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Expectations facilitate perception of expected stimuli but may hinder perception of unexpected alternatives. Here, we consider how prior expectations about others’ intentions are integrated with visual kinematics over time in detecting the intention of an observed motor act (grasp-to-pour vs. grasp-to-drink). Using rigorous psychophysics methods, we find that the processes of ascribing intentions to others are well described by drift diffusion models in which evidence from observed movements is accumulated over time until a decision threshold is reached. Testing of competing models revealed that when kinematics contained no discriminative intention information, prior expectations predicted the intention choice of the observer. When kinematics contained intention information, kinematics predicted the intention choice. These findings provide evidence for a diffusion process in which the influence of expectations is modulated by movement informativeness and informative kinematics can override initial expectations.

Significance Estimation of intentions from the observation of other people’s actions has been proposed to rely on the same motor chain organization supporting the execution of intentional actions. However, the nature of the mechanism by which a specific neuronal chain is selected among possible alternatives during action observation remains obscure. Our study shows that in absence of discriminative contextual cues, subtle changes in the kinematics of the observed action inform mapping to the most probable chain. These results shed light on the importance of kinematics for the attribution of intentions to actions., The ability to understand intentions based on another’s movements is crucial for human interaction. This ability has been ascribed to the so-called motor chaining mechanism: anytime a motor chain is activated (e.g., grasp-to-drink), the observer attributes to the agent the corresponding intention (i.e., to drink) from the first motor act (i.e., the grasp). However, the mechanisms by which a specific chain is selected in the observer remain poorly understood. In the current study, we investigate the possibility that in the absence of discriminative contextual cues, slight kinematic variations in the observed grasp inform mapping to the most probable chain. Chaining of motor acts predicts that, in a sequential grasping task (e.g., grasp-to-drink), electromyographic (EMG) components that are required for the final act [e.g., the mouth-opening mylohyoid (MH) muscle] show anticipatory activation. To test this prediction, we used MH EMG, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS; MH motor-evoked potentials), and predictive models of movement kinematics to measure the level and timing of MH activation during the execution (Experiment 1) and the observation (Experiment 2) of reach-to-grasp actions. We found that MH-related corticobulbar excitability during grasping observation varied as a function of the goal (to drink or to pour) and the kinematics of the observed grasp. These results show that subtle changes in movement kinematics drive the selection of the most probable motor chain, allowing the observer to link an observed act to the agent’s intention.

Monogenic autoinflammatory diseases are rare conditions caused by genetic abnormalities affecting the innate immunity. Previous therapeutic strategies had been mainly based on results from retrospective studies and physicians' experience. However, during the last years, the significant improvement in their genetic and pathogenic knowledge has been accompanied by a remarkable progress in their management. The relatively recent identification of the inflammasome as the crucial pathogenic mechanism causing an aberrant production of interleukin 1β (IL-1β) in the most frequent monogenic autoinflammatory diseases led to the introduction of anti-IL-1 agents and other biologic drugs as part of the previously limited therapeutic armamentarium available. Advances in the treatment of autoinflammatory diseases have been favored by the use of new biologic agents and the performance of a notable number of randomized clinical trials exploring the efficacy and safety of these agents. Clinical trials have contributed to increase the level of evidence and provided more robust therapeutic recommendations. This review analyzes the treatment of the most frequent monogenic autoinflammatory diseases, namely, familial Mediterranean fever, tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated periodic fever syndrome, hyperimmunoglobulin D syndrome/mevalonate kinase deficiency, and cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes, together with periodic fever with aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis, and cervical adenitis syndrome, which is the most common polygenic autoinflammatory disease in children, also occurring in adult patients. Finally, based on the available expert consensus recommendations and the highest level of evidence of the published studies, a practical evidence-based guideline for the treatment of these autoinflammatory diseases is proposed.

Although it is well established that fronto-parietal regions are active during action observation, whether they play a causal role in the ability to infer others’ intentions from visual kinematics remains undetermined. In experiments reported here, we combined offline continuous theta-burst stimulation (cTBS) with computational modeling to reveal and causally probe single-trial computations in the inferior parietal lobule (IPL) and inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). Participants received cTBS over the left anterior IPL and the left IFG pars orbitalis, in separate sessions, before completing an intention discrimination task (discriminate intention of observed reach-to-grasp acts) or a kinematic discrimination task unrelated to intention (discriminate peak wrist height of the same acts). We targeted intention-sensitive regions whose fMRI activity, recorded when observing the same reach-to-grasp acts, could accurately discriminate intention. We found that transient disruption of activity of the left IPL, but not the IFG, impaired the observer’s ability to attribute intention to action. Kinematic discrimination unrelated to intention, in contrast, was largely unaffected. Computational analyses of how encoding – the mapping of intention to movement kinematics – and readout – the mapping of kinematics to intention choices – intersect at the single-trial level revealed that IPL cTBS did not diminish the overall sensitivity of intention readout to movement kinematics. Rather, it selectively misaligned intention readout with respect to encoding, thereby deteriorating the mapping from informative kinematic features to intention choices. These results provide causal evidence of how left anterior IPL computes the mapping from kinematics to intentions.

