Preschoolers' Magnitude Comparisons are Mediated by a Preverbal Analog Mechanism

2000 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 147-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gavin Huntley-Fenner ◽  
Erin Cannon
Keyword(s):  
Discrimination Task ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Comparison Task ◽  
Magnitude Representation ◽  
Magnitude Comparison ◽  
Error Patterns ◽  
Numerical Discrimination ◽  
Adults And Children ◽  
Analog Models

We report a study of 3- to 5-year-olds who performed a magnitude-comparison task. Stimuli were a series of pairs of arrays that sometimes differed in numerosity, and the children were asked to point to the more numerous array in each pair. The proportion of accurate responses was above chance for all age groups. However, error patterns were consistent with analog models of magnitude representation. Errors varied systematically with the ratio of stimulus pairs. Items with a 2:3 ratio were harder than items with a 1:2 ratio. Performance on posttests of verbal counting ability was variable, but did not predict performance on the numerical discrimination task. We argue that neither verbal counting nor nonnumerical perceptual strategies can explain these results. This study supports the hypothesis that adults and children share preverbal, analog representations of magnitude.

Stimulus Ratio Effects on Speech Discrimination by Children and Adults

1991 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 671-678 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joan E. Sussman
Keyword(s):  
Discrimination Task ◽  
Response Pattern ◽  
Response Patterns ◽  
Speech Discrimination ◽  
Adult Group ◽  
Discrimination Accuracy ◽  
Formant Frequency ◽  
Response Strategies ◽  
Place Of Articulation ◽  
Adults And Children

This investigation examined the response strategies and discrimination accuracy of adults and children aged 5–10 as the ratio of same to different trials was varied across three conditions of a “change/no-change” discrimination task. The conditions varied as follows: (a) a ratio of one-third same to two-thirds different trials (33% same), (b) an equal ratio of same to different trials (50% same), and (c) a ratio of two-thirds same to one-third different trials (67% same). Stimuli were synthetic consonant-vowel syllables that changed along a place of articulation dimension by formant frequency transition. Results showed that all subjects changed their response strategies depending on the ratio of same-to-different trials. The most lax response pattern was observed for the 50% same condition, and the most conservative pattern was observed for the 67% same condition. Adult response patterns were most conservative across condition. Differences in discrimination accuracy as measured by P(C) were found, with the largest difference in the 5- to 6-year-old group and the smallest change in the adult group. These findings suggest that children’s response strategies, like those of adults, can be manipulated by changing the ratio of same-to-different trials. Furthermore, interpretation of sensitivity measures must be referenced to task variables such as the ratio of same-to-different trials.

scholarly journals Magnitude integration in the Archerfish

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tali Leibovich-Raveh ◽  
Ashael Raveh ◽  
Dana Vilker ◽  
Shai Gabay
Keyword(s):  
Animal Model ◽  
Grocery Store ◽  
The Body ◽  
Water Tank ◽  
Comparison Task ◽  
Magnitude Comparison ◽  
Mathematical Abilities ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Numerical Magnitudes ◽  
Shortest Queue

AbstractWe make magnitude-related decisions every day, for example, to choose the shortest queue at the grocery store. When making such decisions, which magnitudes do we consider? The dominant theory suggests that our focus is on numerical quantity, i.e., the number of items in a set. This theory leads to quantity-focused research suggesting that discriminating quantities is automatic, innate, and is the basis for mathematical abilities in humans. Another theory suggests, instead, that non-numerical magnitudes, such as the total area of the compared items, are usually what humans rely on, and numerical quantity is used only when required. Since wild animals must make quick magnitude-related decisions to eat, seek shelter, survive, and procreate, studying which magnitudes animals spontaneously use in magnitude-related decisions is a good way to study the relative primacy of numerical quantity versus non-numerical magnitudes. We asked whether, in an animal model, the influence of non-numerical magnitudes on performance in a spontaneous magnitude comparison task is modulated by the number of non-numerical magnitudes that positively correlate with numerical quantity. Our animal model was the Archerfish, a fish that, in the wild, hunts insects by shooting a jet of water at them. These fish were trained to shoot water at artificial targets presented on a computer screen above the water tank. We tested the Archerfish's performance in spontaneous, untrained two-choice magnitude decisions. We found that the fish tended to select the group containing larger non-numerical magnitudes and smaller quantities of dots. The fish selected the group containing more dots mostly when the quantity of the dots was positively correlated with all five different non-numerical magnitudes. The current study adds to the body of studies providing direct evidence that in some cases animals’ magnitude-related decisions are more affected by non-numerical magnitudes than by numerical quantity, putting doubt on the claims that numerical quantity perception is the most basic building block of mathematical abilities.

