670 research outputs found
A filled duration illusion in music: Effects of metrical subdivision on the perception and production of beat tempo.
This study replicates and extends previous findings suggesting that metrical
subdivision slows the perceived beat tempo (Repp, 2008). Here, musically trained participants produced the
subdivisions themselves and were found to speed up, thus compensating for the
perceived slowing. This was shown in a synchronization-continuation paradigm
(Experiment 1) and in a reproduction task (Experiment 2a). Participants also
judged the tempo of a subdivided sequence as being slower than that of a
preceding simple beat sequence (Experiment 2b). Experiment 2 also included
nonmusician participants, with similar results. Tempo measurements of famous
pianists’ recordings of two variation movements from Beethoven sonatas revealed
a strong tendency to play the first variation (subdivided beats) faster than the
theme (mostly simple beats). A similar tendency was found in musicians’
laboratory performances of a simple theme and variations, despite instruc-tions
to keep the tempo constant (Experiment 3a). When playing melodic sequences in
which only one of three beats per measure was subdivided, musicians tended to
play these beats faster and to perceive them as longer than adjacent beats, and
they played the whole sequence faster than a sequence without any subdivisions
(Experiments 3b and 3c). The results amply demonstrate a filled duration
illusion in rhythm perception and music performance: Intervals
containing events seem longer than empty intervals and thus must be shortened to
be perceived as equal in duration
Atomic Hole Doping of Graphene
Graphene is an excellent candidate for the next generation of electronic
materials due to the strict two-dimensionality of its electronic structure as
well as the extremely high carrier mobility. A prerequisite for the development
of graphene based electronics is the reliable control of the type and density
of the charge carriers by external (gate) and internal (doping) means. While
gating has been successfully demonstrated for graphene flakes and epitaxial
graphene on silicon carbide, the development of reliable chemical doping
methods turns out to be a real challenge. In particular hole doping is an
unsolved issue. So far it has only been achieved with reactive molecular
adsorbates, which are largely incompatible with any device technology. Here we
show by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy that atomic doping of an
epitaxial graphene layer on a silicon carbide substrate with bismuth, antimony
or gold presents effective means of p-type doping. Not only is the atomic
doping the method of choice for the internal control of the carrier density. In
combination with the intrinsic n-type character of epitaxial graphene on SiC,
the charge carriers can be tuned from electrons to holes, without affecting the
conical band structure
The trap design of PENTATRAP
A novel Penning trap tower consisting of five compensated cylindrical Penning
traps is developed for the PENTATRAP mass spectrometer at the
Max-Planck-Institut f\"ur Kernphysik in Heidelberg, Germany. An analytical
expression for the electrostatic potential inside the trap tower is derived to
calculate standard Penning trap properties like the compensation of
anharmonicities and an orthogonal geometry of the trap electrodes. Since the
PENTATRAP project described in the preceding article aims for ultra
high-precision mass-ratio measurements of highly charged ions up to uranium,
systematic effects for highly charged ions inside the trap tower are considered
for the design process as well. Finally, a limit due to remaining anharmonic
shifts at large amplitudes is estimated for the resulting geometry, which is
important for phase-sensitive measurements of the reduced cyclotron frequency
of the ions
Cognitive loading affects motor awareness and movement kinematics but not locomotor trajectories during goal-directed walking in a virtual reality environment.
