Эквиаффинная геометрия и однородные пространства группы SL(n, ℝ)

The perception of a regular beat is fundamental to music processing. Here we examine whether the detection of a regular beat is pre-attentive for metrically simple, acoustically varying stimuli using the mismatch negativity (MMN), an ERP response elicited by violations of acoustic regularity irrespective of whether subjects are attending to the stimuli. Both musicians and non-musicians were presented with a varying rhythm with a clear accent structure in which occasionally a sound was omitted. We compared the MMN response to the omission of identical sounds in different metrical positions. Most importantly, we found that omissions in strong metrical positions, on the beat, elicited higher amplitude MMN responses than omissions in weak metrical positions, not on the beat. This suggests that the detection of a beat is pre-attentive when highly beat inducing stimuli are used. No effects of musical expertise were found. Our results suggest that for metrically simple rhythms with clear accents beat processing does not require attention or musical expertise. In addition, we discuss how the use of acoustically varying stimuli may influence ERP results when studying beat processing

Fast phonetic learning in infants

<p><strong>1. The experiment<br></strong>The experiment is described in detail in the following publication:<br>Wanrooij, Boersma & Van Zuijen (2014). <em>Frontiers in Psychology: Language Sciences</em>, 5, article 77.<br><br><strong>2. The datase</strong>t<br>This dataset consists of EEG-recordings (44 files in BDF-format) and a table (4 files = the same table in four formats: PDF, TXT, CSV and XLSX).</p> <p><br><strong>2.1. The EEG recordings<br></strong>The 44 files with EEG recordings are EEG recordings of infants (= 2 files for each of the 22 infants). The two files per infant consist of an “a”-file (i.e., the filename ends with “a”) and a “b”-file (i.e., the filename ends with “b”). The “a”-file represents the first half of the recordings; the“b”-file the second half.<br><br>The two files per infant show the infant’s EEG during a discrimination test after distributional vowel training. In the discrimination test, the mismatch response (MMR) was measured in an oddball paradigm.</p> <p><br>The files were recorded with a Biosemi Active Two system (Biosemi Instrumentation BV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands), and downsampled from 8 kHz to 512 Hz (with Biosemi Decimator 86).<br><br><strong>2.2. The table<br></strong>The table presents the following data per infant participant: the identification number (ID), the age group (infant), the experimental condition as specified by the Distribution Type (unimodal or bimodal) and the Standard Stimulus ([ε] or [æ]), and the results of our measurements as represented in the mean amplitude of the mismatch response (in microvolt).</p> <p>The ID corresponds to the name of the BDF-files.</p

ERP responses for D1, D2 and D3 for musicians (N = 14, left) and non-musicians (N = 15, right).

<p>The panels labeled D1, D2 and D3 show the group averaged ERPs for electrode FCz elicited by omissions, the corresponding position in S1, the derived difference waves and the scalp distributions of the difference waves. The panel labeled <i>All</i> shows all difference waves combined. Time 0 is the onset of the omission, or, in the case of S1, the onset of the corresponding sound. The omissions in D1, D2 and D3 were equally rare in occurrence (0.033) and in all cases, a bass drum sound was omitted.</p

Grand average waveforms.

<p>Standard (grey, thick curves), deviant (blue, thin curves) and MMR (red, thin curves), at eight electrodes (see rows), for the unimodally and bimodally trained infants in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0109806#pone.0109806-Wanrooij1" target="_blank">[4]</a> (the two columns on the left) and adults in the current study (the two columns on the right).</p

Distributions of first formant (F1) values (in ERB).

<p>The unimodal (top) and bimodal (middle) distributions represent the Dutch vowel /ε/ and the English vowel contrast /ε/∼/æ/, respectively. Each solid vertical line indicates a vowel token with a specific F1 value. Each vowel token was presented only once (i.e., the height of the vertical lines is 1). The grey curves are the underlying probability density functions. When creating training distributions, the acoustic values of the test stimuli can be calculated by computing the intersections (black discs, bottom) of the unimodal and bimodal distributions.</p

Tuberculosi pulmonar: com evitar el pas de granuloma a cavitat. Estudi de la inflamació en la patogènesi de la malaltia tuberculosa i desenvolupament de noves estratègies terapèutiques