scholarly journals Clinical features and outcome of Covid-19 in individuals without Comorbidities. Do children have the advantage?

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 88-93
Author(s):  
Dr. Abhishek Kumar ◽  
◽  
Dr. Nilu Kumari ◽  
Dr. Ranjeet Kumar Singh ◽  
Dr. Alok Kumar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Severe Disease ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Asymptomatic Infection ◽  
Healthy Individuals ◽  
Adult Group ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
History Of ◽  
Adults And Children ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Respiratory Complaints

Objective: Information regarding clinical characteristics and the natural course of COVID-19amongst individuals without comorbidities is scarce. We therefore conducted a retrospectiveobservational study to decipher the disease profile in two different age groups, middle-aged (40-59years) and children (up to 12 years). Method: Study was conducted by reviewing the medicalrecords of all patients in the desired age groups and excluding all those with preexisting illness(called comorbidities). Result: A total of 154 and 27 patients were enrolled and studied in themiddle-aged adults and children group respectively. Males dominated in both groups with a sex ratioof 2.9 in adults and 1.7 in children. Most of the children (92.5%) had a history of exposure from aninfected family member, while in the adult group history of contact was present in 71.4% ofpatients.62.9% of children had an asymptomatic infection which was significantly higher than 22.8%in adults. Cough and fever were the most common symptoms in both age groups, but adults weremore likely to have respiratory complaints when compared with children.11 (7.1%) patients in theadult group had severe disease while in the children group none had severe disease. Similarly in theadult group 11 patients required ICU admission, but none in the children group. The mean durationof RTPCR positivity was similar in both groups. There was 1 (0.6%) expiry in the adult groupwhereas none in children. Conclusion: Healthy individuals in both middle-aged and children grouptend to have milder disease and both harbour the virus for the almost same duration but adults aremore symptomatic in comparison to children and hence children are more likely to be potentialasymptomatic carrier and transmitter of infection.

scholarly journals Dietary intake and food sources of added sugar in the Australian population

2016 ◽  
Vol 115 (5) ◽  
pp. 868-877 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linggang Lei ◽  
Anna Rangan ◽  
Victoria M. Flood ◽  
Jimmy Chun Yu Louie
Keyword(s):  
Age Groups ◽  
Food Sources ◽  
Food Groups ◽  
Australian Population ◽  
Added Sugar ◽  
Australian Health ◽  
Sweetened Beverages ◽  
Adolescents And Adults ◽  
Study Population ◽  
Adults And Children

