The phenomenon of the homunculus as an aspect of creating life in the laboratory is a documented attribute of Western premodern and medieval Arabic alchemy. Early alchemical texts can be seen to reveal the archetypes and myths present in the contemporary practice of creating life in the laboratory. Current genetics research endeavours to create ever-more complex genetic chimeras using human DNA and the creation of such creatures can be seen to constitute a return to the homunculus mythology. The extent to which this creature, this genetic homunculus, manifests in contemporary society is revealed in popular visual culture and the arts to be a prominent feature of the contemporary psyche. Ontological means of negotiation of a genetically engineered being falls to arguments of natural versus artificial in terms of post-humanism. The homunculus is shown to be impossible to arbitrate in terms of a transcendent mythology in this sense and the provided examples from visual culture reveal that this marvel is, as a result, myriad in teleological outcomes. Copyright / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Visual Arts / unrestricted

The primary motor cortex (M1) contains a somatotopic progression with highly overlapping areas outputting to muscles of the upper limb. This organization is modified by muscle activity and neurological injury such as spinal cord injury (SCI). To date, bilateral M1 organization in controls and SCI has been minimally explored, and no study has examined the cortical territory that directs output to multiple muscles thought to be involved in movement synergies. An initial study was conducted to characterize the bilateral organization and representational overlap for muscles of the upper limb in incomplete spinal cord injury relative to uninjured individuals. Differences in symmetry and amount of overlapping territory were observed between groups, possibly reflecting differences in synergistic muscle use. The second study examined transcallosal communication between the two motor cortices and its role in dynamically modulating motor representations during unilateral contraction. The depth of interhemispheric inhibition (IHI) was examined in a muscle of the right hand by delivering a conditioning stimulus to ipsilateral M1 followed by a test stimulus to contralateral M1. Reduced IHI corresponded to larger cortical territory, a relationship that existed for both contralateral and ipsilateral contraction. These data demonstrate that the magnitude of IHI in a hand muscle predicts the size of the cortical territory occupied by that muscle. We present a mechanistic model to explain these findings that further elucidate the role of interhemispheric communication in shaping motor output. This interaction between transcallosal inhibition and motor output may act as a component to experience-dependent plasticity within M1. By targeting this interaction, it may be possible to facilitate motor learning and performance or promote recovery of function following neurological injury. Further study examining the role of various intracortical circuits on representational plasticity and modulation of these interactions may yield advances in both basic and clinical neuroscience. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

Introdução: A Mata Atlântica não possui fisionomia uniforme, pois seu relevo determina diferentes condições ambientais que definem a composição de sua fauna e flora. Em uma mesma região, a diversidade de espécies pode variar de acordo com a heterogeneidade dos habitats. Objetivo: Caracterizar a fauna de Culicidae em fitotelmatas de bromélias (Bromeliaceae), no município de Cananéia, São Paulo, Brasil. Métodos: Larvas e pupas de culicídeos foram obtidas, mensalmente, do conteúdo aquático de bromélias de três ambientes: planície, encosta e morro. As coletas ocorreram entre julho de 2008 e junho de 2009. Para estimar a variedade de espécies foram utilizados os índices de Margalef e de Menhinick. O índice de Jaccard e o de Sorensen indicaram a semelhança entre bromélias de dois ambientes. Para avaliar a dominância, empregou-se o índice de Simpson e de Berger-Parker. A eqüidade na distribuição das espécies foi avaliada pelo índice de Pielou e a constância em cada ambiente pelo índice c. Os testes estatísticos empregados foram: análise de variância (ANOVA) com o teste de Fisher; teste Kruskal-Wallis e valor p; teste de associação qui-quadrado e regressão linear simples por meio do coeficiente de correlação de Pearson. Resultados: O teste Kruskal-Wallis mostrou diferenças significantes para o volume hídrico das bromélias de cada ambiente (p=0,002, IC= 95 por cento) mas não para o valor do pH (p= 0,775). Foram identificados 2024 mosquitos, 786 (38,83 por cento) na planície, 606 (29,94 por cento) na encosta e 632 (31,23 por cento) no morro, dentre eles: Culex (Microculex) (62,25 por cento), Culex ocellatus (21,20 por cento), Anopheles (Kerteszia) (15,17 por cento), Wyemoyia (Phoniomyia) (1,33 por cento) e Runchomyia (Runchomyia) (0,05 por cento). O índice de riqueza de Margalef foi maior na planície (d1=2,55) e menor no morro (d1=1,86), e o de Sorensen indicou encosta e morro como os ambientes mais similares (QS=0,79) e planície e morro como os menos similares (QS=0,65). O teste 2 não mostrou associação entre os ambientes e o tipo de bromélia (p=0,060). O coeficiente de Pearson não mostrou correlação significativa entre o número de imaturos e a temperatura (p=0,111) ou precipitação acumulada (p=0,828). Conclusões: Planície apresentou os maiores índices de diversidade. A prevalência de An. homunculus foi maior do que a encontrada em estudos anteriores. Culex ocellatus, Cx. (Mcx.) retrosus, Cx. (Mcx.) neglectus, Cx.