Interaural time sensitivity of high-frequency neurons in the inferior colliculus.

PubMed

Yin, T C; Kuwada, S; Sujaku, Y

1984-11-01

Recent psychoacoustic experiments have shown that interaural time differences provide adequate cues for lateralizing high-frequency sounds, provided the stimuli are complex and not pure tones. We present here physiological evidence in support of these findings. Neurons of high best frequency in the cat inferior colliculus respond to interaural phase differences of amplitude modulated waveforms, and this response depends upon preservation of phase information of the modulating signal. Interaural phase differences were introduced in two ways: by interaural delays of the entire waveform and by binaural beats in which there was an interaural frequency difference in the modulating waveform. Results obtained with these two methods are similar. Our results show that high-frequency cells can respond to interaural time differences of amplitude modulated signals and that they do so by a sensitivity to interaural phase differences of the modulating waveform.

The effect of small-wave modulation on the electromagnetic bias

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rodriguez, Ernesto; Kim, Yunjin; Martin, Jan M.

1992-01-01

The effect of the modulation of small ocean waves by large waves on the physical mechanism of the EM bias is examined by conducting a numerical scattering experiment which does not assume the applicability of geometric optics. The modulation effect of the large waves on the small waves is modeled using the principle of conservation of wave action and includes the modulation of gravity-capillary waves. The frequency dependence and magnitude of the EM bias is examined for a simplified ocean spectral model as a function of wind speed. These calculations make it possible to assess the validity of previous assumptions made in the theory of the EM bias, with respect to both scattering and hydrodynamic effects. It is found that the geometric optics approximation is inadequate for predictions of the EM bias at typical radar altimeter frequencies, while the improved scattering calculations provide a frequency dependence of the EM bias which is in qualitative agreement with observation. For typical wind speeds, the EM bias contribution due to small-wave modulation is of the same order as that due to modulation by the nonlinearities of the large-scale waves.

Mapping power-law rheology of living cells using multi-frequency force modulation atomic force microscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Takahashi, Ryosuke; Okajima, Takaharu, E-mail: okajima@ist.hokudai.ac.jp

We present multi-frequency force modulation atomic force microscopy (AFM) for mapping the complex shear modulus G* of living cells as a function of frequency over the range of 50–500 Hz in the same measurement time as the single-frequency force modulation measurement. The AFM technique enables us to reconstruct image maps of rheological parameters, which exhibit a frequency-dependent power-law behavior with respect to G{sup *}. These quantitative rheological measurements reveal a large spatial variation in G* in this frequency range for single cells. Moreover, we find that the reconstructed images of the power-law rheological parameters are much different from those obtained inmore » force-curve or single-frequency force modulation measurements. This indicates that the former provide information about intracellular mechanical structures of the cells that are usually not resolved with the conventional force measurement methods.« less

Frequency-dependent tACS modulation of BOLD signal during rhythmic visual stimulation.

PubMed

Chai, Yuhui; Sheng, Jingwei; Bandettini, Peter A; Gao, Jia-Hong

2018-05-01

Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) has emerged as a promising tool for modulating cortical oscillations. In previous electroencephalogram (EEG) studies, tACS has been found to modulate brain oscillatory activity in a frequency-specific manner. However, the spatial distribution and hemodynamic response for this modulation remains poorly understood. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has the advantage of measuring neuronal activity in regions not only below the tACS electrodes but also across the whole brain with high spatial resolution. Here, we measured fMRI signal while applying tACS to modulate rhythmic visual activity. During fMRI acquisition, tACS at different frequencies (4, 8, 16, and 32 Hz) was applied along with visual flicker stimulation at 8 and 16 Hz. We analyzed the blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) signal difference between tACS-ON vs tACS-OFF, and different frequency combinations (e.g., 4 Hz tACS, 8 Hz flicker vs 8 Hz tACS, 8 Hz flicker). We observed significant tACS modulation effects on BOLD responses when the tACS frequency matched the visual flicker frequency or the second harmonic frequency. The main effects were predominantly seen in regions that were activated by the visual task and targeted by the tACS current distribution. These findings bridge different scientific domains of tACS research and demonstrate that fMRI could localize the tACS effect on stimulus-induced brain rhythms, which could lead to a new approach for understanding the high-level cognitive process shaped by the ongoing oscillatory signal. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Time- and frequency-resolved measurements of frequency modulation and switching of a tunable semiconductor laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuznetsov, M.; Stone, J.; Stulz, L. W.

1991-11-01

We report measurements of intensity as a function of both time and frequency for frequency modulation and switching of a tunable semiconductor laser. Because of the uncertainty principle limitations, the measured time-frequency signal can have a complex structure and does not show the simple-minded picture of a laser spectrum whose center frequency varies in time. The observations are explained by a theory of the time-dependent spectral measurements, well known in the field of speech analysis. We discuss implications for channel switching speed and channel interference in switched, frequency-multiplexed optical networks.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) in medical environment: Gaussian Derivative Frequency Modulation (GDFM) as a novel modulation technique with minimal interference properties.

PubMed

Rieche, Marie; Komenský, Tomás; Husar, Peter

2011-01-01

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) systems in healthcare facilitate the possibility of contact-free identification and tracking of patients, medical equipment and medication. Thereby, patient safety will be improved and costs as well as medication errors will be reduced considerably. However, the application of RFID and other wireless communication systems has the potential to cause harmful electromagnetic disturbances on sensitive medical devices. This risk mainly depends on the transmission power and the method of data communication. In this contribution we point out the reasons for such incidents and give proposals to overcome these problems. Therefore a novel modulation and transmission technique called Gaussian Derivative Frequency Modulation (GDFM) is developed. Moreover, we carry out measurements to show the inteference properties of different modulation schemes in comparison to our GDFM.

High-frequency gamma oscillations coexist with low-frequency gamma oscillations in the rat visual cortex in vitro.

PubMed

Oke, Olaleke O; Magony, Andor; Anver, Himashi; Ward, Peter D; Jiruska, Premysl; Jefferys, John G R; Vreugdenhil, Martin

2010-04-01

Synchronization of neuronal activity in the visual cortex at low (30-70 Hz) and high gamma band frequencies (> 70 Hz) has been associated with distinct visual processes, but mechanisms underlying high-frequency gamma oscillations remain unknown. In rat visual cortex slices, kainate and carbachol induce high-frequency gamma oscillations (fast-gamma; peak frequency approximately 80 Hz at 37 degrees C) that can coexist with low-frequency gamma oscillations (slow-gamma; peak frequency approximately 50 Hz at 37 degrees C) in the same column. Current-source density analysis showed that fast-gamma was associated with rhythmic current sink-source sequences in layer III and slow-gamma with rhythmic current sink-source sequences in layer V. Fast-gamma and slow-gamma were not phase-locked. Slow-gamma power fluctuations were unrelated to fast-gamma power fluctuations, but were modulated by the phase of theta (3-8 Hz) oscillations generated in the deep layers. Fast-gamma was spatially less coherent than slow-gamma. Fast-gamma and slow-gamma were dependent on gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)(A) receptors, alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors and gap-junctions, their frequencies were reduced by thiopental and were weakly dependent on cycle amplitude. Fast-gamma and slow-gamma power were differentially modulated by thiopental and adenosine A(1) receptor blockade, and their frequencies were differentially modulated by N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, GluK1 subunit-containing receptors and persistent sodium currents. Our data indicate that fast-gamma and slow-gamma both depend on and are paced by recurrent inhibition, but have distinct pharmacological modulation profiles. The independent co-existence of fast-gamma and slow-gamma allows parallel processing of distinct aspects of vision and visual perception. The visual cortex slice provides a novel in vitro model to study cortical high-frequency gamma oscillations.

Power-Stepped HF Cross Modulation Experiments at HAARP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greene, S.; Moore, R. C.; Langston, J. S.

2013-12-01

High frequency (HF) cross modulation experiments are a well established means for probing the HF-modified characteristics of the D-region ionosphere. In this paper, we apply experimental observations of HF cross-modulation to the related problem of ELF/VLF wave generation. HF cross-modulation measurements are used to evaluate the efficiency of ionospheric conductivity modulation during power-stepped modulated HF heating experiments. The results are compared to previously published dependencies of ELF/VLF wave amplitude on HF peak power. The experiments were performed during the March 2013 campaign at the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) Observatory. HAARP was operated in a dual-beam transmission format: the first beam heated the ionosphere using sinusoidal amplitude modulation while the second beam broadcast a series of low-power probe pulses. The peak power of the modulating beam was incremented in 1-dB steps. We compare the minimum and maximum cross-modulation effect and the amplitude of the resulting cross-modulation waveform to the expected power-law dependence of ELF/VLF wave amplitude on HF power.

Multiple-Station Observation of Frequency Dependence and Polarization Characteristics of ELF/VLF waves generated via Ionospheric Modification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maxworth, A. S.; Golkowski, M.; Cohen, M.; Moore, R. C.

2014-12-01

Generation of Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) and Very Low Frequency (VLF) signals through ionospheric modification has been practiced for many years. Heating the lower ionosphere with high power HF waves allows for modulation of natural current systems. Our experiments were carried out at the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) facility in Alaska, USA. In this experiment, the ionosphere was heated with a vertical amplitude modulating signal and the modulation frequency was changed sequentially within an array of 40 frequencies followed by a frequency ramp. The observed magnetic field amplitude and polarization of the generated ELF/VLF signals were analyzed for multiple sites and as a function of modulation frequency. Our three observation sites: Chistochina, Paxson and Paradise are located within 36km (azimuth 47.7°), 50.2km (azimuth -20°) and 99km (azimuth 80.3°) respectively. We show that the peak amplitudes observed as a function of frequency result from vertical resonance in the Earth-ionosphere waveguide and can be used to diagnose the D-region profile. Polarization analysis showed that out of the three sites Paxson shows the highest circularity in the magnetic field polarization, compared to Chistochina and Paradise which show highly linear polarizations. The experimental results were compared with a theoretical simulation model results and it was clear that in both cases, the modulated Hall current dominates the observed signals at Chistochina and Paradise sites and at Paxson there is an equal contribution from Hall and Pedersen currents. The Chistochina site shows the highest magnetic field amplitudes in both experimental and simulation environments. Depending upon the experimental and simulation observations at the three sites, a radiation pattern for the HAARP ionospheric heater can be mapped

Ionospheric very low frequency transmitter

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kuo, Spencer P.

2015-02-15

The theme of this paper is to establish a reliable ionospheric very low frequency (VLF) transmitter, which is also broad band. Two approaches are studied that generate VLF waves in the ionosphere. The first, classic approach employs a ground-based HF heater to directly modulate the high latitude ionospheric, or auroral electrojet. In the classic approach, the intensity-modulated HF heater induces an alternating current in the electrojet, which serves as a virtual antenna to transmit VLF waves. The spatial and temporal variations of the electrojet impact the reliability of the classic approach. The second, beat-wave approach also employs a ground-based HFmore » heater; however, in this approach, the heater operates in a continuous wave mode at two HF frequencies separated by the desired VLF frequency. Theories for both approaches are formulated, calculations performed with numerical model simulations, and the calculations are compared to experimental results. Theory for the classic approach shows that an HF heater wave, intensity-modulated at VLF, modulates the electron temperature dependent electrical conductivity of the ionospheric electrojet, which, in turn, induces an ac electrojet current. Thus, the electrojet becomes a virtual VLF antenna. The numerical results show that the radiation intensity of the modulated electrojet decreases with an increase in VLF radiation frequency. Theory for the beat wave approach shows that the VLF radiation intensity depends upon the HF heater intensity rather than the electrojet strength, and yet this approach can also modulate the electrojet when present. HF heater experiments were conducted for both the intensity modulated and beat wave approaches. VLF radiations were generated and the experimental results confirm the numerical simulations. Theory and experimental results both show that in the absence of the electrojet, VLF radiation from the F-region is generated via the beat wave approach. Additionally, the beat wave approach generates VLF radiations over a larger frequency band than by the modulated electrojet.« less

Amplitude modulation reduces loudness adaptation to high-frequency tones.

PubMed

Wynne, Dwight P; George, Sahara E; Zeng, Fan-Gang

2015-07-01

Long-term loudness perception of a sound has been presumed to depend on the spatial distribution of activated auditory nerve fibers as well as their temporal firing pattern. The relative contributions of those two factors were investigated by measuring loudness adaptation to sinusoidally amplitude-modulated 12-kHz tones. The tones had a total duration of 180 s and were either unmodulated or 100%-modulated at one of three frequencies (4, 20, or 100 Hz), and additionally varied in modulation depth from 0% to 100% at the 4-Hz frequency only. Every 30 s, normal-hearing subjects estimated the loudness of one of the stimuli played at 15 dB above threshold in random order. Without any amplitude modulation, the loudness of the unmodulated tone after 180 s was only 20% of the loudness at the onset of the stimulus. Amplitude modulation systematically reduced the amount of loudness adaptation, with the 100%-modulated stimuli, regardless of modulation frequency, maintaining on average 55%-80% of the loudness at onset after 180 s. Because the present low-frequency amplitude modulation produced minimal changes in long-term spectral cues affecting the spatial distribution of excitation produced by a 12-kHz pure tone, the present result indicates that neural synchronization is critical to maintaining loudness perception over time.

Optical double-locked semiconductor lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

AlMulla, Mohammad

2018-06-01

Self-sustained period-one (P1) nonlinear dynamics of a semiconductor laser are investigated when both optical injection and modulation are applied for stable microwave frequency generation. Locking the P1 oscillation through modulation on the bias current, injection strength, or detuning frequency stabilizes the P1 oscillation. Through the phase noise variance, the different modulation types are compared. It is demonstrated that locking the P1 oscillation through optical modulation on the output of the master laser outperforms bias-current modulation of the slave laser. Master laser modulation shows wider P1-oscillation locking range and lower phase noise variance. The locking characteristics of the P1 oscillation also depend on the operating conditions of the optical injection system

The ultrasonic characteristics of high frequency modulated arc and its application in material processing.

PubMed

He, Longbiao; Yang, Ping; Li, Luming; Wu, Minsheng

2014-12-01

To solve the difficulty of introducing traditional ultrasonic transducers to welding molten pool, high frequency current is used to modulate plasma arc and ultrasonic wave is excited successfully. The characteristics of the excited ultrasonic field are studied. The results show that the amplitude-frequency response of the ultrasonic emission is flat. The modulating current is the main factor influencing the ultrasonic power and the sound pressure depends on the variation of arc plasma stream force. Experimental study of the welding structure indicates grain refinement by the ultrasonic emission of the modulated arc and the test results showed there should be an energy region for the arc ultrasonic to get best welding joints. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dispersion induced power fading for radio frequency signals and its application for fast online PMD and CD monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ning, G.; Shum, P.

2007-06-01

We derive the expressions for the power fading including first-order polarization mode dispersion (PMD), chromatic dispersion, chirp parameter as well as polarization-dependent chromatic dispersion (PCD), which is dependent on the angle of precession of output state of polarization around the PMD vector. From the expression for radio frequency (RF) signals power fading, we get the average power fading for chromatic dispersion, chirp parameter, first-order PMD and PCD for both double sideband (DSB) modulation and single sideband (SSB) modulation. We also demonstrate a fast PMD and chromatic dispersion monitoring technology with reduced polarization-dependent gain. The measured results agree well with theoretical analysis.

Laser dynamics: The system dynamics and network theory of optoelectronic integrated circuit design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarng, Tom Shinming-T. K.

Laser dynamics is the system dynamics, communication and network theory for the design of opto-electronic integrated circuit (OEIC). Combining the optical network theory and optical communication theory, the system analysis and design for the OEIC fundamental building blocks is considered. These building blocks include the direct current modulation, inject light modulation, wideband filter, super-gain optical amplifier, E/O and O/O optical bistability and current-controlled optical oscillator. Based on the rate equations, the phase diagram and phase portrait analysis is applied to the theoretical studies and numerical simulation. The OEIC system design methodologies are developed for the OEIC design. Stimulating-field-dependent rate equations are used to model the line-width narrowing/broadening mechanism for the CW mode and frequency chirp of semiconductor lasers. The momentary spectra are carrier-density-dependent. Furthermore, the phase portrait analysis and the nonlinear refractive index is used to simulate the single mode frequency chirp. The average spectra of chaos, period doubling, period pulsing, multi-loops and analog modulation are generated and analyzed. The bifurcation-chirp design chart with modulation depth and modulation frequency as parameters is provided for design purpose.

Modulated CMOS camera for fluorescence lifetime microscopy.

PubMed

Chen, Hongtao; Holst, Gerhard; Gratton, Enrico

2015-12-01

Widefield frequency-domain fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FD-FLIM) is a fast and accurate method to measure the fluorescence lifetime of entire images. However, the complexity and high costs involved in construction of such a system limit the extensive use of this technique. PCO AG recently released the first luminescence lifetime imaging camera based on a high frequency modulated CMOS image sensor, QMFLIM2. Here we tested and provide operational procedures to calibrate the camera and to improve the accuracy using corrections necessary for image analysis. With its flexible input/output options, we are able to use a modulated laser diode or a 20 MHz pulsed white supercontinuum laser as the light source. The output of the camera consists of a stack of modulated images that can be analyzed by the SimFCS software using the phasor approach. The nonuniform system response across the image sensor must be calibrated at the pixel level. This pixel calibration is crucial and needed for every camera settings, e.g. modulation frequency and exposure time. A significant dependency of the modulation signal on the intensity was also observed and hence an additional calibration is needed for each pixel depending on the pixel intensity level. These corrections are important not only for the fundamental frequency, but also for the higher harmonics when using the pulsed supercontinuum laser. With these post data acquisition corrections, the PCO CMOS-FLIM camera can be used for various biomedical applications requiring a large frame and high speed acquisition. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Parametric modulation of thermomagnetic convection in magnetic fluids.

PubMed

Engler, H; Odenbach, S

2008-05-21

Previous theoretical investigations on thermal flow in a horizontal fluid layer have shown that the critical temperature difference, where heat transfer changes from diffusion to convective flow, depends on the frequency of a time-modulated driving force. The driving force of thermal convection is the buoyancy force resulting from the interaction of gravity and the density gradient provided by a temperature difference in the vertical direction of a horizontal fluid layer. An experimental investigation of such phenomena fails because of technical problems arising if buoyancy is to be changed by altering the temperature difference or gravitational acceleration. The possibility of influencing convective flow in a horizontal magnetic fluid layer by magnetic forces might provide us with a means to solve the problem of a time-modulated magnetic driving force. An experimental setup to investigate the dependence of the critical temperature difference on the frequency of the driving force has been designed and implemented. First results show that the time modulation of the driving force has significant influence on the strength of the convective flow. In particular a pronounced minimum in the strength of convection has been found for a particular frequency.

Nothing more than a pair of curvatures: A common mechanism for the detection of both radial and non-radial frequency patterns.

PubMed

Schmidtmann, Gunnar; Kingdom, Frederick A A

2017-05-01

Radial frequency (RF) patterns, which are sinusoidal modulations of a radius in polar coordinates, are commonly used to study shape perception. Previous studies have argued that the detection of RF patterns is either achieved globally by a specialized global shape mechanism, or locally using as cue the maximum tangent orientation difference between the RF pattern and the circle. Here we challenge both ideas and suggest instead a model that accounts not only for the detection of RF patterns but also for line frequency patterns (LF), i.e. contours sinusoidally modulated around a straight line. The model has two features. The first is that the detection of both RF and LF patterns is based on curvature differences along the contour. The second is that this curvature metric is subject to what we term the Curve Frequency Sensitivity Function, or CFSF, which is characterized by a flat followed by declining response to curvature as a function of modulation frequency, analogous to the modulation transfer function of the eye. The evidence that curvature forms the basis for detection is that at very low modulation frequencies (1-3 cycles for the RF pattern) there is a dramatic difference in thresholds between the RF and LF patterns, a difference however that disappears at medium and high modulation frequencies. The CFSF feature on the other hand explains why thresholds, rather than continuously declining with modulation frequency, asymptote at medium and high modulation frequencies. In summary, our analysis suggests that the detection of shape modulations is processed by a common curvature-sensitive mechanism that is subject to a shape-frequency-dependent transfer function. This mechanism is independent of whether the modulation is applied to a circle or a straight line. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multi Station Frequency Response and Polarization of ELF/VLF Signals Generated via Ionospheric Modification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maxworth, Ashanthi; Golkowski, Mark; University of Colorado Denver Team

2013-10-01

ELF/VLF wave generation via HF modulated ionospheric heating has been practiced for many years as a unique way to generate waves in the ELF/VLF band (3 Hz - 30 kHz). This paper presents experimental results and associated theoretical modeling from work performed at the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) facility in Alaska, USA. An experiment was designed to investigate the modulation frequency dependence of the generated ELF/VLF signal amplitudes and polarization at multiple sites at distances of 37 km, 50 km and 99 km from the facility. While no difference is observed for X mode versus O mode modulation of the heating wave, it is found that ELF/VLF amplitude and polarization as a function of modulated ELF/VLF frequency is different for each site. An ionospheric heating code is used to determine the primary current sources leading to the observations.

Frequency modulation of high-order harmonic generation in an orthogonally polarized two-color laser field.

PubMed

Li, Guicun; Zheng, Yinghui; Ge, Xiaochun; Zeng, Zhinan; Li, Ruxin

2016-08-08

We have experimentally investigated the frequency modulation of high-order harmonics in an orthogonally polarized two-color laser field consisting of a mid-infrared 1800nm fundamental pulse and its second harmonic pulse. It is demonstrated that the high harmonic spectra can be fine-tuned as we slightly change the relative delay of the two-color laser pulses. By analyzing the relative frequency shift of each harmonic at different two-color delays, the nonadiabatic spectral shift induced by the rapid variation of the intensity-dependent intrinsic dipole phase can be distinguished from the blueshift induced by the change of the refractive index during self-phase modulation (SPM). Our comprehensive analysis shows that the frequency modulation pattern is a reflection of the average emission time of high-order harmonic generation (HHG), thus offering a simple method to fine-tune the spectra of the harmonics on a sub-cycle time scale.

Reducing microwave absorption with fast frequency modulation.

PubMed

Qin, Juehang; Hubler, A

2017-05-01

We study the response of a two-level quantum system to a chirp signal, using both numerical and analytical methods. The numerical method is based on numerical solutions of the Schrödinger solution of the two-level system, while the analytical method is based on an approximate solution of the same equations. We find that when two-level systems are perturbed by a chirp signal, the peak population of the initially unpopulated state exhibits a high sensitivity to frequency modulation rate. We also find that the aforementioned sensitivity depends on the strength of the forcing, and weaker forcings result in a higher sensitivity, where the frequency modulation rate required to produce the same reduction in peak population would be lower. We discuss potential applications of this result in the field of microwave power transmission, as it shows applying fast frequency modulation to transmitted microwaves used for power transmission could decrease unintended absorption of microwaves by organic tissue.

Dynamic Stabilization of the Ablative Rayleigh-Taylor Instability for Heavy Ion Fusion

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Qin, Hong; Davidson, Ronald C.; Logan, B. Grant

2012-10-04

Dynamic stabilization of the ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability of a heavy ion fusion target induced by a beam wobbling system is studied. Using a sharp-boundary model and Courant-Synder theory, it is shown, with an appropriately chosen modulation waveform, that the instability can be sta- bilized in certain parameter regimes. It is found that the stabilization e ect has a strong dependence on the modulation frequency and the waveform. Modulation with frequency comparable to the instability growth rate is the most e ective in terms of stabilizing the instability. A modulation with two frequency components can result in a reduction of themore » growth rate larger than the sum of that due to the two components when applied separately.« less

Comparative Proteomic Analysis of Liver Steatosis and Fibrosis after Oral Hepatotoxicant Administration in Sprague-Dawley Rats.

PubMed

McDyre, B Claire; AbdulHameed, Mohamed Diwan M; Permenter, Matthew G; Dennis, William E; Baer, Christine E; Koontz, Jason M; Boyle, Molly H; Wallqvist, Anders; Lewis, John A; Ippolito, Danielle L

2018-02-01

The past decade has seen an increase in the development and clinical use of biomarkers associated with histological features of liver disease. Here, we conduct a comparative histological and global proteomics analysis to identify coregulated modules of proteins in the progression of hepatic steatosis or fibrosis. We orally administered the reference chemicals bromobenzene (BB) or 4,4'-methylenedianiline (4,4'-MDA) to male Sprague-Dawley rats for either 1 single administration or 5 consecutive daily doses. Livers were preserved for histopathology and global proteomics assessment. Analysis of liver sections confirmed a dose- and time-dependent increase in frequency and severity of histopathological features indicative of lipid accumulation after BB or fibrosis after 4,4'-MDA. BB administration resulted in a dose-dependent increase in the frequency and severity of inflammation and vacuolation. 4,4'-MDA administration resulted in a dose-dependent increase in the frequency and severity of periportal collagen accumulation and inflammation. Pathway analysis identified a time-dependent enrichment of biological processes associated with steatogenic or fibrogenic initiating events, cellular functions, and toxicological states. Differentially expressed protein modules were consistent with the observed histology, placing physiologically linked protein networks into context of the disease process. This study demonstrates the potential for protein modules to provide mechanistic links between initiating events and histopathological outcomes.

[Pulse-modulated Electromagnetic Radiation of Extremely High Frequencies Protects Cellular DNA against Damaging Effect of Physico-Chemical Factors in vitro].

PubMed

Gapeyev, A B; Lukyanova, N A

2015-01-01

Using a comet assay technique, we investigated protective effects of. extremely high frequency electromagnetic radiation in combination with the damaging effect of X-ray irradiation, the effect of damaging agents hydrogen peroxide and methyl methanesulfonate on DNA in mouse whole blood leukocytes. It was shown that the preliminary exposure of the cells to low intensity pulse-modulated electromagnetic radiation (42.2 GHz, 0.1 mW/cm2, 20-min exposure, modulation frequencies of 1 and 16 Hz) caused protective effects decreasing the DNA damage by 20-45%. The efficacy of pulse-modulated electromagnetic radiation depended on the type of genotoxic agent and increased in a row methyl methanesulfonate--X-rays--hydrogen peroxide. Continuous electromagnetic radiation was ineffective. The mechanisms of protective effects may be connected with an induction of the adaptive response by nanomolar concentrations of reactive oxygen species formed by pulse-modulated electromagnetic radiation.

Laser-based sensor for detection of hazardous gases in the air using waveguide CO2 laser.

PubMed

Gondal, Mohammed A; Bakhtiari, Imran A; Dastageer, Abdul K

2007-06-01

A spectrometer based on the principle of photoacoustic spectroscopy has been developed recently at our laboratory for the detection of hazardous gases such as O3, C2H4, SO2, NO2 and SF6. In most of our earlier works, we employed a mechanical chopper to modulate the laser beam and this chopper modulation has the crucial disadvantage of instability in the chopper frequency. Even a minor shift of about 1 Hz in the modulation frequency could significantly reduce the photoacoustic signal by an order of magnitude at the acoustic resonant mode of the photoacoustic cell. To overcome this problem, we developed a photoacoustic spectrometer where a wave guided CW CO2 laser beam is modulated electronically with the external frequency generator. Our preliminary results show that the electronic modulation of CO2 laser beam improved the sensitivity of our spectrometer by a factor of 6. The parametric dependence of photoacoustic signal on laser power, modulation frequency and trace gas concentration, was investigated and the comparison between the two modulation techniques is presented in this paper for detection of trace gases such as C2H4.

Principal pitch of frequency-modulated tones with asymmetrical modulation waveform: a comparison of models.

PubMed

Etchemendy, Pablo E; Eguia, Manuel C; Mesz, Bruno

2014-03-01

In this work, the overall perceived pitch (principal pitch) of pure tones modulated in frequency with an asymmetric waveform is studied. The dependence of the principal pitch on the degree of asymmetric modulation was obtained from a psychophysical experiment. The modulation waveform consisted of a flat portion of constant frequency and two linear segments forming a peak. Consistent with previous results, significant pitch shifts with respect to the time-averaged geometric mean were observed. The direction of the shifts was always toward the flat portion of the modulation. The results from the psychophysical experiment, along with those obtained from previously reported studies, were compared with the predictions of six models of pitch perception proposed in the literature. Even though no single model was able to predict accurately the perceived pitch for all experiments, there were two models that give robust predictions that are within the range of acceptable tuning of modulated tones for almost all the cases. Both models point to the existence of an underlying "stability sensitive" mechanism for the computation of pitch that gives more weight to the portion of the stimuli where the frequency is changing more slowly.

Range-azimuth decouple beamforming for frequency diverse array with Costas-sequence modulated frequency offsets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zhe; Wang, Wen-Qin; Shao, Huaizong

2016-12-01

Different from the phased-array using the same carrier frequency for each transmit element, the frequency diverse array (FDA) uses a small frequency offset across the array elements to produce range-angle-dependent transmit beampattern. FDA radar provides new application capabilities and potentials due to its range-dependent transmit array beampattern, but the FDA using linearly increasing frequency offsets will produce a range and angle coupled transmit beampattern. In order to decouple the range-azimuth beampattern for FDA radar, this paper proposes a uniform linear array (ULA) FDA using Costas-sequence modulated frequency offsets to produce random-like energy distribution in the transmit beampattern and thumbtack transmit-receive beampattern. In doing so, the range and angle of targets can be unambiguously estimated through matched filtering and subspace decomposition algorithms in the receiver signal processor. Moreover, random-like energy distributed beampattern can also be utilized for low probability of intercept (LPI) radar applications. Numerical results show that the proposed scheme outperforms the standard FDA in focusing the transmit energy, especially in the range dimension.

Timbral Sharpness and Modulations in Frequency and Amplitude: Implications for the Fusion of Musical Sounds.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goad, Pamela Joy

The fusion of musical voices is an important aspect of musical blend, or the mixing of individual sounds. Yet, little research has been done to explicitly determine the factors involved in fusion. In this study, the similarity of timbre and modulation were examined for their contribution to the fusion of sounds. It is hypothesized that similar timbres will fuse better than dissimilar timbres, and, voices with the same kind of modulation will fuse better than voices of different modulations. A perceptually-based measure, known as sharpness was investigated as a measure of timbre. The advantages of using sharpness are that it is based on hearing sensitivities and masking phenomena of inner ear processing. Five musical instrument families were digitally recorded in performances across a typical playing range at two extreme dynamic levels. Analyses reveal that sharpness is capable of uncovering subtle changes in timbre including those found in musical dynamics, instrument design, and performer-specific variations. While these analyses alone are insufficient to address fusion, preliminary calculations of timbral combinations indicate that sharpness has the potential to predict the fusion of sounds used in musical composition. Three experiments investigated the effects of modulation on the fusion of a harmonic major sixth interval. In the first experiment using frequency modulation, stimuli varied in deviation about a mean fundamental frequency and relative modulation phase between the two tones. Results showed smaller frequency deviations promoted fusion and relative phase differences had a minimal effect. In a second experiment using amplitude modulation, stimuli varied in deviation about a mean amplitude level and relative phase of modulation. Results showed smaller amplitude deviations promoted better fusion, but unlike frequency modulation, relative phase differences were also important. In a third experiment, frequency modulation, amplitude modulation and mixed modulation were arranged in all possible voicings. Results showed frequency modulation in the lower voice and less variance in amplitude envelopes contributed to an increase in fusion. The theory that similar modulations would promote better fusion was only marginally supported. For these experiments, results revealed differences depending on modulation type and that a lesser amount of modulation fosters greater fusion.

Frequency of gamma oscillations in humans is modulated by velocity of visual motion

PubMed Central

Butorina, Anna V.; Sysoeva, Olga V.; Prokofyev, Andrey O.; Nikolaeva, Anastasia Yu.; Stroganova, Tatiana A.

2015-01-01

Gamma oscillations are generated in networks of inhibitory fast-spiking (FS) parvalbumin-positive (PV) interneurons and pyramidal cells. In animals, gamma frequency is modulated by the velocity of visual motion; the effect of velocity has not been evaluated in humans. In this work, we have studied velocity-related modulations of gamma frequency in children using MEG/EEG. We also investigated whether such modulations predict the prominence of the “spatial suppression” effect (Tadin D, Lappin JS, Gilroy LA, Blake R. Nature 424: 312-315, 2003) that is thought to depend on cortical center-surround inhibitory mechanisms. MEG/EEG was recorded in 27 normal boys aged 8–15 yr while they watched high-contrast black-and-white annular gratings drifting with velocities of 1.2, 3.6, and 6.0°/s and performed a simple detection task. The spatial suppression effect was assessed in a separate psychophysical experiment. MEG gamma oscillation frequency increased while power decreased with increasing velocity of visual motion. In EEG, the effects were less reliable. The frequencies of the velocity-specific gamma peaks were 64.9, 74.8, and 87.1 Hz for the slow, medium, and fast motions, respectively. The frequency of the gamma response elicited during slow and medium velocity of visual motion decreased with subject age, whereas the range of gamma frequency modulation by velocity increased with age. The frequency modulation range predicted spatial suppression even after controlling for the effect of age. We suggest that the modulation of the MEG gamma frequency by velocity of visual motion reflects excitability of cortical inhibitory circuits and can be used to investigate their normal and pathological development in the human brain. PMID:25925324

Thermal Properties of Whispering Gallery Mode Resonators

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-12-22

in a vacuum chamber, to lower the noise floor and increase the SNR. To study the frequency response of the IR detector , we varied the modulation...performance at a fixed IR modulation (chopping) frequency. Finally, we estimated the noise equivalent power (NEP) of our IR detector . Note that the...the thennal relaxation time of the resonator to estimate the response time of the resonator based infrared (IR) detector . We found that, depending on

Optical Dependence of Electrically Detected Magnetic Resonance in Lightly Doped Si:P Devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Lihuang; van Schooten, Kipp J.; Guy, Mallory L.; Ramanathan, Chandrasekhar

2017-06-01

Using frequency-modulated electrically detected magnetic resonance (EDMR), we show that signals measured from lightly doped (1.2 - 5 ×1 015 cm-3 ) silicon devices vary significantly with the wavelength of the optical excitation used to generate the mobile carriers. We measure EDMR spectra at 4.2 K as a function of modulation frequency and applied microwave power using a 980-nm laser, a 405-nm laser, and a broadband white-light source. EDMR signals are observed from the phosphorus donor and two distinct defect species in all of the experiments. With near-infrared irradiation, we find that the EDMR signal primarily arises from donor-defect pairs, while, at higher photon energies, there are significant additional contributions from defect-defect pairs. The contribution of spins from different spatial regions to the EDMR signal is seen to vary as the optical penetration depth changes from about 120 nm at 405-nm illumination to 100 μ m at 980-nm illumination. The modulation frequency dependence of the EDMR signal shows that the energy of the optical excitation strongly modulates the kinetics of the underlying spin-dependent recombination (SDR) process. Careful tuning of the optical photon energy could therefore be used to control both the subset of spin pairs contributing to the EDMR signal and the dynamics of the SDR process.

Microgravity modulation effects on free convection problems LBM simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Javadi, Khodayar; Kazemi, Koorosh

2018-01-01

In this paper, microgravity modulation effects on free convection in a cavity are investigated using the lattice Boltzmann method. In order to create microgravity modulation, a sinusoidal time-dependent function is considered. Parameters of the flow are chosen such that the maximum Rayleigh number approaches 106. The natural frequency of the system is obtained at first. Afterwards, effects of different frequencies on the flow and heat transfer fields are investigated in detail. Results are presented in four different frequency ratios categorized as (1) ω*=1/200 , 1/100 , 1/20 , and 1/10 ; (2) ω*=1/8 , 1/5 , 1/3 , and 1/2 ; (3) ω* = 0.75, 0.85, and 0.95; and (4) the last one is considered for natural frequency as a special case of ω* = 1. Furthermore, the fast Fourier transformation is used to describe the cavity flow behavior. The results indicated that at low frequency, the system has enough time to adapt itself with the gravity modulation while historical effects do not disappear. Increasing the frequency changes the behavior of the system and different flow patterns appear. Finally, at the natural frequency (ω* = 1), all system modes are stimulated and a strange flow pattern is formed.

Frequency-Dependent Modulation of Dopamine Release by Nicotine and Dopamine D1 Receptor Ligands: An In Vitro Fast Cyclic Voltammetry Study in Rat Striatum.

PubMed

Goutier, W; Lowry, J P; McCreary, A C; O'Connor, J J

2016-05-01

Nicotine is a highly addictive drug and exerts this effect partially through the modulation of dopamine release and increasing extracellular dopamine in regions such as the brain reward systems. Nicotine acts in these regions on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. The effect of nicotine on the frequency dependent modulation of dopamine release is well established and the purpose of this study was to investigate whether dopamine D1 receptor (D1R) ligands have an influence on this. Using fast cyclic voltammetry and rat corticostriatal slices, we show that D1R ligands are able to modulate the effect of nicotine on dopamine release. Nicotine (500 nM) induced a decrease in dopamine efflux at low frequency (single pulse or five pulses at 10 Hz) and an increase at high frequency (100 Hz) electrical field stimulation. The D1R agonist SKF-38393, whilst having no effect on dopamine release on its own or on the effect of nicotine upon multiple pulse evoked dopamine release, did significantly prevent and reverse the effect of nicotine on single pulse dopamine release. Interestingly similar results were obtained with the D1R antagonist SCH-23390. In this study we have demonstrated that the modulation of dopamine release by nicotine can be altered by D1R ligands, but only when evoked by single pulse stimulation, and are likely working via cholinergic interneuron driven dopamine release.

Transcranial alternating current stimulation modulates auditory temporal resolution in elderly people.

PubMed

Baltus, Alina; Vosskuhl, Johannes; Boetzel, Cindy; Herrmann, Christoph Siegfried

2018-05-13

Recent research provides evidence for a functional role of brain oscillations for perception. For example, auditory temporal resolution seems to be linked to individual gamma frequency of auditory cortex. Individual gamma frequency not only correlates with performance in between-channel gap detection tasks but can be modulated via auditory transcranial alternating current stimulation. Modulation of individual gamma frequency is accompanied by an improvement in gap detection performance. Aging changes electrophysiological frequency components and sensory processing mechanisms. Therefore, we conducted a study to investigate the link between individual gamma frequency and gap detection performance in elderly people using auditory transcranial alternating current stimulation. In a within-subject design, twelve participants were electrically stimulated with two individualized transcranial alternating current stimulation frequencies: 3 Hz above their individual gamma frequency (experimental condition) and 4 Hz below their individual gamma frequency (control condition) while they were performing a between-channel gap detection task. As expected, individual gamma frequencies correlated significantly with gap detection performance at baseline and in the experimental condition, transcranial alternating current stimulation modulated gap detection performance. In the control condition, stimulation did not modulate gap detection performance. In addition, in elderly, the effect of transcranial alternating current stimulation on auditory temporal resolution seems to be dependent on endogenous frequencies in auditory cortex: elderlies with slower individual gamma frequencies and lower auditory temporal resolution profit from auditory transcranial alternating current stimulation and show increased gap detection performance during stimulation. Our results strongly suggest individualized transcranial alternating current stimulation protocols for successful modulation of performance. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Lower bound for LCD image quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olson, William P.; Balram, Nikhil

1996-03-01

The paper presents an objective lower bound for the discrimination of patterns and fine detail in images on a monochrome LCD. In applications such as medical imaging and military avionics the information of interest is often at the highest frequencies in the image. Since LCDs are sampled data systems, their output modulation is dependent on the phase between the input signal and the sampling points. This phase dependence becomes particularly significant at high spatial frequencies. In order to use an LCD for applications such as those mentioned above it is essential to have a lower (worst case) bound on the performance of the display. We address this problem by providing a mathematical model for the worst case output modulation of an LCD in response to a sine wave input. This function can be interpreted as a worst case modulation transfer function (MTF). The intersection of the worst case MTF with the contrast threshold function (CTF) of the human visual system defines the highest spatial frequency that will always be detectable. In addition to providing the worst case limiting resolution, this MTF is combined with the CTF to produce objective worst case image quality values using the modulation transfer function area (MTFA) metric.

Influence of Smoking Consumption and Nicotine Dependence Degree in Cardiac Autonomic Modulation

PubMed Central

dos Santos, Ana Paula Soares; Ramos, Dionei; de Oliveira, Gabriela Martins; dos Santos, Ana Alice Soares; Freire, Ana Paula Coelho Figueira; It, Juliana Tiyaki; Fernandes, Renato Peretti Prieto; Vanderlei, Luiz Carlos Marques; Ramos, Ercy Mara Cipulo

2016-01-01

Background Smoking consumption alters cardiac autonomic function. Objective Assess the influence of the intensity of smoking and the nicotine dependence degree in cardiac autonomic modulation evaluated through index of heart rate variability (HRV). Methods 83 smokers, of both genders, between 50 and 70 years of age and with normal lung function were divided according to the intensity of smoking consumption (moderate and severe) and the nicotine dependency degree (mild, moderate and severe). The indexes of HRV were analyzed in rest condition, in linear methods in the time domain (TD), the frequency domain (FD) and through the Poincaré plot. For the comparison of smoking consumption, unpaired t test or Mann-Whitney was employed. For the analysis between the nicotine dependency degrees, we used the One-way ANOVA test, followed by Tukey's post test or Kruskal-Wallis followed by Dunn's test. The significance level was p < 0,05. Results Differences were only found when compared to the different intensities of smoking consumption in the indexes in the FD. LFun (62.89 ± 15.24 vs 75.45 ± 10.28), which corresponds to low frequency spectrum component in normalized units; HFun (37.11 ± 15.24 vs 24.55 ± 10.28), which corresponds to high frequency spectrum component in normalized units and in the LF/HF ratio (2.21 ± 1.47 vs 4.07 ± 2.94). However, in the evaluation of nicotine dependency, significant differences were not observed (p > 0.05). Conclusion Only the intensity of smoking consumption had an influence over the cardiac autonomic modulation of the assessed tobacco smokers. Tobacco smokers with severe intensity of smoking consumption presented a lower autonomic modulation than those with moderate intensity. PMID:27142649

Frequency modulation and compression of optical pulses in an optical fibre with a travelling refractive-index wave

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zolotovskii, I O; Lapin, V A; Sementsov, D I

2016-01-31

We have studied the conditions for spectral broadening, frequency modulation and compression (both temporal and spectral) of Gaussian pulses propagating in a fibre with a travelling refractive-index wave. Analytical expressions have been derived for the dependences of pulse duration, chirp and spectral width on the distance travelled through the fibre, parameters of the fibre and radiation launched into it. Based on the numerical analysis we have studied the behaviour of these characteristics by changing the coefficient of the refractive-index modulation and other parameters of the travelling refractive-index wave. (nonlinear optical phenomena)

Self-similar gravity wave spectra resulting from the modulation of bound waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michel, Guillaume; Semin, Benoît; Cazaubiel, Annette; Haudin, Florence; Humbert, Thomas; Lepot, Simon; Bonnefoy, Félicien; Berhanu, Michaël; Falcon, Éric

2018-05-01

We experimentally study the properties of nonlinear surface gravity waves in a large-scale basin. We consider two different configurations: a one-dimensional (1D) monochromatic wave forcing, and a two-dimensional (2D) forcing with bichromatic waves satisfying resonant-wave interaction conditions. For the 1D forcing, we find a discrete wave-energy spectrum dominated at high frequencies by bound waves whose amplitudes decrease as a power law of the frequency. Bound waves (e.g., to the carrier) are harmonics superimposed on the carrier wave propagating with the same phase velocity as the one of the carrier. When a narrow frequency random modulation is applied to this carrier, the high-frequency part of the wave-energy spectrum becomes continuous with the same frequency-power law. Similar results are found for the 2D forcing when a random modulation is also applied to both carrier waves. Our results thus show that all these nonlinear gravity wave spectra are dominated at high frequencies by the presence of bound waves, even in the configuration where resonant interactions occur. Moreover, in all these configurations, the power-law exponent of the spectrum is found to depend on the forcing amplitude with the same trend as the one found in previous gravity wave turbulence experiments. Such a set of bound waves may thus explain this dependence that was previously poorly understood.