AbstractPrevious studies in Australian children/adolescents and adults examining added sugar (AS) intake were based on now out-of-date national surveys. We aimed to examine the AS and free sugar (FS) intakes and the main food sources of AS among Australians, using plausible dietary data collected by a multiple-pass, 24-h recall, from the 2011–12 Australian Health Survey respondents (n 8202). AS and FS intakes were estimated using a previously published method, and as defined by the WHO, respectively. Food groups contributing to the AS intake were described and compared by age group and sex by one-way ANOVA. Linear regression was used to test for trends across age groups. Usual intake of FS (as percentage energy (%EFS)) was computed using a published method and compared with the WHO cut-off of <10 %EFS. The mean AS intake of the participants was 60·3 (sd 52·6) g/d. Sugar-sweetened beverages accounted for the greatest proportion of the AS intake of the Australian population (21·4 (sd 30·1) %), followed by sugar and sweet spreads (16·3 (sd 24·5) %) and cakes, biscuits, pastries and batter-based products (15·7 (sd 24·4) %). More than half of the study population exceeded the WHO’s cut-off for FS, especially children and adolescents. Overall, 80–90 % of the daily AS intake came from high-sugar energy-dense and/or nutrient-poor foods. To conclude, the majority of Australian adults and children exceed the WHO recommendation for FS intake. Efforts to reduce AS intake should focus on energy-dense and/or nutrient-poor foods.

Survival in adult and pediatric patients with medulloblastoma: A 2018 SEER-based analysis.

2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e14529-e14529
Author(s):  
Hanna Moisander-Joyce ◽  
Anoushka Sinha ◽  
Shannon Fernandez-Ledon ◽  
Davon Lee ◽  
Satoki Hatano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Age Groups ◽  
Large Cell ◽  
Adult Brain ◽  
World Health ◽  
Rank Test ◽  
Seer Database ◽  
Treatment Protocols ◽  
Survival Difference ◽  
Improved Outcomes ◽  
Adults And Children

e14529 Background: Medulloblastoma (MB) is a malignant neuroectodermal tumor accounting for 30% of pediatric and only 1% of adult brain tumors. In previous studies comparing survival in pediatric and adult MB from the National Cancer Institute Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database no difference has been found. However, diagnostic subgroup analyses have been limited. Methods: We examined survival in children (age 0-19) and adults (20-79) coded as MB in the 2018 SEER database (2000-2016). We used Kaplan Meier analysis, log-rank test and Cox proportional hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). MB in SEER-18 is defined as ICD-O-3 histology codes 9470–9474 (n = 1,728). ICD 9473, supratentorial PNET (sPNET, n = 97) is biologically distinct and therefore it was analyzed separately. Results: We found that 5-year survival for MB, excluding sPNET, was similar in children (n = 1,091, 75.3%) and adults (n = 488, 79.1%) (HR = 0.97, CI: 0.79 – 1.17, p = 0.50). Furthermore, subtype analyses showed no survival difference comparing adults and children with desmoplastic nodular MB (n = 222, p = 0.09), large cell MB (n = 73, p = 0.46), or MB NOS (n = 1330, p = 0.10). Yet, children with sPNET had improved 5-year survival (n = 65, 72.3%) compared to adults (n = 29, 51.7%) (HR = 2.0, CI: 1.10 – 3.92; p = 0.02,). These findings indicate that while survival in patients with MB is similar across age groups, children with sPNET have improved outcomes. Conclusions: In summary, 2018 SEER data for MB continue to show no survival difference between adults and children, suggesting adult patients could appropriately be entered on pediatric MB treatment protocols. Further analyses of the 2018 data are ongoing adjusting for sex, race, and treatment (chemotherapy or radiation). For sPNET, the apparent improved outcomes for children merit further detailed investigation and will be re-evaluated using the new 2016 World Health Organization classification.

A Psychophysical Measure of Visual and Kinaesthetic Spatial Discriminative Abilities of Adults and Children

Perception ◽  
1986 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 313-324 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victor J Manyam
Keyword(s):  
Age Groups ◽  
Psychophysical Method ◽  
Visual Responses ◽  
Variable Stimulus ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Adult Performance ◽  
Quantitative Estimates ◽  
Adults And Children ◽  
Simultaneous Comparisons ◽  
Method Of Adjustment

