Acoustic features of male baboon loud calls: influences of context, age, and individuality

The acoustic structure of loud calls ("wahoos") recorded from free-ranging male baboons (Papio cynocephalus ursinus) in the Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana, was examined for differences between and within contexts, using calls given in response to predators (alarm wahoos), during male contests (contest wahoos), and when a male had become separated from the group (contact wahoos). Calls were recorded from adolescent, subadult, and adult males. In addition, male alarm calls were compared with those recorded from females. Despite their superficial acoustic similarity, the analysis revealed a number of significant differences between alarm, contest, and contact wahoos. Contest wahoos are given at a much higher rate, exhibit lower frequency characteristics, have a longer "hoo" duration, and a relatively louder "hoo" portion than alarm wahoos. Contact wahoos are acoustically similar to contest wahoos, but are given at a much lower rate. Both alarm and contest wahoos also exhibit significant differences among individuals. Some of the acoustic features that vary in relation to age and sex presumably reflect differences in body size, whereas others are possibly related to male stamina and endurance. The finding that calls serving markedly different functions constitute variants of the same general call type suggests that the vocal production in nonhuman primates is evolutionarily constrained.     

Quantum Fourier Transform-Based Arithmetic Logic Unit on a Quantum Processor

This study proposes and construct a primitive quantum arithmetic logic unit (qALU) based on the quantum Fourier transform (QFT). The qALU is capable of performing arithmetic ADD (addition) and logic NAND gate operations. It designs a scalable quantum circuit and presents the circuits for driving ADD and NAND operations on two-input and four-input quantum channels, respectively. By comparing the required number of quantum gates for serial and parallel architectures in executing arithmetic addition, it evaluates the performance. It also execute the proposed quantum Fourier transform-based qALU design on real quantum processor hardware provided by IBM. The results demonstrate that the proposed circuit can perform arithmetic and logic operations with a high success rate. Furthermore, it discusses in detail the potential implementations of the qALU circuit in the field of computer science, highlighting the possibility of constructing a soft-core processor on a quantum processing unit.     

Band structure effects on the plasmon dispersion in simple metals

The real part of the effective dielectric function is derived analytically in the pseudopotential approximation. For anyk-direction, the theory allows the evaluation of the plasmon dispersion, _p (k), which is found to be anisotropic in general due to band structure effects. Application of the theory to Al yields an isotropic shift atk=0 of _p (0) _v – 0.3 eV and explains the recently observed anisotropic behaviour of the dispersion very well fork < 0.6k _F .     

Effective rotational correlation times of proteins from NMR relaxation interference

Knowledge of the effective rotational correlation times, tauc, for the modulation of anisotropic spin-spin interactions in macromolecules subject to Brownian motion in solution is of key interest for the practice of NMR spectroscopy in structural biology. The value of tauc enables an estimate of the NMR spin relaxation rates, and indicates possible aggregation of the macromolecular species. This paper reports a novel NMR pulse scheme, [15N,1H]-TRACT, which is based on transverse relaxation-optimized spectroscopy and permits to determine tauc for 15N-1H bonds without interference from dipole-dipole coupling of the amide proton with remote protons. [15N,1H]-TRACT is highly efficient since only a series of one-dimensional NMR spectra need to be recorded. Its use is suggested for a quick estimate of the rotational correlation time, to monitor sample quality and to determine optimal parameters for complex multidimensional NMR experiments. Practical applications are illustrated with the 110 kDa 7,8-dihydroneopterin aldolase from Staphylococcus aureus, the uniformly 15N-labeled Escherichia coli outer membrane protein X (OmpX) in 60 kDa mixed OmpX/DHPC micelles with approximately 90 molecules of unlabeled 1,2-dihexanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DHPC), and the 16 kDa pheromone-binding protein from Bombyx mori, which cover a wide range of correlation times.     

