Discrimination of rising and falling simulated single-formant frequency transitions: practice and transition duration effects

Two experiments evaluated discrimination of simulated single-format frequency transitions. In the first experiment, listeners received practice with trial-by-trial feedback in discriminating either rising or falling frequency transitions of three different durations (30, 60, and 120 ms). Transitions either occurred in isolation or were followed by a steady-state sound matched in frequency to the transition end point. Some improvement in discrimination over practice runs occurred for the shortest transitions. Whether performance was evaluated at the beginning or end of practice, there were no differences attributable to transition direction or to whether transitions were followed by steady-state sound. Discrimination, however, was significantly better for the longest transitions. Just noticeable differences (jnd's) for the longest transitions, measured in Hz at transition onsets, were of approximately the same magnitude as jnd's for steady-state sounds that were equal in frequency to the midpoints of the transitions. Subjects of the second experiment discriminated the longer rising and falling transitions, but did not receive extensive practice. Results of experiment 2 replicated results of experiment 1 in showing similar jnd's. Experiment 2 also showed no differences attributable to transition direction or to the presence of the steady-state sound following transitions.     

Contactless electroreflectance spectroscopy of optical transitions in low dimensional semiconductor structures

The authors present the application of contactless electroreflectance (CER) spectroscopy to study optical transitions in low dimensional semiconductor structures including quantum wells (QWs), step-like QWs, quantum dots (QDs), quantum dashes (QDashes), QDs and QDashes embedded in a QW, and QDashes coupled with a QW. For QWs optical transitions between the ground and excited states as well as optical transitions in QW barriers and step-like barriers have been clearly observed in CER spectra. Energies of these transitions have been compared with theoretical calculations and in this way the band structure has been determined for the investigated QWs. For QD and QDash structures optical transitions in QDs and QDashes as well as optical transitions in the wetting layer have been identified. For QDs and QDashes surrounded by a QW, in addition to energies of QD and QDash transitions, energies of optical transitions in the surrounded QW have been measured and the band structure has been determined for the surrounded QW. Finally some differences, which can be observed in CER and photo-reflectance spectra, have been presented and discussed for selected QW and QD structures.     

‘Phase transitions’ in bacteria – From structural transitions in free living bacteria to phenotypic transitions in bacteria within biofilms

Phase transitions are common in inanimate systems and have been studied extensively in natural sciences. Less explored are the rich transitions that take place at the micro- and nano-scales in biological systems. In conventional phase transitions, large-scale properties of the media change discontinuously in response to continuous changes in external conditions. Such changes play a significant role in the dynamic behaviours of organisms. In this review, we focus on some transitions in both free-living and biofilms of bacteria. Particular attention is paid to the transitions in the flagellar motors and filaments of free-living bacteria, in cellular gene expression during the biofilm growth, in the biofilm morphology transitions during biofilm expansion, and in the cell motion pattern transitions during the biofilm formation. We analyse the dynamic characteristics and biophysical mechanisms of these phase transition phenomena and point out the parallels between these transitions and conventional phase transitions. We also discuss the applications of some theoretical and numerical methods, established for conventional phase transitions in inanimate systems, in bacterial biofilms.     

Complex transitions between spike,burst or chaos synchronization states in coupled neurons with coexisting bursting patterns

We investigated the synchronization dynamics of a coupled neuronal system composed of two identical Chay model neurons. The Chay model showed coexisting period-1 and period-2 bursting patterns as a parameter and initial values are varied. We simulated multiple periodic and chaotic bursting patterns with non-(NS), burst phase(BS), spike phase(SS),complete(CS), and lag synchronization states. When the coexisting behavior is near period-2 bursting, the transitions of synchronization states of the coupled system follows very complex transitions that begins with transitions between BS and SS, moves to transitions between CS and SS, and to CS. Most initial values lead to the CS state of period-2 bursting while only a few lead to the CS state of period-1 bursting. When the coexisting behavior is near period-1 bursting, the transitions begin with NS, move to transitions between SS and BS, to transitions between SS and CS, and then to CS. Most initial values lead to the CS state of period-1 bursting but a few lead to the CS state of period-2 bursting. The BS was identified as chaos synchronization. The patterns for NS and transitions between BS and SS are insensitive to initial values. The patterns for transitions between CS and SS and the CS state are sensitive to them. The number of spikes per burst of non-CS bursting increases with increasing coupling strength. These results not only reveal the initial value- and parameterdependent synchronization transitions of coupled systems with coexisting behaviors, but also facilitate interpretation of various bursting patterns and synchronization transitions generated in the nervous system with weak coupling strength.     

