Unravelling the contributions of motor experience and conceptual knowledge in action perception: A training study

Prior knowledge affects how we perceive the world and the sensorimotor system actively guides our perception. An ongoing dispute regards the extent to which prior motor knowledge versus conceptual knowledge modulates the observation of others’ actions. Research indicates that motor experience increases motor activation during action perception. Other research, however, has shown that conceptual familiarity with actions also modulates motor activation, i.e., increased motor activation during observation of unfamiliar, compared to conceptually familiar, actions. To begin to disentangle motor from conceptual contributions to action perception, we uniquely combined motoric and conceptual interventions into one design. We experimentally manipulated participants’ experience with both motoric skills and conceptual knowledge, via motor training of kinematically challenging actions and contextual information about the action, respectively, in a week-long training session. Measurements of the effects on motor activity measured via electroencephalography (EEG) during pre- and post-training action observation were compared. We found distinct, non-interacting effects of both manipulations: Motor training increased motor activation, whereas additional conceptual knowledge decreased motor activation. The findings indicate that both factors influence action perception in a distinct and parallel manner. This research speaks to previously irreconcilable findings and provides novel insights about the distinct roles of motor and conceptual contributions to action perception

Conductive Strontium Titanate Layers Produced By Boron-ion Implantation

The ion implantation of boron has been found to be an effective method for increasing the conductivity of strontium titanate. A highly conductive layer was formed by implantations at doses of 3.6x1016 to 1.0x1017 ions/cm2, using an accelerating voltage of 100 kV, corresponding to a boron range of about 300 nm. The conductivity of the implanted layer was found to be further enhanced by about four orders of magnitude after annealing at 225 °C. The surface resistivity attained was typically 1000 Ω/square at room temperature. The resistance increased with rising temperature between 77 and 500 K. All samples were found to be n type, as determined by Hall-effect and thermoelectric measurements. The measured Hall mobility range was from 100 cm2/V sec at 77 K, decreasing to 5 cm2/V sec at 300 K. The existence of several defect energy levels can be inferred from the electrical data

Konservasi Cendana (Santalum Album Linn) Berbasis Masyarakat Pada Sistem Kaliwu Di Pulau Sumba

Cendana (Santalum album Linn) merupakan sumberdaya alam hayati yang memilikikandungan santalol, yaitu bahan aromatik bernilai ekonomi tinggi untuk berbagaipenggunaanya bagi manusia. Permintaan minyak cendana yang tinggi mendorongeksploitasi melebihi kapasitas lestarinya, sehingga pemulihannya memerlukan partisipasisemua pihak, terutama masyarakat. Tujuan penelitian adalah untuk mengidentifikasiperan masyarakat dalam pelestarian cendana dan merumuskan strategipengembangannya pada sistem Kaliwu di Pulau Sumba. Metode penelitian dilakukansecara observasi, sedangkan analisisnya dengan deskriptif kualitatif dan SWOT.Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa peran serta masyarakat dalam pengembangancendana sangat potensial. Hal ini dibuktikan bahwa sebanyak 30% responden melakukanpemeliharaan cendana secara swadaya dengan strategi memelihara pohon induk,menanam permudaan alam dan biji cendana, serta beberapa diantaranya memperolehbantuan bibit dari Dinas Kehutanan. Partisipasi masyarakat merupakan modal yangperlu difasilitasi melalui penguatan kapasitas masyarakat memelihara danmengembangkan cendana, mengoptimalkan pemanfaatan input program daripemerintah dan lembaga terkait untuk pemeliharaan cendana pada sistem Kaliwu, sertameningkatkan pengembangan dan produksi cendana untuk memenuhi kebutuhan duniainternasional

