216 research outputs found
Dynamics of history-dependent perceptual judgment
Identical physical inputs do not always evoke identical percepts. To investigate the role of stimulus history in tactile perception, we designed a task in which rats had to judge each vibrissal vibration, in a long series, as strong or weak depending on its mean speed. After a low-speed stimulus (trial n − 1), rats were more likely to report the next stimulus (trial n) as strong, and after a high-speed stimulus, they were more likely to report the next stimulus as weak, a repulsive effect that did not depend on choice or reward on trial n − 1. This effect could be tracked over several preceding trials (i.e., n − 2 and earlier) and was characterized by an exponential decay function, reflecting a trial-by-trial incorporation of sensory history. Surprisingly, the influence of trial n − 1 strengthened as the time interval between n − 1 and n grew. Human subjects receiving fingertip vibrations showed these same key findings. We are able to account for the repulsive stimulus history effect, and its detailed time scale, through a single-parameter model, wherein each new stimulus gradually updates the subject’s decision criterion. This model points to mechanisms underlying how the past affects the ongoing subjective experience
Semipurity of tempered Deligne cohomology
In this paper we define the formal and tempered Deligne cohomology groups,
that are obtained by applying the Deligne complex functor to the complexes of
formal differential forms and tempered currents respectively. We then prove the
existence of a duality between them, a vanishing theorem for the former and a
semipurity property for the latter. The motivation of these results comes from
the study of covariant arithmetic Chow groups. The semi-purity property of
tempered Deligne cohomology implies, in particular, that several definitions of
covariant arithmetic Chow groups agree for projective arithmetic varieties
Engineering of an octupolar non-linear optical crystal: tribenzyl isocyanurate
The title compound has a C-H···O hydrogen bond-mediated trigonal network structure that leads to octupolar NLO behaviour in the solid state
Steering non-centrosymmetry into the third dimension: crystal engineering of an octupolar nonlinear optical crystal
The ability of CH3 groups to form helical chains of C-H…∏ interactions with phenyl rings leads to polar stacking of trigonal octupolar networks in a substituted triazine, and therefore to three-dimensional non-centrosymmetry
Laser-modified one- and two-photon absorption:Expanding the scope of optical nonlinearity
It is shown that conventional one-photon and two-photon absorption processes can be made subject to nonlinear optical control, in each case significantly modifying the efficiency of absorption, through the effect of a secondary, off-resonant stimulus laser beam. The mechanistic origin of these laser-modified absorption processes, in which the stimulus beam emerges unchanged, is traced to higher-order terms in standard perturbation treatments. These normally insignificant terms become unusually prominent when the secondary optical stimulus is moderately intense. Employing a quantum formulation, the effects of the stimulus beam on one-photon and two-photon absorption are analyzed, and calculations are performed to determine the degree of absorption enhancement, and the form of spectral manifestation, under various laser intensities. The implications of differences in selection rules are also considered and exemplified, leading to the identification of dark states that can be populated as a result of laser-modified absorption. Attention is also drawn to the possibility of quantum nondemolition measurements, based on such a form of optical nonlinearity
Verdier specialization via weak factorization
Let X in V be a closed embedding, with V - X nonsingular. We define a
constructible function on X, agreeing with Verdier's specialization of the
constant function 1 when X is the zero-locus of a function on V. Our definition
is given in terms of an embedded resolution of X; the independence on the
choice of resolution is obtained as a consequence of the weak factorization
theorem of Abramovich et al. The main property of the specialization function
is a compatibility with the specialization of the Chern class of the complement
V-X. With the definition adopted here, this is an easy consequence of standard
intersection theory. It recovers Verdier's result when X is the zero-locus of a
function on V. Our definition has a straightforward counterpart in a motivic
group. The specialization function and the corresponding Chern class and
motivic aspect all have natural `monodromy' decompositions, for for any X in V
as above. The definition also yields an expression for Kai Behrend's
constructible function when applied to (the singularity subscheme of) the
zero-locus of a function on V.Comment: Minor revision. To appear in Arkiv f\"or Matemati
Grothendieck groups and a categorification of additive invariants
A topologically-invariant and additive homology class is mostly not a natural
transformation as it is. In this paper we discuss turning such a homology class
into a natural transformation; i.e., a "categorification" of it. In a general
categorical set-up we introduce a generalized relative Grothendieck group from
a cospan of functors of categories and also consider a categorification of
additive invariants on objects. As an example, we obtain a general theory of
characteristic homology classes of singular varieties.Comment: 27 pages, to appear in International J. Mathematic
Depletion of WFS1 compromises mitochondrial function in hiPSC-derived neuronal models of Wolfram syndrome
International audienc
Laser microfluidics: fluid actuation by light
The development of microfluidic devices is still hindered by the lack of
robust fundamental building blocks that constitute any fluidic system. An
attractive approach is optical actuation because light field interaction is
contactless and dynamically reconfigurable, and solutions have been anticipated
through the use of optical forces to manipulate microparticles in flows.
Following the concept of an 'optical chip' advanced from the optical actuation
of suspensions, we propose in this survey new routes to extend this concept to
microfluidic two-phase flows. First, we investigate the destabilization of
fluid interfaces by the optical radiation pressure and the formation of liquid
jets. We analyze the droplet shedding from the jet tip and the continuous
transport in laser-sustained liquid channels. In the second part, we
investigate a dissipative light-flow interaction mechanism consisting in
heating locally two immiscible fluids to produce thermocapillary stresses along
their interface. This opto-capillary coupling is implemented in adequate
microchannel geometries to manipulate two-phase flows and propose a contactless
optical toolbox including valves, droplet sorters and switches, droplet
dividers or droplet mergers. Finally, we discuss radiation pressure and
opto-capillary effects in the context of the 'optical chip' where flows,
channels and operating functions would all be performed optically on the same
device
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