Goal-directed visual attention is a fundamental cognitive process that enables animals to selectively focus on specific regions of the visual field while filtering out irrelevant information. However, given the domain specificity of social behaviors, it remains unclear whether attention to faces versus nonfaces recruits different neurocognitive processes. In this study, we simultaneously recorded activity from temporal and frontal nodes of the attention network while macaques performed a goal-directed visual search task. V4 and inferotemporal (IT) visual category-selective units, selected during cue presentation, discriminated fixations on targets and distractors during the search but were differentially engaged by face and house targets. V4 and IT category-selective units also encoded fixation transitions and search dynamics. Compared with distractors, fixations on targets reduced spike–LFP coherence within the temporal cortex. Importantly, target-induced desynchronization between the temporal and prefrontal cortices was only evident for face targets, suggesting that attention to faces differentially engaged the prefrontal cortex. We further revealed bidirectional theta influence between the temporal and prefrontal cortices using Granger causality, which was again disproportionate for faces. Finally, we showed that the search became more efficient with increasing target-induced desynchronization. Together, our results suggest domain specificity for attending to faces and an intricate interplay between visual attention and social processing neural networks.

Somatosensory coding in rodents has been mostly studied in the whisker system and hairy skin, whereas the function of low-threshold mechanoreceptors (LTMRs) in the rodent glabrous skin has received scant attention, unlike in primates where the glabrous skin has been the focus. The relative activation of different LTMR subtypes carries information about vibrotactile stimuli, as does the rate and temporal patterning of LTMR spikes. Rate coding depends on the probability of a spike occurring on each stimulus cycle (reliability), whereas temporal coding depends on the timing of spikes relative to the stimulus cycle (precision). Using in vivo extracellular recordings in male rats and mice of either sex, we measured the reliability and precision of LTMR responses to tactile stimuli including sustained pressure and vibration. Similar to other species, rodent LTMRs were separated into rapid-adapting (RA) or slow-adapting based on their response to sustained pressure. However, unlike the dichotomous frequency preference characteristic of RA1 and RA2/Pacinian afferents in other species, rodent RAs fell along a continuum. Fitting generalized linear models to experimental data reproduced the reliability and precision of rodent RAs. The resulting model parameters highlight key mechanistic differences across the RA spectrum; specifically, the integration window of different RAs transitions from wide to narrow as tuning preferences across the population move from low to high frequencies. Our results show that rodent RAs can support both rate and temporal coding, but their heterogeneity suggests that coactivation patterns play a greater role in population coding than for dichotomously tuned primate RAs.

The activation of autonomic and hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) systems occurs interdependently with behavioral adjustments under varying environmental demands. Nevertheless, laboratory rodent studies examining the neural bases of stress responses have generally attributed increments in these systems to be monolithic, regardless of whether an active or passive coping strategy is employed. Using the shock probe defensive burying test (SPDB) to measure stress-coping features naturalistically in male and female rats, we identify a neural pathway whereby activity changes may promote distinctive response patterns of hemodynamic and HPA indices typifying active and passive coping phenotypes. Optogenetic excitation of the rostral medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) input to the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG) decreased passive behavior (immobility), attenuated the glucocorticoid hormone response, but did not prevent arterial pressure and heart rate increases associated with rats’ active behavioral (defensive burying) engagement during the SPDB. In contrast, inhibition of the same pathway increased behavioral immobility and attenuated hemodynamic output but did not affect glucocorticoid increases. Further analyses confirmed that hemodynamic increments occurred preferentially during active behaviors and decrements during immobility epochs, whereas pathway manipulations, regardless of the directionality of effect, weakened these correlational relationships. Finally, neuroanatomical evidence indicated that the influence of the rostral mPFC->vlPAG pathway on coping response patterns is mediated predominantly through GABAergic neurons within vlPAG. These data highlight the importance of this prefrontal->midbrain connection in organizing stress-coping responses and in coordinating bodily systems with behavioral output for adaptation to aversive experiences.

The sudden appearance of a visual distractor shortly before saccade initiation can capture spatial attention and modulate the saccade trajectory in spite of the ongoing execution of the initial plan to shift gaze straight to the saccade target. To elucidate the neural correlates underlying these curved saccades, we recorded from single neurons in the frontal eye field of two male rhesus monkeys shifting gaze to a target while a distractor with the same eccentricity appeared either left or right of the target at various delays after target presentation. We found that the population level of presaccadic activity of neurons representing the distractor location encoded the direction of the saccade trajectory. Stronger activity occurred when saccades curved toward the distractor, and weaker when saccades curved away. This relationship held whether the distractor was ipsilateral or contralateral to the recorded neurons. Meanwhile, visually responsive neurons showed asymmetrical patterns of excitatory responses that varied with the location of the distractor and the duration of distractor processing relating to attentional capture and distractor inhibition. During earlier distractor processing, neurons encoded curvature toward the distractor. During later distractor processing, neurons encoded curvature away from the distractor. This was observed when saccades curved away from distractors contralateral to the recording site and when saccades curved toward distractors ipsilateral to the recording site. These findings indicate that saccadic motor planning involves dynamic push–pull hemispheric interactions producing attraction or repulsion for potential but unselected saccade targets.

Participants of a poverty simulation activity hosted by AIDSLink International discover that it’s very different to minister to the poor than to be the poor.

