Emergent Synergistic Grasp-Like Behavior in a Visuomotor Joint Action Task: Evidence for Internal Forward Models as Building Blocks of Human Interactions

Central to the mechanistic understanding of the human mind is to clarify how cognitive functions arise from simpler sensory and motor functions. A longstanding assumption is that forward models used by sensorimotor control to anticipate actions also serve to incorporate other people’s actions and intentions, and give rise to sensorimotor interactions between people, and even abstract forms of interactions. That is, forward models could aid core aspects of human social cognition. To test whether forward models can be used to coordinate interactions, here we measured the movements of pairs of participants in a novel joint action task. For the task they collaborated to lift an object, each of them using fingers of one hand to push against the object from opposite sides, just like a single person would use two hands to grasp the object bimanually. Perturbations of the object were applied randomly as they are known to impact grasp-specific movement components in common grasping tasks. We found that co-actors quickly learned to make grasp-like movements with grasp components that showed coordination on average based on action observation of peak deviation and velocity of their partner’s trajectories. Our data suggest that co-actors adopted pre-existing bimanual grasp programs for their own body to use forward models of their partner’s effectors. This is consistent with the long-held assumption that human higher-order cognitive functions may take advantage of sensorimotor forward models to plan social behavior.New and Noteworthy: Taking an approach of sensorimotor neuroscience, our work provides evidence for a long-held belief that the coordination of physical as well as abstract interactions between people originates from certain sensorimotor control processes that form mental representations of people’s bodies and actions, called forward models. With a new joint action paradigm and several new analysis approaches we show that, indeed, people coordinate each other’s interactions based on forward models and mutual action observation

Reinforcement Learning and Advanced Reinforcement Learning to Improve Autonomous Vehicle Planning

Planning for autonomous vehicles is a challenging process that involves navigating through dynamic and unpredictable surroundings while making judgments in real-time. Traditional planning methods sometimes rely on predetermined rules or customized heuristics, which could not generalize well to various driving conditions. In this article, we provide a unique framework to enhance autonomous vehicle planning by fusing conventional RL methods with cutting-edge reinforcement learning techniques. To handle many elements of planning issues, our system integrates cutting-edge algorithms including deep reinforcement learning, hierarchical reinforcement learning, and meta-learning. Our framework helps autonomous vehicles make decisions that are more reliable and effective by utilizing the advantages of these cutting-edge strategies.With the use of the RLTT technique, an autonomous vehicle can learn about the intentions and preferences of human drivers by inferring the underlying reward function from expert behaviour that has been seen. The autonomous car can make safer and more human-like decisions by learning from expert demonstrations about the fundamental goals and limitations of driving. Large-scale simulations and practical experiments can be carried out to gauge the effectiveness of the suggested approach. On the basis of parameters like safety, effectiveness, and human likeness, the autonomous vehicle planning system's performance can be assessed. The outcomes of these assessments can help to inform future developments and offer insightful information about the strengths and weaknesses of the strategy

Basic science232. Certolizumab pegol prevents pro-inflammatory alterations in endothelial cell function

Background: Cardiovascular disease is a major comorbidity of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and a leading cause of death. Chronic systemic inflammation involving tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF) could contribute to endothelial activation and atherogenesis. A number of anti-TNF therapies are in current use for the treatment of RA, including certolizumab pegol (CZP), (Cimzia ®; UCB, Belgium). Anti-TNF therapy has been associated with reduced clinical cardiovascular disease risk and ameliorated vascular function in RA patients. However, the specific effects of TNF inhibitors on endothelial cell function are largely unknown. Our aim was to investigate the mechanisms underpinning CZP effects on TNF-activated human endothelial cells. Methods: Human aortic endothelial cells (HAoECs) were cultured in vitro and exposed to a) TNF alone, b) TNF plus CZP, or c) neither agent. Microarray analysis was used to examine the transcriptional profile of cells treated for 6 hrs and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysed gene expression at 1, 3, 6 and 24 hrs. NF-κB localization and IκB degradation were investigated using immunocytochemistry, high content analysis and western blotting. Flow cytometry was conducted to detect microparticle release from HAoECs. Results: Transcriptional profiling revealed that while TNF alone had strong effects on endothelial gene expression, TNF and CZP in combination produced a global gene expression pattern similar to untreated control. The two most highly up-regulated genes in response to TNF treatment were adhesion molecules E-selectin and VCAM-1 (q 0.2 compared to control; p > 0.05 compared to TNF alone). The NF-κB pathway was confirmed as a downstream target of TNF-induced HAoEC activation, via nuclear translocation of NF-κB and degradation of IκB, effects which were abolished by treatment with CZP. In addition, flow cytometry detected an increased production of endothelial microparticles in TNF-activated HAoECs, which was prevented by treatment with CZP. Conclusions: We have found at a cellular level that a clinically available TNF inhibitor, CZP reduces the expression of adhesion molecule expression, and prevents TNF-induced activation of the NF-κB pathway. Furthermore, CZP prevents the production of microparticles by activated endothelial cells. This could be central to the prevention of inflammatory environments underlying these conditions and measurement of microparticles has potential as a novel prognostic marker for future cardiovascular events in this patient group. Disclosure statement: Y.A. received a research grant from UCB. I.B. received a research grant from UCB. S.H. received a research grant from UCB. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interes

