Pupil Dilation and the Slow Wave ERP Reflect Surprise about Choice Outcome Resulting from Intrinsic Variability in Decision Confidence

Central to human and animal cognition is the ability to learn from feedback in order to optimize future rewards. Such a learning signal might be encoded and broadcasted by the brain’s arousal systems, including the noradrenergic locus coeruleus. Pupil responses and the positive slow wave component of event-related potentials reflect rapid changes in the arousal level of the brain. Here, we ask whether and how these variables may reflect surprise: the mismatch between one’s expectation about being correct and the outcome of a decision, when expectations fluctuate due to internal factors (e.g., engagement). We show that during an elementary decision task in the face of uncertainty both physiological markers of phasic arousal reflect surprise. We further show that pupil responses and slow wave event-related potential are unrelated to each other and that prediction error computations depend on feedback awareness. These results further advance our understanding of the role of central arousal systems in decision-making under uncertainty

Level statistics and eigenfunctions of pseudointegrable systems: dependence on energy and genus number

We study the level statistics (second half moment $I_0$ and rigidity $\Delta_3$) and the eigenfunctions of pseudointegrable systems with rough boundaries of different genus numbers $g$. We find that the levels form energy intervals with a characteristic behavior of the level statistics and the eigenfunctions in each interval. At low enough energies, the boundary roughness is not resolved and accordingly, the eigenfunctions are quite regular functions and the level statistics shows Poisson-like behavior. At higher energies, the level statistics of most systems moves from Poisson-like towards Wigner-like behavior with increasing $g$. Investigating the wavefunctions, we find many chaotic functions that can be described as a random superposition of regular wavefunctions. The amplitude distribution $P(\psi)$ of these chaotic functions was found to be Gaussian with the typical value of the localization volume $V_{\rm{loc}}\approx 0.33$. For systems with periodic boundaries we find several additional energy regimes, where $I_0$ is relatively close to the Poisson-limit. In these regimes, the eigenfunctions are either regular or localized functions, where $P(\psi)$ is close to the distribution of a sine or cosine function in the first case and strongly peaked in the second case. Also an interesting intermediate case between chaotic and localized eigenfunctions appears

Ação do cepa e do ácido giberélico na frutificação da videira 'niagara rosada'

Studies were carried out to establish the effects of exogenous growth regulators on Vitis (labrusca x vinifera) 'Niagara Rosada' fruiting. The investigations were done in the Jundiaí Research Station, Agronomic Institute State of São Paulo, always using disease-free vineyards of good productivity. The morphological transformations of clusters were carried out under the following aspects: weight, length and width of cluster; number of berries; weight, length average and width average of berries; length average/width average ratio of berries; number of seeds; length and diameter of secondary rachis. That characteristics were determined at the time of maturity plus the total sugars, total acid, Maturity Index and reducing sugars in samples of all treatments. The experiment were conduced in order to determine the doses that resulted in the most beneficial effects, always using applications by immersion of the inflorescence. The experiment consisted of appplications of (2-chloroethyl) phosphonic acid (CEPA) at concentrations of 50, 100, 250, 500, 1,000 and 2,000 ppm, 14 days before flowering; treatments with gibberellic acid at concentrations of 100 and 200 ppm before full bloom, 10 days after full bloom, and both before plus after full bloom. Treatment with CEPA 100 ppm plus gibberellic acid 100 ppm before full bloom and check treatment were also used. The use of CEPA before flowering at the concentrations used, did not result in good results in 'Niagara Rosada' clusters; applications of gibberellic acid did not differ significantly from the nontreated vines under the conditions studied.Estudou-se o efeito da aplicação, por imersão, do CEPA (ácido 2-cloroetil fosfônico) e do ácido giberélico, 14 dias antes do florescimento, nas características morfológicas da panícula da videira Vitis (labrus-ca x vinifera) "Niagara Rosada". Alguns tratamentos com ácido giberélico foram concluídos com nova aplicação 10 dias após o florescimento. Neste experimento verificou-se que, aplicação do CEPA na concentração de 250 ppm resultou na formação de panículas com a maioria de características indesejáveis. o tratamento misto CEPA 100 ppm + ácido giberélico 100 ppm também promoveu o aparecimento de panículas subdesenvolvidas. Aplicação de ácido giberélico na concentração de 100 ppm em pré e pós-ílorescimento, resultou médias mais elevadas, com relação ao peso da panícula, comprimento da panícula, peso das bagas e comprimento da ráquis. Ácido giberélico na concentração de 100 ppm aplicado em pós-ílorescimento, promoveu uma tendência de aumento nas médias do tratamento quanto ao comprimento médio das bagas, largura média das bagas, largura do engaço e comprimento da ráquila. Devemos considerar porém, que os resultados obtidos não apresentaram diferenças significativas com relação ao controle, quanto às características das frutificações, nas condições de estudo