The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of cognitive loading on movement kinematics and trajectory formation during goal-directed walking in a virtual reality (VR) environment. The secondary objective was to measure how participants corrected their trajectories for perturbed feedback and how participants' awareness of such perturbations changed under cognitive loading. We asked 14 healthy young adults to walk towards four different target locations in a VR environment while their movements were tracked and played back in real-time on a large projection screen. In 75% of all trials we introduced angular deviations of ±5° to ±30° between the veridical walking trajectory and the visual feedback. Participants performed a second experimental block under cognitive load (serial-7 subtraction, counter-balanced across participants). We measured walking kinematics (joint-angles, velocity profiles) and motor performance (end-point-compensation, trajectory-deviations). Motor awareness was determined by asking participants to rate the veracity of the feedback after every trial. In-line with previous findings in natural settings, participants displayed stereotypical walking trajectories in a VR environment. Our results extend these findings as they demonstrate that taxing cognitive resources did not affect trajectory formation and deviations although it interfered with the participants' movement kinematics, in particular walking velocity. Additionally, we report that motor awareness was selectively impaired by the secondary task in trials with high perceptual uncertainty. Compared with data on eye and arm movements our findings lend support to the hypothesis that the central nervous system (CNS) uses common mechanisms to govern goal-directed movements, including locomotion. We discuss our results with respect to the use of VR methods in gait control and rehabilitation
Implication of the overlap representation for modelling generalized parton distributions
Based on a field theoretically inspired model of light-cone wave functions,
we derive valence-like generalized parton distributions and their double
distributions from the wave function overlap in the parton number conserved
s-channel. The parton number changing contributions in the t-channel are
restored from duality. In our construction constraints of positivity and
polynomiality are simultaneously satisfied and it also implies a model
dependent relation between generalized parton distributions and transverse
momentum dependent parton distribution functions. The model predicts that the
t-behavior of resulting hadronic amplitudes depends on the Bjorken variable
x_Bj. We also propose an improved ansatz for double distributions that embeds
this property.Comment: 15 pages, 8 eps figure
The contribution of the pericanalicular matrix to mineral content in human osteonal bone
This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Elsevier via the DOI in this record.The osteocyte lacunar-canalicular network (LCN) penetrates bone and houses the osteocytes and their processes. Despite its rather low volume fraction, the LCN represents an outstanding large surface that is possibly used by the osteocytes to interact with the surrounding mineralized bone matrix thereby contributing to mineral homeostasis. The aim of this study was to quantitatively describe such contributions by spatially correlating the local density of the LCN with the mineral content at the same location in micrometer-sized volume elements in human osteons. For this purpose, 65 osteons from the femur midshaft from healthy adults (n = 4) and children (n = 2) were structurally characterized with two different techniques. The 3D structure of the LCN in the osteons was imaged with confocal laser scanning microscopy after staining the bone samples with rhodamine. Subsequent image analysis provided the canalicular length density, i.e. the total length of the canaliculi per unit volume (μm/μm3). Quantitative information on the mineral content (wt%Ca) from the identical regions was obtained using quantitative backscattered electron imaging.
As the LCN-porosity lowers the mineral content, a negative correlation between Ca content and network density was expected. Calculations predict a reduction of around −0.97 fmol Ca per μm of network. However, the experiment revealed for 62 out of 65 osteons a positive correlation resulting in an average additional Ca loading of +1.15 fmol per μm of canalicular network, i.e. an accumulation of mineral has occurred at dense network regions. We hypothesize that this accumulation happens in the close vicinity of canaliculi forming mineral reservoirs that can be utilized by osteocytes. Significant differences found between individuals indicate that the extent of mineral loading of the reservoir zone reflects an important parameter for mineral homeostasis.German Federal Ministry of Education and ResearchAUVA (Research Funds of the Austrian Workers Compensation Board, Austria)WGKK (Viennese sickness insurance funds, Austria)
Formation of ultracold dipolar molecules in the lowest vibrational levels by photoassociation
We recently reported the formation of ultracold LiCs molecules in the
rovibrational ground state X1Sigma+,v''=0,J''=0 [J. Deiglmayr et al., PRL 101,
133004 (2008)]. Here we discuss details of the experimental setup and present a
thorough analysis of the photoassociation step including the photoassociation
line shape. We predict the distribution of produced ground state molecules
using accurate potential nergy curves combined with an ab-initio dipole
transition moment and compare this prediction with experimental ionization
spectra. Additionally we improve the value of the dissociation energy for the
X1Sigma+ state by high resolution spectroscopy of the vibrational ground state.Comment: Submitted to Faraday Discussions 142: Cold and Ultracold Molecules 18
pages, 8 figure
At-risk elementary school children with one year of classroom music instruction are better at keeping a beat
Temporal processing underlies both music and language skills. There is increasing evidence that rhythm abilities track with reading performance and that language disorders such as dyslexia are associated with poor rhythm abilities. However, little is known about how basic time-keeping skills can be shaped by musical training, particularly during critical literacy development years. This study was carried out in collaboration with Harmony Project, a non-profit organization providing free music education to children in the gang reduction zones of Los Angeles. Our findings reveal that elementary school children with just one year of classroom music instruction perform more accurately in a basic finger-tapping task than their untrained peers, providing important evidence that fundamental time-keeping skills may be strengthened by short-term music training. This sets the stage for further examination of how music programs may be used to support the development of basic skills underlying learning and literacy, particularly in at-risk populations which may benefit the most
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