Interactions between visceral afferent signaling and stimulus processing

Visceral afferent signals to the brain influence thoughts, feelings and behaviour. Here we highlight the findings of a set of empirical investigations in humans concerning body-mind interaction that focus on how feedback from states of autonomic arousal shapes cognition and emotion. There is a longstanding debate regarding the contribution of the body, to mental processes. Recent theoretical models broadly acknowledge the role of (autonomically mediated) physiological arousal to emotional, social and motivational behaviours, yet the underlying mechanisms are only partially characterized. Neuroimaging is overcoming this shortfall; first, by demonstrating correlations between autonomic change and discrete patterns of evoked, and task- independent, neural activity; second, by mapping the central consequences of clinical perturbations in autonomic response and; third, by probing how dynamic fluctuations in peripheral autonomic state are integrated with perceptual, cognitive and emotional processes. Building on the notion that an important source of the brain’s representation of physiological arousal is derived from afferent information from arterial baroreceptors, we have exploited the phasic nature of these signals to show their differential contribution to the processing of emotionally-salient stimuli. This recent work highlights the facilitation at neural and behavioral levels of fear and threat processing that contrasts with the more established observations of the inhibition of central pain processing during baroreceptors activation. The implications of this body-brain-mind axis are discussed

Non-geometric flux vacua, S-duality and algebraic geometry

The four dimensional gauged supergravities descending from non-geometric string compactifications involve a wide class of flux objects which are needed to make the theory invariant under duality transformations at the effective level. Additionally, complex algebraic conditions involving these fluxes arise from Bianchi identities and tadpole cancellations in the effective theory. In this work we study a simple T and S-duality invariant gauged supergravity, that of a type IIB string compactified on a $T^6/(Z_2 x Z_2)$ orientifold with O3/O7-planes. We build upon the results of recent works and develop a systematic method for solving all the flux constraints based on the algebra structure underlying the fluxes. Starting with the T-duality invariant supergravity, we find that the fluxes needed to restore S-duality can be simply implemented as linear deformations of the gauge subalgebra by an element of its second cohomology class. Algebraic geometry techniques are extensively used to solve these constraints and supersymmetric vacua, centering our attention on Minkowski solutions, become systematically computable and are also provided to clarify the methods.Comment: 47 pages, 10 tables, typos corrected, Accepted for Publication in Journal of High Energy Physic

Hyperstrong Radio-Wave Scattering in the Galactic Center. II. A Likelihood Analysis of Free Electrons in the Galactic Center

The scattering diameters of Sgr A* and several nearby OH masers (~ 1" at 1 GHz) indicate that a region of enhanced scattering is along the line of sight to the Galactic center. We combine radio-wave scattering data and free-free emission and absorption measurements in a likelihood analysis that constrains the following parameters of the GC scattering region: The GC-scattering region separation, d; the angular extent of the region, \psi_l; the outer scale on which density fluctuations occur, l_0; and the gas temperature, T. The maximum likelihood estimates of these parameters are d = 133_{-80}^{+200} pc, 0.5 degrees <= \psi_l <~ 1 degrees, and (l_0/1 pc)^{2/3}T^{-1/2} = 10^{-7 +/- 0.8}. As host media for the scattering, we consider the photoionized surface layers of molecular clouds and the interfaces between molecular clouds and the 10^7 K ambient gas. We are unable to make an unambiguous determination, but we favor an interface model in which the scattering medium is hot (T ~ 10^6 K) and dense (n_e ~ 10 cm^{-3}). The GC scattering region produces a 1 GHz scattering diameter for an extragalactic source of 90", if the region is a single screen, or 180", if the region wraps around the GC, as appears probable. We modify the Taylor-Cordes model for the Galactic distribution of free electrons in order to include an explicit GC component. Pulsars seen through this region will have a dispersion measure of approximately 2000 pc cm^{-3}, of which 75% arises from the GC component. We stress the uniqueness of the GC scattering region, probably resulting from the high-pressure environment in the GC.Comment: 39 pages with 9 PostScript figures; LaTeX2e with AASTeX macro aaspp4, to be published in Ap

Searching for stochastic gravitational-wave background with the co-located LIGO interferometers

