Neural Basis of Action Observation and Understanding From First- and Third-Person Perspectives: An fMRI Study

Understanding the intentions of others while observing their actions is a fundamental aspect of social behavior. However, the differences in neural and functional mechanisms between observing actions from the first-person perspective (1PP) and third-person perspective (3PP) are poorly understood. The present study had two aims: (1) to delineate the neural basis of action observation and understanding from the 1PP and 3PP; and (2) to identify whether there are different activation patterns during action observation and understanding from 1PP and 3PP. We used a blocked functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) experimental design. Twenty-six right-handed participants observed interactions between the right hand and a cup from 1PP and 3PP. The results indicated that both 1PP and 3PP were associated with similar patterns of activation in key areas of the mirror neuron system underlying action observation and understanding. Importantly, besides of the core network of mirror neuron system, we also found that parts of the basal ganglia and limbic system were involved in action observation in both the 1PP and 3PP tasks, including the putamen, insula and hippocampus, providing a more complete understanding of the neural basis for action observation and understanding. Moreover, compared with the 3PP, the 1PP task caused more extensive and stronger activation. In contrast, the opposite comparison revealed that no regions exhibited significantly more activation in the 3PP compared with the 1PP condition. The current results have important implications for understanding the role of the core network underlying the mirror neuron system, as well as parts of the basal ganglia and limbic system, during action observation and understanding

Detection and Analysis of Autoantigens Targeted by Autoantibodies in Immunorelated Pancytopenia

Previously, we described a group of patients with hemocytopenia who did not conform to diagnostic criteria of known hematological and nonhematological diseases. Most patients responded well to adrenocortical hormone and/or high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin treatment, indicating that cytopenia might be mediated by autoantibodies. Autoantibodies were detected on the membrane of various bone marrow (BM) hemopoietic cells by bone marrow mononuclear-cell-Coombs test or flow cytometric analysis. Thus, the hemocytopenia was termed “Immunorelated Pancytopenia” (IRP) to distinguish it from other pancytopenias. Autoantigens in IRP were investigated by membrane protein extraction from BM hemopoietic cells and BM supernatant from IRP patients. Autoantibody IgG was detected in the BM supernatant of 75% of patients (15/20), which was significantly higher than that in aplastic anemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, or autoimmune hemolytic anemia patients (0%) and normal healthy controls (0%) (P<0.01). Autoantigens had approximate molecular weights of 25, 30, 47.5, 60, 65, 70, and 80 kDa, some of which were further identified by mass fingerprinting. This study identified that a G-protein-coupled receptor 156 variant and chain P, a crystal structure of the cytoplasmic domain of human erythrocyte band-3 protein, were autoantigens in IRP. Further studies are needed to confirm the antigenicity of these autoantigens

PKM2 Is Required to Activate Myeloid Dendritic Cells from Patients with Severe Aplastic Anemia

Severe aplastic anemia (SAA) is an autoimmune disease in which bone marrow failure is mediated by activated myeloid dendritic cells (mDCs) and T lymphocytes. Recent research has identified a strong immunomodulatory effect of pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) on dendritic cells in immune-mediated diseases. In this study, we aimed to explore the role of PKM2 in the activation of mDCs in SAA. We observed conspicuously higher levels of PKM2 in mDCs from SAA patients compared to normal controls at both the gene and protein levels. Concurrently, we unexpectedly discovered that after the mDC-specific downregulation of PKM2, mDCs from patients with SAA exhibited weakened phagocytic activity and significantly decreased and shortened dendrites relative to their counterparts from normal controls. The expression levels of the costimulatory molecules CD86 and CD80 were also reduced on mDCs. Our results also suggested that PKM2 knockdown in mDCs reduced the abilities of these cells to promote the activation of CD8+ T cells (CTLs), leading to the decreased secretion of cytotoxic factors by the latter cell type. These findings demonstrate that mDC activation requires an elevated intrinsic PKM2 level and that PKM2 improves the immune status of patients with SAA by enhancing the functions of mDCs and, consequently, CTLs

Photometry of Variable Stars from Dome A, Antarctica

Dome A on the Antarctic plateau is likely one of the best observing sites on Earth thanks to the excellent atmospheric conditions present at the site during the long polar winter night. We present high-cadence time-series aperture photometry of 10,000 stars with i<14.5 mag located in a 23 square-degree region centered on the south celestial pole. The photometry was obtained with one of the CSTAR telescopes during 128 days of the 2008 Antarctic winter. We used this photometric data set to derive site statistics for Dome A and to search for variable stars. Thanks to the nearly-uninterrupted synoptic coverage, we find 6 times as many variables as previous surveys with similar magnitude limits. We detected 157 variable stars, of which 55% are unclassified, 27% are likely binaries and 17% are likely pulsating stars. The latter category includes delta Scuti, gamma Doradus and RR Lyrae variables. One variable may be a transiting exoplanet.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astronomical Journal. PDF version with high-resolution figures available at http://faculty.physics.tamu.edu/lmacri/papers/wang11.pd

