Joint action modulates motor system involvement during action observation in 3-year-olds

When we are engaged in a joint action, we need to integrate our partner’s actions with our own actions. Previous research has shown that in adults the involvement of one’s own motor system is enhanced during observation of an action partner as compared to during observation of an individual actor. The aim of this study was to investigate whether similar motor system involvement is present at early stages of joint action development and whether it is related to joint action performance. In an EEG experiment with 3-year-old children, we assessed the children’s brain activity and performance during a joint game with an adult experimenter. We used a simple button-pressing game in which the two players acted in turns. Power in the mu- and beta-frequency bands was compared when children were not actively moving but observing the experimenter’s actions when (1) they were engaged in the joint action game and (2) when they were not engaged. Enhanced motor involvement during action observation as indicated by attenuated sensorimotor mu- and beta-power was found when the 3-year-olds were engaged in the joint action. This enhanced motor activation during action observation was associated with better joint action performance. The findings suggest that already in early childhood the motor system is differentially activated during action observation depending on the involvement in a joint action. This motor system involvement might play an important role for children’s joint action performance

Nurses' perceptions of aids and obstacles to the provision of optimal end of life care in ICU

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Status HZB Cyclotron

For 15 years, eye tumours are treated in collaboration with the Charit Universitätsmedizin Berlin. In 2012 we celebrated the 2000th patient. Our cyclotron is again served by 2 different injectors a 6 MV Van de Graaff and a 2 MV tandetron. The tandetron was optimized especially for the requirements of therapy. Its advantages are easier handling, lower service requirements and a shorter injection beam line. Development of the source resulted in safe operation of more than 600 h and extremely stable beam current. The tandetron is in operation for therapy since 2011. The Van de Graaff was considered to be a temporary backup. New requests for beams with a very specific time structure occurred, which can be provided only with the Van de Graaff cyclotron beam line. Pulse structures of high variability; from single pulses of 1 ns at a max. repetition rate of 75 kHz to pulse packets with a length up to 100 amp; 956;s were tested. The latter was used for the production of pulsed neutron radiation for comprehensive testing of dosimeters. Although major breakdowns have a huge impact on the up time due to the small number of beam time hours, breakdowns over the past years amounted to less than