Computational models of O-LM cells are recruited by low or high theta frequency inputs depending on h-channel distributions

PubMed Central

Sekulić, Vladislav; Skinner, Frances K

2017-01-01

Although biophysical details of inhibitory neurons are becoming known, it is challenging to map these details onto function. Oriens-lacunosum/moleculare (O-LM) cells are inhibitory cells in the hippocampus that gate information flow, firing while phase-locked to theta rhythms. We build on our existing computational model database of O-LM cells to link model with function. We place our models in high-conductance states and modulate inhibitory inputs at a wide range of frequencies. We find preferred spiking recruitment of models at high (4–9 Hz) or low (2–5 Hz) theta depending on, respectively, the presence or absence of h-channels on their dendrites. This also depends on slow delayed-rectifier potassium channels, and preferred theta ranges shift when h-channels are potentiated by cyclic AMP. Our results suggest that O-LM cells can be differentially recruited by frequency-modulated inputs depending on specific channel types and distributions. This work exposes a strategy for understanding how biophysical characteristics contribute to function. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.22962.001 PMID:28318488

Power-Stepped HF Cross-Modulation Experiments: Simulations and Experimental Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greene, S.; Moore, R. C.

2014-12-01

High frequency (HF) cross modulation experiments are a well established means for probing the HF-modified characteristics of the D-region ionosphere. The interaction between the heating wave and the probing pulse depends on the ambient and modified conditions of the D-region ionosphere. Cross-modulation observations are employed as a measure of the HF-modified refractive index. We employ an optimized version of Fejer's method that we developed during previous experiments. Experiments were performed in March 2013 at the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) observatory in Gakona, Alaska. During these experiments, the power of the HF heating signal incrementally increased in order to determine the dependence of cross-modulation on HF power. We found that a simple power law relationship does not hold at high power levels, similar to previous ELF/VLF wave generation experiments. In this paper, we critically compare these experimental observations with the predictions of a numerical ionospheric HF heating model and demonstrate close agreement.

The Phosphorylation State of the Drosophila TRP Channel Modulates the Frequency Response to Oscillating Light In Vivo

PubMed Central

Rhodes-Mordov, Elisheva; Katz, Ben; Oberegelsbacher, Claudia; Yasin, Bushra; Tzadok, Hanan; Huber, Armin

2017-01-01

Drosophila photoreceptors respond to oscillating light of high frequency (∼100 Hz), while the detected maximal frequency is modulated by the light rearing conditions, thus enabling high sensitivity to light and high temporal resolution. However, the molecular basis for this adaptive process is unclear. Here, we report that dephosphorylation of the light-activated transient receptor potential (TRP) ion channel at S936 is a fast, graded, light-dependent, and Ca2+-dependent process that is partially modulated by the rhodopsin phosphatase retinal degeneration C (RDGC). Electroretinogram measurements of the frequency response to oscillating lights in vivo revealed that dark-reared flies expressing wild-type TRP exhibited a detection limit of oscillating light at relatively low frequencies, which was shifted to higher frequencies upon light adaptation. Strikingly, preventing phosphorylation of the S936-TRP site by alanine substitution in transgenic Drosophila (trpS936A) abolished the difference in frequency response between dark-adapted and light-adapted flies, resulting in high-frequency response also in dark-adapted flies. In contrast, inserting a phosphomimetic mutation by substituting the S936-TRP site to aspartic acid (trpS936D) set the frequency response of light-adapted flies to low frequencies typical of dark-adapted flies. Light-adapted rdgC mutant flies showed relatively high S936-TRP phosphorylation levels and light–dark phosphorylation dynamics. These findings suggest that RDGC is one but not the only phosphatase involved in pS936-TRP dephosphorylation. Together, this study indicates that TRP channel dephosphorylation is a regulatory process that affects the detection limit of oscillating light according to the light rearing condition, thus adjusting dynamic processing of visual information under varying light conditions. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Drosophila photoreceptors exhibit high temporal resolution as manifested in frequency response to oscillating light of high frequency (≤∼100 Hz). Light rearing conditions modulate the maximal frequency detected by photoreceptors, thus enabling them to maintain high sensitivity to light and high temporal resolution. However, the precise mechanisms for this process are not fully understood. Here, we show by combination of biochemistry and in vivo electrophysiology that transient receptor potential (TRP) channel dephosphorylation at a specific site is a fast, light-activated and Ca2+-dependent regulatory process. TRP dephosphorylation affects the detection limit of oscillating light according to the adaptation state of the photoreceptor cells by shifting the detection limit to higher frequencies upon light adaptation. This novel mechanism thus adjusts dynamic processing of visual information under varying light conditions. PMID:28314815

Frequency-Dependent Modulation of Regional Synchrony in the Human Brain by Eyes Open and Eyes Closed Resting-States.

PubMed

Song, Xiaopeng; Zhou, Shuqin; Zhang, Yi; Liu, Yijun; Zhu, Huaiqiu; Gao, Jia-Hong

2015-01-01

The eyes-open (EO) and eyes-closed (EC) states have differential effects on BOLD-fMRI signal dynamics, affecting both the BOLD oscillation frequency of a single voxel and the regional homogeneity (ReHo) of several neighboring voxels. To explore how the two resting-states modulate the local synchrony through different frequency bands, we decomposed the time series of each voxel into several components that fell into distinct frequency bands. The ReHo in each of the bands was calculated and compared between the EO and EC conditions. The cross-voxel correlations between the mean frequency and the overall ReHo of each voxel's original BOLD series in different brain areas were also calculated and compared between the two states. Compared with the EC state, ReHo decreased with EO in a wide frequency band of 0.01-0.25 Hz in the bilateral thalamus, sensorimotor network, and superior temporal gyrus, while ReHo increased significantly in the band of 0-0.01 Hz in the primary visual cortex, and in a higher frequency band of 0.02-0.1 Hz in the higher order visual areas. The cross-voxel correlations between the frequency and overall ReHo were negative in all the brain areas but varied from region to region. These correlations were stronger with EO in the visual network and the default mode network. Our results suggested that different frequency bands of ReHo showed different sensitivity to the modulation of EO-EC states. The better spatial consistency between the frequency and overall ReHo maps indicated that the brain might adopt a stricter frequency-dependent configuration with EO than with EC.

Modalities of Thinking: State and Trait Effects on Cross-Frequency Functional Independent Brain Networks.

PubMed

Milz, Patricia; Pascual-Marqui, Roberto D; Lehmann, Dietrich; Faber, Pascal L

2016-05-01

Functional states of the brain are constituted by the temporally attuned activity of spatially distributed neural networks. Such networks can be identified by independent component analysis (ICA) applied to frequency-dependent source-localized EEG data. This methodology allows the identification of networks at high temporal resolution in frequency bands of established location-specific physiological functions. EEG measurements are sensitive to neural activity changes in cortical areas of modality-specific processing. We tested effects of modality-specific processing on functional brain networks. Phasic modality-specific processing was induced via tasks (state effects) and tonic processing was assessed via modality-specific person parameters (trait effects). Modality-specific person parameters and 64-channel EEG were obtained from 70 male, right-handed students. Person parameters were obtained using cognitive style questionnaires, cognitive tests, and thinking modality self-reports. EEG was recorded during four conditions: spatial visualization, object visualization, verbalization, and resting. Twelve cross-frequency networks were extracted from source-localized EEG across six frequency bands using ICA. RMANOVAs, Pearson correlations, and path modelling examined effects of tasks and person parameters on networks. Results identified distinct state- and trait-dependent functional networks. State-dependent networks were characterized by decreased, trait-dependent networks by increased alpha activity in sub-regions of modality-specific pathways. Pathways of competing modalities showed opposing alpha changes. State- and trait-dependent alpha were associated with inhibitory and automated processing, respectively. Antagonistic alpha modulations in areas of competing modalities likely prevent intruding effects of modality-irrelevant processing. Considerable research suggested alpha modulations related to modality-specific states and traits. This study identified the distinct electrophysiological cortical frequency-dependent networks within which they operate.

Activation barrier scaling and crossover for noise-induced switching in micromechanical parametric oscillators.

PubMed

Chan, H B; Stambaugh, C

2007-08-10

We explore fluctuation-induced switching in parametrically driven micromechanical torsional oscillators. The oscillators possess one, two, or three stable attractors depending on the modulation frequency. Noise induces transitions between the coexisting attractors. Near the bifurcation points, the activation barriers are found to have a power law dependence on frequency detuning with critical exponents that are in agreement with predicted universal scaling relationships. At large detuning, we observe a crossover to a different power law dependence with an exponent that is device specific.

Gas mixing enhanced by power modulations in atmospheric pressure microwave plasma jet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voráč, J.; Potočňáková, L.; Synek, P.; Hnilica, J.; Kudrle, V.

2016-04-01

Microwave plasma jet operating in atmospheric pressure argon was power modulated by audio frequency sine envelope in the 102 W power range. Its effluent was imaged using interference filters and ICCD camera for several different phases of the modulating signal. The combination of this fast imaging with spatially resolved optical emission spectroscopy provides useful insights into the plasmachemical processes involved. Phase-resolved schlieren photography was performed to visualize the gas dynamics. The results show that for higher modulation frequencies the plasma chemistry is strongly influenced by formation of transient flow perturbation resembling a vortex during each period. The perturbation formation and speed are strongly influenced by the frequency and power variations while they depend only weakly on the working gas flow rate. From application point of view, the perturbation presence significantly broadened lateral distribution of active species, effectively increasing cross-sectional area suitable for applications.

Intensity modulation of HF heater-induced plasma lines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kuo, S. P.; Lee, M. C.

1990-01-01

The Arecibo HF heater is normally composed of two separate sets of antenna array, transmitting waves vertically at the same frequency and polarization. However, when these two sets of antenna array radiate at slightly different frequencies, the intensities of HF heater-induced plasma lines (HFPLs) can be drastically modulated. In recent Duncan et al.'s (1989) experiments the 100 percent intensity modulation of HFPLs was seen to persist even when the secondary set of antenna array radiated at a few percent of the power transmitted by the primary set of antenna array. An explanation is offered, and it is shown that there exists a minimum power, Pmin, and if the secondary set of antenna array radiates at a power lower than Pmin, the 100-percent intensity modulation of HFPLs will not be observed. The functional dependence of Pmin on the difference frequency of the two sets of antenna array is also predicted for future experiments to corroborate.

An ultrawide-bandwidth single-sideband modulator for terahertz frequencies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meijer, A. S.; Berden, G.; Arslanov, D. D.; Ozerov, M.; Jongma, R. T.; van der Zande, W. J.

2016-11-01

Wireless high-speed data communication using terahertz (THz) carrier frequencies is becoming reality with data rates beyond 100 Gbit s-1. Many of the mobile applications use internet access and require that THz wireless base stations are connected to a global network, such as the radio-over-fibre network. We present the realization of an ultrawide bandwidth THz optical single-sideband (OSSB) modulator for converting (free-space) THz signals to THz optical modulations with an increased spectral efficiency. THz OSSB will mitigate chromatic dispersion-induced propagation losses in optical fibres and support digital modulation schemes. We demonstrate THz OSSB for free-space radiation between 0.3 and 1.0 THz using a specially designed dichroic beamsplitter for signal and carrier, and a planar light-wave circuit with multimode interference structures. This arrangement of optical elements mimics the Hartley single-sideband modulator for electronics signals and accomplishes the required Hilbert transform without any frequency-dependent tuning element over an ultrawide THz spectrum.

Non-linear lumped model circuit of capacitively coupled plasmas at the intermediate radio-frequencies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shihab, Mohammed

2018-06-01

The discharge dynamics in geometrically asymmetric capacitively coupled plasmas are investigated via a lumped model circuit. A realistic reactor configuration is assumed. A single and two separate RF voltage sources are considered. One of the driven frequencies (the higher frequency) has been adjusted to excite a plasma series resonance, while the second frequency (the lower frequency) is in the range of the ion plasma frequency. Increasing the plasma pressure in the low pressure regime (≤ 100mTorr) is found to diminish the amplitude of the self-excited harmonics of the discharge current, however, the net result is enhancing the plasma heating. The modulation of the ion density with the lower driving frequency affect the plasma heating considerably. The net effect depends on the amplitude and the phase of the ion modulation.

Injection-locking of terahertz quantum cascade lasers up to 35GHz using RF amplitude modulation.

PubMed

Gellie, Pierre; Barbieri, Stefano; Lampin, Jean-François; Filloux, Pascal; Manquest, Christophe; Sirtori, Carlo; Sagnes, Isabelle; Khanna, Suraj P; Linfield, Edmund H; Davies, A Giles; Beere, Harvey; Ritchie, David

2010-09-27

We demonstrate that the cavity resonance frequency - the round-trip frequency - of Terahertz quantum cascade lasers can be injection-locked by direct modulation of the bias current using an RF source. Metal-metal and single-plasmon waveguide devices with roundtrip frequencies up to 35GHz have been studied, and show locking ranges above 200MHz. Inside this locking range the laser round-trip frequency is phase-locked, with a phase noise determined by the RF-synthesizer. We find a square-root dependence of the locking range with RF-power in agreement with classical injection-locking theory. These results are discussed in the context of mode-locking operation.

Input-Specific Gain Modulation by Local Sensory Context Shapes Cortical and Thalamic Responses to Complex Sounds.

PubMed

Williamson, Ross S; Ahrens, Misha B; Linden, Jennifer F; Sahani, Maneesh

2016-07-20

Sensory neurons are customarily characterized by one or more linearly weighted receptive fields describing sensitivity in sensory space and time. We show that in auditory cortical and thalamic neurons, the weight of each receptive field element depends on the pattern of sound falling within a local neighborhood surrounding it in time and frequency. Accounting for this change in effective receptive field with spectrotemporal context improves predictions of both cortical and thalamic responses to stationary complex sounds. Although context dependence varies among neurons and across brain areas, there are strong shared qualitative characteristics. In a spectrotemporally rich soundscape, sound elements modulate neuronal responsiveness more effectively when they coincide with sounds at other frequencies, and less effectively when they are preceded by sounds at similar frequencies. This local-context-driven lability in the representation of complex sounds-a modulation of "input-specific gain" rather than "output gain"-may be a widespread motif in sensory processing. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Phase-amplitude coupling supports phase coding in human ECoG

PubMed Central

Watrous, Andrew J; Deuker, Lorena; Fell, Juergen; Axmacher, Nikolai

2015-01-01

Prior studies have shown that high-frequency activity (HFA) is modulated by the phase of low-frequency activity. This phenomenon of phase-amplitude coupling (PAC) is often interpreted as reflecting phase coding of neural representations, although evidence for this link is still lacking in humans. Here, we show that PAC indeed supports phase-dependent stimulus representations for categories. Six patients with medication-resistant epilepsy viewed images of faces, tools, houses, and scenes during simultaneous acquisition of intracranial recordings. Analyzing 167 electrodes, we observed PAC at 43% of electrodes. Further inspection of PAC revealed that category specific HFA modulations occurred at different phases and frequencies of the underlying low-frequency rhythm, permitting decoding of categorical information using the phase at which HFA events occurred. These results provide evidence for categorical phase-coded neural representations and are the first to show that PAC coincides with phase-dependent coding in the human brain. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.07886.001 PMID:26308582

Discrete breathers dynamic in a model for DNA chain with a finite stacking enthalpy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gninzanlong, Carlos Lawrence; Ndjomatchoua, Frank Thomas; Tchawoua, Clément

2018-04-01

The nonlinear dynamics of a homogeneous DNA chain based on site-dependent finite stacking and pairing enthalpies is studied. A new variant of extended discrete nonlinear Schrödinger equation describing the dynamics of modulated wave is derived. The regions of discrete modulational instability of plane carrier waves are studied, and it appears that these zones depend strongly on the phonon frequency of Fourier's mode. The staggered/unstaggered discrete breather (SDB/USDB) is obtained straightforwardly without the staggering transformation, and it is demonstrated that SDBs are less unstable than USDB. The instability of discrete multi-humped SDB/USDB solution does not depend on the number of peaks of the discrete breather (DB). By using the concept of Peierls-Nabarro energy barrier, it appears that the low-frequency DBs are more mobile.

Spectral changes induced by a phase modulator acting as a time lens

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Plansinis, B. W.; Donaldson, W. R.; Agrawal, G. P.

2015-07-06

We show both numerically and experimentally that a phase modulator, acting as a time lens in the Fourier-lens configuration, can induce spectral broadening, narrowing, or shifts, depending on the phase of the modulator cycle. These spectral effects depend on the maximum phase shift that can be imposed by the modulator. In our numerical simulations, pulse spectrum could be compressed by a factor of 8 for a 30 rad phase shift. Experimentally, spectral shifts over a 1.35 nm range and spectral narrowing and broadening by a factor of 2 were demonstrated using a lithium niobate phase modulator with a maximum phasemore » shift of 16 rad at a 10 GHz modulation frequency. All spectral changes were accomplished without employing optical nonlinear effects such as self- or cross-phase modulation.« less

Separate channels for the analysis of the shape and the movement of moving visual stimulus.

PubMed

Tolhurst, D J

1973-06-01

1. The effects of temporal modulation on the properties of spatial frequency channels have been investigated using adaptation.2. Adapting to drifting sinusoidal gratings caused threshold elevation that was both spatial frequency and direction specific. Little systematic difference was found between the band widths of the elevation curves for drifting and stationary gratings.3. It was confirmed that adaptation fails to reveal channels at low spatial frequencies when stationary gratings are used. However, channels were revealed at frequencies at least as low as 0.66 c/deg when the test gratings were made to move. These channels are adapted only a little by stationary gratings, confirming their dependence on movement.4. The existence of movement-sensitive channels at low spatial frequencies explains the well known observation that temporal modulation greatly increases the sensitivity of the visual system to low spatial frequencies.5. Temporal modulation was effective at revealing these channels only when the flicker or movement of the test patterns was apparent to the observer; only at low spatial frequencies did patterns, modulated at low rates, actually appear to be temporarily modulated at threshold. At higher spatial frequencies, they were indistinguishable from stationary patterns until the contrast was some way above the detection threshold.6. It is suggested, therefore, that the movement-sensitive channels are responsible for signalling the occurrence of movement; the channels at higher spatial frequencies give no information about temporal changes. These two systems of channels are compared to the Y- and X-cells respectively of the cat.

Input-dependent frequency modulation of cortical gamma oscillations shapes spatial synchronization and enables phase coding.

PubMed

Lowet, Eric; Roberts, Mark; Hadjipapas, Avgis; Peter, Alina; van der Eerden, Jan; De Weerd, Peter

2015-02-01

Fine-scale temporal organization of cortical activity in the gamma range (∼25-80Hz) may play a significant role in information processing, for example by neural grouping ('binding') and phase coding. Recent experimental studies have shown that the precise frequency of gamma oscillations varies with input drive (e.g. visual contrast) and that it can differ among nearby cortical locations. This has challenged theories assuming widespread gamma synchronization at a fixed common frequency. In the present study, we investigated which principles govern gamma synchronization in the presence of input-dependent frequency modulations and whether they are detrimental for meaningful input-dependent gamma-mediated temporal organization. To this aim, we constructed a biophysically realistic excitatory-inhibitory network able to express different oscillation frequencies at nearby spatial locations. Similarly to cortical networks, the model was topographically organized with spatially local connectivity and spatially-varying input drive. We analyzed gamma synchronization with respect to phase-locking, phase-relations and frequency differences, and quantified the stimulus-related information represented by gamma phase and frequency. By stepwise simplification of our models, we found that the gamma-mediated temporal organization could be reduced to basic synchronization principles of weakly coupled oscillators, where input drive determines the intrinsic (natural) frequency of oscillators. The gamma phase-locking, the precise phase relation and the emergent (measurable) frequencies were determined by two principal factors: the detuning (intrinsic frequency difference, i.e. local input difference) and the coupling strength. In addition to frequency coding, gamma phase contained complementary stimulus information. Crucially, the phase code reflected input differences, but not the absolute input level. This property of relative input-to-phase conversion, contrasting with latency codes or slower oscillation phase codes, may resolve conflicting experimental observations on gamma phase coding. Our modeling results offer clear testable experimental predictions. We conclude that input-dependency of gamma frequencies could be essential rather than detrimental for meaningful gamma-mediated temporal organization of cortical activity.

Input-Dependent Frequency Modulation of Cortical Gamma Oscillations Shapes Spatial Synchronization and Enables Phase Coding

PubMed Central

Lowet, Eric; Roberts, Mark; Hadjipapas, Avgis; Peter, Alina; van der Eerden, Jan; De Weerd, Peter

2015-01-01

Fine-scale temporal organization of cortical activity in the gamma range (∼25–80Hz) may play a significant role in information processing, for example by neural grouping (‘binding’) and phase coding. Recent experimental studies have shown that the precise frequency of gamma oscillations varies with input drive (e.g. visual contrast) and that it can differ among nearby cortical locations. This has challenged theories assuming widespread gamma synchronization at a fixed common frequency. In the present study, we investigated which principles govern gamma synchronization in the presence of input-dependent frequency modulations and whether they are detrimental for meaningful input-dependent gamma-mediated temporal organization. To this aim, we constructed a biophysically realistic excitatory-inhibitory network able to express different oscillation frequencies at nearby spatial locations. Similarly to cortical networks, the model was topographically organized with spatially local connectivity and spatially-varying input drive. We analyzed gamma synchronization with respect to phase-locking, phase-relations and frequency differences, and quantified the stimulus-related information represented by gamma phase and frequency. By stepwise simplification of our models, we found that the gamma-mediated temporal organization could be reduced to basic synchronization principles of weakly coupled oscillators, where input drive determines the intrinsic (natural) frequency of oscillators. The gamma phase-locking, the precise phase relation and the emergent (measurable) frequencies were determined by two principal factors: the detuning (intrinsic frequency difference, i.e. local input difference) and the coupling strength. In addition to frequency coding, gamma phase contained complementary stimulus information. Crucially, the phase code reflected input differences, but not the absolute input level. This property of relative input-to-phase conversion, contrasting with latency codes or slower oscillation phase codes, may resolve conflicting experimental observations on gamma phase coding. Our modeling results offer clear testable experimental predictions. We conclude that input-dependency of gamma frequencies could be essential rather than detrimental for meaningful gamma-mediated temporal organization of cortical activity. PMID:25679780

Dependence of the Startle Response on Temporal and Spectral Characteristics of Acoustic Modulatory Influences in Rats and Gerbils

PubMed Central

Steube, Natalie; Nowotny, Manuela; Pilz, Peter K. D.; Gaese, Bernhard H.

2016-01-01

The acoustic startle response (ASR) and its modulation by non-startling prepulses, presented shortly before the startle-eliciting stimulus, is a broadly applied test paradigm to determine changes in neural processing related to auditory or psychiatric disorders. Modulation by a gap in background noise as a prepulse is especially used for tinnitus assessment. However, the timing and frequency-related aspects of prepulses are not fully understood. The present study aims to investigate temporal and spectral characteristics of acoustic stimuli that modulate the ASR in rats and gerbils. For noise-burst prepulses, inhibition was frequency-independent in gerbils in the test range between 4 and 18 kHz. Prepulse inhibition (PPI) by noise-bursts in rats was constant in a comparable range (8–22 kHz), but lower outside this range. Purely temporal aspects of prepulse–startle-interactions were investigated for gap-prepulses focusing mainly on gap duration. While very short gaps had no (rats) or slightly facilitatory (gerbils) influence on the ASR, longer gaps always had a strong inhibitory effect. Inhibition increased with durations up to 75 ms and remained at a high level of inhibition for durations up to 1000 ms for both, rats and gerbils. Determining spectral influences on gap-prepulse inhibition (gap-PPI) revealed that gerbils were unaffected in the limited frequency range tested (4–18 kHz). The more detailed analysis in rats revealed a variety of frequency-dependent effects. Gaps in pure-tone background elicited constant and high inhibition (around 75%) over a broad frequency range (4–32 kHz). For gaps in noise-bands, on the other hand, a clear frequency-dependency was found: inhibition was around 50% at lower frequencies (6–14 kHz) and around 70% at high frequencies (16–20 kHz). This pattern of frequency-dependency in rats was specifically resulting from the inhibitory effect by the gaps, as revealed by detailed analysis of the underlying startle amplitudes. An interaction of temporal and spectral influences, finally, resulted in higher inhibition for 500 ms gaps than for 75 ms gaps at all frequencies tested. Improved prepulse paradigms based on these results are well suited to quantify the consequences of central processing disorders. PMID:27445728

Traveling-Wave Tube Amplifier Model to Predict High-Order Modulation Intersymbol Interference

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kory, Carol L.; Andro, Monty; Williams, W. D. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Demands for increased data rates in satellite communications necessitate higher order modulation schemes, larger system bandwidth, and minimum distortion of the modulated signal as it is passed through the traveling wave tube amplifier (TWTA). One type of distortion that the TWTA contributes to is intersymbol interference (ISI), and this becomes particularly disruptive with wide-band, complex modulation schemes. It is suspected that in addition to the dispersion of the TWT, frequency dependent reflections due to mismatches within the TWT are a significant contributor to ISI. To experimentally investigate the effect of these mismatches within the physical TWT on ISI would be prohibitively expensive, as it would require manufacturing numerous amplifiers in addition to the acquisition of the required digital hardware. In an attempt to develop a more accurate model to correlate IS1 with the TWTA and the operational signal, a fully three-dimensional (3D), time-dependent, TWT interaction model has been developed using the electromagnetic particle-in-cell (PIC) code MAFIA (solution of Maxwell's equations by the Finite-Integration-Algorithm). The model includes a user defined slow-wave circuit with a spatially tapered region of loss to implement a sever, and spatially varied geometry (such as helical pitch) to implement a phase velocity taper. The model also includes user defined input/output coupling and an electron beam contained by solenoidal, electrostatic, or periodic permanent magnet (PPM) focusing allowing standard or novel TWTs to be investigated. This model comprehensively takes into account the effects of frequency dependent nonlinear distortions (MAM and AMPM); gain ripple due to frequency dependent reflections at the input/output coupling, severs, and mismatches from dynamic pitch variations; drive induced oscillations; harmonic generation; intermodulation products; and backward waves.

PACAP/PAC1R signaling modulates acetylcholine release at neuronal nicotinic synapses

PubMed Central

Pugh, Phyllis C.; Jayakar, Selwyn S.; Margiotta, Joseph F.

2009-01-01

Neuropeptides collaborate with conventional neurotransmitters to regulate synaptic output. Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) co-localizes with acetylcholine in presynaptic nerve terminals, is released by stimulation, and enhances nicotinic acetylcholine receptor- (nAChR-) mediated responses. Such findings implicate PACAP in modulating nicotinic neurotransmission, but relevant synaptic mechanisms have not been explored. We show here that PACAP acts via selective high-affinity G-protein coupled receptors (PAC1Rs) to enhance transmission at nicotinic synapses on parasympathetic ciliary ganglion (CG) neurons by rapidly and persistently increasing the frequency and amplitude of spontaneous, impulse-dependent nicotinic excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs). Of the canonical adenylate cyclase (AC) and phospholipase-C (PLC) transduction cascades stimulated by PACAP/PAC1R signaling, only AC-generated signals are critical for synaptic modulation since the increases in sEPSC frequency and amplitude were mimicked by 8-Bromo-cAMP, blocked by inhibiting AC or cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA), and unaffected by inhibiting PLC. Despite its ability to increase agonist-induced nAChR currents, PACAP failed to influence nAChR-mediated impulse-independent miniature EPSC amplitudes (quantal size). Instead, evoked transmission assays reveal that PACAP/PAC1R signaling increased quantal content, indicating it modulates synaptic function by increasing vesicular ACh release from presynaptic terminals. Lastly, signals generated by the retrograde messenger, nitric oxide- (NO-) are critical for the synaptic modulation since the PACAP-induced increases in spontaneous EPSC frequency, amplitude and quantal content were mimicked by NO donor and absent after inhibiting NO synthase (NOS). These results indicate that PACAP/PAC1R activation recruits AC-dependent signaling that stimulates NOS to increase NO production and control presynaptic transmitter output at neuronal nicotinic synapses. PMID:19958833

Characterization of Anisotropic Leaky Mode Modulators for Holovideo

PubMed Central

Gneiting, Scott; Kimball, Jacob; Henrie, Andrew; McLaughlin, Stephen; DeGraw, Taylor; Smalley, Daniel

2016-01-01

Holovideo displays are based on light-bending spatial light modulators. One such spatial light modulator is the anisotropic leaky mode modulator. This modulator is particularly well suited for holographic video experimentation as it is relatively simple and inexpensive to fabricate1-3. Some additional advantages of leaky mode devices include: large aggregate bandwidth, polarization separation of signal light from noise, large angular deflection and frequency control of color1. In order to realize these advantages, it is necessary to be able to adequately characterize these devices as their operation is strongly dependent on waveguide and transducer parameters4. To characterize the modulators, the authors use a commercial prism coupler as well as a custom characterization apparatus to identify guided modes, calculate waveguide thickness and finally to map the device's frequency input and angular output of leaky mode modulators. This work gives a detailed description of the measurement and characterization of leaky mode modulators suitable for full-color holographic video. PMID:27023115

Frequency-domain phase fluorometry in the presence of dark states: A numerical study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Xinxin; Min, Wei

2011-11-01

Fluorescence anomalous phase advance (FAPA) is a newly discovered spectroscopy phenomenon: instead of lagging behind the modulated light, fluorescence signal can exhibit FAPA as if it precedes the excitation source in time. While FAPA offers a promising technique for probing dark state lifetime, the underlying mechanism is not fully elucidated. Herein we investigate frequency-domain phase fluorometry as a result of intricate interplay between a short-lived fluorescent state and a long-lived dark state. In particular, the quantitative dependence on modulation frequency, excitation intensity, nonradiative decay, intersystem crossing and dark-state lifetime are explored respectively. A comprehensive view of phase fluorometry emerges consequently.

Optimization of VLf/ELF Wave Generation using Beam Painting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robinson, A.; Moore, R. C.

2017-12-01

A novel optimized beam painting algorithm (OBP) is used to generate high amplitude very low frequency (VLF) and extremely low frequency (ELF) waves in the D-region of the ionosphere above the High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) observatory. The OBP method creates a phased array of sources in the ionosphere by varying the azimuth and zenith angles of the high frequency (HF) transmitter to capitalize on the constructive interference of propagating VLF/ELF waves. OBP generates higher amplitude VLF/ELF signals than any other previously proposed method. From April through June during 2014, OBP was performed at HAARP over 1200 times. We compare the BP generated signals against vertical amplitude modulated transmissions at 50 % duty cycle (V), oblique amplitude modulated transmissions at 15 degrees zenith and 81 degrees azimuth at 50 % duty cycle (O), and geometric (circle-sweep) modulation at 15 degrees off-zenith angle at 1562.5 Hz, 3125 Hz, and 5000 Hz. We present an analysis of the directional dependence of each signal, its polarization, and its dependence on the properties of the different source region elements. We find that BP increases the received signal amplitudes of VLF and ELF waves when compared to V, O, and GM methods over a statistically significant number of trials.

Portable atomic frequency standard based on coherent population trapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Fan; Yang, Renfu; Nian, Feng; Zhang, Zhenwei; Cui, Yongshun; Zhao, Huan; Wang, Nuanrang; Feng, Keming

2015-05-01

In this work, a portable atomic frequency standard based on coherent population trapping is designed and demonstrated. To achieve a portable prototype, in the system, a single transverse mode 795nm VCSEL modulated by a 3.4GHz RF source is used as a pump laser which generates coherent light fields. The pump beams pass through a vapor cell containing atom gas and buffer gas. This vapor cell is surrounded by a magnetic shield and placed inside a solenoid which applies a longitudinal magnetic field to lift the Zeeman energy levels' degeneracy and to separate the resonance signal, which has no first-order magnetic field dependence, from the field-dependent resonances. The electrical control system comprises two control loops. The first one locks the laser wavelength to the minimum of the absorption spectrum; the second one locks the modulation frequency and output standard frequency. Furthermore, we designed the micro physical package and realized the locking of a coherent population trapping atomic frequency standard portable prototype successfully. The short-term frequency stability of the whole system is measured to be 6×10-11 for averaging times of 1s, and reaches 5×10-12 at an averaging time of 1000s.

Network models of frequency modulated sweep detection.

PubMed

Skorheim, Steven; Razak, Khaleel; Bazhenov, Maxim

2014-01-01

Frequency modulated (FM) sweeps are common in species-specific vocalizations, including human speech. Auditory neurons selective for the direction and rate of frequency change in FM sweeps are present across species, but the synaptic mechanisms underlying such selectivity are only beginning to be understood. Even less is known about mechanisms of experience-dependent changes in FM sweep selectivity. We present three network models of synaptic mechanisms of FM sweep direction and rate selectivity that explains experimental data: (1) The 'facilitation' model contains frequency selective cells operating as coincidence detectors, summing up multiple excitatory inputs with different time delays. (2) The 'duration tuned' model depends on interactions between delayed excitation and early inhibition. The strength of delayed excitation determines the preferred duration. Inhibitory rebound can reinforce the delayed excitation. (3) The 'inhibitory sideband' model uses frequency selective inputs to a network of excitatory and inhibitory cells. The strength and asymmetry of these connections results in neurons responsive to sweeps in a single direction of sufficient sweep rate. Variations of these properties, can explain the diversity of rate-dependent direction selectivity seen across species. We show that the inhibitory sideband model can be trained using spike timing dependent plasticity (STDP) to develop direction selectivity from a non-selective network. These models provide a means to compare the proposed synaptic and spectrotemporal mechanisms of FM sweep processing and can be utilized to explore cellular mechanisms underlying experience- or training-dependent changes in spectrotemporal processing across animal models. Given the analogy between FM sweeps and visual motion, these models can serve a broader function in studying stimulus movement across sensory epithelia.

Walking modulates speed sensitivity in Drosophila motion vision.

PubMed

Chiappe, M Eugenia; Seelig, Johannes D; Reiser, Michael B; Jayaraman, Vivek

2010-08-24

Changes in behavioral state modify neural activity in many systems. In some vertebrates such modulation has been observed and interpreted in the context of attention and sensorimotor coordinate transformations. Here we report state-dependent activity modulations during walking in a visual-motor pathway of Drosophila. We used two-photon imaging to monitor intracellular calcium activity in motion-sensitive lobula plate tangential cells (LPTCs) in head-fixed Drosophila walking on an air-supported ball. Cells of the horizontal system (HS)--a subgroup of LPTCs--showed stronger calcium transients in response to visual motion when flies were walking rather than resting. The amplified responses were also correlated with walking speed. Moreover, HS neurons showed a relatively higher gain in response strength at higher temporal frequencies, and their optimum temporal frequency was shifted toward higher motion speeds. Walking-dependent modulation of HS neurons in the Drosophila visual system may constitute a mechanism to facilitate processing of higher image speeds in behavioral contexts where these speeds of visual motion are relevant for course stabilization. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Experimental measurement and theoretical modeling of microwave scattering and the structure of the sea surface influencing radar observations from space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arnold, David; Kong, J. A.

1992-01-01

The electromagnetic (EM) bias 'epsilon' is an error present in radar altimetry of the ocean due to the nonuniform reflection from wave troughs and crests. The EM bias is defined as the difference between the mean reflecting surface and the mean sea surface. A knowledge of the EM bias is necessary to permit error reduction in mean sea level measurements by satellite radar altimeters. Direct measurements of the EM bias were made from a Shell Offshore oil production platform in the Gulf of Mexico for a six month period during 1989 and 1990. Measurements of the EM bias were made at 5 and 14 Ghz. During the EM bias experiments by Melville et al., a wire wave gauge was used to obtain the modulation of the high frequency waves by the low frequency waves. It became apparent that the EM bias was primarily caused by the modulation of the short waves. This was reported by Arnold et al. The EM bias is explained using physical optics scattering and an empirical model for the short wave modulation. Measurements of the short wave modulation using a wire wave gauge demonstrated a linear dependence of the normalized bias on the short wave modulation strength, M. The theory accurately predicts this dependence by the relation epsilon = -alphaMH sub 1/3. The wind speed dependence of the normalized bias is explained by the dependence of the short wave modulation strength on the wind speed. While other effects such as long wave tilt and curvature will have an effect on the bias, the primary cause of the bias is shown to be due to the short wave modulation. This report will present a theory using physical optics scattering and an empirical model of the short wave modulation to estimate the EM bias. The estimated EM bias will be compared to measurements at C and Ku bands.

Temporal properties of responses to sound in the ventral nucleus of the lateral lemniscus.

PubMed

Recio-Spinoso, Alberto; Joris, Philip X

2014-02-01

Besides the rapid fluctuations in pressure that constitute the "fine structure" of a sound stimulus, slower fluctuations in the sound's envelope represent an important temporal feature. At various stages in the auditory system, neurons exhibit tuning to envelope frequency and have been described as modulation filters. We examine such tuning in the ventral nucleus of the lateral lemniscus (VNLL) of the pentobarbital-anesthetized cat. The VNLL is a large but poorly accessible auditory structure that provides a massive inhibitory input to the inferior colliculus. We test whether envelope filtering effectively applies to the envelope spectrum when multiple envelope components are simultaneously present. We find two broad classes of response with often complementary properties. The firing rate of onset neurons is tuned to a band of modulation frequencies, over which they also synchronize strongly to the envelope waveform. Although most sustained neurons show little firing rate dependence on modulation frequency, some of them are weakly tuned. The latter neurons are usually band-pass or low-pass tuned in synchronization, and a reverse-correlation approach demonstrates that their modulation tuning is preserved to nonperiodic, noisy envelope modulations of a tonal carrier. Modulation tuning to this type of stimulus is weaker for onset neurons. In response to broadband noise, sustained and onset neurons tend to filter out envelope components over a frequency range consistent with their modulation tuning to periodically modulated tones. The results support a role for VNLL in providing temporal reference signals to the auditory midbrain.

Coupling of conservative and dissipative forces in frequency-modulation atomic force microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sader, John E.; Jarvis, Suzanne P.

2006-11-01

Frequency modulation atomic force microscopy (FM-AFM) utilizes the principle of self-excitation to ensure the cantilever probe vibrates at its resonant frequency, regardless of the tip-sample interaction. Practically, this is achieved by fixing the phase difference between tip deflection and driving force at precisely 90° . This, in turn, decouples the frequency shift and excitation amplitude signals, enabling quantitative interpretation in terms of conservative and dissipative tip-sample interaction forces. In this article, we theoretically investigate the effect of phase detuning in the self-excitation mechanism on the coupling between conservative and dissipative forces in FM-AFM. We find that this coupling depends only on the relative difference in the drive and resonant frequencies far from the surface, and is thus very weakly dependent on the actual phase error particularly for high quality factors. This establishes that FM-AFM is highly robust with respect to phase detuning, and enables quantitative interpretation of the measured frequency shift and excitation amplitude, even while operating away from the resonant frequency with the use of appropriate replacements in the existing formalism. We also examine the calibration of phase shifts in FM-AFM measurements and demonstrate that the commonly used approach of minimizing the excitation amplitude can lead to significant phase detuning, particularly in liquid environments.

Gain compression and its dependence on output power in quantum dot lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhukov, A. E.; Maximov, M. V.; Savelyev, A. V.; Shernyakov, Yu. M.; Zubov, F. I.; Korenev, V. V.; Martinez, A.; Ramdane, A.; Provost, J.-G.; Livshits, D. A.

2013-06-01

The gain compression coefficient was evaluated by applying the frequency modulation/amplitude modulation technique in a distributed feedback InAs/InGaAs quantum dot laser. A strong dependence of the gain compression coefficient on the output power was found. Our analysis of the gain compression within the frame of the modified well-barrier hole burning model reveals that the gain compression coefficient decreases beyond the lasing threshold, which is in a good agreement with the experimental observations.

Influence of damped propagation of dopant on the static and frequency-dependent third nonlinear polarizability of quantum dot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pal, Suvajit; Ghosh, Manas

2014-07-01

We investigate the profiles of diagonal components of static and frequency-dependent third nonlinear (γxxxx and γyyyy) polarizability of repulsive impurity doped quantum dots. The dopant impurity potential takes a GAUSSIAN form. We have considered propagation of the dopant within an environment that damps the motion. The study focuses on role of damping strength on the diagonal components of both static and frequency-dependent third nonlinear polarizability of the doped system. The doped system is further exposed to an external electric field of given intensity. Damping subtly modulates the dot-impurity interaction and fabricates the polarizability components in a noticeable manner.

Determination of the ferrimagnetic precession cone of in-plane magnetized garnet films using optical modulation technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bahlmann, N.; Gerhardt, R.; Wallenhorst, M.; Dötsch, H.

1996-10-01

Magnetic garnet films of composition (A, Bi)3(Fe, B)5 O12 are grown by liquid phase epitaxy on [111] oriented substrates of Gd3 Ga5 O12, where A=yttrium or lutetium and B=aluminum or gallium. The ferrimagnetic resonance (FMR) of in-plane magnetized films is studied by analyzing the modulation of light, which passes the film parallel to the film normal. Modulation efficiencies up to 1.8% at 2.9 GHz are observed at a wavelength of 0.633 μm. From the measured modulation intensities the precession angles of the FMR are derived. The dependence of the precession cone on the excitation frequency or on the external induction shows a foldover effect which, however, is smaller than for the FMR of perpendicularly magnetized films. Maximum precession angles up to 14° are achieved and the experiments indicate that saturation occurs. Light modulation is also observed at the first harmonic frequency, but the intensity is about 300 times weaker than at the fundamental frequency.

Spectrotemporal modulation sensitivity for hearing-impaired listeners: dependence on carrier center frequency and the relationship to speech intelligibility.

PubMed

Mehraei, Golbarg; Gallun, Frederick J; Leek, Marjorie R; Bernstein, Joshua G W

2014-07-01

Poor speech understanding in noise by hearing-impaired (HI) listeners is only partly explained by elevated audiometric thresholds. Suprathreshold-processing impairments such as reduced temporal or spectral resolution or temporal fine-structure (TFS) processing ability might also contribute. Although speech contains dynamic combinations of temporal and spectral modulation and TFS content, these capabilities are often treated separately. Modulation-depth detection thresholds for spectrotemporal modulation (STM) applied to octave-band noise were measured for normal-hearing and HI listeners as a function of temporal modulation rate (4-32 Hz), spectral ripple density [0.5-4 cycles/octave (c/o)] and carrier center frequency (500-4000 Hz). STM sensitivity was worse than normal for HI listeners only for a low-frequency carrier (1000 Hz) at low temporal modulation rates (4-12 Hz) and a spectral ripple density of 2 c/o, and for a high-frequency carrier (4000 Hz) at a high spectral ripple density (4 c/o). STM sensitivity for the 4-Hz, 4-c/o condition for a 4000-Hz carrier and for the 4-Hz, 2-c/o condition for a 1000-Hz carrier were correlated with speech-recognition performance in noise after partialling out the audiogram-based speech-intelligibility index. Poor speech-reception and STM-detection performance for HI listeners may be related to a combination of reduced frequency selectivity and a TFS-processing deficit limiting the ability to track spectral-peak movements.

