4,038 research outputs found
Individually distinctive features facilitate numerical discrimination of sets of objects in domestic chicks
Day-old domestic chicks approach the larger of two groups of identical objects, but in a 3 vs 4 comparison, their performance is random. Here we investigated whether adding individually distinctive features to each object would facilitate such discrimination. Chicks reared with 7 objects were presented with the operation 1 + 1 + 1 vs 1 + 1 + 1 + 1. When objects were all identical, chicks performed randomly, as expected (Experiment 1). In the remaining experiments, objects differed from one another due to additional features. Chicks succeeded when those features were differently oriented segments (Experiment 2) but failed when the features were arranged to depict individually different face-like displays (Experiment 3). Discrimination was restored if the face-like stimuli were presented upside-down, disrupting global processing (Experiment 4). Our results support the claim that numerical discrimination in 3 vs 4 comparison benefits from the presence of distinctive features that enhance object individuation due to individual processing. Interestingly, when the distinctive features are arranged into upright face-like displays, the process is susceptible to global over local interference due to configural processing. This study was aimed at assessing whether individual object processing affects numerical discrimination. We hypothesise that in humans similar strategies aimed at improving performance at the non-symbolic level may have positive effects on symbolic mathematical abilities
Design optimization of meta-material transmission lines for linear and non-linear microwave signal processing
The possibility to use CRLH (Composite Right-/Left-Handed) cells to realize both distributed wide-band filters for linear signal processing and non-linear devices like frequency doublers is investigated analytically and numerically. Full-wave electromagnetic simulations are performed for the filtering structure by means of a commercial software package and confirm the validity of the analytic results. Numerical results for CRLH NLTL (Non-Linear Transmission Line) obtained by using the Microwave Office are discussed, providing design considerations about the synthesis of such a component
Geometric combinatorial algebras: cyclohedron and simplex
In this paper we report on results of our investigation into the algebraic
structure supported by the combinatorial geometry of the cyclohedron. Our new
graded algebra structures lie between two well known Hopf algebras: the
Malvenuto-Reutenauer algebra of permutations and the Loday-Ronco algebra of
binary trees. Connecting algebra maps arise from a new generalization of the
Tonks projection from the permutohedron to the associahedron, which we discover
via the viewpoint of the graph associahedra of Carr and Devadoss. At the same
time that viewpoint allows exciting geometrical insights into the
multiplicative structure of the algebras involved. Extending the Tonks
projection also reveals a new graded algebra structure on the simplices.
Finally this latter is extended to a new graded Hopf algebra (one-sided) with
basis all the faces of the simplices.Comment: 23 figures, new expanded section about Hopf algebra of simplices,
with journal correction
The Ages of Galactic Bulge Stars with Realistic Uncertainties
Using modern isochrones with customized physics and carefully considered
statistical techniques, we recompute the age distribution for a sample of 91
micro-lensed dwarfs in the Galactic bulge presented by Bensby et al. (2017) and
do not produce an age distribution consistent with their results. In
particular, our analysis finds that only 15 of 91 stars have ages younger than
7 Gyr, compared to their finding of 42 young stars in the same sample. While we
do not find a constituency of very young stars, our results do suggest the
presence of an Gyr population at the highest metallicities, thus
contributing to long-standing debate about the age--metallicity distribution of
the Galactic bulge. We supplement this with attempts at independent age
determinations from two sources of photometry, BDBS and \textit{Gaia}, but find
that the imprecision of photometric measurements prevents reliable age and age
uncertainty determinations. Lastly, we present age uncertainties derived using
a first-order consideration of global modeling uncertainties in addition to
standard observational uncertainties. The theoretical uncertainties are based
on the known variance of free parameters in the 1D stellar evolution models
used to generate isochrones, and when included, result in age uncertainties of
-- Gyr for this spectroscopically well-constrained sample. These error
