harrison, Madaline B; van Wouwe, Nelleke C; Kanoff, Kristen; Neimat, Joseph S; Wylie, Scott A

    2015-02-01

    Parkinson disease (PD) patients treated with dopamine agonist therapy can develop maladaptive reward-driven behaviors, known as impulse control disorder (ICD). In this study, we assessed if ICD patients have evidence of motor-impulsivity. We used the stop-signal task in a cohort of patients with and without active symptoms of ICD to evaluate motor-impulsivity. Of those with PD, 12 were diagnosed with ICD symptoms (PD-ICD) and were assessed before clinical reduction of dopamine agonist medication; 12 were without symptoms of ICD [PD-control] and taking equivalent dosages of dopamine agonist. Levodopa, if present, was maintained in both settings. Groups were similar in age, duration, and severity of motor symptoms, levodopa co-therapy, and total levodopa daily dose. All were tested in the dopamine agonist medicated and acutely withdrawn (24 h) state, in a counterbalanced manner. Primary outcome measures were mean reaction time to correct go trials (go reaction time), and mean stop-signal reaction time (SSRT). ICD patients produce faster SSRT than both Healthy Controls, and PD-Controls. Faster SSRT in ICD patients is apparent in both dopamine agonist medication states. Also, we show unique dopamine medication effects on Go Reaction time (GoRT). In dopamine agonist monotherapy patients, dopamine agonist administration speeds GoRT. Conversely, in those with levodopa co-therapy, dopamine agonist administration slows. PD patients with active ICD symptoms are significantly faster at stopping initiated motor actions, and this is not altered by acute dopamine agonist withdrawal. In addition, the effect of dopamine agonist on GoRT is strongly influenced by the presence or absence of levodopa, even though levodopa co-therapy does not appear to influence SSRT. We discuss these findings as they pertain to the multifaceted definition of 'impulsivity,' the lack of evidence for motor-impulsivity in PD-ICD, and dopamine effects on motor-control in PD. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc

  3. Impulsivity, Mental Disorder, and Suicide in Rural China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Lin; Zhang, Jie

    2017-01-02

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship among impulsivity, mental disorder, and suicide with a sample of rural young Chinese. Subjects were 392 consecutively recruited male and female suicides aged 15-34 years and 416 community male and female controls of the same age range sampled in rural China. The case-control data were obtained using psychological autopsy with structured and semi-structured instruments. Dysfunctional impulsivity was a significant risk factor regardless of mental disorder in rural China. Dysfunctional impulsivity is a potential area for further study of suicidal behavior. The suicide prevention efforts in rural China may address impulsivity.

  4. Impulsive control of a financial model [rapid communication

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Jitao; Qiao, Fei; Wu, Qidi

    2005-02-01

    In this Letter, several new theorems on the stability of impulsive control systems are presented. These theorem are then used to find the conditions under which an advertising strategy can be asymptotically control to the equilibrium point by using impulsive control. Given the parameters of the financial model and the impulsive control law, an estimation of the upper bound of the impulse interval is given, i.e., number of advert can been decreased (i.e., can decrease cost) for to obtain the equivalent advertising effect.The result is illustrated to be efficient through a numerical example.

  5. Impulsivity and self-harm in adolescence: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lockwood, Joanna; Daley, David; Townsend, Ellen; Sayal, Kapil

    2017-04-01

    Research supports an association between impulsivity and self-harm, yet inconsistencies in methodology across studies have complicated understanding of this relationship. This systematic review examines the association between impulsivity and self-harm in community-based adolescents aged 11-25 years and aims to integrate findings according to differing concepts and methods. Electronic searches of EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsychINFO, CINAHL, PubMed and The Cochrane Library, and manual searches of reference lists of relevant reviews identified 4496 articles published up to July 2015, of which 28 met inclusion criteria. Twenty-four of the studies reported an association between broadly specified impulsivity and self-harm. However, findings varied according to the conception and measurement of impulsivity and the precision with which self-harm behaviours were specified. Specifically, lifetime non-suicidal self-injury was most consistently associated with mood-based impulsivity-related traits. However, cognitive facets of impulsivity (relating to difficulties maintaining focus or acting without forethought) differentiated current self-harm from past self-harm. These facets also distinguished those with thoughts of self-harm (ideation) from those who acted on thoughts (enaction). The findings suggested that mood-based impulsivity is related to the initiation of self-harm, while cognitive facets of impulsivity are associated with the maintenance of self-harm. In addition, behavioural impulsivity is most relevant to self-harm under conditions of negative affect. Collectively, the findings indicate that distinct impulsivity facets confer unique risks across the life-course of self-harm. From a clinical perspective, the review suggests that interventions focusing on reducing rash reactivity to emotions or improving self-regulation and decision making may offer most benefit in supporting those who self-harm.

  6. Gambling behavior in Parkinson's Disease: Impulsivity, reward mechanism and cortical brain oscillations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balconi, Michela; Angioletti, Laura; Siri, Chiara; Meucci, Nicoletta; Pezzoli, Gianni

    2018-03-20

    Psychopathological components, such as reward sensitivity and impulsivity, and dopaminergic treatment are crucial characteristics related to the development of Pathological Gambling (PG) in Parkinson's Disease (PD). The aim of the present study is to investigate the differences in decision-making in PD patients with or without PG considering both neurophysiological and behavioral aspects. The IOWA Gambling Task (IGT) and electroencephalographic (EEG) activity were considered to elucidate the decision and post-feedback processes in PG. The sample included fifty-two PD patients, divided in three groups: 17 PD patients with active gambling behavior (PD Gamblers, PDG); 15 PD patients who remitted from PG (PD Non-Gamblers, PDNG); and a Control Group (CG) composed by 20 patients with PD only. EEG and IGT performance were recorded during decision and post-feedback phase. Results showed worse performance and an increase of the low frequency bands in the frontal area for the PDG group compared to the other two groups. In addition, higher BAS (Behavioral Activation System) and BIS-11 (Barratt Impulsiveness Scale) personality components were correlated to groups' behavioral response. These results show an anomalous behavioral (IGT) and cortical response of PDG patients related to their inability to use adequate control mechanisms during a decision-making task where reward mechanisms (BAS) and impulsivity (BIS-11) are relevant. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Mechanoluminescence by impulsive deformation of γ-irradiated Er-doped CaF2 crystals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brahme, Nameeta; Shukla, Manju; Bisen, D.P.; Kurrey, U.; Choubey, Anil; Kher, R.S.; Singh, Manisha

    2011-01-01

    An impulsive technique has been used for mechanoluminescence (ML) measurements in γ-irradiated Er doped CaF 2 crystals. When the ML is excited impulsively by the impact of moving piston on to γ-irradiated CaF 2 :Er crystals, two peaks are observed in ML intensity with time and it is seen that the peak intensities of first and second peaks (I m1 and I m2 ) increase with increasing impact velocity. However the time corresponding to first and second peaks (t m1 and t m2 ) shifts towards shorter time values with increasing impact velocity. It is also seen that the total ML intensity I Total initially increases with the impact velocity and then it attains a saturation value for higher values of the impact velocity. We have presented a theoretical explanation for the observed results. - Research highlights: → Impulsive technique has been used for mechanoluminescence (ML) studies in γ-irradiated Er doped CaF 2 crystals. → ML intensity exhibited two peaks with time (I m1 and I m2 ), where the intensity of both the peaks increased with increasing impact velocity. → The time of occurrence of the peaks (t m1 and t m2 ) reduced with increasing the impact velocity. → Total ML intensity (I Total ) first increases and then attains a saturation value with an increment in the impact velocity. → A theoretical explanation is presented to the observed results.

  8. Global exponential stability of cellular neural networks with continuously distributed delays and impulses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Yixuan; Xiong Wanmin; Zhou Qiyuan; Xiao Bing; Yu Yuehua

    2006-01-01

    In this Letter cellular neural networks with continuously distributed delays and impulses are considered. Sufficient conditions for the existence and global exponential stability of a unique equilibrium point are established by using the fixed point theorem and differential inequality techniques. The results of this Letter are new and they complement previously known results

  9. Angular distributions of plasma edge velocity and integrated intensity: Update on specific impulse for Ablative Laser Propulsion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Jun; Pakhomov, Andrew V.

    2005-04-01

    This work concludes our discussion of the image processing technique developed earlier for determination of specific impulse (Isp) for Ablative Laser Propulsion (ALP). The plasma plumes are recorded with a time-resolved intensified charge-coupled device (ICCD) camera. The plasma was formed in vacuum (˜ 3×10-3 Torr) by focusing output pulses of a laser system (100-ps pulsewidth at 532 nm wavelength and ˜35 mJ energy) on surfaces of C (graphite), Al, Si, Fe, Cu, Zn, Sn, and Pb elements. Angular profiles for integrated intensity and plasma expansion velocity were determined for the tested elements. Such profiles were used further for assessment of specific impulse. Specific impulses derived from angular distributions of plasma expansion velocity and integral intensity appeared in excellent agreement with the data derived earlier from force measurements.

  10. Angular distributions of plasma edge velocity and integrated intensity: Update on specific impulse for Ablative Laser Propulsion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lin Jun; Pakhomov, Andrew V.

    2005-01-01

    This work concludes our discussion of the image processing technique developed earlier for determination of specific impulse (Isp) for Ablative Laser Propulsion (ALP). The plasma plumes are recorded with a time-resolved intensified charge-coupled device (ICCD) camera. The plasma was formed in vacuum (∼ 3x10-3 Torr) by focusing output pulses of a laser system (100-ps pulsewidth at 532 nm wavelength and ∼35 mJ energy) on surfaces of C (graphite), Al, Si, Fe, Cu, Zn, Sn, and Pb elements. Angular profiles for integrated intensity and plasma expansion velocity were determined for the tested elements. Such profiles were used further for assessment of specific impulse. Specific impulses derived from angular distributions of plasma expansion velocity and integral intensity appeared in excellent agreement with the data derived earlier from force measurements

  11. Stability analysis of impulsive functional differential equations

    CERN Document Server

    Stamova, Ivanka

    2009-01-01

    This book is devoted to impulsive functional differential equations which are a natural generalization of impulsive ordinary differential equations (without delay) and of functional differential equations (without impulses). At the present time the qualitative theory of such equationsis under rapid development. After a presentation of the fundamental theory of existence, uniqueness and continuability of solutions, a systematic development of stability theory for that class of problems is given which makes the book unique. It addresses to a wide audience such as mathematicians, applied research

  12. Overlapping and disease specific trait, response, and reflection impulsivity in adolescents with first-episode schizophrenia spectrum disorders or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jepsen, Jens Richardt M.; Rydkjaer, J.; Fagerlund, B.; Pagsberg, A. K.; Jespersen, R. Av F.; Glenthøj, Birte Y.; Oranje, B.

    BACKGROUND: Schizophrenia and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are developmental disorders with shared clinical characteristics such as cognitive impairments and impulsivity. Impulsivity is a core feature of ADHD and an important factor in aggression, violence, and substance use in

  13. State-dependent impulses boundary value problems on compact interval

    CERN Document Server

    Rachůnková, Irena

    2015-01-01

    This book offers the reader a new approach to the solvability of boundary value problems with state-dependent impulses and provides recently obtained existence results for state dependent impulsive problems with general linear boundary conditions. It covers fixed-time impulsive boundary value problems both regular and singular and deals with higher order differential equations or with systems that are subject to general linear boundary conditions. We treat state-dependent impulsive boundary value problems, including a new approach giving effective conditions for the solvability of the Dirichlet problem with one state-dependent impulse condition and we show that the depicted approach can be extended to problems with a finite number of state-dependent impulses. We investigate the Sturm–Liouville boundary value problem for a more general right-hand side of a differential equation. Finally, we offer generalizations to higher order differential equations or differential systems subject to general linear boundary...

  14. Predicting compliance with command hallucinations: anger, impulsivity and appraisals of voices' power and intent.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bucci, Sandra; Birchwood, Max; Twist, Laura; Tarrier, Nicholas; Emsley, Richard; Haddock, Gillian

    2013-06-01

    Command hallucinations are experienced by 33-74% of people who experience voices, with varying levels of compliance reported. Compliance with command hallucinations can result in acts of aggression, violence, suicide and self-harm; the typical response however is non-compliance or appeasement. Two factors associated with such dangerous behaviours are anger and impulsivity, however few studies have examined their relationship with compliance to command hallucinations. The current study aimed to examine the roles of anger and impulsivity on compliance with command hallucinations in people diagnosed with a psychotic disorder. The study was a cross-sectional design and included individuals who reported auditory hallucinations in the past month. Subjects completed a variety of self-report questionnaire measures. Thirty-two people experiencing command hallucinations, from both in-patient and community settings, were included. The tendency to appraise the voice as powerful, to be impulsive, to experience anger and to regulate anger were significantly associated with compliance with command hallucinations to do harm. Two factors emerged as significant independent predictors of compliance with command hallucinations; omnipotence and impulsivity. An interaction between omnipotence and compliance with commands, via a link with impulsivity, is considered and important clinical factors in the assessment of risk when working with clients experiencing command hallucinations are recommended. The data is highly suggestive and warrants further investigation with a larger sample. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Ultrahigh Specific Impulse Nuclear Thermal Propulsion

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Anne Charmeau; Brandon Cunningham; Samim Anghaie

    2009-02-09

    Research on nuclear thermal propulsion systems (NTP) have been in forefront of the space nuclear power and propulsion due to their design simplicity and their promise for providing very high thrust at reasonably high specific impulse. During NERVA-ROVER program in late 1950's till early 1970's, the United States developed and ground tested about 18 NTP systems without ever deploying them into space. The NERVA-ROVER program included development and testing of NTP systems with very high thrust (~250,000 lbf) and relatively high specific impulse (~850 s). High thrust to weight ratio in NTP systems is an indicator of high acceleration that could be achieved with these systems. The specific impulse in the lowest mass propellant, hydrogen, is a function of square root of absolute temperature in the NTP thrust chamber. Therefor optimizing design performance of NTP systems would require achieving the highest possible hydrogen temperature at reasonably high thrust to weight ratio. High hydrogen exit temperature produces high specific impulse that is a diret measure of propellant usage efficiency.