(Mcx.) imitator e An. (Ker.) homunculus foram as espécies mais dominantes quando os três ambientes foram analisados conjuntamente / Introduction: Atlantic Forest is not uniform and its relief determines different environmental conditions that define the composition of its fauna and flora. Thus, in the same region, species diversity may vary according to habitat heterogeneity. Objective: To assess mosquito (Culicidae) fauna in bromeliads phytotelmate (Bromeliaceae), in Cananéia, São Paulo, Brazil. Methods: The larvae and pupae of mosquitoes were collected monthly in the water content of bromeliads from three regions: the lowland, hillside and hilltop. Sampling occurred between July 2008 and June 2009. To estimate richness, Margalef and Menhinick indices were used. Jaccard and Sorensen indices indicated the similarity between bromeliads from two regions. To assess dominance, we employed Simpson and Berger-Parker indices. Equity in the distribution of species was assessed by Pielou index and c index evaluated species constancy in each region. Statistical analyses applied were: ANOVA with Fisher\'s exact test, Kruskal-Wallis test and p value; Chi-square association test and linear regression using Pearson correlation coefficient. Results: Kruskal-Wallis test showed significant differences in water volume for bromeliads from each region (p=0,002, CI=95 per cent) but not for the pH value (p=0,775). In all, 2024 mosquitoes were identified, 786 (38,83 per cent) in the lowland, 606 (29,94 per cent) on the hillside and 632 (31,23 per cent) on the hilltop, among them: Culex (Microculex) (62,25 per cent), Culex ocellatus (21,20 per cent), Anopheles (Kerteszia) (15,17 per cent), Wyemoyia (Phoniomyia) (1,33 per cent) and Runchomyia (Runchomyia) (0,05 per cent). Margalef richness index was higher in the lowland (d1=2,55) and lower on the hilltop (d1=1,86). According to the Sorensen similarity index, species from the hillside are more likely to be found on the hilltop (QS=0,79) than in the lowland (QS=0,73). The greatest differences occurred between the hilltop and the lowland (QS=0,65). The 2 test showed no association between the regions and the type of bromeliad (p=0.060). Pearson coefficient showed no significant correlation between the number of immatures and temperature (p=0,111) or rainfall (p=0,828). Conclusions: Lowland region had the highest diversity index. The prevalence of Anopheles homunculus was higher than that found in previous studies. Culex ocellatus, Cx. (Mcx.) retrosus, Cx. (Mcx.) neglectus, Cx. (Mcx.) imitator and An. (Ker.) homunculus were the most dominant species when the three regions were analyzed together

Introdução: A Mata Atlântica não possui fisionomia uniforme, pois seu relevo determina diferentes condições ambientais que definem a composição de sua fauna e flora. Em uma mesma região, a diversidade de espécies pode variar de acordo com a heterogeneidade dos habitats. Objetivo: Caracterizar a fauna de Culicidae em fitotelmatas de bromélias (Bromeliaceae), no município de Cananéia, São Paulo, Brasil. Métodos: Larvas e pupas de culicídeos foram obtidas, mensalmente, do conteúdo aquático de bromélias de três ambientes: planície, encosta e morro. As coletas ocorreram entre julho de 2008 e junho de 2009. Para estimar a variedade de espécies foram utilizados os índices de Margalef e de Menhinick. O índice de Jaccard e o de Sorensen indicaram a semelhança entre bromélias de dois ambientes. Para avaliar a dominância, empregou-se o índice de Simpson e de Berger-Parker. A eqüidade na distribuição das espécies foi avaliada pelo índice de Pielou e a constância em cada ambiente pelo índice c. Os testes estatísticos empregados foram: análise de variância (ANOVA) com o teste de Fisher; teste Kruskal-Wallis e valor p; teste de associação qui-quadrado e regressão linear simples por meio do coeficiente de correlação de Pearson. Resultados: O teste Kruskal-Wallis mostrou diferenças significantes para o volume hídrico das bromélias de cada ambiente (p=0,002, IC= 95 por cento) mas não para o valor do pH (p= 0,775). Foram identificados 2024 mosquitos, 786 (38,83 por cento) na planície, 606 (29,94 por cento) na encosta e 632 (31,23 por cento) no morro, dentre eles: Culex (Microculex) (62,25 por cento), Culex ocellatus (21,20 por cento), Anopheles (Kerteszia) (15,17 por cento), Wyemoyia (Phoniomyia) (1,33 por cento) e Runchomyia (Runchomyia) (0,05 por cento). O índice de riqueza de Margalef foi maior na planície (d1=2,55) e menor no morro (d1=1,86), e o de Sorensen indicou encosta e morro como os ambientes mais similares (QS=0,79) e planície e morro como os menos similares (QS=0,65). O teste 2 não mostrou associação entre os ambientes e o tipo de bromélia (p=0,060). O coeficiente de Pearson não mostrou correlação significativa entre o número de imaturos e a temperatura (p=0,111) ou precipitação acumulada (p=0,828). Conclusões: Planície apresentou os maiores índices de diversidade. A prevalência de An. homunculus foi maior do que a encontrada em estudos anteriores. Culex ocellatus, Cx. (Mcx.) retrosus, Cx. (Mcx.) neglectus, Cx.