5,730 research outputs found
Projecting the self into a virtual world
The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of perspective-taking instructions (PTI) on (a) the tendency to project aspects of the self onto a video game character and (b) the degree “telepresence” within a virtual world. Perspective taking instructions encourage subjects to imagine themselves as a story character. It has been found in the past that PTI may cause an individual to merge identities with a story character in written stories (Goldstein & Cialdini, 2007) and films (Davis et al., 1996). This study replicated these findings using a video game. Male video gamers played a video game and completed character trait measures about themselves and about the game character. Subjects given perspective-taking instructions (PTI) had more overlap in the character traits ascribed to themselves and the character than did control subjects. PTI did not significantly impact telepresence. Positive and negative implications of these findings are discussed
Projecting the self into a virtual world
The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of perspective-taking instructions (PTI) on (a) the tendency to project aspects of the self onto a video game character and (b) the degree “telepresence” within a virtual world. Perspective taking instructions encourage subjects to imagine themselves as a story character. It has been found in the past that PTI may cause an individual to merge identities with a story character in written stories (Goldstein & Cialdini, 2007) and films (Davis et al., 1996). This study replicated these findings using a video game. Male video gamers played a video game and completed character trait measures about themselves and about the game character. Subjects given perspective-taking instructions (PTI) had more overlap in the character traits ascribed to themselves and the character than did control subjects. PTI did not significantly impact telepresence. Positive and negative implications of these findings are discussed
A Continuous Non-demolition Measurement of the Cs Clock Transition Pseudo-spin
We demonstrate a weak continuous measurement of the pseudo-spin associated
with the clock transition in a sample of Cs atoms. Our scheme uses an optical
probe tuned near the D1 transition to measure the sample birefringence, which
depends on the z-component of the collective pseudospin. At certain probe
frequencies the differential light shift of the clock states vanishes and the
measurement is non-perturbing. In dense samples the measurement can be used to
squeeze the collective clock pseudo-spin, and has potential to improve the
performance of atomic clocks and interferometers.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, ReVTeX, modified text in response to referee's
comment
Quantum Critical Behavior in Kondo Systems
This article briefly reviews three topics related to the quantum critical
behavior of certain heavy-fermion systems. First, we summarize an extended
dynamical mean-field theory for the Kondo lattice, which treats on an equal
footing the quantum fluctuations associated with the Kondo and RKKY couplings.
The dynamical mean-field equations describe an effective Kondo impurity model
with an additional coupling to vector bosons. Two types of quantum phase
transition appear to be possible within this approach---the first a
conventional spin-density-wave transition, the second driven by local physics.
For the second type of transition to be realized, the effective impurity model
must have a quantum critical point exhibiting an anomalous local spin
susceptibility. In the second part of the paper, such a critical point is shown
to occur in two variants of the Kondo impurity problem. Finally, we propose an
operational test for the existence of quantum critical behavior driven by local
physics. Neutron scattering results suggest that CeCuAu passes this
test.Comment: 6 pages, 4 eps figures, REVTeX (epsf style
Analysis of dependence among size, rate and duration in internet flows
In this paper we examine rigorously the evidence for dependence among data
size, transfer rate and duration in Internet flows. We emphasize two
statistical approaches for studying dependence, including Pearson's correlation
coefficient and the extremal dependence analysis method. We apply these methods
to large data sets of packet traces from three networks. Our major results show
that Pearson's correlation coefficients between size and duration are much
smaller than one might expect. We also find that correlation coefficients
between size and rate are generally small and can be strongly affected by
applying thresholds to size or duration. Based on Transmission Control Protocol
connection startup mechanisms, we argue that thresholds on size should be more
useful than thresholds on duration in the analysis of correlations. Using
extremal dependence analysis, we draw a similar conclusion, finding remarkable
independence for extremal values of size and rate.Comment: Published in at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/09-AOAS268 the Annals of
Applied Statistics (http://www.imstat.org/aoas/) by the Institute of
Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org
The use of genes for performance enhancement: doping or therapy?
Recent biotechnological advances have permitted the manipulation of genetic sequences to treat several diseases in a process called gene therapy. However, the advance of gene therapy has opened the door to the possibility of using genetic manipulation (GM) to enhance athletic performance. In such ‘gene doping’, exogenous genetic sequences are inserted into a specific tissue, altering cellular gene activity or leading to the expression of a protein product. The exogenous genes most likely to be utilized for gene doping include erythropoietin (EPO), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), insulin-like growth factor type 1 (IGF-1), myostatin antagonists, and endorphin. However, many other genes could also be used, such as those involved in glucose metabolic pathways. Because gene doping would be very difficult to detect, it is inherently very attractive for those involved in sports who are prepared to cheat. Moreover, the field of gene therapy is constantly and rapidly progressing, and this is likely to generate many new possibilities for gene doping. Thus, as part of the general fight against all forms of doping, it will be necessary to develop and continually improve means of detecting exogenous gene sequences (or their products) in athletes. Nevertheless, some bioethicists have argued for a liberal approach to gene doping
Conservation status of New Zealand freshwater invertebrates, 2013
The conservation status of 644 freshwater invertebrate taxa, across five Phyla, 28 Orders and 75 Families, was assessed using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) criteria. Forty-six species were ranked Nationally Critical, 11 Nationally Endangered and 16 Nationally Vulnerable. One hundred and seventy-two taxa were listed as Data Deficient. A full list is presented, along with summaries and brief notes on the most important changes. This list replaces all previous NZTCS lists for freshwater invertebrates
Protein associated with SMAD1 (PAWS1/FAM83G) is a substrate for type I bone morphogenetic protein receptors and modulates bone morphogenetic protein signalling
Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) control multiple cellular processes in embryos and adult tissues. BMPs signal through the activation of type I BMP receptor kinases, which then phosphorylate SMADs 1/5/8. In the canonical pathway, this triggers the association of these SMADs with SMAD4 and their translocation to the nucleus, where they regulate gene expression. BMPs can also signal independently of SMAD4, but this pathway is poorly understood. Here, we report the discovery and characterization of PAWS1/FAM83G as a novel SMAD1 interactor. PAWS1 forms a complex with SMAD1 in a SMAD4-independent manner, and BMP signalling induces the phosphorylation of PAWS1 through BMPR1A. The phosphorylation of PAWS1 in response to BMP is essential for activation of the SMAD4-independent BMP target genes NEDD9 and ASNS. Our findings identify PAWS1 as the first non-SMAD substrate for type I BMP receptor kinases and as a novel player in the BMP pathway. We also demonstrate that PAWS1 regulates the expression of several non-BMP target genes, suggesting roles for PAWS1 beyond the BMP pathway
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