  16. Hazardous drinking and dimensions of impulsivity, behavioral approach, and inhibition in adult men and women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamilton, Kristen R; Sinha, Rajita; Potenza, Marc N

    2012-06-01

    Hazardous drinking is characterized by decisions to engage in excessive or risky patterns of alcohol consumption. Levels of impulsivity and behavioral approach and inhibition may differ in hazardous drinkers and nonhazardous drinkers. A comparison of the relative levels of dimensions of impulsivity and behavioral inhibition and approach in adult men and women hazardous and nonhazardous drinkers may inform treatment and prevention efforts. In the present research, 466 men and women from a community sample were administered the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), the Behavioral Inhibition System/Behavioral Approach System (BIS/BAS) scale, and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, version 11 (BIS-11). Relations among the dimensions of these constructs were examined using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA), with age and race as covariates. There were main effects of hazardous drinking on all 3 dimensions of impulsivity, the behavioral inhibition system, and the behavioral activation system Reward Responsiveness, and Fun-Seeking components, with hazardous drinkers scoring higher than nonhazardous drinkers. This research provides a better understanding of the manner in which impulsivity and behavioral inhibition and approach tendencies relate to hazardous alcohol use in men and women. The present results have implications for alcohol-related prevention and treatment strategies for adult men and women. Copyright © 2012 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

  17. Localization in nonuniform media: Exponential decay of the late-time Ginzburg-Landau impulse response

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smith, E.

    1998-01-01

    Instanton methods have been used, in the context of a classical Ginzburg-Landau field theory, to compute the averaged density of states and probability Green close-quote s function for electrons scattered by statistically uniform site energy perturbations. At tree level, all states below some critical energy appear localized, and all states above extended. The same methods are applied here to macroscopically nonuniform systems, for which it is shown that localized and extended states can be coupled through a tunneling barrier created by the instanton background. Both electronic and acoustic systems are considered. An incoherent exponential decay is predicted for the late-time impulse response in both cases, valid for long-wavelength nonuniformity, and scaling relations are derived for the decay time constant as a function of energy or frequency and spatial dimension. The acoustic results are found to lie within a range of scaling relations obtained empirically from measurements of seismic coda, suggesting a connection between the universal properties of localization and the robustness of the observed scaling. The relation of instantons to the acoustic coherent-potential approximation is demonstrated in the recovery of the uniform limit. copyright 1998 The American Physical Society

  18. Chronotype differences in suicidal behavior and impulsivity among suicide attempters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Selvi, Yavuz; Aydin, Adem; Atli, Abdullah; Boysan, Murat; Selvi, Fatih; Besiroglu, Lutfullah

    2011-03-01

    Morning- and evening-type individuals differ on a number of psychological and biological variables. There has been increasing interest in the relationship between chronotype and personality traits. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between impulsivity and chronotype in suicide attempters. Eighty-nine suicide attempters were included in the study, and systematic information on suicide attempts was recorded. The Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire was applied to determine chronotype, and attempter impulsivity was measured by the total score of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale. Significant differences between chronotype and impulsivity scores were found. Evening-type subjects reported significantly higher impulsivity scores than both neither- and morning-types. A significant association between chronotype and type of suicide attempt was detected. The largest proportion of violent suicide attempters were evening-type subjects. Violent suicide attempters also reported significantly higher impulsivity scores than nonviolent attempters. Previous studies have pointed out possible relations between eveningness and impulsivity. Current findings suggest that eveningness may be a risk factor for violent suicide attempts by increasing impulsivity.

  19. Why are you happy with impulse buying? Evidence from Indonesia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wiwik Handayani

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Happiness is an ideal condition needed by everyone. In the real life, happiness comes not only from the harmony in the home but also from the exciting environment or atmosphere outside the home, such as impulse buying. When someone makes impulse buying, she could feel the happiness be-cause she gets something she wants. This means that when someone makes a purchase, she will experience happiness. This study aimed to examine the variables that affect impulse buying which may also affect the happiness. It is assumed that the experience and the pleasant shopping atmosphere affect the impulse buying and, as a result, the impulse buying affects happiness. The samples in this study were 150 women making purchases of fashion products at malls in Surabaya. The hypothesis testing was conducted by using Structural Equation Modelling. The test results indicated the hypothesis 1 stating that the experiential marketing influenced the impulse buying and hypothesis 2 stating that the shopping enjoyment affected the impulse buying were accepted. Further, hypothesis 3 were also accepted, stating that the impulse buying influenced happiness.

  20. Relationship between impulsivity, snack consumption and children's weight

    OpenAIRE

    Scholten, Eline W. M.; Schrijvers, Carola; Nederkoorn, Chantal; Kremers, Stef; Rodenburg, Gerda

    2014-01-01

    textabstractBackground: Childhood overweight is a public health problem associated with psychosocial and physical problems. Personality traits, such as impulsivity, may contribute to the development of overweight. Objective: This study examines 1) the association between general impulsivity traits (reward sensitivity and disinhibition) and children's weight, 2) the association between impulsivity traits and unhealthy snack consumption, and 3) the potential mediating role of unhealthy snack co...

  1. Resonant Impulsive Stimulated Raman Scattering

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mokhtari, A; Chesnoy, J

    1988-03-15

    Using a femtosecond dye laser, we observe in real-time vibrational oscillations excited by impulsive stimulated Raman scattering (ISRS) close to an electronic resonance. We perform single-beam Raman excitation and probe the driven coherence by a polarization-sensitive detection. We demonstrate for the first time impulsively Raman-induced dichroism, birefringence as well as frequency and time delay shifts. We analyse the characteristics of resonant ISRS on a vibrational mode of a dye molecule (malachite green) in solution.

  2. Resonant Impulsive Stimulated Raman Scattering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mokhtari, A.; Chesnoy, J.

    1988-01-01

    Using a femtosecond dye laser, we observe in real-time vibrational oscillations excited by impulsive stimulated Raman scattering (ISRS) close to an electronic resonance. We perform single-beam Raman excitation and probe the driven coherence by a polarization-sensitive detection. We demonstrate for the first time impulsively Raman-induced dichroism, birefringence as well as frequency and time delay shifts. We analyse the characteristics of resonant ISRS on a vibrational mode of a dye molecule (malachite green) in solution

  3. Are old people so gentle? Functional and dysfunctional impulsivity in the elderly.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morales-Vives, Fabia; Vigil-Colet, Andreu

    2012-03-01

    Although old people may seem less impulsive than adults, numerous experimental studies report that they have inhibitory deficits. Bearing in mind that there is a relationship between inhibition processes and impulsivity, age-related inhibition deficits suggest that older people could be more impulsive than adults. The aim of the current study was to compare the functional and dysfunctional impulsivity scores obtained in a sample of elderly people (65 years old and above) with those obtained in previous studies on samples of adolescents and adults. Dickman's Impulsivity Inventory was administered to 190 individuals aged between 65 and 94 years without dementia or cognitive impairment. Results indicated that the elderly sample showed higher dysfunctional impulsivity levels than the adult samples, which is consistent with the inhibition deficits mentioned above. There were no significant differences in functional impulsivity. Furthermore, old women had higher scores than old men on dysfunctional impulsivity. This study provides evidence of age-related changes in dysfunctional impulsivity. Functional impulsivity did not show the same pattern as dysfunctional impulsivity, being quite stable across the age span. it seems, then, that impulsivity cannot be considered to decrease with age and dysfunctional impulsivity may even increase.

  4. The Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavior Therapy of Impulse Control on Reduction of Impulsiveness, Crave of Usage and Addiction Severity among Crack Users

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rohollah Hadadi

    2009-08-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: The present study was done in order to study of the effectiveness of CBT of impulse control on the reduction of impulsiveness, crave of usage and addiction severity of Crack users. Method: In a quasi experimental design 30 Crack addict users who were treating with Methadone in a clinic selected by interview method and consideration of entrance criterions. Then they allocated to two groups (15 subjects for each group as a witness and experimental groups. The experimental group was under Methadone drug therapy and CBT of impulse control for 8 sessions, and 60 min for each session. But witness group was under Methadone drug therapy and there was not any other intervention. All participants in research were examined before and after treatment by three scales namely: Bart's Impulsiveness Scale, Tifani's Crave Usage, and Addiction Severity Index. MANCOVA was run for analyzing of data. Results: The results showed that significant difference between two groups on impulsiveness subscales crave usage, and addiction severity (except of medical status, job status, law status, and family status. Conclusion: It can say CBT of impulse control can be effective on the reduction of impulsiveness, crave usage and addiction severity in Crack users.

  5. Association between Impulsivity and Weight Status in a General Population

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marc Bénard

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study is to examine the association between impulsivity and weight status in a large sample of the adult general population in France, and the influence of gender on this relationship. A total of 11,929 men and 39,114 women participating in the NutriNet-Santé cohort were selected in this cross-sectional analysis. The Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11 was used to assess impulsivity. Weight and height were self-reported. The association between impulsivity and BMI was estimated using logistic regressions adjusted for socio-demographic and lifestyle factors. Individuals with high impulsivity levels (BIS-11 total score >71 were more likely to be obese (Odds Ratio (OR = 1.80, 95% Confidence Interval (CI: 1.39, 2.33 in men; OR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.15, 1.48 in women compared to individuals in the average range of impulsivity. The strongest associations between impulsivity and obesity were observed in men, where highly impulsive participants were more likely to be class III obese (BMI > 40 kg/m2 (OR = 3.57, 95% CI: 1.86, 6.85. This large sample analysis supports the existence of a relationship between impulsivity and weight status and the importance of psychological factors in the prevention of obesity.

  6. Association between Impulsivity and Weight Status in a General Population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bénard, Marc; Camilleri, Géraldine M; Etilé, Fabrice; Méjean, Caroline; Bellisle, France; Reach, Gérard; Hercberg, Serge; Péneau, Sandrine

    2017-03-01

    The objective of this study is to examine the association between impulsivity and weight status in a large sample of the adult general population in France, and the influence of gender on this relationship. A total of 11,929 men and 39,114 women participating in the NutriNet-Santé cohort were selected in this cross-sectional analysis. The Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) was used to assess impulsivity. Weight and height were self-reported. The association between impulsivity and BMI was estimated using logistic regressions adjusted for socio-demographic and lifestyle factors. Individuals with high impulsivity levels (BIS-11 total score >71) were more likely to be obese (Odds Ratio (OR) = 1.80, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.39, 2.33 in men; OR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.15, 1.48 in women) compared to individuals in the average range of impulsivity. The strongest associations between impulsivity and obesity were observed in men, where highly impulsive participants were more likely to be class III obese (BMI > 40 kg/m²) (OR = 3.57, 95% CI: 1.86, 6.85). This large sample analysis supports the existence of a relationship between impulsivity and weight status and the importance of psychological factors in the prevention of obesity.

  7. Impulsive and reflective processes related to alcohol use in young adolescents

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sara ePieters

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Background: Dual process models suggest that the development of addictive behaviors is the result of interplay between impulsive and reflective processes, modulated by boundary conditions such as individual or situational factors. Empirical support for this model has been repeatedly demonstrated in adult samples (for a meta-analysis see Rooke, Hine, & Thorsteinsson, 2008. The purpose of this study was to test these processes as they relate to emerging alcohol use in adolescents. Specifically, the interactive effects of several measures of impulsive and reflective processes and working memory capacity are examined as predictors of changes in alcohol use among adolescents. It was expected that measures of reflective processes would better predict changes in alcohol use than measures of impulsive processes. Moreover, it was anticipated that working memory capacity would moderate the relation between alcohol-specific impulsive and reflective processes and changes in adolescent alcohol use. Methods: The sample consisted of 427 adolescents (47.7% male between 12 and 16 years of age (M = 13.96, SD = .78 who reported drinking alcohol at least once. Four measures of impulsive processes were included. Attentional bias for alcohol was assessed with a Visual Probe Test; approach bias toward alcohol was assessed with a Stimulus Response Compatibility Test (SRC; and memory associations with alcohol were assessed with an Implicit Association Test (IAT and a Word Association Test (WAT. Two measures of reflective measures were included: positive and negative expectancies. Working memory capacity was measured using a Self-Ordered Pointing Task (SOPT.Results: Results showed that positive expectancies predicted changes in alcohol use, but this effect was qualified by an interaction with IAT scores. Moreover, SRC scores predicted changes in alcohol use only when negative expectancies were low. Attentional bias and word association scores did not predict changes in

  8. Study of suicidal ideations, hopelessness and impulsivity in elderly

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Surbhi C Trivedi

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Aims and Objectives: This study aimed to assess the suicidal ideations, hopelessness and impulsivity in depressed and non-depressed elderly and to study the relationship of suicidal ideations with hopelessness and impulsivity in them. Materials and Methods: This cross sectional study was done on 60 elderly patients (30 cases and 30 controls above the age of 60 years. The scales used were Geriatric Suicide Ideation Scale, Beck Hopelessness Scale, Barrat′s Impulsiveness Scale, Geriatric Depression Scale. Results: Mean Geriatric Suicide Ideations Scale scores, mean Beck Hopelessness Scale scores and mean Barrat′s Impulsiveness Scale and scores of depressed elderly were higher than that of elderly who were not depressed and these differences were statistically significant. Hopelessness was a significant predictor of suicidal ideation in the entire sample as well as in the depressed and non-depressed elderly when the two groups were considered separately. Impulsivity when considered alone was a significant predictor of suicidal ideations in the entire sample. Conclusion: Hopelessness and impulsivity both by themselves are significant predictors for suicidal ideations in the elderly and when both are considered together hopelessness is a better predictor of suicidal ideations than impulsivity.

