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Previous studies showed that neurons in the monkey premotor cortex became active when performing a particular action and also when observing the same action performed by others. These findings suggest a mirror system for action observation. Recently, bimodal neurons, sensitive both to visual and tactile stimulation, were reported in the parietal cortex, suggesting a potential mirror neuron system for observing and experiencing tactile stimulation. Subsequently, a mirror neuron system for observed touch has been suggested. The current study was designed to determine whether the activation of a sensory mirror system during touch observation is affected by possible attributions of the observed touch to oneself (subjective view) or to somebody else (objective view). In the study, healthy volunteers observed video clips of a touched or nontouched hand either in an egocentric or in an allocentric perspective during functional magnetic resonance imaging. Results showed activation of somatosensory cortices when observing the hand being touched in egocentric as well as in the allocentric perspectives. Moreover, somatosensory responses differed depending on the perspective of the observed touch. We discuss the results in terms of a possible mirror neuron system for observed and experienced touch.

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BackgroundSeveral studies demonstrated that placebo treatment may have a significant impact on many different symptoms. While in the traditional view concealment of the placebo is essential, recent studies report intriguing evidence that placebos may work even without deception. For example, it has been demonstrated that open-label placebos can improve symptoms in allergic rhinitis. However, the mechanisms of how placebos without concealment work remain unknown.Trial designIn order to examine expectancy effects we conducted a randomized controlled trial (N = 46), in which patients with allergic symptoms received either placebos without deception or no pills at all. In half of those patients we induced positive expectations about the placebo effect. After two weeks we tested whether symptoms and quality of life had changed.ResultsResults revealed that open-label placebos improved allergic symptoms more than the control group. Inducing positive expectations had no effects on the improvement of allergic symptoms (the primary and more objective outcome), but on mental sum scores of the quality of life questionnaire.ConclusionsPlacebos without deception can improve symptoms in allergic rhinitis. Positive expectations do not contribute to the efficacy of open-label placebos, but seem to have an effect on more global and subjective well-being (mental or emotional quality of life).Clinical trial registration numberGerman Clinical Trials Register, DRKS00012303

Figure 2: The small-scale PTOLEMY prototype installed at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (February 2013). Two horizontal bore NMR magnets are positioned on either side of a MAC-E filter vacuum tank. The tritium target plate is placed in the left magnet in a 3.35T field, and the RF tracking system is placed in a high uniformity 1.9T field in the bore of the right magnet with a windowless APD detector and in-vacuum readout electronics. Contents Contents ii 7 Trigger and Data-Acquisition 8 Time-of-flight 9 Muon veto 10 e-Gun Calibration 11 Vacuum system 12 Cooling systems

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Camera traps are electrical instruments that emit sounds and light. In recent decades they have become a tool of choice in wildlife research and monitoring. The variability between camera trap models and the methods used are considerable, and little is known about how animals respond to camera trap emissions. It has been reported that some animals show a response to camera traps, and in research this is often undesirable so it is important to understand why the animals are disturbed. We conducted laboratory based investigations to test the audio and infrared optical outputs of 12 camera trap models. Camera traps were measured for audio outputs in an anechoic chamber; we also measured ultrasonic (n = 5) and infrared illumination outputs (n = 7) of a subset of the camera trap models. We then compared the perceptive hearing range (n = 21) and assessed the vision ranges (n = 3) of mammals species (where data existed) to determine if animals can see and hear camera traps. We report that camera traps produce sounds that are well within the perceptive range of most mammals’ hearing and produce illumination that can be seen by many species.