(Mcx.) imitator e An. (Ker.) homunculus foram as espécies mais dominantes quando os três ambientes foram analisados conjuntamente / Introduction: Atlantic Forest is not uniform and its relief determines different environmental conditions that define the composition of its fauna and flora. Thus, in the same region, species diversity may vary according to habitat heterogeneity. Objective: To assess mosquito (Culicidae) fauna in bromeliads phytotelmate (Bromeliaceae), in Cananéia, São Paulo, Brazil. Methods: The larvae and pupae of mosquitoes were collected monthly in the water content of bromeliads from three regions: the lowland, hillside and hilltop. Sampling occurred between July 2008 and June 2009. To estimate richness, Margalef and Menhinick indices were used. Jaccard and Sorensen indices indicated the similarity between bromeliads from two regions. To assess dominance, we employed Simpson and Berger-Parker indices. Equity in the distribution of species was assessed by Pielou index and c index evaluated species constancy in each region. Statistical analyses applied were: ANOVA with Fisher\'s exact test, Kruskal-Wallis test and p value; Chi-square association test and linear regression using Pearson correlation coefficient. Results: Kruskal-Wallis test showed significant differences in water volume for bromeliads from each region (p=0,002, CI=95 per cent) but not for the pH value (p=0,775). In all, 2024 mosquitoes were identified, 786 (38,83 per cent) in the lowland, 606 (29,94 per cent) on the hillside and 632 (31,23 per cent) on the hilltop, among them: Culex (Microculex) (62,25 per cent), Culex ocellatus (21,20 per cent), Anopheles (Kerteszia) (15,17 per cent), Wyemoyia (Phoniomyia) (1,33 per cent) and Runchomyia (Runchomyia) (0,05 per cent). Margalef richness index was higher in the lowland (d1=2,55) and lower on the hilltop (d1=1,86). According to the Sorensen similarity index, species from the hillside are more likely to be found on the hilltop (QS=0,79) than in the lowland (QS=0,73). The greatest differences occurred between the hilltop and the lowland (QS=0,65). The 2 test showed no association between the regions and the type of bromeliad (p=0.060). Pearson coefficient showed no significant correlation between the number of immatures and temperature (p=0,111) or rainfall (p=0,828). Conclusions: Lowland region had the highest diversity index. The prevalence of Anopheles homunculus was higher than that found in previous studies. Culex ocellatus, Cx. (Mcx.) retrosus, Cx. (Mcx.) neglectus, Cx. (Mcx.) imitator and An. (Ker.) homunculus were the most dominant species when the three regions were analyzed together

Tactile stimulation, an important physiological component of the sexual experience, has the ability to influence the body’s representation in the brain. The sensory homunculus proposed by Penfield and Rasmussen illustrates the way in which the body is represented within the somatosensory cortex. Due to neuroplasticity, this map has the ability to adapt to differing levels of tactile input. How sexual arousal affects, or is represented by, the sensory homunculus is unknown. The study sought to identify: which body areas, rated by participants, are high in their ability to facilitate sexual arousal; to measure the intensity of the different body areas; and to identify whether the areas of greatest intensity lie adjacent cortically to the genital area thus supporting the hypothesised neuroplasticity of brain functioning. The current study was conducted through an online survey which was completed by volunteers with access to university portal sites, social networking sites and referrals. Sampling was convenient and comprised 208 heterosexual males. Data were treated quantitatively through descriptive (frequencies) and inferential (correlations, rotated factor analysis) statistics. The research findings provide support for the sensory homunculus mapping and suggest that there are three areas (genital, facial and trunk) that facilitate sexual arousal. The ability to facilitate sexual arousal is proposed to lie in the close proximity that these areas have within the three erogenous centres (cortically) as well as co-activation of body areas through perceived erogeneity and physiological proximity. This has important implications for sex therapy for individuals in which feeling in the genital area is lacking.