Terahertz spectroscopic evidence of non-Fermi-liquid-like behavior in structurally modulated PrNi O3 thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phanindra, V. Eswara; Agarwal, Piyush; Rana, D. S.

2018-01-01

The intertwined and competing energy scales of various interactions in rare-earth nickelates R Ni O3 (R =La to Lu) hold potential for a wide range of exotic ground states realized upon structural modulation. Using terahertz (THz) spectroscopy, the low-energy dynamics of a novel non-Fermi liquid (NFL) metallic phase induced in compressive PrNi O3 thin film was studied by evaluating the quasiparticle scattering rate in the light of two distinct models over a wide temperature range. First, evaluating THz conductivity in the framework of extended Drude model, the frequency-dependent scattering rate is found to deviate from the Landau Fermi liquid (LFL) behavior, thus, suggesting NFL-like phase at THz frequencies. Second, fitting THz conductivity to the multiband Drude-Lorentz model reveals the band-dependent scattering rates and provides microscopic interpretation of the carriers contributing to the Drude modes. This is first evidence of NFL-like behavior in nickelates at THz frequencies consistent with dc conductivity, which also suggests that THz technology is indispensable in understanding emerging electronic phases and associated phenomena. We further demonstrate that the metal-insulator transition in nickelates has the potential to design efficient THz modulators.

Photonics-based microwave frequency measurement using a double-sideband suppressed-carrier modulation and an InP integrated ring-assisted Mach-Zehnder interferometer filter.

PubMed

Fandiño, Javier S; Muñoz, Pascual

2013-11-01

A photonic system capable of estimating the unknown frequency of a CW microwave tone is presented. The core of the system is a complementary optical filter monolithically integrated in InP, consisting of a ring-assisted Mach-Zehnder interferometer with a second-order elliptic response. By simultaneously measuring the different optical powers produced by a double-sideband suppressed-carrier modulation at the outputs of the photonic integrated circuit, an amplitude comparison function that depends on the input tone frequency is obtained. Using this technique, a frequency measurement range of 10 GHz (5-15 GHz) with a root mean square value of frequency error lower than 200 MHz is experimentally demonstrated. Moreover, simulations showing the impact of a residual optical carrier on system performance are also provided.

Dynamic response of a fiber-optic ring resonator: Analysis with influences of light-source parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seraji, Faramarz E.

2009-03-01

In practice, dynamic behavior of fiber-optic ring resonator (FORR) appears as a detrimental factor to influence the transmission response of the FORR. This paper presents dynamic response analysis of the FORR by considering phase modulation of the FORR loop and sinewave modulation of input signal applied to the FORR from a laser diode. The analysis investigates the influences of modulation frequency and amplitude modulation index of laser diode, loop delay time of the FORR, phase angle between FM and AM response of laser diode, and laser diode line-width on dynamic response of the FORR. The analysis shows that the transient response of the FORR strongly depends on the product of modulation frequency and loop delay time, coupling and transmission coefficients of the FORR. The analyses presented here may have applications in optical systems employing an FORR with a laser diode source.

Transient nutation electron spin resonance spectroscopy on spin-correlated radical pairs: A theoretical analysis on hyperfine-induced nuclear modulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weber, Stefan; Kothe, Gerd; Norris, James R.

1997-04-01

The influence of anisotropic hyperfine interaction on transient nutation electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) of light-induced spin-correlated radical pairs is studied theoretically using the density operator formalism. Analytical expressions for the time evolution of the transient EPR signal during selective microwave excitation of single transitions are derived for a model system comprised of a weakly coupled radical pair and one hyperfine-coupled nucleus with I=1/2. Zero-quantum electron coherence and single-quantum nuclear coherence are created as a result of the sudden light-induced generation of the radical pair state from a singlet-state precursor. Depending on the relative sizes of the nuclear Zeeman frequency and the secular and pseudo-secular parts of the hyperfine coupling, transitions between levels with different nuclear spin orientations are predicted to modulate the time-dependent EPR signal. These modulations are in addition to the well-known transient nutations and electron zero-quantum precessions. Our calculations provide insight into the mechanism of recent experimental observations of coherent nuclear modulations in the time-resolved EPR signals of doublets and radical pairs. Two distinct mechanisms of the modulations are presented for various microwave magnetic field strengths. The first modulation scheme arises from electron and nuclear coherences initiated by the laser excitation pulse and is "read out" by the weak microwave magnetic field. While the relative modulation depth of these oscillations with respect to the signal intensity is independent of the Rabi frequency, ω1, the frequencies of this coherence phenomenon are modulated by the effective microwave amplitude and determined by the nuclear Zeeman interaction and hyperfine coupling constants as well as the electron-electron spin exchange and dipolar interactions between the two radical pair halves. In a second mechanism the modulations are both created and detected by the microwave radiation. Here, the laser pulse merely defines the beginning of the microwave-induced coherent time evolution. This second mechanism appears the most consistent with current experimental observations.

Asynchronous signal-dependent non-uniform sampler

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Can-Cimino, Azime; Chaparro, Luis F.; Sejdić, Ervin

2014-05-01

Analog sparse signals resulting from biomedical and sensing network applications are typically non-stationary with frequency-varying spectra. By ignoring that the maximum frequency of their spectra is changing, uniform sampling of sparse signals collects unnecessary samples in quiescent segments of the signal. A more appropriate sampling approach would be signal-dependent. Moreover, in many of these applications power consumption and analog processing are issues of great importance that need to be considered. In this paper we present a signal dependent non-uniform sampler that uses a Modified Asynchronous Sigma Delta Modulator which consumes low-power and can be processed using analog procedures. Using Prolate Spheroidal Wave Functions (PSWF) interpolation of the original signal is performed, thus giving an asynchronous analog to digital and digital to analog conversion. Stable solutions are obtained by using modulated PSWFs functions. The advantage of the adapted asynchronous sampler is that range of frequencies of the sparse signal is taken into account avoiding aliasing. Moreover, it requires saving only the zero-crossing times of the non-uniform samples, or their differences, and the reconstruction can be done using their quantized values and a PSWF-based interpolation. The range of frequencies analyzed can be changed and the sampler can be implemented as a bank of filters for unknown range of frequencies. The performance of the proposed algorithm is illustrated with an electroencephalogram (EEG) signal.

Modulation of cochlear responses in the guinea pig by low-frequency, phase-shifted maskers following noise trauma.

PubMed

Hoehmann, D; Müller, S; Dornhoffer, J L

1995-01-01

Low-frequency acoustic biasing using an intensive phase-shifted, low-frequency masker was studied according to its ability to determine disorders of cochlear micromechanics following noise trauma in the guinea pig as animal model. Statistical analyses proved that this technique allowed electrophysiological differentiation of controls versus groups with different degrees of experimentally induced threshold shifts. To substantiate group differences an intensity of at least 70 dB SPL was required for the 52 Hz masker and the difference in relation to the test-tone intensity had to be +/- 10 or +/- 20 dB SPL. The noise-traumatized cochlea could be identified by means of a threshold shift for the 5 microV pseudothreshold, a low modulation span of the compound action potential amplitude (< 25-50 microV frequency dependent), and reduced positive summating potential amplitude with negative non-modulating values within the different measurement phases for 1 and 2 kHz stimulation.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mohanty, Soumya D.; Nayak, Rajesh K.

The space based gravitational wave detector LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) is expected to observe a large population of Galactic white dwarf binaries whose collective signal is likely to dominate instrumental noise at observational frequencies in the range 10{sup -4} to 10{sup -3} Hz. The motion of LISA modulates the signal of each binary in both frequency and amplitude--the exact modulation depending on the source direction and frequency. Starting with the observed response of one LISA interferometer and assuming only Doppler modulation due to the orbital motion of LISA, we show how the distribution of the entire binary population inmore » frequency and sky position can be reconstructed using a tomographic approach. The method is linear and the reconstruction of a delta-function distribution, corresponding to an isolated binary, yields a point spread function (psf). An arbitrary distribution and its reconstruction are related via smoothing with this psf. Exploratory results are reported demonstrating the recovery of binary sources, in the presence of white Gaussian noise.« less

Photoassociation dynamics driven by a modulated two-color laser field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Wei; Zhao, Ze-Yu; Xie, Ting; Wang, Gao-Ren; Huang, Yin; Cong, Shu-Lin

2011-11-01

Photoassociation (PA) dynamics of ultracold cesium atoms steered by a modulated two-color laser field E(t)=E0f(t)cos((2π)/(Tp)-φ)cos(ωLt) is investigated theoretically by numerically solving the time-dependent Schrödinger equation. The PA dynamics is sensitive to the phase of envelope (POE) φ and the period of the envelope Tp, which indicates that it can be controlled by varying POE φ and period Tp. Moreover, we introduce the time- and frequency-resolved spectrum to illustrate how the POE φ and the period Tp influence the intensity distribution of the modulated laser pulse and hence change the time-dependent population distribution of photoassociated molecules. When the Gaussian envelope contains a few oscillations, the PA efficiency is also dependent on POE φ. The modulated two-color laser field is available in the current experiment based on laser mode-lock technology.

A diode laser-based velocimeter providing point measurements in unseeded flows using modulated filtered Rayleigh scattering (MFRS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jagodzinski, Jeremy James

2007-12-01

The development to date of a diode-laser based velocimeter providing point-velocity-measurements in unseeded flows using molecular Rayleigh scattering is discussed. The velocimeter is based on modulated filtered Rayleigh scattering (MFRS), a novel variation of filtered Rayleigh scattering (FRS), utilizing modulated absorption spectroscopy techniques to detect a strong absorption of a relatively weak Rayleigh scattered signal. A rubidium (Rb) vapor filter is used to provide the relatively strong absorption; alkali metal vapors have a high optical depth at modest vapor pressures, and their narrow linewidth is ideally suited for high-resolution velocimetry. Semiconductor diode lasers are used to generate the relatively weak Rayleigh scattered signal; due to their compact, rugged construction diode lasers are ideally suited for the environmental extremes encountered in many experiments. The MFRS technique utilizes the frequency-tuning capability of diode lasers to implement a homodyne detection scheme using lock-in amplifiers. The optical frequency of the diode-based laser system used to interrogate the flow is rapidly modulated about a reference frequency in the D2-line of Rb. The frequency modulation is imposed on the Rayleigh scattered light that is collected from the probe volume in the flow under investigation. The collected frequency modulating Rayleigh scattered light is transmitted through a Rb vapor filter before being detected. The detected modulated absorption signal is fed to two lock-in amplifers synchronized with the modulation frequency of the source laser. High levels of background rejection are attained since the lock-ins are both frequency and phase selective. The two lock-in amplifiers extract different Fourier components of the detected modulated absorption signal, which are ratioed to provide an intensity normalized frequency dependent signal from a single detector. A Doppler frequency shift in the collected Rayleigh scattered light due to a change in the velocity of the flow under investigation results in a change in the detected modulated absorption signal. This change in the detected signal provides a quantifiable measure of the Doppler frequency shift, and hence the velocity in the probe volume, provided that the laser source exhibits acceptable levels of frequency stability (determined by the magnitude of the velocities being measured). An extended cavity diode laser (ECDL) in the Littrow configuration provides frequency tunable, relatively narrow-linewidth lasing for the MFRS velocimeter. Frequency stabilization of the ECDL is provided by a proportional-integral-differential (PID) controller based on an error signal in the reference arm of the experiment. The optical power of the Littrow laser source is amplified by an antireflection coated (AR coated) broad stripe diode laser. The single-mode, frequency-modulatable, frequency-stable O(50 mW) of optical power provided by this extended cavity diode laser master oscillator power amplifier (ECDL-MOPA) system provided sufficient scattering signal from a condensing jet of CO2 to implement the MFRS technique in the frequency-locked mode of operation.

Electronic sideband locking of a broadly tunable 318.6 nm ultraviolet laser to an ultra-stable optical cavity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bai, Jiandong; Wang, Jieying; He, Jun; Wang, Junmin

2017-04-01

We demonstrate frequency stabilization of a tunable 318.6 nm ultraviolet (UV) laser system using electronic sideband locking. By indirectly changing the frequency of a broadband electro-optic phase modulator, the laser can be continuously tuned over 4 GHz, while a 637.2 nm laser is directly stabilized to a high-finesse ultra-stable optical cavity. The doubling cavity also remains locked to the 637.2 nm light. We show that the tuning range depends mainly on the gain-flattening region of the modulator and the piezo-tunable range of the seed laser. The frequency-stabilized tunable UV laser system is able to compensate for the offset between reference and target frequencies, and has potential applications in precision spectroscopy of cold atoms.

Local oscillator induced degradation of medium-term stability in passive atomic frequency standards

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dick, G. John; Prestage, John D.; Greenhall, Charles A.; Maleki, Lute

1990-01-01

As the performance of passive atomic frequency standards improves, a new limitation is encountered due to frequency fluctuations in an ancillary local oscillator (L.O.). The effect is due to time variation in the gain of the feedback which compensates L.O. frequency fluctuations. The high performance promised by new microwave and optical trapped ion standards may be severely compromised by this effect. Researchers present an analysis of this performance limitation for the case of sequentially interrogated standards. The time dependence of the sensitivity of the interrogation process to L.O. frequency fluctuations is evaluated for single-pulse and double-pulse Ramsey RF interrogation and for amplitude modulated pulses. The effect of these various time dependencies on performance of the standard is calculated for an L.O. with frequency fluctuations showing a typical 1/f spectral density. A limiting 1/sq. root gamma dependent deviation of frequency fluctuations is calculated as a function of pulse lengths, dead time, and pulse overlap. Researchers also present conceptual and hardware-oriented solutions to this problem which achieve a much more nearly constant sensitivity to L.O. fluctuations. Solutions involve use of double-pulse interrogation; alternate interrogation of multiple traps so that the dead time of one trap can be covered by operation of the other; and the use of double-pulse interrogation for two traps, so that during the time of the RF pulses, the increasing sensitivity of one trap tends to compensate for the decreasing sensitivity of the other. A solution making use of amplified-modulated pulses is also presented which shows nominally zero time variation.

High Frequency Resolution TOA Analysis for ELF/VLFWave Generation Experiments at HAARP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruddle, J. D.; Moore, R. C.

2014-12-01

Modulated HF heating of the ionosphere in the presence of natural ionospheric current sources has been used as a method to generate electromagnetic ELF/VLF waves since the 1970's. In the ~1-5 kHz band, the amplitude and phase of the received ELF/VLF signal depends on the amplitude and phase of the conductivity modulation generated throughout the HF-heated ionospheric body, as well as on the signal propagation parameters (i.e., the attenuation and phase constants) between each of the current sources and the receiver. Recent signal processing advances have produced an accurate ELF/VLF time-of-arrival (TOA) analysis technique that differentiates line-of-sight and ionospherically-reflected signal components, determining the amplitude and phase of each component observed at the receiver. This TOA method requires a wide bandwidth (> 2.5 kHz) and therefore is relatively insensitive to the frequency-dependent nature of ELF/VLF wave propagation. In this paper, we present an improved ELF/VLF TOA method that is capable of providing high frequency resolution. The new analysis technique is applied to experimental observations of ELF/VLF signals generated by modulated heating at HAARP. We present measurements of the amplitude and phase of the received ELF/VLF signal as a function of frequency and compare the results with the predictions of an HF heating model.

A model of anuran auditory periphery reveals frequency-dependent adaptation to be a contributing mechanism for two-tone suppression and amplitude modulation coding.

PubMed

Wotton, J M; Ferragamo, M J

2011-10-01

Anuran auditory nerve fibers (ANF) tuned to low frequencies display unusual frequency-dependent adaptation which results in a more phasic response to signals above best frequency (BF) and a more tonic response to signals below. A network model of the first two layers of the anuran auditory system was used to test the contribution of this dynamic peripheral adaptation on two-tone suppression and amplitude modulation (AM) tuning. The model included a peripheral sandwich component, leaky-integrate-and-fire cells and adaptation was implemented by means of a non-linear increase in threshold weighted by the signal frequency. The results of simulations showed that frequency-dependent adaptation was both necessary and sufficient to produce high-frequency-side two-tone suppression for the ANF and cells of the dorsal medullary nucleus (DMN). It seems likely that both suppression and this dynamic adaptation share a common mechanism. The response of ANFs to AM signals was influenced by adaptation and carrier frequency. Vector strength synchronization to an AM signal improved with increased adaptation. The spike rate response to a carrier at BF was the expected flat function with AM rate. However, for non-BF carrier frequencies the response showed a weak band-pass pattern due to the influence of signal sidebands and adaptation. The DMN received inputs from three ANFs and when the frequency tuning of inputs was near the carrier, then the rate response was a low-pass or all-pass shape. When most of the inputs were biased above or below the carrier, then band-pass responses were observed. Frequency-dependent adaptation enhanced the band-pass tuning for AM rate, particularly when the response of the inputs was predominantly phasic for a given carrier. Different combinations of inputs can therefore bias a DMN cell to be especially well suited to detect specific ranges of AM rates for a particular carrier frequency. Such selection of inputs would clearly be advantageous to the frog in recognizing distinct spectral and temporal parameters in communication calls. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mirage effect from thermally modulated transparent carbon nanotube sheets.

PubMed

Aliev, Ali E; Gartstein, Yuri N; Baughman, Ray H

2011-10-28

The single-beam mirage effect, also known as photothermal deflection, is studied using a free-standing, highly aligned carbon nanotube aerogel sheet as the heat source. The extremely low thermal capacitance and high heat transfer ability of these transparent forest-drawn carbon nanotube sheets enables high frequency modulation of sheet temperature over an enormous temperature range, thereby providing a sharp, rapidly changing gradient of refractive index in the surrounding liquid or gas. The advantages of temperature modulation using carbon nanotube sheets are multiple: in inert gases the temperature can reach > 2500 K; the obtained frequency range for photothermal modulation is ~100 kHz in gases and over 100 Hz in high refractive index liquids; and the heat source is transparent for optical and acoustical waves. Unlike for conventional heat sources for photothermal deflection, the intensity and phase of the thermally modulated beam component linearly depends upon the beam-to-sheet separation over a wide range of distances. This aspect enables convenient measurements of accurate values for thermal diffusivity and the temperature dependence of refractive index for both liquids and gases. The remarkable performance of nanotube sheets suggests possible applications as photo-deflectors and for switchable invisibility cloaks, and provides useful insights into their use as thermoacoustic projectors and sonar. Visibility cloaking is demonstrated in a liquid.

Slowdown of group velocity of light in dual-frequency laser-pumped cascade structure of Er3+-doped optical fiber at room temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiu, Wei; Yang, Yujing; Gao, Yuan; Liu, Jianjun; Lv, Pin; Jiang, Qiuli

2018-04-01

Slow light is demonstrated in the cascade structure of an erbium-doped fiber with two forward propagation pumps. The results of the numerical simulation of the time delay and the optimum modulation frequency complement each other. The time delay and the optimum modulation frequency depend on the pump ratio G (G  =  {{P}1480}:{{P}980} ). The discussion results of this paper show that a larger time delay of slow light propagation can be obtained in the cascade structure of Er3+-doped optical fibers with dual-frequency laser pumping. Compared to previous research methods, the dual-frequency laser-pumped cascade structure of an Er3+-doped optical fiber is more controllable. Based on our discussion the pump ratio G should be selected in order to obtain a more appropriate time delay and the slowdown of group velocity.

Study and Optimization of CPT Resonance Parameters in 87 Rb/Ar/Ne Microcells Aimed for Application in Metrology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masian, Y.; Sivak, A.; Sevostianov, D.; Vassiliev, V.; Velichansky, V.

The paper shows the presents results of studies of small-size rubidium cells with argon and neon buffer gases, produced by a patent pended technique of laser welding [Fishman et al. (2014)]. Cells were designed for miniature frequency standard. Temperature dependence of the frequency of the coherent population trapping (CPT) resonance was measured and used to optimize the ratio of partial pressures of buffer gases. The influence of duration and regime of annealing on the CPT-resonance frequency drift was investigated. The parameters of the FM modulation of laser current for two cases which correspond to the highest amplitude of CPT resonance and to the smallest light shifts of the resonance frequency were determined. The temperature dependences of the CPT resonance frequency were found to be surprisingly different in the two cases. A non-linear dependence of CPT resonance frequency on the temperature of the cell with the two extremes was revealed for one of these cases.

Did You Listen to the Beat? Auditory Steady-State Responses in the Human Electroencephalogram at 4 and 7 Hz Modulation Rates Reflect Selective Attention.

PubMed

Jaeger, Manuela; Bleichner, Martin G; Bauer, Anna-Katharina R; Mirkovic, Bojana; Debener, Stefan

2018-02-27

The acoustic envelope of human speech correlates with the syllabic rate (4-8 Hz) and carries important information for intelligibility, which is typically compromised in multi-talker, noisy environments. In order to better understand the dynamics of selective auditory attention to low frequency modulated sound sources, we conducted a two-stream auditory steady-state response (ASSR) selective attention electroencephalogram (EEG) study. The two streams consisted of 4 and 7 Hz amplitude and frequency modulated sounds presented from the left and right side. One of two streams had to be attended while the other had to be ignored. The attended stream always contained a target, allowing for the behavioral confirmation of the attention manipulation. EEG ASSR power analysis revealed a significant increase in 7 Hz power for the attend compared to the ignore conditions. There was no significant difference in 4 Hz power when the 4 Hz stream had to be attended compared to when it had to be ignored. This lack of 4 Hz attention modulation could be explained by a distracting effect of a third frequency at 3 Hz (beat frequency) perceivable when the 4 and 7 Hz streams are presented simultaneously. Taken together our results show that low frequency modulations at syllabic rate are modulated by selective spatial attention. Whether attention effects act as enhancement of the attended stream or suppression of to be ignored stream may depend on how well auditory streams can be segregated.

Spectrotemporal modulation sensitivity for hearing-impaired listeners: Dependence on carrier center frequency and the relationship to speech intelligibility

PubMed Central

Mehraei, Golbarg; Gallun, Frederick J.; Leek, Marjorie R.; Bernstein, Joshua G. W.

2014-01-01

Poor speech understanding in noise by hearing-impaired (HI) listeners is only partly explained by elevated audiometric thresholds. Suprathreshold-processing impairments such as reduced temporal or spectral resolution or temporal fine-structure (TFS) processing ability might also contribute. Although speech contains dynamic combinations of temporal and spectral modulation and TFS content, these capabilities are often treated separately. Modulation-depth detection thresholds for spectrotemporal modulation (STM) applied to octave-band noise were measured for normal-hearing and HI listeners as a function of temporal modulation rate (4–32 Hz), spectral ripple density [0.5–4 cycles/octave (c/o)] and carrier center frequency (500–4000 Hz). STM sensitivity was worse than normal for HI listeners only for a low-frequency carrier (1000 Hz) at low temporal modulation rates (4–12 Hz) and a spectral ripple density of 2 c/o, and for a high-frequency carrier (4000 Hz) at a high spectral ripple density (4 c/o). STM sensitivity for the 4-Hz, 4-c/o condition for a 4000-Hz carrier and for the 4-Hz, 2-c/o condition for a 1000-Hz carrier were correlated with speech-recognition performance in noise after partialling out the audiogram-based speech-intelligibility index. Poor speech-reception and STM-detection performance for HI listeners may be related to a combination of reduced frequency selectivity and a TFS-processing deficit limiting the ability to track spectral-peak movements. PMID:24993215

Pb2+ Modulates Ca2+ Membrane Permeability In Paramecium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bernal-Martínez, Juan; Ortega Soto, Arturo

2004-09-01

Intracellular recording experiments in current clamp configuration were done to evaluate whether Pb2+ modulates ionic membrane permeability in the fresh water Paramecium tetraurelia. It was found that Pb2+ triggers in a dose-dependent manner, a burst of spontaneous action potentials followed by a robust and sustained after hyper-polarization. In addition, Pb2+ increased the frequency of firing the spontaneous Ca2+-Action Potential and also, the duration of Ca2+-Action Potential, in a dose and reversibly-dependent manner. These results suggest that Pb2+ increases calcium membrane permeability of Paramecium and probably activates a calcium-dependent-potassium conductance in the ciliate.

A programmable optical few wavelength source for flexgrid optical networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Imran, M.; Fresi, F.; Meloni, G.; Bhowmik, B. B.; Sambo, N.; Potì, L.

2016-07-01

Multi-wavelength (MW) sources will probably replace discrete lasers or laser arrays in next generation multi-carrier transponders (e.g., 1 Tb/s), currently called multi-flow transponders or sliceable bandwidth variable transponders (SBVTs). We present design and experimental demonstration of a few wavelength (FW) source suitable for SBVTs in a flexgrid scenario. We refer to FW instead of MW since for an SBVT just few subcarriers are required (e.g., eight). The proposed FW source does not require optical filtering for subcarrier modulation. The design exploits frequency shifting in IQ modulators by using single side band suppressed carrier modulation. A reasonable number of lines can be provided depending on the chosen architecture, tunable in the whole C-band. The scheme is also capable of providing symmetric (equally spaced) and asymmetric subcarrier spacing arbitrarily tunable from 6.25 GHz to 37.5 GHz. The control on the number of subcarriers (increase/decrease depending on line rate) provides flexibility to the SBVT, being the spacing dependent on transmission parameters such as line rate or modulation format. Transmission performance has been tested and compared with an array of standard lasers considering a 480 Gb/s transmission for different carrier spacing. Additionally, an integrable solution based on complementary frequency shifter is also presented to improve scalability and costs. The impact on transceiver techno-economics and network performance is also discussed.

Apoptotic cell death during Drosophila oogenesis is differentially increased by electromagnetic radiation depending on modulation, intensity and duration of exposure.

PubMed

Sagioglou, Niki E; Manta, Areti K; Giannarakis, Ioannis K; Skouroliakou, Aikaterini S; Margaritis, Lukas H

2016-01-01

Present generations are being repeatedly exposed to different types and doses of non-ionizing radiation (NIR) from wireless technologies (FM radio, TETRA and TV stations, GSM and UMTS phones/base stations, Wi-Fi networks, DECT phones). Although there is controversy on the published data regarding the non-thermal effects of NIR, studies have convincingly demonstrated bioeffects. Their results indicate that modulation, intensity, exposure duration and model system are important factors determining the biological response to irradiation. Attempting to address the dependence of NIR bioeffectiveness on these factors, apoptosis in the model biological system Drosophila melanogaster was studied under different exposure protocols. A signal generator was used operating alternatively under Continuous Wave (CW) or Frequency Modulation (FM) emission modes, at three power output values (10 dB, 0, -10 dB), under four carrier frequencies (100, 395, 682, 900 MHz). Newly emerged flies were exposed either acutely (6 min or 60 min on the 6th day), or repeatedly (6 min or 60 min daily for the first 6 days of their life). All exposure protocols resulted in an increase of apoptotic cell death (ACD) observed in egg chambers, even at very low electric field strengths. FM waves seem to have a stronger effect in ACD than continuous waves. Regarding intensity and temporal exposure pattern, EMF-biological tissue interaction is not linear in response. Intensity threshold for the induction of biological effects depends on frequency, modulation and temporal exposure pattern with unknown so far mechanisms. Given this complexity, translating such experimental data into possible human exposure guidelines is yet arbitrary.

Synchronous optical pumping of quantum revival beats for atomic magnetometry

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Seltzer, S. J.; Meares, P. J.; Romalis, M. V.

2007-05-15

We observe quantum beats with periodic revivals due to nonlinear spacing of Zeeman levels in the ground state of potassium atoms, and demonstrate their synchronous optical pumping by double modulation of the pumping light at the Larmor frequency and the revival frequency. We show that synchronous pumping increases the degree of spin polarization by a factor of 4. As a practical example, we explore the application of this double-modulation technique to atomic magnetometers operating in the geomagnetic field range, and find that it can increase the sensitivity and reduce magnetic-field-orientation-dependent measurement errors endemic to alkali-metal magnetometers.

Scale interaction and arrangement in a turbulent boundary layer perturbed by a wall-mounted cylindrical element

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Zhanqi; Jiang, Nan

2018-05-01

This study reports the modifications of scale interaction and arrangement in a turbulent boundary layer perturbed by a wall-mounted circular cylinder. Hot-wire measurements were executed at multiple streamwise and wall-normal wise locations downstream of the cylindrical element. The streamwise fluctuating signals were decomposed into large-, small-, and dissipative-scale signatures by corresponding cutoff filters. The scale interaction under the cylindrical perturbation was elaborated by comparing the small- and dissipative-scale amplitude/frequency modulation effects downstream of the cylinder element with the results observed in the unperturbed case. It was obtained that the large-scale fluctuations perform a stronger amplitude modulation on both the small and dissipative scales in the near-wall region. At the wall-normal positions of the cylinder height, the small-scale amplitude modulation coefficients are redistributed by the cylinder wake. The similar observation was noted in small-scale frequency modulation; however, the dissipative-scale frequency modulation seems to be independent of the cylindrical perturbation. The phase-relationship observation indicated that the cylindrical perturbation shortens the time shifts between both the small- and dissipative-scale variations (amplitude and frequency) and large-scale fluctuations. Then, the integral time scale dependence of the phase-relationship between the small/dissipative scales and large scales was also discussed. Furthermore, the discrepancy of small- and dissipative-scale time shifts relative to the large-scale motions was examined, which indicates that the small-scale amplitude/frequency leads the dissipative scales.

Pre-attentive, context-specific representation of fear memory in the auditory cortex of rat.

PubMed

Funamizu, Akihiro; Kanzaki, Ryohei; Takahashi, Hirokazu

2013-01-01

Neural representation in the auditory cortex is rapidly modulated by both top-down attention and bottom-up stimulus properties, in order to improve perception in a given context. Learning-induced, pre-attentive, map plasticity has been also studied in the anesthetized cortex; however, little attention has been paid to rapid, context-dependent modulation. We hypothesize that context-specific learning leads to pre-attentively modulated, multiplex representation in the auditory cortex. Here, we investigate map plasticity in the auditory cortices of anesthetized rats conditioned in a context-dependent manner, such that a conditioned stimulus (CS) of a 20-kHz tone and an unconditioned stimulus (US) of a mild electrical shock were associated only under a noisy auditory context, but not in silence. After the conditioning, although no distinct plasticity was found in the tonotopic map, tone-evoked responses were more noise-resistive than pre-conditioning. Yet, the conditioned group showed a reduced spread of activation to each tone with noise, but not with silence, associated with a sharpening of frequency tuning. The encoding accuracy index of neurons showed that conditioning deteriorated the accuracy of tone-frequency representations in noisy condition at off-CS regions, but not at CS regions, suggesting that arbitrary tones around the frequency of the CS were more likely perceived as the CS in a specific context, where CS was associated with US. These results together demonstrate that learning-induced plasticity in the auditory cortex occurs in a context-dependent manner.

Research of microwave scattering properties of snow fields

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Angelakos, D. J.

1978-01-01

The results obtained in the research program of microwave scattering properties of snow fields are presented. Experimental results are presented showing backscatter dependence on frequency (5.8-8.0 GHz), angle of incidence (0-60 degrees), snow wetness (time of day), and frequency modulation (0-500 MHz). Theoretical studies are being made of the inverse scattering problem yielding some preliminary results concerning the determination of the dielectric constant of the snow layer. The experimental results lead to the following conclusions: snow layering affects backscatter, layer response is significant up to 45 degrees of incidence, wetness modifies snow layer effects, frequency modulation masks the layer response, and for the proper choice of probing frequency and for nominal snow depths, it appears to be possible to measure the effective dielectric constant and the corresponding water content of a snow pack.

Measurement of visual contrast sensitivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vongierke, H. E.; Marko, A. R.

1985-04-01

This invention involves measurement of the visual contrast sensitivity (modulation transfer) function of a human subject by means of linear or circular spatial frequency pattern on a cathode ray tube whose contrast is automatically decreasing or increasing depending on the subject pressing or releasing a hand-switch button. The threshold of detection of the pattern modulation is found by the subject by adjusting the contrast to values which vary about the subject's threshold thereby determining the threshold and also providing by the magnitude of the contrast fluctuations between reversals some estimate of the variability of the subject's absolute threshold. The invention also involves the slow automatic sweeping of the spatial frequency of the pattern over the spatial frequencies after preset time intervals or after threshold has been defined at each frequency by a selected number of subject-determined threshold crossings; i.e., contrast reversals.

Method to suppress DDFS spurious signals in a frequency-hopping synthesizer with DDFS-driven PLL architecture.

PubMed

Kwon, Kun-Sup; Yoon, Won-Sang

2010-01-01

In this paper we propose a method of removing from synthesizer output spurious signals due to quasi-amplitude modulation and superposition effect in a frequency-hopping synthesizer with direct digital frequency synthesizer (DDFS)-driven phase-locked loop (PLL) architecture, which has the advantages of high frequency resolution, fast transition time, and small size. There are spurious signals that depend on normalized frequency of DDFS. They can be dominant if they occur within the PLL loop bandwidth. We suggest that such signals can be eliminated by purposefully creating frequency errors in the developed synthesizer.

Effect of Electrode Loss on the Dynamic Range of Linearized Directional Coupler Modulators

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-02-01

Coupler Modulators George A. Brost , Richard Michalak, Paul Payson, and Kevin Magde Abstract—Numerical simulations were used to study the effect of...RANGE OF LINEARIZED DIRECTIONAL COUPLER MODULATORS In-House N/A 62204F LINKI SN 01 George A. Brost , Richard Michalak, Paul Payson and Kevin Magde AFRL...Fazio Nash BROST et al.: EFFECT OF ELECTRODE LOSS ON THE DYNAMIC RANGE OF LINEARIZED DCMs 515 Fig. 1. Frequency dependence of SFDR for the 1 2 DCM (s

Artifacts in time-resolved Kelvin probe force microscopy

DOE PAGES

Sadewasser, Sascha; Nicoara, Nicoleta; Solares, Santiago D.

2018-04-24

Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) has been used for the characterization of metals, insulators, and semiconducting materials on the nanometer scale. Especially in semiconductors, the charge dynamics are of high interest. Recently, several techniques for time-resolved measurements with time resolution down to picoseconds have been developed, many times using a modulated excitation signal, e.g. light modulation or bias modulation that induces changes in the charge carrier distribution. For fast modulation frequencies, the KPFM controller measures an average surface potential, which contains information about the involved charge carrier dynamics. Here, we show that such measurements are prone to artifacts due tomore » frequency mixing, by performing numerical dynamics simulations of the cantilever oscillation in KPFM subjected to a bias-modulated signal. For square bias pulses, the resulting time-dependent electrostatic forces are very complex and result in intricate mixing of frequencies that may, in some cases, have a component at the detection frequency, leading to falsified KPFM measurements. Additionally, we performed fast Fourier transform (FFT) analyses that match the results of the numerical dynamics simulations. Small differences are observed that can be attributed to transients and higher-order Fourier components, as a consequence of the intricate nature of the cantilever driving forces. These results are corroborated by experimental measurements on a model system. In the experimental case, additional artifacts are observed due to constructive or destructive interference of the bias modulation with the cantilever oscillation. Also, in the case of light modulation, we demonstrate artifacts due to unwanted illumination of the photodetector of the beam deflection detection system. Lastly, guidelines for avoiding such artifacts are given.« less

Artifacts in time-resolved Kelvin probe force microscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sadewasser, Sascha; Nicoara, Nicoleta; Solares, Santiago D.

Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) has been used for the characterization of metals, insulators, and semiconducting materials on the nanometer scale. Especially in semiconductors, the charge dynamics are of high interest. Recently, several techniques for time-resolved measurements with time resolution down to picoseconds have been developed, many times using a modulated excitation signal, e.g. light modulation or bias modulation that induces changes in the charge carrier distribution. For fast modulation frequencies, the KPFM controller measures an average surface potential, which contains information about the involved charge carrier dynamics. Here, we show that such measurements are prone to artifacts due tomore » frequency mixing, by performing numerical dynamics simulations of the cantilever oscillation in KPFM subjected to a bias-modulated signal. For square bias pulses, the resulting time-dependent electrostatic forces are very complex and result in intricate mixing of frequencies that may, in some cases, have a component at the detection frequency, leading to falsified KPFM measurements. Additionally, we performed fast Fourier transform (FFT) analyses that match the results of the numerical dynamics simulations. Small differences are observed that can be attributed to transients and higher-order Fourier components, as a consequence of the intricate nature of the cantilever driving forces. These results are corroborated by experimental measurements on a model system. In the experimental case, additional artifacts are observed due to constructive or destructive interference of the bias modulation with the cantilever oscillation. Also, in the case of light modulation, we demonstrate artifacts due to unwanted illumination of the photodetector of the beam deflection detection system. Lastly, guidelines for avoiding such artifacts are given.« less

Reconstructing the spectrotemporal modulations of real-life sounds from fMRI response patterns

PubMed Central

Santoro, Roberta; Moerel, Michelle; De Martino, Federico; Valente, Giancarlo; Ugurbil, Kamil; Yacoub, Essa; Formisano, Elia

2017-01-01

Ethological views of brain functioning suggest that sound representations and computations in the auditory neural system are optimized finely to process and discriminate behaviorally relevant acoustic features and sounds (e.g., spectrotemporal modulations in the songs of zebra finches). Here, we show that modeling of neural sound representations in terms of frequency-specific spectrotemporal modulations enables accurate and specific reconstruction of real-life sounds from high-resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) response patterns in the human auditory cortex. Region-based analyses indicated that response patterns in separate portions of the auditory cortex are informative of distinctive sets of spectrotemporal modulations. Most relevantly, results revealed that in early auditory regions, and progressively more in surrounding regions, temporal modulations in a range relevant for speech analysis (∼2–4 Hz) were reconstructed more faithfully than other temporal modulations. In early auditory regions, this effect was frequency-dependent and only present for lower frequencies (<∼2 kHz), whereas for higher frequencies, reconstruction accuracy was higher for faster temporal modulations. Further analyses suggested that auditory cortical processing optimized for the fine-grained discrimination of speech and vocal sounds underlies this enhanced reconstruction accuracy. In sum, the present study introduces an approach to embed models of neural sound representations in the analysis of fMRI response patterns. Furthermore, it reveals that, in the human brain, even general purpose and fundamental neural processing mechanisms are shaped by the physical features of real-world stimuli that are most relevant for behavior (i.e., speech, voice). PMID:28420788

Effect of noise on modulation amplitude and phase in frequency-domain diffusive imaging

PubMed Central

Kupinski, Matthew A.

2012-01-01

Abstract. We theoretically investigate the effect of noise on frequency-domain heterodyne and/or homodyne measurements of intensity-modulated beams propagating through diffusive media, such as a photon density wave. We assumed that the attenuated amplitude and delayed phase are estimated by taking the Fourier transform of the noisy, modulated output data. We show that the estimated amplitude and phase are biased when the number of output photons is small. We also show that the use of image intensifiers for photon amplification in heterodyne or homodyne measurements increases the amount of biases. Especially, it turns out that the biased estimation is independent of AC-dependent noise in sinusoidal heterodyne or homodyne outputs. Finally, the developed theory indicates that the previously known variance model of modulation amplitude and phase is not valid in low light situations. Monte-Carlo simulations with varied numbers of input photons verify our theoretical trends of the bias. PMID:22352660

Frequency bandwidth limitation of external pulse electric fields in cylindrical micro-channel electrophoresis with analyte velocity modulation.

PubMed

Wang, Shau-Chun; Chen, Hsiao-Ping; Lee, Chia-Yu; Yeo, Leslie Y

2005-04-15

In capillary electrophoresis, effective optical signal quality improvement is obtained when high frequency (>100 Hz) external pulse fields modulate analyte velocities with synchronous lock-in detection. However, the pulse frequency is constrained under a critical value corresponding to the time required for the bulk viscous flow, which arises due to viscous momentum diffusion from the electro-osmotic slip in the Debye layer, to reach steady-state. By solving the momentum diffusion equation for transient bulk flow in the micro-channel, we show that this set-in time to steady-state and hence, the upper limit for the pulse frequency is dependent on the characteristic diffusion length scale and therefore the channel geometry; for cylindrical capillaries, the set-in time is approximately one half of that for rectangular slot channels. From our estimation of the set-in time and hence the upper frequency modulation limit, we propose that the half width of planar channels does not exceed 100 microm and that the radii of cylindrical channels be limited to 140 microm such that there is a finite working bandwidth range above 100 Hz and below the upper limit in order for flicker noise to be effectively suppressed.

Investigating the performance of reconstruction methods used in structured illumination microscopy as a function of the illumination pattern's modulation frequency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shabani, H.; Sánchez-Ortiga, E.; Preza, C.

2016-03-01

Surpassing the resolution of optical microscopy defined by the Abbe diffraction limit, while simultaneously achieving optical sectioning, is a challenging problem particularly for live cell imaging of thick samples. Among a few developing techniques, structured illumination microscopy (SIM) addresses this challenge by imposing higher frequency information into the observable frequency band confined by the optical transfer function (OTF) of a conventional microscope either doubling the spatial resolution or filling the missing cone based on the spatial frequency of the pattern when the patterned illumination is two-dimensional. Standard reconstruction methods for SIM decompose the low and high frequency components from the recorded low-resolution images and then combine them to reach a high-resolution image. In contrast, model-based approaches rely on iterative optimization approaches to minimize the error between estimated and forward images. In this paper, we study the performance of both groups of methods by simulating fluorescence microscopy images from different type of objects (ranging from simulated two-point sources to extended objects). These simulations are used to investigate the methods' effectiveness on restoring objects with various types of power spectrum when modulation frequency of the patterned illumination is changing from zero to the incoherent cut-off frequency of the imaging system. Our results show that increasing the amount of imposed information by using a higher modulation frequency of the illumination pattern does not always yield a better restoration performance, which was found to be depended on the underlying object. Results from model-based restoration show performance improvement, quantified by an up to 62% drop in the mean square error compared to standard reconstruction, with increasing modulation frequency. However, we found cases for which results obtained with standard reconstruction methods do not always follow the same trend.

Mechanisms underlying intensity-dependent changes in cortical selectivity for frequency-modulated sweeps.

PubMed

Razak, K A

2012-04-01

Frequency-modulated (FM) sweeps are common components of species-specific vocalizations. The intensity of FM sweeps can cover a wide range in the natural environment, but whether intensity affects neural selectivity for FM sweeps is unclear. Bats, such as the pallid bat, which use FM sweeps for echolocation, are suited to address this issue, because the intensity of echoes will vary with target distance. In this study, FM sweep rate selectivity of pallid bat auditory cortex neurons was measured using downward sweeps at different intensities. Neurons became more selective for FM sweep rates present in the bat's echolocation calls as intensity increased. Increased selectivity resulted from stronger inhibition of responses to slower sweep rates. The timing and bandwidth of inhibition generated by frequencies on the high side of the excitatory tuning curve [sideband high-frequency inhibition (HFI)] shape rate selectivity in cortical neurons in the pallid bat. To determine whether intensity-dependent changes in FM rate selectivity were due to altered inhibition, the timing and bandwidth of HFI were quantified at multiple intensities using the two-tone inhibition paradigm. HFI arrived faster relative to excitation as sound intensity increased. The bandwidth of HFI also increased with intensity. The changes in HFI predicted intensity-dependent changes in FM rate selectivity. These data suggest that neural selectivity for a sweep parameter is not static but shifts with intensity due to changes in properties of sideband inhibition.

