Does binding of synesthetic color to the evoking grapheme require attention?

The official published version can be accessed from the link below.The neural mechanisms involved in binding features such as shape and color are a matter of some debate. Does accurate binding rely on spatial attention functions of the parietal lobe or can it occur without attentional input? One extraordinary phenomenon that may shed light on this question is that of chromatic-graphemic synesthesia, a rare condition in which letter shapes evoke color perceptions. A popular suggestion is that synesthesia results from cross-activation between different functional regions (e.g., between shape and color areas of the ventral pathway). Under such conditions binding may not require parietal involvement and could occur preattentively. We tested this hypothesis in two synesthetes who perceived grayscale letters and digits in color. We found no evidence for preattentive binding using a visual search paradigm in which the target was a synesthetic inducer. In another experiment involving color judgments, we show that the congruency of target color and the synesthetic color of irrelevant digits modulates performance more when the digits are included within the attended region of space. We propose that the mechanisms giving rise to this type of synesthesia appear to follow at least some principles of normal binding, and even synesthetic binding seems to require attention.This work has been supported by a Veterans Administration Senior Research Career Scientist Award and NINDS grant #MH62331 to LCR and the Elizabeth Roboz Einstein fellowship in Neuroscience and Human Development to NS

Novel Sub-Harmonic Injection-Locked Balanced Oscillator

A novel sub-harmonic injection-locked balanced oscillator is proposed. The circuit provides two outputs with a 180° ° phase difference by employing a transmission line section for impedance transformation to meet the oscillation conditions. A coupling network is connected at the mid-point of the transmission line to inject the sub-harmonic frequency. This eliminates the need for a circulator or balun. The circuit is small and consumes low DC power. Under the locking state, the circuit provides double the injection frequency and also the phase noise of the two outputs is substantially improved

Span programs and quantum algorithms for st-connectivity and claw detection

We introduce a span program that decides st-connectivity, and generalize the span program to develop quantum algorithms for several graph problems. First, we give an algorithm for st-connectivity that uses O(n d^{1/2}) quantum queries to the n x n adjacency matrix to decide if vertices s and t are connected, under the promise that they either are connected by a path of length at most d, or are disconnected. We also show that if T is a path, a star with two subdivided legs, or a subdivision of a claw, its presence as a subgraph in the input graph G can be detected with O(n) quantum queries to the adjacency matrix. Under the promise that G either contains T as a subgraph or does not contain T as a minor, we give O(n)-query quantum algorithms for detecting T either a triangle or a subdivision of a star. All these algorithms can be implemented time efficiently and, except for the triangle-detection algorithm, in logarithmic space. One of the main techniques is to modify the st-connectivity span program to drop along the way "breadcrumbs," which must be retrieved before the path from s is allowed to enter t.Comment: 18 pages, 4 figure

Phonon contributions to the entropies of hP24 and fcc Co3V

Inelastic neutron-scattering spectra and neutron-diffraction patterns were measured on the alloy Co3V at temperatures from 1073-1513 K, where the hP24 (ordered hexagonal) and fee structures are the equilibrium states of the alloy. Phonon density of states (DOS) curves were calculated from the inelastic-scattering spectra, allowing estimates of the vibrational entropy in the harmonic and quasiharmonic approximations. The vibrational entropy of the hP24-fcc phase transition at 1323 K was found to be 0.07k(B)/atom. The anharmonic contributions to the entropy over a temperature range of 100 K were comparable to the vibrational entropy of this phase transition. The anharmonic softening of the phonon DOS was only slightly larger for the hP24 than the fee phase, however, so the anharmonic effects contribute only slightly to the difference in entropy of the two phases. The simple Gruneisen approximation was inadequate for predicting the thermal softening of the phonon DOS

Are there any good digraph width measures?

