Intermittent synchronization in a network of bursting neurons

Synchronized oscillations in networks of inhibitory and excitatory coupled bursting neurons are common in a variety of neural systems from central pattern generators to human brain circuits. One example of the latter is the subcortical network of the basal ganglia, formed by excitatory and inhibitory bursters of the subthalamic nucleus and globus pallidus, involved in motor control and affected in Parkinson's disease. Recent experiments have demonstrated the intermittent nature of the phase-locking of neural activity in this network. Here, we explore one potential mechanism to explain the intermittent phase-locking in a network. We simplify the network to obtain a model of two inhibitory coupled elements and explore its dynamics. We used geometric analysis and singular perturbation methods for dynamical systems to reduce the full model to a simpler set of equations. Mathematical analysis was completed using three slow variables with two different time scales. Intermittently, synchronous oscillations are generated by overlapped spiking which crucially depends on the geometry of the slow phase plane and the interplay between slow variables as well as the strength of synapses. Two slow variables are responsible for the generation of activity patterns with overlapped spiking, and the other slower variable enhances the robustness of an irregular and intermittent activity pattern. While the analyzed network and the explored mechanism of intermittent synchrony appear to be quite generic, the results of this analysis can be used to trace particular values of biophysical parameters (synaptic strength and parameters of calcium dynamics), which are known to be impacted in Parkinson's disease.     

The effect of nearby bubbles on array gain

The coherent processing of signals from multiple hydrophones in an array offers improvements in angular resolution and signal-to-noise ratio. When the array is steered in a particular direction, the signals arriving from that direction are added in phase, and any signals arriving from other directions are not. Array gain (AG) is a measure of how much the signal arriving from the steering direction is amplified relative to signals arriving from all other directions. The subject of this paper is the manner in which the AG of an acoustic array operating in water that contains air bubbles is affected by scattering from nearby bubbles. The effects of bubbles on acoustic attenuation and dispersion are considered separately from their effects on AG. Acoustic measurements made in bubbly water using the AB Wood tank at the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research, University of Southampton, in June 2008 show that as bubble density increases, relative phase shifts in individual hydrophone signals increase and signal correlation among the hydrophones is reduced. A theory and numerical simulation linking bubble density at the hydrophone to the AG is in good agreement with the measurements up to the point where multiple scattering becomes important.     

Comparison of multimesh hp-FEM to interpolation and projection methods for spatial coupling of thermal and neutron diffusion calculations

Multiphysics solution challenges are legion within the field of nuclear reactor design and analysis. One major issue concerns the coupling between heat and neutron flow (neutronics) within the reactor assembly. These phenomena are usually very tightly interdependent, as large amounts of heat are quickly produced with an increase in fission events within the fuel, which raises the temperature that affects the neutron cross section of the fuel. Furthermore, there typically is a large diversity of time and spatial scales between mathematical models of heat and neutronics. Indeed, the different spatial resolution requirements often lead to the use of very different meshes for the two phenomena. As the equations are coupled, one must take care in exchanging solution data between them, or significant error can be introduced into the coupled problem. We propose a novel approach to the discretization of the coupled problem on different meshes based on an adaptive multimesh higher-order finite element method (hp-FEM), and compare it to popular interpolation and projection methods. We show that the multimesh hp-FEM method is significantly more accurate than the interpolation and projection approaches considered in this study.     

Frequency selective metal-insulator-metal splitters for surface plasmons

The authors introduce frequency selective beam splitters for surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) in a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) structure. In the splitters, a part of SPPs keeps propagating straight along the initial direction, while the other part is split into the arm attached at right angle. The splitting ratio can be controlled by varying the width and the electric permittivity of the dielectric layer in the MIM, and by varying the width of the attached arm.     

All-optical switching with a biexcitonic double lambda system

A double lambda four-level system could be implemented with biexcitonic transitions on GaAs quantum well. We observed that the phase dependent biexcitonic transition could be explained by interference between one-photon and three-photon transition in a double lambda four-level system. An ultralow-light switch pulse could control 80% of biexcitonic absorption, which demonstrated all-optical switching with biexcitonic double lambda system.     

Observation of transverse polarization asymmetries of charged pion pairs in e+e- annihilation near √s = 10.58 GeV

The interference fragmentation function translates the fragmentation of a quark with a transverse projection of the spin into an azimuthal asymmetry of two final-state hadrons. In e(+)e(-) annihilation the product of two interference fragmentation functions is measured. We report nonzero asymmetries for pairs of charge-ordered π(+)π(-) pairs, which indicate a significant interference fragmentation function in this channel. The results are obtained from a 672 fb(-1) data sample that contains 711 × 10(6) π(+)π(-) pairs and was collected at and near the Υ(4S) resonance, with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e(+)e(-) collider.     

Fate of the resonating valence bond in graphene

We apply a variational wave function capable of describing qualitatively and quantitatively the so-called "resonating valence bond" (RVB) in realistic materials, by improving standard ab initio calculations by means of quantum Monte Carlo methods. In this framework we clearly identify the Kekulé and Dewar contributions to the chemical bond of the benzene molecule and establish the corresponding RVB energy of these structures (?0.01 eV/atom). We apply this method to unveil the nature of the chemical bond in undoped graphene, providing an estimate of the RVB energy gain, and show that this picture remains only within a small "resonance length" of a few atomic units.     

Magnetic excitations in the low-temperature ferroelectric phase of multiferroic YMn2O5 using inelastic neutron scattering

We studied magnetic excitations in a low-temperature ferroelectric phase of the multiferroic YMn(2)O(5) using inelastic neutron scattering (INS). We identify low-energy magnon modes and establish a correspondence between the magnon peaks observed by INS and electromagnon peaks observed in optical absorption [A. B. Sushkov et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 027202 (2007).]. Furthermore, we explain the microscopic mechanism, which results in the lowest-energy electromagnon peak, by comparing the inelastic neutron spectral weight with the polarization in the commensurate ferroelectric phase.     

RKKY ferromagnetism with Ising-like spin states in intercalated Fe(1/4)TaS2

We investigated the magnetic nature of Fe(1/4)TaS2 using x-ray absorption spectroscopy, photoemission spectroscopy, and first principles band calculations. The results show a large unquenched orbital magnetic moment (～1.0 μ(B)/Fe) at intercalated Fe sites, resulting in a gigantic magnetic anisotropy (H(A)?60 T). The magnetic coupling is well understood in terms of the Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY) interaction, suggesting a novel RKKY ferromagnet with Ising-type spin states. We also found that this indirect exchange coupling between the neighboring Fe spins is ferromagnetic and maximized at the Fe-Fe distance of 2×2 superstructure.     

11B and constraints on neutrino oscillations and spectra from neutrino nucleosynthesis

We study the sensitivity to variations in the triple-alpha and 12C(α,γ)16O reaction rates, of the yield of the neutrino-process isotopes 7Li, 11B, 19F, 138La, and 180Ta in core-collapse supernovae. Compared to solar abundances, less than 15% of 7Li, about 25%-80% of 19F, and about half of 138La is produced in these stars. Over a range of ±2σ for each helium-burning rate, 11B is overproduced and the yield varies by an amount larger than the variation caused by the effects of neutrino oscillations. The total 11B yield, however, may eventually provide constraints on supernova neutrino spectra.