  9. Relationship between impulsivity, snack consumption and children's weight.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eline W M Scholten

    Full Text Available Childhood overweight is a public health problem associated with psychosocial and physical problems. Personality traits, such as impulsivity, may contribute to the development of overweight.This study examines 1 the association between general impulsivity traits (reward sensitivity and disinhibition and children's weight, 2 the association between impulsivity traits and unhealthy snack consumption, and 3 the potential mediating role of unhealthy snack consumption in the relationship between impulsivity traits and children's weight.Included were 1,377 parent-child dyads participating in the IVO Nutrition and Physical Activity Child cohorT (INPACT. Children had a mean age of 10 years. Parents completed a questionnaire to measure children's unhealthy snack consumption. Children completed a door-opening task to assess reward sensitivity and completed a questionnaire to measure disinhibition. Children's height and weight were measured to calculate their BMI z-scores. Cross-sectional linear regression analyses were performed to test the associations.Disinhibition was positively associated with unhealthy snack consumption but not with BMI z-scores. Reward sensitivity was not related to unhealthy snack consumption or to BMI z-scores.No evidence was found for a mediating effect of unhealthy snack consumption in the relation between impulsivity traits and children's weight. However, disinhibition appears to have a negative influence on children's unhealthy snack consumption. Future research focusing on food-related impulsivity in addition to general impulsivity will provide additional insight into factors that influence children's unhealthy snack consumption and weight.

  10. Relationship between impulsivity, snack consumption and children's weight.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scholten, Eline W M; Schrijvers, Carola T M; Nederkoorn, Chantal; Kremers, Stef P J; Rodenburg, Gerda

    2014-01-01

    Childhood overweight is a public health problem associated with psychosocial and physical problems. Personality traits, such as impulsivity, may contribute to the development of overweight. This study examines 1) the association between general impulsivity traits (reward sensitivity and disinhibition) and children's weight, 2) the association between impulsivity traits and unhealthy snack consumption, and 3) the potential mediating role of unhealthy snack consumption in the relationship between impulsivity traits and children's weight. Included were 1,377 parent-child dyads participating in the IVO Nutrition and Physical Activity Child cohorT (INPACT). Children had a mean age of 10 years. Parents completed a questionnaire to measure children's unhealthy snack consumption. Children completed a door-opening task to assess reward sensitivity and completed a questionnaire to measure disinhibition. Children's height and weight were measured to calculate their BMI z-scores. Cross-sectional linear regression analyses were performed to test the associations. Disinhibition was positively associated with unhealthy snack consumption but not with BMI z-scores. Reward sensitivity was not related to unhealthy snack consumption or to BMI z-scores. No evidence was found for a mediating effect of unhealthy snack consumption in the relation between impulsivity traits and children's weight. However, disinhibition appears to have a negative influence on children's unhealthy snack consumption. Future research focusing on food-related impulsivity in addition to general impulsivity will provide additional insight into factors that influence children's unhealthy snack consumption and weight.

  11. Individual differences in voluntary alcohol intake in rats : relationship with impulsivity, decision making and Pavlovian conditioned approach

    OpenAIRE

    Spoelder, Marcia; Flores Dourojeanni, Jacques P; de Git, Kathy C G; Baars, Annemarie M; Lesscher, Heidi M B; Vanderschuren, Louk J M J

    2017-01-01

    RATIONALE: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) has been associated with suboptimal decision making, exaggerated impulsivity, and aberrant responses to reward-paired cues, but the relationship between AUD and these behaviors is incompletely understood. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to assess decision making, impulsivity, and Pavlovian-conditioned approach in rats that voluntarily consume low (LD) or high (HD) amounts of alcohol. METHODS: LD and HD were tested in the rat gambling task (rGT) or the delayed...

  12. Mechanisms of impulsive choice: III. The role of reward processes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marshall, Andrew T.

    2015-01-01

    Two experiments examined the relationship between reward processing and impulsive choice. In Experiment 1, rats chose between a smaller-sooner (SS) reward (1 pellet, 10 s) and a larger-later (LL) reward (1, 2, and 4 pellets, 30 s). The rats then experienced concurrent variable-interval 30-s schedules with variations in reward magnitude to evaluate reward magnitude discrimination. LL choice behavior positively correlated with reward magnitude discrimination. In Experiment 2, rats chose between an SS reward (1 pellet, 10 s) and an LL reward (2 and 4 pellets, 30 s). The rats then received either a reward intervention which consisted of concurrent fixed-ratio schedules associated with different magnitudes to improve their reward magnitude discrimination, or a control task. All rats then experienced a post-intervention impulsive choice task followed by a reward magnitude discrimination task to assess intervention efficacy. The rats that received the intervention exhibited increases in post-intervention LL choice behavior, and made more responses for larger-reward magnitudes in the reward magnitude discrimination task, suggesting that the intervention heightened sensitivities to reward magnitude. The results suggest that reward magnitude discrimination plays a key role in individual differences in impulsive choice, and could be a potential target for further intervention developments. PMID:26506254

  13. The nature of impulsivity: visual exposure to natural environments decreases impulsive decision-making in a delay discounting task.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meredith S Berry

    Full Text Available The benefits of visual exposure to natural environments for human well-being in areas of stress reduction, mood improvement, and attention restoration are well documented, but the effects of natural environments on impulsive decision-making remain unknown. Impulsive decision-making in delay discounting offers generality, predictive validity, and insight into decision-making related to unhealthy behaviors. The present experiment evaluated differences in such decision-making in humans experiencing visual exposure to one of the following conditions: natural (e.g., mountains, built (e.g., buildings, or control (e.g., triangles using a delay discounting task that required participants to choose between immediate and delayed hypothetical monetary outcomes. Participants viewed the images before and during the delay discounting task. Participants were less impulsive in the condition providing visual exposure to natural scenes compared to built and geometric scenes. Results suggest that exposure to natural environments results in decreased impulsive decision-making relative to built environments.

  14. Wideband Impulse Modulation and Receiver Algorithms for Multiuser Power Line Communications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrea M. Tonello

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available We consider a bit-interleaved coded wideband impulse-modulated system for power line communications. Impulse modulation is combined with direct-sequence code-division multiple access (DS-CDMA to obtain a form of orthogonal modulation and to multiplex the users. We focus on the receiver signal processing algorithms and derive a maximum likelihood frequency-domain detector that takes into account the presence of impulse noise as well as the intercode interference (ICI and the multiple-access interference (MAI that are generated by the frequency-selective power line channel. To reduce complexity, we propose several simplified frequency-domain receiver algorithms with different complexity and performance. We address the problem of the practical estimation of the channel frequency response as well as the estimation of the correlation of the ICI-MAI-plus-noise that is needed in the detection metric. To improve the estimators performance, a simple hard feedback from the channel decoder is also used. Simulation results show that the scheme provides robust performance as a result of spreading the symbol energy both in frequency (through the wideband pulse and in time (through the spreading code and the bit-interleaved convolutional code.

  15. Impulsivity facets’ predictive relations with DSM-5 PTSD symptom clusters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roley, Michelle E.; Contractor, Ateka A.; Weiss, Nicole H.; Armour, Cherie; Elhai, Jon D.

    2017-01-01

    Objective Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has a well-established theoretical and empirical relation with impulsivity. Prior research has not used a multidimensional approach for measuring both PTSD and impulsivity constructs when assessing their relationship. Method The current study assessed the unique relationship of impulsivity facets on PTSD symptom clusters among a non-clinical sample of 412 trauma-exposed adults. Results Linear regression analyses revealed that impulsivity facets best accounted for PTSD’s arousal symptoms. The negative urgency facet of impulsivity was most predictive, as it was associated with all of PTSD’s symptom clusters. Sensation seeking did not predict PTSD’s intrusion symptoms, but did predict the other symptom clusters of PTSD. Lack of perseverance only predicted intrusion symptoms, while lack of premeditation only predicted PTSD’s mood/cognition symptoms. Conclusions Results extend theoretical and empirical research on the impulsivity-PTSD relationship, suggesting that impulsivity facets may serve as both risk and protective factors for PTSD symptoms. PMID:27243571

  16. [Impulsivity-focused Group Intervention to reduce Binge Eating Episodes in Patients with Binge Eating Disorder - A Group Training Program].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schag, Kathrin; Leehr, Elisabeth J; Skoda, Eva-Maria; Becker, Sandra; Zipfel, Stephan; Giel, Katrin E

    2016-11-01

    Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is an eating disorder where cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) could already show reliable efficacy. Relying on basic research, CBT interventions which especially focus on impulsivity could be effective, because binge eating episodes represent highly impulsive eating behaviour. For this reason, we developed a treatment concept about an impulsivity-focused behavioural group intervention for patients with BED, called IMPULS. The efficacy of IMPULS is currently investigated in a randomised controlled trial 1. IMPULS is drafted as a weekly group training programme with 5-6 participants per group. The essential interventions are food-related cue exposure with response prevention and the development of self-control strategies. These interventions are adapted onto the impulsivity concept from conventional treatment of addictive disorders and BED. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  17. Human factors in cybersecurity; examining the link between Internet addiction, impulsivity, attitudes towards cybersecurity, and risky cybersecurity behaviours

    OpenAIRE

    Lee Hadlington

    2017-01-01

    The present study explored the relationship between risky cybersecurity behaviours, attitudes towards cybersecurity in a business environment, Internet addiction, and impulsivity. 538 participants in part-time or full-time employment in the UK completed an online questionnaire, with responses from 515 being used in the data analysis. The survey included an attitude towards cybercrime and cybersecurity in business scale, a measure of impulsivity, Internet addiction and a ?risky? cybersecurity ...

  18. Effects of Strategies Marketing of Collective Buying about Impulsive Behavior

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suzi Elen Ferreira Dias

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Brazil has the second largest e-commerce market in the world. One model used in this sector is "collective buying", a feature of which is impulse sales. Consumer behavior can be influenced by several factors, two of which are addressed in this article: the individual impulsivity of consumers and strategies of mix marketing. Impulsive buying is characterized by an unplanned purchase, i.e. the need to acquire the product arises just before the purchase. Consumers respond differently to mixed strategies depending on their degree of impulsivity. Thus, this article aims to analyze the efficacy of different marketing mix strategies for impulsive and non-impulsive consumer purchasing behavior. 137 participants were given a questionnaire containing the Buying Impulsiveness scale from Rook and Fisher (1995, and statements about the marketing strategies used by collective buying sites. Through a regression analysis, three strategies were found to relate more to impulsivity: search for products from well-known brands, search for deals with big discounts and confidence in receiving the product. For e-commerce and researchers, this study elucidates which strategies, from the consumer's perspective, effectively persuade purchasing behavior.

  19. Ventral striatal D2/3 receptor availability is associated with impulsive choice behavior as well aslimbic corticostriatal connectivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barlow, Rebecca L; Gorges, Martin; Wearn, Alfie; Niessen, Heiko G; Kassubek, Jan; Dalley, Jeffrey W; Pekcec, Anton

    2018-03-15

    Low dopamine D2/3 receptor availability in the nucleus accumbens (NAcb) shell is associated with highly-impulsive behavior in rats, as measured by premature responses in a cued attentional task. However, it is unclear whether dopamine D2/3 receptor availability in the NAcb is equally linked to intolerance for delayed rewards, a related form of impulsivity. We investigated the relationship between D2/3 receptor availability in the NAcb and impulsivity in a delay-discounting task (DDT) where animals must choose between immediate small-magnitude rewards and delayed larger-magnitude rewards. Corticostriatal D2/3 receptor availability was measured in rats stratified for high-, and low-impulsivity using in-vivo [18F]fallypride positron emission tomography (PET) and ex-vivo [3H]raclopride autoradiography. Resting-state functional connectivity in limbic corticostriatal networks was also assessed using fMRI. DDT impulsivity was inversely related to D2/3 receptor availability in the NAcb core but not the dorsal striatum with higher D2/3 binding in the NAcb shell of high-impulsive rats compared with low-impulsive rats. D2/3 receptor availability was associated with stronger connectivity between the cingulate cortex and hippocampus of high versus low impulsive rats. We conclude that DDT impulsivity is associated with low D2/3 receptor binding in the NAcb core. Thus two related forms of waiting impulsivity - premature responding and delay intolerance in a delay-of-reward task - implicate an involvement of D2/3 receptor availability in the NAcb shell and core, respectively. This dissociation may be causal or consequential to enhanced functional connectivity of limbic brain circuitry and hold relevance for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, drug addiction and other psychiatric disorders.

