Hack the Experience: Tools for Artists from Cognitive Science

Hack The Experience will reframe your perspective on how your audience engages your work. This will happen as you learn how to control attention through spatial and time-based techniques that you can harness as you build immersive installations or as you think about how to best arrange your work in an exhibition. You’ll learn things about the senses and how they interface with attention so that you can build in visceral forms of interactivity, engage people’s empathetic responses, and frame their moods. This book is a dense bouillon-cube of techniques that you can adapt and apply to your personal practice, and it’s a book that will walk you step-by-step through skill sets from ethnography, cognitive science, and multi-modal metaphors. The core argument of this book is that art is a form of cognitive engineering and that the physical environment (or objects in the physical environment) can be shaped to maximize emotional and sensory experience. Many types of art will benefit from this handbook (because cognition is pervasive in our experience of art), but it is particularly relevant to immersive experiential works such as installations, participatory/interactive environments, performance art, curatorial practice, architecture and landscape architecture, complex durational works, and works requiring new models of documentation. These types of work benefit from the empirical findings of cognitive science because intentionally leveraging basic human cognition in artworks can give participants new ways of seeing the world that are cognitively relevant. This leveraging process provides a new layer in the construction of conceptually grounded works

Dipolarizations in Mercury's Magnetotail: Characteristics and Consequences in a Miniature Magnetosphere

Mercury’s global magnetic field forms a terrestrial-like magnetosphere with its interaction with the upstream solar wind. While Mercury and Earth’s magnetospheres share similar structure and many similar dynamics, the weaker planetary field, stronger solar wind forcing, and lack of ionosphere at Mercury result in smaller spatiotemporal scales and stronger effects from magnetic reconnection. These magnetospheric differences influence substorm dynamics at the two planets, including magnetotail dipolarizations. Dipolarizations result from intense magnetic reconnection in the magnetotail, and at Earth, are important for magnetic flux transport, particle energization, and substorm current wedge formation. We use in situ observations of Mercury’s space environment from the MESSENGER spacecraft to identify the characteristics and consequences of dipolarizations to Mercury’s magnetosphere. In the pursuit to improve our understanding of dipolarizations at Mercury, we develop new techniques to determine plasma flow from limited observations, identify energetic electron bursts from indirect measurements, and select dipolarizations from a magnetic field time series. Employing statistical analysis on Mercury’s dipolarizations, we find that they share many similar features to those at Earth. Dipolarizations at Mercury are characterized by a rapid (~2 s) increase in the northward field (ΔBz ~ 30 nT) that persists for ~10 s, accompanied by a depletion (Δn/n ~ –0.3) and heating (ΔT/T ~ 0.2) of thermal plasma, rapid sunward flow (vx ~ 200 km/s), strong cross-tail electric field (Ey ~ 11 mV/m), and enhancement of energetic electron flux. We find that dipolarizations typically transport ~0.06 MWb of magnetic flux. Although a single dipolarizations transports substantially less flux than a typical substorm loads into the magnetotail (~0.7 MWb), we find that dipolarizations are typically observed in series with others, allowing dipolarizations to transport the majority of magnetic flux during a substorm. As they transport magnetic flux from the reconnection site to Mercury’s inner magnetosphere, dipolarizations can energize electrons to ~120 keV via betatron and Fermi acceleration mechanisms. The frequency of dipolarizations in Mercury’s magnetotail (~1 min-1) indicates that dipolarizations may be the dominant source of Mercury’s energetic electron environment. Finite gyroradius effects prevent ions from experiencing the same degree of acceleration. Finally, we find that despite Mercury’s relatively weak planetary magnetic field and the small spatial distance from the nightside reconnection site to the planetary surface, Mercury’s dipole field is strong enough to cause dipolarizations to brake before reaching the planet’s nightside. Braking typically occurs within a region ~500 km in thickness, located ~900 km in altitude above Mercury’s nightside surface and is evidenced by strong decreases in dipolarization frequency and in sunward flow speed. As dipolarizations brake, their transported magnetic flux accumulates and allow for the possibility of a current wedge to develop. Dipolarizations, therefore, share similar characteristics and consequences in Mercury’s magnetosphere as Earth’s, informing our understanding of the substorm process at terrestrial-like planets.PHDClimate and Space Sciences and EngineeringUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/162878/1/rmdewey_1.pd