Nonadiabatic effect on the quantum heat flux control.

PubMed

Uchiyama, Chikako

2014-05-01

We provide a general formula of quantum transfer that includes the nonadiabatic effect under periodic environmental modulation by using full counting statistics in Hilbert-Schmidt space. Applying the formula to an anharmonic junction model that interacts with two bosonic environments within the Markovian approximation, we find that the quantum transfer is divided into the adiabatic (dynamical and geometrical phases) and nonadiabatic contributions. This extension shows the dependence of quantum transfer on the initial condition of the anharmonic junction just before the modulation, as well as the characteristic environmental parameters such as interaction strength and cut-off frequency of spectral density. We show that the nonadiabatic contribution represents the reminiscent effect of past modulation including the transition from the initial condition of the anharmonic junction to a steady state determined by the very beginning of the modulation. This enables us to tune the frequency range of modulation, whereby we can obtain the quantum flux corresponding to the geometrical phase by setting the initial condition of the anharmonic junction.

Photoassociation dynamics driven by a modulated two-color laser field

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang Wei; Zhao Zeyu; Xie Ting

2011-11-15

Photoassociation (PA) dynamics of ultracold cesium atoms steered by a modulated two-color laser field E(t)=E{sub 0}f(t)cos((2{pi}/T{sub p})-{phi})cos({omega}{sub L}t) is investigated theoretically by numerically solving the time-dependent Schroedinger equation. The PA dynamics is sensitive to the phase of envelope (POE) {phi} and the period of the envelope T{sub p}, which indicates that it can be controlled by varying POE {phi} and period T{sub p}. Moreover, we introduce the time- and frequency-resolved spectrum to illustrate how the POE {phi} and the period T{sub p} influence the intensity distribution of the modulated laser pulse and hence change the time-dependent population distribution of photoassociatedmore » molecules. When the Gaussian envelope contains a few oscillations, the PA efficiency is also dependent on POE {phi}. The modulated two-color laser field is available in the current experiment based on laser mode-lock technology.« less

Multi-photon transitions and Rabi resonance in continuous wave EPR.

PubMed

Saiko, Alexander P; Fedaruk, Ryhor; Markevich, Siarhei A

2015-10-01

The study of microwave-radiofrequency multi-photon transitions in continuous wave (CW) EPR spectroscopy is extended to a Rabi resonance condition, when the radio frequency of the magnetic-field modulation matches the Rabi frequency of a spin system in the microwave field. Using the non-secular perturbation theory based on the Bogoliubov averaging method, the analytical description of the response of the spin system is derived for all modulation frequency harmonics. When the modulation frequency exceeds the EPR linewidth, multi-photon transitions result in sidebands in absorption EPR spectra measured with phase-sensitive detection at any harmonic. The saturation of different-order multi-photon transitions is shown to be significantly different and to be sensitive to the Rabi resonance. The noticeable frequency shifts of sidebands are found to be the signatures of this resonance. The inversion of two-photon lines in some spectral intervals of the out-of-phase first-harmonic signal is predicted under passage through the Rabi resonance. The inversion indicates the transition from absorption to stimulated emission or vice versa, depending on the sideband. The manifestation of the primary and secondary Rabi resonance is also demonstrated in the time evolution of steady-state EPR signals formed by all harmonics of the modulation frequency. Our results provide a theoretical framework for future developments in multi-photon CW EPR spectroscopy, which can be useful for samples with long spin relaxation times and extremely narrow EPR lines. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Analysis of higher harmonics on bidirectional heat pulse propagation experiment in helical and tokamak plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kobayashi, T.; Ida, K.; Inagaki, S.; Tsuchiya, H.; Tamura, N.; Choe, G. H.; Yun, G. S.; Park, H. K.; Ko, W. H.; Evans, T. E.; Austin, M. E.; Shafer, M. W.; Ono, M.; López-bruna, D.; Ochando, M. A.; Estrada, T.; Hidalgo, C.; Moon, C.; Igami, H.; Yoshimura, Y.; Tsujimura, T. Ii.; Itoh, S.-I.; Itoh, K.

2017-07-01

In this contribution we analyze modulation electron cyclotron resonance heating (MECH) experiment and discuss higher harmonic frequency dependence of transport coefficients. We use the bidirectional heat pulse propagation method, in which both inward propagating heat pulse and outward propagating heat pulse are analyzed at a radial range, in order to distinguish frequency dependence of transport coefficients due to hysteresis from that due to other reasons, such as radially dependent transport coefficients, a finite damping term, or boundary effects. The method is applied to MECH experiments performed in various helical and tokamak devices, i.e. Large Helical Device (LHD), TJ-II, Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research (KSTAR), and Doublet III-D (DIII-D) with different plasma conditions. The frequency dependence of transport coefficients are clearly observed, showing a possibility of existence of transport hysteresis in flux-gradient relation.

Fast terahertz optoelectronic amplitude modulator based on plasmonic metamaterial antenna arrays and graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jessop, David S.; Sol, Christian W. O.; Xiao, Long; Kindness, Stephen J.; Braeuninger-Weimer, Philipp; Lin, Hungyen; Griffiths, Jonathan P.; Ren, Yuan; Kamboj, Varun S.; Hofmann, Stephan; Zeitler, J. Axel; Beere, Harvey E.; Ritchie, David A.; Degl'Innocenti, Riccardo

2016-02-01

The growing interest in terahertz (THz) technologies in recent years has seen a wide range of demonstrated applications, spanning from security screening, non-destructive testing, gas sensing, to biomedical imaging and communication. Communication with THz radiation offers the advantage of much higher bandwidths than currently available, in an unallocated spectrum. For this to be realized, optoelectronic components capable of manipulating THz radiation at high speeds and high signal-to-noise ratios must be developed. In this work we demonstrate a room temperature frequency dependent optoelectronic amplitude modulator working at around 2 THz, which incorporates graphene as the tuning medium. The architecture of the modulator is an array of plasmonic dipole antennas surrounded by graphene. By electrostatically doping the graphene via a back gate electrode, the reflection characteristics of the modulator are modified. The modulator is electrically characterized to determine the graphene conductivity and optically characterization, by THz time-domain spectroscopy and a single-mode 2 THz quantum cascade laser, to determine the optical modulation depth and cut-off frequency. A maximum optical modulation depth of ~ 30% is estimated and is found to be most (least) sensitive when the electrical modulation is centered at the point of maximum (minimum) differential resistivity of the graphene. A 3 dB cut-off frequency > 5 MHz, limited only by the area of graphene on the device, is reported. The results agree well with theoretical calculations and numerical simulations, and demonstrate the first steps towards ultra-fast, graphene based THz optoelectronic devices.

Enhancement of collective atomic recoil lasing due to pump phase modulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robb, G. R. M.; Burgess, R. T. L.; Firth, W. J.

2008-10-01

We investigate the effect of a phase-modulated pump beam on collective backscattering [also termed collective atomic recoil lasing (CARL)] by a cold, collisionless atomic gas. We show using a numerical analysis that different regimes can be identified in which the atomic dynamics evolves in a qualitatively different manner during the light-atom interaction, depending on the magnitude of the pump modulation frequency. Our results also demonstrate that phase-modulating the pump field can substantially enhance the backscattered field intensity relative to the case of a monochromatic pump which has been used in CARL experiments to date.

Analysis and measurement of the modulation transfer function of harmonic shear wave induced phase encoding imaging.

PubMed

McAleavey, Stephen A

2014-05-01

Shear wave induced phase encoding (SWIPE) imaging generates ultrasound backscatter images of tissue-like elastic materials by using traveling shear waves to encode the lateral position of the scatters in the phase of the received echo. In contrast to conventional ultrasound B-scan imaging, SWIPE offers the potential advantages of image formation without beam focusing or steering from a single transducer element, lateral resolution independent of aperture size, and the potential to achieve relatively high lateral resolution with low frequency ultrasound. Here a Fourier series description of the phase modulated echo signal is developed, demonstrating that echo harmonics at multiples of the shear wave frequency reveal target k-space data at identical multiples of the shear wavenumber. Modulation transfer functions of SWIPE imaging systems are calculated for maximum shear wave acceleration and maximum shear constraints, and compared with a conventionally focused aperture. The relative signal-to-noise ratio of the SWIPE method versus a conventionally focused aperture is found through these calculations. Reconstructions of wire targets in a gelatin phantom using 1 and 3.5 MHz ultrasound and a cylindrical shear wave source are presented, generated from the fundamental and second harmonic of the shear wave modulation frequency, demonstrating weak dependence of lateral resolution with ultrasound frequency.

Input-dependent modulation of MEG gamma oscillations reflects gain control in the visual cortex.

PubMed

Orekhova, Elena V; Sysoeva, Olga V; Schneiderman, Justin F; Lundström, Sebastian; Galuta, Ilia A; Goiaeva, Dzerasa E; Prokofyev, Andrey O; Riaz, Bushra; Keeler, Courtney; Hadjikhani, Nouchine; Gillberg, Christopher; Stroganova, Tatiana A

2018-05-31

Gamma-band oscillations arise from the interplay between neural excitation (E) and inhibition (I) and may provide a non-invasive window into the state of cortical circuitry. A bell-shaped modulation of gamma response power by increasing the intensity of sensory input was observed in animals and is thought to reflect neural gain control. Here we sought to find a similar input-output relationship in humans with MEG via modulating the intensity of a visual stimulation by changing the velocity/temporal-frequency of visual motion. In the first experiment, adult participants observed static and moving gratings. The frequency of the MEG gamma response monotonically increased with motion velocity whereas power followed a bell-shape. In the second experiment, on a large group of children and adults, we found that despite drastic developmental changes in frequency and power of gamma oscillations, the relative suppression at high motion velocities was scaled to the same range of values across the life-span. In light of animal and modeling studies, the modulation of gamma power and frequency at high stimulation intensities characterizes the capacity of inhibitory neurons to counterbalance increasing excitation in visual networks. Gamma suppression may thus provide a non-invasive measure of inhibitory-based gain control in the healthy and diseased brain.

Elimination of residual amplitude modulation in tunable diode laser wavelength modulation spectroscopy using an optical fiber delay line.

PubMed

Chakraborty, Arup Lal; Ruxton, Keith; Johnstone, Walter; Lengden, Michael; Duffin, Kevin

2009-06-08

A new fiber-optic technique to eliminate residual amplitude modulation in tunable diode laser wavelength modulation spectroscopy is presented. The modulated laser output is split to pass in parallel through the gas measurement cell and an optical fiber delay line, with the modulation frequency / delay chosen to introduce a relative phase shift of pi between them. The two signals are balanced using a variable attenuator and recombined through a fiber coupler. In the absence of gas, the direct laser intensity modulation cancels, thereby eliminating the high background. The presence of gas induces a concentration-dependent imbalance at the coupler's output from which the absolute absorption profile is directly recovered with high accuracy using 1f detection.

(Biphenyl-4-yl)methylammonium chlorides: potent anticonvulsants that modulate Na+ currents.

PubMed

Lee, Hyosung; Park, Ki Duk; Yang, Xiao-Fang; Dustrude, Erik T; Wilson, Sarah M; Khanna, Rajesh; Kohn, Harold

2013-07-25

We have reported that compounds containing a biaryl linked unit (Ar-X-Ar') modulated Na(+) currents by promoting slow inactivation and fast inactivation processes and by inducing frequency (use)-dependent inhibition of Na(+) currents. These electrophysiological properties have been associated with the mode of action of several antiepileptic drugs. In this study, we demonstrate that the readily accessible (biphenyl-4-yl)methylammonium chlorides (compound class B) exhibited a broad range of anticonvulsant activities in animal models, and in the maximal electroshock seizure test the activity of (3'-trifluoromethoxybiphenyl-4-yl)methylammonium chloride (8) exceeded that of phenobarbital and phenytoin upon oral administration to rats. Electrophysiological studies of 8 using mouse catecholamine A-differentiated cells and rat embryonic cortical neurons confirmed that 8 promoted slow and fast inactivation in both cell types but did not affect the frequency (use)-dependent block of Na(+) currents.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Afonenko, A A; Dorogush, E S; Malyshev, S A

Using a system of coupled travelling wave equations, in the small-signal regime we analyse frequency and noise characteristics of index- or absorption-coupled distributed feedback laser diodes, as well as of Fabry – Perot (FP) laser diodes. It is shown that the weakest dependence of the direct modulation efficiency on the locking frequency in the regime of strong external optical injection locking is exhibited by a FP laser diode formed by highly reflective and antireflective coatings on the end faces of a laser structure. A reduction in the dependence of output characteristics of the laser diode on the locking frequency canmore » be attained by decreasing the reflection coefficient of the antireflective FP mirror. (control of laser radiation parameters)« less

Localization and tracking of moving objects in two-dimensional space by echolocation.

PubMed

Matsuo, Ikuo

2013-02-01

Bats use frequency-modulated echolocation to identify and capture moving objects in real three-dimensional space. Experimental evidence indicates that bats are capable of locating static objects with a range accuracy of less than 1 μs. A previously introduced model estimates ranges of multiple, static objects using linear frequency modulation (LFM) sound and Gaussian chirplets with a carrier frequency compatible with bat emission sweep rates. The delay time for a single object was estimated with an accuracy of about 1.3 μs by measuring the echo at a low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The range accuracy was dependent not only on the SNR but also the Doppler shift, which was dependent on the movements. However, it was unclear whether this model could estimate the moving object range at each timepoint. In this study, echoes were measured from the rotating pole at two receiving points by intermittently emitting LFM sounds. The model was shown to localize moving objects in two-dimensional space by accurately estimating the object's range at each timepoint.

Effect of pulsed discharge on the ignition of pulse modulated radio frequency glow discharge at atmospheric pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiu, Shenjie; Guo, Ying; Han, Qianhan; Bao, Yun; Zhang, Jing; Shi, J. J.

2018-01-01

A pulsed discharge is introduced between two sequential pulse-modulated radio frequency glow discharges in atmospheric helium. The dependence of radio frequency discharge ignition on pulsed discharge intensity is investigated experimentally with the pulse voltage amplitudes of 650, 850, and 1250 V. The discharge characteristics and dynamics are studied in terms of voltage and current waveforms, and spatial-temporal evolution of optical emission. With the elevated pulsed discharge intensity of two orders of magnitude, the ignition of radio frequency discharge is enhanced by reducing the ignition time and achieving the stable operation with a double-hump spatial profile. The ignition time of radio frequency discharge is estimated to be 2.0 μs, 1.5 μs, and 1.0 μs with the pulse voltage amplitudes of 650, 850, and 1250 V, respectively, which is also demonstrated by the spatial-temporal evolution of optical emission at 706 and 777 nm.

Frequency stabilization of a 1083 nm fiber laser to {sup 4}He transition lines with optical heterodyne saturation spectroscopies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gong, W.; Peng, X., E-mail: xiangpeng@pku.edu.cn; Li, W.

2014-07-15

Two kinds of optical heterodyne saturation spectroscopies, namely, frequency modulation spectroscopy (FMS) and modulation transfer spectroscopy (MTS), are demonstrated for locking a fiber laser to the transition lines of metastable {sup 4}He atoms around 1083 nm. The servo-loop error signals of FMS and MTS for stabilizing laser frequency are optimized by studying the dependence of the peak-to-peak amplitude and slope on the optical power of pump and probe beams. A comparison of the stabilization performances of FMS/MTS and polarization spectroscopy (PS) is presented, which shows that MTS exhibits relatively superior performance with the least laser frequency fluctuation due to itsmore » flat-background dispersive signal, originated from the four-wave mixing process. The Allan deviation of the stabilized laser frequency is 5.4 × 10{sup −12}@100 s with MTS for data acquired in 1000 s, which is sufficiently applicable for fields like laser cooling, optical pumping, and optical magnetometry.« less

Frequency analysis via the method of moment functionals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pearson, A. E.; Pan, J. Q.

1990-01-01

Several variants are presented of a linear-in-parameters least squares formulation for determining the transfer function of a stable linear system at specified frequencies given a finite set of Fourier series coefficients calculated from transient nonstationary input-output data. The basis of the technique is Shinbrot's classical method of moment functionals using complex Fourier based modulating functions to convert a differential equation model on a finite time interval into an algebraic equation which depends linearly on frequency-related parameters.

Spectra analysis of nonuniform FBG-based acousto-optic modulator by using Fourier mode coupling theory.

PubMed

Liu, Chao; Pei, Li; Li, Zhuoxuan; Ning, Tigang; Yu, Shaowei; Kang, Zexin

2013-05-10

Fourier mode coupling theory was first employed in the spectral analysis of several nonuniform fiber Bragg grating (FBG)-based acousto-optic modulators (NU-FBG-AOMs) with the effects of Gaussian-apodization (GA), phase shift (PS), and linear chirp (LC). Because of the accuracy and simplicity of the algorithm applied in this model, the modulation performances of these modulators can be acquired effectively and efficiently. Based on the model, the reflected spectra of these modulators were simulated under various acoustic frequencies and acoustically induced strains. The simulation results of the GA-FBG-AOM and PS-FBG-AOM showed that the wavelength spacing between the primary reflection peak and the secondary reflection peak is proportional to the acoustic frequency, and the reflectivity of reflection peaks depends on the acoustically induced strains. But for the LC-FBG-AOM, the wavelength spacing between the neighboring reflection peaks increased linearly and inversely with the acoustic frequency, and the extinction ratio of each peak relates to the acoustically induced strain. These numerical analysis results, which were effectively used in the designs and fabrications of these NU-FBG-AOMs, can broaden the AOM-based application scope and shed light on the performance optimization of optical wavelength-division multiplex system.

Using frequency tagging to quantify attentional deployment in a visual divided attention task.

PubMed

Toffanin, Paolo; de Jong, Ritske; Johnson, Addie; Martens, Sander

2009-06-01

Frequency tagging is an EEG method based on the quantification of the steady state visual evoked potential (SSVEP) elicited from stimuli which flicker with a distinctive frequency. Because the amplitude of the SSVEP is modulated by attention such that attended stimuli elicit higher SSVEP amplitudes than do ignored stimuli, the method has been used to investigate the neural mechanisms of spatial attention. However, up to now it has not been shown whether the amplitude of the SSVEP is sensitive to gradations of attention and there has been debate about whether attention effects on the SSVEP are dependent on the tagging frequency used. We thus compared attention effects on SSVEP across three attention conditions-focused, divided, and ignored-with six different tagging frequencies. Participants performed a visual detection task (respond to the digit 5 embedded in a stream of characters). Two stimulus streams, one to the left and one to the right of fixation, were displayed simultaneously, each with a background grey square whose hue was sine-modulated with one of the six tagging frequencies. At the beginning of each trial a cue indicated whether targets on the left, right, or both sides should be responded to. Accuracy was higher in the focused- than in the divided-attention condition. SSVEP amplitudes were greatest in the focused-attention condition, intermediate in the divided-attention condition, and smallest in the ignored-attention condition. The effect of attention on SSVEP amplitude did not depend on the tagging frequency used. Frequency tagging appears to be a flexible technique for studying attention.

Psychophysical correspondence between vibrotactile intensity and intracortical microstimulation for tactile neuroprostheses in rats

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Devecioğlu, İsmail; Güçlü, Burak

2017-02-01

Objective. Recent studies showed that intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) generates artificial sensations which can be utilized as somatosensory feedback in cortical neuroprostheses. To mimic the natural psychophysical response, ICMS parameters are modulated according to psychometric equivalence functions (PEFs). PEFs match the intensity levels of ICMS and mechanical stimuli, which elicit equal detection probabilities, but they typically do not include the frequency as a control variable. We aimed to establish frequency-dependent PEFs for vibrotactile stimulation of the glabrous skin and ICMS in the primary somatosensory cortex of awake freely behaving rats. Approach. We collected psychometric data for vibrotactile and ICMS detection at three stimulation frequencies (40, 60 and 80 Hz). The psychometric data were fitted with a model equation of two independent variables (stimulus intensity and frequency) and four subject-dependent parameters. For each rat, we constructed a separate PEF which was used to estimate the ICMS current amplitude for a given displacement amplitude and frequency. The ICMS frequency was set equal to the vibrotactile frequency. We validated the PEFs in a modified task which included randomly selected probe trials presented either with a vibrotactile or an ICMS stimulus, and also at frequencies and intensity levels not tested before. Main results. The PEFs were generally successful in estimating the ICMS current intensities (no significant differences between vibrotactile and ICMS trials in Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests). Specifically, hit rates from both trial conditions were significantly correlated in 86% of the cases, and 52% of all data had perfect match in linear regression. Significance. The psychometric correspondence model presented in this study was constructed based on surface functions which define psychophysical detection probability as a function of stimulus intensity and frequency. Therefore, it may be used for the real-time modulation of the frequency and intensity of ICMS pulses in somatosensory neuroprostheses.

Psychophysical correspondence between vibrotactile intensity and intracortical microstimulation for tactile neuroprostheses in rats.

PubMed

Devecioğlu, İsmail; Güçlü, Burak

2017-02-01

Recent studies showed that intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) generates artificial sensations which can be utilized as somatosensory feedback in cortical neuroprostheses. To mimic the natural psychophysical response, ICMS parameters are modulated according to psychometric equivalence functions (PEFs). PEFs match the intensity levels of ICMS and mechanical stimuli, which elicit equal detection probabilities, but they typically do not include the frequency as a control variable. We aimed to establish frequency-dependent PEFs for vibrotactile stimulation of the glabrous skin and ICMS in the primary somatosensory cortex of awake freely behaving rats. We collected psychometric data for vibrotactile and ICMS detection at three stimulation frequencies (40, 60 and 80 Hz). The psychometric data were fitted with a model equation of two independent variables (stimulus intensity and frequency) and four subject-dependent parameters. For each rat, we constructed a separate PEF which was used to estimate the ICMS current amplitude for a given displacement amplitude and frequency. The ICMS frequency was set equal to the vibrotactile frequency. We validated the PEFs in a modified task which included randomly selected probe trials presented either with a vibrotactile or an ICMS stimulus, and also at frequencies and intensity levels not tested before. The PEFs were generally successful in estimating the ICMS current intensities (no significant differences between vibrotactile and ICMS trials in Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests). Specifically, hit rates from both trial conditions were significantly correlated in 86% of the cases, and 52% of all data had perfect match in linear regression. The psychometric correspondence model presented in this study was constructed based on surface functions which define psychophysical detection probability as a function of stimulus intensity and frequency. Therefore, it may be used for the real-time modulation of the frequency and intensity of ICMS pulses in somatosensory neuroprostheses.

Acetylcholine modulates gamma frequency oscillations in the hippocampus by activation of muscarinic M1 receptors.

PubMed

Betterton, Ruth T; Broad, Lisa M; Tsaneva-Atanasova, Krasimira; Mellor, Jack R

2017-06-01

Modulation of gamma oscillations is important for the processing of information and the disruption of gamma oscillations is a prominent feature of schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease. Gamma oscillations are generated by the interaction of excitatory and inhibitory neurons where their precise frequency and amplitude are controlled by the balance of excitation and inhibition. Acetylcholine enhances the intrinsic excitability of pyramidal neurons and suppresses both excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission, but the net modulatory effect on gamma oscillations is not known. Here, we find that the power, but not frequency, of optogenetically induced gamma oscillations in the CA3 region of mouse hippocampal slices is enhanced by low concentrations of the broad-spectrum cholinergic agonist carbachol but reduced at higher concentrations. This bidirectional modulation of gamma oscillations is replicated within a mathematical model by neuronal depolarisation, but not by reducing synaptic conductances, mimicking the effects of muscarinic M1 receptor activation. The predicted role for M1 receptors was supported experimentally; bidirectional modulation of gamma oscillations by acetylcholine was replicated by a selective M1 receptor agonist and prevented by genetic deletion of M1 receptors. These results reveal that acetylcholine release in CA3 of the hippocampus modulates gamma oscillation power but not frequency in a bidirectional and dose-dependent manner by acting primarily through muscarinic M1 receptors. © 2017 The Authors. European Journal of Neuroscience published by Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Separating monocular and binocular neural mechanisms mediating chromatic contextual interactions.

PubMed

D'Antona, Anthony D; Christiansen, Jens H; Shevell, Steven K

2014-04-17

When seen in isolation, a light that varies in chromaticity over time is perceived to oscillate in color. Perception of that same time-varying light may be altered by a surrounding light that is also temporally varying in chromaticity. The neural mechanisms that mediate these contextual interactions are the focus of this article. Observers viewed a central test stimulus that varied in chromaticity over time within a larger surround that also varied in chromaticity at the same temporal frequency. Center and surround were presented either to the same eye (monocular condition) or to opposite eyes (dichoptic condition) at the same frequency (3.125, 6.25, or 9.375 Hz). Relative phase between center and surround modulation was varied. In both the monocular and dichoptic conditions, the perceived modulation depth of the central light depended on the relative phase of the surround. A simple model implementing a linear combination of center and surround modulation fit the measurements well. At the lowest temporal frequency (3.125 Hz), the surround's influence was virtually identical for monocular and dichoptic conditions, suggesting that at this frequency, the surround's influence is mediated primarily by a binocular neural mechanism. At higher frequencies, the surround's influence was greater for the monocular condition than for the dichoptic condition, and this difference increased with temporal frequency. Our findings show that two separate neural mechanisms mediate chromatic contextual interactions: one binocular and dominant at lower temporal frequencies and the other monocular and dominant at higher frequencies (6-10 Hz).

Complex metabolic oscillations in plants forced by harmonic irradiance.

PubMed Central

Nedbal, Ladislav; Brezina, Vítezslav

2002-01-01

Plants exposed to harmonically modulated irradiance, approximately 1 + cos(omegat), exhibit a complex periodic pattern of chlorophyll fluorescence emission that can be deconvoluted into a steady-state component, a component that is modulated with the frequency of the irradiance (omega), and into at least two upper harmonic components (2omega and 3omega). A model is proposed that accounts for the upper harmonics in fluorescence emission by nonlinear negative feedback regulation of photosynthesis. In contrast to simpler linear models, the model predicts that the steady-state fluorescence component will depend on the frequency of light modulation, and that amplitudes of all fluorescence components will exhibit resonance peak(s) when the irradiance frequency is tuned to an internal frequency of a regulatory component. The experiments confirmed that the upper harmonic components appear and exhibit distinct resonant peaks. The frequency of autonomous oscillations observed earlier upon an abrupt increase in CO(2) concentration corresponds to the sharpest of the resonant peaks of the forced oscillations. We propose that the underlying principles are general for a wide spectrum of negative-feedback regulatory mechanisms. The analysis by forced harmonic oscillations will enable us to examine internal dynamics of regulatory processes that have not been accessible to noninvasive fluorescence monitoring to date. PMID:12324435

Altered modulation of gamma oscillation frequency by speed of visual motion in children with autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Stroganova, Tatiana A; Butorina, Anna V; Sysoeva, Olga V; Prokofyev, Andrey O; Nikolaeva, Anastasia Yu; Tsetlin, Marina M; Orekhova, Elena V

2015-01-01

Recent studies link autism spectrum disorders (ASD) with an altered balance between excitation and inhibition (E/I balance) in cortical networks. The brain oscillations in high gamma-band (50-120 Hz) are sensitive to the E/I balance and may appear useful biomarkers of certain ASD subtypes. The frequency of gamma oscillations is mediated by level of excitation of the fast-spiking inhibitory basket cells recruited by increasing strength of excitatory input. Therefore, the experimental manipulations affecting gamma frequency may throw light on inhibitory networks dysfunction in ASD. Here, we used magnetoencephalography (MEG) to investigate modulation of visual gamma oscillation frequency by speed of drifting annular gratings (1.2, 3.6, 6.0 °/s) in 21 boys with ASD and 26 typically developing boys aged 7-15 years. Multitaper method was used for analysis of spectra of gamma power change upon stimulus presentation and permutation test was applied for statistical comparisons. We also assessed in our participants visual orientation discrimination thresholds, which are thought to depend on excitability of inhibitory networks in the visual cortex. Although frequency of the oscillatory gamma response increased with increasing velocity of visual motion in both groups of participants, the velocity effect was reduced in a substantial proportion of children with ASD. The range of velocity-related gamma frequency modulation correlated inversely with the ability to discriminate oblique line orientation in the ASD group, while no such correlation has been observed in the group of typically developing participants. Our findings suggest that abnormal velocity-related gamma frequency modulation in ASD may constitute a potential biomarker for reduced excitability of fast-spiking inhibitory neurons in a subset of children with ASD.

Transcranial cavitation-mediated ultrasound therapy at sub-MHz frequency via temporal interference modulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Tao; Sutton, Jonathan T.; Power, Chanikarn; Zhang, Yongzhi; Miller, Eric L.; McDannold, Nathan J.

2017-10-01

Sub-megahertz transmission is not usually adopted in pre-clinical small animal experiments for focused ultrasound (FUS) brain therapy due to the large focal size. However, low frequency FUS is vital for preclinical evaluations due to the frequency-dependence of cavitation behavior. To maximize clinical relevance, a dual-aperture FUS system was designed for low-frequency (274.3 kHz) cavitation-mediated FUS therapy. Combining two spherically curved transducers provides significantly improved focusing in the axial direction while yielding an interference pattern with strong side lobes, leading to inhomogeneously distributed cavitation activities. By operating the two transducers at slightly offset frequencies to modulate this interference pattern over the period of sonication, the acoustic energy was redistributed and resulted in a spatially homogenous treatment profile. Simulation and pressure field measurements in water were performed to assess the beam profiles. In addition, the system performance was demonstrated in vivo in rats via drug delivery through microbubble-mediated blood-brain barrier disruption. This design resulted in a homogenous treatment profile that was fully contained within the rat brain at a clinically relevant acoustic frequency.

Equivalent circuit for the characterization of the resonance mode in piezoelectric systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernández-Afonso, Y.; García-Zaldívar, O.; Calderón-Piñar, F.

2015-12-01

The impedance properties in polarized piezoelectric can be described by electric equivalent circuits. The classic circuit used in the literature to describe real systems is formed by one resistor (R), one inductance (L) and one capacitance C connected in series and one capacity (C0) connected in parallel with the formers. Nevertheless, the equation that describe the resonance and anti-resonance frequencies depends on a complex manner of R, L, C and C0. In this work is proposed a simpler model formed by one inductance (L) and one capacity (C) in series; one capacity (C0) in parallel; one resistor (RP) in parallel and one resistor (RS) in series with other components. Unlike the traditional circuit, the equivalent circuit elements in the proposed model can be simply determined by knowing the experimental values of the resonance frequency fr, anti-resonance frequency fa, impedance module at resonance frequency |Zr|, impedance module at anti-resonance frequency |Za| and low frequency capacitance C0, without fitting the impedance experimental data to the obtained equation.

Neuromuscular mechanisms and neural strategies in the control of time-varying muscle contractions.

PubMed

Erimaki, Sophia; Agapaki, Orsalia M; Christakos, Constantinos N

2013-09-01

The organization of the neural input to motoneurons that underlies time-varying muscle force is assumed to depend on muscle transfer characteristics and neural strategies or control modes utilizing sensory signals. We jointly addressed these interlinked, but previously studied individually and partially, issues for sinusoidal (range 0.5-5.0 Hz) force-tracking contractions of a human finger muscle. Using spectral and correlation analyses of target signal, force signal, and motor unit (MU) discharges, we studied 1) patterns of such discharges, allowing inferences on the motoneuronal input; 2) transformation of MU population activity (EMG) into quasi-sinusoidal force; and 3) relation of force oscillation to target, carrying information on the input's organization. A broad view of force control mechanisms and strategies emerged. Specifically, synchronized MU and EMG modulations, reflecting a frequency-modulated motoneuronal input, accompanied the force variations. Gain and delay drops between EMG modulation and force oscillation, critical for the appropriate organization of this input, occurred with increasing target frequency. According to our analyses, gain compensation was achieved primarily through rhythmical activation/deactivation of higher-threshold MUs and secondarily through the adaptation of the input's strength expected during tracking tasks. However, the input's timing was not adapted to delay behaviors and seemed to depend on the control modes employed. Thus, for low-frequency targets, the force oscillation was highly coherent with, but led, a target, this timing error being compatible with predictive feedforward control partly based on the target's derivatives. In contrast, the force oscillation was weakly coherent, but in phase, with high-frequency targets, suggesting control mainly based on a target's rhythm.

Current-induced modulation of backward spin-waves in metallic microstructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sato, Nana; Lee, Seo-Won; Lee, Kyung-Jin; Sekiguchi, Koji

2017-03-01

We performed a propagating spin-wave spectroscopy for backward spin-waves in ferromagnetic metallic microstructures in the presence of electric-current. Even with the smaller current injection of 5× {{10}10} A m-2 into ferromagnetic microwires, the backward spin-waves exhibit a gigantic 200 MHz frequency shift and a 15% amplitude change, showing 60 times larger modulation compared to previous reports. Systematic experiments by measuring dependences on a film thickness of mirowire, on the wave-vector of spin-wave, and on the magnitude of bias field, we revealed that for the backward spin-waves a distribution of internal magnetic field generated by electric-current efficiently modulates the frequency and amplitude of spin-waves. The gigantic frequency and amplitude changes were reproduced by a micromagnetics simulation, predicting that the current-injection of 5× {{10}11} A m-2 allows 3 GHz frequency shift. The effective coupling between electric-current and backward spin-waves has a potential to build up a logic control method which encodes signals into the phase and amplitude of spin-waves. The metallic magnonics cooperating with electronics could suggest highly integrated magnonic circuits both in Boolean and non-Boolean principles.

Influence of modulation frequency in rubidium cell frequency standards

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Audoin, C.; Viennet, J.; Cyr, N.; Vanier, J.

1983-01-01

The error signal which is used to control the frequency of the quartz crystal oscillator of a passive rubidium cell frequency standard is considered. The value of the slope of this signal, for an interrogation frequency close to the atomic transition frequency is calculated and measured for various phase (or frequency) modulation waveforms, and for several values of the modulation frequency. A theoretical analysis is made using a model which applies to a system in which the optical pumping rate, the relaxation rates and the RF field are homogeneous. Results are given for sine-wave phase modulation, square-wave frequency modulation and square-wave phase modulation. The influence of the modulation frequency on the slope of the error signal is specified. It is shown that the modulation frequency can be chosen as large as twice the non-saturated full-width at half-maximum without a drastic loss of the sensitivity to an offset of the interrogation frequency from center line, provided that the power saturation factor and the amplitude of modulation are properly adjusted.

Task and spatial frequency modulations of object processing: an EEG study.

PubMed

Craddock, Matt; Martinovic, Jasna; Müller, Matthias M

2013-01-01

Visual object processing may follow a coarse-to-fine sequence imposed by fast processing of low spatial frequencies (LSF) and slow processing of high spatial frequencies (HSF). Objects can be categorized at varying levels of specificity: the superordinate (e.g. animal), the basic (e.g. dog), or the subordinate (e.g. Border Collie). We tested whether superordinate and more specific categorization depend on different spatial frequency ranges, and whether any such dependencies might be revealed by or influence signals recorded using EEG. We used event-related potentials (ERPs) and time-frequency (TF) analysis to examine the time course of object processing while participants performed either a grammatical gender-classification task (which generally forces basic-level categorization) or a living/non-living judgement (superordinate categorization) on everyday, real-life objects. Objects were filtered to contain only HSF or LSF. We found a greater positivity and greater negativity for HSF than for LSF pictures in the P1 and N1 respectively, but no effects of task on either component. A later, fronto-central negativity (N350) was more negative in the gender-classification task than the superordinate categorization task, which may indicate that this component relates to semantic or syntactic processing. We found no significant effects of task or spatial frequency on evoked or total gamma band responses. Our results demonstrate early differences in processing of HSF and LSF content that were not modulated by categorization task, with later responses reflecting such higher-level cognitive factors.

Microwave influence on the isolated heart function. 1: Effect of modulation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pakhomov, A.G.; Dubovick, B.V.; Degtyariov, I.G.

1995-09-01

Dependence of the microwave effect on modulation parameters (pulse width, duty ratio, and peak intensity) was studied in an isolated frog auricle preparation. The rate and amplitude of spontaneous auricle twitches were measured during and after a 2 min exposure to 915 or 885 MHz microwaves and were compared to preexposure values. The studied ranges of modulation parameters were: pulse width, 10{sup {minus}6}--10{sup {minus}2} s; duty ratio, 7:100000, and peak specific absorption rate, 100--3,000 W/kg. Combinations of the parameters were chosen by chance, and about 400 various exposure regimes were tested. The experiments established that no regime was effective unlessmore » the average microwave power was high enough to induce preparation heating (0.1--0.4 C). The twitch rate instantly increased, and the amplitude decreased, as the temperature rose; similar changes could be induced by equivalent conventional heating. the data provide evidence that the effect of short-term microwave exposure on the isolated heart pacemaker and contractile functions depends on pulse modulation just as much as modulation determines the average absorbed power. These functions demonstrated no specific dependence on exposure parameters such as frequency or power windows.« less

Priming and attentional control of lexical and sublexical pathways during naming.

PubMed

Zevin, J D; Balota, D A

2000-01-01

A modified priming task was used to investigate whether skilled readers are able to adjust the degree to which lexical and sublexical information contribute to naming. On each trial, participants named 5 low-frequency exception word primes or 5 nonword primes before a target. The low-frequency exception word primes should have produced a greater dependence on lexical information, whereas the nonword primes should have produced a greater dependence on sublexical information. Across 4 experiments, the effects of lexicality, regularity, frequency, and imageability were all modulated in predictable ways on the basis of the notion that the primes directed attention to specific processing pathways. It is argued that these results are consistent with an attentional control hypothesis.

Microwave Tunable Metamaterial Based on Semiconductor-to-Metal Phase Transition.

PubMed

Zhang, Guanqiao; Ma, He; Lan, Chuwen; Gao, Rui; Zhou, Ji

2017-07-18

A microwave tunable metamaterial utilizing the semiconductor-to-metal transition of vanadium dioxide (VO 2 ) is proposed, experimentally demonstrated and theoretically scrutinized. Basic concept of the design involves the combination of temperature-dependent hysteresis in VO 2 with resonance induced heating, resulting in a nonlinear response to power input. A lithographically prepared gold split-rings resonator (SRR) array deposited with VO 2 thin film is fabricated. Transmission spectra analysis shows a clear manifestation of nonlinearity, involving power-dependence of resonant frequency as well as transmitted intensity at both elevated and room temperature. Simulation performed with CST Microwave Studio conforms with the findings. The concept may find applications in transmission modulation and frequency tuning devices working under microwave frequency bands.

FIBER OPTICS. ACOUSTOOPTICS: Amplitude and phase nonreciprocities of acoustooptic modulators for counterpropagating light waves under the Bragg diffraction conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Veselovskaya, T. V.; Klochan, E. L.; Lariontsev, E. G.; Parfenov, S. V.; Shelaev, A. N.

1990-07-01

Theoretical and experimental investigations demonstrated that in real acoustooptic modulators the diffraction of light by a standing ultrasonic wave may give rise to both phase and amplitude nonreciprocities of counterpropagating light waves. Analytic expressions are derived for the dependences of these nonreciprocities on the parameters of the traveling component of an ultrasonic wave in a modulator. It is shown that when the angle of incidence of light on a modulator deviates from the Bragg angle, the phase nonreciprocity may be suppressed, but the amplitude nonreciprocity becomes maximal and its sign is governed by the law of deviation of the angle of incidence from the Bragg angle. A diffraction acoustooptic feedback makes it possible not only to achieve mode locking with an acoustooptic modulator utilizing a traveling ultrasonic wave, but also to control the magnitude and sign of amplitude-frequency nonreciprocities. It is reported that an acoustooptic feedback can be used to generate self-pumping waves in a solid-state mode-locked ring laser and thus stabilize bidirectional lasing in a wide range of the frequency offset between the counterpropagating waves.

Modulation-frequency encoded multi-color fluorescent DNA analysis in an optofluidic chip.

PubMed

Dongre, Chaitanya; van Weerd, Jasper; Besselink, Geert A J; Vazquez, Rebeca Martinez; Osellame, Roberto; Cerullo, Giulio; van Weeghel, Rob; van den Vlekkert, Hans H; Hoekstra, Hugo J W M; Pollnau, Markus

2011-02-21

We introduce a principle of parallel optical processing to an optofluidic lab-on-a-chip. During electrophoretic separation, the ultra-low limit of detection achieved with our set-up allows us to record fluorescence from covalently end-labeled DNA molecules. Different sets of exclusively color-labeled DNA fragments-otherwise rendered indistinguishable by spatio-temporal coincidence-are traced back to their origin by modulation-frequency-encoded multi-wavelength laser excitation, fluorescence detection with a single ultrasensitive, albeit color-blind photomultiplier, and Fourier analysis decoding. As a proof of principle, fragments obtained by multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification from independent human genomic segments, associated with genetic predispositions to breast cancer and anemia, are simultaneously analyzed.

Experimental study of the influence of low frequency flow modulation on the whistling behavior of a corrugated pipe.

PubMed

Kristiansen, Ulf R; Mattei, Pierre-Olivier; Pinhede, Cedric; Amielh, Muriel

2011-10-01

It is well known that airflow in a corrugated pipe can excite whistling at the frequencies of the pipe's longitudinal acoustic modes. This short contribution reports on the results of experiments where a low frequency, oscillating flow with velocity magnitudes of the same order as the airflow has been added. Depending on the oscillation strength, it has been found that this flow may silence the pipe or move the whistling to higher harmonics. It is also shown that the low frequency oscillation itself may excite higher frequency whistling sounds in the pipe. © 2011 Acoustical Society of America

Excitation of Earth-ionosphere waveguide in the ELF and lower VLF bands by modulated ionospheric current

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Field, E. C.; Bloom, R. M.

1993-05-01

In this report, the principal of reciprocity is used in conjunction with a full-wave propagation code to calculate ground-level fields excited by ionospheric currents modulated at frequencies between 50 and 100 Hz with HF heaters. Results show the dependence on source orientation, altitude, and dimension and therefore pertain to experiments using the HIPAS or HAARP ionospheric heaters. In the end-fire mode, the waveguide excitation efficiency of an ELF HED in the ionosphere is up to 20 dB greater than for a ground-based antenna, provided its altitude does not exceed 80 to 90 km. The highest efficiency occurs for a source altitude of around 70 km; if that altitude is raised to 100 km, the efficiency drops by about 20 dB in the day and 10 dB at night. That efficiency does not account for the greater conductivity modulation that might be achieved at altitudes greater than 70 km, however. The trade-off between the altitude dependencies of the excitation efficiency and maximum achievable modulation depends on the ERP of the HF heater, the optimum altitude increasing with increasing ERP. For HIPAS the best modulation altitude is around 70 km, whereas for HAARP there might be marginal value in modulating at attitudes as high as 100 km.

Perception of stochastic envelopes by normal-hearing and cochlear-implant listeners

PubMed Central

Gomersall, Philip A.; Turner, Richard E.; Baguley, David M.; Deeks, John M.; Gockel, Hedwig E.; Carlyon, Robert P.