Author Correction: Scalable and robust SARS-CoV-2 testing in an academic center.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper

A Multicenter, Randomized, Placebo‐Controlled Trial of Atorvastatin for the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Events in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis

Objective: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with increased cardiovascular event (CVE) risk. The impact of statins in RA is not established. We assessed whether atorvastatin is superior to placebo for the primary prevention of CVEs in RA patients. Methods: A randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial was designed to detect a 32% CVE risk reduction based on an estimated 1.6% per annum event rate with 80% power at P 50 years or with a disease duration of >10 years who did not have clinical atherosclerosis, diabetes, or myopathy received atorvastatin 40 mg daily or matching placebo. The primary end point was a composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke, transient ischemic attack, or any arterial revascularization. Secondary and tertiary end points included plasma lipids and safety. Results: A total of 3,002 patients (mean age 61 years; 74% female) were followed up for a median of 2.51 years (interquartile range [IQR] 1.90, 3.49 years) (7,827 patient‐years). The study was terminated early due to a lower than expected event rate (0.70% per annum). Of the 1,504 patients receiving atorvastatin, 24 (1.6%) experienced a primary end point, compared with 36 (2.4%) of the 1,498 receiving placebo (hazard ratio [HR] 0.66 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.39, 1.11]; P = 0.115 and adjusted HR 0.60 [95% CI 0.32, 1.15]; P = 0.127). At trial end, patients receiving atorvastatin had a mean ± SD low‐density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol level 0.77 ± 0.04 mmoles/liter lower than those receiving placebo (P < 0.0001). C‐reactive protein level was also significantly lower in the atorvastatin group than the placebo group (median 2.59 mg/liter [IQR 0.94, 6.08] versus 3.60 mg/liter [IQR 1.47, 7.49]; P < 0.0001). CVE risk reduction per mmole/liter reduction in LDL cholesterol was 42% (95% CI −14%, 70%). The rates of adverse events in the atorvastatin group (n = 298 [19.8%]) and placebo group (n = 292 [19.5%]) were similar. Conclusion: Atorvastatin 40 mg daily is safe and results in a significantly greater reduction of LDL cholesterol level than placebo in patients with RA. The 34% CVE risk reduction is consistent with the Cholesterol Treatment Trialists’ Collaboration meta‐analysis of statin effects in other populations

Burden of excessive gestational weight gain and postpartum weight retention among Indian women - A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Excessive weight gain during pregnancy and weight retention in the postpartum period may lead to obesity, diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular events among women in later life, as well as adverse perinatal outcomes, and long-term offspring health outcomes during the current and subsequent pregnancies. However, most studies of gestational weight gain (GWG) and postpartum weight retention (PPWR) are in western and developed countries. Therefore, this paper aimed to determine the burden of gestational weight gain and postpartum weight retention among Indian women. Materials &amp; methods: Three electronic database- Medline, Google Scholar, and Cochrane library were searched for studies up until March 31, 2022. Studies on GWG and PPWR from India were included in the review. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) checklist was used for reporting the current review. Online platform Rayyan was used to screen and select the studies. Data were extracted from the 13 selected articles and pooled estimates, proportion and mean of GWG &amp; PPWR along with 95% CI were estimated. Results: Overall 271 articles were identified after the initial search and 13 articles were included (n = 6656) in the review. Nine studies reported proportion of women with excessive GWG, seven studies reported mean GWG and three studies described weight retention among postpartum mothers. The pooled proportion of Indian pregnant women with excessive GWG was found to be 16.48% (95% CI: 11.52, 21.43) and the pooled mean of GWG was 10.08 kg (95% CI: 7.81–12.34). The highest pooled proportion of women with excessive GWG was reported in the North region with 22.57% and the lowest in the East region with 9.15%. The highest pooled mean of GWG was reported in the East region with 12.90 kg and the lowest in the North region with 6.40 kg. Findings from three studies were systematically reviewed and summarized for postpartum weight retention among Indian women. Conclusion: Although majority of Indian women achieved GWG less than the recommendations, there is a need for larger population based surveys among Indian women to obtain adequate, appropriate and complete health related information about weight changes during and after pregnancy

Behaviour of non-ionic Inicroe1nulsion containing Tween-80, <i>iso</i>-amyl alcohol, hexane and water

338-341Phase diagrams of pseudoternary mixtures of emulsifier (tween-80 and iso-amyl alcohol), hexane and water have been constructed with varying surfactant cosurfactant ratio. Transparent and translucent domains have been identified in the phase diagram by visual titration method. The viscometry and electrical conductance studies of the microemulsion demarcate the oil in water, bicontinuous and water in oil phases