A computationally efficacious free-energy functional for studies of inhomogeneous liquid water

We present an accurate equation of state for water based on a simple microscopic Hamiltonian, with only four parameters that are well-constrained by bulk experimental data. With one additional parameter for the range of interaction, this model yields a computationally efficient free-energy functional for inhomogeneous water which captures short-ranged correlations, cavitation energies and, with suitable long-range corrections, the non-linear dielectric response of water, making it an excellent candidate for studies of mesoscale water and for use in ab initio solvation methods.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figure

Os repositórios educacionais como auxiliares do ensino e suas múltiplas linguagens : vídeos

Neste trabalho é feita uma análise de um repositório educacional virtual: o Portal do Professor. Site governamental lançado pelo Ministério da Educação e da Cultura do Brasil (MEC) em parceria com o Ministério da Ciência e Tecnologia. O portal em questão se propõe a auxiliar a prática docente dos professores da Educação Básica (Educação Infantil, Ensino Fundamental e Médio, que no Brasil compreende crianças e jovens geralmente até os 17 anos). O portal oferece algumas ferramentas digitais, como textos digitais, aplicativos computacionais interativos, elementos visuais como fotos e desenhos, elementos auditivos, como sons, e elementos audiovisuais, foco de estudo deste trabalho. A articulação desses fatores, feita pelo próprio professor, pode resultar em aulas sobre determinado tema, que podem ser postadas e acessadas via internet

Berry phase, topology, and diabolicity in quantum nano-magnets

A topological theory of the diabolical points (degeneracies) of quantum magnets is presented. Diabolical points are characterized by their diabolicity index, for which topological sum rules are derived. The paradox of the the missing diabolical points for Fe8 molecular magnets is clarified. A new method is also developed to provide a simple interpretation, in terms of destructive interferences due to the Berry phase, of the complete set of diabolical points found in biaxial systems such as Fe8.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Isolation of a suppressible nonsense mutant in mammalian cells

Journal ArticleAn HGPRT- cell line derived from mouse L cells has been shown to have the following properties: it is CRM'; the defective HGPRT molecules are altered in the carboxyterminal peptide; the mutant cells regain HGPRT activity when ochre-suppressor tRNA is microinjected into them, but not when amber-suppressor or wild-type tRNAs are injected. We conclude from these properties that this mutant cell line contains an ochre nonsense mutation (UAA) in the structural gene for HGPRT

Ubiquity of optical activity in planar metamaterial scatterers

Recently it was discovered that periodic lattices of metamaterial scatterers show optical activity, even if the scatterers or lattice show no 2D or 3D chirality, if the illumination breaks symmetry. In this Letter we demonstrate that such `pseudo-chirality' is intrinsic to any single planar metamaterial scatterer and in fact has a well-defined value at a universal bound. We argue that in any circuit model, a nonzero electric and magnetic polarizability derived from a single resonance automatically imply strong bianisotropy, i.e., magneto-electric cross polarizability at the universal bound set by energy conservation. We confirm our claim by extracting polarizability tensors and cross sections for handed excitation from transmission measurements on near-infrared split ring arrays, and electrodynamic simulations for diverse metamaterial scatterers.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Motor learning in real-world pool billiards

The neurobehavioral mechanisms of human motor-control and learning evolved in free behaving, real-life settings, yet this is studied mostly in reductionistic lab-based experiments. Here we take a step towards a more real-world motor neuroscience using wearables for naturalistic full-body motion-tracking and the sports of pool billiards to frame a real-world skill learning experiment. First, we asked if well-known features of motor learning in lab-based experiments generalize to a real-world task. We found similarities in many features such as multiple learning rates, and the relationship between task-related variability and motor learning. Our data-driven approach reveals the structure and complexity of movement, variability, and motor learning, enabling an in-depth understanding of the structure of motor learning in three ways: First, while expecting most of the movement learning is done by the cue-wielding arm, we find that motor learning affects the whole body, changing motor-control from head to toe. Second, during learning, all subjects decreased their movement variability and their variability in the outcome. Subjects who were initially more variable were also more variable after learning. Lastly, when screening the link across subjects between initial variability in individual joints and learning, we found that only the initial variability in the right forearm supination shows a significant correlation to the subjects’ learning rates. This is in-line with the relationship between learning and variability: while learning leads to an overall reduction in movement variability, only initial variability in specific task-relevant dimensions can facilitate faster learning