2016-01-01

We assessed auditory sensitivity to three classes of temporal-envelope statistics (modulation depth, modulation rate, and comodulation) that are important for the perception of ‘sound textures’. The textures were generated by a probabilistic model that prescribes the temporal statistics of a selected number of modulation envelopes, superimposed onto noise carriers. Discrimination thresholds were measured for normal-hearing (NH) listeners and users of a MED-EL pulsar cochlear implant (CI), for separate manipulations of the average rate and modulation depth of the envelope in each frequency band of the stimulus, and of the co-modulation between bands. Normal-hearing (NH) listeners' discrimination of envelope rate was similar for baseline modulation rates of 5 and 34 Hz, and much poorer than previously reported for sinusoidally amplitude-modulated sounds. In contrast, discrimination of model parameters that controlled modulation depth was poorer at the lower baseline rate, consistent with the idea that, at the lower rate, subjects get fewer ‘looks’ at the relevant information when comparing stimuli differing in modulation depth. NH listeners could discriminate differences in co-modulation across bands; a multidimensional scaling study revealed that this was likely due to genuine across-frequency processing, rather than within-channel cues. CI users' discrimination performance was worse overall than for NH listeners, but showed a similar dependence on stimulus parameters. PMID:26706708

An amplitude modulated radio frequency plasma generator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lei, Fan; Li, Xiaoping; Liu, Yanming; Liu, Donglin; Yang, Min; Xie, Kai; Yao, Bo

2017-04-01

A glow discharge plasma generator and diagnostic system has been developed to study the effects of rapidly variable plasmas on electromagnetic wave propagation, mimicking the plasma sheath conditions encountered in space vehicle reentry. The plasma chamber is 400 mm in diameter and 240 mm in length, with a 300-mm-diameter unobstructed clear aperture. Electron densities produced are in the mid 1010 electrons/cm3. An 800 W radio frequency (RF) generator is capacitively coupled through an RF matcher to an internally cooled stainless steel electrode to form the plasma. The RF power is amplitude modulated by a waveform generator that operates at different frequencies. The resulting plasma contains electron density modulations caused by the varying power levels. A 10 GHz microwave horn antenna pair situated on opposite sides of the chamber serves as the source and detector of probe radiation. The microwave power feed to the source horn is split and one portion is sent directly to a high-speed recording oscilloscope. On mixing this with the signal from the pickup horn antenna, the plasma-induced phase shift between the two signals gives the path-integrated electron density with its complete time dependent variation. Care is taken to avoid microwave reflections and extensive shielding is in place to minimize electronic pickup. Data clearly show the low frequency modulation of the electron density as well as higher harmonics and plasma fluctuations.

Estimation of the center frequency of the highest modulation filter.

PubMed

Moore, Brian C J; Füllgrabe, Christian; Sek, Aleksander

2009-02-01

For high-frequency sinusoidal carriers, the threshold for detecting sinusoidal amplitude modulation increases when the signal modulation frequency increases above about 120 Hz. Using the concept of a modulation filter bank, this effect might be explained by (1) a decreasing sensitivity or greater internal noise for modulation filters with center frequencies above 120 Hz; and (2) a limited span of center frequencies of the modulation filters, the top filter being tuned to about 120 Hz. The second possibility was tested by measuring modulation masking in forward masking using an 8 kHz sinusoidal carrier. The signal modulation frequency was 80, 120, or 180 Hz and the masker modulation frequencies covered a range above and below each signal frequency. Four highly trained listeners were tested. For the 80-Hz signal, the signal threshold was usually maximal when the masker frequency equaled the signal frequency. For the 180-Hz signal, the signal threshold was maximal when the masker frequency was below the signal frequency. For the 120-Hz signal, two listeners showed the former pattern, and two showed the latter pattern. The results support the idea that the highest modulation filter has a center frequency in the range 100-120 Hz.

Higher Order Modulation Intersymbol Interference Caused by Traveling-wave Tube Amplifiers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kory, Carol L.; Andro, Monty; Williams, W. D. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

For the first time, a time-dependent, physics-based computational model has been used to provide a direct description of the effects of the traveling wave tube amplifier (TWTA) on modulated digital signals. The TWT model comprehensively takes into account the effects of frequency dependent AM/AM and AM/PM conversion; gain and phase ripple; drive-induced oscillations; harmonic generation; intermodulation products; and backward waves, Thus, signal integrity can be investigated in the presence of these sources of potential distortion as a function of the physical geometry and operating characteristics of the high power amplifier and the operational digital signal. This method promises superior predictive fidelity compared to methods using TWT models based on swept-amplitude and/or swept-frequency data. First, the TWT model using the three dimensional (3D) electromagnetic code MAFIA is presented. Then, this comprehensive model is used to investigate approximations made in conventional TWT black-box models used in communication system level simulations, To quantitatively demonstrate the effects these approximations have on digital signal performance predictions, including intersymbol interference (ISI), the MAFIA results are compared to the system level analysis tool, Signal Processing, Workstation (SPW), using high order modulation schemes including 16 and 64-QAM.

Dependence of chromatic responses in V1 on visual field eccentricity and spatial frequency: an fMRI study.

PubMed

D'Souza, Dany V; Auer, Tibor; Frahm, Jens; Strasburger, Hans; Lee, Barry B

2016-03-01

Psychophysical sensitivity to red-green chromatic modulation decreases with visual eccentricity, compared to sensitivity to luminance modulation, even after appropriate stimulus scaling. This is likely to occur at a central, rather than a retinal, site. Blood-oxygenation-level-dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) responses to stimuli designed to separately stimulate different afferent channels' [red-green, luminance, and short-wavelength (S)-cone] circular gratings were recorded as a function of visual eccentricity (±10  deg) and spatial frequency (SF) in human primary visual cortex (V1) and further visual areas (V2v, V3v). In V1, the SF tuning of BOLD fMRI responses became coarser with eccentricity. For red-green and luminance gratings, similar SF tuning curves were found at all eccentricities. The pattern for S-cone modulation differed, with SF tuning changing more slowly with eccentricity than for the other two modalities. This may be due to the different retinal distribution with eccentricity of this receptor type. A similar pattern held in V2v and V3v. This would suggest that transformation or spatial filtering of the chromatic (red-green) signal occurs beyond these areas.

Effects of Mechanical Loading on the Dynamics of Hair-Cell Stereociliary Bundles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fredrickson, Lea

Hearing is remarkably sensitive and still not entirely understood. Hair cells of the inner ear are the mechano-electrical transducers of sound and understanding how they function is essential to the understanding of hearing in general. Spontaneous oscillations exhibited by stereociliary bundles of the bullfrog sacculus provide a useful probe for the study of the hair cells' internal dynamic state. In this work we study the effects of mechanical loading on these hair-cell bundles in order to study their dynamics. When applying stiffness loads, we find that the spontaneous oscillation profile changes from multimode to single mode with light loading, and decreases in amplitude and increases in frequency with stiffer loads. We also find that tuning decreases with increasing load such that at loads comparable to in vivo conditions the tuning is flat. We further explore loading via deflections to hair cell bundles, both in the form of steady-state offsets and slow ramps. We find that steady state offsets lead to significant modulation of the characteristic frequency of response, decreasing the frequency in the channels closed direction (negative) and increasing it in the channels open direction (positive). Attachment to the overlying membrane was found, in vitro, to affect bundle offset position in hair cells of the bullfrog sacculus. Application of similar offsets on free-standing, spontaneously oscillating hair bundles shows modulation of their dynamic state, i.e. oscillation profile, characteristic frequency, and response to stimulus. Large offsets are found to arrest spontaneous oscillations, which recover upon reversal of the stimulus. The dynamical state of the hair bundle is dependent on both the history and direction of the offset stimulus. Oscillation suppression occurs much more readily in the negative direction and the bundle behavior approaching quiescence is distinct from that in the positive direction. With the change in spontaneous oscillation frequency and profile comes a change in the phase-locked response amplitude, dependent on bundle offset, winch extends the range of detection frequencies of the hair cell. We explore the broadband phase-locked response of spontaneously oscillating saccular hair cell bundles subject to time-dependent mechanical deflections. The experimental phase-locked amplitude shows an Arnold Tongue, consistent with theoretically predicted dynamical behavior. An offset that steadily increases in time, imposed on the position of the bundle to explore its dynamics at the zero frequency limit, is observed to progressively suppress spontaneous oscillations in a transition that displays strong frequency modulation, with the frequency vanishing at the critical point. When deflected at a faster rate and when allowed to recover to the oscillatory regime, the bundles also displayed a modulation in the amplitude of oscillation. We propose the dynamics of this transition to be dominated by a multi-critical region such that slight variations of a control parameter can produce either an infinite-period, supercritical Hopf, or Bogdanov-Takens bifurcation.

CALCIUM RELEASE FROM NERVOUS TISSUE - EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS AND POSSIBLE MECHANISMS

EPA Science Inventory

The research discussed in this paper was first conceived following a report by Bawin et al (1975) which demonstrated that amplitude-modulated radiofrequency (RF) fields could preferentially cause a biochemical change in isolated brain tissue depending on the specific frequency of...

Interaural time discrimination of envelopes carried on high-frequency tones as a function of level and interaural carrier mismatch

PubMed Central

Blanks, Deidra A.; Buss, Emily; Grose, John H.; Fitzpatrick, Douglas C.; Hall, Joseph W.

2009-01-01

Objectives The present study investigated interaural time discrimination for binaurally mismatched carrier frequencies in listeners with normal hearing. One goal of the investigation was to gain insights into binaural hearing in patients with bilateral cochlear implants, where the coding of interaural time differences may be limited by mismatches in the neural populations receiving stimulation on each side. Design Temporal envelopes were manipulated to present low frequency timing cues to high frequency auditory channels. Carrier frequencies near 4 kHz were amplitude modulated at 128 Hz via multiplication with a half-wave rectified sinusoid, and that modulation was either in-phase across ears or delayed to one ear. Detection thresholds for non-zero interaural time differences were measured for a range of stimulus levels and a range of carrier frequency mismatches. Data were also collected under conditions designed to limit cues based on stimulus spectral spread, including masking and truncation of sidebands associated with modulation. Results Listeners with normal hearing can detect interaural time differences in the face of substantial mismatches in carrier frequency across ears. Conclusions The processing of interaural time differences in listeners with normal hearing is likely based on spread of excitation into binaurally matched auditory channels. Sensitivity to interaural time differences in listeners with cochlear implants may depend upon spread of current that results in the stimulation of neural populations that share common tonotopic space bilaterally. PMID:18596646

Spatial frequency-dependent feedback of visual cortical area 21a modulating functional orientation column maps in areas 17 and 18 of the cat.

PubMed

Huang, Luoxiu; Chen, Xin; Shou, Tiande

2004-02-20

The feedback effect of activity of area 21a on orientation maps of areas 17 and 18 was investigated in cats using intrinsic signal optical imaging. A spatial frequency-dependent decrease in response amplitude of orientation maps to grating stimuli was observed in areas 17 and 18 when area 21a was inactivated by local injection of GABA, or by a lesion induced by liquid nitrogen freezing. The decrease in response amplitude of orientation maps of areas 17 and 18 after the area 21a inactivation paralleled the normal response without the inactivation. Application in area 21a of bicuculline, a GABAa receptor antagonist caused an increase in response amplitude of orientation maps of area 17. The results indicate a positive feedback from high-order visual cortical area 21a to lower-order areas underlying a spatial frequency-dependent mechanism.

A Model of High-Frequency Self-Mixing in Double-Barrier Rectifier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palma, Fabrizio; Rao, R.

2018-03-01

In this paper, a new model of the frequency dependence of the double-barrier THz rectifier is presented. The new structure is of interest because it can be realized by CMOS image sensor technology. Its application in a complex field such as that of THz receivers requires the availability of an analytical model, which is reliable and able to highlight the dependence on the parameters of the physical structure. The model is based on the hydrodynamic semiconductor equations, solved in the small signal approximation. The model depicts the mechanisms of the THz modulation of the charge in the depleted regions of the double-barrier device and explains the self-mixing process, the frequency dependence, and the detection capability of the structure. The model thus substantially improves the analytical models of the THz rectification available in literature, mainly based on lamped equivalent circuits.

A corticothalamic switch: controlling the thalamus with dynamic synapses

PubMed Central

Crandall, Shane R.; Cruikshank, Scott J.; Connors, Barry W.

2015-01-01

SUMMARY Corticothalamic neurons provide massive input to the thalamus. This top-down projection may allow cortex to regulate sensory processing by modulating the excitability of thalamic cells. Layer 6 corticothalamic neurons monosynaptically excite thalamocortical cells, but also indirectly inhibit them by driving inhibitory cells of the thalamic reticular nucleus. Whether corticothalamic activity generally suppresses or excites the thalamus remains unclear. Here we show that the corticothalamic influence is dynamic, with the excitatory-inhibitory balance shifting in an activity-dependent fashion. During low-frequency activity corticothalamic effects are mainly suppressive, whereas higher frequency activity (even a short bout of gamma frequency oscillations) converts the corticothalamic influence to enhancement. The mechanism of this switching depends upon distinct forms of short-term synaptic plasticity across multiple corticothalamic circuit components. Our results reveal an activity-dependent mechanism by which corticothalamic neurons can bidirectionally switch the excitability and sensory throughput of the thalamus, possibly to meet changing behavioral demands. PMID:25913856

Modulation of high frequency noise by engine tones of small boats.

PubMed

Pollara, Alexander; Sutin, Alexander; Salloum, Hady

2017-07-01

The effect of modulation of high frequency ship noise by propeller rotation frequencies is well known. This modulation is observed with the Detection of Envelope Modulation on Noise (DEMON) algorithm. Analysis of the DEMON spectrum allows the revolutions per minute and number of blades of the propeller to be determined. This work shows that the high frequency noise of a small boat can also be modulated by engine frequencies. Prior studies have not reported high frequency noise amplitude modulated at engine frequencies. This modulation is likely produced by bubbles from the engine exhaust system.

Nitric oxide-mediated modulation of the murine locomotor network

PubMed Central

Foster, Joshua D.; Dunford, Catherine; Sillar, Keith T.

2013-01-01

Spinal motor control networks are regulated by neuromodulatory systems to allow adaptability of movements. The present study aimed to elucidate the role of nitric oxide (NO) in the modulation of mammalian spinal locomotor networks. This was investigated with isolated spinal cord preparations from neonatal mice in which rhythmic locomotor-related activity was induced pharmacologically. Bath application of the NO donor diethylamine NONOate (DEA/NO) decreased the frequency and modulated the amplitude of locomotor-related activity recorded from ventral roots. Removal of endogenous NO with coapplication of a NO scavenger (PTIO) and a nitric oxide synthase (NOS) blocker [nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME)] increased the frequency and decreased the amplitude of locomotor-related activity. This demonstrates that endogenously derived NO can modulate both the timing and intensity of locomotor-related activity. The effects of DEA/NO were mimicked by the cGMP analog 8-bromo-cGMP. In addition, the soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) inhibitor ODQ blocked the effects of DEA/NO on burst amplitude and frequency, although the frequency effect was only blocked at low concentrations of DEA/NO. This suggests that NO-mediated modulation involves cGMP-dependent pathways. Sources of NO were studied within the lumbar spinal cord during postnatal development (postnatal days 1–12) with NADPH-diaphorase staining. NOS-positive cells in the ventral horn exhibited a rostrocaudal gradient, with more cells in rostral segments. The number of NOS-positive cells was also found to increase during postnatal development. In summary, we have shown that NO, derived from sources within the mammalian spinal cord, modulates the output of spinal motor networks and is therefore likely to contribute to the fine-tuning of locomotor behavior. PMID:24259545

Cavity length dependence of mode beating in passively Q-switched Nd-solid state lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zameroski, Nathan D.; Wanke, Michael; Bossert, David

2013-03-01

The temporal intensity profile of pulse(s) from passively Q-switched and passively Q-switched mode locked (QSML) solid-state lasers is known to be dependent on cavity length. In this work, the pulse width, modulation depth, and beat frequencies of a Nd:Cr:GSGG laser using a Cr+4:YAG passive Q-switch are investigated as function cavity length. Measured temporal widths are linearly correlated with cavity length but generally 3-5 ns larger than theoretical predictions. Some cavity lengths exhibit pulse profiles with no modulation while other lengths exhibit complete amplitude modulation. The observed beat frequencies at certain cavity lengths cannot be accounted for with passively QSML models in which the pulse train repetition rate is τRT-1, τRT= round-trip time. They can be explained, however, by including coupled cavity mode-locking effects. A theoretical model developed for a two section coupled cavity semiconductor laser is adapted to a solid-state laser to interpret measured beat frequencies. We also numerically evaluate the temporal criterion required to achieve temporally smooth Q-switched pulses, versus cavity length and pump rate. We show that in flash lamp pumped systems, the difference in buildup time between longitudinal modes is largely dependent on the pump rate. In applications where short pulse delay is important, the pumping rate may limit the ability to achieve temporally smooth pulses in passively Q-switched lasers. Simulations support trends in experimental data. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

Gravitational modulation of thermosolutal convection during directional solidification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murray, B. T.; Coriell, S. R.; McFadden, G. B.; Wheeler, A. A.; Saunders, B. V.

1993-03-01

During directional solidification of a binary alloy at constant velocity, thermosolutal convection may occur due to the temperature and solute gradients associated with the solidification process. For vertical growth in an ideal furnace (lacking horizontal gradients) a quiescent state is possible. The effect of a time-periodic vertical gravitational acceleration (or equivalently vibration) on the onset of thermosolutal convection is calculated based on linear stability using Floquet theory. Numerical calculations for the onset of instability have been carried out for a semiconductor alloy with Schmidt number of 10 and Prandtl number of 0.1 with primary emphasis on large modulation frequencies in a microgravity environment for which the background gravitational acceleration is negligible. The numerical results demonstrate that there is a significant difference in stability depending on whether a heavier or lighter solute is rejected. For large modulation frequencies, the stability behavior can be described by either the method of averaging or an asymptotic resonant mode analysis.

Dual-drive Mach-Zehnder modulator-based reconfigurable and transparent spectral conversion for dense wavelength division multiplexing transmissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mao, Mingzhi; Qian, Chen; Cao, Bingyao; Zhang, Qianwu; Song, Yingxiong; Wang, Min

2017-09-01

A digital signal process enabled dual-drive Mach-Zehnder modulator (DD-MZM)-based spectral converter is proposed and extensively investigated to realize dynamically reconfigurable and high transparent spectral conversion. As another important innovation point of the paper, to optimize the converter performance, the optimum operation conditions of the proposed converter are deduced, statistically simulated, and experimentally verified. The optimum conditions supported-converter performances are verified by detail numerical simulations and experiments in intensity-modulation and direct-detection-based network in terms of frequency detuning range-dependent conversion efficiency, strict operation transparency for user signal characteristics, impact of parasitic components on the conversion performance, as well as the converted component waveform are almost nondistortion. It is also found that the converter has the high robustness to the input signal power, optical signal-to-noise ratio variations, extinction ratio, and driving signal frequency.

An alternate design for the Defrise phantom to quantify resolution in digital breast tomosynthesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Acciavatti, Raymond J.; Mannherz, William; Nolan, Margaret; Maidment, Andrew D. A.

2017-03-01

Our previous work analyzed the Defrise phantom as a test object for evaluating image quality in digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT). The phantom is assembled from multiple plastic plates, which are arranged to form a square wave. In our previous work, there was no explicit analysis of how image quality varies with the thickness of the plates. To investigate this concept, a modified design of the phantom is now considered. For this purpose, each rectangular plate was laser-cut at an angle, creating a slope along which thickness varies continuously. The phantom was imaged using a clinical DBT system, and the relative modulation of the plastic-air separations was calculated in the reconstruction. In addition, a theoretical model was developed to determine whether modulation can be optimized by modifying the x-ray tube trajectory. It is demonstrated that modulation is dependent on the orientation of the frequency. Modulation is within detectable limits over a broad range of phantom thicknesses if frequency is parallel with the tube travel direction. Conversely, there is marked loss of modulation if frequency is oriented along the posteroanterior direction. In particular, as distance from the chest wall increases, there is a smaller range of thicknesses over which modulation is within detectable limits. Theoretical modeling suggests that this anisotropy is minimized by introducing tube motion along the posteroanterior direction. In conclusion, this paper demonstrates that the Defrise phantom is a tool for analyzing the limits of resolution in DBT systems.

System and method for tuning adjusting the central frequency of a laser while maintaining frequency stabilization to an external reference

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Livas, Jeffrey (Inventor); Thorpe, James I. (Inventor); Numata, Kenji (Inventor)

2011-01-01

A method and system for stabilizing a laser to a frequency reference with an adjustable offset. The method locks a sideband signal generated by passing an incoming laser beam through the phase modulator to a frequency reference, and adjusts a carrier frequency relative to the locked sideband signal by changing a phase modulation frequency input to the phase modulator. The sideband signal can be a single sideband (SSB), dual sideband (DSB), or an electronic sideband (ESB) signal. Two separate electro-optic modulators can produce the DSB signal. The two electro-optic modulators can be a broadband modulator and a resonant modulator. With a DSB signal, the method can introduce two sinusoidal phase modulations at the phase modulator. With ESB signals, the method can further drive the optical phase modulator with an electrical signal with nominal frequency OMEGA(sub 1) that is phase modulated at a frequency OMEGA(sub 2)

Encoding of frequency-modulation (FM) rates in human auditory cortex.

PubMed

Okamoto, Hidehiko; Kakigi, Ryusuke

2015-12-14

Frequency-modulated sounds play an important role in our daily social life. However, it currently remains unclear whether frequency modulation rates affect neural activity in the human auditory cortex. In the present study, using magnetoencephalography, we investigated the auditory evoked N1m and sustained field responses elicited by temporally repeated and superimposed frequency-modulated sweeps that were matched in the spectral domain, but differed in frequency modulation rates (1, 4, 16, and 64 octaves per sec). The results obtained demonstrated that the higher rate frequency-modulated sweeps elicited the smaller N1m and the larger sustained field responses. Frequency modulation rate had a significant impact on the human brain responses, thereby providing a key for disentangling a series of natural frequency-modulated sounds such as speech and music.

Modulation transfer function of a triangular pixel array detector.

PubMed

Karimzadeh, Ayatollah

2014-07-01

The modulation transfer function (MTF) is the main parameter that is used to evaluate image quality in electro-optical systems. Detector sampling MTF in most electro-optical systems determines the cutoff frequency of the system. The MTF of the detector depends on its pixel shape. In this work, we calculated the MTF of a detector with an equilateral triangular pixel shape. Some new results were found in deriving the MTF for the equilateral triangular pixel shape.

Tailored Waveform of Dielectric Barrier Discharge to Control Composite Thin Film Morphology.

PubMed

Brunet, Paul; Rincón, Rocío; Matouk, Zineb; Chaker, Mohamed; Massines, Françoise

2018-02-06

Nanocomposite thin films of TiO 2 in a polymer-like matrix are grown in a filamentary argon (Ar) dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) from a suspension of TiO 2 nanoparticles in isopropanol (IPA). The sinusoidal voltage producing the plasma is designed to independently control the matrix growth rate and the transport of nanoparticle (NP) aggregates to the surface. The useful FSK (frequency shift keying) modulation mode is chosen to successively generate two sinusoidal voltages: a high frequency of 15 kHz and a low frequency ranging from 0.5 to 3 kHz. The coating surface coverage by the NPs and the thickness of the matrix are measured as a function of the FSK parameters. The duty cycle between these two signals is varied from 0 to 100%. It is observed that the matrix thickness is mainly controlled by the power of the discharge, which largely depends on the high-frequency value. The quantity of NPs deposited in the composite thin film is proportional to the duration of the low frequency applied. The FSK waveform has a double modulation effect, allowing us to obtain a uniform coating as the NPs are not affected by the high frequency and the matrix growth rate is limited when the low frequency is applied. When it is close to a frequency limit, the low frequency acts like a filter for the NP aggregates. The higher the frequency, the smaller the size of the aggregates transferred to the surface. By changing only the FSK modulation parameters, the thin film can be switched from superhydrophobic to superhydrophilic, and under suitable conditions, a nanocomposite thin film is obtained.

Calcium channel dynamics limit synaptic release in response to prosthetic stimulation with sinusoidal waveforms

PubMed Central

Freeman, Daniel K.; Jeng, Jed S.; Kelly, Shawn K.; Hartveit, Espen; Fried, Shelley I.

2011-01-01

Extracellular electric stimulation with sinusoidal waveforms has been shown to allow preferential activation of individual types of retinal neurons by varying stimulus frequency. It is important to understand the mechanisms underlying this frequency dependence as a step towards improving methods of preferential activation. In order to elucidate these mechanisms, we implemented a morphologically realistic model of a retinal bipolar cell and measured the response to extracellular stimulation with sinusoidal waveforms. We compared the frequency response of a passive membrane model to the kinetics of voltage-gated calcium channels that mediate synaptic release. The passive electrical properties of the membrane exhibited lowpass filtering with a relatively high cutoff frequency (nominal value = 717 Hz). This cutoff frequency was dependent on intra-axonal resistance, with shorter and wider axons yielding higher cutoff frequencies. However, we found that the cutoff frequency of bipolar cell synaptic release was primarily limited by the relatively slow opening kinetics of Land T-type calcium channels. The cutoff frequency of calcium currents depended nonlinearly on stimulus amplitude, but remained lower than the cutoff frequency of the passive membrane model for a large range of membrane potential fluctuations. These results suggest that while it may be possible to modulate the membrane potential of bipolar cells over a wide range of stimulus frequencies, synaptic release will only be initiated at the lower end of this range. PMID:21628768

Wide-band analog frequency modulation of optic signals using indirect techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fitzmartin, D. J.; Balboni, E. J.; Gels, R. G.

1991-01-01

The wideband frequency modulation (FM) of an optical carrier by a radio frequency (RF) or microwave signal can be accomplished independent of laser type when indirect modulation is employed. Indirect modulators exploit the integral relation of phase to frequency so that phase modulators can be used to impress frequency modulation on an optical carrier. The use of integrated optics phase modulators, which are highly linear, enables the generation of optical wideband FM signals with very low intermodulation distortion. This modulator can be used as part of an optical wideband FM link for RF and microwave signals. Experimental results from the test of an indirect frequency modulator for an optical carrier are discussed.

Neural coding of time-varying interaural time differences and time-varying amplitude in the inferior colliculus

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Binaural cues occurring in natural environments are frequently time varying, either from the motion of a sound source or through interactions between the cues produced by multiple sources. Yet, a broad understanding of how the auditory system processes dynamic binaural cues is still lacking. In the current study, we directly compared neural responses in the inferior colliculus (IC) of unanesthetized rabbits to broadband noise with time-varying interaural time differences (ITD) with responses to noise with sinusoidal amplitude modulation (SAM) over a wide range of modulation frequencies. On the basis of prior research, we hypothesized that the IC, one of the first stages to exhibit tuning of firing rate to modulation frequency, might use a common mechanism to encode time-varying information in general. Instead, we found weaker temporal coding for dynamic ITD compared with amplitude modulation and stronger effects of adaptation for amplitude modulation. The differences in temporal coding of dynamic ITD compared with SAM at the single-neuron level could be a neural correlate of “binaural sluggishness,” the inability to perceive fluctuations in time-varying binaural cues at high modulation frequencies, for which a physiological explanation has so far remained elusive. At ITD-variation frequencies of 64 Hz and above, where a temporal code was less effective, noise with a dynamic ITD could still be distinguished from noise with a constant ITD through differences in average firing rate in many neurons, suggesting a frequency-dependent tradeoff between rate and temporal coding of time-varying binaural information. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Humans use time-varying binaural cues to parse auditory scenes comprising multiple sound sources and reverberation. However, the neural mechanisms for doing so are poorly understood. Our results demonstrate a potential neural correlate for the reduced detectability of fluctuations in time-varying binaural information at high speeds, as occurs in reverberation. The results also suggest that the neural mechanisms for processing time-varying binaural and monaural cues are largely distinct. PMID:28381487

Modeling Sluggishness in Binaural Unmasking of Speech for Maskers With Time-Varying Interaural Phase Differences

PubMed Central

Brand, Thomas

2018-01-01

In studies investigating binaural processing in human listeners, relatively long and task-dependent time constants of a binaural window ranging from 10 ms to 250 ms have been observed. Such time constants are often thought to reflect “binaural sluggishness.” In this study, the effect of binaural sluggishness on binaural unmasking of speech in stationary speech-shaped noise is investigated in 10 listeners with normal hearing. In order to design a masking signal with temporally varying binaural cues, the interaural phase difference of the noise was modulated sinusoidally with frequencies ranging from 0.25 Hz to 64 Hz. The lowest, that is the best, speech reception thresholds (SRTs) were observed for the lowest modulation frequency. SRTs increased with increasing modulation frequency up to 4 Hz. For higher modulation frequencies, SRTs remained constant in the range of 1 dB to 1.5 dB below the SRT determined in the diotic situation. The outcome of the experiment was simulated using a short-term binaural speech intelligibility model, which combines an equalization–cancellation (EC) model with the speech intelligibility index. This model segments the incoming signal into 23.2-ms time frames in order to predict release from masking in modulated noises. In order to predict the results from this study, the model required a further time constant applied to the EC mechanism representing binaural sluggishness. The best agreement with perceptual data was achieved using a temporal window of 200 ms in the EC mechanism. PMID:29338577

Modeling Sluggishness in Binaural Unmasking of Speech for Maskers With Time-Varying Interaural Phase Differences.

PubMed

Hauth, Christopher F; Brand, Thomas

2018-01-01

In studies investigating binaural processing in human listeners, relatively long and task-dependent time constants of a binaural window ranging from 10 ms to 250 ms have been observed. Such time constants are often thought to reflect "binaural sluggishness." In this study, the effect of binaural sluggishness on binaural unmasking of speech in stationary speech-shaped noise is investigated in 10 listeners with normal hearing. In order to design a masking signal with temporally varying binaural cues, the interaural phase difference of the noise was modulated sinusoidally with frequencies ranging from 0.25 Hz to 64 Hz. The lowest, that is the best, speech reception thresholds (SRTs) were observed for the lowest modulation frequency. SRTs increased with increasing modulation frequency up to 4 Hz. For higher modulation frequencies, SRTs remained constant in the range of 1 dB to 1.5 dB below the SRT determined in the diotic situation. The outcome of the experiment was simulated using a short-term binaural speech intelligibility model, which combines an equalization-cancellation (EC) model with the speech intelligibility index. This model segments the incoming signal into 23.2-ms time frames in order to predict release from masking in modulated noises. In order to predict the results from this study, the model required a further time constant applied to the EC mechanism representing binaural sluggishness. The best agreement with perceptual data was achieved using a temporal window of 200 ms in the EC mechanism.

Cooling an Optically Trapped Ultracold Fermi Gas by Periodical Driving.

PubMed

Li, Jiaming; de Melo, Leonardo F; Luo, Le

2017-03-30

We present a cooling method for a cold Fermi gas by parametrically driving atomic motions in a crossed-beam optical dipole trap (ODT). Our method employs the anharmonicity of the ODT, in which the hotter atoms at the edge of the trap feel the anharmonic components of the trapping potential, while the colder atoms in the center of the trap feel the harmonic one. By modulating the trap depth with frequencies that are resonant with the anharmonic components, we selectively excite the hotter atoms out of the trap while keeping the colder atoms in the trap, generating parametric cooling. This experimental protocol starts with a magneto-optical trap (MOT) that is loaded by a Zeeman slower. The precooled atoms in the MOT are then transferred to an ODT, and a bias magnetic field is applied to create an interacting Fermi gas. We then lower the trapping potential to prepare a cold Fermi gas near the degenerate temperature. After that, we sweep the magnetic field to the noninteracting regime of the Fermi gas, in which the parametric cooling can be manifested by modulating the intensity of the optical trapping beams. We find that the parametric cooling effect strongly depends on the modulation frequencies and amplitudes. With the optimized frequency and amplitude, we measure the dependence of the cloud energy on the modulation time. We observe that the cloud energy is changed in an anisotropic way, where the energy of the axial direction is significantly reduced by parametric driving. The cooling effect is limited to the axial direction because the dominant anharmonicity of the crossed-beam ODT is along the axial direction. Finally, we propose to extend this protocol for the trapping potentials of large anharmonicity in all directions, which provides a promising scheme for cooling quantum gases using external driving.

Electrical Spin Driving by g -Matrix Modulation in Spin-Orbit Qubits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crippa, Alessandro; Maurand, Romain; Bourdet, Léo; Kotekar-Patil, Dharmraj; Amisse, Anthony; Jehl, Xavier; Sanquer, Marc; Laviéville, Romain; Bohuslavskyi, Heorhii; Hutin, Louis; Barraud, Sylvain; Vinet, Maud; Niquet, Yann-Michel; De Franceschi, Silvano

2018-03-01

In a semiconductor spin qubit with sizable spin-orbit coupling, coherent spin rotations can be driven by a resonant gate-voltage modulation. Recently, we have exploited this opportunity in the experimental demonstration of a hole spin qubit in a silicon device. Here we investigate the underlying physical mechanisms by measuring the full angular dependence of the Rabi frequency, as well as the gate-voltage dependence and anisotropy of the hole g factor. We show that a g -matrix formalism can simultaneously capture and discriminate the contributions of two mechanisms so far independently discussed in the literature: one associated with the modulation of the g factor, and measurable by Zeeman energy spectroscopy, the other not. Our approach has a general validity and can be applied to the analysis of other types of spin-orbit qubits.

Frequency mode excitations in two-dimensional Hindmarsh-Rose neural networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tabi, Conrad Bertrand; Etémé, Armand Sylvin; Mohamadou, Alidou

2017-05-01

In this work, we explicitly show the existence of two frequency regimes in a two-dimensional Hindmarsh-Rose neural network. Each of the regimes, through the semi-discrete approximation, is shown to be described by a two-dimensional complex Ginzburg-Landau equation. The modulational instability phenomenon for the two regimes is studied, with consideration given to the coupling intensities among neighboring neurons. Analytical solutions are also investigated, along with their propagation in the two frequency regimes. These waves, depending on the coupling strength, are identified as breathers, impulses and trains of soliton-like structures. Although the waves in two regimes appear in some common regions of parameters, some phase differences are noticed and the global dynamics of the system is highly influenced by the values of the coupling terms. For some values of such parameters, the high-frequency regime displays modulated trains of waves, while the low-frequency dynamics keeps the original asymmetric character of action potentials. We argue that in a wide range of pathological situations, strong interactions among neurons can be responsible for some pathological states, including schizophrenia and epilepsy.

Effect of geometric nonlinearity on acoustic modulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warnemuende, Kraig; Wu, Hwai-Chung

2005-05-01

Non-linear nondestructive testing is different from linear acoustic in that it correlates the presence and characteristics of a defect with acoustical signals whose frequencies differ from the frequencies of the emitted probe signal. The difference in frequencies between the probe signal and the resulting frequencies is due to a nonlinear transformation of the probe signal as it passes through a defect. Under acoustic interrogation due to longitudinal waves, as the compression phase passes the defect the two sides of the interface are in direct contact and the contact area increases. Similarly, the tensile phase passes through the defect, the two sides separate and the contact area decreases, thereby modulating the signal amplitude. The contact area depends on the roughness of the surface and on the magnitude of the cohesive forces that arise from the small crack openings. Such cohesive forces may be attributed to aggregate interlock (in plain concrete), fiber bridging (in fiber reinforced concrete) or both. In this paper, the frequency shifts of the probe elastic wave will be analytically related to the roughness and varying cohesive forces of the crack-like defect.

Laser frequency-offset locking based on the frequency modulation spectroscopy with higher harmonic detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Anqi; Meng, Zhixin; Feng, Yanying

2017-10-01

We design a fiber electro-optic modulator (FEOM)-based laser frequency-offset locking system using frequency modulation spectroscopy (FMS) with the 3F modulation. The modulation signal and the frequency-offset control signal are simultaneously loaded on the FEOM by a mixer in order to suppress the frequency and power jitter caused by internal modulation on the current or piezoelectric ceramic transducer (PZT). It is expected to accomplish a fast locking, a widely tunable frequency-offset, a sensitive and rapid detection of narrow spectral features with the 3F modulation. The laser frequency fluctuation is limited to +/-1MHz and its overlapping Allan deviation is around 10-12 in twenty minutes, which successfully meets the requirements of the cold atom interferometer.

Atomic clocks based on extened-cavity diode laser in multimode operation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yim, Sin; Cho, D.

2011-05-01

We demonstrated the possibilities to develope an atomic clock based on coherent population trapping (CPT) without using a local oscillator and a modulator. Instead of using a modulator, we use two modes from a single extended-cavity diode laser in multimode operation. Two different types of feedback system are applied to stabilize a difference frequency between the two modes and eliminate the need for an extra frequency modulation. In the first type, we employ an electronic feedback using dispersion of the CPT resonance as an error signal. The two modes are phase locked with reference to a dispersion signal from a CPT resonance of 85Rb at 3.036 GHz ground hyperfine splitting. We use D1 transition at 794.8 nm with lin ⊥lin polarizations to obtain large-contrast CPT signal. Allan deviation of the beat frequency between the two modes is 1 ×10-10 at 200-s integration time. In the second type, we employ optoelectronic feedback to construct an opto-electronic oscillator (OEO). In an OEO, the beating signal between two modes is recovered by a fast photodiode, and its output is amplified and fed back to the laser diode by using a direct modulation of an injection current. When the OEO loop is closed, oscillation frequency depends on variations of the loop length. In order to stabilize an OEO loop length and thereby its oscillation frequency, CPT cell is inserted to play a role of microwave band pass filter. Allan deviation of the CPT-stabilized OEO is 2 ×10-10 at 100-s integration time.

Modulation of human time processing by subthalamic deep brain stimulation.

PubMed

Wojtecki, Lars; Elben, Saskia; Timmermann, Lars; Reck, Christiane; Maarouf, Mohammad; Jörgens, Silke; Ploner, Markus; Südmeyer, Martin; Groiss, Stefan Jun; Sturm, Volker; Niedeggen, Michael; Schnitzler, Alfons

2011-01-01

Timing in the range of seconds referred to as interval timing is crucial for cognitive operations and conscious time processing. According to recent models of interval timing basal ganglia (BG) oscillatory loops are involved in time interval recognition. Parkinsońs disease (PD) is a typical disease of the basal ganglia that shows distortions in interval timing. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) is a powerful treatment of PD which modulates motor and cognitive functions depending on stimulation frequency by affecting subcortical-cortical oscillatory loops. Thus, for the understanding of BG-involvement in interval timing it is of interest whether STN-DBS can modulate timing in a frequency dependent manner by interference with oscillatory time recognition processes. We examined production and reproduction of 5 and 15 second intervals and millisecond timing in a double blind, randomised, within-subject repeated-measures design of 12 PD-patients applying no, 10-Hz- and ≥ 130-Hz-STN-DBS compared to healthy controls. We found under(re-)production of the 15-second interval and a significant enhancement of this under(re-)production by 10-Hz-stimulation compared to no stimulation, ≥ 130-Hz-STN-DBS and controls. Milliseconds timing was not affected. We provide first evidence for a frequency-specific modulatory effect of STN-DBS on interval timing. Our results corroborate the involvement of BG in general and of the STN in particular in the cognitive representation of time intervals in the range of multiple seconds.

Modulation of Human Time Processing by Subthalamic Deep Brain Stimulation

PubMed Central

Timmermann, Lars; Reck, Christiane; Maarouf, Mohammad; Jörgens, Silke; Ploner, Markus; Südmeyer, Martin; Groiss, Stefan Jun; Sturm, Volker; Niedeggen, Michael; Schnitzler, Alfons

2011-01-01

Timing in the range of seconds referred to as interval timing is crucial for cognitive operations and conscious time processing. According to recent models of interval timing basal ganglia (BG) oscillatory loops are involved in time interval recognition. Parkinsońs disease (PD) is a typical disease of the basal ganglia that shows distortions in interval timing. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) is a powerful treatment of PD which modulates motor and cognitive functions depending on stimulation frequency by affecting subcortical-cortical oscillatory loops. Thus, for the understanding of BG-involvement in interval timing it is of interest whether STN-DBS can modulate timing in a frequency dependent manner by interference with oscillatory time recognition processes. We examined production and reproduction of 5 and 15 second intervals and millisecond timing in a double blind, randomised, within-subject repeated-measures design of 12 PD-patients applying no, 10-Hz- and ≥130-Hz-STN-DBS compared to healthy controls. We found under(re-)production of the 15-second interval and a significant enhancement of this under(re-)production by 10-Hz-stimulation compared to no stimulation, ≥130-Hz-STN-DBS and controls. Milliseconds timing was not affected. We provide first evidence for a frequency-specific modulatory effect of STN-DBS on interval timing. Our results corroborate the involvement of BG in general and of the STN in particular in the cognitive representation of time intervals in the range of multiple seconds. PMID:21931767

Frequency-Dependent Tidal Triggering of Low Frequency Earthquakes Near Parkfield, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xue, L.; Burgmann, R.; Shelly, D. R.

2017-12-01

The effect of small periodic stress perturbations on earthquake generation is not clear, however, the rate of low-frequency earthquakes (LFEs) near Parkfield, California has been found to be strongly correlated with solid earth tides. Laboratory experiments and theoretical analyses show that the period of imposed forcing and source properties affect the sensitivity to triggering and the phase relation of the peak seismicity rate and the periodic stress, but frequency-dependent triggering has not been quantitatively explored in the field. Tidal forcing acts over a wide range of frequencies, therefore the sensitivity to tidal triggering of LFEs provides a good probe to the physical mechanisms affecting earthquake generation. In this study, we consider the tidal triggering of LFEs near Parkfield, California since 2001. We find the LFEs rate is correlated with tidal shear stress, normal stress rate and shear stress rate. The occurrence of LFEs can also be independently modulated by groups of tidal constituents at semi-diurnal, diurnal and fortnightly frequencies. The strength of the response of LFEs to the different tidal constituents varies between LFE families. Each LFE family has an optimal triggering frequency, which does not appear to be depth dependent or systematically related to other known properties. This suggests the period of the applied forcing plays an important role in the triggering process, and the interaction of periods of loading history and source region properties, such as friction, effective normal stress and pore fluid pressure, produces the observed frequency-dependent tidal triggering of LFEs.

Calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase II and nitric oxide synthase 1-dependent modulation of ryanodine receptors during β-adrenergic stimulation is restricted to the dyadic cleft.