bars, which are roughly twice as large as typical literature values, constitute
realistic lower limits on the true age uncertainties.Comment: accepted to ApJ; revisions complet
Knowledge‐first functionalism
This paper has two aims. The first is critical: I identify a set of normative desiderata for accounts of justified belief and I argue that prominent knowledge first views have difficulties meeting them. Second, I argue that my preferred account, knowledge first functionalism, is preferable to its extant competitors on normative grounds. This account takes epistemically justified belief to be belief generated by properly functioning cognitive processes that have generating knowledge as their epistemic function
Pattern Avoidance in Poset Permutations
We extend the concept of pattern avoidance in permutations on a totally
ordered set to pattern avoidance in permutations on partially ordered sets. The
number of permutations on that avoid the pattern is denoted
. We extend a proof of Simion and Schmidt to show that for any poset , and we exactly classify the posets for which
equality holds.Comment: 13 pages, 1 figure; v2: corrected typos; v3: corrected typos and
improved formatting; v4: to appear in Order; v5: corrected typos; v6: updated
author email addresse
The Blanco DECam Bulge Survey (BDBS) VIII: Chemo-kinematics in the southern Galactic bulge from 2.3 million red clump stars with Gaia DR3 proper motions
The Blanco DECam Bulge Survey (BDBS) provides near-ultraviolet to
near-infrared photometry for ~250 million unique stars. By combining BDBS
photometry with the latest Gaia astrometry, we characterize the chemo-dynamics
of red clump stars across the BDBS footprint, using an unprecedented sample
size and sky coverage. We construct a sample of ~2.3 million red clump giants
in the bulge with photometric metallicities, BDBS photometric distances, and
proper motions. We study the kinematics of the red clump stars as a function of
sky position and metallicity, by investigating proper motion rotation curves,
velocity dispersions, and proper motion correlations across the southern
Galactic bulge. We find that metal-poor red clump stars exhibit lower rotation
amplitudes, at ~29 km s kpc^{-1}. The peak of the angular velocity is
~39 km s^{-1} kpc^{-1} for [Fe/H] ~ -0.2 dex, exhibiting declining rotation at
higher [Fe/H]. The velocity dispersion is higher for metal-poor stars, while
metal-rich stars show a steeper gradient with Galactic latitude, with a maximum
dispersion at low latitudes along the bulge minor axis. Only metal-rich stars
([Fe/H] >~ -0.5 dex) show clear signatures of the bar in their kinematics,
while the metal-poor population exhibits isotropic motions with an axisymmetric
pattern around Galactic longitude l = 0. This work reports the largest sample
of bulge stars with distance, metallicity, and astrometry and shows clear
kinematic differences with metallicity. The global kinematics over the bulge
agrees with earlier studies. However, we see striking changes with increasing
metallicity and for the first time, see kinematic differences for stars with
[Fe/H]>-0.5, suggesting that the bar itself may have kinematics that depends on
metallicity.Comment: 12 pages, Accepted for publication in A&
Invariant Peano curves of expanding Thurston maps
We consider Thurston maps, i.e., branched covering maps
that are postcritically finite. In addition, we assume that is expanding in
a suitable sense. It is shown that each sufficiently high iterate of
is semi-conjugate to , where is equal to the
degree of . More precisely, for such an we construct a Peano curve
(onto), such that
(for all ).Comment: 63 pages, 12 figure
Synchronization of the Distributed Readout Frontend Electronics of the Baby MIND Detector
Baby MIND is a new downstream muon range detector for the WGASCI experiment. This article discusses the distributed readout system and its timing requirements. The paper presents the design of the synchronization subsystem and the results of its test
Baby MIND: A magnetised spectrometer for the WAGASCI experiment
The WAGASCI experiment being built at the J-PARC neutrino beam line will
measure the difference in cross sections from neutrinos interacting with a
water and scintillator targets, in order to constrain neutrino cross sections,
essential for the T2K neutrino oscillation measurements. A prototype Magnetised
Iron Neutrino Detector (MIND), called Baby MIND, is being constructed at CERN
to act as a magnetic spectrometer behind the main WAGASCI target to be able to
measure the charge and momentum of the outgoing muon from neutrino charged
current interactions.Comment: Poster presented at NuPhys2016 (London, 12-14 December 2016). Title +
4 pages, LaTeX, 6 figure
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