864 research outputs found
High-performance 3D waveguide architecture for astronomical pupil-remapping interferometry
The detection and characterisation of extra-solar planets is a major theme
driving modern astronomy, with the vast majority of such measurements being
achieved by Doppler radial-velocity and transit observations. Another technique
-- direct imaging -- can access a parameter space that complements these
methods, and paves the way for future technologies capable of detailed
characterization of exoplanetary atmospheres and surfaces. However achieving
the required levels of performance with direct imaging, particularly from
ground-based telescopes which must contend with the Earth's turbulent
atmosphere, requires considerable sophistication in the instrument and
detection strategy. Here we demonstrate a new generation of photonic
pupil-remapping devices which build upon the interferometric framework
developed for the {\it Dragonfly} instrument: a high contrast waveguide-based
device which recovers robust complex visibility observables. New generation
Dragonfly devices overcome problems caused by interference from unguided light
and low throughput, promising unprecedented on-sky performance. Closure phase
measurement scatter of only has been achieved, with waveguide
throughputs of . This translates to a maximum contrast-ratio
sensitivity (between the host star and its orbiting planet) at
(1 detection) of (when a conventional
adaptive-optics (AO) system is used) or (for typical
`extreme-AO' performance), improving even further when random error is
minimised by averaging over multiple exposures. This is an order of magnitude
beyond conventional pupil-segmenting interferometry techniques (such as
aperture masking), allowing a previously inaccessible part of the star to
planet contrast-separation parameter space to be explored
Violation of the `Zero-Force Theorem' in the time-dependent Krieger-Li-Iafrate approximation
We demonstrate that the time-dependent Krieger-Li-Iafrate approximation in
combination with the exchange-only functional violates the `Zero-Force
Theorem'. By analyzing the time-dependent dipole moment of Na5 and Na9+, we
furthermore show that this can lead to an unphysical self-excitation of the
system depending on the system properties and the excitation strength.
Analytical aspects, especially the connection between the `Zero-Force Theorem'
and the `Generalized-Translation Invariance' of the potential, are discussed.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
Characterization of radiative heat transfer in a spark-ignition engine through high-speed experiments and simulations
International audienceA combined experimental and Large-Eddy Simulation (LES) study of molecular radiation is presented for combustion in a homogeneous pre-mixed spark-ignition engine. Molecular radiation can account for ~10% of the engine heat loss and could have a noticeable impact on the local conditions within the combustion chamber. The Transparent Combustion Chamber (TCC) engine, a single-cylinder two-valve research engine with a transparent liner and piston for optical access, was used for this study. High-speed infrared emission spectroscopy and radiative post-processing of LES calculations have been performed to gain insight into the timescales and magnitude of radiative emissions of molecular gases during the combustion process. Both the measurements and simulations show significant Cycle-to-Cycle Variations (CCV) of radiative emission. There is agreement in the instantaneous radiative spectrum of experiment and simulation, but the crank-angle development of the radiative spectrum shows disagreement. The strengths and limitations of the optical experiments and radiative simulations are seen in the results and suggest pathways for future efforts in characterizing the influence of molecular radiation. In particular, focusing on the relative changes of the spectral features will be important as they contain information about the thermochemical properties of the gas mixture
Electrical Stimulation Modulates High γ Activity and Human Memory Performance.
