Flanker effects in peripheral contrast discrimination — psychophysics and modeling

We studied lateral interactions in the periphery by measuring how contrast discrimination of a peripheral Gabor patch is affected by flankers. In the psychophysical experiments, two Gabor targets appeared simultaneously to the left and right of fixation (4° eccentricity). Observers reported which contrast was higher (spatial 2-alternative-forced-choice). In different conditions, Gabor flankers of different orientation, phase, and contrast were present above and below the two targets, at a distance of three times the spatial Gabor period. The data show that collinear flanks impair discrimination performance for low pedestal contrasts but have no effect for high pedestal contrasts. The transition between these two result patterns occurs typically at a pedestal contrast which is similar to the flanker contrast. For orthogonal flanks, we find facilitation at low pedestal contrasts, and suppression at intermediate contrasts. We account for this complex interaction pattern by a model that assumes that flankers can provide additive input to the target unit, and that they further contribute to the target's gain control, but only in a limited range of pedestal contrasts; once the target contrast exceeds a critical value, inhibition becomes subtractive rather than divisive. We further make specific propositions on how this model could be implemented at the neuronal level and show that a simple integrate and fire unit that receives time-modulated inhibition behaves in a fashion strikingly similar to the model inferred from the psychophysical data

Mini black holes at the LHC : discovery through di-jet suppression, mono-jet emission and a supersonic boom in the quark-gluon plasma in ALICE, ATLAS and CMS

We examine experimental signatures of TeV-mass black hole formation in heavy ion collisions at the LHC. We find that the black hole production results in a complete disappearance of all very high p_T (> 500 GeV) back-to-back correlated di-jets of total mass M > M_f ~ 1 TeV. We show that the subsequent Hawking-decay produces multiple hard mono-jets and discuss their detection. We study the possibility of cold black hole remnant (BHR) formation of mass ~ M_f and the experimental distinguishability of scenarios with BHRs and those with complete black hole decay. Finally we point out that a Heckler-Kapusta-Hawking plasma may form from the emitted mono-jets. In this context we present new simulation data of Mach shocks and of the evolution of initial conditions until the freeze-out

Attentional effects on contrast detection in the presence of surround masks

We studied how attention affects contrast detection performance when the target is surrounded by mask elements. In each display quadrant we presented a hexagon of six vertical Gabor patches (the ‘surround’). Only one of the hexagons contained a central Gabor patch (the ‘target’) and the task was to report that quadrant (spatial four-alternative-forced choice). Attention was manipulated by means of a double-task paradigm: in one condition observers had to perform concurrently a central letter-discrimination task, and the contrast-detection task was then only poorly attended, while attention was fully available in the other condition. We find that under poorly attended conditions targets can be detected only when the target contrast exceeds the surround contrast (contrast popout) or when the target orientation differs from the surround orientation by more than 10–15° (orientation popout). When the target orientation is similar to the surround orientation, attention can reduce the contrast detection thresholds in some cases more than four-fold, demonstrating a very strong attentional effect

Why Has the Median Real Income of Lawyers Been Declining?

The median real incomes of lawyers have been declining. In 2001, the median real income of lawyers in the 50 states plus the District of Columbia was $129,389 (July 2020 prices). Almost two decades later, in 2020, this number had fallen to$126,930, 1.90% less than in 2001. By contrast, the median real income of workers in all occupations together rose 3.93% between 2001 and 2020, while the median real income of the average family practice physician rose 20.15% and the median real income of a typical economist rose 10.9%. We examine both supply and demand influences to explain the declining median real incomes of lawyers. An oversupply of lawyers provides only a partial explanation. The number of lawyers per 1,000 people nationally did nudge upward from 1.72 in 2001 to 2.22 in 2020, but the number of first year law students nationally in 2020 was 6.6% smaller than in 2001. Supply side adjustments to new market conditions take years to occur and hence we observe some cobweb-like oscillations in lawyers’ incomes. Demand side influences on lawyers’ incomes loom large. Between 2008 and 2019, lawyers’ income share of the national gross domestic product fell from 1.64% to 1.32% because clients purchased lawyers’ services less often

Using the LSAT as a Labor Market Thermometer for Lawyers

We rely upon a 50-state, 20-year panel to find that the number of Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) takers is only loosely related to economic conditions—although slightly more for men than for women, who in 2020 accounted for 58% of all LSAT takers. The number of test takers rose more than 35% between 2014 and 2020. This wave accentuated an already existing downtrend in the median real income of lawyers, and thus provides support for the hypothesis that most states have more lawyers than they need

Bevorratungsdüngung mit Schafwolle bei Bio-Frühjahrsblühern im Topf

Schafwolle wird im Zierpflanzenanbau als organischer Dünger eingesetzt. Bei der Erzeugung von Frühjahrsblühern (Bellis perennis und Myosotis sylvatica) wurde die vollständige Bevorratungsdüngung mit Schafwollpellets in drei verschiedenen Größen und mit geschnittenem Schafwollvlies getestet. Mit einer Düngungshöhe von 6-10 kg Schafwolle/m³  bei B. perennis und 10 kg/m³ bei M. sylvatica konnten gute Pflanzenqualitäten erzielt werden. Düngung mit kleinen Pellets führte zum höchsten Nmin-Gehalt im Substrat und zum besten Pflanzenwachstum, welches durch die Messung von Frischmasse, Höhe und Durchmesser der Pflanzen ermittelt wurde. Pflanzengesundheit und Gesamteindruck wurden bei Düngung mit geschnittenem Schafwollvlies am besten bewertet

Comparison of Alternative Meat Inspection Regimes for Pigs From Non-Controlled Housing – Considering the Cost of Error

Denmark has not had cases of bovine tuberculosis (bovTB) for more than 30 years but is obliged by trade agreements to undertake traditional meat inspection (TMI) of finisher pigs from non-controlled housing to detect bovTB. TMI is associated with higher probability of detecting bovTB but is also more costly than visual-only inspection (VOI). To identify whether VOI should replace TMI of finisher pigs from non-controlled housing, the cost of error – defined here as probability of overlooking infection and associated economic costs - should be assessed and compared with surveillance costs. First, a scenario tree model was set up to assess the ability of detecting bovTB in an infected herd (HSe) calculated for three within-herd prevalences, WHP (1, 5 and 10%), for four different surveillance scenarios (TMI and VOI with or without serological test, respectively). HSe was calculated for six consecutive 4-week surveillance periods until predicted bovTB detection (considered high-risk periods HRP). 1-HSe was probability of missing all positives by each HRP. Next, probability of spread of infection, Pspread, and number of infected animals moved were calculated for each HRP. Costs caused by overlooking bovTB were calculated taking into account Pspread, 1-HSe, eradication costs, and trade impact. Finally, the average annual costs were calculated by adding surveillance costs and assuming one incursion of bovTB in either 1, 10 or 30 years. Input parameters were based on slaughterhouse statistics, literature and expert opinion. Herd sensitivity increased by high-risk period and within-herd prevalence. Assuming WHP=5%, HSe reached median 90% by 2nd HRP for TMI, whereas for VOI this would happen after 6th HRP. Serology had limited impact on HSe. The higher the probability of infection, the higher the probability of detection and spread. TMI resulted in lowest average annual costs, if one incursion of bovTB was expected every year. However, when assuming one introduction in 10 or 30 years, VOI resulted in lowest average costs. It may be more cost-effective to focus on imported high-risk animals coming into contact with Danish livestock, instead of using TMI as surveillance on all pigs from non-controlled housing