Quantitative estimates of the spatial discriminative capacities of the visual and kinaesthetic systems in adults and children were obtained. Intersensory integration was investigated by including spatial discriminations based on congruent visual plus kinaesthetic reafference. The psychophysical method of adjustment was used with simultaneous comparisons of a fixed and a variable stimulus. The subject's task was to estimate when the variable stimulus (ellipse) was identical to the standard one (circle), under one of three modality conditions: vision, kinaesthesis, and vision plus kinaesthesis. After a pilot study with adults, children (aged 8, 10, and 12 years) and adults were both tested. Subjects from each age group were randomly allocated to each of the three experimental conditions. Results show that the visual and kinaesthetic estimates of the 8- and 10-year-old subjects did not differ significantly, but the visual responses of the adults and 12 year olds were significantly more accurate than corresponding kinaesthetic estimates. Bisensory estimates were significantly more accurate than visual responses only for the 8- and 10-year-old age groups. Intramodal comparisons showed the kinaesthetic estimates of the 8, 10, and 12 year olds to be significantly more accurate than the corresponding adult performance. Adult visual estimates were significantly more accurate than those made by 8 year olds, but were not significantly different from the visual responses of 10 and 12 year olds. Estimates based on bisensory reafference did not differ from each other across the four age groups. It is concluded that modality adeptness and dominance are task dependent and empirically determined rather than being innate properties of sensory systems. The data indicate that intersensory differentiation rather than integration occurs with maturity.

scholarly journals Neural state space alignment for magnitude generalisation in humans and recurrent networks

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah Sheahan ◽  
Fabrice Luyckx ◽  
Stephanie Nelli ◽  
Clemens Teupe ◽  
Christopher Summerfield
Keyword(s):  
Model Systems ◽  
Recurrent Networks ◽  
Comparison Task ◽  
State Spaces ◽  
Magnitude Comparison ◽  
Relational Patterns ◽  
Relational Knowledge ◽  
Neural Representations ◽  
Brain Signals ◽  
Relational Concepts

AbstractA prerequisite for intelligent behaviour is to understand how stimuli are related and to generalise this knowledge across contexts. Generalisation can be challenging when relational patterns are shared across contexts but exist on different physical scales. Here, we studied neural representations in humans and recurrent neural networks performing a magnitude comparison task, for which it was advantageous to generalise concepts of “more” or “less” between contexts. Using multivariate analysis of human brain signals and of neural network hidden unit activity, we observed that both systems developed parallel neural “number lines” for each context. In both model systems, these number state spaces were aligned in a way that explicitly facilitated generalisation of relational concepts (more and less). These findings suggest a previously overlooked role for neural normalisation in supporting transfer of a simple form of abstract relational knowledge (magnitude) in humans and machine learning systems.

scholarly journals Epidemiology, clinical characteristics and visual outcomes of patients with intraocular foreign bodies in Southwest China: A 10-year review

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tiancong Chang ◽  
Yun Zhang ◽  
ling Liu ◽  
Keren Zhang ◽  
Xinyu Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Visual Acuity ◽  
Clinical Characteristics ◽  
Foreign Bodies ◽  
Southwest China ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Primary Diagnosis ◽  
Visual Outcomes ◽  
Open Globe ◽  
Adults And Children ◽  
Global Statistics

Introduction: Intraocular foreign bodies (IOFBs) are a serious subset of open-globe injury that can result in visual loss. This study analyzed the epidemiology, clinical characteristics and visual outcomes of patients with IOFBs in Southwest China. Methods: This retrospective study comprised 1176 patients with the primary diagnosis of IOFBs who resided in Sichuan Province over a 10-year period. All data were collected from medical records and analyzed statistically. Results: The annual incidence for IOFBs was 0.14 per 100,000 (95% CI 0.12–0.16 per 100,000) people in Southwest China. In that period, IOFBs accounted for 22.3% of all open-globe injuries. Working-age male patients accounted for 79.1% of all IOFBs patients and there had significant differences in age distributions between genders(P<0.001). Metallic IOFBs was the most common (74.6%) IOFB, but there were significant differences in the materials of IOFBs between adults and children of different age groups (P<0.001). At discharge, 277 (23.6%) patients had increased visual acuity (VA) and 95 (8.0%) had no light perception. Initial visual acuity (VA) < 20/200 (OR, 5.5; P<0.001), increasing wound size (OR, 1.3; P=0.004), IOFBs in the posterior segment (OR, 2.6; P=0.002) and existing complications (traumatic cataract, endophthalmitis, retinal detachment or retinal break) were independent risk factors for final VA < 20/200. Conclusion: The incidence of IOFBs in Southwest China differed from global statistics. Adults and children had different clinical characteristics. Thus, their prevention strategies should be different.

