Tunable Oscillations in the Purkinje Neuron

In this paper, we study the dynamics of slow oscillations in Purkinje neurons in vitro, and derive a strong association with a forced parametric oscillator model. We demonstrate the precise rhythmicity of the oscillations in Purkinje neurons, as well as a dynamic tunability of this oscillation using a photo-switchable compound. We show that this slow oscillation can be induced in every Purkinje neuron, having periods ranging between 10-25 seconds. Starting from a Hodgkin-Huxley model, we also demonstrate that this oscillation can be externally modulated, and that the neurons will return to their intrinsic firing frequency after the forced oscillation is concluded. These results signify an additional functional role of tunable oscillations within the cerebellum, as well as a dynamic control of a time scale in the brain in the range of seconds.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figure

Cleaning up our acts: Psychological interventions to reduce engine idling and improve air quality

A large-scale field experiment tested psychological interventions to reduce engine idling at long-wait stops. Messages based on theories of normative influence, outcome efficacy, and self-regulation were displayed approaching railway crossing on street poles. Observers coded whether drivers (N = 6049) turned off their engine while waiting at the railway crossings (only 27.2% did so at baseline). Automatic air quality monitors recorded levels of pollutants during barrier down times. To different degrees, the social norm and outcome efficacy messages successfully increased the proportion of drivers who turned off their engines (by 42% and 25%, respectively) and significantly reduced concentrations of atmospheric particulate matter (PM2.5) 2 m above ground level. Thus, the environment was improved through behavior change. Moreover, of both practical and theoretical significance, there was an ‘accelerator effect’, in line with theories of normative influence whereby the social norm message was increasingly effective as the volume of traffic increased

GSP with General Independent Click-Through-Rates

The popular generalized second price (GSP) auction for sponsored search is built upon a separable model of click-through-rates that decomposes the likelihood of a click into the product of a "slot effect" and an "advertiser effect" --- if the first slot is twice as good as the second for some bidder, then it is twice as good for everyone. Though appealing in its simplicity, this model is quite suspect in practice. A wide variety of factors including externalities and budgets have been studied that can and do cause it to be violated. In this paper we adopt a view of GSP as an iterated second price auction (see, e.g., Milgrom 2010) and study how the most basic violation of separability --- position dependent, arbitrary public click-through-rates that do not decompose --- affects results from the foundational analysis of GSP (Varian 2007, Edelman et al. 2007). For the two-slot setting we prove that for arbitrary click-through-rates, for arbitrary bidder values, an efficient pure-strategy equilibrium always exists; however, without separability there always exist values such that the VCG outcome and payments cannot be realized by any bids, in equilibrium or otherwise. The separability assumption is therefore necessary in the two-slot case to match the payments of VCG but not for efficiency. We moreover show that without separability, generic existence of efficient equilibria is sensitive to the choice of tie-breaking rule, and when there are more than two slots, no (bid-independent) tie-breaking rule yields the positive result. In light of this we suggest alternative mechanisms that trade the simplicity of GSP for better equilibrium properties when there are three or more slots

On the Particle Data Group evaluation of Psi' and chi_c Branching Ratios

I propose a new evaluation of $\psi'(2S)$ and $\chi_c(1P)$ branching ratios which avoids the correlations affecting the current Particle Data Group evaluation. These correlations explain the apparent technique-dependent discrepancies between the available determinations of the ${\cal B}(\chi_c(1P)\to p\bar p)$ and $\Gamma(\chi_c(1P)\to \gamma\gamma)$ under the hypotesis that the current values of the $\psi'(2S)\to\chi_c(1P)\gamma$ branching ratios are overestimated. In the process I also noticed that Particle Data Group has not restated many of the older measurements, when necessary, for the new value of ${\cal B}(J/\psi\to l^+l^-)$, which significantly affects the evaluation of some relevant $\psi'(2S)$ and $\chi_c(1P)$ exclusive branching ratios.Comment: 13 pages. Revised version. Submitted to Phys. Rev.

Calculating Unknown Eigenvalues with a Quantum Algorithm

Quantum algorithms are able to solve particular problems exponentially faster than conventional algorithms, when implemented on a quantum computer. However, all demonstrations to date have required already knowing the answer to construct the algorithm. We have implemented the complete quantum phase estimation algorithm for a single qubit unitary in which the answer is calculated by the algorithm. We use a new approach to implementing the controlled-unitary operations that lie at the heart of the majority of quantum algorithms that is more efficient and does not require the eigenvalues of the unitary to be known. These results point the way to efficient quantum simulations and quantum metrology applications in the near term, and to factoring large numbers in the longer term. This approach is architecture independent and thus can be used in other physical implementations

The Story of This Special Issue on Critical Perspectives in Work and Organizational Psychology. Editorial Introduction to the Special Issue on ‘Critical Perspectives in Work and Organizational Psychology” to be published in Applied Psychology: an International Review.

In this editorial, we tell the story of how the Special Issue on Critical Perspectives in Work and Organizational Psychology (CWOP) came about, how it fits within the broader agenda of building a critical community within Work and Organizational Psychology, and how future research and thought may be inspired by the collection of critical papers related to work and organizational psychology. We introduce the term ‘criticalizing’ as a key concept in how the Special Issue was developed by the editorial team and the authors. Criticalizing moves beyond fixed static notions of ‘critical’ scholarship towards a process of engaging in more fluid, expansive and creative perspectives on the scholarship within work and organizational psychology. We illustrate how the set of papers within the Special Issue engages in such criticalizing of the field and offer new ways of thinking about and researching relevant topics in work and organizational psychology