  20. Influence of demographic and individual difference factors on impulse buying

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mirela Mihić

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available The main purpose of the paper is to determine the correlation of consumers’ demographic or socioeconomic characteristics and individual difference factors on the impulse buying behavior with respect to a number of single impulsivity indicators and one collective indicator. The paper consists of theoretical and research aspects. The first part encompasses theoretical insights into the secondary research regarding impulse buying while the practical part presents the methodology and primary research results. With respect to the subject matter, research goals as well as previous findings and primary research results, corresponding hypotheses were set and mainly confirmed. The results showed that demographic factors, such as the age and working status, are related to most impulse buying indicators and to the impulsivity collective indicator. However, household income produced opposite results. Household income proved to have no major influence on the majority of impulse buying indicators but to be related noticeably to the collective impulsivity indicator, indicating that this result should be regarded with caution. Research results also pointed to the fact that the majority of individual indicators (innovativeness, tendency to the fashionable and shopping enjoyment are positively and negatively related to the impulse buying behavior and that individual difference factors have a greater influence on impulse buying than do demographic characteristics. The paper also summarizes research limitations as well as the work contribution and future research guidelines.

  1. Trait impulsivity is associated with the risk of falls in Parkinson's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smulders, Katrijn; Esselink, Rianne A; Cools, Roshan; Bloem, Bastiaan R

    2014-01-01

    Impulsivity is a "tendency to act prematurely without foresight." Clinical experience suggests that such impulsive behavior can impact on the fall risk in Parkinson's disease (PD), but this has never been tested. We investigated whether trait impulsivity is related to fall risk in a large cohort of PD patients. We also investigated whether trait impulsivity affects the fall risk differently for patients with more or less postural instability and gait disability (PIGD). 388 patients with PD (H&Y ≤ 3) completed the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11, higher scores indicating greater impulsivity) to assess trait impulsivity, including three subscales: motor impulsivity (e.g. "I do things without thinking"), attentional impulsivity (e.g. "I concentrate easily") and non-planning (e.g. "I plan tasks carefully"). Falls were registered prospectively for 6 months. Patients classified as non-fallers (0 falls, n = 237) were compared to recurrent PD fallers (>1 fall, n = 78). Total impulsivity scores were higher for recurrent fallers (59.5) compared to non-fallers (56.8; p = .012). This effect was predominantly driven by higher scores on the subscale for attentional impulsivity (p = .003). The difference in attentional impulsivity was independent of gender, disease severity, dopaminergic medication, and cognitive function. Motor and non-planning impulsivity did not differ between recurrent fallers and non-fallers. There was no evidence that impulsivity modulated the association between PIGD and fall risk. This is the first evidence that impulsivity, in particular in the attentional domain, is related to fall risk in PD.

  2. Integrative Understanding of Familial Impulsivity, Early Adversity and Suicide Risk

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Isabela M. M. Lima

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Impulsivity is a core characteristic of bipolar disorder and it was observed as elevated in individuals with the disorder and in their relatives. Both impulsivity and history of maltreatment are risk factors for suicide attempts, however, these two key variables may not be independent, given the fact that parental impulsivity and associated social context could increase the risk of child maltreatment. In this study it was examined the association between the impulsivity of relatives and child maltreatment taking into consideration the conjoint and unique effects of these two variables on the risk of suicide attempts among the patients.Materials and Methods: Participants of the study consisted of 117 patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder and 25 first-degree relatives. Linear regression model was conducted to describe associations between facets of impulsivity of relatives and levels of child maltreatment reported by patients. The independent associations of suicide attempt history with the dimensions of impulsivity of the patient and maltreatment were tested by multinomial logistic regression.Results: Impulsivity of relatives and, more specifically, inhibitory control can predict the maltreatment of the patient. Inhibitory control and emotional abuse were related, conjointly, to a greater likelihood of having a history of more than one suicide attempt.Discussion: Considering that the impulsivity of relatives predicts child maltreatment, it is possible that a genetically shared impulsivity is an underlying feature associated with the history of multiple suicide attempts. These findings highlight the importance of considering child maltreatment, impulsivity and suicide attempt history in integrative models.

  3. Integrative Understanding of Familial Impulsivity, Early Adversity and Suicide Risk.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lima, Isabela M M; Malloy-Diniz, Leandro F; de Miranda, Débora M; Da Silva, Antônio G; Neves, Fernando S; Johnson, Sheri L

    2017-01-01

    Introduction: Impulsivity is a core characteristic of bipolar disorder and it was observed as elevated in individuals with the disorder and in their relatives. Both impulsivity and history of maltreatment are risk factors for suicide attempts, however, these two key variables may not be independent, given the fact that parental impulsivity and associated social context could increase the risk of child maltreatment. In this study it was examined the association between the impulsivity of relatives and child maltreatment taking into consideration the conjoint and unique effects of these two variables on the risk of suicide attempts among the patients. Materials and Methods: Participants of the study consisted of 117 patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder and 25 first-degree relatives. Linear regression model was conducted to describe associations between facets of impulsivity of relatives and levels of child maltreatment reported by patients. The independent associations of suicide attempt history with the dimensions of impulsivity of the patient and maltreatment were tested by multinomial logistic regression. Results: Impulsivity of relatives and, more specifically, inhibitory control can predict the maltreatment of the patient. Inhibitory control and emotional abuse were related, conjointly, to a greater likelihood of having a history of more than one suicide attempt. Discussion: Considering that the impulsivity of relatives predicts child maltreatment, it is possible that a genetically shared impulsivity is an underlying feature associated with the history of multiple suicide attempts. These findings highlight the importance of considering child maltreatment, impulsivity and suicide attempt history in integrative models.

  4. Boundary conditions of the exact impulse wave function

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gravielle, M.; Miraglia, J.E.

    1997-01-01

    The behavior of the exact impulse wave function is investigated at intermediate and high impact energies. Numerical details of the wave function and its perturbative potential are reported. We conclude that the impulse wave function does not tend to the proper Coulomb asymptotic limit. For electron capture, however, it is shown that the impulse wave function produces reliable probabilities even for intermediate velocities and symmetric collision systems. copyright 1997 The American Physical Society

  5. Modeling Impulse and Non-Impulse Store Choice Processes in a Multi-Agent Simulation of Pedestrian Activity in Shopping Environments

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dijkstra, J.; Timmermans, H.J.P.; Vries, de B.; Timmermans, H.J.P.

    2009-01-01

    This chapter presents a multi-agent approach for modeling impulse and non-impulse store choice processes of pedestrian activity in shopping environments. The pedestrian simulation context will be discussed as well as the behavioral principles underlying the store choice processes. For these

  6. The Influence of Online Store Beliefs towards Impulse Buying (Study on Elevania.co.id

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Citra Kusuma Dewi

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available The rapid development of information technology brings a great impact to all aspects, including the development of business and marketing. The rapid growth of internet user makes online business becomes a potential market. One of the factors that determine the success of an online business is consumer beliefs to an online store. The purpose of this study is to determine the influence of online stores beliefs towards impulse buying on elevenia consumers. This study was conducted on elevenia consumers who have shopped at elevenia.co.id. Sample size of 100 people with purposive sampling method. Data was collected through questionnaires using a 5 point Likert scale to measure 11 indicators. The analysis technique is multiple linear regression. The research found that the online store beliefs variable consist of functional convenience beliefs and representation delight, simultaneously influence impulse buying on elevenia consumers.While in partial functional convenience beliefs variable have no influence towards impulse buying on elevenia consumers.

  7. Improving optical properties of silicon nitride films to be applied in the middle infrared optics by a combined high-power impulse/unbalanced magnetron sputtering deposition technique.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liao, Bo-Huei; Hsiao, Chien-Nan

    2014-02-01

    Silicon nitride films are prepared by a combined high-power impulse/unbalanced magnetron sputtering (HIPIMS/UBMS) deposition technique. Different unbalance coefficients and pulse on/off ratios are applied to improve the optical properties of the silicon nitride films. The refractive indices of the Si3N4 films vary from 2.17 to 2.02 in the wavelength ranges of 400-700 nm, and all the extinction coefficients are smaller than 1×10(-4). The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and x-ray diffractometry measurements reveal the amorphous structure of the Si3N4 films with extremely low hydrogen content and very low absorption between the near IR and middle IR ranges. Compared to other deposition techniques, Si3N4 films deposited by the combined HIPIMS/UBMS deposition technique possess the highest refractive index, the lowest extinction coefficient, and excellent structural properties. Finally a four-layer coating is deposited on both sides of a silicon substrate. The average transmittance from 3200 to 4800 nm is 99.0%, and the highest transmittance is 99.97% around 4200 nm.

  8. Cooperation and stability through periodic impulses.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bo-Yu Zhang

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available Basic games, where each individual chooses between two strategies, illustrate several issues that immediately emerge from the standard approach that applies strategic reasoning, based on rational decisions, to predict population behavior where no rationality is assumed. These include how mutual cooperation (which corresponds to the best outcome from the population perspective can evolve when the only individually rational choice is to defect, illustrated by the Prisoner's Dilemma (PD game, and how individuals can randomize between two strategies when neither is individually rational, illustrated by the Battle of the Sexes (BS game that models male-female conflict over parental investment in offspring. We examine these questions from an evolutionary perspective where the evolutionary dynamics includes an impulsive effect that models sudden changes in collective population behavior. For the PD game, we show analytically that cooperation can either coexist with defection or completely take over the population, depending on the strength of the impulse. By extending these results for the PD game, we also show that males and females each evolve to a single strategy in the BS game when the impulsive effect is strong and that weak impulses stabilize the randomized strategies of this game.

  9. Data-driven analysis of simultaneous EEG/fMRI reveals neurophysiological phenotypes of impulse control.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmüser, Lena; Sebastian, Alexandra; Mobascher, Arian; Lieb, Klaus; Feige, Bernd; Tüscher, Oliver

    2016-09-01

    Response inhibition is the ability to suppress inadequate but prepotent or ongoing response tendencies. A fronto-striatal network is involved in these processes. Between-subject differences in the intra-individual variability have been suggested to constitute a key to pathological processes underlying impulse control disorders. Single-trial EEG/fMRI analysis allows to increase sensitivity for inter-individual differences by incorporating intra-individual variability. Thirty-eight healthy subjects performed a visual Go/Nogo task during simultaneous EEG/fMRI. Of 38 healthy subjects, 21 subjects reliably showed Nogo-related ICs (Nogo-IC-positive) while 17 subjects (Nogo-IC-negative) did not. Comparing both groups revealed differences on various levels: On trait level, Nogo-IC-negative subjects scored higher on questionnaires regarding attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder; on a behavioral level, they displayed slower response times (RT) and higher intra-individual RT variability while both groups did not differ in their inhibitory performance. On the neurophysiological level, Nogo-IC-negative subjects showed a hyperactivation of left inferior frontal cortex/insula and left putamen as well as significantly reduced P3 amplitudes. Thus, a data-driven approach for IC classification and the resulting presence or absence of early Nogo-specific ICs as criterion for group selection revealed group differences at behavioral and neurophysiological levels. This may indicate electrophysiological phenotypes characterized by inter-individual variations of neural and behavioral correlates of impulse control. We demonstrated that the inter-individual difference in an electrophysiological correlate of response inhibition is correlated with distinct, potentially compensatory neural activity. This may suggest the existence of electrophysiologically dissociable phenotypes of behavioral and neural motor response inhibition with the Nogo-IC-positive phenotype possibly providing

  10. Self-reported impulsivity and inhibitory control in problem gamblers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lorains, Felicity K; Stout, Julie C; Bradshaw, John L; Dowling, Nicki A; Enticott, Peter G

    2014-01-01

    Impulsivity is considered a core feature of problem gambling; however, self-reported impulsivity and inhibitory control may reflect disparate constructs. We examined self-reported impulsivity and inhibitory control in 39 treatment-seeking problem gamblers and 41 matched controls using a range of self-report questionnaires and laboratory inhibitory control tasks. We also investigated differences between treatment-seeking problem gamblers who prefer strategic (e.g., sports betting) and nonstrategic (e.g., electronic gaming machines) gambling activities. Treatment-seeking problem gamblers demonstrated elevated self-reported impulsivity, more go errors on the Stop Signal Task, and a lower gap score on the Random Number Generation task than matched controls. However, overall we did not find strong evidence that treatment-seeking problem gamblers are more impulsive on laboratory inhibitory control measures. Furthermore, strategic and nonstrategic problem gamblers did not differ from their respective controls on either self-reported impulsivity questionnaires or laboratory inhibitory control measures. Contrary to expectations, our results suggest that inhibitory dyscontrol may not be a key component for some treatment-seeking problem gamblers.