OMer Jan Willem Otten uses basketball as a way to keep kids off the streets and put them in touch with the gospel

The children at Meetse Bophelo Centre learn to bless their community through the act of giving.

An Australian working with OM Russia shares about seeing God work in the lives of the students of OM Russia’s Discipleship Centre.

OM Russia’s Business for Transformation ministry supports eight projects that empower locals through employment, while impacting the kingdom.

OM, in cooperation with the local church, has sent believers to serve in a village where unreached people groups live. Shortly after, some local people repented and decided to follow Jesus. Now a vibrant church has been started.

After discovering his freedom in Christ and being discipled, former drug addict Ruslan wants to share hope with the least reached.

Marie Reyes from Australia led the Out of the Comfort Zone Cebu team, and shares lessons she learnt during the two-week outreach.

OM Philippines send staff to assess the earthquake damages in Surigao City and provide needed disaster relief training.

OMer Michelle* and a team of women taking the gospel out in Istanbul, Turkey, are invited to a refugee's home.

When Rev Graham Clay, Pastor of Stratford-Upon-Avon Baptist Church, decided to have an OM ministry team work with his church, he didn’t hesitate to take action.

Long-term worker sees fresh stirrings of faith among Muslim communities in the UK.

The Kid's 'n' Things team visited two churches to run five-day long holiday clubs, with the theme of “Lionheart and the Great Wild West Adventure”.

OM parters with local church volunteers in Kasama to reach out to hundreds of vulnerable children.

Even though she didn’t want to go to Africa in the beginning, Abbie believes God prepared her for it and reflects on her experiences.

A story how an Asian sister found her way to a local church service in Greece.

In an interview with OM Greece’s country leader, Kees den Toom (Netherlands), we learn about the current situation in Greece and OM’s response to it.

Day after day, OM volunteers staffed transit camps meeting and loving refugees on Lesvos. After roughly nine months, the ministry is closing down.

Work of OM Romania among the Roma population

A Roma man’s cry to God for mercy to spare his son’s life transforms his future and the future of his small town.

Earlier this year, a severe storm blanketed Romania in snow that left hundreds stranded. A team brought food, wood and hope to victims.

OM founder George Verwer speaks at the Romanian Brethren Assembly about living a pure life and standing against the issue of abortion.

Transform team provides children’s programme, conducts English classes and learns how to love Bedouin people in the desert village.

Restoration and hope: A Bedouin woman and her son earn new income selling beans after listening to an OM worker share ideas about starting a small business.

Participating in a Transform outreach to trafficked women gave OMer Erika Tello the vision of founding the OM Italy anti-trafficking ministry.

How do you shine God’s light to people in the community in which God has placed you?

Artists participating in the Incarnate training and discipleship programme of OM Arts in Italy are inspired by conversations with locals.

The OM Transform team experienced God at work during the conference and outreach day. The local churches were an added blessing, as was the cycling team sent out to pray for least reached towns.

Highlights from Transform 2018 outreaches in Spain, France and Portugal.

A group from the Sharing Lives Course visits a mosque in Lausanne, Switzerland, and learns that greater awareness can lead to greater sensitivity.

Lawrence and Susan Tong encourage the OM Switzerland team during their annual retreat.

Board members from OM Malaysia joined 110 participants from 18 nations in the 10-year celebration of the Out of the Comfort Zone conference this year.

A team of 38 from El Salvador and Guatemala visited the Salvadoran city of Perquín to spread the message of the Saviour.

Michelle never expected to be involved in missions, but God had other plans.

Daniel Ottoson (US), who serves as a site leader at an international congregation in Finland, enjoys seeing Finns and foreigners serving and loving Jesus together.

“I climb in the name of the young women we serve,” said Boris Salinas, who will participate in a Freedom Climb event on 26 April.

Nearly two million people have been affected by the recent flooding in Colombia. The torrential rains that hit the country in the past few months caused its worst flooding in 40 years. Over 240 people have died and many had to leave their homes behind, especially along the Pacific and Atlantic coastlines. OM Colombia is helping out with relief work.

Barranquilla, Colombia :: Mission organisations come together on board Logos Hope to inspire Latinos to serve God around the world.

“Aren’t there enough churches in Italy?” Not to reach the 50,000 people in Pisa, says OM team, who plants La Torre.

Two OM team members experienced the bombings in Belgium firsthand as Red Cross volunteers.

Indian cricket team star batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma faced a lot of criticism from fans as well as experts following their poor show in the Test series against New Zealand.

Tejasvi Jaiswal, elder brother of star India batter Yashasvi Jaiswal, was in the news recently, having scored his maiden First-Class half-century in Ranji Trophy.

Samson Viswanath, father of India cricketer Sanju Samson, has made a shocking claim regarding his son's international career.

With Sales Accelerator, Del Monte can 'tweak the levers' during a campaign to boost reach and revenu

Chris Bondhus explains how Brightcove's video platform can support B2B ABM initiatives

1. Can Vitamin D supplements reduce blood pressure? New study's findings are promising  The Times of India
2. Vitamin D Supplements Linked with Reducing High Blood Pressure  Healthline
3. The £4 supplement that could slash blood pressure - reducing stroke, dementia and heart attack risk  Daily Mail
4. Vitamin D Supplements Could Help Lower Blood Pressure in Obese People  Therogersvillereview
5. Vitamin D can lower blood pressure in obese adults, study  Daily Jang