Thermo-optical interactions in a dye-microcavity photon Bose-Einstein condensate

Superfluidity and Bose-Einstein condensation are usually considered as two closely related phenomena. Indeed, in most macroscopic quantum systems, like liquid helium, ultracold atomic Bose gases, and exciton-polaritons, condensation and superfluidity occur in parallel. In photon Bose-Einstein condensates realized in the dye microcavity system, thermalization does not occur by direct interaction of the condensate particles as in the above described systems, i.e. photon-photon interactions, but by absorption and re-emission processes on the dye molecules, which act as a heat reservoir. Currently, there is no experimental evidence for superfluidity in the dye microcavity system, though effective photon interactions have been observed from thermo-optic effects in the dye medium. In this work, we theoretically investigate the implications of effective thermo-optic photon interactions, a temporally delayed and spatially non-local effect, on the photon condensate, and derive the resulting Bogoliubov excitation spectrum. The calculations suggest a linear photon dispersion at low momenta, fulfilling the Landau's criterion of superfluidity . We envision that the temporally delayed and long-range nature of the thermo-optic photon interaction offer perspectives for novel quantum fluid phenomena.Comment: 21 pages, 5 figure

Task-related edge density (TED) - a new method for revealing large-scale network formation in fMRI data of the human brain

The formation of transient networks in response to external stimuli or as a reflection of internal cognitive processes is a hallmark of human brain function. However, its identification in fMRI data of the human brain is notoriously difficult. Here we propose a new method of fMRI data analysis that tackles this problem by considering large-scale, task-related synchronisation networks. Networks consist of nodes and edges connecting them, where nodes correspond to voxels in fMRI data, and the weight of an edge is determined via task-related changes in dynamic synchronisation between their respective times series. Based on these definitions, we developed a new data analysis algorithm that identifies edges in a brain network that differentially respond in unison to a task onset and that occur in dense packs with similar characteristics. Hence, we call this approach "Task-related Edge Density" (TED). TED proved to be a very strong marker for dynamic network formation that easily lends itself to statistical analysis using large scale statistical inference. A major advantage of TED compared to other methods is that it does not depend on any specific hemodynamic response model, and it also does not require a presegmentation of the data for dimensionality reduction as it can handle large networks consisting of tens of thousands of voxels. We applied TED to fMRI data of a fingertapping task provided by the Human Connectome Project. TED revealed network-based involvement of a large number of brain areas that evaded detection using traditional GLM-based analysis. We show that our proposed method provides an entirely new window into the immense complexity of human brain function.Comment: 21 pages, 11 figure

Extralegal Punishment Factors: A Study of Forgiveness, Hardship, Good-Deeds, Apology, Remorse, and Other Such Discretionary Factors in Assessing Criminal Punishment

The criminal law\u27s formal criteria for assessing punishment are typically contained in criminal codes, the rules of which fix an offender\u27s liability and the grade of the offense. A look at how the punishment decision-making process actually works, however, suggests that courts and other decisionmakers frequently go beyond the formal legal factors and take account of what might be called extralegal punishment factors (XPFs). XPFs, the subject of this Article, include matters as diverse as an offender\u27s apology, remorse, history of good or bad deeds, public acknowledgment of guilt, special talents, old age, extralegal suffering from the offense, as well as forgiveness or outrage by the victim, and special hardship of the punishment for the offender or his family. Such XPFs can make a difference at any point in the criminal justice process at which decisionmakers exercise discretion, such as when prosecutors decide what charge to press, when judges decide which sentence to impose, when parole boards decide when to release a prisoner, and when executive officials decide whether to grant clemency, as well as in less-visible exercises of discretion, such as in decisions by police officers and trial jurors. After a review of the current use and rationales behind eighteen common XPFs, in Part I, the Article reports in Part II the results of an empirical study of lay intuitions regarding the propriety of taking such factors into account in adjusting the punishment that otherwise would be imposed, the extent of any adjustment to be made, as well as an assessment of how the views might change with different kinds of offenses and how they might vary with demographic factors. Part III examines the implications of the study findings for current law and practice, with special attention to the problem of disparity in application that is invited by the high levels of disagreement on the proper role of some XPFs and the problem of conflicts between lay intuitions and current law and practice. It is not uncommon that there is strong support for reliance upon XPFs that current practice ignores and little support for reliance upon XPFs the current practice commonly relied upon