This paper presents techniques developed by the LIGO Scientific Collaboration to search for the stochastic gravitational-wave background using the co-located pair of LIGO interferometers at Hanford, WA. We use correlations between interferometers and environment monitoring instruments, as well as time-shifts between two interferometers (described here for the first time) to identify correlated noise from non-gravitational sources. We veto particularly noisy frequency bands and assess the level of residual non-gravitational coupling that exists in the surviving data.Comment: Proceedings paper from the 7th Edoardo Amaldi Conference on Gravitational Waves, held in Sydney, Australia from 8-14 July 2007. Accepted to J. Phys.: Conf. Se

Size- and charge-dependent non-specific uptake of PEGylated nanoparticles by macrophages

The assessment of macrophage response to nanoparticles is a central component in the evaluation of new nanoparticle designs for future in vivo application. This work investigates which feature, nanoparticle size or charge, is more predictive of non-specific uptake of nanoparticles by macrophages. This was investigated by synthesizing a library of polymer-coated iron oxide micelles, spanning a range of 30–100 nm in diameter and −23 mV to +9 mV, and measuring internalization into macrophages in vitro. Nanoparticle size and charge both contributed towards non-specific uptake, but within the ranges investigated, size appears to be a more dominant predictor of uptake. Based on these results, a protease-responsive nanoparticle was synthesized, displaying a matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9)-cleavable polymeric corona. These nanoparticles are able to respond to MMP-9 activity through the shedding of 10–20 nm of hydrodynamic diameter. This MMP-9-triggered decrease in nanoparticle size also led to up to a six-fold decrease in nanoparticle internalization by macrophages and is observable by T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. These findings guide the design of imaging or therapeutic nanoparticles for in vivo targeting of macrophage activity in pathologic states

A One Health overview, facilitating advances in comparative medicine and translational research.

Table of contentsA1 One health advances and successes in comparative medicine and translational researchCheryl StroudA2 Dendritic cell-targeted gorilla adenoviral vector for cancer vaccination for canine melanomaIgor Dmitriev, Elena Kashentseva, Jeffrey N. Bryan, David T. CurielA3 Viroimmunotherapy for malignant melanoma in the companion dog modelJeffrey N. Bryan, David Curiel, Igor Dmitriev, Elena Kashentseva, Hans Rindt, Carol Reinero, Carolyn J. HenryA4 Of mice and men (and dogs!): development of a commercially licensed xenogeneic DNA vaccine for companion animals with malignant melanomaPhilip J. BergmanA5 Successful immunotherapy with a recombinant HER2-expressing Listeria monocytogenes in dogs with spontaneous osteosarcoma paves the way for advances in pediatric osteosarcomaNicola J. Mason, Josephine S. Gnanandarajah, Julie B. Engiles, Falon Gray, Danielle Laughlin, Anita Gaurnier-Hausser, Anu Wallecha, Margie Huebner, Yvonne PatersonA6 Human clinical development of ADXS-HER2Daniel O'ConnorA7 Leveraging use of data for both human and veterinary benefitLaura S. TremlA8 Biologic replacement of the knee: innovations and early clinical resultsJames P. StannardA9 Mizzou BioJoint Center: a translational success storyJames L. CookA10 University and industry translational partnership: from the lab to commercializationMarc JacobsA11 Beyond docking: an evolutionarily guided OneHealth approach to drug discoveryGerald J. Wyckoff, Lee Likins, Ubadah Sabbagh, Andrew SkaffA12 Challenges and opportunities for data applications in animal health: from precision medicine to precision husbandryAmado S. GuloyA13 A cloud-based programmable platform for healthHarlen D. HaysA14 Comparative oncology: One Health in actionAmy K. LeBlancA15 Companion animal diseases bridge the translational gap for human neurodegenerative diseaseJoan R. Coates, Martin L. Katz, Leslie A. Lyons, Gayle C. Johnson, Gary S. Johnson, Dennis P. O'BrienA16 Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene therapyDongsheng DuanA17 Polycystic kidney disease: cellular mechanisms to emerging therapiesJames P. CalvetA18 The domestic cat as a large animal model for polycystic kidney diseaseLeslie A. Lyons, Barbara GandolfiA19 The support of basic and clinical research by the Polycystic Kidney Disease FoundationDavid A. BaronA20 Using naturally occurring large animal models of human disease to enable clinical translation: treatment of arthritis using autologous stromal vascular fraction in dogsMark L. WeissA21 Regulatory requirements regarding clinical use of human cells, tissues, and tissue-based productsDebra A. WebsterA22 Regenerative medicine approaches to Type 1 diabetes treatmentFrancis N. KaranuA23 The zoobiquity of canine diabetes mellitus, man's best friend is a friend indeed-islet transplantationEdward J. RobbA24 One Medicine: a development model for cellular therapy of diabetesRobert J. Harman

Convergence towards a European strategic culture? A constructivist framework for explaining changing norms.

