Oscillatory activity in excitable neural systems

The brain is a complex system and exhibits various subsystems on different spatial and temporal scales. These subsystems are recurrent networks of neurons or populations that interact with each other. The single neurons are microscopic objects and evolve on a different time scale than macroscopic neural populations. To understand the dynamics of the brain, however, it is necessary to understand the dynamics of the brain network both on the microscopic and the macroscopic level and the interaction between the levels. The presented work introduces one to the major properties of single neurons and their interactions. The physical aspects of some standard mathematical models are discussed in some detail. The work shows that both single neurons and neural populations are excitable in the sense that small differences in an initial short stimulation may yield very different dynamical behaviour of the system. To illustrate the power of the neural population model discussed, the work applies the model to explain experimental activity in the delayed feedback system in weakly electric fish and the electroencephalogram (EEG).     

A Rigourous Demonstration of the Validity of Boltzmann’s Scenario for the Spatial Homogenization of a Freely Expanding Gas and the Equilibration of the Kac Ring

Boltzmann provided a scenario to explain why individual macroscopic systems composed of a large number N of microscopic constituents are inevitably (i.e., with overwhelming probability) observed to approach a unique macroscopic state of thermodynamic equilibrium, and why after having done so, they are then observed to remain in that state, apparently forever. We provide here rigourous new results that mathematically prove the basic features of Boltzmann’s scenario for two classical models: a simple boundary-free model for the spatial homogenization of a non-interacting gas of point particles, and the well-known Kac ring model. Our results, based on concentration inequalities that go back to Hoeffding, and which focus on the typical behavior of individual macroscopic systems, improve upon previous results by providing estimates, exponential in N, of probabilities and time scales involved.     

Structural dynamics of chiral strings

It is demonstrated that a microscopic model of an antiferroelectric elementary string makes it possible to explain the specifics of the structural macrokinetics and macroscopic dynamics of chiral strings. It is established that the formation of strings is controlled by diffusion, whereas the supercoiling of strings, by Van der Waals interactions between them. Three modes of strings formation were identified: the uniform growth of cylindrical strings, π-assembly of an inverted cone of thin strings, and π-decay. The π-assembly is accompanied by the rotation of the string about its axis, which can cause instability, leading first to a bending of the string and then to the formation of loops.     

Generation of optical vortex light beams by volume holograms with embedded phase singularity

Special features of the optical-vortex (OV) beams generated by thick holographic elements (HE) with embedded phase singularity are considered theoretically. The volume HE structure is based on the 3D pattern of interference between an OV beam and a standard reference wave with regular wavefront. The incident beam diffraction is described within the framework of a linear single-scattering model in which the volume HE is represented by a set of parallel thin layers with the “fork” holographic structure. An explicit integral expression is derived for the complex amplitude distribution of the diffracted paraxial beam with OV. The numerical analysis demonstrates that the HE thickness may essentially influence not only selectivity and efficiency of the OV beam generation but also the amplitude and phase profile of the diffracted beam as well as regularities of its propagation. We have studied the generated OV morphology and laws of its evolution; in particular, the possibility of obtaining a circularly symmetric OV beam regardless of the diffraction angle is revealed.     

各向异性超导体的Ginzburg-Landau理论

本文内容主要有二个方面：1）由各各同性均匀系的BCS理论扩展到各向异性非均匀系，并给出各种异性非均匀系的完整的GL方程式，定出了各个宏微观参量间的关系式。2）结合层状结构氧化物超导体的导电层在导电层相间的特征等，用有效调制势模型和电子有效质量近似，交各向同性均匀系的BCS理论较具体的扩展到各向异性非均匀系并进行深化研究，扩展理论所给出的临界温度和能隙方程公式，主要的热力学性质和电磁性质公式等应用到YBaCuO超导体上，理论结果与实验结果均相符，并也给出各向异性非均匀系的完整的GL方程式，与上面1所给出的形式相同，也定出了各个宏微观参量间的关系，应用到YBaCuO超导体的一些主要性质上也与实验结果相符。     

