University of Westminster

About: University of Westminster is a education organization based out in London, United Kingdom. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Context (language use). The organization has 2944 authors who have published 8426 publications receiving 200236 citations. The organization is also known as: Westminster University & Royal Polytechnic Institution.

An Introduction to Cognitive Psychology: Processes and Disorders

Abstract: Introduction to Cognitive Psychology. Cognitive Processes. Experimental Psychology. Computer Models of Information Processing. Cognitive Neuropsychology. Minds, Brains and Computers. Perception and Attention. The Biological Bases of Perception. Psychological Approaches to Visual Perception. Visual Illusions. Marr's Theory. Object Recognition Processes. Perception: A Summary. Attention. The Role of Attention in Perception. Automaticity. The Spotlight Model of Visual Attention. Visual Attention. Perception, Attention and Consciousness. Disorders of Perception and Attention. Introduction. Blindsight. Unilateral Spatial Neglect. Visual Agnosia. Disorders of Face Processing - Prosopagnosia and Related Conditions. Memory. The Nature and Function of Memory. Multistore Models and Working Memory. Ebbinghaus and the First Long-term Memory Experiments. The Role of Knowledge, Meaning, and Schemas in Memory. Input Processing and Encoding. Retrieval Cues and Feature Overlap. Retrieval Mechanisms in Recall and Recognition. Automatic and Controlled Memory Processes. Memory in Real Life. Disorders of Memory. The Tragic Effects of Amnesia. The Causes of Organic Amnesia. Short-term and Long-term Memory Impairments. Anterograde and Retrograde Amnesia. Memory Functions Preserved in Amnesia. Other Types of Amnesia. Thinking, Problem-solving and Reasoning. Introduction. Early Research on Problem-solving. Problem-space Theory of Problem-solving. Problem-solving and Knowledge. Deductive and Inductive Reasoning. Statistical Reasoning. Everyday Reasoning. Disorders of Thinking. Executive Function and the Frontal Lobes. Introduction. The frontal Lobes. Problem-solving and Reasoning Deficits. The Executive Functions of the Frontal Lobes. Language. Introduction. The Language System. Psychology and Linguistics. Recognising Spoken and Written Words. Production of Spoken Words. Sentence Comprehension. Sentence Production. Discourse Level. Disorders of Language. Introduction. Historical Perspective. The Psycholinguistic. Disruptions to Language Processing at Word Level. Disruption to Processing of Syntax. Disruption to Processing of Discourse. Theories of Cognition: From Metaphors to Computational Models. Symbol-based Systems. Connectionist Systems. Symbols and Neurons Compared.

Chicken Interferon-Inducible Transmembrane Protein 3 Restricts Influenza Viruses and Lyssaviruses In Vitro

Abstract: Interferon-inducible transmembrane protein 3 (IFITM3) is an effector protein of the innate immune system. It confers potent, cell-intrinsic resistance to infection by diverse enveloped viruses both in vitro and in vivo, including influenza viruses, West Nile virus, and dengue virus. IFITM3 prevents cytosolic entry of these viruses by blocking complete virus envelope fusion with cell endosome membranes. Although the IFITM locus, which includes IFITM1, -2, -3, and -5, is present in mammalian species, this locus has not been unambiguously identified or functionally characterized in avian species. Here, we show that the IFITM locus exists in chickens and is syntenic with the IFITM locus in mammals. The chicken IFITM3 protein restricts cell infection by influenza A viruses and lyssaviruses to a similar level as its human orthologue. Furthermore, we show that chicken IFITM3 is functional in chicken cells and that knockdown of constitutive expression in chicken fibroblasts results in enhanced infection by influenza A virus. Chicken IFITM2 and -3 are constitutively expressed in all tissues examined, whereas IFITM1 is only expressed in the bursa of Fabricius, gastrointestinal tract, cecal tonsil, and trachea. Despite being highly divergent at the amino acid level, IFITM3 proteins of birds and mammals can restrict replication of viruses that are able to infect different host species, suggesting IFITM proteins may provide a crucial barrier for zoonotic infections.

Predictors of clinical recovery from vestibular neuritis: a prospective study

Abstract: We sought to identify predictors of symptomatic recovery in vestibular neuritis. Forty VN patients were prospectively studied in the acute phase (median = 2 days) and 32 in the recovery phase (median = 10 weeks) with vestibulo-ocular reflex, vestibular-perceptual, and visual dependence tests and psychological questionnaires. Clinical outcome was Dizziness Handicap Inventory score at recovery phase. Acute visual dependency and autonomic arousal predicted outcome. Worse recovery was associated with a combination of increased visual dependence, autonomic arousal, anxiety/depression, and fear of bodily sensations, but not with vestibular variables. Findings highlight the importance of early identification of abnormal visual dependency and concurrent anxiety.

Medicinal Plant Analysis: A Historical and Regional Discussion of Emergent Complex Techniques

Abstract: The analysis of medicinal plants has had a long history, and especially with regard to assessing a plant’s quality. The first techniques were organoleptic using the physical senses of taste, smell, and appearance. Then gradually these led on to more advanced instrumental techniques. Though different countries have their own traditional medicines China currently leads the way in terms of the number of publications focused on medicinal plant analysis and number of inclusions in their Pharmacopoeia. The monographs contained within these publications give directions on the type of analysis that should be performed, and for manufacturers, this typically means that they need access to more and more advanced instrumentation. We have seen developments in many areas of analytical analysis and particularly the development of chromatographic and spectroscopic methods and the hyphenation of these techniques. The ability to process data using multivariate analysis software has opened the door to metabolomics giving us greater capacity to understand the many variations of chemical compounds occurring within medicinal plants, allowing us to have greater certainty of not only the quality of the plants and medicines but also of their suitability for clinical research. Refinements in technology have resulted in the ability to analyze and categorize plants effectively and be able to detect contaminants and adulterants occurring at very low levels. However, advances in technology cannot provide us with all the answers we need in order to deliver high-quality herbal medicines and the more traditional techniques of assessing quality remain as important today.