GUP1 and its close homologue GUP2, encoding multi-membrane-spanning proteins involved in active glycerol uptake in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Many yeast species can utilise glycerol, both as sole carbon source and as an osmolyte. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, physiological studies have previously shown the presence of an active uptake system driven by electrogenic proton symport. We have used transposon mutagenesis to isolate mutants affected in the transport of glycerol into the cell. Here we present the identification of YGL084c, encoding a multi-membrane-spanning protein, as being essential for proton symport of glycerol into Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The gene is named GUP1 (Glycerol UPtake) and is important for growth on glycerol as carbon and energy source, as well as for osmotic protection by added glycerol, of a strain deficient in glycerol production. Another ORF, YPL189w, presenting a high degree of homology to YGL084c, similarly appears to be involved in active glycerol uptake in salt-containing glucose-based media in strains deficient in glycerol production. Analogously, this gene is named GUP2. To our knowledge, this is the first report on a gene product involved in active transport of glycerol in yeasts. Mutations with the same phenotypes occurred in two other open reading frames of previously unknown function, YDL074c and YPL180w.Comunidade Europeia (CE) - contract BIO4-CT95-0161

A Measurement of Psi(2S) Resonance Parameters

Cross sections for e+e- to hadons, pi+pi- J/Psi, and mu+mu- have been measured in the vicinity of the Psi(2S) resonance using the BESII detector operated at the BEPC. The Psi(2S) total width; partial widths to hadrons, pi+pi- J/Psi, muons; and corresponding branching fractions have been determined to be Gamma(total)= (264+-27) keV; Gamma(hadron)= (258+-26) keV, Gamma(mu)= (2.44+-0.21) keV, and Gamma(pi+pi- J/Psi)= (85+-8.7) keV; and Br(hadron)= (97.79+-0.15)%, Br(pi+pi- J/Psi)= (32+-1.4)%, Br(mu)= (0.93+-0.08)%, respectively.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figure

All-particle cosmic ray energy spectrum measured with 26 IceTop stations

We report on a measurement of the cosmic ray energy spectrum with the IceTop air shower array, the surface component of the IceCube Neutrino Observatory at the South Pole. The data used in this analysis were taken between June and October, 2007, with 26 surface stations operational at that time, corresponding to about one third of the final array. The fiducial area used in this analysis was 0.122 km^2. The analysis investigated the energy spectrum from 1 to 100 PeV measured for three different zenith angle ranges between 0{\deg} and 46{\deg}. Because of the isotropy of cosmic rays in this energy range the spectra from all zenith angle intervals have to agree. The cosmic-ray energy spectrum was determined under different assumptions on the primary mass composition. Good agreement of spectra in the three zenith angle ranges was found for the assumption of pure proton and a simple two-component model. For zenith angles {\theta} < 30{\deg}, where the mass dependence is smallest, the knee in the cosmic ray energy spectrum was observed between 3.5 and 4.32 PeV, depending on composition assumption. Spectral indices above the knee range from -3.08 to -3.11 depending on primary mass composition assumption. Moreover, an indication of a flattening of the spectrum above 22 PeV were observed.Comment: 38 pages, 17 figure

Transfer origins in the conjugative Enterococcus faecalis plasmids pAD1 and pAM373: identification of the pAD1 nic site, a specific relaxase and a possible TraG-like protein

