Linköping University

About: Linköping University is a education organization based out in Linköping, Sweden. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Thin film. The organization has 15671 authors who have published 50013 publications receiving 1542189 citations.

Effortful Listening: The Processing of Degraded Speech Depends Critically on Attention

Abstract: The conditions of everyday life are such that people often hear speech that has been degraded (e.g., by background noise or electronic transmission) or when they are distracted by other tasks. However, it remains unclear what role attention plays in processing speech that is difficult to understand. In the current study, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to assess the degree to which spoken sentences were processed under distraction, and whether this depended on the acoustic quality (intelligibility) of the speech. On every trial, adult human participants attended to one of three simultaneously presented stimuli: a sentence (at one of four acoustic clarity levels), an auditory distracter, or a visual distracter. A postscan recognition test showed that clear speech was processed even when not attended, but that attention greatly enhanced the processing of degraded speech. Furthermore, speech-sensitive cortex could be parcellated according to how speech-evoked responses were modulated by attention. Responses in auditory cortex and areas along the superior temporal sulcus (STS) took the same form regardless of attention, although responses to distorted speech in portions of both posterior and anterior STS were enhanced under directed attention. In contrast, frontal regions, including left inferior frontal gyrus, were only engaged when listeners were attending to speech and these regions exhibited elevated responses to degraded, compared with clear, speech. We suggest this response is a neural marker of effortful listening. Together, our results suggest that attention enhances the processing of degraded speech by engaging higher-order mechanisms that modulate perceptual auditory processing.

Seminal plasma proteins: what role do they play?

Abstract: Problem Semen is a heterogenous and complex cell suspension in a protein-rich fluid with different functions, some of them well known, others still obscure. Method of study This paper reviews, comparatively, our current knowledge on the growing field of proteomics of the SP and its relevance in relation to the in vivo situation, for the sake of reproductive biology, diagnostics and treatment. Results Ejaculated spermatozoa, primarily bathing in cauda epididymal fluid, are (in vitro) bulky, exposed to most, if not all, secretions from the accessory sexual glands. In vivo, however, not all spermatozoa are necessarily exposed to all secretions from these glands, because sperm cohorts are delivered in differential order and bathe in seminal plasma (SP) with different concentrations of constituents, including peptides and proteins. Proteins are relevant for sperm function and relate to sperm interactions with the various environments along the female genital tract towards the oocyte vestments. Specific peptides and proteins act as signals for the female immune system to modulate sperm rejection or tolerance, perhaps even influencing the relative intrinsic fertility of the male and/or couple by attaining a status of maternal tolerance towards embryo and placental development. Conclusions Proteins of the seminal plasma have an ample panorama of action, and some appear responsible for establishing fertility.

Idea generation: customer co‐creation versus traditional market research techniques

Abstract: Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to understand the differences between proactive and reactive market research techniques during the development of new market offerings. The study focused on the financial and innovative performance of traditional market research techniques, such as focus groups and in-depth interviews, in comparison to more co-creation-oriented techniques that are designed to capture customers value-in-use. Design/methodology/approach - The study was a two-stage process. Study I, an empirical investigation of 195 development projects in European companies, examined how these companies use different market research techniques and how this relates to the profit margins of new products and services. Study II designed an experiment with 50 users of a consumer good and evaluated the contribution of different market research techniques, based on the degree of originality and customer value. Findings - Significant differences were found, in terms of both content and originality, between the technique based on customer co-creation and the two traditional market research techniques (Study II). These findings can help to explain why the relationship between the use of market research techniques and profit margin (Study I) is stronger for co-creation techniques than it is for traditional market research techniques. Originality/value - Despite empirical evidence that the application of market research techniques based on co-creation can lead to original ideas, there is a lack of valid studies regarding how co-creation techniques perform in relation to more traditional methods of collaboration with customers.

Risk Factors for Lower Extremity Muscle Injury in Professional Soccer: The UEFA Injury Study

Abstract: Background:Muscle injury is the most common injury type in professional soccer players. Despite this, risk factors for common lower extremity injuries remain elusive.Purpose:To evaluate the effects of various player- and match-related risk factors on the occurrence of lower extremity muscle injury in male professional soccer.Study Design:Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.Methods:Between 2001 and 2010, 26 soccer clubs (1401 players) from 10 European countries participated in the study. Individual player exposure and time loss muscle injuries in the lower extremity were registered prospectively by the club medical staffs during 9 consecutive seasons. Hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated for player-related factors from simple and multiple Cox regression, and odds ratios (ORs) were calculated for match-related variables from simple and multiple logistic regression, presented with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).Results:There were 2123 muscle injuries documented in the major lower extremity muscle groups: adduc...