Hyperfine interaction and magnetoresistance in organic semiconductors

We explore the possibility that hyperfine interaction causes the recently discovered organic magnetoresistance (OMAR) effect. Our study employs both experiment and theoretical modelling. An excitonic pair mechanism model based on hyperfine interaction, previously suggested by others to explain magnetic field effects in organics, is examined. Whereas this model can explain a few key aspects of the experimental data, we, however, uncover several fundamental contradictions as well. By varying the injection efficiency for minority carriers in the devices, we show experimentally that OMAR is only weakly dependent on the ratio between excitons formed and carriers injected, likely excluding any excitonic effect as the origin of OMAR.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figures, 1 tabl

Analisis Perbandingan Perencanaan Tebal Perkerasan Jalan Lentur Menggunakan Beberapa Metode Bina Marga Studi Kasus: (Ruas Jalan Piringsurat – Batas Kedu Timur)

Manual guidance highway pavement design issued by Directorate Jenderal Bina Marga is the result of modification to the rules of some developed countries such as AASHTO owned by United States and AUSTROADS owned by Australia. Then, the guidelines are adjusted to the condition of Indonesia to become an official guidelines that serve a reference for planning of highway pavement thickness in Indonesia.In this research, the study and the evaluation using four highway flexible pavement design guidelines starting from 2002 (Pt. T-01-2002-B) up to the latest guidance published in 2013 (No.02/M/BM/2013) with the case study Piringsurat – Batas Kedu Timur road segment. Use data as well as some of the same parameters in pavement design, in order to facilitate the conduct comparisons as traffic growth figures (i) 2,5% before 2020 and 3,5% after 2020. The result of flexible pavement thickness of four methods according to the flexible pavement design guidance, compared and assessed so as to produce an evaluation of each manual guidance flexible pavement design

Nonlinear Dynamics of the Perceived Pitch of Complex Sounds

We apply results from nonlinear dynamics to an old problem in acoustical physics: the mechanism of the perception of the pitch of sounds, especially the sounds known as complex tones that are important for music and speech intelligibility

Germany's 'coronavirus anomaly': Statistical evidence that early mass testing leads to low mortality rates

In this note, we present a statistical analysis of the mortality rates of COVID-19 for several selected European countries. We compare the countries' mortality rates with their respective number of tests as a function of the time since the first death. Our analysis shows that countries that either delayed mass testing, such as Italy, or have not fully adopted it, such as France and the UK, have had much higher mortality rates than Germany, which has adopted a policy of wide and early testing. Conversely, countries that have followed Germany's example, such as Portugal, have so far had comparatively low mortality rates

The global prevalence of IBS in adults remains elusive due to the heterogeneity of studies: a Rome Foundation working team literature review

Objectives The global prevalence of IBS is difficult to ascertain, particularly in light of the heterogeneity of published epidemiological studies. The aim was to conduct a literature review, by experts from around the world, of community-based studies on IBS prevalence. Design Searches were conducted using predetermined search terms and eligibility criteria, including papers in all languages. Pooled prevalence rates were calculated by combining separate population survey prevalence estimates to generate an overall combined meta-prevalence estimate. The heterogeneity of studies was assessed. Results 1451 papers were returned and 83, including 288 103 participants in 41 countries, met inclusion criteria. The mean prevalence among individual countries ranged from 1.1% in France and Iran to 35.5% in Mexico. There was significant variance in pooled regional prevalence rates ranging from 17.5% (95% CI 16.9% to 18.2%) in Latin America, 9.6% (9.5% to 9.8%) in Asia, 7.1% (8.0% to 8.3%) in North America/Europe/Australia/New Zealand, to 5.8% (5.6% to 6.0%) in the Middle East and Africa. There was a significant degree of heterogeneity with the percentage of residual variation due to heterogeneity at 99.9%. Conclusions The main finding is the extent of methodological variance in the studies reviewed and the degree of heterogeneity among them. Based on this, we concluded that publication of a single pooled global prevalence rate, which is easily calculated, would not be appropriate or contributory. Furthermore, we believe that future studies should focus on regional and cross-cultural differences that are more likely to shed light on pathophysiology