Optimization of a 2D photonic crystal add/drop multiplexer based on contra-directional coupling

We present a highly integrated add/drop multiplexer, where the contra-directional coupling is realized by phase matching two photonic crystal waveguides. The device band structure, the corresponding transmission and drop spectra, and the coupling length are carefully analysed. Different device configurations are discussed and by tailoring the coupling factor, we optimize the frequency response of the filter, obtaining a -sized channel selector, characterized by a very high drop efficiency.     

Strong electromagnetic field localization near the surface of hemicylindrical particles

We theoretically study the forward and backward plane wave illuminations of hemicylindrical dielectric particles with different radii and refractive indices. Near field effects providing strong field enhancement and narrow beam width are obtained from hemicylindrical particles, which can be associated with whispering gallery modes (WGMs) and photonic nano-jets (PNJs). It should be noted that existence of PNJ and WGM effects depending on forward/backward light illuminations is studied for the first time in all-dielectric hemicylindrical particles. Compared to dielectric cylinders, hemicylindrical aided PNJs show relatively small influences of WGM regime, when exists, to PNJ behavior. Under the backward excitation, on the other hand, typical nano-jet is produced. The designed hemicylindrical structure could be implemented in high-resolution optical imaging and sensing applications.     

The structural development of linear canonical transforms

Physics of Atomic Nuclei - We consider that the simultaneous development of the theory of linear canonical integral transforms among two quite distinct scientific communities, provides an...     

Acoustic Analyses of Developmental Changes and Emotional Expression in the Preverbal Vocalizations of Infants

The nonverbal vocal utterances of seven normally hearing infants were studied within their first year of life with respect to age- and emotion-related changes. Supported by a multiparametric acoustic analysis it was possible to distinguish one inspiratory and eleven expiratory call types. Most of the call types appeared within the first two months; some emerged in the majority of infants not until the 5th (“laugh”) or 7th month (“babble”). Age-related changes in acoustic structure were found in only 4 call types (“discomfort cry,” “short discomfort cry,” “wail,” “moan”). The acoustic changes were characterized mainly by an increase in harmonic-to-noise ratio and homogeneity of the call, a decrease in frequency range and a downward shift of acoustic energy from higher to lower frequencies. Emotion-related differences were found in the acoustic structure of single call types as well as in the frequency of occurrence of different call types. A change from positive to negative emotional state was accompanied by an increase in call duration, frequency range, and peak frequency (frequency with the highest amplitude within the power spectrum). Negative emotions, in addition, were characterized by a significantly higher rate of “crying,” “hic” and “ingressive vocalizations” than positive emotions, while positive emotions showed a significantly higher rate of “babble,” “laugh,” and “raspberry.”     

A Projection Method for the Integer Quadratic Knapsack Problem

In this paper we present a new branch and bound algorithm for solving a class of integer quadratic knapsack problems. A previously published algorithm solves the continuous variable subproblems in the branch and bound tree by performing a binary search over the breakpoints of a piecewise linear equation resulting from the Kuhn-Tucker conditions. Here, we first present modifications to a projection method for solving the continuous subproblems. Then we implement the modified projection method in a branch and bound framework and report computational results indicating that the new branch and bound algorithm is superior to the earlier method.     

Quark condensation, induced symmetry breaking and color superconductivity at high density

The phase structure of hadronic matter at high density relevant to the physics of compact stars and relativistic heavy-ion collisions is studied in a low-energy effective quark theory. The relevant phases that figure are (1) chiral condensation, (2) diquark color condensation (color superconductivity) and (3) induced Lorentz-symmetry breaking (“ISB”). For a reasonable strength for the effective four-Fermi current–current interaction implied by the low-energy effective quark theory for systems with a Fermi surface we find that the “ISB” phase sets in together with chiral symmetry restoration (with the vanishing quark condensate) at a moderate density while color superconductivity associated with scalar diquark condensation is pushed up to an asymptotic density. Consequently, color superconductivity seems rather unlikely in heavy-ion collisions although it may play a role in compact stars. Lack of confinement in the model makes the result of this analysis only qualitative but the hierarchy of the transitions we find seems to be quite robust.