In the current event-related potential (ERP) study, we investigated

such control processes in the form of retrieval orientation and strategic retrieval of nontarget information. At study, complete or incomplete object words were presented in sentences. Participants had to identify the words as the subject of the sentence (perceive condition) or had to complete them upon presentation of a word fragment (self-generate condition). The participants’ memory accuracy was better for generated items than for perceived items, as tested in a subsequent memory exclusion task. Comparison of ERPs to new items between the two test conditions (i.e. assessing retrieval orientation) showed more positive ERPs when generated object names were targeted. Retrieval orientation also modulated the early midfrontal old/new effect: Items of

the self-generate condition elicited this effect irrespective of their target/nontarget status, while in response to the less well remembered items of the perceive condition it was only found when these items were defined as targets. Target retrieval (as reflected in the left-parietal old/new effect) occurred in both test conditions, but nontarget retrieval was observed only for generated items (when perceived items were targeted). Current 2 findings indicate that retrieval orientation can modulate familiarity-related processes. The selective occurrence of nontarget retrieval for generated items corroborates the concept that the ease with which nontarget information can be accessed promotes nontarget retrieval. (c) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Experiment 1 compared the acquisition of a feature-positive and a feature-negative discrimination in humans. In the former, an outcome was signaled by two stimuli together, but not by one of these stimuli alone. In the latter, the outcome was signaled by one stimulus alone, but not by

two stimuli together. Using a within-group design, the experiment revealed that the feature-positive discrimination was acquired more readily than the feature-negative discrimination. Experiment 2 tested an explanation for these results, based on the Rescorla-Wagner theory, by examining how novel discriminations, based on a combination of a feature-positive and a feature-negative discrimination, were solved. The results did not accord with predictions from the theory. Alternative explanations for the results are considered.”
“In order to analyze the structure-function of multi-subunit RNA polymerases (RNAPs), it is necessary to make site-directed mutations in key residues. Because Saccharomyces cerevisiae RNAP 11 is isolated as a 12 subunit enzyme that has not been amenable to in vitro reconstitution, making site-directed mutations in a particular subunit presents technical issues.