The article contributes to the debate about the emergence of a European strategic culture to underpin a European Security and Defence Policy. Noting both conceptual and empirical weaknesses in the literature, the article disaggregates the concept of strategic culture and focuses on four types of norms concerning the means and ends for the use of force. The study argues that national strategic cultures are less resistant to change than commonly thought and that they have been subject to three types of learning pressures since 1989: changing threat perceptions, institutional socialization, and mediatized crisis learning. The combined effect of these mechanisms would be a process of convergence with regard to strategic norms prevalent in current EU countries. If the outlined hypotheses can be substantiated by further research the implications for ESDP are positive, especially if the EU acts cautiously in those cases which involve norms that are not yet sufficiently shared across countries

Finding Radio Pulsars in and Beyond the Galactic Center

Radio-wave scattering is enhanced dramatically for Galactic center sources in a region with radius >~ 15 arc min. Using scattering from Sgr A* and other sources, we show that pulse broadening for pulsars in the Galactic center is {\em at least} 6.3 \nu^{-4} seconds (\nu = radio frequency in GHz) and is most likely 50--200 times larger because the relevant scattering screen appears to be within the Galactic center region itself. Pulsars beyond---but viewed through---the Galactic center suffer even greater pulse broadening and are angularly broadened by <~ 2 {\em arc min}. Periodicity searches at radio frequencies are likely to find only long period pulsars and, then, only if optimized by using frequencies >~ 7 GHz and by testing for small numbers of harmonics in the power spectrum. The optimal frequency is $\nu ~ 7.3 GHz (\Delta_{0.1}P\sqrt{\alpha})^{-1/4}$ where \Delta_{0.1} is the distance of the scattering region from Sgr A* in units of 0.1 kpc, P is the period (seconds), and \alpha is the spectral index. A search for compact sources using aperture synthesis may be far more successful than searches for periodicities because the angular broadening is not so large as to desensitize the survey. We estimate that the number of {\em detectable} pulsars in the Galactic center may range from <= 1 to 100, with the larger values resulting from recent, vigorous starbursts. Such pulsars provide unique opportunities for probing the ionized gas, gravitational potential, and stellar population near Sgr A*.Comment: 13 pages, 4 PS figures, LaTeX and requires AASTeX macro aas2pp4, accepted by ApJ, also available as http://astrosun.tn.cornell.edu/SPIGOT/papers/pulsar/gc_psr.web

Heterotic Line Bundle Standard Models

In a previous publication, arXiv:1106.4804, we have found 200 models from heterotic Calabi-Yau compactifications with line bundles, which lead to standard models after taking appropriate quotients by a discrete symmetry and introducing Wilson lines. In this paper, we construct the resulting standard models explicitly, compute their spectrum including Higgs multiplets, and analyze some of their basic properties. After removing redundancies we find about 400 downstairs models, each with the precise matter spectrum of the supersymmetric standard model, with one, two or three pairs of Higgs doublets and no exotics of any kind. In addition to the standard model gauge group, up to four Green-Schwarz anomalous U(1) symmetries are present in these models, which constrain the allowed operators in the four-dimensional effective supergravity. The vector bosons associated to these anomalous U(1) symmetries are massive. We explicitly compute the spectrum of allowed operators for each model and present the results, together with the defining data of the models, in a database of standard models accessible at http://www-thphys.physics.ox.ac.uk/projects/CalabiYau/linebundlemodels/index.html. Based on these results we analyze elementary phenomenological properties. For example, for about 200 models all dimension four and five proton decay violating operators are forbidden by the additional U(1) symmetries.Comment: 55 pages, Latex, 3 pdf figure