  11. Investigation of solutions of state-dependent multi-impulsive boundary value problems

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Rontó, András; Rachůnková, I.; Rontó, M.; Rachůnek, L.

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 24, č. 2 (2017), s. 287-312 ISSN 1072-947X R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA14-06958S Institutional support: RVO:67985840 Keywords : state-dependent multi-impulsive systems * non-linear boundary value problem * parametrization technique Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics OBOR OECD: Applied mathematics Impact factor: 0.290, year: 2016 https://www.degruyter.com/view/j/gmj.2017.24.issue-2/gmj-2016-0084/gmj-2016-0084. xml

  12. Investigation of solutions of state-dependent multi-impulsive boundary value problems

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Rontó, András; Rachůnková, I.; Rontó, M.; Rachůnek, L.

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 24, č. 2 (2017), s. 287-312 ISSN 1072-947X R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA14-06958S Institutional support: RVO:67985840 Keywords : state-dependent multi-impulsive systems * non-linear boundary value problem * parametrization technique Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics OBOR OECD: Applied mathematics Impact factor: 0.290, year: 2016 https://www.degruyter.com/view/j/gmj.2017.24.issue-2/gmj-2016-0084/gmj-2016-0084.xml

  13. Losing control: assaultive behavior as a predictor of impulse control disorders in young adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leppink, Eric; Odlaug, Brian L; Lust, Katherine; Christenson, Gary; Derbyshire, Katherine; Grant, Jon E

    2014-11-01

    Assaultive behaviors are common among young people and have been associated with a range of other unhealthy, impulsive behaviors such as substance use and problem gambling. This study sought to determine the predictive ability of single assaultive incidents for impulse control disorders, an association that has yet to be examined, especially in young adults. The authors conducted a university-wide email survey in the spring of 2011 on 6000 university students. The survey examined assaultive behavior and associated mental health variables (using a clinically validated screening instrument, the Minnesota Impulsive Disorders Interview), stress and mood states, and psychosocial functioning. The rate of response was 35.1% (n=2108). 109 (5.9%) participants reported that they had assaulted another person or destroyed property at some time in their lives. Compared with respondents without lifetime assaultive behavior, those with a history of assaultive or destructive behavior reported more depressive symptoms, more stress, and higher rates of a range of impulse control disorders (intermittent explosive disorder, compulsive sexual behavior, compulsive buying, and skin picking disorder). Assaultive behavior appears fairly common among college students and is associated with symptoms of depression and impulse control disorders. Significant distress and diminished behavioral control suggest that assaultive behaviors may often be associated with significant morbidity. Additional research is needed to develop specific prevention and treatment strategies for young adults attending college who report problems with assaultive behaviors. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Unified synchronization criteria in an array of coupled neural networks with hybrid impulses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Nan; Li, Xuechen; Lu, Jianquan; Alsaadi, Fuad E

    2018-05-01

    This paper investigates the problem of globally exponential synchronization of coupled neural networks with hybrid impulses. Two new concepts on average impulsive interval and average impulsive gain are proposed to deal with the difficulties coming from hybrid impulses. By employing the Lyapunov method combined with some mathematical analysis, some efficient unified criteria are obtained to guarantee the globally exponential synchronization of impulsive networks. Our method and criteria are proved to be effective for impulsively coupled neural networks simultaneously with synchronizing impulses and desynchronizing impulses, and we do not need to discuss these two kinds of impulses separately. Moreover, by using our average impulsive interval method, we can obtain an interesting and valuable result for the case of average impulsive interval T a =∞. For some sparse impulsive sequences with T a =∞, the impulses can happen for infinite number of times, but they do not have essential influence on the synchronization property of networks. Finally, numerical examples including scale-free networks are exploited to illustrate our theoretical results. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Do Executive Function and Impulsivity Predict Adolescent Health Behaviour after Accounting for Intelligence? Findings from the ALSPAC Cohort.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stautz, Kaidy; Pechey, Rachel; Couturier, Dominique-Laurent; Deary, Ian J; Marteau, Theresa M

    2016-01-01

    Executive function, impulsivity, and intelligence are correlated markers of cognitive resource that predict health-related behaviours. It is unknown whether executive function and impulsivity are unique predictors of these behaviours after accounting for intelligence. Data from 6069 participants from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children were analysed to investigate whether components of executive function (selective attention, attentional control, working memory, and response inhibition) and impulsivity (parent-rated) measured between ages 8 and 10, predicted having ever drunk alcohol, having ever smoked, fruit and vegetable consumption, physical activity, and overweight at age 13, after accounting for intelligence at age 8 and childhood socioeconomic characteristics. Higher intelligence predicted having drunk alcohol, not smoking, greater fruit and vegetable consumption, and not being overweight. After accounting for intelligence, impulsivity predicted alcohol use (odds ratio = 1.10; 99% confidence interval = 1.02, 1.19) and smoking (1.22; 1.11, 1.34). Working memory predicted not being overweight (0.90; 0.81, 0.99). After accounting for intelligence, executive function predicts overweight status but not health-related behaviours in early adolescence, whilst impulsivity predicts the onset of alcohol and cigarette use, all with small effects. This suggests overlap between executive function and intelligence as predictors of health behaviour in this cohort, with trait impulsivity accounting for additional variance.

  16. Gender and Impulsivity: Effects on Cue-Induced Alcohol Craving.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yarmush, Devorah E; Manchery, Linda; Luehring-Jones, Peter; Erblich, Joel

    2016-05-01

    Numerous studies have demonstrated that trait impulsivity is linked to increased risk of developing alcohol-use disorders and other substance abuse. Impulsivity has also been shown in some studies to potentiate cue-induced drug cravings. Despite considerable evidence of gender differences in impulsivity and drug craving among individuals suffering from alcohol dependence and other drug use, little research has focused on these processes in healthy young men and women who may be at risk for developing alcohol-use disorders. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between impulsivity and cue-induced craving, as well as possible gender differences in these effects among healthy young adults. To that end, female (n = 22) and male (n = 14) social drinkers aged 18 to 25, recruited from an urban university campus, completed the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale and reported their alcohol cravings immediately before and after laboratory exposure to alcohol cues. Findings indicated that exposure to cues elicited increased alcohol cravings, but these effects did not differ by gender. Interestingly, a significant interaction of impulsivity and gender revealed that impulsivity predicted significantly higher cue-induced cravings in women, but not men. Findings underscore the importance of better understanding the interaction of situational factors (e.g., exposure to alcohol cues) and dispositional factors (e.g., impulsivity) as potential contributors to drinking motivation. Future prospective research is needed to identify gender-specific risk factors for the development of problem drinking. Copyright © 2016 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

  17. Obesity and dissociable forms of impulsivity in young adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chamberlain, Samuel R; Derbyshire, Katherine L; Leppink, Eric; Grant, Jon E

    2015-10-01

    Obesity is one of the leading causes of preventable morbidity and mortality, and young people are increasingly affected. The aim of this study was to examine relationships between obesity and dissociable forms of impulsivity in young adults. A group of young adults (511) was recruited from city areas in the United States using media advertisements. These young adults were administered careful and extensive clinical and neurocognitive assessment in order to quantify different aspects of impulsivity (behavioral/phenomenological-, cognitive-, and personality-related measures). Associations between obesity and impulsivity were explored using multivariate analysis of variance and discriminant function analysis. 10.8% of the sample was obese, and 21.5% was overweight. Compared to controls, subjects with obesity showed significantly elevated rates of maladaptive gambling behaviors, monetary amounts lost to gambling, nicotine consumption, impulsive action (prolonged stop-signal reaction times in the Stop-Signal Test), and impulsive decision-making (reduced modulation of behavior as a function of risk in the Cambridge Gamble Test). Even accounting for potential confounding variables, obesity was significantly predicted by female gender, older age, more maladaptive gambling behaviors, and worse inhibitory control (stop-signal reaction times). Obesity is associated with several dissociable forms of impulsivity in young people, especially gambling and impulse dyscontrol. Family doctors should screen for gambling problems in obese young adults. Successful treatment of nicotine dependence in young obese people is likely to require intensive weight management support. Neuropsychological deficits relating to impulsivity occur in obese people in early adulthood, and may represent vulnerability markers rather than being due to chronic untoward metabolic effects on brain function.

  18. Frequency modulation television analysis: Threshold impulse analysis. [with computer program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hodge, W. H.

    1973-01-01

    A computer program is developed to calculate the FM threshold impulse rates as a function of the carrier-to-noise ratio for a specified FM system. The system parameters and a vector of 1024 integers, representing the probability density of the modulating voltage, are required as input parameters. The computer program is utilized to calculate threshold impulse rates for twenty-four sets of measured probability data supplied by NASA and for sinusoidal and Gaussian modulating waveforms. As a result of the analysis several conclusions are drawn: (1) The use of preemphasis in an FM television system improves the threshold by reducing the impulse rate. (2) Sinusoidal modulation produces a total impulse rate which is a practical upper bound for the impulse rates of TV signals providing the same peak deviations. (3) As the moment of the FM spectrum about the center frequency of the predetection filter increases, the impulse rate tends to increase. (4) A spectrum having an expected frequency above (below) the center frequency of the predetection filter produces a higher negative (positive) than positive (negative) impulse rate.

  19. Study of Influencing Factors on ConsumerOnline Impulse Buying

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    2015-01-01

    The convenience and anonymity of online shopping have stimulated people's impulse buying tendency. Impulse buying is notonly a competitive method for businesses, but also a crucial factor influencing sales of e-commerce. Based on a systematic reviewof literatures, this paper explores factors affecting the online impulse buying. Moreover, by using the S-O-R model, this paperdescribes the formation mechanism of the online impulse buying behavior. At Last, it points out issues worthy of future studies.For example, this paper suggests to take into consideration of sociocultural impact and to put more emphasis on empirical studies.

  20. Integrative Understanding of Familial Impulsivity, Early Adversity and Suicide Risk

    OpenAIRE

    Lima, Isabela M. M.; Malloy-Diniz, Leandro F.; de Miranda, Débora M.; Da Silva, Antônio G.; Neves, Fernando S.; Johnson, Sheri L.

    2017-01-01

    Introduction: Impulsivity is a core characteristic of bipolar disorder and it was observed as elevated in individuals with the disorder and in their relatives. Both impulsivity and history of maltreatment are risk factors for suicide attempts, however, these two key variables may not be independent, given the fact that parental impulsivity and associated social context could increase the risk of child maltreatment. In this study it was examined the association between the impulsivity of relat...

  1. Impulse control disorders are associated with multiple psychiatric symptoms in Parkinson's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaakkola, Elina; Kaasinen, Valtteri; Siri, Chiara; Martikainen, Kirsti; Cilia, Roberto; Niemelä, Solja; Joutsa, Juho

    2014-01-01

    Impulse control disorders can have serious adverse consequences to the life of a patient with Parkinson's disease. Although impulse control disorders are common, a possible psychiatric comorbidity has not been fully characterized. The aim of this study was to investigate the psychiatric symptoms exhibited by Parkinson's disease patients with impulse control disorders. The study was conducted as a postal survey to patients in the registry of the Finnish Parkinson Association. A total of 290 Parkinson's disease patients were evaluated for impulse control disorders using the Questionnaire for Impulsive-Compulsive Disorders in Parkinson's Disease. Psychiatric symptoms were systematically screened using the Symptom Checklist 90. We found that 108 of the evaluated patients had one or more impulse control disorders. Patients with impulse control disorders had markedly higher scores for symptoms of psychoticism (Bonferroni corrected p disorder (p impulse control disorders. Impulse control disorders were shown to be independently associated with these symptoms. Patients with multiple impulse control disorders had higher scores for depression and obsessive-compulsive symptoms when compared with patients that exhibited only one impulse control disorder. COUNCLUSIONS: Our results confirm the previous observations that impulse control disorders in Parkinson's disease are linked with multiple psychiatric symptoms, including psychoticism, interpersonal sensitivity, obsessive-compulsive symptoms and depression. Clinicians treating these patients should acknowledge the concomitant psychiatric symptoms.

