75 research outputs found
Canonical matrices of bilinear and sesquilinear forms
Canonical matrices are given for
(a) bilinear forms over an algebraically closed or real closed field;
(b) sesquilinear forms over an algebraically closed field and over real
quaternions with any nonidentity involution; and
(c) sesquilinear forms over a field F of characteristic different from 2 with
involution (possibly, the identity) up to classification of Hermitian forms
over finite extensions of F.
A method for reducing the problem of classifying systems of forms and linear
mappings to the problem of classifying systems of linear mappings is used to
construct the canonical matrices. This method has its origins in representation
theory and was devised in [V.V. Sergeichuk, Math. USSR-Izv. 31 (1988) 481-501].Comment: 44 pages; misprints corrected; accepted for publication in Linear
Algebra and its Applications (2007
Reflection groups in hyperbolic spaces and the denominator formula for Lorentzian Kac--Moody Lie algebras
This is a continuation of our "Lecture on Kac--Moody Lie algebras of the
arithmetic type" \cite{25}.
We consider hyperbolic (i.e. signature ) integral symmetric bilinear
form (i.e. hyperbolic lattice), reflection group
, fundamental polyhedron \Cal M of and an acceptable
(corresponding to twisting coefficients) set P({\Cal M})\subset M of vectors
orthogonal to faces of \Cal M (simple roots). One can construct the
corresponding Lorentzian Kac--Moody Lie algebra {\goth g}={\goth
g}^{\prime\prime}(A(S,W,P({\Cal M}))) which is graded by .
We show that \goth g has good behavior of imaginary roots, its denominator
formula is defined in a natural domain and has good automorphic properties if
and only if \goth g has so called {\it restricted arithmetic type}. We show
that every finitely generated (i.e. P({\Cal M}) is finite) algebra {\goth
g}^{\prime\prime}(A(S,W_1,P({\Cal M}_1))) may be embedded to {\goth
g}^{\prime\prime}(A(S,W,P({\Cal M}))) of the restricted arithmetic type. Thus,
Lorentzian Kac--Moody Lie algebras of the restricted arithmetic type is a
natural class to study.
Lorentzian Kac--Moody Lie algebras of the restricted arithmetic type have the
best automorphic properties for the denominator function if they have {\it a
lattice Weyl vector }. Lorentzian Kac--Moody Lie algebras of the
restricted arithmetic type with generalized lattice Weyl vector are
called {\it elliptic}Comment: Some corrections in Sects. 2.1, 2.2 were done. They don't reflect on
results and ideas. 31 pages, no figures. AMSTe
Program Comprehension: Identifying Learning Trajectories for Novice Programmers
This working group asserts that Program Comprehension (PC) plays a critical part in the writing process. For example, this abstract is written from a basic draft that we have edited and revised until it clearly presents our idea. Similarly, a program is written in an incremental manner, with each step being tested, debugged and extended until the program achieves its goal.
Novice programmers should develop their program comprehen- sion as they learn to code, so that they are able to read and reason about code while they are writing it. To foster such competencies our group has identified two main goals: (1) to collect and define learning activities that explicitly cover key components of program comprehension and (2) to define possible learning trajectories that will guide teachers using those learning activities in their CS0/CS1 or K-12 courses. [...
Canonical matrices of isometric operators on indefinite inner product spaces
We give canonical matrices of a pair (A,B) consisting of a nondegenerate form
B and a linear operator A satisfying B(Ax,Ay)=B(x,y) on a vector space over F
in the following cases:
(i) F is an algebraically closed field of characteristic different from 2 or
a real closed field, and B is symmetric or skew-symmetric;
(ii) F is an algebraically closed field or the skew field of quaternions over
a real closed field, and B is Hermitian or skew-Hermitian with respect to any
nonidentity involution on F.
