Multiple parietal reach regions in humans: cortical representations for visual and proprioceptive feedback during on-line reaching

Reaching toward a visual target involves at least two sources of information. One is the visual feedback from the hand as it approaches the target. Another is proprioception from the moving limb, which informs the brain of the location of the hand relative to the target even when the hand is not visible. Where these two sources of information are represented in the human brain is unknown. In the present study, we investigated the cortical representations for reaching with or without visual feedback from the moving hand, using functional magnetic resonance imaging. To identify reach-dominant areas, we compared reaching with saccades. Our results show that a reach-dominant region in the anterior precuneus (aPCu), extending into medial intraparietal sulcus, is equally active in visual and nonvisual reaching. A second region, at the superior end of the parieto-occipital sulcus (sPOS), is more active for visual than for nonvisual reaching. These results suggest that aPCu is a sensorimotor area whose sensory input is primarily proprioceptive, while sPOS is a visuomotor area that receives visual feedback during reaching. In addition to the precuneus, medial, anterior intraparietal, and superior parietal cortex were also activated during both visual and nonvisual reaching, with more anterior areas responding to hand movements only and more posterior areas responding to both hand and eye movements. Our results suggest that cortical networks for reaching are differentially activated depending on the sensory conditions during reaching. This indicates the involvement of multiple parietal reach regions in humans, rather than a single homogenous parietal reach region

The PufX quinone channel enables the light-harvesting 1 antenna to bind more carotenoids for light collection and photoprotection

Photosynthesis in some phototrophic bacteria requires the PufX component of the reaction centre-light-harvesting 1-PufX (RC-LH1-PufX) complex, which creates a pore for quinone/quinol (Q/QH2 ) exchange across the LH1 barrier surrounding the RC. However, photosynthetic bacteria such as Thermochromatium (T.) tepidum do not require PufX because there are fewer carotenoid binding sites, creating multiple pores in the LH1 ring for Q/QH2 exchange. We show that an αTrp-24 →Phe alteration of the Rhodobacter (Rba.) sphaeroides LH1 antenna impairs carotenoid binding and allows photosynthetic growth in the absence of PufX. We propose that acquisition of PufX and confining Q/QH2 traffic to a pore adjacent to the RC QB site is an evolutionary upgrade that allows increased LH1 carotenoid content for enhanced light absorption and photoprotection. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

Barley Culture in South Dakota

1. Barley ranks fourth in total production among the cereal crops in South Dakota. 2. Experiments upon which statements in this bulletin are based were conducted at the state college experiment farms at Brookings, Cottonwood, Eureka and Highmore and the U. S. Department of Agriculture experiment farm at Newell. 3. In general, barley has proved to be the highest producing small grain crop, though there have been some notable exceptions. 4. No advantage has been found in growing barley in mixtures with oats or emmer. 5. Odessa S. D. 182 gives good results in all parts of the state where tried and is recommended as the general purpose barley for the state as a whole. Other varieties are recommended for special conditions. 6. Using the best seed obtainable is good practice. Poor seed means poor stands and low yields. 7. Rust, smut, ergot, stripe disease and blight are among the important barley diseases. Control measures include early seeding, seed disinfection and grading and the rotation of crops. 8. Barley responds readily to good rotation methods. 9. The seed bed for barley should be firm with a shallow mulch at the surface. 10. Early seeding is very important. Six pecks per acre is generally the best rate of seeding. The proper depth of seeding is about 2 inches. Seeding with a drill is recommended. 11. Barley can be grown as· a cultivated crop to good advantage in sections where corn is not a highly profitable crop. 12. Careful shocking and stacking is strongly recommended in order to secure grain of good market quality

Quantum dot emission from site-controlled ngan/gan micropyramid arrays

InxGa1−xN quantum dots have been fabricated by the selective growth of GaN micropyramid arrays topped with InGaN/GaN quantum wells. The spatially, spectrally, and time-resolved emission properties of these structures were measured using cathodoluminescence hyperspectral imaging and low-temperature microphotoluminescence spectroscopy. The presence of InGaN quantum dots was confirmed directly by the observation of sharp peaks in the emission spectrum at the pyramid apices. These luminescence peaks exhibit decay lifetimes of approximately 0.5 ns, with linewidths down to 650 me

E-testing in Graduate Courses: Reflective Practice Case Studies

Do testing and exam conditions make a difference in final exam grades? Do testing “out of class” and “in class” produce different results over the same courses? Several graduate courses (N = 84) were tested under different and varying conditions. The majority of students were international, where English was a second language. In general, the “online” e-testers performed at a higher level than the ““in class”” testers with and without any time restrictions while test taking. Tentative implications might be that online exams (less controls) yield grades which are possibly higher, and may or may not be “grade inflated.” On the other hand, possibly less controls in exams yield more learning and higher retention of course content