Prevalence of thoracic vertebral malformations in french bulldogs, pugs and english bulldogs with and without associated neurological deficits

Congenital vertebral malformations are common incidental findings in small breed dogs. This retrospective observational study evaluated the type and prevalence of thoracic vertebral malformations in 171 neurologically normal and 10 neurologically abnormal screw-tailed brachycephalic dogs. Neurologically normal dogs underwent CT for reasons unrelated to spinal disease, while affected dogs underwent MRI. Imaging studies were reviewed and vertebral malformations including hemivertebrae, block vertebrae, transitional vertebrae, and spina bifida were documented. The group of clinically normal dogs consisted of 62 French bulldogs, 68 Pugs and 41 English bulldogs. The group of affected dogs consisted of one French bulldog and nine Pugs. Overall, 80.7% of neurologically normal animals were affected by at least one vertebral malformation. There was a significant influence of breed, with thoracic vertebral malformations occurring more often in neurologically normal French bulldogs (P < 0.0001) and English bulldogs (P = 0.002). Compared to other breeds, hemivertebrae occurred more often in neurologically normal French bulldogs (93.5%; P < 0.0001 vs. Pugs; P = 0.004 vs. English bulldogs) and less often in neurologically normal Pugs (17.6%; P = 0.004 vs. English bulldogs). Neurologically normal Pugs were more often diagnosed with transitional vertebrae and spina bifida compared to other breeds (P < 0.0001 for both malformations). Of Pugs included in the study, 4.7% were diagnosed with clinically relevant thoracic vertebral malformations. When compared to the general veterinary hospital population, this was significantly more than the other two breeds (P = 0.006). This study indicates that thoracic vertebral malformations occur commonly in neurologically normal screw-tailed brachycephalic dogs. While hemivertebrae are often interpreted as incidental diagnostic findings, they appear to be of greater clinical importance in Pugs compared to other screw-tailed brachycephalic breeds

MESSENGER Observations of Fast Plasma Flows in Mercury’s Magnetotail

We present the first observation of fast plasma flows in Mercury’s magnetotail. Mercury experiences substorm activity phenomenologically similar to Earth’s; however, field‐of‐view limitations of the Fast Imaging Plasma Spectrometer (FIPS) prevent the instrument from detecting fast flows in the plasma sheet. Although FIPS measures incomplete plasma distributions, subsonic flows impart an asymmetry on the partial plasma distribution, even if the flow directions are outside the field of view. We combine FIPS observations from 387 intervals containing magnetic field dipolarizations to mitigate these instrument limitations. By taking advantage of variations in spacecraft pointing during these intervals, we construct composite plasma distributions from which mean flows are determined. We find that dipolarizations at Mercury are embedded within fast sunward flows with an averaged speed of ~300 km/s compared to a typical background flow of ~50 km/s.Plain Language SummarySimilar to Earth, Mercury has a global magnetic field that forms a protective cavity, known as the magnetosphere, within the solar wind. The solar wind compresses the dayside magnetosphere, while stretching the nightside magnetosphere behind the planet. Variations within the solar wind cause dynamic activity within Mercury’s magnetosphere, with a process known as magnetic reconnection mediating the interaction. Magnetic reconnection changes the topology of magnetic field lines and transfers energy and momentum from the magnetic field to the plasma within it. At Earth, magnetic reconnection in the nightside magnetosphere drives fast flows of plasma toward the planet, which when nearing the planet are slowed and diverted. These flows cannot be identified directly at Mercury because of limitations of the MESSENGER spacecraft measurements collected there. This research paper develops a new statistical technique to identify and characterize these fast flows at Mercury.Key PointsMultiple FIPS plasma observations from the MESSENGER spacecraft have been combined statistically to determine average flowsObservations collected during dipolarizations produce an average plasma flow of ~300 km/s compared to ~50 km/s during background intervalsSeveral dipolarizations are required to unload Mercury’s magnetotail during a substorm, and some flows may reach the planet’s surfacePeer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/146314/1/grl58028.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/146314/2/grl58028_am.pd

Whole-genome functional characterization of RE1 silencers using a modified massively parallel reporter assay.