  2. Status and developing of nuclear emergency response techniques in China

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jiangang, Zhang; Bing, Zhao; Rongyao, Tang; Xiaoxiao, Xu

    2008-01-01

    Full text: Nuclear Emergency preparedness and response in China is consistent with international basic principle of nuclear safety and emergency response. Nuclear emergency response techniques in China developed with nuclear power from 1980s. The status of nuclear emergency techniques in China are: 1) China have plentiful experiences and abilities in the fields of nuclear facility emergency planning and preparedness, nuclear accident consequence assessment, emergency monitoring, and emergency advisory; 2) Emergency assistance ability in China has a foundation, however it cannot satisfy national requirement; 3) Emergency planning and preparedness is not based on hazard assessment; 4) Remote monitoring and robot techniques in not adaptable to the requirements of nuclear emergency response; 5) A consistent emergency assessment system is lack in China. In this paper, it is analyzed what is the developing focal points of nuclear emergency response techniques in China, and it is proposed that the main points are: a) To develop the research of emergency preparedness on the base of hazard analysis; b) To improve remote monitoring and robot ability during nuclear emergency; c) To develop the response technique research with anti-terrorism. (author)

  3. Mood instability and impulsivity as trait predictors of suicidal thoughts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peters, Evyn M; Balbuena, Lloyd; Marwaha, Steven; Baetz, Marilyn; Bowen, Rudy

    2016-12-01

    Impulsivity, the tendency to act quickly without adequate planning or concern for consequences, is a commonly cited risk factor for suicidal thoughts and behaviour. There are many definitions of impulsivity and how it relates to suicidality is not well understood. Mood instability, which describes frequent fluctuations of mood over time, is a concept related to impulsivity that may help explain this relationship. The purpose of this study was to determine whether impulsivity could predict suicidal thoughts after controlling for mood instability. This study utilized longitudinal data from the 2000 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (N = 2,406). There was a time interval of 18 months between the two waves of the study. Trait impulsivity and mood instability were measured with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II Personality Disorders. Logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate baseline impulsivity and mood instability as predictors of future suicidal thoughts. Impulsivity significantly predicted the presence of suicidal thoughts, but this effect became non-significant with mood instability included in the same model. Impulsivity may be a redundant concept when predicting future suicidal thoughts if mood instability is considered. The significance is that research and therapy focusing on mood instability along with impulsivity may be useful in treating the suicidal patient. Mood instability and impulsivity both predict future suicidal thoughts. Impulsivity does not predict suicidal thoughts after controlling for mood instability. Assessing and treating mood instability could be important aspects of suicide prevention and risk management. © 2015 The British Psychological Society.

  4. On some impulsive fractional differential equations in Banach spaces

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    JinRong Wang

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper deals with some impulsive fractional differential equations in Banach spaces. Utilizing the Leray-Schauder fixed point theorem and the impulsive nonlinear singular version of the Gronwall inequality, the existence of \\(PC\\-mild solutions for some fractional differential equations with impulses are obtained under some easily checked conditions. At last, an example is given for demonstration.

  5. Owner reports of attention, activity, and impulsivity in dogs: a replication study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iosif Ana-Maria

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background When developing behaviour measurement tools that use third party assessments, such as parent report, it is important to demonstrate reliability of resulting scales through replication using novel cohorts. The domestic dog has been suggested as a model to investigate normal variation in attention, hyperactivity, and impulsive behaviours impaired in Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD. The human ADHD Rating Scale, modified for dogs and using owner-directed surveys, was applied in a European sample. We asked whether findings would be replicated utilizing an Internet survey in a novel sample, where unassisted survey completion, participant attitudes and breeds might affect previous findings. Methods Using a slightly modified version of the prior survey, we collected responses (n = 1030, 118 breeds representing 7 breed groups primarily in the United States and Canada. This study was conducted using an Internet survey mechanism. Results Reliability analyses confirmed two scales previously identified for dogs (inattention [IA], hyperactivity-impulsivity [HA-IM]. Models including age, training status, and breed group accounted for very little variance in subscales, with no effect of gender. Conclusions The factor invariance demonstrated in these findings confirms that owner report, using this modified human questionnaire, provides dog scores according to "inattention" and "hyperactivity-impulsivity" axes. Further characterization of naturally occurring variability of attention, activity, and impulsivity in domestic dogs may provide insight into genetic backgrounds underlying behaviours impaired in attention and associated disorders.

  6. Effects of the Strain Rate Sensitivity and Strain Hardening on the Saturated Impulse of Plates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ling Zhu

    Full Text Available Abstract This paper studies the stiffening effects of the material strain rate sensitivity and strain hardening on the saturated impulse of elastic, perfectly plastic plates. Finite element (FE code ABAQUS is employed to simulate the elastoplastic response of square plates under rectangular pressure pulse. Rigid-plastic analyses for saturated impulse, which consider strain rate sensitivity and strain hardening, are conducted. Satisfactory agreement between the finite element models (FEM and predictions of the rigid-plastic analysis is obtained, which verifies that the proposed rigid-plastic methods are effective to solve the problem including strain rate sensitivity and strain hardening. The quantitative results for the scale effect of the strain rate sensitivity are given. The results for the stiffening effects suggest that two general stiffening factors n 1 and n 2, which characterizes the strain rate sensitivity and strain hardening effect, respectively can be defined. The saturated displacement is inversely proportional to the stiffening factors (i.e. n 1 and n 2 and saturated impulse is inversely proportional to the square roots of the stiffening factors (i.e. n 1 and n 2. Formulae for displacement and saturated impulse are proposed based on the empirical analysis.

  7. Impulsive synchronisation of a class of fractional-order hyperchaotic systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Xing-Yuan; Zhang Yong-Lei; Lin Da; Zhang Na

    2011-01-01

    In this paper, an impulsive synchronisation scheme for a class of fractional-order hyperchaotic systems is proposed. The sufficient conditions of a class of integral-order hyperchaotic systems' impulsive synchronisation are illustrated. Furthermore, we apply the sufficient conditions to a class of fractional-order hyperchaotic systems and well achieve impulsive synchronisation of these fractional-order hyperchaotic systems, thereby extending the applicable scope of impulsive synchronisation. Numerical simulations further demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed scheme. (general)

  8. Trait Impulsivity and Anhedonia: Two Gateways for the Development of Impulse Control Disorders in Parkinson's Disease?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Houeto, Jean-Luc; Magnard, Robin; Dalley, Jeffrey W; Belin, David; Carnicella, Sebastien

    2016-01-01

    Apathy and impulsivity are two major comorbid syndromes of Parkinson's disease (PD) that may represent two extremes of a behavioral spectrum modulated by dopamine-dependent processes. PD is characterized by a progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta to which are attributed the cardinal motor symptoms of the disorder. Dopamine replacement therapy (DRT), used widely to treat these motor symptoms, is often associated with deficits in hedonic processing and motivation, including apathy and depression, as well as impulse control disorders (ICDs). ICDs comprise pathological gambling, hypersexuality, compulsive shopping, binge eating, compulsive overuse of dopaminergic medication, and punding. More frequently observed in males with early onset PD, ICDs are associated not only with comorbid affective symptoms, such as depression and anxiety, but also with behavioral traits, such as novelty seeking and impulsivity, as well as with personal or familial history of alcohol use. This constellation of associated risk factors highlights the importance of inter-individual differences in the vulnerability to develop comorbid psychiatric disorders in PD patients. Additionally, withdrawal from DRT in patients with ICDs frequently unmasks a severe apathetic state, suggesting that apathy and ICDs may be caused by overlapping neurobiological mechanisms within the cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical networks. We suggest that altered hedonic and impulse control processes represent distinct prodromal substrates for the development of these psychiatric symptoms, the etiopathogenic mechanisms of which remain unknown. Specifically, we argue that deficits in hedonic and motivational states and impulse control are mediated by overlapping, yet dissociable, neural mechanisms that differentially interact with DRT to promote the emergence of ICDs in vulnerable individuals. Thus, we provide a novel heuristic framework for basic and clinical research to better

  9. Trait impulsivity and anhedonia: two gateways for the development of impulse control disorders in Parkinson's disease?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jean-Luc eHoueto

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Apathy and impulsivity are two major comorbid syndromes of Parkinson’s disease (PD that may represent two extremes of a behavioral spectrum modulated by dopamine-dependent processes. PD is characterized by a progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta to which are attributed the cardinal motor symptoms of the disorder. Dopamine replacement therapy (DRT, used widely to treat these motor symptoms, is often associated with deficits in hedonic processing and motivation, including apathy and depression, as well as impulse control disorders (ICDs. ICDs comprise pathological gambling, hypersexuality, compulsive shopping, binge eating, compulsive overuse of dopaminergic medication, and punding. More frequently observed in males with early onset PD, ICDs are associated not only with co-morbid affective symptoms such as depression and anxiety, but also with behavioral traits such as novelty seeking and impulsivity, as well as with personal or familial history of alcohol use. This constellation of associated risk factors highlights the importance of inter-individual differences in the vulnerability to develop comorbid psychiatric disorders in PD patients. Additionally, withdrawal from DRT in patients with ICDs frequently unmasks a severe apathetic state, suggesting that apathy and ICDs may be caused by overlapping neurobiological mechanisms within the cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical networks. We suggest that altered hedonic and impulse control processes represent distinct prodromal substrates for the development of these psychiatric symptoms, the etiopathogenic mechanisms of which remain unknown. Specifically, we argue that deficits in hedonic and motivational states and impulse control are mediated by overlapping, yet dissociable, neural mechanisms that differentially interact with DRT to promote the emergence of ICDs in vulnerable individuals. We thus provide a novel heuristic framework for basic and clinical

  10. STRICT STABILITY OF IMPULSIVE SET VALUED DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    2011-01-01

    In this paper, we develop strict stability concepts of ODE to impulsive hybrid set valued differential equations. By Lyapunov’s original method, we get some basic strict stability criteria of impulsive hybrid set valued equations.

  11. Executive (dys)functioning and impulsivity as possible vulnerability factors for aggression in forensic patients

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Tonnaer, F.; Cima, M.; Arntz, A.R.

    2016-01-01

    This study investigated whether executive dysfunction and impulsivity are both predictors of reactive aggression and is the first to use behavioral assessment of aggression in response to provocation by means of a personalized boxing body opponent bag giving harassing feedback. Aggressive behavior,

  12. Impulsivity, gender, and the platelet serotonin transporter in healthy subjects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Donatella Marazziti

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Donatella Marazziti, Stefano Baroni, Irene Masala, Francesca Golia, Giorgio Consoli, Gabriele Massimetti, Michela Picchetti, Mario Catena Dell’Osso, Gino Giannaccini, Laura Betti, Antonio Lucacchini, Antonio CiapparelliDipartimento di Psichiatria, Neurobiologia, Farmacologia e Biotecnologie, University of Pisa, Pisa, ItalyAbstract: The present study explored the possible relationships between impulsivity, gender, and a peripheral serotonergic marker, the platelet serotonin (5-HT transporter (SERT, in a group of 32 healthy subjects. The impulsivity was measured by means of the Barratt Impulsivity Scale, version 11 (BIS-11, a widely used self-report questionnaire, and the platelet SERT was evaluated by means of the specific binding of 3H-paroxetine (3H-Par to platelet membranes, according to standardized protocols. The results showed that women had a higher BIS-11 total score than men, and also higher scores of two factors of the same scale: the motor impulsivity and the cognitive complexity. The analysis of the correlations revealed that the density of the SERT proteins, as measured by the maximum binding capacity (Bmax of 3H-Par, was significantly and positively related to the cognitive complexity factor, but only in men. Men showed also a significant and negative correlation with the dissociation constant, Kd, of (3H-Par binding, and the motor impulsivity factor. These findings suggest that women are generally more impulsive than men, but that the 5-HT system is more involved in the impulsivity of men than in that of women.Keywords: impulsivity, gender, serotonin transporter, Barratt Impulsivity Scale, platelets, 3H-paroxetine

  13. Probing thermomechanics at the nanoscale: impulsively excited pseudosurface acoustic waves in hypersonic phononic crystals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nardi, Damiano; Travagliati, Marco; Siemens, Mark E; Li, Qing; Murnane, Margaret M; Kapteyn, Henry C; Ferrini, Gabriele; Parmigiani, Fulvio; Banfi, Francesco

    2011-10-12

    High-frequency surface acoustic waves can be generated by ultrafast laser excitation of nanoscale patterned surfaces. Here we study this phenomenon in the hypersonic frequency limit. By modeling the thermomechanics from first-principles, we calculate the system's initial heat-driven impulsive response and follow its time evolution. A scheme is introduced to quantitatively access frequencies and lifetimes of the composite system's excited eigenmodes. A spectral decomposition of the calculated response on the eigemodes of the system reveals asymmetric resonances that result from the coupling between surface and bulk acoustic modes. This finding allows evaluation of impulsively excited pseudosurface acoustic wave frequencies and lifetimes and expands our understanding of the scattering of surface waves in mesoscale metamaterials. The model is successfully benchmarked against time-resolved optical diffraction measurements performed on one-dimensional and two-dimensional surface phononic crystals, probed using light at extreme ultraviolet and near-infrared wavelengths.

  14. Global stability of discrete-time recurrent neural networks with impulse effects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhou, L; Li, C; Wan, J

    2008-01-01

    This paper formulates and studies a class of discrete-time recurrent neural networks with impulse effects. A stability criterion, which characterizes the effects of impulse and stability property of the corresponding impulse-free networks on the stability of the impulsive networks in an aggregate form, is established. Two simplified and numerically tractable criteria are also provided

  15. Modelling impulsive factors for electronics and restaurant coupons’ e-store display

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ariningsih, P. K.; Nainggolan, M.; Sandy, I. A.

    2018-04-01

    In many times, the increment of e-store visitors does not followed by sales increment. Most purchases through e-commerce are impulsive buying, however only small amount of study is available to understand impulsive factors of e-store display. This paper suggests a preliminary concept on understanding the impulsive factors in Electronics and Restaurant Coupons e-store display, which are two among few popular group products sold through e-commerce. By conducting literature study and survey, 31 attributes were identified as impulsive factors in electronics e-store display and 20 attributes were identified as impulsive factors for restaurant coupon e-store. The attributes were then grouped into comprehensive impulsive factors by factor analysis. Each group of impulsive attributes were generated into 3 factors. Accessibility Factors and Trust Factors appeared for each group products. The other factors are Internal Factors for electronics e-store and Marketing factors for restaurant coupons e-store. Structural Equation Model of the impulsive factors was developed for each type of e-store, which stated the covariance between Trust Factors and Accessibility Factors. Based on preliminary model, Internal Factor and Trust Factor are influencing impulsive buying in electronics store. Special factor for electronics e-store is Internal Factor, while for restaurant coupons e-store is Marketing Factor.