Several different measures for digraph width have appeared in the last few years. However, none of them shares all the "nice" properties of treewidth: First, being \emph{algorithmically useful} i.e. admitting polynomial-time algorithms for all \MS1-definable problems on digraphs of bounded width. And, second, having nice \emph{structural properties} i.e. being monotone under taking subdigraphs and some form of arc contractions. As for the former, (undirected) \MS1 seems to be the least common denominator of all reasonably expressive logical languages on digraphs that can speak about the edge/arc relation on the vertex set.The latter property is a necessary condition for a width measure to be characterizable by some version of the cops-and-robber game characterizing the ordinary treewidth. Our main result is that \emph{any reasonable} algorithmically useful and structurally nice digraph measure cannot be substantially different from the treewidth of the underlying undirected graph. Moreover, we introduce \emph{directed topological minors} and argue that they are the weakest useful notion of minors for digraphs

Innovation processes and industrial districts

In this survey, we examine the operations of innovation processes within industrial districts by exploring the ways in which differentiation, specialization, and integration affect the generation, diffusion, and use of new knowledge in such districts. We begin with an analysis of the importance of the division of labour and then investigate the effects of social embeddedness on innovation. We also consider the effect of forms of organization within industrial districts at various stages of product and process life, and we examine the negative aspects of embeddedness for innovation. We conclude with a discussion of the possible consequences of new information and communications technologies on innovation in industrial districts

An FPT 2-Approximation for Tree-Cut Decomposition

The tree-cut width of a graph is a graph parameter defined by Wollan [J. Comb. Theory, Ser. B, 110:47-66, 2015] with the help of tree-cut decompositions. In certain cases, tree-cut width appears to be more adequate than treewidth as an invariant that, when bounded, can accelerate the resolution of intractable problems. While designing algorithms for problems with bounded tree-cut width, it is important to have a parametrically tractable way to compute the exact value of this parameter or, at least, some constant approximation of it. In this paper we give a parameterized 2-approximation algorithm for the computation of tree-cut width; for an input $n$-vertex graph $G$ and an integer $w$, our algorithm either confirms that the tree-cut width of $G$ is more than $w$ or returns a tree-cut decomposition of $G$ certifying that its tree-cut width is at most $2w$, in time $2^{O(w^2\log w)} \cdot n^2$. Prior to this work, no constructive parameterized algorithms, even approximated ones, existed for computing the tree-cut width of a graph. As a consequence of the Graph Minors series by Robertson and Seymour, only the existence of a decision algorithm was known.Comment: 17 pages, 3 figure

Entrepreneurs'' attitude towards the computer and its effect on e-business adoption

This paper presents research exploring further the concept that many SMEs do not adopt computer based technologies due to decision maker's negative attitudes towards computers generally. Importantly, by assessing the entrepreneur's belief structure, we provide quantitative evidence how SMEs, particularly micros, are affected. Earlier research that addresses technology acceptance model (TAM) suggests that TAM parameters are particularly influential factors of e-commerce adoption, as perceived by top managers of SMEs. The model we develop is tested using a sample of 655 enterprises. The information was gathered, via a telephone survey of UK SMEs, from decisions makers in the enterprise. Technically, the paper uses k-means cluster analysis to segment respondents using the TAM perceptions, ease of use, usefulness and enjoyment. Based on two determined segments we look at the differential rate of adoption of internet, and the potential adoption of new e-collaborative technologies like video conferencing and electronic whiteboards. The diffusion of internet for low IT utility (LIT) segments was considerably slower than in the high utility segment (HIT). Similarly, the anticipated adoption of e-collaboration technologies was much lower for LIT than HIT. Interestingly, we find that LIT is populated by more micro SMEs than HIT. The results we present are limited however as our sample is considerably underweight in micro SMEs, suggesting that the problem may be much larger in the economy than our model predicts. For policy makers, this research confirms the value of knowledge transfer programs to SMEs in the form of technology support. Our research shows that organisations which have dedicated IT support will tend to be more advanced technologically than those that do not. The implication for entrepreneurs is if they can be persuaded that a technological route is beneficial to them, and that suitable support can be provided via KT, then operational efficiency gains could be made. This paper contributes to knowle

The search for innovators and early adopters of e-collaborative technologies within small and medium sized enterprises in the UK

New product diffusion theory predicts that innovators and early adopters are critical to the success of new innovations. The rate at which enterprises adopt e-Science technologies must therefore rely upon reliable market intelligence so that the critical early stages of adoption are successfully navigated by developers and planners. Failure to understand attitudes towards new technologies can lead to even useful technologies being under-adopted. This paper applies a survey based methodology to develop estimates of demand for web based virtual Collaborative technologies. We show that approximately 76% of the 1029 firms that we interviewed are technologically ready to deploy these technologies. We also show that 10% of all firms are ready look at these technologies as solutions to collaborative problem solving