Transcriptional silencers are under- studied compared with activating elements. By using MPRAduo, Mouri et al. perform a whole-genome functional characterization screen of RE1 silencers and identify REST-binding motif characteristics and cofactor localization required for a functional silencer. They also identify human genetic variants that impact RE1 activity

MESSENGER Observations of Flow Braking and Flux Pileup of Dipolarizations in Mercury’s Magnetotail: Evidence for Current Wedge Formation

Similar to Earth, Mercury’s magnetotail experiences frequent dipolarization of the magnetic field. These rapid (~2 s) increases in the northward component of the tail field (ΔBz ~ 30 nT) at Mercury are associated with fast sunward flows (~200 km/s) that enhance local magnetic field convection. Differences between the two magnetospheres, namely Mercury’s smaller spatiotemporal scales and lack of an ionosphere, influence the dynamics of dipolarizations in these magnetotails. At Earth, the braking of fast dipolarization flows near the inner magnetosphere accumulates magnetic flux and develops the substorm current wedge. At Mercury, flow braking and flux pileup remain open topics. In this work, we develop an automated algorithm to identify dipolarizations, which allows for statistical examination of flow braking and flux pileup in Mercury’s magnetotail. We find that near the inner edge of the plasma sheet, steep magnetic pressure gradients cause substantial braking of fast dipolarization flows. The dipolarization frequency and sunward flow speed decrease significantly within a region ~500 km thick located at ~900 km altitude above Mercury’s local midnight surface. Due to the close proximity of the braking region to the planet, we estimate that ~10–20% of dipolarizations may reach the nightside surface of the planet. The remaining dipolarizations exhibit prolonged statistical flux pileup within the braking region similar to large‐scale dipolarization of Earth’s inner magnetosphere. The existence of flow braking and flux pileup at Mercury indicates that a current wedge may form, although the limitations imposed by Mercury’s magnetosphere require the braking of multiple, continuous dipolarizations for current wedge formation.Key PointsDipolarizations in Mercury’s magnetotail encounter strong magnetic pressure gradients near the planet that brake their fast sunward flowOnly a small fraction of dipolarizations reach the nightside surface; most brake and contribute to magnetic flux pileupPileup results from the interaction of multiple dipolarizations and is consistent with Earth‐like substorm current wedge formationPeer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/162780/2/jgra55966.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/162780/1/jgra55966_am.pd

Future Research Directions for Innovating Pedagogy

A series of reports on Innovating Pedagogy were launched in 2012 to look at the trends that show how practitioners may engage in innovation in pedagogy. This paper looks at the latest set of trends, and highlights four 2015 trends that seem particularly rich for researchers to explore in the next five years

Assessing the Role of Spin Noise in the Precision Timing of Millisecond Pulsars

We investigate rotational spin noise (referred to as timing noise) in non-accreting pulsars: millisecond pulsars, canonical pulsars, and magnetars. Particular attention is placed on quantifying the strength and non-stationarity of timing noise in millisecond pulsars because the long-term stability of these objects is required to detect nanohertz gravitational radiation. We show that a single scaling law is sufficient to characterize timing noise in millisecond and canonical pulsars while the same scaling law underestimates the levels of timing noise in magnetars. The scaling law, along with a detailed study of the millisecond pulsar B1937+21, leads us to conclude that timing noise is latent in most millisecond pulsars and will be measurable in many objects when better arrival time estimates are obtained over long data spans. The sensitivity of a pulsar timing array to gravitational radiation is strongly affected by any timing noise. We conclude that detection of proposed gravitational wave backgrounds will require the analysis of more objects than previously suggested over data spans that depend on the spectra of both the gravitational wave background and of the timing noise. It is imperative to find additional millisecond pulsars in current and future surveys in order to reduce the effects of timing noise.Comment: 16 pages and 6 figures. ApJ, accepte