Dynamic changes in synaptic plasticity genes in ipsilateral and contralateral inferior colliculus following unilateral noise-induced hearing loss

Unilateral noise-induced hearing loss reduces the input to the central auditory pathway disrupting the excitatory and inhibitory inputs to the inferior colliculus (IC), an important binaural processing center. Little is known about the compensatory synaptic changes that occur in the IC as a consequence of unilateral noise-induced hearing loss. To address this issue, Sprague–Dawley rats underwent unilateral noise exposure resulting in severe unilateral hearing loss. IC tissues from the contralateral and ipsilateral IC were evaluated for acute (2-d) and chronic (28-d) changes in the expression of 84 synaptic plasticity genes on a PCR array. Arc and Egr1 genes were further visualized by in situ hybridization to validate the PCR results. None of the genes were upregulated, but many were downregulated post-exposure. At 2-d post-exposure, more than 75% of the genes were significantly downregulated in the contralateral IC, while only two were downregulated in the ipsilateral IC. Many of the downregulated genes were related to long-term depression, long-term potentiation, cell adhesion, immediate early genes, neural receptors and postsynaptic density. At 28-d post-exposure, the gene expression pattern was reversed with more than 85% of genes in the ipsilateral IC now downregulated. Most genes previously downregulated in the contralateral IC 2-d post-exposure had recovered; less than 15% remained downregulated. These time-dependent, asymmetric changes in synaptic plasticity gene expression could shed new light on the perceptual deficits associated with unilateral hearing loss and the dynamic structural and functional changes that occur in the IC days and months following unilateral noise-induced hearing loss

Phenomenology with Wilson fermions using smeared sources

We investigate the use of two types of non-local (``smeared'') sources for quark propagators in quenched lattice QCD at $\beta=6.0$ using Wilson fermions at $\kappa=0.154$ and $0.155$. We present results for the hadron mass spectrum, meson decay constants, quark masses, the chiral condensate and the quark distribution amplitude of the pion. The use of smeared sources leads to a considerable improvement over previous results. We find a disturbing discrepancy between the baryon spectra obtained using Wuppertal and wall sources. We find good signals in the ratio of correlators used to calculate the quark mass and the chiral condensate and show that the extrapolation to the chiral limit is smooth.Comment: (revised), 57 pages (29 pages of PostScript in landscape mode, 765924 bytes

Why I tense up when you watch me: inferior parietal cortex mediates an audience’s influence on motor performance

The presence of an evaluative audience can alter skilled motor performance through changes in force output. To investigate how this is mediated within the brain, we emulated real-time social monitoring of participants’ performance of a fine grip task during functional magnetic resonance neuroimaging. We observed an increase in force output during social evaluation that was accompanied by focal reductions in activity within bilateral inferior parietal cortex. Moreover, deactivation of the left inferior parietal cortex predicted both inter- and intra-individual differences in socially-induced change in grip force. Social evaluation also enhanced activation within the posterior superior temporal sulcus, which conveys visual information about others’ actions to the inferior parietal cortex. Interestingly, functional connectivity between these two regions was attenuated by social evaluation. Our data suggest that social evaluation can vary force output through the altered engagement of inferior parietal cortex; a region implicated in sensorimotor integration necessary for object manipulation, and a component of the action-observation network which integrates and facilitates performance of observed actions. Social-evaluative situations may induce high-level representational incoherence between one’s own intentioned action and the perceived intention of others which, by uncoupling the dynamics of sensorimotor facilitation, could ultimately perturbe motor output

Light hadron spectrum with two flavors of O(a)O(a) improved dynamical quarks : final results from JLQCD

We present the final results of the JLQCD calculation of the light hadron spectrum and quark masses with two flavors of dynamical quarks using the plaquette gauge action and fully $O(a)$-improved Wilson quark action at $\beta=5.2$. We observe that sea quark effects lead to a closer agreement of the strange meson and baryon masses with experiment and a reduction of quark masses by about 25.Comment: 3 pages, 5 figures, Lattice2002 (spectrum