PubMed

Dries, Eef; Santiago, Demetrio J; Johnson, Daniel M; Gilbert, Guillaume; Holemans, Patricia; Korte, Sanne M; Roderick, H Llewelyn; Sipido, Karin R

2016-10-15

The dyadic cleft, where coupled ryanodine receptors (RyRs) reside, is thought to serve as a microdomain for local signalling, as supported by distinct modulation of coupled RyRs dependent on Ca 2+ /calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaMKII) activation during high-frequency stimulation. Sympathetic stimulation through β-adrenergic receptors activates an integrated signalling cascade, enhancing Ca 2+ cycling and is at least partially mediated through CaMKII. Here we report that CaMKII activation during β-adrenergic signalling is restricted to the dyadic cleft, where it enhances activity of coupled RyRs thereby contributing to the increase in diastolic events. Nitric oxide synthase 1 equally participates in the local modulation of coupled RyRs. In contrast, the increase in the Ca 2+ content of the sarcoplasmic reticulum and related increase in the amplitude of the Ca 2+ transient are primarily protein kinase A-dependent. The present data extend the concept of microdomain signalling in the dyadic cleft and give perspectives for selective modulation of RyR subpopulations and diastolic events. In cardiac myocytes, β-adrenergic stimulation enhances Ca 2+ cycling through an integrated signalling cascade modulating L-type Ca 2+ channels (LTCCs), phospholamban and ryanodine receptors (RyRs). Ca 2+ /calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaMKII) and nitric oxide synthase 1 (NOS1) are proposed as prime mediators for increasing RyR open probability. We investigate whether this pathway is confined to the high Ca 2+ microdomain of the dyadic cleft and thus to coupled RyRs. Pig ventricular myocytes are studied under whole-cell voltage-clamp and confocal line-scan imaging with Fluo-4 as a [Ca 2+ ] i indicator. Following conditioning depolarizing pulses, spontaneous RyR activity is recorded as Ca 2+ sparks, which are assigned to coupled and non-coupled RyR clusters. Isoproterenol (ISO) (10 nm) increases Ca 2+ spark frequency in both populations of RyRs. However, CaMKII inhibition reduces spark frequency in coupled RyRs only; NOS1 inhibition mimics the effect of CaMKII inhibition. Moreover, ISO induces the repetitive activation of coupled RyR clusters through CaMKII activation. Immunostaining shows high levels of CaMKII phosphorylation at the dyadic cleft. CaMKII inhibition reduces I CaL and local Ca 2+ transients during depolarizing steps but has only modest effects on amplitude or relaxation of the global Ca 2+ transient. In contrast, protein kinase A (PKA) inhibition reduces spark frequency in all RyRs concurrently with a reduction of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca 2+ content, Ca 2+ transient amplitude and relaxation. In conclusion, CaMKII activation during β-adrenergic stimulation is restricted to the dyadic cleft microdomain, enhancing LTCC-triggered local Ca 2+ release as well as spontaneous diastolic Ca 2+ release whilst PKA is the major pathway increasing global Ca 2+ cycling. Selective CaMKII inhibition may reduce potentially arrhythmogenic release without negative inotropy. © 2016 The Authors. The Journal of Physiology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Physiological Society.

Probing phase- and frequency-dependent characteristics of cortical interneurons using combined transcranial alternating current stimulation and transcranial magnetic stimulation.

PubMed

Hussain, Sara J; Thirugnanasambandam, Nivethida

2017-06-01

Paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and peripheral stimulation combined with TMS can be used to study cortical interneuronal circuitry. By combining these procedures with concurrent transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS), Guerra and colleagues recently showed that different cortical interneuronal populations are differentially modulated by the phase and frequency of tACS-imposed oscillations (Guerra A, Pogosyan A, Nowak M, Tan H, Ferreri F, Di Lazzaro V, Brown P. Cerebral Cortex 26: 3977-2990, 2016). This work suggests that different cortical interneuronal populations can be characterized by their phase and frequency dependency. Here we discuss how combining TMS and tACS can reveal the frequency at which cortical interneuronal populations oscillate, the neuronal origins of behaviorally relevant cortical oscillations, and how entraining cortical oscillations could potentially treat brain disorders. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

Blocking c-Fos Expression Reveals the Role of Auditory Cortex Plasticity in Sound Frequency Discrimination Learning.

PubMed

de Hoz, Livia; Gierej, Dorota; Lioudyno, Victoria; Jaworski, Jacek; Blazejczyk, Magda; Cruces-Solís, Hugo; Beroun, Anna; Lebitko, Tomasz; Nikolaev, Tomasz; Knapska, Ewelina; Nelken, Israel; Kaczmarek, Leszek

2018-05-01

The behavioral changes that comprise operant learning are associated with plasticity in early sensory cortices as well as with modulation of gene expression, but the connection between the behavioral, electrophysiological, and molecular changes is only partially understood. We specifically manipulated c-Fos expression, a hallmark of learning-induced synaptic plasticity, in auditory cortex of adult mice using a novel approach based on RNA interference. Locally blocking c-Fos expression caused a specific behavioral deficit in a sound discrimination task, in parallel with decreased cortical experience-dependent plasticity, without affecting baseline excitability or basic auditory processing. Thus, c-Fos-dependent experience-dependent cortical plasticity is necessary for frequency discrimination in an operant behavioral task. Our results connect behavioral, molecular and physiological changes and demonstrate a role of c-Fos in experience-dependent plasticity and learning.

Mapping alternating current electroosmotic flow at the dielectrophoresis crossover frequency of a colloidal probe.

PubMed

Wang, Jingyu; Wei, Ming-Tzo; Cohen, Joel A; Ou-Yang, H Daniel

2013-07-01

AC electroosmotic (ACEO) flow above the gap between coplanar electrodes is mapped by the measurement of Stokes forces on an optically trapped polystyrene colloidal particle. E²-dependent forces on the probe particle are selected by amplitude modulation (AM) of the ACEO electric field (E) and lock-in detection at twice the AM frequency. E²-dependent DEP of the probe is eliminated by driving the ACEO at the probe's DEP crossover frequency. The location-independent DEP crossover frequency is determined, in a separate experiment, as the limiting frequency of zero horizontal force as the probe is moved toward the midpoint between the electrodes. The ACEO velocity field, uncoupled from probe DEP effects, was mapped in the region 1-9 μm above a 28 μm gap between the electrodes. By use of variously sized probes, each at its DEP crossover frequency, the frequency dependence of the ACEO flow was determined at a point 3 μm above the electrode gap and 4 μm from an electrode tip. At this location the ACEO flow was maximal at ∼117 kHz for a low salt solution. This optical trapping method, by eliminating DEP forces on the probe, provides unambiguous mapping of the ACEO velocity field. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Pulse-coupled Belousov-Zhabotinsky oscillators with frequency modulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horvath, Viktor; Epstein, Irving R.

2018-04-01

Inhibitory perturbations to the ferroin-catalyzed Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) chemical oscillator operated in a continuously fed stirred tank reactor cause long term changes to the limit cycle: the lengths of the cycles subsequent to the perturbation are longer than that of the unperturbed cycle, and the unperturbed limit cycle is recovered only after several cycles. The frequency of the BZ reaction strongly depends on the acid concentration of the medium. By adding strong acid or base to the perturbing solutions, the magnitude and the direction of the frequency changes concomitant to excitatory or inhibitory perturbations can be controlled independently of the coupling strength. The dynamics of two BZ oscillators coupled through perturbations carrying a coupling agent (activator or inhibitor) and a frequency modulator (strong acid or base) was explored using a numerical model of the system. Here, we report new complex temporal patterns: higher order, partially synchronized modes that develop when inhibitory coupling is combined with positive frequency modulation (FM), and complex bursting patterns when excitatory coupling is combined with negative FM. The role of time delay between the peak and perturbation (the analog of synaptic delays in networks of neurons) has also been studied. The complex patterns found under inhibitory coupling and positive FM vanish when the delay is significant, whereas a sufficiently long time delay is required for the complex temporal dynamics to occur when coupling is excitatory and FM is negative.

47 CFR 80.213 - Modulation requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... must be maintained between 75 and 100 percent; (2) When phase or frequency modulation is used in the 156-162 MHz band the peak modulation must be maintained between 75 and 100 percent. A frequency... installed between the modulation limiter and the modulated radio frequency stage. At frequencies between 3 k...

Directional Selectivity for FM Sweeps in the Suprageniculate Nucleus of the Mustached Bat Medial Geniculate Body

PubMed Central

O’NEILL, WILLIAM E.; BRIMIJOIN, W. OWEN

2014-01-01

Mustached bats emit echolocation and communication calls containing both constant frequency (CF) and frequency-modulated (FM) components. Previously we found that 86% of neurons in the ventral division of the external nucleus of the inferior colliculus (ICXv) were directionally selective for linear FM sweeps and that selectivity was dependent on sweep rate. The ICXv projects to the suprageniculate nucleus (Sg) of the medial geniculate body. In this study, we isolated 37 single units in the Sg and measured their responses to best excitatory frequency (BEF) tones and linear 12-kHz upward and downward FM sweeps centered on the BEF. Sweeps were presented at durations of 30, 12, and 4 ms, yielding modulation rates of 400, 1,000, and 3,000 kHz/s. Spike count versus level functions were obtained at each modulation rate and compared with BEF controls. Sg units responded well to both tones and FM sweeps. BEFs clustered at 58 kHz, corresponding to the dominant CF component of the sonar signal. Spike count functions for both tones and sweeps were predominantly non-monotonic. FM directional selectivity was significant in 53–78% of the units, depending on modulation rate and level. Units were classified as up-selective (52%), down-selective (24%), or bi-directional (non-selective, 16%); a few units (8%) showed preferences that were either rate- or level-dependent. Most units showed consistent directional preferences at all SPLs and modulation rates tested, but typically showed stronger selectivity at lower sweep rates. Directional preferences were attributable to suppression of activity by sweeps in the non-preferred direction (~80% of units) and/or facilitation by sweeps in the preferred direction (~20–30%). Latencies for BEF tones ranged from 4.9 to 25.7 ms. Latencies for FM sweeps typically varied linearly with sweep duration. Most FM latency-duration functions had slopes ranging from 0.4 to 0.6, suggesting that the responses were triggered by the BEF. Latencies for BEF tones and FM sweeps were significantly correlated in most Sg units, i.e., the response to FM was temporally related to the occurrence of the BEF in the FM sweep. FM latency declined relative to BEF latency as modulation rate increased, suggesting that at higher rates response is triggered by frequencies in the sweep preceding the BEF. We conclude that Sg and ICXv units have similar, though not identical, response properties. Sg units are predominantly upsweep selective and could respond to either or both the CF and FM components in biosonar signals in a number of echolocation scenarios, as well as to a variety of communication sounds. PMID:12091543

Comments on, Xuan Li, Shanghong Zhao, Zihang Zhu, Bing Gong, Xingchun Chu, Yongjun Li, Jing Zhao and Yun Liu `an optical millimeter-wave generation scheme based on two parallel dual-parallel Mach-Zehnder modulators and polarization multiplexing', Journal of Modern Optics, 2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasan, Mehedi; Hall, Trevor

2016-11-01

In the title paper, Li et al. have presented a scheme for filter-less photonic millimetre-wave (mm-wave) generation based on two polarization multiplexed parallel dual-parallel Mach-Zehnder modulators (DP-MZMs). For frequency octo-tupling, all the harmonics are suppressed except those of order 4l, where l is the integer. The carrier is then suppressed by the polarization multiplexing technique, which is the principal innovative step in their design. Frequency 12-tupling and 16-tupling is also described following a similar method. The two DP-MZM are similarly driven and provide identical outputs for the same RF modulation indices. Consequently, a demerit of their design is the requirement to apply two different RF signal modulation indexes in a particular range and set the polarizer to a precise angle which depends on the pair of modulation indices used in order to suppress the unwanted harmonics (e.g. the carrier) without simultaneously suppressing the wanted harmonics. The aim of this comment is to show that, an adjustment of the RF drive phases with a fixed polarizer angle with the design presented by Li, all harmonics can be suppressed except those of order4l, where l is an odd integer. Hence, a filter-less frequency octo-tupling can be generated whose performance is not limited by the careful adjustment of the RF drive signal, rather it can be operated for a wide range of modulation indexes (m 2.5 → 7.5). If the modulation index is adjusted to suppress 4th harmonics, then the design can be used to perform frequency 24-tupling. Since, the carrier is suppressed by design in the modified architecture, the strict requirement to adjust the RF drive (and polarizer angle) can be avoided without any significant change to the circuit complexity.

An investigation into the effects of frequency-modulated transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) on experimentally-induced pressure pain in healthy human participants.

PubMed

Chen, Chih-Chung; Johnson, Mark I

2009-10-01

Frequency-modulated transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) delivers currents that fluctuate between preset boundaries over a fixed period of time. This study compared the effects of constant-frequency TENS and frequency-modulated TENS on blunt pressure pain in healthy human volunteers. Thirty-six participants received constant-frequency TENS (80 pps), frequency-modulated TENS (20 to 100 pps), and placebo (no current) TENS at a strong nonpainful intensity in a randomized cross-over manner. Pain threshold was taken from the forearm using pressure algometry. There were no statistical differences between constant-frequency TENS and frequency-modulated TENS after 20 minutes (OR = 1.54; CI, 0.29, 8.23, P = 1.0). Both constant-frequency TENS and frequency-modulated TENS were superior to placebo TENS (OR = 59.5, P < .001 and OR = 38.5, P < .001, respectively). Frequency-modulated TENS does not influence hypoalgesia to any greater extent than constant-frequency TENS when currents generate a strong nonpainful paraesthesia at the site of pain. The finding that frequency-modulated TENS and constant-frequency TENS were superior to placebo TENS provides further evidence that a strong yet nonpainful TENS intensity is a prerequisite for hypoalgesia. This study provides evidence that TENS, delivered at a strong nonpainful intensity, increases pain threshold to pressure algometry in healthy participants over and above that seen with placebo (no current) TENS. Frequency-modulated TENS does not increase hypoalgesia to any appreciable extent to that seen with constant-frequency TENS.

Intersymbol Interference Investigations Using a 3D Time-Dependent Traveling Wave Tube Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kory, Carol L.; Andro, Monty

2002-01-01

For the first time, a time-dependent, physics-based computational model has been used to provide a direct description of the effects of the traveling wave tube amplifier (TWTA) on modulated digital signals. The TWT model comprehensively takes into account the effects of frequency dependent AM/AM and AM/PM conversion; gain and phase ripple; drive-induced oscillations; harmonic generation; intermodulation products; and backward waves. Thus, signal integrity can be investigated in the presence of these sources of potential distortion as a function of the physical geometry and operating characteristics of the high power amplifier and the operational digital signal. This method promises superior predictive fidelity compared to methods using TWT models based on swept- amplitude and/or swept-frequency data. First, the TWT model using the three dimensional (3D) electromagnetic code MAFIA is presented. Then, this comprehensive model is used to investigate approximations made in conventional TWT black-box models used in communication system level simulations. To quantitatively demonstrate the effects these approximations have on digital signal performance predictions, including intersymbol interference (ISI), the MAFIA results are compared to the system level analysis tool, Signal Processing Workstation (SPW), using high order modulation schemes including 16 and 64-QAM.

Excitation of earth-ionosphere waveguide in the ELF and lower VLF bands by modulated ionospheric current. Technical report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Field, E.C.; Bloom, R.M.

1993-05-21

In this report the authors use the principal of reciprocity in conjunction with a full-wave propagation code to calculate ground-level fields excited by ionospheric currents modulated at frequencies between 50 and 100 Hz with HF heaters. Their results show the dependence on source orientation, altitude, and dimension and therefore pertain to experiments using the HIPAS or HAARP ionospheric heaters. In the end-fire mode, the waveguide excitation efficiency of an ELF HED in the ionosphere is up to 20 dB greater than for a ground-based antenna, provided its altitude does not exceed 80-to-90 km. The highest efficiency occurs for a sourcemore » altitude of around 70 km; if that altitude is raised to 100 km, the efficiency drops by about 20 dB in the day and 10 dB at night. That efficiency does not account for the greater conductivity modulation that might be achieved at altitudes greater than 70 km, however. The trade-off between the altitude dependencies of the excitation efficiency and maximum achievable modulation depends on the ERP of the HF heater, the optimum altitude increasing with increasing ERP. For HIPAS the best modulation altitude is around 70 km, whereas for HAARP there might be marginal value in modulating at attitudes as high as 100 Km. Ionospheric modification, Ionospheric currents, Ionospheric heating.« less

Ultrafast modulation of the plasma frequency of vertically aligned indium tin oxide rods.

PubMed

Tice, Daniel B; Li, Shi-Qiang; Tagliazucchi, Mario; Buchholz, D Bruce; Weiss, Emily A; Chang, Robert P H

2014-03-12

Light-matter interaction at the nanoscale is of particular interest for future photonic integrated circuits and devices with applications ranging from communication to sensing and imaging. In this Letter a combination of transient absorption (TA) and the use of third harmonic generation as a probe (THG-probe) has been adopted to investigate the response of the localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) of vertically aligned indium tin oxide rods (ITORs) upon ultraviolet light (UV) excitation. TA experiments, which are sensitive to the extinction of the LSPR, show a fluence-dependent increase in the frequency and intensity of the LSPR. The THG-probe experiments show a fluence-dependent decrease of the LSPR-enhanced local electric field intensity within the rod, consistent with a shift of the LSPR to higher frequency. The kinetics from both TA and THG-probe experiments are found to be independent of the fluence of the pump. These results indicate that UV excitation modulates the plasma frequency of ITO on the ultrafast time scale by the injection of electrons into, and their subsequent decay from, the conduction band of the rods. Increases to the electron concentration in the conduction band of ∼13% were achieved in these experiments. Computer simulation and modeling have been used throughout the investigation to guide the design of the experiments and to map the electric field distribution around the rods for interpreting far-field measurement results.

Spectro-temporal modulation masking patterns reveal frequency selectivity.

PubMed

Oetjen, Arne; Verhey, Jesko L

2015-02-01

The present study investigated the possibility that the human auditory system demonstrates frequency selectivity to spectro-temporal amplitude modulations. Threshold modulation depth for detecting sinusoidal spectro-temporal modulations was measured using a generalized masked threshold pattern paradigm with narrowband masker modulations. Four target spectro-temporal modulations were examined, differing in their temporal and spectral modulation frequencies: a temporal modulation of -8, 8, or 16 Hz combined with a spectral modulation of 1 cycle/octave and a temporal modulation of 4 Hz combined with a spectral modulation of 0.5 cycles/octave. The temporal center frequencies of the masker modulation ranged from 0.25 to 4 times the target temporal modulation. The spectral masker-modulation center-frequencies were 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 times the target spectral modulation. For all target modulations, the pattern of average thresholds for the eight normal-hearing listeners was consistent with the hypothesis of a spectro-temporal modulation filter. Such a pattern of modulation-frequency sensitivity was predicted on the basis of psychoacoustical data for purely temporal amplitude modulations and purely spectral amplitude modulations. An analysis of separability indicates that, for the present data set, selectivity in the spectro-temporal modulation domain can be described by a combination of a purely spectral and a purely temporal modulation filter function.

Refractive index modulation in LiNbO3: MgO slab through Lamb wave

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prakash, Suraj; Sharma, Gaurav; Yadav, Gulab Chand; Singh, Vivek

2018-05-01

Present theoretical analysis deals with inducing refractive index contrast in Y-Z LiNbO3:MgO plate via GHz Lamb wave perturbation for photonic applications. Dispersion curves for Lamb wave in plate are plotted by employing displacement potential technique. Selecting wave parameters from dispersion curve, fundamental symmetric Lamb mode (S0) is excited in slab for 6GHz frequency. Produced displacement field by propagating S0 mode and thus developed strain is estimated to calculate refractive index modulation by applying photo-elastic relations. Modulated refractive index is of sinusoidal nature with period of modulation dependence on Lamb's wavelength. This plate having periodically modulated refractive index can be used as photonic crystal for different applications with acoustically tunable photonic band gap.

System and Method for Generating a Frequency Modulated Linear Laser Waveform

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pierrottet, Diego F. (Inventor); Petway, Larry B. (Inventor); Amzajerdian, Farzin (Inventor); Barnes, Bruce W. (Inventor); Lockard, George E. (Inventor); Hines, Glenn D. (Inventor)

2017-01-01

A system for generating a frequency modulated linear laser waveform includes a single frequency laser generator to produce a laser output signal. An electro-optical modulator modulates the frequency of the laser output signal to define a linear triangular waveform. An optical circulator passes the linear triangular waveform to a band-pass optical filter to filter out harmonic frequencies created in the waveform during modulation of the laser output signal, to define a pure filtered modulated waveform having a very narrow bandwidth. The optical circulator receives the pure filtered modulated laser waveform and transmits the modulated laser waveform to a target.

System and Method for Generating a Frequency Modulated Linear Laser Waveform

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pierrottet, Diego F. (Inventor); Petway, Larry B. (Inventor); Amzajerdian, Farzin (Inventor); Barnes, Bruce W. (Inventor); Lockard, George E. (Inventor); Hines, Glenn D. (Inventor)

2014-01-01

A system for generating a frequency modulated linear laser waveform includes a single frequency laser generator to produce a laser output signal. An electro-optical modulator modulates the frequency of the laser output signal to define a linear triangular waveform. An optical circulator passes the linear triangular waveform to a band-pass optical filter to filter out harmonic frequencies created in the waveform during modulation of the laser output signal, to define a pure filtered modulated waveform having a very narrow bandwidth. The optical circulator receives the pure filtered modulated laser waveform and transmits the modulated laser waveform to a target.

Design and implementation of quadrature bandpass sigma-delta modulator used in low-IF RF receiver

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ge, Binjie; Li, Yan; Yu, Hang; Feng, Xiaoxing

2018-05-01

This paper presents the design and implementation of quadrature bandpass sigma-delta modulator. A pole movement method for transforming real sigma-delta modulator to a quadrature one is proposed by detailed study of the relationship of noise-shaping center frequency and integrator pole position in sigma-delta modulator. The proposed modulator uses sampling capacitor sharing switched capacitor integrator, and achieves a very small feedback coefficient by a series capacitor network, and those two techniques can dramatically reduce capacitor area. Quantizer output-dependent dummy capacitor load for reference voltage buffer can compensate signal-dependent noise that is caused by load variation. This paper designs a quadrature bandpass Sigma-Delta modulator for 2.4 GHz low IF receivers that achieve 69 dB SNDR at 1 MHz BW and -1 MHz IF with 48 MHz clock. The chip is fabricated with SMIC 0.18 μm CMOS technology, it achieves a total power current of 2.1 mA, and the chip area is 0.48 mm2. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 61471245, U1201256), the Guangdong Province Foundation (No. 2014B090901031), and the Shenzhen Foundation (Nos. JCYJ20160308095019383, JSGG20150529160945187).

Astronomical component estimation (ACE v.1) by time-variant sinusoidal modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinnesael, Matthias; Zivanovic, Miroslav; De Vleeschouwer, David; Claeys, Philippe; Schoukens, Johan

2016-09-01

Accurately deciphering periodic variations in paleoclimate proxy signals is essential for cyclostratigraphy. Classical spectral analysis often relies on methods based on (fast) Fourier transformation. This technique has no unique solution separating variations in amplitude and frequency. This characteristic can make it difficult to correctly interpret a proxy's power spectrum or to accurately evaluate simultaneous changes in amplitude and frequency in evolutionary analyses. This drawback is circumvented by using a polynomial approach to estimate instantaneous amplitude and frequency in orbital components. This approach was proven useful to characterize audio signals (music and speech), which are non-stationary in nature. Paleoclimate proxy signals and audio signals share similar dynamics; the only difference is the frequency relationship between the different components. A harmonic-frequency relationship exists in audio signals, whereas this relation is non-harmonic in paleoclimate signals. However, this difference is irrelevant for the problem of separating simultaneous changes in amplitude and frequency. Using an approach with overlapping analysis frames, the model (Astronomical Component Estimation, version 1: ACE v.1) captures time variations of an orbital component by modulating a stationary sinusoid centered at its mean frequency, with a single polynomial. Hence, the parameters that determine the model are the mean frequency of the orbital component and the polynomial coefficients. The first parameter depends on geologic interpretations, whereas the latter are estimated by means of linear least-squares. As output, the model provides the orbital component waveform, either in the depth or time domain. Uncertainty analyses of the model estimates are performed using Monte Carlo simulations. Furthermore, it allows for a unique decomposition of the signal into its instantaneous amplitude and frequency. Frequency modulation patterns reconstruct changes in accumulation rate, whereas amplitude modulation identifies eccentricity-modulated precession. The functioning of the time-variant sinusoidal model is illustrated and validated using a synthetic insolation signal. The new modeling approach is tested on two case studies: (1) a Pliocene-Pleistocene benthic δ18O record from Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 846 and (2) a Danian magnetic susceptibility record from the Contessa Highway section, Gubbio, Italy.

Impedance Spectroscopy Analysis of Mg4Nb2O9 Ceramics with Different Additions of V2O5 for Microwave and Radio Frequency Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Filho, J. M. S.; Rodrigues Junior, C. A.; Sousa, D. G.; Oliveira, R. G. M.; Costa, M. M.; Barroso, G. C.; Sombra, A. S. B.

2017-07-01

The complex impedance spectroscopy study of magnesium niobate Mg4Nb2O9 (MN) ceramics with different additions of V2O5 (0%, 2%, 5%) was performed in this present paper. The preparation of MN samples were carried out by using the solid-state reaction method with a high-energy milling machine. Frequency and temperature dependence of the complex impedance, complex modulus analysis, and conductivity were measured and calculated at different temperatures by using a network impedance analyzer. A non-Debye type relaxation was observed showing a decentralization of the semicircles. Cole-Cole formalism was adopted here with the help of a computer program used to fit the experimental data. A typical universal dielectric response in the frequency-dependent conductivity at different temperatures was found. The frequency dependent ac conductivity at different temperatures indicates that the conduction process is thermally activated. The activation energy was obtained from the Arrhenius fitting by using conductivity and electrical modules data. The results would help to understand deeply the relaxation process in these types of materials.

Prefrontal cortex modulates posterior alpha oscillations during top-down guided visual perception

PubMed Central

Helfrich, Randolph F.; Huang, Melody; Wilson, Guy; Knight, Robert T.

2017-01-01

Conscious visual perception is proposed to arise from the selective synchronization of functionally specialized but widely distributed cortical areas. It has been suggested that different frequency bands index distinct canonical computations. Here, we probed visual perception on a fine-grained temporal scale to study the oscillatory dynamics supporting prefrontal-dependent sensory processing. We tested whether a predictive context that was embedded in a rapid visual stream modulated the perception of a subsequent near-threshold target. The rapid stream was presented either rhythmically at 10 Hz, to entrain parietooccipital alpha oscillations, or arrhythmically. We identified a 2- to 4-Hz delta signature that modulated posterior alpha activity and behavior during predictive trials. Importantly, delta-mediated top-down control diminished the behavioral effects of bottom-up alpha entrainment. Simultaneous source-reconstructed EEG and cross-frequency directionality analyses revealed that this delta activity originated from prefrontal areas and modulated posterior alpha power. Taken together, this study presents converging behavioral and electrophysiological evidence for frontal delta-mediated top-down control of posterior alpha activity, selectively facilitating visual perception. PMID:28808023

Photothermal imaging of melanin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kerimo, Josef; DiMarzio, Charles A.

2013-02-01

We present photothermal images of melanin using modulation with two laser beams. Strong melanin absorption followed by efficient nonradiative relaxation caused heating and an increase in temperature. This temperature effect was used as an imaging contrast to detect melanin. Melanin from several samples including Sepia officinalis, black human hair, and live zebra fish, were imaged with a high signal-to-noise ratio. For the imaging, we focused two near infrared laser beams (pump and probe) collinearly with different wavelengths and the pump was modulated in amplitude. The thermally induced variations in the refractive index, at the modulation frequency, were detected by the scattering of the probe beam. The Photothermal method brings several imaging benefits including the lack of background interference and the possibility of imaging for an extended period of time without photodamage to the melanin. The dependence of the photothermal signal on the laser power, modulation frequency, and spatial offset of the probe is discussed. The new photothermal imaging method is promising and provides background-free and label-free imaging of melanin and can be implemented with low-cost CW lasers.

Dual Coding of Frequency Modulation in the Ventral Cochlear Nucleus.

PubMed

Paraouty, Nihaad; Stasiak, Arkadiusz; Lorenzi, Christian; Varnet, Léo; Winter, Ian M

2018-04-25

Frequency modulation (FM) is a common acoustic feature of natural sounds and is known to play a role in robust sound source recognition. Auditory neurons show precise stimulus-synchronized discharge patterns that may be used for the representation of low-rate FM. However, it remains unclear whether this representation is based on synchronization to slow temporal envelope (ENV) cues resulting from cochlear filtering or phase locking to faster temporal fine structure (TFS) cues. To investigate the plausibility of those encoding schemes, single units of the ventral cochlear nucleus of guinea pigs of either sex were recorded in response to sine FM tones centered at the unit's best frequency (BF). The results show that, in contrast to high-BF units, for modulation depths within the receptive field, low-BF units (<4 kHz) demonstrate good phase locking to TFS. For modulation depths extending beyond the receptive field, the discharge patterns follow the ENV and fluctuate at the modulation rate. The receptive field proved to be a good predictor of the ENV responses for most primary-like and chopper units. The current in vivo data also reveal a high level of diversity in responses across unit types. TFS cues are mainly conveyed by low-frequency and primary-like units and ENV cues by chopper and onset units. The diversity of responses exhibited by cochlear nucleus neurons provides a neural basis for a dual-coding scheme of FM in the brainstem based on both ENV and TFS cues. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Natural sounds, including speech, convey informative temporal modulations in frequency. Understanding how the auditory system represents those frequency modulations (FM) has important implications as robust sound source recognition depends crucially on the reception of low-rate FM cues. Here, we recorded 115 single-unit responses from the ventral cochlear nucleus in response to FM and provide the first physiological evidence of a dual-coding mechanism of FM via synchronization to temporal envelope cues and phase locking to temporal fine structure cues. We also demonstrate a diversity of neural responses with different coding specializations. These results support the dual-coding scheme proposed by psychophysicists to account for FM sensitivity in humans and provide new insights on how this might be implemented in the early stages of the auditory pathway. Copyright © 2018 the authors 0270-6474/18/384123-15$15.00/0.

Optimizing the acquisition geometry for digital breast tomosynthesis using the Defrise phantom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Acciavatti, Raymond J.; Chang, Alice; Woodbridge, Laura; Maidment, Andrew D. A.

2014-03-01

In cone beam computed tomography (CT), it is common practice to use the Defrise phantom for image quality assessment. The phantom consists of a stack of plastic plates with low frequency spacing. Because the x-ray beam may traverse multiple plates, the spacing between plates can appear blurry in the reconstruction, and hence modulation provides a measure of image quality. This study considers the potential merit of using the Defrise phantom in digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT), a modality with a smaller projection range than CT. To this end, a Defrise phantom was constructed and subsequently imaged with a commercial DBT system. It was demonstrated that modulation is dependent on position and orientation in the reconstruction. Modulation is preserved over a broad range of positions along the chest wall if the input frequency is oriented in the tube travel direction. By contrast, modulation is degraded with increasing distance from the chest wall if the input frequency is oriented in the posteroanterior (PA) direction. A theoretical framework was then developed to model these results. Reconstructions were calculated in an acquisition geometry designed to improve modulation. Unlike current geometries in which the x-ray tube motion is restricted to the plane of the chest wall, we consider a geometry with an additional component of tube motion along the PA direction. In simulations, it is shown that the newly proposed geometry improves modulation at positions distal to the chest wall. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that the Defrise phantom is a tool for optimizing DBT systems.

Wireless sensor network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perotti, Jose M.; Lucena, Angel R.; Mullenix, Pamela A.; Mata, Carlos T.

2006-05-01

Current and future requirements of aerospace sensors and transducers demand the design and development of a new family of sensing devices, with emphasis on reduced weight, power consumption, and physical size. This new generation of sensors and transducers will possess a certain degree of intelligence in order to provide the end user with critical data in a more efficient manner. Communication between networks of traditional or next-generation sensors can be accomplished by a Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) developed by NASA's Instrumentation Branch and ASRC Aerospace Corporation at Kennedy Space Center (KSC), consisting of at least one central station and several remote stations and their associated software. The central station is application-dependent and can be implemented on different computer hardware, including industrial, handheld, or PC-104 single-board computers, on a variety of operating systems: embedded Windows, Linux, VxWorks, etc. The central stations and remote stations share a similar radio frequency (RF) core module hardware that is modular in design. The main components of the remote stations are an RF core module, a sensor interface module, batteries, and a power management module. These modules are stackable, and a common bus provides the flexibility to stack other modules for additional memory, increased processing, etc. WSN can automatically reconfigure to an alternate frequency if interference is encountered during operation. In addition, the base station will autonomously search for a remote station that was perceived to be lost, using relay stations and alternate frequencies. Several wireless remote-station types were developed and tested in the laboratory to support different sensing technologies, such as resistive temperature devices, silicon diodes, strain gauges, pressure transducers, and hydrogen leak detectors.

FIBER AND INTEGRATED OPTICS. OTHER TOPICS IN QUANTUM ELECTRONICS: Increase of the bandwidth and of the efficiency of integrated optical traveling-wave modulators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zolotov, Evgenii M.; Pelekhatyĭ, V. M.; Tavlykaev, R. F.

1990-05-01

A simultaneous increase in the frequency bandwidth and a reduction in the control (drive) power of integrated optical traveling-wave modulators can be achieved as a result of the electrooptic interaction in accordance with a linear frequency-modulated oscillatory law derived by inverse Fourier transformation of a rectangular amplitude-frequency characteristic and a quadratic phase-frequency characteristic of a modulator. This oscillatory law is realized using planar electrode structures with triangular or trapezoidal toothed edges. The tooth repetition frequency is governed by the linearly frequency-modulated oscillations and it rises on increase in the light modulation frequency.

Modulation transfer function cascade model for a sampled IR imaging system.

PubMed

de Luca, L; Cardone, G

1991-05-01

The performance of the infrared scanning radiometer (IRSR) is strongly stressed in convective heat transfer applications where high spatial frequencies in the signal that describes the thermal image are present. The need to characterize more deeply the system spatial resolution has led to the formulation of a cascade model for the evaluation of the actual modulation transfer function of a sampled IR imaging system. The model can yield both the aliasing band and the averaged modulation response for a general sampling subsystem. For a line scan imaging system, which is the case of a typical IRSR, a rule of thumb that states whether the combined sampling-imaging system is either imaging-dependent or sampling-dependent is proposed. The model is tested by comparing it with other noncascade models as well as by ad hoc measurements performed on a commercial digitized IRSR.

Origin of the positive spin- 1 2 photoluminescence-detected magnetic resonance in π-conjugated materials and devices

DOE PAGES

Chen, Ying; Cai, Min; Hellerich, Emily; ...

2015-09-02

The spin-1/2 single-modulation (SM) and double-modulation (DM) photoluminescence (PL) detected magnetic resonance (PLDMR) in poly(2-methoxy-5-(2'-ethyl)–hexoxy-1,4- phenylene vinylene) (MEH-PPV) films and poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) films is described, analyzed, and discussed. In particular, the models based on spin-dependent recombination of charge pairs (SDR) and triplet-polaron quenching (TPQ) are evaluated. By analyzing the dependence of the resonance amplitude on the microwave chopping (modulation) frequency using rate equations, it is demonstrated that the TPQ model can well explain the observed resonance behavior, while SDR model cannot reproduce the results of the observed DM-PLDMR. As a result, the observed spin-1/2 PLDMR is assigned to TPQ rathermore » than SDR, even though the latter may also be present.« less

Two modulator generalized ellipsometer for complete mueller matrix measurement

DOEpatents

Jellison, Jr., Gerald E.; Modine, Frank A.

1999-01-01

A two-modulator generalized ellipsometer (2-MGE) comprising two polarizer-photoelastic modulator (PEM) pairs, an optical light source, an optical detection system, and associated data processing and control electronics, where the PEMs are free-running. The input light passes through the first polarizer-PEM pair, reflects off the sample surface or passes through the sample, passes through the second PEM-polarizer pair, and is detected. Each PEM is free running and operates at a different resonant frequency, e.g., 50 and 60 kHz. The resulting time-dependent waveform of the light intensity is a complicated function of time, and depends upon the exact operating frequency and phase of each PEM, the sample, and the azimuthal angles of the polarizer-PEM pairs, but can be resolved into a dc component and eight periodic components. In one embodiment, the waveform is analyzed using a new spectral analysis technique that is similar to Fourier analysis to determine eight sample Mueller matrix elements (normalized to the m.sub.00 Mueller matrix element). The other seven normalized elements of the general 4.times.4 Mueller matrix can be determined by changing the azimuthal angles of the PEM-polarizer pairs with respect to the plane of incidence. Since this instrument can measure all elements of the sample Mueller matrix, it is much more powerful than standard ellipsometers.

Apparatus and method for non-contact, acoustic resonance determination of intraocular pressure

DOEpatents

Sinha, Dipen N.; Wray, William O.

1994-01-01

Apparatus and method for measuring intraocular pressure changes in an eye under investigation by detection of vibrational resonances therein. An ultrasonic transducer operating at its resonant frequency is amplitude modulated and swept over a range of audio frequencies in which human eyes will resonate. The output therefrom is focused onto the eye under investigation, and the resonant vibrations of the eye observed using a fiber-optic reflection vibration sensor. Since the resonant frequency of the eye is dependent on the pressure therein, changes in intraocular pressure may readily be determined after a baseline pressure is established.

Apparatus and method for non-contact, acoustic resonance determination of intraocular pressure

DOEpatents

Sinha, D.N.; Wray, W.O.

1994-12-27

The apparatus and method for measuring intraocular pressure changes in an eye under investigation by detection of vibrational resonances therein. An ultrasonic transducer operating at its resonant frequency is amplitude modulated and swept over a range of audio frequencies in which human eyes will resonate. The output therefrom is focused onto the eye under investigation, and the resonant vibrations of the eye observed using a fiber-optic reflection vibration sensor. Since the resonant frequency of the eye is dependent on the pressure therein, changes in intraocular pressure may readily be determined after a baseline pressure is established. 3 figures.

140 GHz pulsed Fourier transform microwave spectrometer

DOEpatents

Kolbe, W.F.; Leskovar, B.

1985-07-29

A high frequency energy pulsing system suitable for use in a pulsed microwave spectrometer, including means for generating a high frequency carrier signal, and means for generating a low frequency modulating signal. The carrier signal is continuously fed to a modulator and the modulating signal is fed through a pulse switch to the modulator. When the pulse switch is on, the modulator will produce sideband signals above and below the carrier signal frequency. A frequency-responsive device is tuned to one of the sideband signals and sway from the carrier frequency so that the high frequency energization of the frequency-responsive device is controlled by the pulse switch.

140 GHz pulsed Fourier transform microwave spectrometer

DOEpatents

Kolbe, W.F.; Leskovar, B.

1987-10-27

A high frequency energy pulsing system suitable for use in a pulsed microwave spectrometer, including means for generating a high frequency carrier signal, and means for generating a low frequency modulating signal is disclosed. The carrier signal is continuously fed to a modulator and the modulating signal is fed through a pulse switch to the modulator. When the pulse switch is on, the modulator will produce sideband signals above and below the carrier signal frequency. A frequency-responsive device is tuned to one of the sideband signals and away from the carrier frequency so that the high frequency energization of the frequency-responsive device is controlled by the pulse switch. 5 figs.

Circadian regulation of slow waves in human sleep: Topographical aspects

PubMed Central

Lazar, Alpar S.; Lazar, Zsolt I.; Dijk, Derk-Jan

2015-01-01

Slow waves (SWs, 0.5–4 Hz) in field potentials during sleep reflect synchronized alternations between bursts of action potentials and periods of membrane hyperpolarization of cortical neurons. SWs decline during sleep and this is thought to be related to a reduction of synaptic strength in cortical networks and to be central to sleep's role in maintaining brain function. A central assumption in current concepts of sleep function is that SWs during sleep, and associated recovery processes, are independent of circadian rhythmicity. We tested this hypothesis by quantifying all SWs from 12 EEG derivations in 34 participants in whom 231 sleep periods were scheduled across the circadian cycle in a 10-day forced-desynchrony protocol which allowed estimation of the separate circadian and sleep-dependent modulation of SWs. Circadian rhythmicity significantly modulated the incidence, amplitude, frequency and the slope of the SWs such that the peaks of the circadian rhythms in these slow-wave parameters were located during the biological day. Topographical analyses demonstrated that the sleep-dependent modulation of SW characteristics was most prominent in frontal brain areas whereas the circadian effect was similar to or greater than the sleep-dependent modulation over the central and posterior brain regions. The data demonstrate that circadian rhythmicity directly modulates characteristics of SWs thought to be related to synaptic plasticity and that this modulation depends on topography. These findings have implications for the understanding of local sleep regulation and conditions such as ageing, depression, and neurodegeneration which are associated with changes in SWs, neural plasticity and circadian rhythmicity. PMID:25979664

Components of cross-frequency modulation in health and disease.

PubMed

Allen, Elena A; Liu, Jingyu; Kiehl, Kent A; Gelernter, Joel; Pearlson, Godfrey D; Perrone-Bizzozero, Nora I; Calhoun, Vince D

2011-01-01

The cognitive deficits associated with schizophrenia are commonly believed to arise from the abnormal temporal integration of information, however a quantitative approach to assess network coordination is lacking. Here, we propose to use cross-frequency modulation (cfM), the dependence of local high-frequency activity on the phase of widespread low-frequency oscillations, as an indicator of network coordination and functional integration. In an exploratory analysis based on pre-existing data, we measured cfM from multi-channel EEG recordings acquired while schizophrenia patients (n = 47) and healthy controls (n = 130) performed an auditory oddball task. Novel application of independent component analysis (ICA) to modulation data delineated components with specific spatial and spectral profiles, the weights of which showed covariation with diagnosis. Global cfM was significantly greater in healthy controls (F(1,175) = 9.25, P < 0.005), while modulation at fronto-temporal electrodes was greater in patients (F(1,175) = 17.5, P < 0.0001). We further found that the weights of schizophrenia-relevant components were associated with genetic polymorphisms at previously identified risk loci. Global cfM decreased with copies of 957C allele in the gene for the dopamine D2 receptor (r = -0.20, P < 0.01) across all subjects. Additionally, greater "aberrant" fronto-temporal modulation in schizophrenia patients was correlated with several polymorphisms in the gene for the α2-subunit of the GABA(A) receptor (GABRA2) as well as the total number of risk alleles in GABRA2 (r = 0.45, P < 0.01). Overall, our results indicate great promise for this approach in establishing patterns of cfM in health and disease and elucidating the roles of oscillatory interactions in functional connectivity.

Sympathetic restraint of respiratory sinus arrhythmia: implications for vagal-cardiac tone assessment in humans

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, J. A.; Myers, C. W.; Halliwill, J. R.; Seidel, H.; Eckberg, D. L.

2001-01-01

Clinicians and experimentalists routinely estimate vagal-cardiac nerve traffic from respiratory sinus arrhythmia. However, evidence suggests that sympathetic mechanisms may also modulate respiratory sinus arrhythmia. Our study examined modulation of respiratory sinus arrhythmia by sympathetic outflow. We measured R-R interval spectral power in 10 volunteers that breathed sequentially at 13 frequencies, from 15 to 3 breaths/min, before and after beta-adrenergic blockade. We fitted changes of respiratory frequency R-R interval spectral power with a damped oscillator model: frequency-dependent oscillations with a resonant frequency, generated by driving forces and modified by damping influences. beta-Adrenergic blockade enhanced respiratory sinus arrhythmia at all frequencies (at some, fourfold). The damped oscillator model fit experimental data well (39 of 40 ramps; r = 0.86 +/- 0.02). beta-Adrenergic blockade increased respiratory sinus arrhythmia by amplifying respiration-related driving forces (P < 0.05), without altering resonant frequency or damping influences. Both spectral power data and the damped oscillator model indicate that cardiac sympathetic outflow markedly reduces heart period oscillations at all frequencies. This challenges the notion that respiratory sinus arrhythmia is mediated simply by vagal-cardiac nerve activity. These results have important implications for clinical and experimental estimation of human vagal cardiac tone.

