1,325 research outputs found
Preconditioning of low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation with transcranial direct current stimulation: evidence for homeostatic plasticity in the human motor cortex
Recent experimental work in animals has emphasized the importance of homeostatic plasticity as a means of stabilizing the properties of neuronal circuits. Here, we report a phenomenon that indicates a homeostatic pattern of cortical plasticity in healthy human subjects. The experiments combined two techniques that can produce long-term effects on the excitability of corticospinal output neurons: transcranial direct current stimulation (TDCS) and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the left primary motor cortex. "Facilitatory preconditioning" with anodal TDCS caused a subsequent period of 1 Hz rTMS to reduce corticospinal excitability to below baseline levels for >20 min. Conversely, "inhibitory preconditioning" with cathodal TDCS resulted in 1 Hz rTMS increasing corticospinal excitability for at least 20 min. No changes in excitability occurred when 1 Hz rTMS was preceded by sham TDCS. Thus, changing the initial state of the motor cortex by a period of DC polarization reversed the conditioning effects of 1 Hz rTMS. These preconditioning effects of TDCS suggest the existence of a homeostatic mechanism in the human motor cortex that stabilizes corticospinal excitability within a physiologically useful range
Abelian Functions for Cyclic Trigonal Curves of Genus Four
We discuss the theory of generalized Weierstrass and functions
defined on a trigonal curve of genus four, following earlier work on the genus
three case. The specific example of the "purely trigonal" (or "cyclic
trigonal") curve is discussed in detail, including a list of some of the associated
partial differential equations satisfied by the functions, and the
derivation of an addition formulae.Comment: 23 page
Study of polarization observables in double pion photoproduction on the proton
Using a model for two pion photoproduction on the proton previously tested in
total cross sections and invariant mass distributions, we evaluate here
polarization observables on which recent experiments are providing new
information. We evaluate cross sections for spin 1/2 and 3/2, which are
measured at Mainz and play an important role in tests of the GHD sum rule.
We also evaluate the proton polarization asymmetry which is
currently under investigation at GRAAL in Grenoble.Comment: 23 pages, 14 ps figure
Localization and Causality for a free particle
Theorems (most notably by Hegerfeldt) prove that an initially localized
particle whose time evolution is determined by a positive Hamiltonian will
violate causality. We argue that this apparent paradox is resolved for a free
particle described by either the Dirac equation or the Klein-Gordon equation
because such a particle cannot be localized in the sense required by the
theorems.Comment: 9 pages,no figures,new section adde
Computing Hilbert Class Polynomials
We present and analyze two algorithms for computing the Hilbert class
polynomial . The first is a p-adic lifting algorithm for inert primes p
in the order of discriminant D < 0. The second is an improved Chinese remainder
algorithm which uses the class group action on CM-curves over finite fields.
Our run time analysis gives tighter bounds for the complexity of all known
algorithms for computing , and we show that all methods have comparable
run times
Individualising chronic care management by analysing patients' needs : a mixed method approach
Generalised Elliptic Functions
We consider multiply periodic functions, sometimes called Abelian functions,
defined with respect to the period matrices associated with classes of
algebraic curves. We realise them as generalisations of the Weierstras
P-function using two different approaches. These functions arise naturally as
solutions to some of the important equations of mathematical physics and their
differential equations, addition formulae, and applications have all been
recent topics of study.
The first approach discussed sees the functions defined as logarithmic
derivatives of the sigma-function, a modified Riemann theta-function. We can
make use of known properties of the sigma function to derive power series
expansions and in turn the properties mentioned above. This approach has been
extended to a wide range of non hyperelliptic and higher genus curves and an
overview of recent results is given.
The second approach defines the functions algebraically, after first
modifying the curve into its equivariant form. This approach allows the use of
representation theory to derive a range of results at lower computational cost.
We discuss the development of this theory for hyperelliptic curves and how it
may be extended in the future.Comment: 16 page
Electron self-trapping in intermediate-valent SmB6
SmB6 exhibits intermediate valence in the ground state and unusual behaviour
at low temperatures. The resistivity and the Hall effect cannot be explained
either by conventional sf-hybridization or by hopping transport in an impurity
band. At least three different energy scales determine three temperature
regimes of electron transport in this system. We consider the ground state
properties, the soft valence fluctuations and the spectrum of band carriers in
n-doped SmB6. The behaviour of excess conduction electrons in the presence of
soft valence fluctuations and the origin of the three energy scales in the
spectrum of elementary excitations is discussed. The carriers which determine
the low-temperature transport in this system are self-trapped electron-polaron
complexes rather than simply electrons in an impurity band. The mechanism of
electron trapping is the interaction with soft valence fluctuations.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figure
Levodopa-induced dyskinesia in Parkinson's disease: sleep matters
OBJECTIVE:
The spectrum of clinical symptoms changes during the course of Parkinson's disease. Levodopa therapy, while offering remarkable control of classical motor symptoms, causes abnormal involuntary movements as the disease progresses. These levodopa-induced dyskinesias (LIDs) have been associated with abnormal cortical plasticity. Since slow wave activity (SWA) of nonrapid eye movement (NREM) sleep underlies adjustment of cortical excitability, we sought to elucidate the relationship between this physiological process and LIDs.
METHODS:
Thirty-six patients at different stages of Parkinson's disease (PD) underwent whole-night video polysomnography-high-density EEG (vPSG-hdEEG), preceded by 1 week of actigraphy. To represent the broad spectrum of the disease, patients were divided into three groups by disease stage, (i) de novo (DNV; n = 9), (ii) advanced (ADV; n = 13), and (iii) dyskinetic (DYS; n = 14) and were compared to an age-matched control group (CTL; n = 12). The SWA-NREM content of the PSG-hdEEG was then temporally divided into 10 equal parts, from T1 to T10, and power and source analyses were performed. T2-T3-T4 were considered early sleep and were compared to T7-T8-T9, representing late sleep.
RESULTS:
We found that all groups, except the DYS group, manifested a clear-cut SWA decrease between early and late sleep.
INTERPRETATION:
Our data demonstrate a strong pathophysiological association between sleep and PD. Given that SWA may be a surrogate for synaptic strength, our data suggest that DYS patients do not have adequate synaptic downscaling. Further analysis is needed to determine the effect of drugs that can enhance cortical SWA in LIDs
Calculation of Effective Coulomb Interaction for , , and
In this paper, the Slater integrals for a screened Coulomb interaction of the
the Yukawa form are calculated and by fitting the Thomas-Fermi wavevector, good
agreement is obtained with experiment for the multiplet spectra of
and ions. Moreover, a predicted multiplet spectrum for the heavy
fermion superconductor is shown with a calculated Coulomb U of 1.6 eV.
These effective Coulomb interactions, which are quite simple to calculate,
should be useful inputs to further many-body calculations in correlated
electron metals.Comment: 8 pages, revtex, 3 uuencoded postscript figure
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