Rhabdomyosarcomas in Adults and Children: An Update

2006 ◽  
Vol 130 (10) ◽  
pp. 1454-1465 ◽  
Author(s):  
David M. Parham ◽  
Dale A. Ellison
Keyword(s):  
Age Groups ◽  
Molecular Signature ◽  
Childhood Cancers ◽  
Embryonal Tumors ◽  
Parental Imprinting ◽  
Adults And Children ◽  
Sclerosing Rhabdomyosarcoma ◽  
Myogenic Factors ◽  
Infants And Young Children

Abstract Context.—Rhabdomyosarcomas comprise a relatively common diagnostic entity among childhood cancers and a relatively rare one among adult tumors. They may possess a variety of histologies that generally differ among age groups. These lesions appear to be separate biologic entities as well as morphologic categories, with embryonal tumors having genetic lesions related to loss of heterozygosity and aberrant parental imprinting, alveolar tumors containing genetic fusions between PAX and forkhead genes, and pleomorphic tumors showing an accumulation of genetic lesions similar to other adult high-grade sarcomas. Objective.—To present guidelines for diagnosis of rhabdomyosarcoma and recent finding concerning the biology and classification of these lesions. Data Sources.—Review of recent and older published literature and distillation of the authors' experience. Conclusions.—Infants and young children tend to have embryonal rhabdomyosarcomas, adolescents and young adults tend to have alveolar rhabdomyosarcomas, and older adults tend to have pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcomas, although there is some overlap. Newer rare entities, including spindle cell rhabdomyosarcoma and sclerosing rhabdomyosarcoma, have been described in children and adults. Fusion-positive tumors have a distinct molecular signature with downstream activation of a number of myogenic and tumorigenic factors. Genetic testing may be successfully used for diagnosis and may guide therapy in future clinical trials. Differential diagnosis has become simpler than in previous years, because of use of myogenic factors in immunohistochemistry, but classification based solely on histologic features remains challenging.

scholarly journals Antibiotic resistance and transmissible R-factors in the intestinal coliform flora of healthy adults and children in an urban and a rural community

1972 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 99-104 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. B. Linton ◽  
Patricia A. Lee ◽  
M. H. Richmond ◽  
W. A. Gillespie ◽  
A. J. Rowland ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Close Contact ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Healthy Adults ◽  
Farm Animals ◽  
Antibiotic Resistant ◽  
Rural And Urban ◽  
Adults And Children ◽  
Resistant Strains ◽  
Drug Resistant Strains ◽  
R Factors

SUMMARYFaeces of healthy adults and of children under the age of 5, none of whom were attending hospital or receiving antibiotics, were examined for the presence of antibiotic resistant coliform bacilli.A higher proportion of children (67%) than of adults (46%) carried resistant strains and this difference was observed in both the rural and urban groups.Rural members of both age groups more often carried resistant organisms than urban members. Among rural adults, the incidence of drug-resistant strains was 63 % in those whose occupation involved close contact with farm animals, compared with 29 % in those with other occupations. The survey took place before the implementation of the Swann Report could have influenced the use of antibiotics in animal foodstuffs.Transmissible R-factors were demonstrated in 61 % of the resistant strains. The incidence of transmissible resistance was similar among adults and children in town and country.

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