各向异性超导体的Ginzburg-Landau理论

本文内容主要有二个方面 :1 )由各向同性均匀系的BCS理论扩展到各向异性非均匀系 ,并给出各向异性非均匀系的完整的GL方程式 ,定出了各个宏微观参量间的关系式。2 )结合层状结构氧化物超导体的导电层与非导电层相间的特征等 ,用有效调制势模型和电子有效质量近似 ,将各向同性均匀系的BCS理论较具体地扩展到各向异性非均匀系并进行深化研究。扩展理论所给出的临界温度和能隙方程公式 ,主要的热力学性质和电磁性质公式等应用到YBaCuO超导体上 ,理论结果与实验结果均相符 ,并也给出各向异性非均匀系的完整的GL方程式 ,与上面 1所给出的形式相同 ,也定出了各个宏微观参量间的关系 ,应用到YBaCuO超导体的一些主要性质上也与实验结果相符。     

Induced polarization charge density and microscopic local field for a covalent semiconductor

A model calculation of the static macroscopic dielectric function is presented for diamond in which the consequence of the localised and plane wave features of the band structure on the polarizability are separated. Microscopic local field and polarization charge density induced by an uniform external field are analyzed in real space. Although the macroscopic dielectric function is essentially intensitive to small changes in the parameters of the model, microscopic quantities can be rather sensitive suggesting that one should be carefull in constructing a microscopic dielectric matrix to be used in calculating, for instance, phonon frequencies.     

Spin models as microfoundation of macroscopic market models

Macroscopic price evolution models are commonly used for investment strategies. There are first promising achievements in defining microscopic agent based models for the same purpose. Microscopic models allow a deeper understanding of mechanisms in the market than the purely phenomenological macroscopic models, and thus bear the chance for better models for market regulation. However microscopic models and macroscopic models are commonly studied separately. Here, we exemplify a unified view of a microscopic and a macroscopic market model in a case study, deducing a macroscopic Langevin equation from a microscopic spin market model closely related to the Ising model. The interplay of the microscopic and the macroscopic view allows for a better understanding and adjustment of the microscopic model, as well, and may guide the construction of agent based market models as basis of macroscopic models.     

Continuum modeling for two-lane traffic flow with consideration of the traffic interruption probability

Considering the effects that the probability of traffic interruption and the friction between two lanes have on the car-following behaviour,this paper establishes a new two-lane microscopic car-following model.Based on this microscopic model,a new macroscopic model was deduced by the relevance relation of microscopic and macroscopic scale parameters for the two-lane traffic flow.Terms related to lane change are added into the continuity equations and velocity dynamic equations to investigate the lane change rate.Numerical results verify that the proposed model can be efficiently used to reflect the effect of the probability of traffic interruption on the shock,rarefaction wave and lane change behaviour on two-lane freeways.The model has also been applied in reproducing some complex traffic phenomena caused by traffic accident interruption.     

An example of a phase transition in an open pseudobimolecular system

A phase transition at microscopic level is exhibited for an open bimolecular chemical system. We also give another interpretation of an apparent incompatibility between the microscopic and the macroscopic analysis shown by J. Keizer.     

Quantum microscopic vs. classical macroscopic calculations on the phenomenon of electrostatic influence

In order to compare microscopic and macroscopic approaches to the phenomenon of electrostatic influence, we have studied the atomic charges of an electric conductor, obtained either from macroscopic classical electrostatics, or microscopic quantum ab initio calculations. A torus was chosen as conducting material, built from valence monoelectronic atoms and influenced by an external point charge. The classical electric charges are obtained by integrating the macroscopic density over “atomic" sectors. This density is determined from a numerical integration of linearized electrostatic equations. The quantum charges are defined from Natural Orbitals in MP2/6-31G* calculations on clusters of different sizes. The overall agreement is good, with reasonable discrepancies due (i) to the continuity of the macroscopic model, which ignores the oscillations on atomic distances; and (ii) to the linearity constraint in the macroscopic equations.     

Anticonformity or Independence?—Insights from Statistical Physics

The aim of this paper is to examine how different types of social influence, introduced on the microscopic (individual) level, manifest on the macroscopic level, i.e. in the society. The inspiration for this task came mainly from two sources—social psychology that recognize two different types of nonconformity (anticonformity and independence) and the observation related to the agent-based modeling that was verbalized in 2002 by Macy and Willer that there was a little effort to provide analysis of how results differ depending on the model designs. To achieve the goal, we propose a generalized model of opinion dynamics, that as a special cases reduces to the linear voter model, Sznajd model, q-voter model and the majority rule. We use the model to examine the differences, that appear at the macroscopic level, under the influence of two types of nonconformity, introduced on the microscopic level. We answer the question if the observed differences are universal or model dependent.     

