Tool use induces complex and flexible plasticity of human body representations

Plasticity of body representation fundamentally underpins human tool use. Recent studies have demonstrated remarkably complex plasticity of body representation in humans, showing that such plasticity: (1) occurs flexibly across multiple time-scales, and (2) involves multiple body representations responding differently to tool use. Such findings reveal remarkable sophistication of body plasticity in humans, suggesting that Vaesen may overestimate the similarity of such mechanisms in humans and non-human primates

On a random walk with memory and its relation to Markovian processes

We study a one-dimensional random walk with memory in which the step lengths to the left and to the right evolve at each step in order to reduce the wandering of the walker. The feedback is quite efficient and lead to a non-diffusive walk. The time evolution of the displacement is given by an equivalent Markovian dynamical process. The probability density for the position of the walker is the same at any time as for a random walk with shrinking steps, although the two-time correlation functions are quite different.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figure

Dilaton Interactions and the Anomalous Breaking of Scale Invariance of the Standard Model

We discuss the main features of dilaton interactions for fundamental and effective dilaton fields. In particular, we elaborate on the various ways in which dilatons can couple to the Standard Model and on the role played by the conformal anomaly as a way to characterize their interactions. In the case of a dilaton derived from a metric compactification (graviscalar), we present the structure of the radiative corrections to its decay into two photons, a photon and a $Z$, two $Z$ gauge bosons and two gluons, together with their renormalization properties. We prove that, in the electroweak sector, the renormalization of the theory is guaranteed only if the Higgs is conformally coupled. For such a dilaton, its coupling to the trace anomaly is quite general, and determines, for instance, an enhancement of its decay rates into two photons and two gluons. We then turn our attention to theories containing a non-gravitational (effective) dilaton, which, in our perturbative analysis, manifests as a pseudo-Nambu Goldstone mode of the dilatation current ($J_D$). The infrared coupling of such a state to the two-photons and to the two-gluons sector, and the corresponding anomaly enhancements of its decay rates in these channels, is critically analyzed.Comment: Revised version, 42 pages, 5 figure

Source/load-pull noise measurements at ka band

This paper is focused on the extraction of the noise parameters of a linear active device by exploiting both forward and reverse noise power measurements associated with different termina-tions. In order for load-pull measurements to yield a significant marginal improvement (as compared to forward measurements only) it is expected that the device under test should appreciably deviate from unidirectionality. For this reason, the source/load-pull technique is applied to frequencies at which the considered devices are still usable but their reverse noise factor exhibits a measurable dependence on the output terminations. Details on the test bench set up to the purpose, covering the 20–40 GHz frequency range, are provided. A characterization campaign on a 60 nm gate length, 4 × 35 µm GaN-on-Si HEMT fabricated by OMMIC is illustrated

X-ray Reflection and An Exceptionally Long Thermonuclear Helium Burst from IGR J17062-6143

Thermonuclear X-ray bursts from accreting neutron stars power brief but strong irradiation of their surroundings, providing a unique way to study accretion physics. We analyze MAXI/Gas Slit Camera and Swift/XRT spectra of a day-long flash observed from IGR J17062-6143 in 2015. It is a rare case of recurring bursts at a low accretion luminosity of 0.15% Eddington. Spectra from MAXI, Chandra, and NuSTAR observations taken between the 2015 burst and the previous one in 2012 are used to determine the accretion column. We find it to be consistent with the burst ignition column of 5 × 10^(10) g cm^(−2), which indicates that it is likely powered by burning in a deep helium layer. The burst flux is observed for over a day, and decays as a straight power law: F ∝ t^(-1.15). The burst and persistent spectra are well described by thermal emission from the neutron star, Comptonization of this emission in a hot optically thin medium surrounding the star, and reflection off the photoionized accretion disk. At the burst peak, the Comptonized component disappears, when the burst may dissipate the Comptonizing gas, and it returns in the burst tail. The reflection signal suggests that the inner disk is truncated at ~102 gravitational radii before the burst, but may move closer to the star during the burst. At the end of the burst, the flux drops below the burst cooling trend for 2 days, before returning to the pre-burst level

The plasticity of near space: evidence for contraction

The distinction between near space and the space farther away has been well established, as has the relation of this distinction to arm length. Recent studies provide evidence for the plasticity of near space, showing that it is possible to expand its extent ("size") through tool-use. In the present study, we examine the converse effect, whether contraction of near space results from increasing the effort involved on a line bisection task. Adult participants bisected lines at different distances, while, in some cases, wearing weights. In Experiment 1, the arms, specifically, were weighted (wrist weights), and in Experiment 2, more general body weights were used (heavy backpack). As in previous studies, unencumbered participants showed leftward bias when bisecting lines at the closest distances and a rightward shift in bias with increasingly farther distances. With wrist weights, but not a heavy backpack, participants showed more rightward bias at the closest distances, and a more gradual rightward shift with increasing distance, as if the nearest locations were represented as being farther away. These results suggest that increased effort, when specifically related to the arm, can serve to reduce the size of near space, providing support for the generally symmetrical plasticity of near space representations

Comments on Anomaly Cancellations by Pole Subtractions and Ghost Instabilities with Gravity

We investigate some aspects of anomaly cancellation realized by the subtraction of an anomaly pole, stressing on some of its properties in superspace. In a local formulation these subtractions can be described in terms of a physical scalar, an axion and related ghosts. They appear to be necessary for the unitarization of the theory in the ultraviolet, but they may generate an infrared instability of the corresponding effective action, signalled by ghost condensation. In particular the subtraction of the superanomaly multiplet by a pole in superspace is of dubious significance, due to the different nature of the chiral and conformal anomalies. In turn, this may set more stringent constraints on the coupling of supersymmetric theories to gravity.Comment: 18 pages. Revised version. To appear in "Classical and Quantum Gravity

Prednisolone inhibits hyperosmolarity-induced expression of MCP-1 via NF-κB in peritoneal mesothelial cells

The mechanism of peritoneal fibrosis in patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) is poorly elucidated. We investigated the cellular mechanism of high-glucose-induced expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), which is important in recruiting monocytes into the peritoneum and progression of peritoneal fibrosis, and examined the inhibitory mechanism of glucocorticoids. Rat peritoneal mesothelial cells were cultured in high-glucose-containing medium and then analyzed for phosphorylation levels of p42/44 and p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases (MAPK), MAPK or extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinase (MEK)1/2, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)1/2, and protein kinase C (PKC) by Western blotting. Expression of MCP-1 was examined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. DNA-binding activity of nuclear factor (NF)-κB was measured by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. High glucose increased MCP-1 mRNA and MCP-1 protein expression. Although glucose increased phosphorylation of MEK1/2, p42/44 MAPK, p38 MAPK, JNK1/2, and PKC, and DNA-binding activity of NF-κB, its effect on MCP-1 expression was suppressed only by PKC and NF-κB inhibitors. Mannitol caused a similar increase in PKC and NF-κB activation and MCP-1 synthesis. Prednisolone increased I-κB-α expression and inhibited glucose/mannitol-induced NF-κB DNA binding and MCP-1 expression without affecting PKC phosphorylation. The inhibitory effects of prednisolone on MCP-1 expression were reversed by mifepristone, a glucocorticoid receptor antagonist. Our results indicate that glucose induces MCP-1 mainly through hyperosmolarity by activating PKC and its downstream NF-κB, and that such effect was inhibited by prednisolone, suggesting the efficacy of prednisolone in preventing peritoneal fibrosis in patients on CAPD