The imitation game:effects of social cues on ‘imitation’ are domain-general in nature

AbstractImitation has been hailed as ‘social glue’, facilitating rapport with others. Previous studies suggest that social cues modulate imitation but the mechanism of such modulation remains underspecified. Here we examine the locus, specificity, and neural basis of the social control of imitation. Social cues (group membership and eye gaze) were manipulated during an imitation task in which imitative and spatial compatibility could be measured independently. Participants were faster to perform compatible compared to incompatible movements in both spatial and imitative domains. However, only spatial compatibility was modulated by social cues: an interaction between group membership and eye gaze revealed more spatial compatibility for ingroup members with direct gaze and outgroup members with averted gaze. The fMRI data were consistent with this finding. Regions associated with the control of imitative responding (temporoparietal junction, inferior frontal gyrus) were more active during imitatively incompatible compared to imitatively compatible trials. However, this activity was not modulated by social cues. On the contrary, an interaction between group, gaze and spatial compatibility was found in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in a pattern consistent with reaction times. This region may be exerting control over the motor system to modulate response inhibition

Incorporating a quiz into informed consent processes: Qualitative study of participants' reactions

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Formal checks of participant understanding are now widely recommended to improve informed consent processes. However, the views of the participants these assessments are designed to protect are rarely considered. In this paper the findings of a qualitative study aimed at documenting community reactions to a semi-structured questionnaire ('quiz') are reported. The quiz was administered to 189 mothers after consenting for their children to participate in a malaria vaccine trial on the Kenyan Coast.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Once the malaria vaccine trial was underway, focus group discussions were held with some of these mothers (nine groups; 103 mothers), and with community-based field staff attached to the malaria vaccine trial (two groups of five workers). Individual interviews with other trial staff were also held.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The quiz prompted community members to voice concerns about blood sampling and vaccine side-effects, thereby encouraging additional discussions and interactions between the research team and potential study participants. However, it also caused significant upset and concern. Some of the quiz questions, or the way in which they were asked, appeared to fuel misconceptions and fears, with potentially negative consequences for both the study and community members.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Formal approaches to checking study understanding should be employed with sensitivity and caution. They are influenced by and impact upon complex social relationships between and among researchers and community members. Adequate consideration of these contexts in assessments of understanding, and in responding to the issues raised, requires strong social science capacity.</p

Ensuring Compliance: The Case of the Private Rented Sector

regulation, law and economics, governance, compliance, renting

The Impact of the Decline of the Cleveland Ironstone Industry

This thesis addresses shortcomings in the existing body of work covering the Cleveland ironstone industry. Operating in the Cleveland area of the pre 1974 North Riding of Yorkshire between 1836 and 1964, the ironstone mines were instrumental in the transformation of Middlesbrough into a world leading iron and steel centre. Despite this, the Cleveland ironstone industry, and the impact of its growth and decline has attracted little interest outside the area. Whilst histories of many ironstone mines have been written, little attention has been paid to the associated settlements. It is argued that these settlements are an important element of industrial heritage. Studying how they have been represented and perceived over time enables conclusions to be drawn regarding the impact of industrial history has had, and continues to have on industrial settlements. An unexpectedly high level of errors and inconsistencies was encountered when establishing a list of mines and a consolidated basis for both this work and future study had first to be established. In order to draw conclusions representative of the wide range of settlement histories, five case studies were selected based on their origin, associated mine ranking and post mining history. Grosmont, Kildale and Rosedale all sit within the North York Moors National Park and are well regarded, relatively prosperous, rural places that have moved on from their industrial past. In all three cases when mining ceased the population returned to pre-industrial levels. In contrast Eston and Liverton Mines, which sit within East Cleveland, have not been able to make the same transition. Their populations have grown without the employment to sustain prosperity and they are regarded as relatively deprived, urban areas requiring repeated regeneration schemes in order to address their perceived issues

A comparative analysis of 2D and 3D experimental data for the identification of the parameters of computational models

: Computational models are becoming an increasingly valuable tool in biomedical research. Their accuracy and effectiveness, however, rely on the identification of suitable parameters and on appropriate validation of the in-silico framework. Both these steps are highly dependent on the experimental model used as a reference to acquire the data. Selecting the most appropriate experimental framework thus becomes key, together with the analysis of the effect of combining results from different experimental models, a common practice often necessary due to limited data availability. In this work, the same in-silico model of ovarian cancer cell growth and metastasis, was calibrated with datasets acquired from traditional 2D monolayers, 3D cell culture models or a combination of the two. The comparison between the parameters sets obtained in the different conditions, together with the corresponding simulated behaviours, is presented. It provides a framework for the study of the effect of the different experimental models on the development of computational systems. This work also provides a set of general guidelines for the comparative testing and selection of experimental models and protocols to be used for parameter optimization in computational models