Nesta dissertação são apresentados os resultados obtidos da espectroscopia de campo integral da nebulosa do Homúnculo. As observações foram feitas na banda J, no intervalo de 10620 Å até 12960 Å, utilizando o IFU (Integral Field Unit) do espectrógrafo CIRPASS (Cambridge Infrared Panoramic Survey Spectrograph), que possui 499 lentes hexagonais. A amostragem espacial é de 0,25"/lente e a resolução espectral, R=3200. A linha do [Fe II] λ12567 permitiu a identificação de duas estruturas no lóbulo NW que ainda não haviam sido relatadas. Através da tomografia Doppler, essas estruturas indicaram a existência de uma região de baixa densidade localizada no lóbulo NW e que não é visível nas imagens feitas na região óptica. Além disso, o Pequeno Homúnculo também foi identificado através do mapeamento das componentes e também nos mapas de velocidade da linha do [Fe II] λ12567. As regiões polares da nebulosa do Homúnculo (onde ocorre a colisão mais intensa entre o vento da fonte central e a região interna dos lóbulos) são mais opacas do que as paredes dos mesmos. Isso é verificado pela diminuição na intensidade da linha do [Fe II] λ12567 no lóbulo SE e pelo aumento desta na linha de visada do lóbulo NW. O disco equatorial foi observado nas linhas da série do H (Paβ e Paγ) e na linha do He I λ10830 como uma componente devido à emissões intrínsecas até distâncias superiores às dimensões aparentes do disco que é observado nas imagens feitas na faixa óptica. A linha do [Fe II] λ12567 também apresenta uma componente associada ao disco equatorial. Regiões de baixa densidade localizadas no toro que envolve a fonte central permitem que a radiação ultravioleta escape e excite o gás contido no disco equatorial. O melhor exemplo desse efeito foi detectado pela tomografia Doppler da linha do He I λ10830, que revelou uma componente de emissão intrínseca que atinge distâncias superiores à borda aparente do lóbulo NW do Homúnculo, e que foi completamente mapeada pela primeira vez nesta dissertação. / The Homunculus nebula was mapped using the integral field technique and the results are presented in this dissertation. The observations were obtained in the J band in the range from 10620 Å to 12960 Å using the CIRPASS's IFU, which contains 499 hexagonal lenses. The spatial sampling is 0,25"/lens and the spectral resolution, set to R=3200. The [Fe II] λ12567 line allowed the identification of two structures in the NW lobe that had not been reported yet. Doppler tomography of this structures revealed a low density region placed in the NW lobe that is not seen in the optical images. Besides, the Little Homunculus was also detected both in the mapping of components of the [Fe II] λ12567 and in its velocity maps. In the Homunculus nebula, the polar regions (where the shock between the stellar bipolar wind and the internal wall of the lobes is stronger) are more opaque than the lobe walls. This can be verified by the decrease in the intensity of the [Fe II] λ12567 in the SE lobe and the enhancement of this line emission in the NW lobe. Emissions due to the equatorial disc were detected both in the H series (Paβ and Paγ) and the He I λ10830 as an intrinsic component up to distances greater than the aparent dimensions of the disc seen in the images taken in the optical range. The [Fe II] λ12567 also presents the component due to the equatorial emission. Low density regions in the torus involving the central source allow a beam of radiation to escape to large radii and thereby excite the gas contained in the equatorial disc. The best example of this effect was detected in the Doppler tomography of the He I λ10830 line, that revealed an intrinsic emission component which reaches distances larger than the aparent boundary of the NW lobe and was firstly mapped in this dissertation.