Although it is well established that fronto-parietal regions are active during action observation, whether they play a causal role in the ability to “mindread” others’ actions remains controversial. In experiments reported here, we combined offline continuous theta-burst stimulation (cTBS) with computational modeling to reveal single-trial computations in the inferior parietal lobule (IPL) and inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). Participants received cTBS over the left IPL and IFG, in separate sessions, before completing an intention discrimination task or a kinematic discrimination task unrelated to intention. We found that transient disruption of activity of the IPL, but not the IFG, specifically impaired the observer’s ability to judge intention from movement kinematics. Kinematic discrimination unrelated to intention, in contrast, was largely unaffected. Computational analyses revealed that IPL cTBS did not impair the ability to ‘see’ changes in movement kinematics, nor did it alter the weight given to informative versus non-informative kinematic features. Rather, it selectively impaired the ability to link variations in informative features to the correct intention. These results provide the first causal evidence that IPL maps kinematics to intentions.

Seeing a person perform an action activates the observer's motor system. The present study aimed at investigating the temporal relationship between execution and observation of goal-directed actions. One possibility is that the corticospinal excitability (CSE) follows the dynamic evolution of the pattern of muscle activity in the executed action. Alternatively, CSE may anticipate the future course of the observed action, prospectively extrapolating future states. Our study was designed to test these alternative hypotheses by directly comparing the time course of muscle recruitment during the execution and observation of reach-to-grasp movements. We found that the time course of CSE during action observation followed the time course of the EMG signal during action execution. This contingent coding was observed despite the outcome of the observed motor act being predictable from the earliest phases of the movement. These findings challenge the view that CSE serves to predict the target of an observed action.

Treball final de Màster Universitari en Enginyeria Industrial. Codi: SJA020. Curs acadèmic: 2017/2018 El objeto del presente documento es definir y valorar las mejoras necesarias en las redes de abastecimiento de agua del municipio de Vall D’Alba, para el óptimo suministro de agua potable a los nuevos sectores urbanizables y a las zonas urbanizadas actualmente. Con el fin de alcanzar dicho objetivo en primer lugar se realizará un diagnóstico de la situación actual de la red del municipio detectando anomalías que puedan afectar al normal funcionamiento o a la calidad del servicio prestado a los abonados. Para ello se realiza un inventario de las instalaciones que componen el sistema de suministro de agua potable del término municipal y, tras un análisis de las mismas, se determinan las deficiencias detectadas y posibles actuaciones de mejora. Como parte del diagnóstico se realiza un estudio de la demanda actual, en base a los datos de volúmenes captados, facturados, instantáneos, etc. Seguidamente se realiza una simulación matemática sobre el modelo hidráulico de la red con el objeto de evaluar el estado de la misma en función de ciertos parámetros hidráulicos calculados. A continuación, se realizará una evaluación energética de la propia red detectando de esta manera posibles comportamientos de la misma que acarreen un derroche energético, planteando así posibles medidas que incrementen la propia eficiencia energética de la red. Una vez realizado el diagnóstico del estado de la red y de los abastecimientos del municipio, así como su situación energética, se realizará la previsión del crecimiento urbanístico, además de la evolución de la demanda de agua potable en el municipio. Para ello se realizará un estudio de las fuentes actuales de suministro, con el fin de estimar si con los recursos actuales es posible abastecer la nueva demanda. Finalmente se expondrán las alternativas seleccionadas para el suministro de agua potable a las nuevas zonas urbanizables y las mejoras necesarias a realizar en la red existente, todo ello debidamente justificado mediante su pertinente estudio técnico económico.

none 7 si The primary motor cortex (M1) is strongly influenced by several frontal regions. Dual-site transcranial magnetic stimulation (dsTMS) has highlighted the timing of early (

[ES] Este proyecto se trata de un análisis de un problema de clasificación de textos, en concreto textos que contienen spoilers, que son detalles de la trama y la resolución de una obra de ficción que se desvelan antes de que el consumidor tenga la oportunidad de disfrutar de dicha obra con normalidad. Estos textos con spoilers se obtienen de páginas de internet y se procesan para eliminar del texto elementos no deseados en la clasificación. Se estudian dos métodos de clasificación de textos, utilizando un clasificador basado en Naive Bayes y otro basado en máquinas de vectores de soporte para clasificar un conjunto de muestras de una saga cinematográfica, y se analizan y comparan sus resultados., [EN] This project consists of an analysis of a text classification problem, specifically texts that contain spoilers, which are defined as details of the plot and resolution of a work of fiction that are revealed before the consumer has a chance to enjoy the work normally. These texts that contain spoilers are obtained from web pages and are processed to remove from the text the elements that are not desired for the classification. Two text classification methods are studied, one of them based on a Naive Bayes model and the other based on support vector machines, to classify a set of samples of a movie saga, and after that the results are analyzed and compared.