Io: Intensive Heating and Degassing, Rising and Falling Stripes In Crossing Wavy Patterns Do Not Require Molten Interior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kochemasov, G.

"Orbits make structures". This fundamental concept unfolded in four theorems of the wave planetary tectonics [1] simply means that Keplerian non-circular orbits imply inertia forces which make planetary bodies oscillate and produce structures. Many examples of regular wave woven structures on surfaces of planets (and asteroids and comets - Borrelli !) and satellites prove it. Theorem 3 ("Celestial bodies are granular "[1]) connects a size of tectonic granulation with an orbital frequency. But what to do with satellites having more orbits than planets ? Here acts the wave modulation pro- cess. A low frequency modulates a high frequency producing lower and higher side frequencies. Actually we explained ubiquitous tectonic dichotomy (Theorem 1, [1]) by modulation of all frequencies in the Solar System (SS) by the very low galactic frequency of the SS. In this case we considered the lower side frequency. But at the opposite side there are the higher side frequencies which fall into a range of radio- and microwave frequencies so typical for bodies of the SS [2]. These higher side frequen- cies depend on a body's radius and its orbital frequency. For example, the Io orbital frequency is modulated by the Jupiter orbital frequency and by the galactic orbital frequency of the SS (1/12 years and ~1/200 000 000 years). The Io circumsolar fre- quency (together with Jupiter) is also modulated by the galactic frequency. So, there are three higher side frequencies for Io to which correspond three wavelengths: 4.62 km (Io orbits Jupiter),68 cm (Io's circumsolar orbit in the galactic orbit), 0.276 mm (Io's circumjovian orbit in the galactic orbit). For smaller and faster Amalthea these wave oscillations are: 93.2 m - 4.88 cm - 0.0056 mm. So "microwave stove" heating might be an appreciable source of heating for Io as well as for Amalthea (also anoma- lously heated body) [3]. Very variable Io's surface and very short wave (upto 10 m) crossing patterns are already observed. Io's 5 micron outbursts are reported [4]. They could be produced by the heated Io's body. Surprisingly, 5 micron (0.0056 mm) oscil- 1 lations we calculate for Amalthea. The 2002 y. meeting "Galileo" with Amalthea will bring additional information. References: [1] Kochemasov G.G.(1999) Theorems of wave planetary tectonics // Geophys. Res. Abstr., v.1, #3, 700; [2] Kochemasov G.G. (2001) Vernadsky-Brown 34th microsymp. Topics in comparative planetology. Abstr., Moscow, (CD-ROM); [3] Kochemasov G.G. (1997) Ibid. 26th, 58-59; [4]Sinton W.M. (1980) Astrophys.J., v. 235, #1, 149-151. 2

Vibrational coherence in polar solutions of Zn(II) tetrakis(N-methylpyridyl)porphyrin with Soret-band excitation: rapidly damped intermolecular modes with clustered solvent molecules and slowly damped intramolecular modes from the porphyrin macrocycle.

PubMed

Dillman, Kevin L; Shelly, Katherine R; Beck, Warren F

2009-04-30

Ground-state coherent wavepacket motions arising from intermolecular modes with clustered, first-shell solvent molecules were observed using the femtosecond dynamic absorption technique in polar solutions of Zn(II) meso-tetrakis(N-methylpyridyl)porphyrin (ZnTMPyP) with excitation in the Soret absorption band. As was observed previously in bacteriochlorophyll a solution, the pump-probe transients in ZnTMPyP solutions are weakly modulated by slowly damped (effective damping time gamma > 1 ps) features that are assigned to intramolecular modes, the skeletal normal modes of vibration of the porphyrin. The 40 cm(-1) and 215 cm(-1) modes from the metal-doming and metal-solvent-ligand modes, respectively, are members of this set of modulation components. A slowly damped 2-4 cm(-1) component is assigned to the internal rotation of the N-methylpyridyl rings with respect to the porphyrin macrocycle; this mode obtains strong resonance Raman intensity enhancement from an extensive delocalization of pi-electron density from the porphyrin in the ground state onto the rings in the pi* excited states. The dominant features observed in the pump-probe transients are a pair of rapidly damped (gamma < 250 fs) modulation components arising from intermolecular modes with solvent molecules. This structural assignment is supported by an isotope-dependent shift of the average mode frequencies in methanol and perdeuterated methanol. The solvent dependence of the mean intermolecular mode frequency is consistent with a van der Waals intermolecular potential that has significant contributions only from the London dispersion and induction interactions; ion-dipole or ion-induced-dipole terms do not make large contributions because the pi-electron density is not extensively delocalized onto the N-methylpyridyl rings. The modulation depth associated with the intermolecular modes exhibits a marked dependence on the electronic structure of the solvent that is probably related to the degree of covalency; the strongest modulations are observed in acetonitrile and dimethylsulfoxide. The results strongly support a structural assignment of the low-frequency modes that are coupled to the primary and secondary electron-transfer reactions in photosynthetic reaction centers to intermolecular modes between the redox-active chromophores and first-solvation shell groups from the surrounding protein, and an important additional function of the intermolecular modes in the stabilization of charged intermediates is suggested.

Cosine Directional Tuning of Theta Cell Burst Frequencies: Evidence for Spatial Coding by Oscillatory Interference

PubMed Central

Welday, Adam C.; Shlifer, I. Gary; Bloom, Matthew L.; Zhang, Kechen

2011-01-01

The rodent septohippocampal system contains “theta cells,” which burst rhythmically at 4–12 Hz, but the functional significance of this rhythm remains poorly understood (Buzsáki, 2006). Theta rhythm commonly modulates the spike trains of spatially tuned neurons such as place (O'Keefe and Dostrovsky, 1971), head direction (Tsanov et al., 2011a), grid (Hafting et al., 2005), and border cells (Savelli et al., 2008; Solstad et al., 2008). An “oscillatory interference” theory has hypothesized that some of these spatially tuned neurons may derive their positional firing from phase interference among theta oscillations with frequencies that are modulated by the speed and direction of translational movements (Burgess et al., 2005, 2007). This theory is supported by studies reporting modulation of theta frequency by movement speed (Rivas et al., 1996; Geisler et al., 2007; Jeewajee et al., 2008a), but modulation of theta frequency by movement direction has never been observed. Here we recorded theta cells from hippocampus, medial septum, and anterior thalamus of freely behaving rats. Theta cell burst frequencies varied as the cosine of the rat's movement direction, and this directional tuning was influenced by landmark cues, in agreement with predictions of the oscillatory interference theory. Computer simulations and mathematical analysis demonstrated how a postsynaptic neuron can detect location-dependent synchrony among inputs from such theta cells, and thereby mimic the spatial tuning properties of place, grid, or border cells. These results suggest that theta cells may serve a high-level computational function by encoding a basis set of oscillatory signals that interfere with one another to synthesize spatial memory representations. PMID:22072668

High-density EEG characterization of brain responses to auditory rhythmic stimuli during wakefulness and NREM sleep.

PubMed

Lustenberger, Caroline; Patel, Yogi A; Alagapan, Sankaraleengam; Page, Jessica M; Price, Betsy; Boyle, Michael R; Fröhlich, Flavio

2018-04-01

Auditory rhythmic sensory stimulation modulates brain oscillations by increasing phase-locking to the temporal structure of the stimuli and by increasing the power of specific frequency bands, resulting in Auditory Steady State Responses (ASSR). The ASSR is altered in different diseases of the central nervous system such as schizophrenia. However, in order to use the ASSR as biological markers for disease states, it needs to be understood how different vigilance states and underlying brain activity affect the ASSR. Here, we compared the effects of auditory rhythmic stimuli on EEG brain activity during wake and NREM sleep, investigated the influence of the presence of dominant sleep rhythms on the ASSR, and delineated the topographical distribution of these modulations. Participants (14 healthy males, 20-33 years) completed on the same day a 60 min nap session and two 30 min wakefulness sessions (before and after the nap). During these sessions, amplitude modulated (AM) white noise auditory stimuli at different frequencies were applied. High-density EEG was continuously recorded and time-frequency analyses were performed to assess ASSR during wakefulness and NREM periods. Our analysis revealed that depending on the electrode location, stimulation frequency applied and window/frequencies analysed the ASSR was significantly modulated by sleep pressure (before and after sleep), vigilance state (wake vs. NREM sleep), and the presence of slow wave activity and sleep spindles. Furthermore, AM stimuli increased spindle activity during NREM sleep but not during wakefulness. Thus, (1) electrode location, sleep history, vigilance state and ongoing brain activity needs to be carefully considered when investigating ASSR and (2) auditory rhythmic stimuli during sleep might represent a powerful tool to boost sleep spindles. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Drifting oscillations in axion monodromy

DOE PAGES

Flauger, Raphael; McAllister, Liam; Silverstein, Eva; ...

2017-10-31

In this paper, we study the pattern of oscillations in the primordial power spectrum in axion monodromy inflation, accounting for drifts in the oscillation period that can be important for comparing to cosmological data. In these models the potential energy has a monomial form over a super-Planckian field range, with superimposed modulations whose size is model-dependent. The amplitude and frequency of the modulations are set by the expectation values of moduli fields. We show that during the course of inflation, the diminishing energy density can induce slow adjustments of the moduli, changing the modulations. We provide templates capturing the effectsmore » of drifting moduli, as well as drifts arising in effective field theory models based on softly broken discrete shift symmetries, and we estimate the precision required to detect a drifting period. A non-drifting template suffices over a wide range of parameters, but for the highest frequencies of interest, or for sufficiently strong drift, it is necessary to include parameters characterizing the change in frequency over the e-folds visible in the CMB. Finally, we use these templates to perform a preliminary search for drifting oscillations in a part of the parameter space in the Planck nominal mission data.« less

Definition of Shifts of Optical Transitions Frequencies due to Pulse Perturbation Action by the Photon Echo Signal Form

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lisin, V. N.; Shegeda, A. M.; Samartsev, V. V.

2015-09-01

A relative phase shift between the different groups of excited dipoles, which appears as result of its frequency splitting due to action of a pulse of electric or magnetic fields, depends on a time, if the pulse overlaps in time with echo-pulse. As а consequence, the echo waveform is changed. The echo time form is modulated. The inverse modulation period well enough approximates Zeeman and pseudo-Stark splitting in the cases of magnetic and, therefore, electrical fields. Thus the g-factors of ground 4I15/2 and excited 4F9/2 optical states of Er3+ ion in LuLiF4 and YLiF4 have been measured and pseudo-Stark shift of R1 line in ruby has been determined.

Space-and-time current spectroscopy of nanostructured selenium in the chrysotile asbestos matrix

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bryushinin, M. A.; Kulikov, V. V.; Kumzerov, Yu. A.; Mokrushina, E. V.; Petrov, A. A.; Sokolov, I. A.

2014-08-01

The non-steady-state photoelectromotive force effect was experimentally studied in a semiconductor nanowire array, i.e., in a composite representing selenium in a chrysotile asbestos matrix. The sample was exposed to an oscillating interference pattern, and the material response was measured as an alternating electric current. The experiments were performed for two geometries in which the excited photocurrent was parallel or perpendicular to nanowires. The dependences of the signal amplitude on the phase modulation frequency, spatial frequency, light polarization, and temperature were obtained. The photoelectric parameters of the material were determined for the light wavelength λ = 633 nm. The effect was theoretically analyzed for the semiconductor model with shallow traps, which allowed the explanation of the observed increase in the signal amplitude in the presence of additional phase modulation.

Dipole of the Epoch of reionization 21-cm signal

DOE PAGES

Slosar, Anze

2017-04-10

The motion of the Solar System with respect to the cosmic rest frame modulates the monopole of the epoch of reionization 21-cm signal into a dipole. This dipole has a characteristic frequency dependence that is dominated by the frequency derivative of the monopole signal. We argue that although the signal is weaker by a factor of ~100, there are significant benefits in measuring the dipole. Most importantly, the direction of the cosmic velocity vector is known exquisitely well from the cosmic microwave background and is not aligned with the galaxy velocity vector that modulates the foreground monopole. Furthermore, an experimentmore » designed to measure a dipole can rely on differencing patches of the sky rather than making an absolute signal measurement, which helps with some systematic effects.« less

Response to a temperature modulation as a signature of chemical mechanisms.

PubMed

Berthoumieux, H; Jullien, L; Lemarchand, A

2007-11-01

We consider n reactive species involved in unimolecular reactions and submitted to a temperature modulation of small amplitude. We determine the conditions on the rate constants for which the deviations from the equilibrium concentrations of each species can be optimized and find the analytical expression of the frequency associated with an extremum of concentration shift in the case n=3. We prove that the frequency dependence of the displacement of equilibrium gives access to the number n of species involved in the mechanism. We apply the results to the case of the transformation of a reactant into a product through a possible reactive intermediate and find the order relation obeyed by the activation energies of the different barriers. The results typically apply to enzymatic catalysis with kinetics of Michaelis-Menten type.

A masking level difference due to harmonicity.

PubMed

Treurniet, W C; Boucher, D R

2001-01-01

The role of harmonicity in masking was studied by comparing the effect of harmonic and inharmonic maskers on the masked thresholds of noise probes using a three-alternative, forced-choice method. Harmonic maskers were created by selecting sets of partials from a harmonic series with an 88-Hz fundamental and 45 consecutive partials. Inharmonic maskers differed in that the partial frequencies were perturbed to nearby values that were not integer multiples of the fundamental frequency. Average simultaneous-masked thresholds were as much as 10 dB lower with the harmonic masker than with the inharmonic masker, and this difference was unaffected by masker level. It was reduced or eliminated when the harmonic partials were separated by more than 176 Hz, suggesting that the effect is related to the extent to which the harmonics are resolved by auditory filters. The threshold difference was not observed in a forward-masking experiment. Finally, an across-channel mechanism was implicated when the threshold difference was found between a harmonic masker flanked by harmonic bands and a harmonic masker flanked by inharmonic bands. A model developed to explain the observed difference recognizes that an auditory filter output envelope is modulated when the filter passes two or more sinusoids, and that the modulation rate depends on the differences among the input frequencies. For a harmonic masker, the frequency differences of adjacent partials are identical, and all auditory filters have the same dominant modulation rate. For an inharmonic masker, however, the frequency differences are not constant and the envelope modulation rate varies across filters. The model proposes that a lower variability facilitates detection of a probe-induced change in the variability, thus accounting for the masked threshold difference. The model was supported by significantly improved predictions of observed thresholds when the predictor variables included envelope modulation rate variance measured using simulated auditory filters.

Systems and methods for pressure and temperature measurement

DOEpatents

Challener, William Albert; Airey, Li

2016-12-06

A measurement system in one embodiment includes an acquisition module and a determination module. The acquisition module is configured to acquire resonant frequency information corresponding to a sensor disposed in a remote location from the acquisition module. The resonant frequency information includes first resonant frequency information for a first resonant frequency of the sensor corresponding to environmental conditions of the remote location, and also includes second resonant frequency information for a different, second resonant frequency of the sensor corresponding to the environmental conditions of the remote location. The determination module is configured to use the first resonant frequency information and the second resonant frequency information to determine the temperature and the pressure at the remote location.

140 GHz pulsed fourier transform microwave spectrometer

DOEpatents

Kolbe, William F.; Leskovar, Branko

1987-01-01

A high frequency energy pulsing system suitable for use in a pulsed microwave spectrometer (10), including means (11, 19) for generating a high frequency carrier signal, and means (12) for generating a low frequency modulating signal. The carrier signal is continuously fed to a modulator (20) and the modulating signal is fed through a pulse switch (23) to the modulator. When the pulse switch (23) is on, the modulator (20) will produce sideband signals above and below the carrier signal frequency. A frequency-responsive device (31) is tuned to one of the sideband signals and away from the carrier frequency so that the high frequency energization of the frequency-responsive device (31) is controlled by the pulse switch (23).

Synchronous Oscillations in Van Der Pol Generator with Modulated Natural Frequency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nimets, A. Yu.; Vavriv, D. M.

2015-12-01

The synchronous operation of Van Der Pole generator with the low-frequency modulated natural frequency has been investigated. The presence of low-frequency modulation is shown to lead to formation of additional synchronization regions. The appearance of such regions is found to be caused by threefrequency resonances resulted from the interaction between oscillations of the generator natural frequency, modulation frequency and synchronized signal frequency. Characteristics of synchronous oscillations due to the below mentioned three-frequency interaction are obtained and comparison with the case of synchronization of oscillator on the main mode made.

Laminar Organization of Attentional Modulation in Macaque Visual Area V4.

PubMed

Nandy, Anirvan S; Nassi, Jonathan J; Reynolds, John H

2017-01-04

Attention is critical to perception, serving to select behaviorally relevant information for privileged processing. To understand the neural mechanisms of attention, we must discern how attentional modulation varies by cell type and across cortical layers. Here, we test whether attention acts non-selectively across cortical layers or whether it engages the laminar circuit in specific and selective ways. We find layer- and cell-class-specific differences in several different forms of attentional modulation in area V4. Broad-spiking neurons in the superficial layers exhibit attention-mediated increases in firing rate and decreases in variability. Spike count correlations are highest in the input layer and attention serves to reduce these correlations. Superficial and input layer neurons exhibit attention-dependent decreases in low-frequency (<10 Hz) coherence, but deep layer neurons exhibit increases in coherence in the beta and gamma frequency ranges. Our study provides a template for attention-mediated laminar information processing that might be applicable across sensory modalities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Modulating action of low frequency oscillations on high frequency instabilities in Hall thrusters

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liqiu, Wei, E-mail: weiliqiu@gmail.com, E-mail: weiliqiu@hit.edu.cn; Liang, Han; Ziyi, Yang

2015-02-07

It is found that the low frequency oscillations have modulating action on high frequency instabilities in Hall thrusters. The physical mechanism of this modulation is discussed and verified by numerical simulations. Theoretical analyses indicate that the wide-range fluctuations of plasma density and electric field associated with the low frequency oscillations affect the electron drift velocity and anomalous electron transport across the magnetic field. The amplitude and frequency of high frequency oscillations are modulated by low frequency oscillations, which show the periodic variation in the time scale of low frequency oscillations.

Audio-vocal responses of vocal fundamental frequency and formant during sustained vowel vocalizations in different noises.

PubMed

Lee, Shao-Hsuan; Hsiao, Tzu-Yu; Lee, Guo-She

2015-06-01

Sustained vocalizations of vowels [a], [i], and syllable [mə] were collected in twenty normal-hearing individuals. On vocalizations, five conditions of different audio-vocal feedback were introduced separately to the speakers including no masking, wearing supra-aural headphones only, speech-noise masking, high-pass noise masking, and broad-band-noise masking. Power spectral analysis of vocal fundamental frequency (F0) was used to evaluate the modulations of F0 and linear-predictive-coding was used to acquire first two formants. The results showed that while the formant frequencies were not significantly shifted, low-frequency modulations (<3 Hz) of F0 significantly increased with reduced audio-vocal feedback across speech sounds and were significantly correlated with auditory awareness of speakers' own voices. For sustained speech production, the motor speech controls on F0 may depend on a feedback mechanism while articulation should rely more on a feedforward mechanism. Power spectral analysis of F0 might be applied to evaluate audio-vocal control for various hearing and neurological disorders in the future. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Calcium Input Frequency, Duration and Amplitude Differentially Modulate the Relative Activation of Calcineurin and CaMKII

PubMed Central

Li, Lu; Stefan, Melanie I.; Le Novère, Nicolas

2012-01-01

NMDA receptor dependent long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) are two prominent forms of synaptic plasticity, both of which are triggered by post-synaptic calcium elevation. To understand how calcium selectively stimulates two opposing processes, we developed a detailed computational model and performed simulations with different calcium input frequencies, amplitudes, and durations. We show that with a total amount of calcium ions kept constant, high frequencies of calcium pulses stimulate calmodulin more efficiently. Calcium input activates both calcineurin and Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) at all frequencies, but increased frequencies shift the relative activation from calcineurin to CaMKII. Irrespective of amplitude and duration of the inputs, the total amount of calcium ions injected adjusts the sensitivity of the system to calcium input frequencies. At a given frequency, the quantity of CaMKII activated is proportional to the total amount of calcium. Thus, an input of a small amount of calcium at high frequencies can induce the same activation of CaMKII as a larger amount, at lower frequencies. Finally, the extent of activation of CaMKII signals with high calcium frequency is further controlled by other factors, including the availability of calmodulin, and by the potency of phosphatase inhibitors. PMID:22962589

Transfer and dissipation of energy during wave group propagation on a gentle beach slope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Padilla, Enrique M.; Alsina, José M.

2017-08-01

The propagation of bichromatic wave groups over a constant 1:100 beach slope and the influence of the group modulation is presented. The modulation is controlled by varying the group frequency, fg, which is shown to remarkably affect the energy transfer to high and low frequency components. The growth of the high frequency (hf) wave skewness increases when fg decreases. This is explained by nonlinear coupling between the primary frequencies, which results in a larger growth of hf components as fg decreases, causing the hf waves to break earlier. Due to high spatial resolution, wave tracking has provided an accurate measurement of the varying breakpoint. These breaking locations are very well described (R2>0.91) by the wave-height to effective-depth ratio (γ). However, for any given Iribarren number, this γ is shown to increase with fg. Therefore, a modified Iribarren number is proposed to include the grouping structure, leading to a considerable improvement in reproducing the measured γ-values. Within the surf zone, the behavior of the Incident Long Wave also depends on the group modulation. For low fg conditions, the lf wave decays only slightly by transferring energy back to the hf wave components. However, for high fg wave conditions, strong dissipation of low frequency (lf) components occurs close to the shoreline associated with lf wave breaking. This mechanism is explained by the growth of the lf wave height, induced partly by the self-self interaction of fg, and partly by the nonlinear coupling between the primary frequencies and fg.

Accurate measurements of cross-plane thermal conductivity of thin films by dual-frequency time-domain thermoreflectance (TDTR)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Puqing; Huang, Bin; Koh, Yee Kan

2016-07-01

Accurate measurements of the cross-plane thermal conductivity Λcross of a high-thermal-conductivity thin film on a low-thermal-conductivity (Λs) substrate (e.g., Λcross/Λs > 20) are challenging, due to the low thermal resistance of the thin film compared with that of the substrate. In principle, Λcross could be measured by time-domain thermoreflectance (TDTR), using a high modulation frequency fh and a large laser spot size. However, with one TDTR measurement at fh, the uncertainty of the TDTR measurement is usually high due to low sensitivity of TDTR signals to Λcross and high sensitivity to the thickness hAl of Al transducer deposited on the sample for TDTR measurements. We observe that in most TDTR measurements, the sensitivity to hAl only depends weakly on the modulation frequency f. Thus, we performed an additional TDTR measurement at a low modulation frequency f0, such that the sensitivity to hAl is comparable but the sensitivity to Λcross is near zero. We then analyze the ratio of the TDTR signals at fh to that at f0, and thus significantly improve the accuracy of our Λcross measurements. As a demonstration of the dual-frequency approach, we measured the cross-plane thermal conductivity of a 400-nm-thick nickel-iron alloy film and a 3-μm-thick Cu film, both with an accuracy of ˜10%. The dual-frequency TDTR approach is useful for future studies of thin films.

Beta oscillations reflect supramodal information during perceptual judgment.

PubMed

Haegens, Saskia; Vergara, José; Rossi-Pool, Román; Lemus, Luis; Romo, Ranulfo

2017-12-26

Previous work on perceptual decision making in the sensorimotor system has shown population dynamics in the beta band, corresponding to the encoding of stimulus properties and the final decision outcome. Here, we asked how oscillatory dynamics in the medial premotor cortex (MPC) contribute to supramodal perceptual decision making. We recorded local field potentials (LFPs) and spikes in two monkeys trained to perform a tactile-acoustic frequency discrimination task, including both unimodal and crossmodal conditions. We studied the role of oscillatory activity as a function of stimulus properties (frequency and sensory modality), as well as decision outcome. We found that beta-band power correlated with relevant stimulus properties: there was a significant modulation by stimulus frequency during the working-memory (WM) retention interval, as well as modulation by stimulus modality-the latter was observed only in the case of a purely unimodal task, where modality information was relevant to prepare for the upcoming second stimulus. Furthermore, we found a significant modulation of beta power during the comparison and decision period, which was predictive of decision outcome. Finally, beta-band spike-field coherence (SFC) matched these LFP observations. In conclusion, we demonstrate that beta power in MPC is reflective of stimulus features in a supramodal, context-dependent manner, and additionally reflects the decision outcome. We propose that these beta modulations are a signature of the recruitment of functional neuronal ensembles, which encode task-relevant information.

Amplitude modulation detection with concurrent frequency modulation.

PubMed

Nagaraj, Naveen K

2016-09-01

Human speech consists of concomitant temporal modulations in amplitude and frequency that are crucial for speech perception. In this study, amplitude modulation (AM) detection thresholds were measured for 550 and 5000 Hz carriers with and without concurrent frequency modulation (FM), at AM rates crucial for speech perception. Results indicate that adding 40 Hz FM interferes with AM detection, more so for 5000 Hz carrier and for frequency deviations exceeding the critical bandwidth of the carrier frequency. These findings suggest that future cochlear implant processors, encoding speech fine-structures may consider limiting the FM to narrow bandwidth and to low frequencies.

Dopamine-dependent effects on basal and glutamate stimulated network dynamics in cultured hippocampal neurons.

PubMed

Li, Yan; Chen, Xin; Dzakpasu, Rhonda; Conant, Katherine

2017-02-01

Oscillatory activity occurs in cortical and hippocampal networks with specific frequency ranges thought to be critical to working memory, attention, differentiation of neuronal precursors, and memory trace replay. Synchronized activity within relatively large neuronal populations is influenced by firing and bursting frequency within individual cells, and the latter is modulated by changes in intrinsic membrane excitability and synaptic transmission. Published work suggests that dopamine, a potent modulator of learning and memory, acts on dopamine receptor 1-like dopamine receptors to influence the phosphorylation and trafficking of glutamate receptor subunits, along with long-term potentiation of excitatory synaptic transmission in striatum and prefrontal cortex. Prior studies also suggest that dopamine can influence voltage gated ion channel function and membrane excitability in these regions. Fewer studies have examined dopamine's effect on related endpoints in hippocampus, or potential consequences in terms of network burst dynamics. In this study, we record action potential activity using a microelectrode array system to examine the ability of dopamine to modulate baseline and glutamate-stimulated bursting activity in an in vitro network of cultured murine hippocampal neurons. We show that dopamine stimulates a dopamine type-1 receptor-dependent increase in number of overall bursts within minutes of its application. Notably, however, at the concentration used herein, dopamine did not increase the overall synchrony of bursts between electrodes. Although the number of bursts normalizes by 40 min, bursting in response to a subsequent glutamate challenge is enhanced by dopamine pretreatment. Dopamine-dependent potentiation of glutamate-stimulated bursting was not observed when the two modulators were administered concurrently. In parallel, pretreatment of murine hippocampal cultures with dopamine stimulated lasting increases in the phosphorylation of the glutamate receptor subunit GluA1 at serine 845. This effect is consistent with the possibility that enhanced membrane insertion of GluAs may contribute to a more slowly evolving dopamine-dependent potentiation of glutamate-stimulated bursting. Together, these results are consistent with the possibility that dopamine can influence hippocampal bursting by at least two temporally distinct mechanisms, contributing to an emerging appreciation of dopamine-dependent effects on network activity in the hippocampus. © 2016 International Society for Neurochemistry.

Frequency modulation detection in cochlear implant subjects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Hongbin; Zeng, Fan-Gang

2004-10-01

Frequency modulation (FM) detection was investigated in acoustic and electric hearing to characterize cochlear-implant subjects' ability to detect dynamic frequency changes and to assess the relative contributions of temporal and spectral cues to frequency processing. Difference limens were measured for frequency upward sweeps, downward sweeps, and sinusoidal FM as a function of standard frequency and modulation rate. In electric hearing, factors including electrode position and stimulation level were also studied. Electric hearing data showed that the difference limen increased monotonically as a function of standard frequency regardless of the modulation type, the modulation rate, the electrode position, and the stimulation level. In contrast, acoustic hearing data showed that the difference limen was nearly a constant as a function of standard frequency. This difference was interpreted to mean that temporal cues are used only at low standard frequencies and at low modulation rates. At higher standard frequencies and modulation rates, the reliance on the place cue is increased, accounting for the better performance in acoustic hearing than for electric hearing with single-electrode stimulation. The present data suggest a speech processing strategy that encodes slow frequency changes using lower stimulation rates than those typically employed by contemporary cochlear-implant speech processors. .

Optical Limiting Using the Two-Photon Absorption Electrical Modulation Effect in HgCdTe Photodiode

PubMed Central

Cui, Haoyang; Yang, Junjie; Zeng, Jundong; Tang, Zhong

2013-01-01

The electrical modulation properties of the output intensity of two-photon absorption (TPA) pumping were analyzed in this paper. The frequency dispersion dependence of TPA and the electric field dependence of TPA were calculated using Wherrett theory model and Garcia theory model, respectively. Both predicted a dramatic variation of TPA coefficient which was attributed into the increasing of the transition rate. The output intensity of the laser pulse propagation in the pn junction device was calculated by using function-transfer method. It shows that the output intensity increases nonlinearly with increasing intensity of incident light and eventually reaches saturation. The output saturation intensity depends on the electric field strength; the greater the electric field, the smaller the output intensity. Consequently, the clamped saturation intensity can be controlled by the electric field. The prior advantage of electrical modulation is that the TPA can be varied extremely continuously, thus adjusting the output intensity in a wide range. This large change provides a manipulate method to control steady output intensity of TPA by adjusting electric field. PMID:24198721

Atmospheric and Fog Effects on Ultra-Wide Band Radar Operating at Extremely High Frequencies.

PubMed

Balal, Nezah; Pinhasi, Gad A; Pinhasi, Yosef

2016-05-23

The wide band at extremely high frequencies (EHF) above 30 GHz is applicable for high resolution directive radars, resolving the lack of free frequency bands within the lower part of the electromagnetic spectrum. Utilization of ultra-wideband signals in this EHF band is of interest, since it covers a relatively large spectrum, which is free of users, resulting in better resolution in both the longitudinal and transverse dimensions. Noting that frequencies in the millimeter band are subjected to high atmospheric attenuation and dispersion effects, a study of the degradation in the accuracy and resolution is presented. The fact that solid-state millimeter and sub-millimeter radiation sources are producing low power, the method of continuous-wave wideband frequency modulation becomes the natural technique for remote sensing and detection. Millimeter wave radars are used as complementary sensors for the detection of small radar cross-section objects under bad weather conditions, when small objects cannot be seen by optical cameras and infrared detectors. Theoretical analysis for the propagation of a wide "chirped" Frequency-Modulated Continuous-Wave (FMCW) radar signal in a dielectric medium is presented. It is shown that the frequency-dependent (complex) refractivity of the atmospheric medium causes distortions in the phase of the reflected signal, introducing noticeable errors in the longitudinal distance estimations, and at some frequencies may also degrade the resolution.

Atmospheric and Fog Effects on Ultra-Wide Band Radar Operating at Extremely High Frequencies

PubMed Central

Balal, Nezah; Pinhasi, Gad A.; Pinhasi, Yosef

2016-01-01

The wide band at extremely high frequencies (EHF) above 30 GHz is applicable for high resolution directive radars, resolving the lack of free frequency bands within the lower part of the electromagnetic spectrum. Utilization of ultra-wideband signals in this EHF band is of interest, since it covers a relatively large spectrum, which is free of users, resulting in better resolution in both the longitudinal and transverse dimensions. Noting that frequencies in the millimeter band are subjected to high atmospheric attenuation and dispersion effects, a study of the degradation in the accuracy and resolution is presented. The fact that solid-state millimeter and sub-millimeter radiation sources are producing low power, the method of continuous-wave wideband frequency modulation becomes the natural technique for remote sensing and detection. Millimeter wave radars are used as complementary sensors for the detection of small radar cross-section objects under bad weather conditions, when small objects cannot be seen by optical cameras and infrared detectors. Theoretical analysis for the propagation of a wide “chirped” Frequency-Modulated Continuous-Wave (FMCW) radar signal in a dielectric medium is presented. It is shown that the frequency-dependent (complex) refractivity of the atmospheric medium causes distortions in the phase of the reflected signal, introducing noticeable errors in the longitudinal distance estimations, and at some frequencies may also degrade the resolution. PMID:27223286

Direct-reading group-delay measurement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trowbridge, D. L.

1978-01-01

Technique for measuring modulation signal retardation in microwave components gives direct plot of dependence of delay time on carrier frequency. Recorder sensitivity can be adjusted to give convenient scale factor for group delay. From family of such recordings, it is possible to observe changes in group delay due to temperature, mechanical stress, and other factors.

Electrical power inverter having a phase modulated, twin-inverter, high frequency link and an energy storage module

DOEpatents

Pitel, Ira J.

1987-02-03

The present invention provides an electrical power inverter method and apparatus, which includes a high frequency link, for converting DC power into AC power. Generally stated, the apparatus includes a first high frequency module which produces an AC voltage at a first output frequency, and a second high frequency inverter module which produces an AC voltage at a second output frequency that is substantially the same as the first output frequency. The second AC voltage is out of phase with the first AC voltage by a selected angular phase displacement. A mixer mixes the first and second output voltages to produce a high frequency carrier which has a selected base frequency impressed on the sidebands thereof. A rectifier rectifies the carrier, and a filter filters the rectified carrier. An output inverter inverts the filtered carrier to produce an AC line voltage at the selected base frequency. A phase modulator adjusts the relative angular phase displacement between the outputs of the first and second high frequency modules to control the base frequency and magnitude of the AC line voltage.

Electrical power inverter having a phase modulated, twin-inverter, high frequency link and an energy storage module

DOEpatents

Pitel, I.J.

1987-02-03

The present invention provides an electrical power inverter method and apparatus, which includes a high frequency link, for converting DC power into AC power. Generally stated, the apparatus includes a first high frequency module which produces an AC voltage at a first output frequency, and a second high frequency inverter module which produces an AC voltage at a second output frequency that is substantially the same as the first output frequency. The second AC voltage is out of phase with the first AC voltage by a selected angular phase displacement. A mixer mixes the first and second output voltages to produce a high frequency carrier which has a selected base frequency impressed on the sidebands thereof. A rectifier rectifies the carrier, and a filter filters the rectified carrier. An output inverter inverts the filtered carrier to produce an AC line voltage at the selected base frequency. A phase modulator adjusts the relative angular phase displacement between the outputs of the first and second high frequency modules to control the base frequency and magnitude of the AC line voltage. 19 figs.

State-dependent interactions between excitatory neuromodulators in the neuronal control of breathing

PubMed Central

Doi, Atsushi; Ramirez, Jan-Marino

2010-01-01

All neuronal networks are modulated by multiple neuropeptides and biogenic amines. Yet, few studies investigate how different modulators interact to regulate network activity. Here we explored the state-dependent functional interactions between three excitatory neuromodulators acting on neurokinin1 (NK1), alpha1 noradrenergic (α1 NE) and 5-HT2 serotonin receptors (5-HT2) within the Pre-Bötzinger complex (pre-BötC), an area critical for the generation of breathing. In anesthetized, in vivo mice the reliance on endogenous NK1 activation depended on spontaneous breathing frequency and the modulatory state of the animal. Endogenous NK1 activation had no significant respiratory effect when stimulating raphe magnus and/or locus ceruleus, but became critical, when α1 NE and 5-HT2 receptors were pharmacologically blocked. The dependence of the centrally generated respiratory rhythm on NK1 activation was blunted in the presence of α1 NE and 5-HT2 agonists as demonstrated in slices containing the pre-BötC. We conclude that a modulators’ action is determined by the concurrent modulation and interaction with other neuromodulators. Deficiencies in one neuromodulator are immediately compensated by the action of other neuromodulators. This interplay could play a role in the state-dependency of certain breathing disorders. PMID:20554877

Dynamic Fano-like resonances in erbium-doped whispering-gallery-mode microresonators

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lei, Fuchuan; Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63130; Peng, Bo

2014-09-08

We report Fano-like asymmetric resonances modulated by optical gain in a whispering-gallery-mode resonator fabricated from erbium-doped silica. A time-dependent gain profile leads to dynamically varying sharp asymmetric resonances with features similar to Fano resonances. Depending on the scan speed of the frequency of the probe laser and the pump-probe power ratio, transmission spectra of the active microcavity exhibit a resonance dip, a resonance peak, or a Fano-like resonance.

Theory of Self-Phase Modulation and Spectral Broadening

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Y. R.; Yang, Guo-Zhen

Self-phase modulation refers to the phenomenon in which a laser beam propagating in a medium interacts with the medium and imposes a phase modulation on itself. It is one of those very fascinating effects discovered in the early days of nonlinear optics (Bloembergen and Lallemand, 1966; Brewer, 1967; Cheung et al., 1968; Lallemand, 1966; Jones and Stoicheff, 1964; Shimizu, 1967; Stoicheff, 1963). The physical origin of the phenomenon lies in the fact that the strong field of a laser beam is capable of inducing an appreciable intensity-dependent refractive index change in the medium. The medium then reacts back and inflicts a phase change on the incoming wave, resulting in self-phase modulation (SPM). Since a laser beam has a finite cross section, and hence a transverse intensity profile, SPM on the beam should have a transverse spatial dependence, equivalent to a distortion of the wave front. Consequently, the beam will appear to have self-diffracted. Such a self-diffraction action, resulting from SPM in space, is responsible for the well-known nonlinear optical phenomena of self-focusing and self-defocusing (Marburger, 1975; Shen, 1975). It can give rise to a multiple ring structure in the diffracted beam if the SPM is sufficiently strong (Durbin et al., 1981; Santamato and Shen, 1984). In the case of a pulsed laser input, the temporal variation of the laser intensity leads to an SPM in time. Since the time derivative of the phase of a wave is simply the angular frequency of the wave, SPM also appears as a frequency modulation. Thus, the output beam appears with a self-induced spectral broadening (Cheung et al., 1968; Gustafson et al., 1969; Shimizu, 1967).

Particle Tracking Simulation of Collective Modes. Parametric Landau Damping Off Coupling Resonance.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Macridin, Alexandru; Burov, Alexey; Stern, Eric

Employing Synergia simulations with the DMD method we investigate the Landau damping of space charge modes in bunched beams. The simulations reveal two instances of the parametric damping mechanism in bunched beams. The first example occurs in the proximity of coupling resonance and is due to the oscillation of particles’ amplitudes in the transverse plane. This oscillation modulates the modeparticle coupling with particle dependent trapping frequency. The second example is due to the modulation of the modeparticle coupling in one transverse plane by the oscillatory motion in the other plane.

Coherent detection of frequency-hopped quadrature modulations in the presence of jamming. I - QPSK and QASK modulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simon, M. K.; Polydoros, A.

1981-01-01

This paper examines the performance of coherent QPSK and QASK systems combined with FH or FH/PN spread spectrum techniques in the presence of partial-band multitone or noise jamming. The worst-case jammer and worst-case performance are determined as functions of the signal-to-background noise ratio (SNR) and signal-to-jammer power ratio (SJR). Asymptotic results for high SNR are shown to have a linear dependence between the jammer's optimal power allocation and the system error probability performance.

Spatially resolved frequency domain phosphorescence lifetime-based oxygen sensing for photodynamic therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lai, Benjamin; Gurari, Mark; Wee, Wallace; Lilge, Lothar

2008-06-01

Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) is a minimally invasive treatment that uses a photosensitive drug into convert triplet state oxygen (3O2) to singlet oxygen (1O2) to destroy malignant tissue. A fiber-optic system based on frequency domain detection of phosphorescence quenching by 3O2 is described which optically measures the distribution of 3O2 in the treatment volume during PDT to permit adjustments of treatment parameters to improve outcome. A specially designed fiber optic probe containing phosphorescent sensors embedded along its length permit spatially resolved measurements. Each sensor is composed of a phosphorescent metalloporphyrin compound that emits a characteristic spectrum. Four candidate sensors with high absorption at the excitation wavelength of 405nm and emission in the 650nm to 700nm region are considered. The dependence of phosphorescence lifetime (τ) on 3O2 concentration is described by the linearized Stern-Volmer relationship as being inversely proportional. Determination of τ, and hence 3O2 concentration, is accomplished in the frequency domain by means of phase-modulation detection of the phosphorescence signal due to an amplitude modulated excitation. The τ's of each sensor are recovered by performing global non-linear least squares fit on the measured phase and modulation index over a range of frequencies and wavelengths. With the τ of each sensor known, the oxygen concentration at each sensor's location can be determined with the Stern-Volmer relationship.

Heritable stress response dynamics revealed by single-cell genealogy

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Cells often respond to environmental stimuli by activating specific transcription factors. Upon exposure to glucose limitation stress, it is known that yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells dephosphorylate the general stress response factor Msn2, leading to its nuclear localization, which in turn activates the expression of many genes. However, the precise dynamics of Msn2 nucleocytoplasmic translocations and whether they are inherited over multiple generations in a stress-dependent manner are not well understood. Tracking Msn2 localization events in yeast lineages grown on a microfluidic chip, here we report how cells modulate the amplitude, duration, frequency, and dynamic pattern of the localization events in response to glucose limitation stress. Single yeast cells were found to modulate the amplitude and frequency of Msn2 nuclear localization, but not its duration. Moreover, the Msn2 localization frequency was epigenetically inherited in descendants of mother cells, leading to a decrease in cell-to-cell variation in localization frequency. An analysis of the time dynamic patterns of nuclear localizations between genealogically related cell pairs using an information theory approach found that the magnitude of pattern similarity increased with stress intensity and was strongly inherited by the descendant cells at the highest stress level. By dissecting how general stress response dynamics is contributed by different modulation schemes over long time scales, our work provides insight into which scheme evolution might have acted on to optimize fitness in stressful environments. PMID:29675464

Inhomogeneous nuclear spin polarization induced by helicity-modulated optical excitation of fluorine-bound electron spins in ZnSe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heisterkamp, F.; Greilich, A.; Zhukov, E. A.; Kirstein, E.; Kazimierczuk, T.; Korenev, V. L.; Yugova, I. A.; Yakovlev, D. R.; Pawlis, A.; Bayer, M.

2015-12-01

Optically induced nuclear spin polarization in a fluorine-doped ZnSe epilayer is studied by time-resolved Kerr rotation using resonant excitation of donor-bound excitons. Excitation with helicity-modulated laser pulses results in a transverse nuclear spin polarization, which is detected as a change of the Larmor precession frequency of the donor-bound electron spins. The frequency shift in dependence on the transverse magnetic field exhibits a pronounced dispersion-like shape with resonances at the fields of nuclear magnetic resonance of the constituent zinc and selenium isotopes. It is studied as a function of external parameters, particularly of constant and radio frequency external magnetic fields. The width of the resonance and its shape indicate a strong spatial inhomogeneity of the nuclear spin polarization in the vicinity of a fluorine donor. A mechanism of optically induced nuclear spin polarization is suggested based on the concept of resonant nuclear spin cooling driven by the inhomogeneous Knight field of the donor-bound electron.