Nesta dissertação são apresentados os resultados obtidos da espectroscopia de campo integral da nebulosa do Homúnculo. As observações foram feitas na banda J, no intervalo de 10620 Å até 12960 Å, utilizando o IFU (Integral Field Unit) do espectrógrafo CIRPASS (Cambridge Infrared Panoramic Survey Spectrograph), que possui 499 lentes hexagonais. A amostragem espacial é de 0,25"/lente e a resolução espectral, R=3200. A linha do [Fe II] λ12567 permitiu a identificação de duas estruturas no lóbulo NW que ainda não haviam sido relatadas. Através da tomografia Doppler, essas estruturas indicaram a existência de uma região de baixa densidade localizada no lóbulo NW e que não é visível nas imagens feitas na região óptica. Além disso, o Pequeno Homúnculo também foi identificado através do mapeamento das componentes e também nos mapas de velocidade da linha do [Fe II] λ12567. As regiões polares da nebulosa do Homúnculo (onde ocorre a colisão mais intensa entre o vento da fonte central e a região interna dos lóbulos) são mais opacas do que as paredes dos mesmos. Isso é verificado pela diminuição na intensidade da linha do [Fe II] λ12567 no lóbulo SE e pelo aumento desta na linha de visada do lóbulo NW. O disco equatorial foi observado nas linhas da série do H (Paβ e Paγ) e na linha do He I λ10830 como uma componente devido à emissões intrínsecas até distâncias superiores às dimensões aparentes do disco que é observado nas imagens feitas na faixa óptica. A linha do [Fe II] λ12567 também apresenta uma componente associada ao disco equatorial. Regiões de baixa densidade localizadas no toro que envolve a fonte central permitem que a radiação ultravioleta escape e excite o gás contido no disco equatorial. O melhor exemplo desse efeito foi detectado pela tomografia Doppler da linha do He I λ10830, que revelou uma componente de emissão intrínseca que atinge distâncias superiores à borda aparente do lóbulo NW do Homúnculo, e que foi completamente mapeada pela primeira vez nesta dissertação. / The Homunculus nebula was mapped using the integral field technique and the results are presented in this dissertation. The observations were obtained in the J band in the range from 10620 Å to 12960 Å using the CIRPASS's IFU, which contains 499 hexagonal lenses. The spatial sampling is 0,25"/lens and the spectral resolution, set to R=3200. The [Fe II] λ12567 line allowed the identification of two structures in the NW lobe that had not been reported yet. Doppler tomography of this structures revealed a low density region placed in the NW lobe that is not seen in the optical images. Besides, the Little Homunculus was also detected both in the mapping of components of the [Fe II] λ12567 and in its velocity maps. In the Homunculus nebula, the polar regions (where the shock between the stellar bipolar wind and the internal wall of the lobes is stronger) are more opaque than the lobe walls. This can be verified by the decrease in the intensity of the [Fe II] λ12567 in the SE lobe and the enhancement of this line emission in the NW lobe. Emissions due to the equatorial disc were detected both in the H series (Paβ and Paγ) and the He I λ10830 as an intrinsic component up to distances greater than the aparent dimensions of the disc seen in the images taken in the optical range. The [Fe II] λ12567 also presents the component due to the equatorial emission. Low density regions in the torus involving the central source allow a beam of radiation to escape to large radii and thereby excite the gas contained in the equatorial disc. The best example of this effect was detected in the Doppler tomography of the He I λ10830 line, that revealed an intrinsic emission component which reaches distances larger than the aparent boundary of the NW lobe and was firstly mapped in this dissertation.

This thesis will analyze how masculinity is depicted in the French-Argentinean director Gaspar Noé’s movie Love (2015), and how it is orientating and disorientating through an intersectional lens. In his films, the filmmaker often uses haptic images and sound traversing to interrogate the existence and to express a clear and abject visuality to expose the flesh. On that notion, the study will use a psychanalytic theoretical framework with hegemonic masculinity, and a phenomenological methodology with Bertolt Brecht’s theories on theatre to examine the bodily performances of the cinematic body, the bodies of the characters on screen, and the spectator’s body to reflect on the film’s thematic, aesthetic, and ideological features. Additionally, this study will explore how the viewer embodies the self-images and memories of the characters on the screen, and how that affects the spectator.