Metric gravity theories and cosmology:II. Stability of a ground state in f(R) theories

A fundamental criterion of viability of any gravity theory is existence of a stable ground-state solution being either Minkowski, dS or AdS space. Stability of the ground state is independent of which frame is physical. In general, a given theory has multiple ground states and splits into independent physical sectors. All metric gravity theories with the Lagrangian being a function of Ricci tensor are dynamically equivalent to Einstein gravity with a source and this allows us to study the stability problem using methods developed in GR. We apply these methods to f(R) theories. As is shown in 13 cases of Lagrangians the stability criterion works simply and effectively whenever the curvature of the ground state is determined. An infinite number of gravity theories have a stable ground state and further viability criteria are necessary.Comment: A modified and expanded version of a second part of the paper which previously appeared as gr-qc/0702097v1. The first, modified part is now published as gr-qc/0702097v2 and as a separate paper in Class. Qu. Grav. The present paper matches the published versio

Beyond Hebb: Exclusive-OR and Biological Learning

A learning algorithm for multilayer neural networks based on biologically plausible mechanisms is studied. Motivated by findings in experimental neurobiology, we consider synaptic averaging in the induction of plasticity changes, which happen on a slower time scale than firing dynamics. This mechanism is shown to enable learning of the exclusive-OR (XOR) problem without the aid of error back-propagation, as well as to increase robustness of learning in the presence of noise.Comment: 4 pages RevTeX, 2 figures PostScript, revised versio

Proteome-based plasma biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease is a common and devastating disease for which there is no readily available biomarker to aid diagnosis or to monitor disease progression. Biomarkers have been sought in CSF but no previous study has used two-dimensional gel electrophoresis coupled with mass spectrometry to seek biomarkers in peripheral tissue. We performed a case-control study of plasma using this proteomics approach to identify proteins that differ in the disease state relative to aged controls. For discovery-phase proteomics analysis, 50 people with Alzheimer's dementia were recruited through secondary services and 50 normal elderly controls through primary care. For validation purposes a total of 511 subjects with Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases and normal elderly controls were examined. Image analysis of the protein distribution of the gels alone identifies disease cases with 56% sensitivity and 80% specificity. Mass spectrometric analysis of the changes observed in two-dimensional electrophoresis identified a number of proteins previously implicated in the disease pathology, including complement factor H (CFH) precursor and α-2-macroglobulin (α- 2M). Using semi-quantitative immunoblotting, the elevation of CFH and α- 2M was shown to be specific for Alzheimer's disease and to correlate with disease severity although alternative assays would be necessary to improve sensitivity and specificity. These findings suggest that blood may be a rich source for biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease and that CFH, together with other proteins such as α- 2M may be a specific markers of this illness. © 2006 The Author(s).link_to_subscribed_fulltex

The electromagnetic Christodoulou memory effect and its application to neutron star binary mergers

Gravitational waves are predicted by the general theory of relativity. It has been shown that gravitational waves have a nonlinear memory, displacing test masses permanently. This is called the Christodoulou memory. We proved that the electromagnetic field contributes at highest order to the nonlinear memory effect of gravitational waves, enlarging the permanent displacement of test masses. In experiments like LISA or LIGO which measure distances of test masses, the Christodoulou memory will manifest itself as a permanent displacement of these objects. It has been suggested to detect the Christodoulou memory effect using radio telescopes investigating small changes in pulsar’s pulse arrival times. The latter experiments are based on present-day technology and measure changes in frequency. In the present paper, we study the electromagnetic Christodoulou memory effect and compute it for binary neutron star mergers. These are typical sources of gravitational radiation. During these processes, not only mass and momenta are radiated away in form of gravitational waves, but also very strong magnetic fields are produced and radiated away. Moreover, a large portion of the energy is carried away by neutrinos. We give constraints on the conditions, where the energy transported by electromagnetic radiation is of similar or slightly higher order than the energy radiated in gravitational waves or in form of neutrinos. We find that for coalescing neutron stars, large magnetic fields magnify the Christodoulou memory as long as the gaseous environment is sufficiently rarefied. Thus the observed effect on test masses of a laser interferometer gravitational wave detector will be enlarged by the contribution of the electromagnetic field. Therefore, the present results are important for the planned experiments. Looking at the null asymptotics of spacetimes, which are solutions of the Einstein–Maxwell equations, we derive the electromagnetic Christodoulou memory effect. We obtain an exact solution of the full nonlinear problem, no approximations were used. Moreover, our results allow to answer astrophysical questions, as the knowledge about the amount of energy radiated away in a neutron star binary merger enables us to gain information about the source of the gravitational waves.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/98597/1/0264-9381_29_21_215003.pd