Colonization of the colon and vagina is thought to be important in the pathogenesis of group B Streptococcus (GBS) infection. However, little is known about the strategies used by GBS to translocate through the epithelial barrier during the onset of disease. We used differentiated epithelial cells grown on transwell inserts as a model of the epithelial barrier. Bacterial translocation occurred without a detectable decrease in transepithelial resistance. Whereas acapsular GBS was better able to adhere to and invade epithelial cells, the percentage of bacteria translocating across the epithelial monolayer was independent of the presence of the capsule. Transmission electron microscopy showed the intimate association of GBS with intercellular junctions and the capacity to cross the monolayer by a paracellular mechanism. This process consisted of an active and transient opening of cell junctions. Indeed, GBS was preferentially found along the cell perimeter, where it colocalized with junctional protein complexes.

The bistable motion quartet, an ambiguous motion stimulus, leads to either vertical or horizontal motion perception, the latter requiring integration across hemispheres of the visual motion areas (V5). We causally tested for the impact of V5 interhemispheric connectivity on horizontal motion perception using a novel cortico-cortical Paired Associative Stimulation (ccPAS) dual coil TMS paradigm aimed at inducing Hebbian plastic potentiation of the relevant neural circuit. In exp 1 ( n = 16) we activated the V5 interhemispheric neural pathway across 4 ccPAS conditions. Participants received Left-to-Right (L–R) and Right-to-Left (R–L) ccPAS (testing for the impact of directionality on horizontal motion perception). The inter-stimulus-interval (ISI) of 25 ms corresponded to the optimal timing for the activation of V5 interhemispheric projections. Control conditions consisted of simultaneous V5 stimulation (0 ms ISI, controlling for timing) and sham stimulation (controlling for unspecific TMS effects). Participants performed the task before (baseline) and after the ccPAS phase. Results showed that both experimental (but not control) conditions enhanced horizontal motion perception but asymmetrically, with L–R being more effective than R–L – thus suggesting an interhemispheric asymmetry. In exp 2 ( n = 56), we tested the potential impact of such asymmetry on movement perceptual bias. Participants were presented with a counterphase grating stimulus, which contained no net motion in any direction but induced a bistable perception of motion to the left or the right. Over 73% of the participants reported a bias towards leftward motion. In exp 3 ( n = 16) we directly tested whether this leftward bias depends on asymmetric interhemispheric connectivity, by applying R-L V5 ccPAS and found that the leftward apparent motion was reversed. In sum, ccPAS can causally test functional models of brain connectivity. Applied over 2 functionally connected visual regions, ccPAS biases visual processing depending on the stimulation parameters. Directionality of stimulation highlighted for the first time an asymmetry in the way V5 areas causally interact during motion perception. This demonstrates the functional relevance and plasticity of interhemispheric interactions in the integration and perception of motion stimuli.

Treball Final de Grau en Enginyeria Mecànica. Codi EM1047. Curs acadèmic 2013/2014 El objeto del presente proyecto es el de realizar un plan de mantenimiento de una turbina de vapor, mediante el uso del software SmartSignal como herramienta de análisis de sus vibraciones. En el siguiente documento se detallará como usar el software, anteriormente nombrado como herramienta, y así con los resultados obtenidos idearemos y elaboraremos un plan de mantenimiento para la turbina de vapor, la cual, es el componente base del estudio.

The current document, titled PATTERN First Data Management Plan has been developed within the framework of the PATTERN project which is funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement No 101094416. This deliverable describes the data management life cycle for the data to be collected, processed and/or generated by the PATTERN project. As part of making research data findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable (FAIR), the Data Management Plan (DMP) provides a summary of the main elements to take into account in the definition of the PATTERN data management policy to be used by project partners throughout the project activities. The DMP will provide indications about the management of all the data generated during the project activities, including how data will be collected, managed, stored and made available during the project and how they will be shared upon PATTERN completion. The DMP is a living document that will be updated during the project lifetime according to the project’s progresses and rising needs. The next versions of PATTERN DMP will describe the procedures applied and it will provide more details about the long-term management and preservation of project data. **This version of the document is still under approval of the EC