Direct electrical stimulation of the brain has emerged as a powerful treatment for multiple neurological diseases, and as a potential technique to enhance human cognition. Despite its application in a range of brain disorders, it remains unclear how stimulation of discrete brain areas affects memory performance and the underlying electrophysiological activities. Here, we investigated the effect of direct electrical stimulation in four brain regions known to support declarative memory: hippocampus (HP), parahippocampal region (PH) neocortex, prefrontal cortex (PF), and lateral temporal cortex (TC). Intracranial EEG recordings with stimulation were collected from 22 patients during performance of verbal memory tasks. We found that high γ (62-118 Hz) activity induced by word presentation was modulated by electrical stimulation. This modulatory effect was greatest for trials with poor memory encoding. The high γ modulation correlated with the behavioral effect of stimulation in a given brain region: it was negative, i.e., the induced high γ activity was decreased, in the regions where stimulation decreased memory performance, and positive in the lateral TC where memory enhancement was observed. Our results suggest that the effect of electrical stimulation on high γ activity induced by word presentation may be a useful biomarker for mapping memory networks and guiding therapeutic brain stimulation
Recommended from our members
Bayes Wars Redivivus - An Exchange
An electronic exchange among 10 evidence scholars that began with a discussion of the restyled Federal Rules and grew into a significant restatement of debates in evidentiary scholarship over the last 50 years, touching on relevance, probative value, inference, Bayesianism and the foundations of evidence, with an introduction by Michael Risinger
Lower Pill Burden and Once-Daily Antiretroviral Treatment Regimens for HIV Infection: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Background. Contemporary antiretroviral treatment regimens are simpler than in the past, with lower pill burden and once-daily dosing frequency common. We performed a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to investigate the impact of pill burden and once-daily vs twice-daily dosing on ART adherence and virological outcomes. Methods. A literature search of 4 electronic databases through 31 March 2013 was used. RCTs comparing once-daily vs twice-daily ART regimens that also reported on adherence and virological suppression were included. Study design, study population characteristics, intervention, outcome measures, and study quality were extracted. Study quality was rated using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool. Results. Nineteen studies met our inclusion criteria (N = 6312 adult patients). Higher pill burden was associated with both lower adherence rates (P = .004) and worse virological suppression (P < .0001) in both once-daily and twice-daily subgroups, although the association with adherence in the once-daily subgroup was not statistically significant. The average adherence was modestly higher in once-daily regimens than twice-daily regimens (weighted mean difference = 2.55%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.23 to 3.87; P = .0002). Patients on once-daily regimens did not achieve virological suppression more frequently than patients on twice-daily regimens (relative risk [RR] = 1.01; 95% CI, 0.99 to 1.03; P = .50). Both adherence and viral load suppression decreased over time, but adherence decreased less with once-daily dosing than with twice-daily dosing. Conclusions. Lower pill burden was associated with both better adherence and virological suppression. Adherence, but not virological suppression, was slightly better with once- vs twice-daily regimens
Ripple oscillations in the left temporal neocortex are associated with impaired verbal episodic memory encoding
Background: We sought to determine if ripple oscillations (80-120Hz),
detected in intracranial EEG (iEEG) recordings of epilepsy patients, correlate
with an enhancement or disruption of verbal episodic memory encoding. Methods:
We defined ripple and spike events in depth iEEG recordings during list
learning in 107 patients with focal epilepsy. We used logistic regression
models (LRMs) to investigate the relationship between the occurrence of ripple
and spike events during word presentation and the odds of successful word
recall following a distractor epoch, and included the seizure onset zone (SOZ)
as a covariate in the LRMs. Results: We detected events during 58,312 word
presentation trials from 7,630 unique electrode sites. The probability of
ripple on spike (RonS) events was increased in the seizure onset zone (SOZ,
p<0.04). In the left temporal neocortex RonS events during word presentation
corresponded with a decrease in the odds ratio (OR) of successful recall,
however this effect only met significance in the SOZ (OR of word recall 0.71,
95% CI: 0.59-0.85, n=158 events, adaptive Hochberg p<0.01). Ripple on
oscillation events (RonO) that occurred in the left temporal neocortex non-SOZ
also correlated with decreased odds of successful recall (OR 0.52, 95% CI:
0.34-0.80, n=140, adaptive Hochberg , p<0.01). Spikes and RonS that occurred
during word presentation in the left middle temporal gyrus during word
presentation correlated with the most significant decrease in the odds of
successful recall, irrespective of the location of the SOZ (adaptive Hochberg,
p<0.01). Conclusion: Ripples and spikes generated in left temporal neocortex
are associated with impaired verbal episodic memory encoding
- …