脱氧核糖核酸柔性的分子动力学模拟:Amber bsc1和bsc0力场的对比研究

脱氧核糖核酸(DNA)的结构柔性对DNA生物功能的实现具有重要作用,全原子分子动力学模拟是一种研究DNA结构柔性的重要方法.DNA的分子动力学力场在Amber bsc0基础上有了进一步的发展,即Amber bsc1.本文采用基于最新bsc1力场和先前bsc0力场的分子动力学模拟对DNA的宏观柔性和微观柔性进行对比研究,发现力场的改进对DNA宏观柔性参量的预测有一定改善,即所预测的拉伸模量和扭转-伸缩耦合比与实验值更为接近,而弯曲持久长度和扭转持久长度两种力场结果皆与实验值一致.微观分析发现,除了滑移量稍变大,bsc1力场得到的微观结构参量如扭转角和倾斜角与实验值更为接近,且新力场下DNA宏观柔性的改善与DNA的微观结构参量及其涨落紧密相关.     

Connection Structures of Topological Singularity in Micromechanics from a Viewpoint of Generalized Finsler Space

Geometric structures of Cosserat or micropolar continuum are discussed based on geometric objects in a non-Riemannian space. A microrotation is described in a microscopic level than a macroscopic displacement level. In this case, a microscopic rotation can be expressed as a nonlocal internal variable attached to each point in a generalized Finsler space. Such non-local hierarchy is geometrically realized by using a second-order vector bundle viewpoint. Then, two kinds of torsion tensor in the second-order vector bundle are obtained. One is characterized by the macroscopic displacement. The other is characterized by the microscopic rotation. These torsion tensors are equivalent to nonintegrability conditions for multivalued macroscopic displacement and microscopic rotation. Especially, a path dependency of the displacement and the microscopic rotation is represented by a non-vanishing condition of torsion tensors. Moreover, the concept of non-locality of the Finsler geometry implies that the approach of higher-order geometry is applicable to a finite deformation in nonlinear mechanics. The singularity given by the multivalued function is also described as a boundary value problem. An application of the generalized Finsler geometry to a gradient theory is also discussed.     

Time-dependent flow in arrested states – transient behaviour

The transient behaviour of highly concentrated colloidal liquids and dynamically arrested states (glasses) under time-dependent shear is reviewed. This includes both theoretical and experimental studies and comprises the macroscopic rheological behaviour as well as changes in the structure and dynamics on a microscopic individual-particle level. The microscopic and macroscopic levels of the systems are linked by a comprehensive theoretical framework which is exploited to quantitatively describe these systems while they are subjected to an arbitrary flow history. Within this framework, theoretical predictions are compared to experimental data, which were gathered by rheology and confocal microscopy experiments, and display consistent results. Particular emphasis is given to (i) switch-on of shear flow during which the system can liquify, (ii) switch-off of shear flow which might still leave residual stresses in the system, and (iii) large amplitude oscillatory shearing. The competition between timescales and the dependence on flow history leads to novel features in both the rheological response and the microscopic structure and dynamics.     

棒状分子聚合物溶液的微宏观数值模拟

利用微宏观耦合方法模拟了棒状分子聚合物溶液在平板Couette流动中的复杂流变行为,其中微宏观模型通过非均匀Doi理论来描述.数值模拟中,应用有限体积方法耦合求解了介观尺度上的Smoluchowski方程和宏观尺度上的流场守恒方程.数值结果不仅得到了若干种典型的流动类型,而且还预测了另外两种新的复合瑕疵结构.数值试验表明：棒状分子聚合物的流变结构主要依赖于De数、分子相对尺度以及溶液浓度常数的取值;并且De数对分子指向矢的翻滚周期、随流取向角等微观特性也均有明显影响. 关键词： 棒状分子 聚合物溶液 微宏观模拟     

Exponent for Hall–Petch behaviour of ultra-hard multilayers

Elastically inhomogeneous multilayer films are being exploited for use as ultra-hard coatings. These films exhibit a strong dependence between the compositional wavelength of the film, Λ, and the hardness, H=KΛ^?a+H₀ where the scaling exponent a depends on the elastic properties of the individual layers (shear moduli and Poisson ratios). The dislocation pileup model can explain this trend and form a bridge between the microscopic strength of multilayer interfaces and the macroscopic strength of the multilayer. A semianalytic solution to the pileup model of multilayer strength is presented. All parameter dependencies are solved analytically except a single dimensionless coefficient which is found from numerical simulation. The predictions are compared to data from a 2D discrete dislocation model and to experimental Cu/Ni data. Coefficients and exponents are given for some additional material systems.