The Enterococcus faecalis conjugative plasmids pAD1 and pAM373 encode a mating response to the peptide sex pheromones cAD1 and cAM373 respectively. Sequence determination of both plasmids has recently been completed with strong similarity evident over many of the structural genes related to conjugation. pAD1 has two origins of transfer, with oriT1 being located within the repA determinant, whereas the more efficiently utilized oriT2 is located between orf53 and orf57 , two genes found in the present study to be essential for conjugation. We have found a similarly located oriT to be present in pAM373. oriT2 corresponds to about 285 bp based on its ability to facilitate mobilization by pAD1 when ligated to the shuttle vector pAM401; however, it was not mobilized by pAM373. In contrast, a similarly ligated fragment containing the oriT of pAM373 did not facilitate mobilization by pAD1 but was efficiently mobilized by pAM373. The oriT sites of the two plasmids each contained a homologous large inverted repeat (spanning about 140 bp) adjacent to a series of non-homologous short (6 bp) direct repeats. A hybrid construction containing the inverted repeat of pAM373 and direct repeats of pAD1 was mobilized efficiently by pAD1 but not by pAM373, indicating a significantly greater degree of specificity is associated with the direct repeats. Mutational (deletion) analyses of the pAD1 oriT2 inverted repeat structure suggested its importance in facilitating transfer or perhaps ligation of the ends of the newly transferred DNA strand. Analyses showed that Orf57 (to be called TraX) is the relaxase, which was found to induce a specific nick in the large inverted repeat inside oriT ; the protein also facilitated site-specific recombination between two oriT2 sites. Orf53 (to be called TraW) exhibits certain structural similarities to TraG-like proteins, although there is little overall homology.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/72536/1/j.1365-2958.2002.03007.x.pd

Efeitos da aplicação de retardador (CCC) e acelerador (GA) de crescimento na morfologia e produtividade do feijoeiro (Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv. Carioca)

Verificou-se os efeitos de CCC e GA quando aplicados sob a forma de pulverização das plântulas, na morfologia, florescimento e produtividade do feijoeiro cultivar Carioca, em condições de casa de vegetação. Estudou-se as concentrações de 500, 2000 e 4000 ppm de CCC juntamente com 50 pprn de GA; sendo que CCC 500 + GA 50 ppm promoveu aceleração no crescimento da haste principal e CCC 4000 + GA 50 ppm retardou esse crescimento em relação ao controle. Aplicação de CCC 500 + GA 50 ppm aumentou o número de folhas do feijoeiro. Num período de 2 semanas após o tratamento com CCC 500 + GA 50 ppm ocorreu aumento no comprimento dos meritalos, sendo que 30 dias após a aplicação de CCC 4000 + GA 50 ppm verificou-se diminuição no comprimento dos mesmos. Observou-se aumento no comprimento do limbo foliar 5 dias após os tratamentos com CCC 500 + GA 50 ppm ou CCC 2000 + GA 50 ppm. Ocorreu aumento no número médio de flores com aplicação de CCC 500 + GA 50 ppm. Não ocorreram diferenças significativas entre a produtividade das plantas tratadas com relação ao controle.In this paper the autors tested the effects of (2 - chloroethyl) trimethylammonium chloride (CCC) and gibberellic acid (GA) on the cultivar Carioca of bean, in three different concentrations (500, 2000, and 4000 ppm) of CCC and one concentration of GA (50 ppm). Treatment with CCC 500 ppm + GA 50 ppm increased the height of bean plant and CCC 4000 ppm + GA 50 ppm reduced the height of Phaseolus vulgaris. Application of CCC 500 ppm + GA 50 ppm or CCC 2000 ppm + GA 50 ppm increased the leaf number of bean plant. CCC 500 ppm + GA 50 ppm promoted a increase in the internode length and CCC 4000 ppm + GA 50 ppm reduced the length of internodcs. Application of CCC 500 ppm + GA 50 ppm or CCC 2000 ppm + GA 50 ppm increased the leaf length 5 days after the treatment. CCC 500 ppm + GA 50 ppm promoted higher flowering in relation to the check.

The Role of Radioactivities in Astrophysics

I present both a history of radioactivity in astrophysics and an introduction to the major applications of radioactive abundances to astronomy