Oxidation of tertiary amine-derivatized surfaces to control protein adhesion

Selective oxidation of omega-tertiary amine self-assembled thiol monolayers to tertiary amine N-oxides is shown to transform the adhesion of model proteins lysozyme and fibrinogen upon them. Efficient preparation of both secondary and tertiary linker amides as judged by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and water droplet contact angle was achieved with an improved amide bond formation on gold quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensors using 2-(1H-7-azabenzotriazol-1-yl)-1,1,3,3-tetramethyl hexafluorophosphate methanaminium uronium (HATU). Oxidation with hydrogen peroxide was similarly assessed, and adhesion of lysozyme and fibrinogen from phosphate buffered saline was then assayed by QCM and imaged by AFM. Tertiary amine-functionalized sensors adsorbed multilayers of aggregated lysozyme, whereas tertiary amine N-oxides and triethylene glycol-terminated monolayers are consistent with small protein aggregates. The surface containing a dimethylamine N-oxide headgroup and ethyl secondary amide linker showed the largest difference in adsorption of both proteins. Oxidation of tertiary amine decorated surfaces therefore holds the potential for selective deposition of proteins and cells through masking and other patterning techniques

Developmental interneuron subtype deficits after targeted loss of Arx

Abstract Background Aristaless-related homeobox (ARX) is a paired-like homeodomain transcription factor that functions primarily as a transcriptional repressor and has been implicated in neocortical interneuron specification and migration. Given the role interneurons appear to play in numerous human conditions including those associated with ARX mutations, it is essential to understand the consequences of mutations in this gene on neocortical interneurons. Previous studies have examined the effect of germline loss of Arx, or targeted mutations in Arx, on interneuron development. We now present the effect of conditional loss of Arx on interneuron development. Results To further elucidate the role of Arx in forebrain development we performed a series of anatomical and developmental studies to determine the effect of conditional loss of Arx specifically from developing interneurons in the neocortex and hippocampus. Analysis and cell counts were performed from mouse brains using immunohistochemical and in situ hybridization assays at 4 times points across development. Our data indicate that early in development, instead of a loss of ventral precursors, there is a shift of these precursors to more ventral locations, a deficit that persists in the adult nervous system. The result of this developmental shift is a reduced number of interneurons (all subtypes) at early postnatal and later time periods. In addition, we find that X inactivation is stochastic, and occurs at the level of the neural progenitors. Conclusion These data provide further support that the role of Arx in interneuron development is to direct appropriate migration of ventral neuronal precursors into the dorsal cortex and that the loss of Arx results in a failure of interneurons to reach the cortex and thus a deficiency in interneurons.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/134595/1/12868_2016_Article_265.pd

Co-creating rehabilitation: Findings from a pilot and implications for wider public service reform

As part of a large pan-European project on co-creating public services we supported the design of a programme in England that attempted to operationalise research on desistance, through a model of co-created, strengths-based working. We then evaluated its implementation and impact. The programme was implemented in a Community Rehabilitation Company. It was delivered in the context of rapid organisational change, often in response to rapidly changing external events and a turbulent policy environment. These factors impeded implementation. An impact evaluation did not identify a statistically significant difference in re-offending rates between the intervention group and a comparator group. However, in-depth qualitative evaluation identified positive examples of co-production and co-creation, with individual case managers and service users supportive and noting positive change. Taken as a whole our findings suggest that a co-created, strengths-based model of probation case management is promising but needs to be accompanied by wider systems change if it is to be embedded successfully

Subchronic administration of phencyclidine produces hypermethylation in the parvalbumin gene promoter in rat brain

Aim: A deficit in parvalbumin neurons is found in schizophrenia and several animal models of the disease. In this preliminary study, we determined whether one such model, phencyclidine (PCP) administration, results in changes in DNA methylation in the rat Pvalb promoter. Materials & methods: DNA from hippocampus and prefrontal cortex from rats, which 6 weeks previously received either 2 mg/kg PCP or vehicle for 7 days, underwent bisulphite pyrosequencing to determine methylation. Results: PCP administration induced significantly greater methylation at one of two Pvalb CpG sites in both prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, while no significant difference was found in long interspersed nucleotide element-1, a global measure of DNA methylation. Conclusion: Subchronic PCP administration results in a specific hypermethylation in the Pvalb promoter which may contribute to parvalbumin deficits in this animal model of psychosis