We use a method that admits to reduce the problem of classifying an arbitrary
system of forms and linear mappings to the problem of classifying
representations of some quiver. This method was described in [V.V. Sergeichuk,
Math. USSR-Izv. 31 (1988) 481-501].Comment: 57 page
Top-down contingent feature-specific orienting with and without awareness of the visual input
In the present article, the role of endogenous feature-specific orienting for
conscious and unconscious vision is reviewed. We start with an overview of
orienting. We proceed with a review of masking research, and the definition of
the criteria of experimental protocols that demonstrate endogenous and exogenous
orienting, respectively. Against this background of criteria, we assess studies
of unconscious orienting and come to the conclusion that so far studies of
unconscious orienting demonstrated endogenous feature-specific orienting. The
review closes with a discussion of the role of unconscious orienting in action
control
Binding binding: Departure points for a different version of the perceptual retouch theory
In the perceptual retouch theory, masking and related microgenetic phenomena were
explained as a result of interaction between specific cortical representational
systems and the non-specific sub-cortical modulation system. Masking appears as
deprivation of sufficient modulation of the consciousness mechanism suffered by
the target-specific signals because of the temporal delay of non-specific
modulation (necessary for conscious representation), which explicates the
later-coming mask information instead of the already decayed target information.
The core of the model envisaged relative magnitudes of EPSPs of single cortical
cells driven by target and mask signals at the moment when the nonspecific,
presynaptic, excitatory input arrives from the thalamus. In the light of the
current evidence about the importance of synchronised activity of specific and
non-specific systems in generating consciousness, the retouch theory requires
perhaps a different view. This article presents some premises for modification
of the retouch theory, where instead of the cumulative presynaptic spike
activities and EPSPs of single cells, the oscillatory activity in the gamma
range of the participating systems is considered and shown to be consistent with
the basic ideas of the retouch theory. In this conceptualisation, O-binding
refers to specific encoding which is based on gamma-band synchronised
oscillations in the activity of specific cortical sensory modules that represent
features and objects; C-binding refers to the gamma-band oscillations in the
activity of the non-specific thalamic systems, which is necessary for the
O-binding based data to become consciously experienced
Zinc Sensing Receptor Signaling, Mediated by GPR39, Reduces Butyrate-Induced Cell Death in HT29 Colonocytes via Upregulation of Clusterin
Zinc enhances epithelial proliferation, protects the digestive epithelial layer and has profound antiulcerative and antidiarrheal roles in the colon. Despite the clinical significance of this ion, the mechanisms linking zinc to these cellular processes are poorly understood. We have previously identified an extracellular Zn2+ sensing G-protein coupled receptor (ZnR) that activates Ca2+ signaling in colonocytes, but its molecular identity as well as its effects on colonocytes' survival remained elusive. Here, we show that Zn2+, by activation of the ZnR, protects HT29 colonocytes from butyrate induced cell death. Silencing of the G-protein coupled receptor GPR39 expression abolished ZnR-dependent Ca2+ release and Zn2+-dependent survival of butyrate-treated colonocytes. Importantly, GPR39 also mediated ZnR-dependent upregulation of Na+/H+ exchange activity as this activity was found in native colon tissue but not in tissue obtained from GPR39 knock-out mice. Although ZnR-dependent upregulation of Na+/H+ exchange reduced the cellular acid load induced by butyrate, it did not rescue HT29 cells from butyrate induced cell death. ZnR/GPR39 activation however, increased the expression of the anti-apoptotic protein clusterin in butyrate-treated cells. Furthermore, silencing of clusterin abolished the Zn2+-dependent survival of HT29 cells. Altogether, our results demonstrate that extracellular Zn2+, acting through ZnR, regulates intracellular pH and clusterin expression thereby enhancing survival of HT29 colonocytes. Moreover, we identify GPR39 as the molecular moiety of ZnR in HT29 and native colonocytes
Neuro-cognitive mechanisms of conscious and unconscious visual perception: From a plethora of phenomena to general principles
Psychological and neuroscience approaches have promoted much progress in
elucidating the cognitive and neural mechanisms that underlie phenomenal visual
awareness during the last decades. In this article, we provide an overview of
the latest research investigating important phenomena in conscious and
unconscious vision. We identify general principles to characterize conscious and
unconscious visual perception, which may serve as important building blocks for
a unified model to explain the plethora of findings. We argue that in particular
the integration of principles from both conscious and unconscious vision is
advantageous and provides critical constraints for developing adequate
theoretical models. Based on the principles identified in our review, we outline
essential components of a unified model of conscious and unconscious visual
perception. We propose that awareness refers to consolidated
visual representations, which are accessible to the entire brain and therefore
globally available. However, visual awareness not only depends
on consolidation within the visual system, but is additionally the result of a
post-sensory gating process, which is mediated by higher-level cognitive control
mechanisms. We further propose that amplification of visual representations by
attentional sensitization is not exclusive to the domain of conscious
perception, but also applies to visual stimuli, which remain unconscious.
