Mirroring and beyond: coupled dynamics as a generalized framework for modelling social interactions

When people observe one another, behavioural alignment can be detected at many levels, from the physical to the mental. Likewise, when people process the same highly complex stimulus sequences, such as films and stories, alignment is detected in the elicited brain activity. In early sensory areas, shared neural patterns are coupled to the low-level properties of the stimulus (shape, motion, volume, etc.), while in high-order brain areas, shared neural patterns are coupled to high-levels aspects of the stimulus, such as meaning. Successful social interactions require such alignments (both behavioural and neural), as communication cannot occur without shared understanding. However, we need to go beyond simple, symmetric (mirror) alignment once we start interacting. Interactions are dynamic processes, which involve continuous mutual adaptation, development of complementary behaviour and division of labour such as leader-follower roles. Here, we argue that interacting individuals are dynamically coupled rather than simply aligned. This broader framework for understanding interactions can encompass both processes by which behaviour and brain activity mirror each other (neural alignment), and situations in which behaviour and brain activity in one participant are coupled (but not mirrored) to the dynamics in the other participant. To apply these more sophisticated accounts of social interactions to the study of the underlying neural processes we need to develop new experimental paradigms and novel methods of data analysis

Prevailing climatic trends and runoff response from Hindukush–Karakoram–Himalaya, upper Indus Basin

Largely depending on the meltwater from the Hindukush–Karakoram–Himalaya, withdrawals from the upper Indus Basin (UIB) contribute half of the surface water availability in Pakistan, indispensable for agricultural production systems, industrial and domestic use, and hydropower generation. Despite such importance, a comprehensive assessment of prevailing state of relevant climatic variables determining the water availability is largely missing. Against this background, this study assesses the trends in maximum, minimum and mean temperatures, diurnal temperature range and precipitation from 18 stations (1250–4500 m a.s.l.) for their overlapping period of record (1995–2012) and, separately, from six stations of their long-term record (1961–2012). For this, a Mann–Kendall test on serially independent time series is applied to detect the existence of a trend, while its true slope is estimated using the Sen's slope method. Further, locally identified climatic trends are statistically assessed for their spatial-scale significance within 10 identified subregions of the UIB, and the spatially (field-) significant climatic trends are then qualitatively compared with the trends in discharge out of corresponding subregions. Over the recent period (1995–2012), we find warming and drying of spring (field-significant in March) and increasing early melt season discharge from most of the subregions, likely due to a rapid snowmelt. In stark contrast, most of the subregions feature a field-significant cooling within the monsoon period (particularly in July and September), which coincides well with the main glacier melt season. Hence, a decreasing or weakly increasing discharge is observed from the corresponding subregions during mid- to late melt season (particularly in July). Such tendencies, being largely consistent with the long-term trends (1961–2012), most likely indicate dominance of the nival but suppression of the glacial melt regime, altering overall hydrology of the UIB in future. These findings, though constrained by sparse and short observations, largely contribute in understanding the UIB melt runoff dynamics and address the hydroclimatic explanation of the Karakoram Anomaly

Low threshold InGaAsP/InP lasers with microcleaved mirrors suitable for monolithic integration

Low threshold InGaAsP/InP injection lasers on semi-insulating InP substrates have been developed with mirrors fabricated by the microcleavage technique. Miniature suspended bridges containing the laser channels have been formed and then microcleavage has been accomplished by the use of ultrasonic vibrations. Lasers with current thresholds as low as 18 mA with 140-µm cavity length and with 35–45% differential quantum efficiency have been obtained

Mode stabilized terrace InGaAsP lasers on semi-insulating InP

Mode stabilized terrace InGaAsP lasers have been fabricated on semi-insulating InP substrates. The fabrication involves a selective, single-step liquid phase epitaxial growth process, and a lateral Zn diffusion. Two versions of the terrace lasers are fabricated, and threshold currents as low as 35 mA and 50 mA respectively are obtained. The lasers operate with a stable single lateral mode. High power performance is observed. These lasers are suitable for monolithic integration with other optoelectronic devices

Direct measurement of the carrier leakage in an InGaAsP/InP laser

Carrier leakage over the heterobarrier in an InGaAsP/InP laser is measured directly in a laser-bipolar-transistor structure. Experimental results indicate a significant amount of carrier leakage under normal laser operating conditions

Low threshold InGaAsP terrace mass transport laser on semi-insulating substrate

Very low threshold InGaAsP terrace lasers on semi-insulating (SI) InP substrate have been fabricated using the mass transport technique. The fabrication process involves a single-step liquid phase epitaxial (LPE) growth followed by a mass transport of InP at ~675 °C in the presence of an InP cover wafer. Lasers operating in the fundamental transverse mode with smooth far-field patterns and threshold currents as low as 9.5 mA have been obtained

Very low threshold InGaAsP mesa laser

Very low threshold currents InGaAsP/InP terrace mesa (T-ME) lasers with an unpassivated surface have been fabricated on semi-insulating (SI) InP substrates. Fabrication of the lasers involves a single-step liquid phase epitaxial (LPE) growth and a simple etching process. Lasers operating in the fundamental transverse mode with threshold currents as low as 6.3 mA (for a cavity length of 250 μm) have been obtained. Comparison between the unpassivated lasers and those passivated using the mass transport technique is described

InGaAsP/InP undercut mesa laser with planar polyimide passivation

An undercut mesa laser is fabricated on an n + -InP substrate using a single step liquid phase epitaxy growth process and a planar structure is obtained by using a polyimide filling layer. The lasers operate at fundamental transverse mode due to a scattering loss mechanism. Threshold currents of 18 mA and stable single transverse mode operating at high currents are obtained