  16. Global analysis of an impulsive delayed Lotka-Volterra competition system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xia, Yonghui

    2011-03-01

    In this paper, a retarded impulsive n-species Lotka-Volterra competition system with feedback controls is studied. Some sufficient conditions are obtained to guarantee the global exponential stability and global asymptotic stability of a unique equilibrium for such a high-dimensional biological system. The problem considered in this paper is in many aspects more general and incorporates as special cases various problems which have been extensively studied in the literature. Moreover, applying the obtained results to some special cases, I derive some new criteria which generalize and greatly improve some well known results. A method is proposed to investigate biological systems subjected to the effect of both impulses and delays. The method is based on Banach fixed point theory and matrix's spectral theory as well as Lyapunov function. Moreover, some novel analytic techniques are employed to study GAS and GES. It is believed that the method can be extended to other high-dimensional biological systems and complex neural networks. Finally, two examples show the feasibility of the results.

  17. A survey on OFDM channel estimation techniques based on denoising strategies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pallaviram Sure

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Channel estimation forms the heart of any orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM based wireless communication receiver. Frequency domain pilot aided channel estimation techniques are either least squares (LS based or minimum mean square error (MMSE based. LS based techniques are computationally less complex. Unlike MMSE ones, they do not require a priori knowledge of channel statistics (KCS. However, the mean square error (MSE performance of the channel estimator incorporating MMSE based techniques is better compared to that obtained with the incorporation of LS based techniques. To enhance the MSE performance using LS based techniques, a variety of denoising strategies have been developed in the literature, which are applied on the LS estimated channel impulse response (CIR. The advantage of denoising threshold based LS techniques is that, they do not require KCS but still render near optimal MMSE performance similar to MMSE based techniques. In this paper, a detailed survey on various existing denoising strategies, with a comparative discussion of these strategies is presented.

  18. Impulse excitation scanning acoustic microscopy for local quantification of Rayleigh surface wave velocity using B-scan analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cherry, M.; Dierken, J.; Boehnlein, T.; Pilchak, A.; Sathish, S.; Grandhi, R.

    2018-01-01

    A new technique for performing quantitative scanning acoustic microscopy imaging of Rayleigh surface wave (RSW) velocity was developed based on b-scan processing. In this technique, the focused acoustic beam is moved through many defocus distances over the sample and excited with an impulse excitation, and advanced algorithms based on frequency filtering and the Hilbert transform are used to post-process the b-scans to estimate the Rayleigh surface wave velocity. The new method was used to estimate the RSW velocity on an optically flat E6 glass sample, and the velocity was measured at ±2 m/s and the scanning time per point was on the order of 1.0 s, which are both improvement from the previous two-point defocus method. The new method was also applied to the analysis of two titanium samples, and the velocity was estimated with very low standard deviation in certain large grains on the sample. A new behavior was observed with the b-scan analysis technique where the amplitude of the surface wave decayed dramatically on certain crystallographic orientations. The new technique was also compared with previous results, and the new technique has been found to be much more reliable and to have higher contrast than previously possible with impulse excitation.

  19. Risk preferences impose a hidden distortion on measures of choice impulsivity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Konova, Anna B.; Louie, Kenway; Glimcher, Paul W.

    2018-01-01

    Measuring temporal discounting through the use of intertemporal choice tasks is now the gold standard method for quantifying human choice impulsivity (impatience) in neuroscience, psychology, behavioral economics, public health and computational psychiatry. A recent area of growing interest is individual differences in discounting levels, as these may predispose to (or protect from) mental health disorders, addictive behaviors, and other diseases. At the same time, more and more studies have been dedicated to the quantification of individual attitudes towards risk, which have been measured in many clinical and non-clinical populations using closely related techniques. Economists have pointed to interactions between measurements of time preferences and risk preferences that may distort estimations of the discount rate. However, although becoming standard practice in economics, discount rates and risk preferences are rarely measured simultaneously in the same subjects in other fields, and the magnitude of the imposed distortion is unknown in the assessment of individual differences. Here, we show that standard models of temporal discounting —such as a hyperbolic discounting model widely present in the literature which fails to account for risk attitudes in the estimation of discount rates— result in a large and systematic pattern of bias in estimated discounting parameters. This can lead to the spurious attribution of differences in impulsivity between individuals when in fact differences in risk attitudes account for observed behavioral differences. We advance a model which, when applied to standard choice tasks typically used in psychology and neuroscience, provides both a better fit to the data and successfully de-correlates risk and impulsivity parameters. This results in measures that are more accurate and thus of greater utility to the many fields interested in individual differences in impulsivity. PMID:29373590

  20. Risk preferences impose a hidden distortion on measures of choice impulsivity.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Silvia Lopez-Guzman

    Full Text Available Measuring temporal discounting through the use of intertemporal choice tasks is now the gold standard method for quantifying human choice impulsivity (impatience in neuroscience, psychology, behavioral economics, public health and computational psychiatry. A recent area of growing interest is individual differences in discounting levels, as these may predispose to (or protect from mental health disorders, addictive behaviors, and other diseases. At the same time, more and more studies have been dedicated to the quantification of individual attitudes towards risk, which have been measured in many clinical and non-clinical populations using closely related techniques. Economists have pointed to interactions between measurements of time preferences and risk preferences that may distort estimations of the discount rate. However, although becoming standard practice in economics, discount rates and risk preferences are rarely measured simultaneously in the same subjects in other fields, and the magnitude of the imposed distortion is unknown in the assessment of individual differences. Here, we show that standard models of temporal discounting -such as a hyperbolic discounting model widely present in the literature which fails to account for risk attitudes in the estimation of discount rates- result in a large and systematic pattern of bias in estimated discounting parameters. This can lead to the spurious attribution of differences in impulsivity between individuals when in fact differences in risk attitudes account for observed behavioral differences. We advance a model which, when applied to standard choice tasks typically used in psychology and neuroscience, provides both a better fit to the data and successfully de-correlates risk and impulsivity parameters. This results in measures that are more accurate and thus of greater utility to the many fields interested in individual differences in impulsivity.

  1. Risk preferences impose a hidden distortion on measures of choice impulsivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lopez-Guzman, Silvia; Konova, Anna B; Louie, Kenway; Glimcher, Paul W

    2018-01-01

    Measuring temporal discounting through the use of intertemporal choice tasks is now the gold standard method for quantifying human choice impulsivity (impatience) in neuroscience, psychology, behavioral economics, public health and computational psychiatry. A recent area of growing interest is individual differences in discounting levels, as these may predispose to (or protect from) mental health disorders, addictive behaviors, and other diseases. At the same time, more and more studies have been dedicated to the quantification of individual attitudes towards risk, which have been measured in many clinical and non-clinical populations using closely related techniques. Economists have pointed to interactions between measurements of time preferences and risk preferences that may distort estimations of the discount rate. However, although becoming standard practice in economics, discount rates and risk preferences are rarely measured simultaneously in the same subjects in other fields, and the magnitude of the imposed distortion is unknown in the assessment of individual differences. Here, we show that standard models of temporal discounting -such as a hyperbolic discounting model widely present in the literature which fails to account for risk attitudes in the estimation of discount rates- result in a large and systematic pattern of bias in estimated discounting parameters. This can lead to the spurious attribution of differences in impulsivity between individuals when in fact differences in risk attitudes account for observed behavioral differences. We advance a model which, when applied to standard choice tasks typically used in psychology and neuroscience, provides both a better fit to the data and successfully de-correlates risk and impulsivity parameters. This results in measures that are more accurate and thus of greater utility to the many fields interested in individual differences in impulsivity.

  2. Attentional and motor impulsivity interactively predict 'food addiction' in obese individuals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meule, Adrian; de Zwaan, Martina; Müller, Astrid

    2017-01-01

    Impulsivity is a multifaceted construct and constitutes a common risk factor for a range of behaviors associated with poor self-control (e.g., substance use or binge eating). The short form of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-15) measures impulsive behaviors related to attentional (inability to focus attention or concentrate), motor (acting without thinking), and non-planning (lack of future orientation or forethought) impulsivity. Eating-related measures appear to be particularly related to attentional and motor impulsivity and recent findings suggest that interactive effects between these two facets may play a role in eating- and weight-regulation. One-hundred thirty-three obese individuals presenting for bariatric surgery (77.4% female) completed the BIS-15 and the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) 2.0, which measures addiction-like eating based on the eleven symptoms of substance use disorder outlined in the fifth version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Sixty-three participants (47.4%) were classified as being 'food addicted'. Scores on attentional and motor impulsivity interactively predicted 'food addiction' status: higher attentional impulsivity was associated with a higher likelihood of receiving a YFAS 2.0 diagnosis only at high (+1 SD), but not at low (-1 SD) levels of motor impulsivity. Results support previous findings showing that non-planning impulsivity does not appear to play a role in eating-related self-regulation. Furthermore, this is the first study that shows interactive effects between different impulsivity facets when predicting 'food addiction' in obese individuals. Self-regulatory failure in eating-regulation (e.g., addiction-like overeating) may particularly emerge when both attentional and motor impulsivity levels are elevated. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. [Letter: Work of the impulse section of the horseshoe bat echolocator].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Livshits, M S

    1975-01-01

    Peculiarities of location impulse of Rhinolophidae bring about a distinctive combination of dopler and impulse parts working almost independently, in its locator. In particular the range of the effect of impulse locator connected with the presence of LFM splash in the end of location cry is determined by the value of the period of its repetition. The existence of a long monofrequent part of locaion impulse providing the work of acholocator dopler part due to its narrow bands presents only a comparatively small obstacle to the impulse locator.

  4. Human factors in cybersecurity; examining the link between Internet addiction, impulsivity, attitudes towards cybersecurity, and risky cybersecurity behaviours.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hadlington, Lee

    2017-07-01

    The present study explored the relationship between risky cybersecurity behaviours, attitudes towards cybersecurity in a business environment, Internet addiction, and impulsivity. 538 participants in part-time or full-time employment in the UK completed an online questionnaire, with responses from 515 being used in the data analysis. The survey included an attitude towards cybercrime and cybersecurity in business scale, a measure of impulsivity, Internet addiction and a 'risky' cybersecurity behaviours scale. The results demonstrated that Internet addiction was a significant predictor for risky cybersecurity behaviours. A positive attitude towards cybersecurity in business was negatively related to risky cybersecurity behaviours. Finally, the measure of impulsivity revealed that both attentional and motor impulsivity were both significant positive predictors of risky cybersecurity behaviours, with non-planning being a significant negative predictor. The results present a further step in understanding the individual differences that may govern good cybersecurity practices, highlighting the need to focus directly on more effective training and awareness mechanisms.

  5. Human factors in cybersecurity; examining the link between Internet addiction, impulsivity, attitudes towards cybersecurity, and risky cybersecurity behaviours

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lee Hadlington

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available The present study explored the relationship between risky cybersecurity behaviours, attitudes towards cybersecurity in a business environment, Internet addiction, and impulsivity. 538 participants in part-time or full-time employment in the UK completed an online questionnaire, with responses from 515 being used in the data analysis. The survey included an attitude towards cybercrime and cybersecurity in business scale, a measure of impulsivity, Internet addiction and a ‘risky’ cybersecurity behaviours scale. The results demonstrated that Internet addiction was a significant predictor for risky cybersecurity behaviours. A positive attitude towards cybersecurity in business was negatively related to risky cybersecurity behaviours. Finally, the measure of impulsivity revealed that both attentional and motor impulsivity were both significant positive predictors of risky cybersecurity behaviours, with non-planning being a significant negative predictor. The results present a further step in understanding the individual differences that may govern good cybersecurity practices, highlighting the need to focus directly on more effective training and awareness mechanisms.

  6. High power impulse magnetron sputtering and its applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, YUAN; Lizhen, YANG; Zhongwei, LIU; Qiang, CHEN

    2018-04-01

    High power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) has attracted a great deal of attention because the sputtered material is highly ionized during the coating process, which has been demonstrated to be advantageous for better quality coating. Therefore, the mechanism of the HiPIMS technique has recently been investigated. In this paper, the current knowledge of HiPIMS is described. We focus on the mechanical properties of the deposited thin film in the latest applications, including hard coatings, adhesion enhancement, tribological performance, and corrosion protection layers. A description of the electrical, optical, photocatalytic, and functional coating applications are presented. The prospects for HiPIMS are also discussed in this work.

  7. Relationship between impulsivity, snack consumption and children's weight

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    E.W.M. Scholten (Eline W. M.); C.Th.M. Schrijvers (Carola); C. Nederkoorn (Chantal); S.P.J. Kremers (Stef); G. Rodenburg (Gerda)

    2014-01-01

    textabstractBackground: Childhood overweight is a public health problem associated with psychosocial and physical problems. Personality traits, such as impulsivity, may contribute to the development of overweight. Objective: This study examines 1) the association between general impulsivity traits

  8. Impulse noise estimation and removal for OFDM systems

    KAUST Repository

    Al-Naffouri, Tareq Y.