Spin-allowed and forbidden rotational intensities in doublet-doublet transitions in asymmetric top molecules

Spin-orbit coupling allows anomalous transitions in spectra involving states of the same degenerate multiplicity, due to the relaxation of the spin selection rule ΔΣ = 0. This effect is discussed for doublet-doublet transitions in asymmetric top molecules. All the nonvanishing and independent transition moments, including those responsible for the anomalous transitions, are determined by symmetry and time reversal arguments. Rotational intensities are given for transitions between case (b) near-symmetric top eigenstates.     

Transitions in superionic crystals

A theory of phase transitions in solid electrolytes is developed. Using mean field approximation the expression for the free energy and the equation of state are analysed and shown to be determined by two dimensionless parameters which depend on the properties of the crystal. The parameter plane has eight characteristic regions. In two regions phase transitions are absent. Single transitions occur in four regions. The specificity of unsymmetrical systems is revealed in the remaining two regions in both of which two phase transitions take place. Expressions for the temperatures of the corresponding transitions are presented. It is shown that with the increase of temperature the degree of cation disorder may either decrease or increase. In symmetrical systems double transitions are absent. Comparison of the theory with experimental data is presented.     

Dynamic electron screening in nuclear and mesonic atom E1 transitions

Atomic electrons can influence the electromagnetic transition rates of nuclei and mesonic atoms. We examine this dynamic electron screening effect for E1 transitions. The screening factor is expressed in terms of the forward Rayleigh scattering amplitude, and, for easy computation, the photoelectric cross section. We find that the effect can be large for low-energy transitions, but such transitions are rare for nuclei. The effect on mesonic atom cascades is usually small, but can be quite significant for high-precision experiments and those which look at transitions from high initial n.     

Signatures for “phase” transitions in finite systems

The existence of “phase” transitions in finite nuclear systems has been predicted in several models. However fluctuations in the relevant order parameters are generally large enough to prevent their use as signatures for the transitions. In present work both the specific heat and the square of the fluctuations in the internal energy over temperature squared have been calculated in a realistic calculation in²⁴Mg. These are equivalent in an exact canonical ensemble calculation for fixed particle number but differ in the thermal mean field approach. Both clearly indicate the presence of “phase” transitions, the first being more useful for the higher lying second order shape transitions, the second more appropriate for the lower lying first order transitions.     

A framework for the study of vocal registers

Register transitions are divided into two classes, periodicity transitions and timbre transitions. Periodicity transitions refer to changes in vocal quality that occur whenever glottal pulses are perceived as individual events rather than as a continuous auditory stimulus. Timbre transitions refer to changes in vocal quality associated with changes in spectral balance. Physiologically, these can be quantified with an abduction quotient. The singing registers appear to be based on timbre transitions resulting from subglottal resonances that interfere with the vocal fold driving pressure. Four of the major singing register shifts are predicted (in frequency and relative importance) on the basis of the first subglottal formant. Strategies for register equalization are proposed on the basis of supraglottal formant tuning (vowel modification) and adjustments in glottal adduction.     

Breather‐to‐soliton transitions and nonlinear wave interactions for the nonlinear Schrödinger equation with the sextic operators in optical fibers

We find that the sextic nonlinear Schrödinger (NLS) equation admits breather‐to‐soliton transitions. With the Darboux transformation, analytic breather solutions with imaginary eigenvalues up to the second order are explicitly presented. The condition for breather‐to‐soliton transitions is explicitly presented and several examples of transitions are shown. Interestingly, we show that the sextic NLS equation admits not only the breather‐to‐bright‐soliton transitions but also the breather‐to‐dark‐soliton transitions. We also show the interactions between two solitons on the constant backgrounds, as well as between breather and soliton.     

Quantum phase transitions in mesoscopic systems

Quantum phase transitions in mesoscopic systems are studied. It is shown that the main features of phase transitions, defined for infinite number of particles, N--> infinity, persist even for moderate N approximately 10. A Landau analysis of first order transitions is done and a "critical" exponent at the spinodal point is defined. Two order parameters are introduced to distinguish first from second order transitions. Applications to atomic nuclei, molecules, atomic clusters, and finite polymers are mentioned. Experimental evidence in atomic nuclei is presented.     

High spin states in 74Se

Gamma-ray transitions from the bombardment of ⁶⁴Ni by ¹⁶O up to 81 Me V were studied in a variety of experiments. Four transitions in coincidence with four previously known transitions in ⁷⁴Se were discovered. Information on energies, angular distributions, intensities multiplicities and lifetimes is given for these transitions. Excitation functions for this and several other channels are presented. Statistical calculations are in satisfactory agreement with experiment.     

