3,324 research outputs found
The influence of counter-ion adsorption on the ψ0/pH characteristics of insulator surfaces
The site-binding theory of Yates, Levine, and Healy is extended to include the possibility that counter-ion binding of anions and cations occurs at different distances from the insulator surface. A method for straightforward computation of the ψ0/σ0/pH characteristics is given. This theory is applied to the study of electrolyte/insulator/silicon structures, which makes it possible to measure the ψ0/pH characteristics. Measurements are presented for structures where the insulator is γ-Al2O3 deposited by chemical vapour deposition at 900°C. The influence of counter-ion binding on the ψ0/pH curves is a second-order effect compared to the site-dissociation acid/base reactions, but it is clearly visible. Consideration of the influence of the ionic strength of the electrolyte leads to an estimated anion adsorption equilibrium constant in the range of 0.05 to 0.4 mol−1 dm3 in chloride solutions, although no significant influence of the type of ions present could be observed. Application of the theory to existing measurements of the ψ0/pH and σ0/pH curves of SiO2 surfaces indicates that for this material the cation adsorption equilibrium constant is in the order of 0.1 mol−1 dm3
Projections in ; the unimodular case
We consider the issue of describing all self-adjoint idempotents
(projections) in when is a unimodular locally compact group. The
approach is to take advantage of known facts concerning subspaces of the
Fourier-Stieltjes and Fourier algebras of and the topology of the dual
space of . We obtain an explicit description of any projection in
which happens to also lie in the coefficient space of a finite direct sum of
irreducible representations. This leads to a complete description of all
projections in for belonging to a class of groups that includes
and all almost connected nilpotent locally compact groups.Comment: 13 page
Scholte-Stoneley waves on an immersed solid dihedral : generation, propagation and scattering effects
A statistical evaluation of the effectiveness of medical sheepskins for the prevention of pressure sores
No Abstract
Substantia nigra activity level predicts trial-to-trial adjustments in cognitive control
Effective adaptation to the demands of a changing environment requires flexible cognitive control. The medial and the lateral frontal cortices are involved in such control processes, putatively in close interplay with the BG. In particular, dopaminergic projections from the midbrain (i.e., from the substantia nigra [SN] and the ventral tegmental area) have been proposed to play a pivotal role in modulating the activity in these areas for cognitive control purposes. In that dopaminergic involvement has been strongly implicated in reinforcement learning, these ideas suggest functional links between reinforcement learning, where the outcome of actions shapes behavior over time, and cognitive control in a more general context, where no direct reward is involved. Here, we provide evidence from functional MRI in humans that activity in the SN predicts systematic subsequent trial-to-trial RT prolongations that are thought to reflect cognitive control in a stop-signal paradigm. In particular, variations in the activity level of the SN in one trial predicted the degree of RT prolongation on the subsequent trial, consistent with a modulating output signal from the SN being involved in enhancing cognitive control. This link between SN activity and subsequent behavioral adjustments lends support to theoretical accounts that propose dopaminergic control signals that shape behavior both in the presence and in the absence of direct reward. This SN-based modulatory mechanism is presumably mediated via a wider network that determines response speed in this task, including frontal and parietal control regions, along with the BG and the associated subthalamic nucleus
How motifs condition critical thresholds for tipping cascades in complex networks: Linking Micro- to Macro-scales
In this study, we investigate how specific micro interaction structures
(motifs) affect the occurrence of tipping cascades on networks of stylized
tipping elements. We compare the properties of cascades in Erd\"os-R\'enyi
networks and an exemplary moisture recycling network of the Amazon rainforest.
Within these networks, decisive small-scale motifs are the feed forward loop,
the secondary feed forward loop, the zero loop and the neighboring loop.
Of all motifs, the feed forward loop motif stands out in tipping cascades
since it decreases the critical coupling strength necessary to initiate a
cascade more than the other motifs. We find that for this motif, the reduction
of critical coupling strength is 11% less than the critical coupling of a pair
of tipping elements. For highly connected networks, our analysis reveals that
coupled feed forward loops coincide with a strong 90% decrease of the critical
coupling strength.
For the highly clustered moisture recycling network in the Amazon, we observe
regions of very high motif occurrence for each of the four investigated motifs
suggesting that these regions are more vulnerable. The occurrence of motifs is
found to be one order of magnitude higher than in a random Erd\"os-R\'enyi
network.
This emphasizes the importance of local interaction structures for the
emergence of global cascades and the stability of the network as a whole
Dynamics of Tipping Cascades on Complex Networks
Tipping points occur in diverse systems in various disciplines such as
ecology, climate science, economy or engineering. Tipping points are critical
thresholds in system parameters or state variables at which a tiny perturbation
can lead to a qualitative change of the system. Many systems with tipping
points can be modeled as networks of coupled multistable subsystems, e.g.
coupled patches of vegetation, connected lakes, interacting climate tipping
elements or multiscale infrastructure systems. In such networks, tipping events
in one subsystem are able to induce tipping cascades via domino effects. Here,
we investigate the effects of network topology on the occurrence of such
cascades. Numerical cascade simulations with a conceptual dynamical model for
tipping points are conducted on Erd\H{o}s-R\'enyi, Watts-Strogatz and
Barab\'asi-Albert networks. Additionally, we generate more realistic networks
using data from moisture-recycling simulations of the Amazon rainforest and
compare the results to those obtained for the model networks. We furthermore
use a directed configuration model and a stochastic block model which preserve
certain topological properties of the Amazon network to understand which of
these properties are responsible for its increased vulnerability. We find that
clustering and spatial organization increase the vulnerability of networks and
can lead to tipping of the whole network. These results could be useful to
evaluate which systems are vulnerable or robust due to their network topology
and might help to design or manage systems accordingly.Comment: 22 pages, 12 figure
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