Hip Abduction Strength: Relationship to Trunk and Lower Extremity Motion During A Single-Leg Step-Down Task in Professional Baseball Players

# Background The single-leg step down task (SLSD) is a clinical tool to assess movement and control of the lower extremity and trunk. Hip abduction weakness may impact movement quality during the SLSD, however the relationships between movement and strength are unclear. # Purpose To determine the relationship between hip abduction isometric strength and movement during the SLSD of trunk lean, pelvic drop, knee valgus, and hip flexion. # Study Design Cross sectional, cohort study # Methods One hundred-eighteen Minor League baseball players (age=21.6 ± 2.0 years; n=68 pitchers, n=50 position players) participated. Bilateral hip abduction isometric strength was measured using a handheld dynamometer (HHD), and then multiplied by distance from the greater trochanter to the HHD and expressed as hip abduction torque. Video cameras captured the SLSD, with participants standing on one leg while lowering their contralateral heel to touchdown on the floor from a 0.203m (8in.) step. Trunk lean, trunk flexion, pelvic drop, knee valgus, and hip flexion were measured using Dartfish at heel touchdown. A value of 180° indicated no knee valgus. Pearson correlations examined the relationships between hip abduction torque and SLSD motions. # Results There were no significant correlations for position players. For pitchers, on the lead leg increased hip abduction torque weakly correlated with a decrease in knee valgus (r= 0.24, p=0.049). Also for pitchers on the trail leg, increased hip abduction torque weakly correlated with decreased pelvic drop (r= -0.28, p=0.021). # Conclusion Hip abduction strength contributes to dynamic control of the trunk and legs. Specifically in pitchers, hip abduction weakness was related to increased movement of the lower extremity and lumbopelvic regions during the dynamic SLSD task. These deficits could translate to altered pitching performance and injury. # Levels of Evidence 2\

The effects of NMDA receptor blockade on TMS-evoked EEG potentials from prefrontal and parietal cortex

Measuring the brain's response to transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) with electroencephalography (EEG) offers unique insights into the cortical circuits activated following stimulation, particularly in non-motor regions where less is known about TMS physiology. However, the mechanisms underlying TMS-evoked EEG potentials (TEPs) remain largely unknown. We assessed TEP sensitivity to changes in excitatory neurotransmission mediated by n-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors following stimulation of non-motor regions. In fourteen male volunteers, resting EEG and TEPs from prefrontal (PFC) and parietal (PAR) cortex were measured before and after administration of either dextromethorphan (NMDA receptor antagonist) or placebo across two sessions in a double-blinded pseudo-randomised crossover design. At baseline, there were amplitude differences between PFC and PAR TEPs across a wide time range (15-250 ms), however the signals were correlated after ~80 ms, suggesting early peaks reflect site-specific activity, whereas late peaks reflect activity patterns less dependent on the stimulated sites. Early TEP peaks were not reliably altered following dextromethorphan compared to placebo, although findings were less clear for later peaks, and low frequency resting oscillations were reduced in power. Our findings suggest that early TEP peaks (<80 ms) from PFC and PAR reflect stimulation site specific activity that is largely insensitive to changes in NMDA receptor-mediated neurotransmission.Nigel C. Rogasch, Carl Zipser, Ghazaleh Darmani, Tuomas P. Mutanen, Mana Biabani, Christoph Zrenner, Debora Desideri, Paolo Belardinelli, Florian Müller-Dahlhaus, Ulf Zieman