Competing Theories of Blackmail: An Empirical Research Critique of Criminal Law Theory

Blackmail, a wonderfully curious offense, is the favorite of clever criminal law theorists. It criminalizes the threat to do something that would not be criminal if one did it. There exists a rich literature on the issue, with many prominent legal scholars offering their accounts. Each theorist has his own explanation as to why the blackmail offense exists. Most theories seek to justify the position that blackmail is a moral wrong and claim to offer an account that reflects widely shared moral intuitions. But the theories make widely varying assertions about what those shared intuitions are, while also lacking any evidence to support the assertions. This Article summarizes the results of an empirical study designed to test the competing theories of blackmail to see which best accords with prevailing sentiment. Using a variety of scenarios designed to isolate and test the various criteria different theorists have put forth as “the” key to blackmail, this study reveals which (if any) of the various theories of blackmail proposed to date truly reflects laypeople’s moral judgment. Blackmail is not only a common subject of scholarly theorizing, but also a common object of criminal prohibition. Every American jurisdiction criminalizes blackmail, although there is considerable variation in its formulation. The Article reviews the American statutes and describes the three general approaches these provisions reflect. The empirical study of lay intuitions also allows an assessment of which of these statutory approaches (if any) captures the community’s views, thereby illuminating the extent to which existing law generates results that resonate with, or deviate from, popular moral sentiment. The analyses provide an opportunity to critique the existing theories of blackmail and to suggest a refined theory that best expresses lay intuitions. The present project also reveals the substantial conflict between community views and much existing legislation, indicating recommendations for legislative reform. Finally, the Article suggests lessons that such studies and their analyses offer for criminal law and theory

Assisting Pupils of Aduamoa D/A Junior High School Level 2 To Understand The Concept Of Water Purification Using The Filtration Method

The purpose of the study was to develop strategies to aid pupils of Aduamoa D/A Junior High School level 2 to understand the concept of water purification using the filtration method.  The population used for the study was 30 pupils and also the cluster sampling technique was used.  The research instruments used to collect thee data were observation, tests in the form of pre-test and post-test, questionnaire and interview. The researcherused action research design for the study. Data collected from both pre-test and post-test were analyzed using simple percentages and frequency distribution tables and the study came out with the findings; The filtration method can be applied using participation activities that enhance pupils’ understanding of the concept, and pupils’behaviour towards science improved remarkably after they were taken through the simple experimental procedure. Keywords: Purification, Impurities and Filtration DOI: 10.7176/JEP/10-10-12 Publication date: April 30th 2019

Neglecting Decline: Biased Views of Personal Development Driven By Failure to Recall and Predict Negative Change

A one-year longitudinal study examined people's beliefs about their personal change. Comparisons of predicted, actual, and remembered change revealed that participants simultaneously underestimated the absolute magnitude and overestimated the positivity of change in both prediction and recall. This effect was due to an asymmetry whereby people selectively neglect negative changes

On the K-theory of groups with Finite Decomposition Complexity

It is proved that the assembly map in algebraic K- and L-theory with respect to the family of finite subgroups is injective for groups $\Gamma$ with finite quotient finite decomposition complexity (a strengthening of finite decomposition complexity introduced by Guentner, Tesser and Yu) that admit a finite dimensional model for $\underbar E\Gamma$ and have an upper bound on the order of their finite subgroups. In particular this applies to finitely generated linear groups over fields with characteristic zero with a finite dimensional model for $\underbar E\Gamma$.Comment: 35 pages; Several changes made due to referee report and a simplified definition of Karoubi filtration added; to appear in Proceedings of the London Mathematical Societ