Conscious and unconscious processing modes are highly interdependent with
influences in both directions. We therefore argue that exactly this
interdependence renders a unified model of conscious and unconscious visual
perception valuable. Computational modeling jointly with focused experimental
research could lead to a better understanding of the plethora of empirical
phenomena in consciousness research
Target Cueing Provides Support for Target- and Resource-Based Models of the Attentional Blink
The attentional blink (AB) describes a time-based deficit in processing the second of two masked targets. The AB is attenuated if successive targets appear between the first and final target, or if a cueing target is positioned before the final target. Using various speeds of stimulus presentation, the current study employed successive targets and cueing targets to confirm and extend an understanding of target-target cueing in the AB. In Experiment 1, three targets were presented sequentially at rates of 30 msec/item or 90 msec/item. Successive targets presented at 90 msec improved performance compared with non-successive targets. However, accuracy was equivalently high for successive and non-successive targets presented at 30 msec/item, suggesting that–regardless of whether they occurred consecutively–those items fell within the temporally defined attentional window initiated by the first target. Using four different presentation speeds, Experiment 2 confirmed the time-based definition of the AB and the success of target-cueing at 30 msec/item. This experiment additionally revealed that cueing was most effective when resources were not devoted to the cue, thereby implicating capacity limitations in the AB. Across both experiments, a novel order-error measure suggested that errors tend to decrease with an increasing duration between the targets, but also revealed that certain stimulus conditions result in stable order accuracy. Overall, the results are best encapsulated by target-based and resource-sharing theories of the AB, which collectively value the contributions of capacity limitations and optimizing transient attention in time
Human Intestinal Lumen and Mucosa-Associated Microbiota in Patients with Colorectal Cancer
Recent reports have suggested the involvement of gut microbiota in the progression of colorectal cancer (CRC). We utilized pyrosequencing based analysis of 16S rRNA genes to determine the overall structure of microbiota in patients with colorectal cancer and healthy controls; we investigated microbiota of the intestinal lumen, the cancerous tissue and matched noncancerous normal tissue. Moreover, we investigated the mucosa-adherent microbial composition using rectal swab samples because the structure of the tissue-adherent bacterial community is potentially altered following bowel cleansing. Our findings indicated that the microbial structure of the intestinal lumen and cancerous tissue differed significantly. Phylotypes that enhance energy harvest from diets or perform metabolic exchange with the host were more abundant in the lumen. There were more abundant Firmicutes and less abundant Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria in lumen. The overall microbial structures of cancerous tissue and noncancerous tissue were similar; howerer the tumor microbiota exhibited lower diversity. The structures of the intestinal lumen microbiota and mucosa-adherent microbiota were different in CRC patients compared to matched microbiota in healthy individuals. Lactobacillales was enriched in cancerous tissue, whereas Faecalibacterium was reduced. In the mucosa-adherent microbiota, Bifidobacterium, Faecalibacterium, and Blautia were reduced in CRC patients, whereas Fusobacterium, Porphyromonas, Peptostreptococcus, and Mogibacterium were enriched. In the lumen, predominant phylotypes related to metabolic disorders or metabolic exchange with the host, Erysipelotrichaceae, Prevotellaceae, and Coriobacteriaceae were increased in cancer patients. Coupled with previous reports, these results suggest that the intestinal microbiota is associated with CRC risk and that intestinal lumen microflora potentially influence CRC risk via cometabolism or metabolic exchange with the host. However, mucosa-associated microbiota potentially affects CRC risk primarily through direct interaction with the host
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