Explainable deep learning for arm classification during deep brain stimulation - towards digital biomarkers for closed-loop stimulation

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an effective technique for treating motor symptoms in neurological conditions like Parkinson’s disease and dystonic and essential tremor (DT and ET). The DBS delivery could be improved if reliable biomarkers could be found. We propose a deep learning (DL) framework based on EEGNet to search for digital biomarkers in EEG recordings for discriminating neural response from changes in DBS parameters. Here we present a proof-of-concept by distinguishing left and right arm movement in raw EEG recorded during a DBS programming session of a DT patient. Based on the classification of 1s segments from six-channel EEG, we achieve an average accuracy of up to 93.8%. In addition, we propose a simple, yet effective model-agnostic filtering strategy for explaining the network’s performance, showing which frequency band features it mostly uses to classify the EEG

Spectroscopy on two coupled flux qubits

We have performed spectroscopy measurements on two coupled flux qubits. The qubits are coupled inductively, which results in a $\sigma_1^z\sigma_2^z$ interaction. By applying microwave radiation, we observe resonances due to transitions from the ground state to the first two excited states. From the position of these resonances as a function of the magnetic field applied we observe the coupling of the qubits. The coupling strength agrees well with calculations of the mutual inductance

Investor protection through model case procedures – implementing collective goals and individual rights under the 2012 Amendment of the German Capital Markets Model Case Act (KapMuG)

The German Capital Markets Model Case Act (KapMuG) and its amendment of 2012 highlight some fundamentals of collective redress in civil law countries at the example of model case procedures in the field of investor protection. That is why a survey of the ongoing activities of the European Union in the area of collective redress and of its repercussions on the member state level forms a suitable basis for the following analysis of the 2012 amendment of the KapMuG. It clearly brings into focus a shift from sector-specific regulation with an emphasis on the cross-border aspect of protecting consumers towards a “coherent approach” strengthening the enforcement of EU law. As a result, regulatory policy and collective redress are two sides of the same coin today. With respect to the KapMuG such a development brings about some tension between its aim to aggregate small individual claims as efficiently as possible and the dominant role of individual procedural rights in German civil procedure. This conflict can be illustrated by some specific rules of the KapMuG: its scope of application, the three-tier procedure of a model case procedure, the newly introduced notification of claims and the new opt-out settlement under the amended §§ 17-19

Equipment, measurement and dose—a survey for therapeutic ultrasound

Background Dosimetry for Ultrasound Therapy (DUTy) is a large international project which addresses the development of a metrological infrastructure for the determination of ultrasound exposure and dose to tissue. Methods In order to seek the views of the wider therapy ultrasound community and to review dose and in situ exposure quantities that have been suggested or used previously, a web-based questionnaire containing a range of questions covering the type of ultrasound equipment that is used and the range of applications for which it has been developed was created at www.​surveymonkey.​com. This questionnaire was intended to cover any contemporary therapeutic ultrasound application (including physiotherapy, lithotripsy and drug delivery) and asked specific questions about quantification of in situ exposure and dose, especially as relevant to treatment planning, standardisation and/or regulation. Results This paper summarises the 123 responses submitted between February and September 2014 to the questions on clinical applications, equipment, quality assurance (QA) and measurement and standards, as well as to those relating to an understanding of “dose” in the context of ultrasound. The full set of anonymous responses is available in an additional Excel file. Conclusions The results clearly demonstrate the need not only for further improvements in measuring devices and for measurement guidelines but also for a wider dissemination and higher awareness of existing standards. Whilst it is unlikely that a single definition of dose can be sufficient for all ultrasound treatment modalities, the answers clearly indicate that many aspects would benefit from clear definitions of relevant dose quantities and shed light on the preferred form of such definitions