La tuberculosi (TB) és una epidèmia global causada per Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) amb 8,6 milions de malalts i 1,3 milions de morts cada any. El tractament actual amb antibiòtics és molt llarg, car, i presenta efectes adversos. Quan una persona s'infecta amb Mtb pot controlar la infecció en el 90% dels casos (infecció latent), desenvolupant només lesions microscòpiques al pulmó: granulomes de 0,5mm de diàmetre, invisibles en una radiografia. En el 10% restant la infecció no es controla i es desenvolupen lesions més grans, típicament cavitats d'uns 20mm en adults immunocompetents. La clau per comprendre la patogènesi de la TB activa és la formació de grans cavitats a partir de granulomes de 0,5mm. En aquesta tesi s'ha desenvolupat un model murí, mitjançant la infecció endovenosa de ratolins C3HeB/FeJ amb la soca virulenta de Mtb H37Rv, que desenvolupa lesions amb necrosi granulomatosa central i liqüefacció molt similars a les lesions prèvies a la cavitació en humans. Les lesions creixen de forma exponencial en part degut a la infiltració neutrofílica massiva, i en part degut a la coalescència de les lesions properes. Els estudis comparatius amb la soca resistent C3H/HeN i l'ús d'antiinflamatoris no esteroideus (AINEs) en el model han confirmat que la inflamació és un factor clau en el desenvolupament de la TB activa, i també que els AINEs podrien utilitzar-se com a tractament coadjuvant en la TB pulmonar en adults immunocompetents, ja que en frenar la inflamació ajuden a controlar la malaltia. D'altra banda s'ha desenvolupat un mètode profilàctic que mitjançant l'administració oral de dosis baixes de micobacteris inactivats indueix tolerància al Mtb, i en conseqüència una resposta immunitària més equilibrada, amb contenció de la resposta Th17, resultant en una millora de la supervivència, la càrrega bacil·lar i la histopatologia dels ratolins. Conclusions: S'ha desenvolupat un model murí de TB activa, s'ha caracteritzat el paper que té la inflamació en el desenvolupament de cavitats, concretament la infiltració massiva de neutròfils, s'ha proposat l'ús d'AINEs com a tractament coadjuvant de la tuberculosi activa en adults immunocompetents, i s'ha desenvolupat un nou mètode profilàctic que podria evitar la malaltia mitjançant la inducció de tolerància oral al Mtb que s'aconsegueix amb l'administració oral de dosis baixes de micobactèries inactivades.La tuberculosis (TB) es una epidemia global causada por Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) con 8,6 millones de enfermos y 1,3 millones de muertes cada año. El tratamiento actual con antibióticos es muy largo, caro i presenta efectos adversos. Cuando una persona se infecta con Mtb puede controlar la infección en el 90% de los casos (infección latente), desarrollando solamente lesiones microscópicas en el pulmón: granulomas de 0,5mm de diámetro invisibles en una radiografía. En el 10% restante la infección no se controla y se desarrollan lesiones mayores, típicamente cavidades de unos 20mm en adultos inmunocompetentes. La clave para comprender la patogénesis de la TB activa es el paso de granulomas de 0,5mm a cavidades de gran tamaño. En esta tesis se ha desarrollado un modelo murino mediante la infección endovenosa de ratones C3HeB/FeJ con la cepa virulenta H37Rv de Mtb, que desarrolla lesiones con necrosis granulomatosa central y licuefacción, muy similares a las lesiones previas a la cavitación en humanos. Las lesiones crecen de forma exponencial debido en parte a la infiltración neutrofílica masiva, y en parte a la coalescencia de las lesiones vecinas. Los estudios comparativos con la cepa resistente C3H/HeN y el uso de antiinflamatorios no esteroideos (AINEs) en el modelo han confirmado que la inflamación es un factor clave en el desarrollo de la TB activa, y también que los AINE podrían utilizarse como tratamiento coadyuvante en la TB pulmonar en adultos inmunocompetentes, dado que en frenar la inflamación ayudan a controlar la enfermedad. Por otro lado se ha desarrollado un método profiláctico que mediante la administración oral de dosis bajas de micobacterias inactivadas induce tolerancia al Mtb, y en consecuencia una respuesta inmunitaria más equilibrada, conteniendo la respuesta Th17, resultando en una mejora de la supervivencia, la carga bacilar y la histopatología de los ratones. Conclusiones: Se ha desarrollado un modelo murino de TB activa, se ha caracterizado el papel de la inflamación en el desarrollo de cavidades, concretamente de la infiltración masiva de neutrófilos, se ha propuesto el uso de AINEs como tratamiento coadyuvante para la tuberculosis activa en adultos inmunocompetentes, y se ha desarrollado un nuevo método profiláctico que podría evitar la enfermedad mediante la inducción de tolerancia oral al Mtb que se consigue con la administración oral de bajas dosis de micobacterias inactivadas.Tuberculosis (TB) is a global epidemic caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). In 2012 an estimated 8,6 million of people developed TB and 1,3 million died from the disease. The current treatment with antibiotics is expensive, long-lasting and presents adverse effects. When people are infected with Mtb the infection is controlled in the 90% of the cases, developing microscopic lesions in the lungs, 0,5mm of size granulomas, invisibles to the X-rays. In the other 10% the infection is not controlled and bigger lesions are developed: in immunocompetent adults the most characteristic lesion is a cavity sized about 20mm of diameter. The clue to understand active TB pathogenesis must be the development of 20mm cavities from 0,5mm granulomas. In this work a murine model has been developed through the endovenous infection of C3HeB/FeJ mice with H37Rv virulent strain of Mtb, which develops lesions presenting central granulomatous necrosis and further liquefaction, very similarly to the lesions previous to cavity formation in human patients. The lesions grow exponentially due to massive neutrophilic infiltration and coalescence of neighbour lesions. The comparative studies with the resistant mice strain C3H/HeN and the use of non-steroidal anti-iflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in the model confirmed that inflammation is clue in the active TB development, and also that NSAIDs could be use as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of pulmonary TB in immunocompetent adults, through control of excessive inflammation. On the other hand, a prophylactic method has been developed consisting on induction of tolerance to Mtb through oral administration of low doses of heat-killed mycobacteria, driving to a more balanced immune response, limiting Th17 development and resulting in a better outcome of mice in terms of survival, histopathology and bacillary load in lungs. Conclusions: A murine active TB model has been developed, and the role of inflammation in cavity formation characterized, namely the role of massive neutrophilic infiltration. The use of NSAIDs has been proposed as an adjuvant treatment of active TB in immunocompetent adults, and a new prophylactic method has been developed that could avoid the disease by induction of oral tolerance to Mtb through the administration of heat killed micobacteria at low doses

Schematic illustration of the rhythmic patterns used in the experiment.

<p>The pattern consisted of eight sounds and was designed to induce a rhythm with a hierarchical metrical structure (see tree-structure at the top; beats are marked with dots). The omissions occurred in positions varying in metrical salience, with the omissions in D1 on the first beat, the omissions in D2 on the second beat and the other omissions in equally weak metrical positions.</p