    2014-03-01

    Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) is a modulation scheme that is widely used in wired and wireless communication systems. While OFDM is ideally suited to deal with frequency selective channels and AWGN, its performance may be dramatically impacted by the presence of impulse noise. In fact, very strong noise impulses in the time domain might result in the erasure of whole OFDM blocks of symbols at the receiver. Impulse noise can be mitigated by considering it as a sparse signal in time, and using recently developed algorithms for sparse signal reconstruction. We propose an algorithm that utilizes the guard band subcarriers for the impulse noise estimation and cancellation. Instead of relying on ℓ1 minimization as done in some popular general-purpose compressive sensing schemes, the proposed method jointly exploits the specific structure of this problem and the available a priori information for sparse signal recovery. The computational complexity of the proposed algorithm is very competitive with respect to sparse signal reconstruction schemes based on ℓ1 minimization. The proposed method is compared with respect to other state-of-the-art methods in terms of achievable rates for an OFDM system with impulse noise and AWGN. © 2014 IEEE.

  9. Impulse noise estimation and removal for OFDM systems

    KAUST Repository

    Al-Naffouri, Tareq Y.; Quadeer, Ahmed Abdul; Caire, Giuseppe

    2014-01-01

    Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) is a modulation scheme that is widely used in wired and wireless communication systems. While OFDM is ideally suited to deal with frequency selective channels and AWGN, its performance may be dramatically impacted by the presence of impulse noise. In fact, very strong noise impulses in the time domain might result in the erasure of whole OFDM blocks of symbols at the receiver. Impulse noise can be mitigated by considering it as a sparse signal in time, and using recently developed algorithms for sparse signal reconstruction. We propose an algorithm that utilizes the guard band subcarriers for the impulse noise estimation and cancellation. Instead of relying on ℓ1 minimization as done in some popular general-purpose compressive sensing schemes, the proposed method jointly exploits the specific structure of this problem and the available a priori information for sparse signal recovery. The computational complexity of the proposed algorithm is very competitive with respect to sparse signal reconstruction schemes based on ℓ1 minimization. The proposed method is compared with respect to other state-of-the-art methods in terms of achievable rates for an OFDM system with impulse noise and AWGN. © 2014 IEEE.

  10. Measuring caloric response: comparison of different analysis techniques.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mallinson, A I; Longridge, N S; Pace-Asciak, P; Ngo, R

    2010-01-01

    Electronystagmography (ENG) testing has been supplanted by newer techniques of measuring eye movement with infrared cameras (VNG). Most techniques of quantifying caloric induced nystagmus measure the slow phase velocity in some manner. Although our analysis is carried out by very experienced assessors, some systems have computer algorithms that have been "taught" to locate and quantify maximum responses. We wondered what differences in measurement might show up when measuring calorics using different techniques and systems, the relevance of this being that if there was a change in slow phase velocity between ENG and VNG testing when measuring caloric response, then normative data would have to be changed. There are also some subjective but important aspects of ENG interpretation which comment on the nature of the response (e.g. responses which might be "sporadic" or "scant"). Our experiment compared caloric responses in 100 patients analyzed four different ways. Each caloric was analyzed by our old ENG system, our new VNG system, an inexperienced assessor and the computer algorithm, and data was compared. All four systems made similar measurements but our inexperienced assessor failed to recognize responses as sporadic or scant, and we feel this is a limitation to be kept in mind in the rural setting, as it is an important aspect of assessment in complex patients. Assessment of complex VNGs should be left to an experienced assessor.

  11. Impulsive aggression, delay discounting, and adolescent suicide attempts: effects of current psychotropic medication use and family history of suicidal behavior.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bridge, Jeffrey A; Reynolds, Brady; McBee-Strayer, Sandra M; Sheftall, Arielle H; Ackerman, John; Stevens, Jack; Mendoza, Kristen; Campo, John V; Brent, David A

    2015-03-01

    Impulsive-aggressive behaviors have been consistently implicated in the phenomenology, neurobiology, and familial aggregation of suicidal behavior. The purpose of this study was to extend previous work by examining laboratory behavioral measures of delayed reward impulsivity and impulsive aggression in adolescent suicide attempters and never-suicidal comparison subjects. Using the Point Subtraction Aggression Paradigm (PSAP) and the Delay Discounting Task (DDQ), the authors examined delay discounting and impulsive aggression in 40 adolescent suicide attempters, ages 13-18, and 40 never-suicidal, demographically matched psychiatric comparison subjects. Overall, suicide attempters and comparison subjects performed similarly on the PSAP and DDQ. There was a significant group by current psychotropic medication use interaction (p=0.013) for mean aggressive responses on the PSAP. Group comparisons revealed that attempters emitted more aggressive responses per provocation than comparison subjects, only in those not on psychotropic medication (p=0.049), whereas for those currently treated with psychotropic medication, there were no group differences (p>0.05). This interaction effect was specific to current antidepressant use. Among all subjects, family history of suicidal behavior (suicide or suicide attempt) in first degree relatives was significantly correlated with both delay discounting (r=-0.22, p=0.049), and aggressive responding (r=0.27, p=0.015). Family history of suicidal behavior was associated with delay discounting, but not with aggressive responding on the PSAP, after controlling for relevant covariates. In this study, impulsive-aggressive responding was associated with suicide attempt only in those not being treated with antidepressants. Future work to replicate and extend these findings could have important therapeutic implications for the treatment of depressed suicide attempters, many of whom are affected by impulsive aggression.

  12. The slant of the forehead as a craniofacial feature of impulsiveness

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. David Guerrero-Apolo

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Objective: Impulsiveness has been the subject of much research, but little is known about the possible relationship between craniofacial anatomy and impulsiveness. The present study was designed to investigate the relationship between one aspect of craniofacial structure (the angle of inclination of the forehead and impulsiveness. Method: Photographs in profile were obtained from 131 volunteers who had been fined for driving at high speed and were undergoing a court-mandated driving license point-recovery course. They completed the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11, the Impulsive Behavior Scale (UPPS-P, and Zuckerman’s Sensation Seeking Scale (V. The angle of the slant of the forehead was measured with a photographic support and a protractor. Results: High positive concordance was found between forehead inclination and 14 out of the 15 impulsiveness factors studied. Conclusions: The angle of inclination of the forehead was significantly associated with self-reported impulsiveness in this sample of traffic violators.

  13. Effect of nicotine on negative affect among more impulsive smokers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doran, Neal; McChargue, Dennis; Spring, Bonnie; VanderVeen, Joe; Cook, Jessica Werth; Richmond, Malia

    2006-08-01

    In the present study, the authors tested the hypothesis that nicotine would provide greater relief from negative affect for more impulsive smokers than for less impulsive smokers. Euthymic adult smokers (N=70) participated in 2 laboratory sessions, during which they underwent a negative mood induction (music + autobiographical memory), then smoked either a nicotinized or de-nicotinized cigarette. Mixed-effects regression yielded a significant Impulsivity x Condition (nicotinized vs. de-nicotinized) x Time interaction. Simple effects analyses showed that heightened impulsivity predicted greater negative affect relief after smoking a nicotinized cigarette but not after smoking a de-nicotinized cigarette. These data suggest that nicotine may be a disproportionately powerful negative reinforcer for highly impulsive smokers, promoting higher levels of nicotine dependence and inhibiting smoking cessation.

  14. Partial discharge characteristics and mechanism in voids at impulse voltages

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhao, X F; Guo, Z F; Wang, Y Y; Li, J H; Li, Y M; Yao, X

    2011-01-01

    Partial discharge (PD) characteristics and mechanism in artificial cavities in an epoxy plate have been investigated for different void dimensions and impulse voltage waveforms. A differential measurement system was developed in order to detect PD current pulses effectively. Experimental results showed that the 50% probability PD inception voltage (PDIV 50 ) increases initially as the cavity diameter decreases at constant depth for double exponential impulses as well as oscillating impulses, but after aging, it becomes independent of the cavity diameter. Moreover, some distinctive characteristics of PD (e.g. main discharge and reverse discharge during the rise and fall phases of the applied voltage) were also investigated. The differences of the PD propagation and the mechanism between double exponential impulses and oscillating impulse were discussed

  15. Impulsivity and pathological gambling: Is it a state or a trait problem?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lai Florence DM

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background This study tested 37 Chinese male pathological gamblers and 40 controls to understand the relationship between pathological gambling and impulsivity as a long-term trait or a short-term state in the cognitive and affective domain. Results Trait impulsivity was measured by the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11. State impulsivity in the cognitive and affective domains were measured by the Stroop Color Word Test and the Emotional Conflict Task, respectively. The pathological gamblers scored significantly higher than the controls on the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11. However, there were no significant group differences in performance on the Stroop Color Word Test or the Emotional Conflict Task. Conclusions Findings clearly show that pathological gambling is associated with trait but not state impulsivity. In other words, pathological gambling is associated with an impulsivity stemming from enduring personality characteristics that lead gamblers to focus on short-term gains (trait impulsivity rather than momentary cognitive or affective disinhibition (state impulsivity. Interventions should aim to change pathological gamblers' habitual functioning style by cultivating healthy reflection habits and focusing on long-term rewards.

  16. Repetitive urges to inflict burns: An unusual presentation of impulse control disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pal, Arghya; Parmar, Arpit; Pattanayak, Raman Deep

    2016-01-01

    Impulse control disorders (ICDs) are characterized by an inability to resist an intense impulse or drive to perform a particular act that is excessive and/or harmful to self/others. Till date, there is no published report of an ICD presenting with repetitive urges to inflict burns. We describe the case of an adult male in regular follow-up for 6 months who presented with intense, irresistible, and repetitive urges and acts of causing burns on his skin for past 1 year. The phenomenology shared the core qualities described for ICDs and patient showed adequate response to treatment. The case report describes an unusual type of ICD classifiable as not otherwise specified. More clinical and research attention is warranted toward ICDs in general, with implications for ICD-11.

  17. Repetitive urges to inflict burns: An unusual presentation of impulse control disorder

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arghya Pal

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Impulse control disorders (ICDs are characterized by an inability to resist an intense impulse or drive to perform a particular act that is excessive and/or harmful to self/others. Till date, there is no published report of an ICD presenting with repetitive urges to inflict burns. We describe the case of an adult male in regular follow-up for 6 months who presented with intense, irresistible, and repetitive urges and acts of causing burns on his skin for past 1 year. The phenomenology shared the core qualities described for ICDs and patient showed adequate response to treatment. The case report describes an unusual type of ICD classifiable as not otherwise specified. More clinical and research attention is warranted toward ICDs in general, with implications for ICD-11.

  18. The Utility of Impulsive Bias and Altered Decision Making as Predictors of Drug Efficacy and Target Selection: Rethinking Behavioral Screening for Antidepressant Drugs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marek, Gerard J; Day, Mark; Hudzik, Thomas J

    2016-03-01

    Cognitive dysfunction may be a core feature of major depressive disorder, including affective processing bias, abnormal response to negative feedback, changes in decision making, and increased impulsivity. Accordingly, a translational medicine paradigm predicts clinical action of novel antidepressants by examining drug-induced changes in affective processing bias. With some exceptions, these concepts have not been systematically applied to preclinical models to test new chemical entities. The purpose of this review is to examine whether an empirically derived behavioral screen for antidepressant drugs may screen for compounds, at least in part, by modulating an impulsive biasing of responding and altered decision making. The differential-reinforcement-of-low-rate (DRL) 72-second schedule is an operant schedule with a documented fidelity for discriminating antidepressant drugs from nonantidepressant drugs. However, a theoretical basis for this empirical relationship has been lacking. Therefore, this review will discuss whether response bias toward impulsive behavior may be a critical screening characteristic of DRL behavior requiring long inter-response times to obtain rewards. This review will compare and contrast DRL behavior with the five-choice serial reaction time task, a test specifically designed for assessing motoric impulsivity, with respect to psychopharmacological testing and the neural basis of distributed macrocircuits underlying these tasks. This comparison suggests that the existing empirical basis for the DRL 72-second schedule as a pharmacological screen for antidepressant drugs is complemented by a novel hypothesis that altering impulsive response bias for rodents trained on this operant schedule is a previously unrecognized theoretical cornerstone for this screening paradigm. Copyright © 2016 by The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.

  19. Dopamine and Impulse Control Disorders in Parkinson's Disease

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Weintraub, Daniel

    2008-01-01

    There is an increasing awareness that impulse control disorders (ICDs), including compulsive gambling, buying, sexual behavior, and eating, can occur as a complication of Parkinson's disease (PD). In addition, other impulsive or compulsive disorders have been reported to occur, including dopamine

  20. Reduced rank adaptive filtering in impulsive noise environments

    KAUST Repository

    Soury, Hamza; Abed-Meraim, Karim; Alouini, Mohamed-Slim

    2014-01-01

    An impulsive noise environment is considered in this paper. A new aspect of signal truncation is deployed to reduce the harmful effect of the impulsive noise to the signal. A full rank direct solution is derived followed by an iterative solution