Electron-hole transitions in multiply charged ions for precision laser spectroscopy and searching for variations in α

We consider transitions of electron holes (vacancies in otherwise filled shells of atomic systems) in multiply charged ions that, due to level crossing of the holes, have frequencies within the range of optical atomic clocks. Strong E1 transitions provide options for laser cooling and trapping, while narrow transitions can be used for high-precision spectroscopy and tests of fundamental physics. We show that hole transitions can have extremely high sensitivity to α variation and propose candidate transitions that have much larger α sensitivities than any previously seen in atomic systems.     

Enhancement of hypersensitive transitions of rare-earth ions in the near field of nanoobjects

The change of intensities of optical transitions of atoms, molecules, and their ions in the near field of nanoobjects is of interest for researchers from both basic and applied points of view. The concept of a near field was used as early as the 1960s to study the mechanisms of hypersensitive transitions of rare-earth (RE) ions. In this work, it is once more emphasized that, precisely for these transitions, changes in characteristics under the action of local properties of the medium are especially strong and, correspondingly, these transitions are especially promising for use. The Judd method for the calculation of the intensities of hypersensitive transitions of RE ions taking into account the inhomogeneous ligand field is extended to RE ions in the near field of nanoobjects. A simple analytical expression for the Judd-Ofelt intensity parameter Ω₂ for RE ions in the field of spherical nanoparticles of a subwavelength size is derived.     

The Mössbauer effect in the points of phase transitions

The temperature dependence of the intensity of the Mössbauer line and the shift of its centre on passing through the points of phase transitions was studied. Both quantities exhibit discontinuity at transitions of the first kind while only the shift of the line centre does so at transitions of the second kind. The possibility of using the Mössbauer effect for the exact localization or even classification of phase transitions is shown.     

On the new universal possibility to detect phase transitions in correlated electron systems

We investigate temperature and concentration driven phase transitions (structural and reentrant phase transitions included) in magnetic and superconducting systems with the use of a wide class of model Hamiltonians applied to rare earth (Re) based compounds and alloys (integer and fluctuating valence systems). Studying the temperature or concentration dependence of the chemical potential we observe small but distinct and well localized kinks at all critical points as evidence for phase transitions. For systems with, at least, two kinds of interacting electrons the kinks at critical temperatures or concentrations occur also in the electronic average occupation numbers (critical electron redistribution). These observations suggest a direct and universal experimental application of the chemical potential as a detector of phase transitions for temperature and concentration driven phase transitions, as well as, for pressure-or external field-induced transitions in solids. The agreement between the calculated critical temperature behaviour of the chemical potential, presented in this paper, and experimental measurements for high-temperature superconductor YBa₂Cu₃O_7-δ entirely supports these general observations.     

Origin of the giant circular dichroism of vibronic f–f transitions

Taking into account the space inhomogeneity of the light electromagnetic wave, a new quantum mechanical expression for the natural optical activity (NOA) of electron transitions has been obtained, which is consistent with the phenomenological theory. It is shown that properties of the NOA of parity forbidden f–f transitions substantially differ from those of allowed transitions. The experimentally observed large NOA of the f–f transitions and extremely large (close to unity) NOA of vibrational repetitions of the f–f transitions are qualitatively explained on the basis of the obtained theoretical expression.     

Microscopic measurement of photon echo formation in groups of individual excitonic transitions

The third-order polarization emitted from groups of individual localized excitonic transitions after pulsed optical excitation is measured. We observe the evolution of the nonlinear response from the case of a free polarization decay for a single transition, to that of a photon echo for many transitions. The echo is shown to arise from the mutual rephasing of the emission from individual transitions.     

Strengths of electromagnetic transitions between bound states for a < 45

A recent review of the strengths of about 600 γ-ray transitions between bound states in the A = 21–44 region is extended in the present paper by including (i) the A<21 region, (ii) recent data on the A = 21–44 region, (iii) E0 transitions, (iv) magnetic transitions of which the (experimentally unknown) mixing ratio can be assumed to be negligibly small. The present addition concerns 350 transitions. Interesting new groups are the isovector E2 transitions (9 cases), and the isoscalar M2 transitions (7 cases). For magnetic transitions, the dependence of isospin retardation on multipolarity is stronger than expected theoretically. Recommended upper limits are presented for the 11 groups with reasonably good statistics. Because the strengths in the A<21 and A = 21–44 regions differ but little, the same upper limits can be used for the two regions.     

Phenomenological theory of pressure-induced equilibrium phase transitions: The mott model

A theory is constructed for the pressure-induced phase transitions caused by a strong nonlinear dependence of nonequilibrium potential on the mean deformation of a crystal’s unit cell. Four distinctions are revealed between such phase transitions and the transitions described by a Fermi model (i.e., those related to the inversion of lower energy levels in elements of the structure). Examples of the pressure4nduced phase transitions described by the Mott model are given.