An exact algorithm for three-flavor QCD with O(a)O(a)-improved Wilson fermions

We present an exact dynamical QCD simulation algorithm for the $O(a)$-improved Wilson fermion with odd number of flavors. Our algorithm is an extension of the non-Hermitian polynomials HMC algorithm proposed by Takaishi and de Forcrand previously. In our algorithm, the systematic errors caused by the polynomial approximation of the inverse of Dirac operator is removed by a noisy-Metropolis test. For one flavor quark it is achieved by taking the square root of the correction matrix explicitly. We test our algorithm for the case of $N_f=1+1$ on a moderately large lattice size ($16^3\times48$). The $N_f=2+1$ case is also investigated.Comment: Lattice 2001 (algorithm), 3 pages, LaTeX2e with espcrc2.st

Exploration of sea quark effects in two-flavor QCD with the O(a)-improved Wilson quark action

We explore sea quark effects in the light hadron mass spectrum in a simulation of two-flavor QCD using the nonperturbatively O(a)-improved Wilson fermion action. In order to identify finite-size effects, light meson masses are measured on 12^3x48, 16^3x48 and 20^3x48 lattices with a~0.1 fm. On the largest lattice, where the finite-size effect is negligible, we find a significant increase of the strange vector meson mass compared to the quenched approximation. We also investigate the quark mass dependence of pseudoscalar meson masses and decay constants and test the consistency with (partially quenched) chiral perturbation theory.Comment: 3 pages, 3 figures, Lattice2001(spectrum

Calculation of Non-Leptonic Kaon Decay Amplitudes from K→πK\to\pi Matrix Elements in Quenched Domain-Wall QCD

We explore application of the domain wall fermion formalism of lattice QCD to calculate the $K\to\pi\pi$ decay amplitudes in terms of the $K\to\pi$ and $K\to 0$ hadronic matrix elements through relations derived in chiral perturbation theory. Numerical simulations are carried out in quenched QCD using domain-wall fermion action for quarks and an RG-improved gauge action for gluons on a $16^3\times 32\times 16$ and $24^3\times 32\times 16$ lattice at $\beta=2.6$ corresponding to the lattice spacing $1/a\approx 2$GeV. Quark loop contractions which appear in Penguin diagrams are calculated by the random noise method, and the $\Delta I=1/2$ matrix elements which require subtractions with the quark loop contractions are obtained with a statistical accuracy of about 10%. We confirm the chiral properties required of the $K\to\pi$ matrix elements. Matching the lattice matrix elements to those in the continuum at $\mu=1/a$ using the perturbative renormalization factor to one loop order, and running to the scale $\mu=m_c=1.3$ GeV with the renormalization group for $N_f=3$ flavors, we calculate all the matrix elements needed for the decay amplitudes. With these matrix elements, the $\Delta I=3/2$ decay amplitude shows a good agreement with experiment in the chiral limit. The $\Delta I=1/2$ amplitude, on the other hand, is about 50--60% of the experimental one even after chiral extrapolation. In view ofthe insufficient enhancement of the $\Delta I=1/2$ contribution, we employ the experimental values for the real parts of the decay amplitudes in our calculation of $\epsilon'/\epsilon$. We find that the $\Delta I=3/2$ contribution is larger than the $\Delta I=1/2$ contribution so that $\epsilon'/\epsilon$ is negative and has a magnitude of order $10^{-4}$. Possible reasons for these unsatisfactory results are discussed.Comment: 48 pages, final version to appear in Physical Review

Estilo de vida asociado al control de hipertensión arterial y diabetes mellitus en un centro de atención en Lima, durante la pandemia de COVID-19: The lifestyle associated with the control of arterial hypertension and diabetes mellitus in a care center in Lima, during the covid-19 pandemic