Stress and food deprivation: linking physiological state to migration success in a teleost fish

Food deprivation is a naturally occurring stressor that is thought to influence the ultimate life-history strategy of individuals. Little is known about how food deprivation interacts with other stressors to influence migration success. European populations of brown trout (Salmo trutta) exhibit partial migration, whereby a portion of the population smoltifies and migrates to the ocean, and the rest remain in their natal stream. This distinct, natural dichotomy of life-history strategies provides an excellent opportunity to explore the roles of energetic state (as affected by food deprivation) and activation of the glucocorticoid stress response in determining life-history strategy and survival of a migratory species. Using an experimental approach, the relative influences of short-term food deprivation and experimental cortisol elevation (i.e. intra-coelomic injection of cortisol suspended in cocoa butter) on migratory status, survival and growth of juvenile brown trout relative to a control were evaluated. Fewer fish migrated in both the food deprivation and cortisol treatments; however, migration of fish in cortisol and control treatments occurred at the same time while that of fish in the food deprivation treatment was delayed for approximately 1 week. A significantly greater proportion of trout in the food deprivation treatment remained in their natal stream, but unlike the cortisol treatment, there were no long-term negative effects of food deprivation on growth, relative to the control. Overall survival rates were comparable between the food deprivation and control treatments, but significantly lower for fish in the cortisol treatment. Food availability and individual energetic state appear to dictate the future life-history strategy (migrate or remain resident) of juvenile salmonids while experimental elevation of the stress hormone cortisol causes impaired growth and reduced survival of both resident and migratory individuals

Higher Dimensional Cosmology with Some Dark Energy Models in Emergent, Logamediate and Intermediate Scenarios of the Universe

We have considered N-dimensional Einstein field equations in which four-dimensional space-time is described by a FRW metric and that of extra dimensions by an Euclidean metric. We have chosen the exponential forms of scale factors a and d numbers of b in such a way that there is no singularity for evolution of the higher dimensional Universe. We have supposed that the Universe is filled with K-essence, Tachyonic, Normal Scalar Field and DBI-essence. Here we have found the nature of potential of different scalar field and graphically analyzed the potentials and the fields for three scenario namely Emergent Scenario, Logamediate Scenario and Intermediate Scenario. Also graphically we have depicted the geometrical parameters named statefinder parameters and slow-roll parameters in the higher dimensional cosmology with the above mentioned scenarios.Comment: 21 pages, 36 figure

Carcass composition of the giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis giraffa

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Sharing the cost of river basin adaptation portfolios to climate change: Insights from social justice and cooperative game theory

[EN] The adaptation of water resource systems to the potential impacts of climate change requires mixed portfolios of supply and demand adaptation measures. The issue is not only to select efficient, robust, and flexible adaptation portfolios but also to find equitable strategies of cost allocation among the stakeholders. Our work addresses such cost allocation problems by applying two different theoretical approaches: social justice and cooperative game theory in a real case study. First of all, a cost-effective portfolio of adaptation measures at the basin scale is selected using a least-cost optimization model. Cost allocation solutions are then defined based on economic rationality concepts from cooperative game theory (the Core). Second, interviews are conducted to characterize stakeholders perceptions of social justice principles associated with the definition of alternatives cost allocation rules. The comparison of the cost allocation scenarios leads to contrasted insights in order to inform the decision-making process at the river basin scale and potentially reap the efficiency gains from cooperation in the design of river basin adaptation portfolios.The study has been partially supported by the IMPADAPT project (CGL2013-48424-C2-1-R) from the Spanish ministry MINECO (Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad) with European FEDER funds. The first author is supported by a grant from the University Lecturer Training Program (FPU12/03803) of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports of Spain. The second author is financially supported by BRGM's research program 30 (environmental and risk economics). Readers interested in the data can request those by e-mail to Corentin Girard, [email protected], CDP.; Rinaudo, J.; Pulido-Velazquez, M. (2016). Sharing the cost of river basin adaptation portfolios to climate change: Insights from social justice and cooperative game theory. 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Winding configurations for a six phase switched reluctance machine

Winding configurations are investigated for a six phase, 12-10 switched reluctance machine having single tooth wound coils and being driven from a conventional three phase full bridge converter with the addition of six diodes. A new winding configuration is proposed and shown to develop more torque with less torque ripple than a conventional winding in this application. Finite element modelling is used to investigate the electromagnetic behaviour and compare the performance of different winding configurations. Initial experimental tests are described in verification of the modelling. The novel drive and new winding configuration offer significant advantages over a standard three phase machine and drive, giving increased mean torque with lower torque ripple and acoustic noise, as well as reduced converter complexity and potentially cost