TMS-EEG Signatures of GABAergic Neurotransmission in the Human Cortex

Combining transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and electroencephalography (EEG) constitutes a powerful tool to directly assess human cortical excitability and connectivity. TMS of the primary motor cortex elicits a sequence of TMS-evoked EEG potentials (TEPs). It is thought that inhibitory neurotransmission through GABA-A receptors (GABAAR) modulates early TEPs (�50 ms after TMS), whereas GABA-B receptors (GABABR) play a role for later TEPs (at�100 ms after TMS). However, the physiological underpinnings of TEPs have not been clearly elucidated yet. Here, we studied the role of GABAA/B-ergic neurotransmission for TEPs in healthy subjects using a pharmaco-TMS-EEG approach. In Experiment 1, we tested the effects of a single oral dose of alprazolam (a classical benzodiazepine acting as allosteric-positive modulator at �1, �2, �3, and �5 subunit-containing GABAARs) and zolpidem (a positive modulator mainly at the�1 GABAAR) in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. In Experiment 2, we tested the influence of baclofen (a GABABRagonist) and diazepam (a classical benzodiazepine) versus placebo on TEPs. Alprazolam and diazepam increased the amplitude of the negative potential at 45 ms after stimulation (N45) and decreased the negative component at 100 ms (N100), whereas zolpidem increased the N45 only. In contrast, baclofen specifically increased the N100 amplitude. These results provide strong evidence that the N45 represents activity of �1-subunit-containing GABAARs, whereas the N100 represents activity of GABABRs. Findings open a novel window of opportunity to study alteration of GABAA-/GABAB-related inhibition in disorders, such as epilepsy or schizophrenia

Attentive Learning of Sequential Handwriting Movements: A Neural Network Model

Defense Advanced research Projects Agency and the Office of Naval Research (N00014-95-1-0409, N00014-92-J-1309); National Science Foundation (IRI-97-20333); National Institutes of Health (I-R29-DC02952-01)

Toward shared decision-making in degenerative cervical myelopathy: Protocol for a mixed methods study

Health care decisions are a critical determinant in the evolution of chronic illness. In shared decision-making (SDM), patients and clinicians work collaboratively to reach evidence-based health decisions that align with individual circumstances, values, and preferences. This personalized approach to clinical care likely has substantial benefits in the oversight of degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM), a type of nontraumatic spinal cord injury. Its chronicity, heterogeneous clinical presentation, complex management, and variable disease course engenders an imperative for a patient-centric approach that accounts for each patient's unique needs and priorities. Inadequate patient knowledge about the condition and an incomplete understanding of the critical decision points that arise during the course of care currently hinder the fruitful participation of health care providers and patients in SDM. This study protocol presents the rationale for deploying SDM for DCM and delineates the groundwork required to achieve this. The study's primary outcome is the development of a comprehensive checklist to be implemented upon diagnosis that provides patients with essential information necessary to support their informed decision-making. This is known as a core information set (CIS). The secondary outcome is the creation of a detailed process map that provides a diagrammatic representation of the global care workflows and cognitive processes involved in DCM care. Characterizing the critical decision points along a patient's journey will allow for an effective exploration of SDM tools for routine clinical practice to enhance patient-centered care and improve clinical outcomes. Both CISs and process maps are coproduced iteratively through a collaborative process involving the input and consensus of key stakeholders. This will be facilitated by Myelopathy.org, a global DCM charity, through its Research Objectives and Common Data Elements for Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy community. To develop the CIS, a 3-round, web-based Delphi process will be used, starting with a baseline list of information items derived from a recent scoping review of educational materials in DCM, patient interviews, and a qualitative survey of professionals. A priori criteria for achieving consensus are specified. The process map will be developed iteratively using semistructured interviews with patients and professionals and validated by key stakeholders. Recruitment for the Delphi consensus study began in April 2023. The pilot-testing of process map interview participants started simultaneously, with the formulation of an initial baseline map underway. This protocol marks the first attempt to provide a starting point for investigating SDM in DCM. The primary work centers on developing an educational tool for use in diagnosis to enable enhanced onward decision-making. The wider objective is to aid stakeholders in developing SDM tools by identifying critical decision junctures in DCM care. Through these approaches, we aim to provide an exhaustive launchpad for formulating SDM tools in the wider DCM community. DERR1-10.2196/46809. [Abstract copyright: ©Irina Sangeorzan, Grazia Antonacci, Anne Martin, Ben Grodzinski, Carl M Zipser, Rory K J Murphy, Panoraia Andriopoulou, Chad E Cook, David B Anderson, James Guest, Julio C Furlan, Mark R N Kotter, Timothy F Boerger, Iwan Sadler, Elizabeth A Roberts, Helen Wood, Christine Fraser, Michael G Fehlings, Vishal Kumar, Josephine Jung, James Milligan, Aria Nouri, Allan R Martin, Tammy Blizzard, Luiz Roberto Vialle, Lindsay Tetreault, Sukhvinder Kalsi-Ryan, Anna MacDowall, Esther Martin-Moore, Martin Burwood, Lianne Wood, Abdul Lalkhen, Manabu Ito, Nicky Wilson, Caroline Treanor, Sheila Dugan, Benjamin M Davies. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (https://www.researchprotocols.org), 09.10.2023.