Introduction: Hypertension and diabetes mellitus 2 are prevalent diseases. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed lifestyle and disease control, potentially triggering serious complications. Objectives: To determine the association between lifestyle and the control of chronic non-communicable diseases: arterial hypertension and diabetes mellitus 2 during the COVID-19 pandemic in patients of an Urgent Care Center. Materials and methods: Observational, cross-sectional, and analytical study. A sample of 158 patients, between 30 and 79 years old, was included. Control files and medical records were analyzed, anthropometric values ​​were measured, and lifestyle was evaluated through surveys. Results: 51.3% were male, an average of 61 years, 57.6% with married marital status, and 51.9% with higher educational level. In the multivariate analysis of patients with arterial hypertension, a significant association between the lack of control of the hypertensive disease and an unhealthy lifestyle is evidenced (PR = 2.538; p = 0.000; 95% CI = 1.608-4.006). On the other hand, the diabetic population obtained a significant association between the lack of control of type 2 diabetes mellitus with an unhealthy lifestyle (PR = 5.498; p = 0.013; 95% CI = 1.440-20.995), in addition to the prevalence of glycemic lack of control in patients with abnormal abdominal girth it was 1.6 times more than in people with normal abdominal girth (PR = 2.623; p = 0.038; 95% CI = 1.057-6.508). Conclusions: Lifestyle is significantly associated with the control of arterial hypertension and diabetes mellitus. There is a significant association between abdominal circumference and control of type 2 diabetes mellitus.Introducción: La hipertensión arterial y la diabetes mellitus 2 son enfermedades prevalentes. La pandemia por COVID-19, ha cambiado el estilo vida y el control de enfermedades, pudiendo desencadenar serias complicaciones. Objetivos: Determinar la asociación entre el estilo de vida y el control de enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles: hipertensión arterial y diabetes mellitus durante la pandemia de COVID-19 en pacientes de un Centro de Atención de Urgencias. Materiales y métodos: Estudio de tipo observacional, transversal y analítico. Se incluyó una muestra de 158 pacientes, entre 30 y 79 años. Se analizó las fichas de control e historias clínicas, se midieron los valores antropométricos y se evaluó el estilo de vida mediante encuestas. Resultados: El 51,3% fue de sexo masculino, una media de 61 años, 57,6% con estado civil casado y 51,9% con nivel educacional superior. En el análisis multivariado de los pacientes con hipertensión arterial se evidencia una asociación significativa entre el no control de la enfermedad hipertensiva y el estilo de vida no saludable (RP=2,538; p=0,000; IC95%=1,608-4,006). Por otro lado, la población diabética obtuvo una asociación significativa entre el no control de la diabetes mellitus tipo 2 con estilo de vida no saludable (RP=5,498; p=0,013; IC95%=1,440-20,995), además la prevalencia de descontrol glucémico en pacientes con perímetro abdominal patológico fue 1,6 veces más que en las personas con perímetro abdominal normal (RP=2,623; p=0,038; IC95%=1,057-6,508). Conclusiones: El estilo de vida está asociado significativamente con el control de la hipertensión arterial y diabetes mellitus. Existe asociación significativa entre el perímetro abdominal y el control de la diabetes mellitus tipo 2

Microcavity controlled coupling of excitonic qubits

Controlled non-local energy and coherence transfer enables light harvesting in photosynthesis and non-local logical operations in quantum computing. The most relevant mechanism of coherent coupling of distant qubits is coupling via the electromagnetic field. Here, we demonstrate the controlled coherent coupling of spatially separated excitonic qubits via the photon mode of a solid state microresonator. This is revealed by two-dimensional spectroscopy of the sample's coherent response, a sensitive and selective probe of the coherent coupling. The experimental results are quantitatively described by a rigorous theory of the cavity mediated coupling within a cluster of quantum dots excitons. Having demonstrated this mechanism, it can be used in extended coupling channels - sculptured, for instance, in photonic crystal cavities - to enable a long-range, non-local wiring up of individual emitters in solids