Predicting the bodily self in space and time.

To understand how the human brain distinguishes itself from external stimulation, it was examined if motor predictions enable healthy adult volunteers to infer self-location and to distinguish their body from the environment (and other agents). By uniquely combining a VR-setup with full-body motion capture, a full-body illusion paradigm (FBI) was developed with different levels of motion control: (A) a standard, passive FBI in which they had no motion control; (B) an active FBI in which they made simple, voluntary movements; and (C) an immersive game in which they real-time controlled a human-sized avatar in third person. Systematic comparisons between measures revealed a causal relationship between (i) motion control (prospective agency), (ii) self-other identification, and (iii) the ability to locate oneself. Healthy adults could recognise their movements in a third-person avatar and psychologically align with it (action observation); but did not lose a sense of place (self-location), time (temporal binding), nor who they are (self/other). Instead, motor predictions enabled them to localise their body and to distinguish self from other. In the future, embodied games could target and strengthen the brain's control networks in psychosis and neurodegeneration; real-time motion simulations could help advance neurorehabilitation techniques by fine-tuning and personalising therapeutic settings.

LIVE-streaming 3D images: A neuroscience approach to full-body illusions.

Inspired by recent technological advances in the gaming industry, we used capture cards to create and LIVE-stream high quality 3D-images. With this novel technique, we developed a real-life stereoscopic 3D full-body illusion paradigm (3D projection). Unlike previous versions of the full-body illusion that rely upon unwieldy head-mounted displays, this paradigm enables the unobstructed investigation of such illusions with neuroscience methods (e.g., transcranial direct current stimulation, transcranial magnetic stimulation, electroencephalography, and near-infrared spectroscopy) and examination of their neural underpinnings. This paper has three aims: (i) to provide a step-by-step guide on how to implement 3D LIVE-streaming, (ii) to explain how this can be used to create a full-body illusion paradigm; and (iii) to present evidence that documents the effectiveness of our methods (de Boer et al., 2020), including suggestions for potential applications. Particularly significant is the fact that 3D LIVE-streaming is not GPU-intensive and can easily be applied to any device or screen that can display 3D images (e.g., TV, tablet, mobile phone). Therefore, these methods also have potential future clinical and commercial benefits. 3D LIVE-streaming could be used to enhance future clinical observations or educational tools, or potentially guide medical interventions with real-time high-quality 3D images. Alternatively, our methods can be used in future rehabilitation programs to aid recovery from nervous system injury (e.g., spinal cord injury, brain damage, limb loss) or in therapies aimed at alleviating psychosis symptoms. Finally, 3D LIVE-streaming could set a new standard for immersive online gaming as well as augmenting online and mobile experiences (e.g., video chat, social sharing/events).

Taurodontism in association with supernumerary teeth.

The dental, radiological, genetic and dermatoglyphic findings of an additional patient with taurodontism in association with supernumerary teeth were presented and the findings of the patient were compared with those in the literature.

Macrodontia in association with a contrasting character microdontia.

The dental, genetic, radiological and dermatoglyphic findings of a 19-year-old girl showing macrodontia of maxillary permanent central incisors in association with a contrasting character, microdontia of maxillary permanent lateral and mandibular primary central incisors and bilateral absence of maxillary first premolars and missing of the right mandibular second premolar and peg-shaped mandibular primary lateral incisors and canines were presented.

Local, hypoplastic type of amelogenesis imperfecta: a clinical, genetic, radiological and dermatoglyphic study.

A patient and her family members showing X-linked dominant form local, hypoplastic type of amelogenesis imperfecta (AI) were investigated from view-point of their teeth, clinical, genetic, radiological and particularly dermatoglyphic findings. It was suggested that it might be a close relationship between the intra-uterine development of both AI and unusual dermatoglyphs originated from the same layer, ectoderm and an X-linked dominant gene could determine both abnormal teeth and unusual dermatoglyphic characteristics in questions.