Sub-second periodic radio oscillations in a microquasar

Powerful relativistic jets are one of the ubiquitous features of accreting black holes in all scales. GRS 1915+105 is a well-known fast-spinning black-hole X-ray binary with a relativistic jet, termed as a ``microquasar'', as indicated by its superluminal motion of radio emission. It exhibits persistent x-ray activity over the last 30 years, with quasi-periodic oscillations of $\sim 1-10$ Hz and 34 and 67 Hz in the x-ray band. These oscillations likely originate in the inner accretion disk, but other origins have been considered. Radio observations found variable light curves with quasi-periodic flares or oscillations with periods of $\sim 20-50$ minutes. Here we report two instances of $\sim$5 Hz transient periodic oscillation features from the source detected in the 1.05-1.45 GHz radio band that occurred in January 2021 and June 2022, respectively. Circular polarization was also observed during the oscillation phase.Comment: The author version of the article which will appear in Nature on 26 July 2023, 32 pages including the extended data. The online publication version can be found at the following URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06336-

Transposable elements cause the loss of self-incompatibility in citrus

Self-incompatibility (SI) is a widespread prezygotic mechanism for flowering plants to avoid inbreeding depression and promote genetic diversity. Citrus has an S-RNase-based SI system, which was frequently lost during evolution. We previously identified a single nucleotide mutation in Sm-RNase, which is responsible for the loss of SI in mandarin and its hybrids. However, little is known about other mechanisms responsible for conversion of SI to self-compatibility (SC) and we identify a completely different mechanism widely utilized by citrus. Here, we found a 786-bp miniature inverted-repeat transposable element (MITE) insertion in the promoter region of the FhiS2-RNase in Fortunella hindsii Swingle (a model plant for citrus gene function), which does not contain the Sm-RNase allele but are still SC. We demonstrate that this MITE plays a pivotal role in the loss of SI in citrus, providing evidence that this MITE insertion prevents expression of the S-RNase; moreover, transgenic experiments show that deletion of this 786-bp MITE insertion recovers the expression of FhiS2-RNase and restores SI. This study identifies the first evidence for a role for MITEs at the S-locus affecting the SI phenotype. A family-wide survey of the S-locus revealed that MITE insertions occur frequently adjacent to S-RNase alleles in different citrus genera, but only certain MITEs appear to be responsible for the loss of SI. Our study provides evidence that insertion of MITEs into a promoter region can alter a breeding strategy and suggests that this phenomenon may be broadly responsible for SC in species with the S-RNase system

PHOTOMETRY OF VARIABLE STARS FROM DOME A, ANTARCTICA: RESULTS FROM THE 2010 OBSERVING SEASON

We present results from a season of observations with the Chinese Small Telescope ARray (CSTAR), obtained over 183 days of the 2010 Antarctic winter. We carried out high-cadence time-series aperture photometry of 20,000 stars with i<15.3 mag located in a 23 square-degree region centered on the south celestial pole. We identified 188 variable stars, including 67 new objects relative to our 2008 observations, thanks to broader synoptic coverage, a deeper magnitude limit and a larger field of view. We used the photometric data set to derive site statistics from Dome A. Based on two years of observations, we find that extinction due to clouds at this site is less than 0.1 and 0.4 mag during 45% and 75% of the dark time, respectively.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astronomical Journal. Light curves and finding charts of all variable stars will be made available at http://casdc.china-vo.org/data/csta

The next detectors for gravitational wave astronomy

This paper focuses on the next detectors for gravitational wave astronomy which will be required after the current ground based detectors have completed their initial observations, and probably achieved the first direct detection of gravitational waves. The next detectors will need to have greater sensitivity, while also enabling the world array of detectors to have improved angular resolution to allow localisation of signal sources. Sect. 1 of this paper begins by reviewing proposals for the next ground based detectors, and presents an analysis of the sensitivity of an 8 km armlength detector, which is proposed as a safe and cost-effective means to attain a 4-fold improvement in sensitivity. The scientific benefits of creating a pair of such detectors in China and Australia is emphasised. Sect. 2 of this paper discusses the high performance suspension systems for test masses that will be an essential component for future detectors, while sect. 3 discusses solutions to the problem of Newtonian noise which arise from fluctuations in gravity gradient forces acting on test masses. Such gravitational perturbations cannot be shielded, and set limits to low frequency sensitivity unless measured and suppressed. Sects. 4 and 5 address critical operational technologies that will be ongoing issues in future detectors. Sect. 4 addresses the design of thermal compensation systems needed in all high optical power interferometers operating at room temperature. Parametric instability control is addressed in sect. 5. Only recently proven to occur in Advanced LIGO, parametric instability phenomenon brings both risks and opportunities for future detectors. The path to future enhancements of detectors will come from quantum measurement technologies. Sect. 6 focuses on the use of optomechanical devices for obtaining enhanced sensitivity, while sect. 7 reviews a range of quantum measurement options