Observations of Prolific Transient Luminous Event Production Above a Mesoscale Convective System in Argentina During the Sprite2006 Campaign in Brazil

On the night of 22–23 February 2006, 444 transient luminous events (TLEs), 86% sprites, were observed above a prolific mesoscale convective system (MCS) over Argentina, as part of the third sprite campaign in Brazil. GOES infrared (IR) cloud top temperatures (Tc) and Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) radar (PR) and microwave (TMI) data were used to investigate the MCS convective characteristics and their relationship with World Wide Location Network (WWLLN) detected cloud‐to‐ground (CG) lightning and TLE activity. The MCS had a minimum lifetime of 20 hours, 8.5 as a MCS, a maximum extent of ∼430,000 km2, and gusty winds of ∼39–50 km/h. It had several distinctive characteristics: exceptionally high TLE rate, multicellular structure with 19 distinguishable convective regions, and cloud tops temperatures (Tc) ∼10–20 °C higher than regular TLEproducing MCSs over the central USA and South America. Most TLEs occurred above “individual stratiform regions”, where Tc varied from −45 °C to −53 °C from the beginning to the end of the night, surrounding the areas of strong convections, with convective cores at Tc −59 °C to −74 °C, which did not extend up to or overshoot the tropopause, estimated at −75 °C (∼17.1 km) as normally observed for TLE‐producing MCS in these regions. The moderated convection is contrary to the expectation that large charge production is accompanied by vigorous updrafts within deep convection that give rise to cold cloud overshooting tops, thus prompting a detailed study of this prolific TLE‐producing thunderstorm. On the basis of a charge moment change threshold of 350 Ckm and estimated 5 km charge removal altitude, a lower threshold of ∼4,300 C/h was estimated for the hourly charge transfer rate necessary for the observed sprite production (383 events), which is twice the rate for an average TLE‐producingMCS (70 events), also estimated.TMI/TRMM data for the storm at early development showed a low brightness temperature of 84 K, indicative of significant ice content, which is important for cloud electrification processes. We suggest that the unusually high incidence of TLEs in this moderately convective MCS may be related to other local geophysical phenomena such as a large tropospheric aerosol concentration due to smoke from forest fires. Satellite fire count data showed that there were ∼200 fires between 20 and 22 February immediately north of the MCS initiation region and a transport simulation with the Coupled Aerosol‐Tracer Transport model from the Brazilian developments on Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (CATT/BRAMS) model showed a large PM2.5 aerosol concentration, 10,000 mg/m2 (column integrated), at the region where the MCS developed. The aerosols present in the smoke may have been a source of ice nuclei affecting the production of ice particles that get positively charged, accounting for the charge transfer rate necessary to originate the observed TLE production