Second neighbors inducing common frequencies for bright and dark solitons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tala-Tebue, E.; Djoufack, Z. I.; Kenfack-Jiotsa, A.; Kapche-Tagne, F.; Kofané, T. C.

2017-06-01

In this work, the dynamics of modulated waves in a modified Noguchi nonlinear electrical transmission line is studied with the contribution of second neighbors. It comes from this analysis that the line is governed by a dissipative nonlinear Schrödinger equation. One observes that the second neighbors counterbalance the effect of the linear capacitor CS in the frequency domains. The second neighbors well influence the line by increasing its bandwidth, its group velocity and the magnitude of the wave during its propagation. In the dispersion curve, we show that there exits a new region for the modulational instability/stability compared to the work of Pelap et al. (Phys. Rev. E 91, 022925 (2015)). The exactness of the analytical studies is accredited by numerical calculations. The most important feature of the new region, i.e. the second neighbors, is that the same frequency allows the use of either a bright soliton or a dark soliton depending on the choice of an appropriated wavelength.

Calibration-free absolute frequency response measurement of directly modulated lasers based on additional modulation.

PubMed

Zhang, Shangjian; Zou, Xinhai; Wang, Heng; Zhang, Yali; Lu, Rongguo; Liu, Yong

2015-10-15

A calibration-free electrical method is proposed for measuring the absolute frequency response of directly modulated semiconductor lasers based on additional modulation. The method achieves the electrical domain measurement of the modulation index of directly modulated lasers without the need for correcting the responsivity fluctuation in the photodetection. Moreover, it doubles measuring frequency range by setting a specific frequency relationship between the direct and additional modulation. Both the absolute and relative frequency response of semiconductor lasers are experimentally measured from the electrical spectrum of the twice-modulated optical signal, and the measured results are compared to those obtained with conventional methods to check the consistency. The proposed method provides calibration-free and accurate measurement for high-speed semiconductor lasers with high-resolution electrical spectrum analysis.

Tonotopic tuning in a sound localization circuit.

PubMed

Slee, Sean J; Higgs, Matthew H; Fairhall, Adrienne L; Spain, William J

2010-05-01

Nucleus laminaris (NL) neurons encode interaural time difference (ITD), the cue used to localize low-frequency sounds. A physiologically based model of NL input suggests that ITD information is contained in narrow frequency bands around harmonics of the sound frequency. This suggested a theory, which predicts that, for each tone frequency, there is an optimal time course for synaptic inputs to NL that will elicit the largest modulation of NL firing rate as a function of ITD. The theory also suggested that neurons in different tonotopic regions of NL require specialized tuning to take advantage of the input gradient. Tonotopic tuning in NL was investigated in brain slices by separating the nucleus into three regions based on its anatomical tonotopic map. Patch-clamp recordings in each region were used to measure both the synaptic and the intrinsic electrical properties. The data revealed a tonotopic gradient of synaptic time course that closely matched the theoretical predictions. We also found postsynaptic band-pass filtering. Analysis of the combined synaptic and postsynaptic filters revealed a frequency-dependent gradient of gain for the transformation of tone amplitude to NL firing rate modulation. Models constructed from the experimental data for each tonotopic region demonstrate that the tonotopic tuning measured in NL can improve ITD encoding across sound frequencies.

Temporal photonic crystals with modulations of both permittivity and permeability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martínez-Romero, Juan Sabino; Becerra-Fuentes, O. M.; Halevi, P.

2016-06-01

We present an in-depth study of electromagnetic wave propagation in a temporal photonic crystal, namely, a nonconducting medium whose permittivity ɛ (t ) and/or permeability μ (t ) are modulated periodically by unspecified agents (these modulations not necessarily being in phase). Maxwell's equations lead to an eigenvalue problem whose solution provides the dispersion relation ω (k ) for the waves that can propagate in such a dynamic medium. This is a generalization of previous work [J. R. Zurita-Sánchez and P. Halevi, Phys. Rev. A 81, 053834 (2010)], 10.1103/PhysRevA.81.053834 that was restricted to the electric modulation ɛ (t ) . For our numerical work (only) we assumed the harmonic modulations ɛ (t ) =ɛ ¯[1 +mɛsin(Ω t ) ] and μ (t ) =μ ¯[1 +mμsin(Ω t +θ ) ] , where Ω is the circular modulation frequency; mɛ and mμ are, respectively, the strengths of the electric and magnetic modulations; and θ is the phase difference between these modulations. An analytic calculation for weak modulations (mɛ≪1 ,mμ≪1 ) leads to two k bands, k1(ω ) and k2(ω ) , that are separated by a k gap. If the modulations are in phase (θ =0 ) , this gap is proportional to | mɛ-mμ| , while the gap is proportional to (mɛ+mμ) if the modulations are out of phase (θ =π ) . The gap thus disappears for equal, in-phase, modulations (mɛ=mμ) . An exact solution of the eigenvalue equation confirms that these approximations hold reasonably well even for moderate modulations. In fact, there are no k gaps for equal modulations even if these are very strong (mɛ ,μ≲1 ) . The photonic band structure k (ω ) is periodic in ω , with period Ω , and there is an infinite number of bands k1(ω ) , k2(ω ) ,... Further, by allowing ɛ (t ) and μ (t ) to have imaginary parts, we examined the effects of damping [Im k (ω )] on the k bands. We also determined the optical response of a temporal photonic crystal slab, applying the above harmonic model for ɛ (t ) and μ (t ) . The reflected and transmitted light represent a frequency comb of frequencies ω , |ω ±Ω | , |ω ±2 Ω |,... The transmission coefficients Tn(ω ) for these harmonics n Ω of the modulation frequency strongly depend on the parameters mɛ, mμ, and θ , as well as on the thickness of the slab. Moreover, they can much exceed unity, as a result of energy transfer from the source of modulation. In a particularly interesting case, Tn(ω ) exhibits oscillations with peaks that resemble parametric resonances, rather than the usual Fabry-Perot resonances.

Differential modulation of late sodium current by protein kinase A in R1623Q mutant of LQT3

PubMed Central

Tsurugi, Takuo; Nagatomo, Toshihisa; Abe, Haruhiko; Oginosawa, Yasushi; Takemasa, Hiroko; Kohno, Ritsuko; Makita, Naomasa; Makielski, Jonathan C.; Otsuji, Yutaka

2009-01-01

Aims In the type 3 long QT syndrome (LQT3), shortening of the QT interval by overdrive pacing is used to prevent life-threatening arrhythmias. However, it is unclear whether accelerated heart rate induced by β-adrenergic agents produces similar effects on the late sodium current (INa) to those by overdrive pacing therapy. We analyzed the β-adrenergic-like effects of protein kinase A and fluoride on INa in R1623Q mutant channels. Main methods cDNA encoding either wild-type (WT) or R1623Q mutant of hNav1.5 was stably transfected into HEK293 cells. INa was recorded using a whole-cell patch-clamp technique at 23 °C. Key findings In R1623Q channels, 2 mM pCPT-AMP and 120 mM fluoride significantly delayed macroscopic current decay and increased relative amplitude of the late INa in a time-dependent manner. Modulations of peak INa gating kinetics (activation, inactivation, recovery from inactivation) by fluoride were similar in WT and R1623Q channels. The effects of fluoride were almost completely abolished by concomitant dialysis with a protein kinase inhibitor. We also compared the effect of pacing with that of β-adrenergic stimulation by analyzing the frequency-dependence of the late INa. Fluoride augmented frequency-dependent reduction of the late INa, which was due to preferential delay of recovery of late INa. However, the increase in late INa by fluoride at steady-state was more potent than the frequency-dependent reduction of late INa. Significance Different basic mechanisms participate in the QT interval shortening by pacing and β-adrenergic stimulation in the LQT3. PMID:19167409

Parametric fMRI of paced motor responses uncovers novel whole-brain imaging biomarkers in spinocerebellar ataxia type 3.

PubMed

Duarte, João Valente; Faustino, Ricardo; Lobo, Mercês; Cunha, Gil; Nunes, César; Ferreira, Carlos; Januário, Cristina; Castelo-Branco, Miguel

2016-10-01

Machado-Joseph Disease, inherited type 3 spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA3), is the most common form worldwide. Neuroimaging and neuropathology have consistently demonstrated cerebellar alterations. Here we aimed to discover whole-brain functional biomarkers, based on parametric performance-level-dependent signals. We assessed 13 patients with early SCA3 and 14 healthy participants. We used a combined parametric behavioral/functional neuroimaging design to investigate disease fingerprints, as a function of performance levels, coupled with structural MRI and voxel-based morphometry. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was designed to parametrically analyze behavior and neural responses to audio-paced bilateral thumb movements at temporal frequencies of 1, 3, and 5 Hz. Our performance-level-based design probing neuronal correlates of motor coordination enabled the discovery that neural activation and behavior show critical loss of parametric modulation specifically in SCA3, associated with frequency-dependent cortico/subcortical activation/deactivation patterns. Cerebellar/cortical rate-dependent dissociation patterns could clearly differentiate between groups irrespective of grey matter loss. Our findings suggest functional reorganization of the motor network and indicate a possible role of fMRI as a tool to monitor disease progression in SCA3. Accordingly, fMRI patterns proved to be potential biomarkers in early SCA3, as tested by receiver operating characteristic analysis of both behavior and neural activation at different frequencies. Discrimination analysis based on BOLD signal in response to the applied parametric finger-tapping task significantly often reached >80% sensitivity and specificity in single regions-of-interest.Functional fingerprints based on cerebellar and cortical BOLD performance dependent signal modulation can thus be combined as diagnostic and/or therapeutic targets in hereditary ataxia. Hum Brain Mapp 37:3656-3668, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Investigation of ELF/VLF waves created by a "beat-wave" HF ionospheric heating at high latitudes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shumilov, Oleg; Tereshchenko, Evgeniy; Kasatkina, Elena; Gomonov, Alexandr

2015-04-01

The generation of extremely low frequency (ELF, 3-3000 Hz) and very low frequency (VLF, 3-30 kHz) electromagnetic waves by modulated ionospheric high frequency (HF, 2-30 MHz) heating is one of the main directions of ionospheric modification experiments. In this work, we present observations of ELF waves generated during a "beat-wave" heating experiments at the EISCAT heating facility. ELF waves were registered with the ELF receiver located at Lovozero (68 N, 35 E), 660 km east from the EISCAT Tromso heating facility (69.6 N, 19.2 E). Frequency shifts between the generated beat-wave and received ELF waves were detected in all sessions. It is shown that the amplitudes of ELF waves depend on the auroral electrojet current strength. Our results showing a strong dependence of ELF signal intensities on the substorm development seem to support the conclusion that electrojet currents may affect the BW generation of ELF/VLF waves.

Advanced capability RFID system

DOEpatents

Gilbert, Ronald W.; Steele, Kerry D.; Anderson, Gordon A.

2007-09-25

A radio-frequency transponder device having an antenna circuit configured to receive radio-frequency signals and to return modulated radio-frequency signals via continuous wave backscatter, a modulation circuit coupled to the antenna circuit for generating the modulated radio-frequency signals, and a microprocessor coupled to the antenna circuit and the modulation circuit and configured to receive and extract operating power from the received radio-frequency signals and to monitor inputs on at least one input pin and to generate responsive signals to the modulation circuit for modulating the radio-frequency signals. The microprocessor can be configured to generate output signals on output pins to associated devices for controlling the operation thereof. Electrical energy can be extracted and stored in an optional electrical power storage device.

Role of internal demagnetizing field for the dynamics of a surface-modulated magnonic crystal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Langer, M.; Röder, F.; Gallardo, R. A.; Schneider, T.; Stienen, S.; Gatel, C.; Hübner, R.; Bischoff, L.; Lenz, K.; Lindner, J.; Landeros, P.; Fassbender, J.

2017-05-01

This work aims to demonstrate and understand the key role of local demagnetizing fields in hybrid structures consisting of a continuous thin film with a stripe modulation on top. To understand the complex spin dynamics of these structures, the magnonic crystal was reconstructed in two different ways—performing micromagnetic simulations based on the structural shape as well as based on the internal demagnetizing field, which both are mapped on the nanoscale using electron holography. The simulations yield the frequency-field dependence as well as the angular dependence revealing the governing role of the internal field landscape around the backward-volume geometry. Simple rules for the propagation vector and the mode localization are formulated in order to explain the calculated mode profiles. Treating internal demagnetizing fields equivalent to anisotropies, the complex angle-dependent spin-wave behavior is described for an in-plane rotation of the external field.

The time-dependence of exchange-induced relaxation during modulated radio frequency pulses.

PubMed

Sorce, Dennis J; Michaeli, Shalom; Garwood, Michael

2006-03-01

The problem of the relaxation of identical spins 1/2 induced by chemical exchange between spins with different chemical shifts in the presence of time-dependent RF irradiation (in the first rotating frame) is considered for the fast exchange regime. The solution for the time evolution under the chemical exchange Hamiltonian in the tilted doubly rotating frame (TDRF) is presented. Detailed derivation is specified to the case of a two-site chemical exchange system with complete randomization between jumps of the exchanging spins. The derived theory can be applied to describe the modulation of the chemical exchange relaxation rate constants when using a train of adiabatic pulses, such as the hyperbolic secant pulse. Theory presented is valid for quantification of the exchange-induced time-dependent rotating frame longitudinal T1rho,ex and transverse T2rho,ex relaxations in the fast chemical exchange regime.

Thermodynamic modeling of the solar wind plasma in the presence of envelope-modulated low-frequency Alfvén waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nariyuki, Y.

2018-06-01

Alfvénic fluctuation is a typical state of the solar wind turbulence. Due to its finite amplitude and envelope modulation, the Alfvénic fluctuation becomes compressible. In the present study, an analytical model of the specific heat ratio in the presence of envelope-modulated Alfvén waves is derived. Ion kinetic effects are modeled by using a semi-ideal (perfect) gas model, in which the specific heat ratio depends on temperature. It is shown that the fourth order polynomial approximation is in good agreement with the kinetic theory. The resultant model is also applied to the fast solar wind plasma.

Hamiltonian mean-field model: effect of temporal perturbation in coupling matrix

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhadra, Nivedita; Patra, Soumen K.

2018-05-01

The Hamiltonian mean-field (HMF) model is a system of fully coupled rotators which exhibits a second-order phase transition at some critical energy in its canonical ensemble. We investigate the case where the interaction between the rotors is governed by a time-dependent coupling matrix. Our numerical study reveals a shift in the critical point due to the temporal modulation. The shift in the critical point is shown to be independent of the modulation frequency above some threshold value, whereas the impact of the amplitude of modulation is dominant. In the microcanonical ensemble, the system with constant coupling reaches a quasi-stationary state (QSS) at an energy near the critical point. Our result indicates that the QSS subsists in presence of such temporal modulation of the coupling parameter.

Influence of auditory attention on sentence recognition captured by the neural phase.

PubMed

Müller, Jana Annina; Kollmeier, Birger; Debener, Stefan; Brand, Thomas

2018-03-07

The aim of this study was to investigate whether attentional influences on speech recognition are reflected in the neural phase entrained by an external modulator. Sentences were presented in 7 Hz sinusoidally modulated noise while the neural response to that modulation frequency was monitored by electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings in 21 participants. We implemented a selective attention paradigm including three different attention conditions while keeping physical stimulus parameters constant. The participants' task was either to repeat the sentence as accurately as possible (speech recognition task), to count the number of decrements implemented in modulated noise (decrement detection task), or to do both (dual task), while the EEG was recorded. Behavioural analysis revealed reduced performance in the dual task condition for decrement detection, possibly reflecting limited cognitive resources. EEG analysis revealed no significant differences in power for the 7 Hz modulation frequency, but an attention-dependent phase difference between tasks. Further phase analysis revealed a significant difference 500 ms after sentence onset between trials with correct and incorrect responses for speech recognition, indicating that speech recognition performance and the neural phase are linked via selective attention mechanisms, at least shortly after sentence onset. However, the neural phase effects identified were small and await further investigation. © 2018 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Determination of the time delay in the case of two-path propagation on the basis of the attenuation characteristics for two adjacent frequencies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gilroi, H. G.

1979-01-01

Pronounced fading occurring in the line of sight radio links at frequencies below 10 GHz can be traced to the effects of multipath propagation. Modulation disturbances depend on travel time differences between the direct wave and the wave which is reflected at atmospheric layers. A method described for the determination of the time delay is based on an indirect approach which utilizes the difference in fading at various frequencies. The method was employed in measurements involving a distance of 181 km. The results obtained in the measurement are discussed.

RF wave observations in beam-plasma discharge

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bernstein, W.

1986-01-01

The Beam Plasma Discharge (BPD) was produced in the large vacuum chamber at Johnson Space Center (20 x 30 m) using an energetic electron beam of moderately high perveance. A more complete expression of the threshold current I sub c taking into account the pitch angle injection dependence is given. Ambient plasma density inferred from wave measurements under various beam conditions are reported. Maximum frequency of the excited RF band behaves differently than the frequency of the peak amplitude. The latter shows signs of parabolic saturation consistent with the light data. Beam plasma state (pre-BPD or BPD) does not affect the pitch angle dependence. Unexpected strong modulation of the RF spectrum at half odd integer of the electron cyclotron frequency (n + 1/2)f sub ce is reported (5 n 10). Another new feature, the presence of wave emission around 3/2 f sub ce for I sub b is approximate I sub c is reported.

Time-dependent local potential in a Tomonaga-Luttinger liquid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamar, Naushad Ahmad; Giamarchi, Thierry

2017-12-01

We study the energy deposition in a one-dimensional interacting quantum system with a pointlike potential modulated in amplitude. The pointlike potential at position x =0 has a constant part and a small oscillation in time with a frequency ω . We use bosonization, renormalization group, and linear response theory to calculate the corresponding energy deposition. It exhibits a power law behavior as a function of the frequency that reflects the Tomonaga-Luttinger liquid (TLL) nature of the system. Depending on the interactions in the system, characterized by the TLL parameter K of the system, a crossover between weak and strong coupling for the backscattering due to the potential is possible. We compute the frequency scale ω*, at which such crossover exists. We find that the energy deposition due to the backscattering shows different exponents for K >1 and K <1 . We discuss possible experimental consequences, in the context of cold atomic gases, of our theoretical results.

Generalization of the Förster resonance energy transfer theory for quantum mechanical modulation of the donor-acceptor coupling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jang, Seogjoo

2007-11-01

The Förster resonance energy transfer theory is generalized for inelastic situations with quantum mechanical modulation of the donor-acceptor coupling. Under the assumption that the modulations are independent of the electronic excitation of the donor and the acceptor, a general rate expression is derived, which involves two dimensional frequency-domain convolution of the donor emission line shape, the acceptor absorption line shape, and the spectral density of the modulation of the donor-acceptor coupling. For two models of modulation, detailed rate expressions are derived. The first model is the fluctuation of the donor-acceptor distance, approximated as a quantum harmonic oscillator coupled to a bath of other quantum harmonic oscillators. The distance fluctuation results in additional terms in the rate, which in the small fluctuation limit depend on the inverse eighth power of the donor-acceptor distance. The second model is the fluctuation of the torsional angle between the two transition dipoles, which is modeled as a quantum harmonic oscillator coupled to a bath of quantum harmonic oscillators and causes sinusoidal modulation of the donor-acceptor coupling. The rate expression has new elastic and inelastic terms, depending sensitively on the value of the minimum energy torsional angle. Experimental implications of the present theory and some of the open theoretical issues are discussed.

Vibrational tug-of-war: The pKA dependence of the broad vibrational features of strongly hydrogen-bonded carboxylic acids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Hoozen, Brian L.; Petersen, Poul B.

2018-04-01

Medium and strong hydrogen bonds give rise to broad vibrational features frequently spanning several hundred wavenumbers and oftentimes exhibiting unusual substructures. These broad vibrational features can be modeled from first principles, in a reduced dimensional calculation, that adiabatically separates low-frequency modes, which modulate the hydrogen bond length, from high-frequency OH stretch and bend modes that contribute to the vibrational structure. Previously this method was used to investigate the origin of an unusual vibrational feature frequently found in the spectra of dimers between carboxylic acids and nitrogen-containing aromatic bases that spans over 900 cm-1 and contains two broad peaks. It was found that the width of this feature largely originates from low-frequency modes modulating the hydrogen bond length and that the structure results from Fermi resonance interactions. In this report, we examine how these features change with the relative acid and base strength of the components as reflected by their aqueous pKA values. Dimers with large pKA differences are found to have features that can extend to frequencies below 1000 cm-1. The relationships between mean OH/NH frequency, aqueous pKA, and O-N distance are examined in order to obtain a more rigorous understanding of the origin and shape of the vibrational features. The mean OH/NH frequencies are found to correlate well with O-N distances. The lowest OH stretch frequencies are found in dimer geometries with O-N distances between 2.5 and 2.6 Å. At larger O-N distances, the hydrogen bonding interaction is not as strong, resulting in higher OH stretch frequencies. When the O-N distance is smaller than 2.5 Å, the limited space between the O and N determines the OH stretch frequency, which gives rise to frequencies that decrease with O-N distances. These two effects place a lower limit on the OH stretch frequency which is calculated to be near 700 cm-1. Understanding how the vibrational features of strongly hydrogen-bonded structures depend on the relative pKA and other structural parameters will guide studies of biological structures and analysis of proton transfer studies using photoacids.

Unusual strain glassy phase in Fe doped Ni2Mn1.5In0.5

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nevgi, R.; Priolkar, K. R.

2018-01-01

Fe doped Ni2Mn1.5In0.5, particularly, Ni2Mn1.4Fe0.1In0.5, despite having an incommensurate, modulated 7M martensitic structure at room temperature exhibits frequency dependent behavior of storage modulus and loss which obeys the Vogel-Fulcher law as well as shows ergodicity breaking between zero field cooled and field cooled strain measurements just above the transition temperature. Both frequency dependence and ergodicity breaking are characteristics of a strain glassy phase and occur due to the presence of strain domains which are large enough to present signatures of long range martensitic order in diffraction but are non-interacting with other strain domains due to the presence of Fe impurities.

Microscopy imaging system and method employing stimulated raman spectroscopy as a contrast mechanism

DOEpatents

Xie, Xiaoliang Sunney [Lexington, MA; Freudiger, Christian [Boston, MA; Min, Wei [Cambridge, MA

2011-09-27

A microscopy imaging system includes a first light source for providing a first train of pulses at a first center optical frequency .omega..sub.1, a second light source for providing a second train of pulses at a second center optical frequency .omega..sub.2, a modulator system, an optical detector, and a processor. The modulator system is for modulating a beam property of the second train of pulses at a modulation frequency f of at least 100 kHz. The optical detector is for detecting an integrated intensity of substantially all optical frequency components of the first train of pulses from the common focal volume by blocking the second train of pulses being modulated. The processor is for detecting, a modulation at the modulation frequency f, of the integrated intensity of the optical frequency components of the first train of pulses to provide a pixel of an image for the microscopy imaging system.

Frequency modulation spectroscopy with a THz quantum-cascade laser.

PubMed

Eichholz, R; Richter, H; Wienold, M; Schrottke, L; Hey, R; Grahn, H T; Hübers, H-W

2013-12-30

We report on a terahertz spectrometer for high-resolution molecular spectroscopy based on a quantum-cascade laser. High-frequency modulation (up to 50 MHz) of the laser driving current produces a simultaneous modulation of the frequency and amplitude of the laser output. The modulation generates sidebands, which are symmetrically positioned with respect to the laser carrier frequency. The molecular transition is probed by scanning the sidebands across it. In this way, the absorption and the dispersion caused by the molecular transition are measured. The signals are modeled by taking into account the simultaneous modulation of the frequency and amplitude of the laser emission. This allows for the determination of the strength of the frequency as well as amplitude modulation of the laser and of molecular parameters such as pressure broadening.

Adaptive changes in echolocation sounds by Pipistrellus abramus in response to artificial jamming sounds.

PubMed

Takahashi, Eri; Hyomoto, Kiri; Riquimaroux, Hiroshi; Watanabe, Yoshiaki; Ohta, Tetsuo; Hiryu, Shizuko

2014-08-15

The echolocation behavior of Pipistrellus abramus during exposure to artificial jamming sounds during flight was investigated. Echolocation pulses emitted by the bats were recorded using a telemetry microphone mounted on the bats' backs, and their adaptation based on acoustic characteristics of emitted pulses was assessed in terms of jamming-avoidance responses (JARs). In experiment 1, frequency-modulated jamming sounds (3 ms duration) mimicking echolocation pulses of P. abramus were prepared. All bats showed significant increases in the terminal frequency of the frequency-modulated pulse by an average of 2.1-4.5 kHz when the terminal frequency of the jamming sounds was lower than the bats' own pulses. This frequency shift was not observed using jamming frequencies that overlapped with or were higher than the bats' own pulses. These findings suggest that JARs in P. abramus are sensitive to the terminal frequency of jamming pulses and that the bats' response pattern was dependent on the slight difference in stimulus frequency. In experiment 2, when bats were repeatedly exposed to a band-limited noise of 70 ms duration, the bats in flight more frequently emitted pulses during silent periods between jamming sounds, suggesting that the bats could actively change the timing of pulse emissions, even during flight, to avoid temporal overlap with jamming sounds. Our findings demonstrate that bats could adjust their vocalized frequency and emission timing during flight in response to acoustic jamming stimuli. © 2014. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

47 CFR 101.811 - Modulation requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... signaling on frequencies below 500 MHz is not authorized. (b) When amplitude modulation is used, the... frequency modulation is used for single channel radiotelephony on frequencies below 500 MHz, the deviation... 47 Telecommunication 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Modulation requirements. 101.811 Section 101...

Extinction-ratio-independent electrical method for measuring chirp parameters of Mach-Zehnder modulators using frequency-shifted heterodyne.

PubMed

Zhang, Shangjian; Wang, Heng; Zou, Xinhai; Zhang, Yali; Lu, Rongguo; Liu, Yong

2015-06-15

An extinction-ratio-independent electrical method is proposed for measuring chirp parameters of Mach-Zehnder electric-optic intensity modulators based on frequency-shifted optical heterodyne. The method utilizes the electrical spectrum analysis of the heterodyne products between the intensity modulated optical signal and the frequency-shifted optical carrier, and achieves the intrinsic chirp parameters measurement at microwave region with high-frequency resolution and wide-frequency range for the Mach-Zehnder modulator with a finite extinction ratio. Moreover, the proposed method avoids calibrating the responsivity fluctuation of the photodiode in spite of the involved photodetection. Chirp parameters as a function of modulation frequency are experimentally measured and compared to those with the conventional optical spectrum analysis method. Our method enables an extinction-ratio-independent and calibration-free electrical measurement of Mach-Zehnder intensity modulators by using the high-resolution frequency-shifted heterodyne technique.

[Research of dual-photoelastic-modulator-based beat frequency modulation and Fourier-Bessel transform imaging spectrometer].

PubMed

Wang, Zhi-Bin; Zhang, Rui; Wang, Yao-Li; Huang, Yan-Fei; Chen, You-Hua; Wang, Li-Fu; Yang, Qiang

2014-02-01

As the existing photoelastic-modulator(PEM) modulating frequency in the tens of kHz to hundreds of kHz between, leading to frequency of modulated interference signal is higher, so ordinary array detector cannot effectively caprure interference signal..A new beat frequency modulation method based on dual-photoelastic-modulator (Dual-PEM) and Fourier-Bessel transform is proposed as an key component of dual-photoelastic-modulator-based imaging spectrometer (Dual-PEM-IS) combined with charge coupled device (CCD). The dual-PEM are operated as an electro-optic circular retardance modulator, Operating the PEMs at slightly different resonant frequencies w1 and w2 respectively, generates a differential signal at a much lower heterodyne frequency that modulates the incident light. This method not only retains the advantages of the existing PEM, but also the frequency of modulated photocurrent decreased by 2-3 orders of magnitude (10-500 Hz) and can be detected by common array detector, and the incident light spectra can be obtained by Fourier-Bessel transform of low frequency component in the modulated signal. The method makes the PEM has the dual capability of imaging and spectral measurement. The basic principle is introduced, the basic equations is derived, and the feasibility is verified through the corresponding numerical simulation and experiment. This method has' potential applications in imaging spectrometer technology, and analysis of the effect of deviation of the optical path difference. This work provides the necessary theoretical basis for remote sensing of new Dual-PEM-IS and for engineering implementation of spectra inversion.

Characteristics of spectro-temporal modulation frequency selectivity in humans.

PubMed

Oetjen, Arne; Verhey, Jesko L

2017-03-01

There is increasing evidence that the auditory system shows frequency selectivity for spectro-temporal modulations. A recent study of the authors has shown spectro-temporal modulation masking patterns that were in agreement with the hypothesis of spectro-temporal modulation filters in the human auditory system [Oetjen and Verhey (2015). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 137(2), 714-723]. In the present study, that experimental data and additional data were used to model this spectro-temporal frequency selectivity. The additional data were collected to investigate to what extent the spectro-temporal modulation-frequency selectivity results from a combination of a purely temporal amplitude-modulation filter and a purely spectral amplitude-modulation filter. In contrast to the previous study, thresholds were measured for masker and target modulations with opposite directions, i.e., an upward pointing target modulation and a downward pointing masker modulation. The comparison of this data set with previous corresponding data with the same direction from target and masker modulations indicate that a specific spectro-temporal modulation filter is required to simulate all aspects of spectro-temporal modulation frequency selectivity. A model using a modified Gabor filter with a purely temporal and a purely spectral filter predicts the spectro-temporal modulation masking data.

Method for curing polymers using variable-frequency microwave heating

DOEpatents

Lauf, R.J.; Bible, D.W.; Paulauskas, F.L.

1998-02-24

A method for curing polymers incorporating a variable frequency microwave furnace system designed to allow modulation of the frequency of the microwaves introduced into a furnace cavity is disclosed. By varying the frequency of the microwave signal, non-uniformities within the cavity are minimized, thereby achieving a more uniform cure throughout the workpiece. A directional coupler is provided for detecting the direction of a signal and further directing the signal depending on the detected direction. A first power meter is provided for measuring the power delivered to the microwave furnace. A second power meter detects the magnitude of reflected power. The furnace cavity may be adapted to be used to cure materials defining a continuous sheet or which require compressive forces during curing. 15 figs.

Fractional Brownian motors and stochastic resonance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goychuk, Igor; Kharchenko, Vasyl

2012-05-01

We study fluctuating tilt Brownian ratchets based on fractional subdiffusion in sticky viscoelastic media characterized by a power law memory kernel. Unlike the normal diffusion case, the rectification effect vanishes in the adiabatically slow modulation limit and optimizes in a driving frequency range. It is shown also that the anomalous rectification effect is maximal (stochastic resonance effect) at optimal temperature and can be of surprisingly good quality. Moreover, subdiffusive current can flow in the counterintuitive direction upon a change of temperature or driving frequency. The dependence of anomalous transport on load exhibits a remarkably simple universality.

Concentration-dependent activation of dopamine receptors differentially modulates GABA release onto orexin neurons

PubMed Central

Linehan, Victoria; Trask, Robert B.; Briggs, Chantalle; Rowe, Todd M.; Hirasawa, Michiru

2017-01-01

Dopamine (DA) and orexin neurons play important roles in reward and food intake. There are anatomical and functional connections between these two cell groups, where orexin peptides stimulate DA neurons in the ventral tegmental area and DA inhibits orexin neurons in the hypothalamus. However, the cellular mechanisms underlying DA action on orexin neurons remain incompletely understood. Therefore, the effect of DA on inhibitory transmission to orexin neurons was investigated in rat brain slices using whole cell patch clamp technique. We found that DA modulated the frequency of spontaneous and miniature IPSCs (mIPSCs) in a concentration dependent, bidirectional manner. Low (1 μM) and high concentrations (100 μM) of DA decreased and increased IPSC frequency, respectively. These effects did not accompany a change in mIPSC amplitude and persisted in the presence of G protein signaling inhibitor GDPβS in the pipette, suggesting that DA acts presynaptically. The decrease in mIPSC frequency was mediated by D2 receptors, whereas the increase required co-activation of D1 and D2 receptors and subsequent activation of phospholipase C. In summary, our results suggest that DA has complex effects on GABAergic transmission to orexin neurons, involving cooperation of multiple receptor subtypes. The direction of dopaminergic influence on orexin neurons is dependent on the level of DA in the hypothalamus. At low levels DA disinhibits orexin neurons whereas at high levels it facilitates GABA release, which may act as negative feedback to curb the excitatory orexinergic output to DA neurons. These mechanisms may have implications for consummatory and motivated behaviours. PMID:26036709

Coordinated control strategy for improving the two drops of the wind storage combined system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qian, Zhou; Chenggen, Wang; Jing, Bu

2018-05-01

In the power system with high permeability wind power, due to wind power fluctuation, the operation of large-scale wind power grid connected to the system brings challenges to the frequency stability of the system. When the doubly fed wind power generation unit does not reserve spare capacity to participate in the system frequency regulation, the system frequency will produce two drops in different degrees when the wind power exits frequency modulation and enters the speed recovery stage. To solve this problem, based on the complementary advantages of wind turbines and energy storage systems in power transmission and frequency modulation, a wind storage combined frequency modulation strategy based on sectional control is proposed in this paper. Based on the TOP wind power frequency modulation strategy, the wind power output reference value is determined according to the linear relationship between the output and the speed of the wind turbine, and the auxiliary wind power load reduction is controlled when the wind power exits frequency modulation into the speed recovery stage, so that the wind turbine is recovered to run at the optimal speed. Then, according to the system frequency and the wind turbine operation state, set the energy storage system frequency modulation output. Energy storage output active support is triggered during wind speed recovery. And then when the system frequency to return to the normal operating frequency range, reduce energy storage output or to exit frequency modulation. The simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Visualization of frequency-modulated electric field based on photonic frequency tracking in asynchronous electro-optic measurement system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hisatake, Shintaro; Yamaguchi, Koki; Uchida, Hirohisa; Tojyo, Makoto; Oikawa, Yoichi; Miyaji, Kunio; Nagatsuma, Tadao

2018-04-01

We propose a new asynchronous measurement system to visualize the amplitude and phase distribution of a frequency-modulated electromagnetic wave. The system consists of three parts: a nonpolarimetric electro-optic frequency down-conversion part, a phase-noise-canceling part, and a frequency-tracking part. The photonic local oscillator signal generated by electro-optic phase modulation is controlled to track the frequency of the radio frequency (RF) signal to significantly enhance the measurable RF bandwidth. We demonstrate amplitude and phase measurement of a quasi-millimeter-wave frequency-modulated continuous-wave signal (24 GHz ± 80 MHz with a 2.5 ms period) as a proof-of-concept experiment.

Modulation linearization of a frequency-modulated voltage controlled oscillator, part 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Honnell, M. A.

1975-01-01

An analysis is presented for the voltage versus frequency characteristics of a varactor modulated VHF voltage controlled oscillator in which the frequency deviation is linearized by using the nonlinear characteristics of a field effect transistor as a signal amplifier. The equations developed are used to calculate the oscillator output frequency in terms of pertinent circuit parameters. It is shown that the nonlinearity exponent of the FET has a pronounced influence on frequency deviation linearity, whereas the junction exponent of the varactor controls total frequency deviation for a given input signal. A design example for a 250 MHz frequency modulated oscillator is presented.

Network-State Modulation of Power-Law Frequency-Scaling in Visual Cortical Neurons

PubMed Central

Béhuret, Sébastien; Baudot, Pierre; Yger, Pierre; Bal, Thierry; Destexhe, Alain; Frégnac, Yves

2009-01-01

Various types of neural-based signals, such as EEG, local field potentials and intracellular synaptic potentials, integrate multiple sources of activity distributed across large assemblies. They have in common a power-law frequency-scaling structure at high frequencies, but it is still unclear whether this scaling property is dominated by intrinsic neuronal properties or by network activity. The latter case is particularly interesting because if frequency-scaling reflects the network state it could be used to characterize the functional impact of the connectivity. In intracellularly recorded neurons of cat primary visual cortex in vivo, the power spectral density of Vm activity displays a power-law structure at high frequencies with a fractional scaling exponent. We show that this exponent is not constant, but depends on the visual statistics used to drive the network. To investigate the determinants of this frequency-scaling, we considered a generic recurrent model of cortex receiving a retinotopically organized external input. Similarly to the in vivo case, our in computo simulations show that the scaling exponent reflects the correlation level imposed in the input. This systematic dependence was also replicated at the single cell level, by controlling independently, in a parametric way, the strength and the temporal decay of the pairwise correlation between presynaptic inputs. This last model was implemented in vitro by imposing the correlation control in artificial presynaptic spike trains through dynamic-clamp techniques. These in vitro manipulations induced a modulation of the scaling exponent, similar to that observed in vivo and predicted in computo. We conclude that the frequency-scaling exponent of the Vm reflects stimulus-driven correlations in the cortical network activity. Therefore, we propose that the scaling exponent could be used to read-out the “effective” connectivity responsible for the dynamical signature of the population signals measured at different integration levels, from Vm to LFP, EEG and fMRI. PMID:19779556

Network-state modulation of power-law frequency-scaling in visual cortical neurons.

PubMed

El Boustani, Sami; Marre, Olivier; Béhuret, Sébastien; Baudot, Pierre; Yger, Pierre; Bal, Thierry; Destexhe, Alain; Frégnac, Yves

2009-09-01

Various types of neural-based signals, such as EEG, local field potentials and intracellular synaptic potentials, integrate multiple sources of activity distributed across large assemblies. They have in common a power-law frequency-scaling structure at high frequencies, but it is still unclear whether this scaling property is dominated by intrinsic neuronal properties or by network activity. The latter case is particularly interesting because if frequency-scaling reflects the network state it could be used to characterize the functional impact of the connectivity. In intracellularly recorded neurons of cat primary visual cortex in vivo, the power spectral density of V(m) activity displays a power-law structure at high frequencies with a fractional scaling exponent. We show that this exponent is not constant, but depends on the visual statistics used to drive the network. To investigate the determinants of this frequency-scaling, we considered a generic recurrent model of cortex receiving a retinotopically organized external input. Similarly to the in vivo case, our in computo simulations show that the scaling exponent reflects the correlation level imposed in the input. This systematic dependence was also replicated at the single cell level, by controlling independently, in a parametric way, the strength and the temporal decay of the pairwise correlation between presynaptic inputs. This last model was implemented in vitro by imposing the correlation control in artificial presynaptic spike trains through dynamic-clamp techniques. These in vitro manipulations induced a modulation of the scaling exponent, similar to that observed in vivo and predicted in computo. We conclude that the frequency-scaling exponent of the V(m) reflects stimulus-driven correlations in the cortical network activity. Therefore, we propose that the scaling exponent could be used to read-out the "effective" connectivity responsible for the dynamical signature of the population signals measured at different integration levels, from Vm to LFP, EEG and fMRI.

System for transmitting low frequency analog signals over AC power lines

DOEpatents

Baker, Steven P.; Durall, Robert L.; Haynes, Howard D.

1989-01-01

A system for transmitting low frequency analog signals over AC power lines using FM modulation. A low frequency analog signal to be transmitted is first applied to a voltage-to-frequency converter where it is converted to a signal whose frequency varies in proportion to the analog signal amplitude. This signal is then used to modulate the carrier frequency of an FM transmitter coupled to an AC power line. The modulation signal frequency range in selected to be within the response band of the FM transmitter. The FM modulated carrier signal is received by an FM receiver coupled to the AC power line, demodulated and the demodulated signal frequency is converted by a frequency-to-voltage converter back to the form of the original low frequency analog input signal.

System for transmitting low frequency analog signals over AC power lines

DOEpatents

Baker, Steven P.; Durall, Robert L.; Haynes, Howard D.

1989-09-05

A system for transmitting low frequency analog signals over AC power lines using FM modulation. A low frequency analog signal to be transmitted is first applied to a voltage-to-frequency converter where it is converted to a signal whose frequency varies in proportion to the analog signal amplitude. This signal is then used to modulate the carrier frequency of an FM transmitter coupled to an AC power line. The modulation signal frequency range in selected to be within the response band of the FM transmitter. The FM modulated carrier signal is received by an FM receiver coupled to the AC power line, demodulated and the demodulated signal frequency is converted by a frequency-to-voltage converter back to the form of the original low frequency analog input signal.

A system for tranmitting low frequency analog signals over ac power lines

DOEpatents

Baker, S.P.; Durall, R.L.; Haynes, H.D.

1987-07-30

A system for transmitting low frequency analog signals over ac power lines using FM modulation. A low frequency analog signal to be transmitted is first applied to a voltage-to-frequency converter where it is converted to a signal whose frequency varies in proportion to the analog signal amplitude. This signal is then used to modulate the carrier frequency of an FM transmitter coupled to an ac power line. The modulation signal frequency range is selected to be within the response band of the FM transmitter. The FM modulated carrier signal is received by an FM receiver coupled to the ac power line, demodulated and the demodulated signal frequency is converted by a frequency-to-voltage converter back to the form of the original low frequency analog input signal. 4 figs.

Note: Demodulation of spectral signal modulated by optical chopper with unstable modulation frequency.

PubMed

Zhang, Shengzhao; Li, Gang; Wang, Jiexi; Wang, Donggen; Han, Ying; Cao, Hui; Lin, Ling; Diao, Chunhong

2017-10-01

When an optical chopper is used to modulate the light source, the rotating speed of the wheel may vary with time and subsequently cause jitter of the modulation frequency. The amplitude calculated from the modulated signal would be distorted when the frequency fluctuations occur. To precisely calculate the amplitude of the modulated light flux, we proposed a method to estimate the range of the frequency fluctuation in the measurement of the spectrum and then extract the amplitude based on the sum of power of the signal in the selected frequency range. Experiments were designed to test the feasibility of the proposed method and the results showed lower root means square error than the conventional way.

Miniature Surface Plasmon Polariton Amplitude Modulator by Beat Frequency and Polarization Control

PubMed Central

Chang, Cheng-Wei; Lin, Chu-En; Yu, Chih-Jen; Yeh, Ting-Tso; Yen, Ta-Jen

2016-01-01

The miniaturization of modulators keeps pace for the compact devices in optical applications. Here, we present a miniature surface plasmon polariton amplitude modulator (SPPAM) by directing and interfering surface plasmon polaritons on a nanofabricated chip. Our results show that this SPPAM enables two kinds of modulations. The first kind of modulation is controlled by encoding angular-frequency difference from a Zeeman laser, with a beat frequency of 1.66 MHz; the second of modulation is validated by periodically varying the polarization states from a polarization generator, with rotation frequencies of 0.5–10 k Hz. In addition, the normalized extinction ratio of our plasmonic structure reaches 100. Such miniaturized beat-frequency and polarization-controlled amplitude modulators open an avenue for the exploration of ultrasensitive nanosensors, nanocircuits, and other integrated nanophotonic devices. PMID:27558516

Development of frequency modulation reflectometer for KSTAR tokamak: Data analysis based on Gaussian derivative waveleta)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seo, Seong-Heon; Lee, K. D.

2012-10-01

A frequency modulation reflectometer has been developed to measure the density profile of the KSTAR tokamak. It has two channels operating in X-mode in the frequency range of Q band (33-50 GHz) and V band (50-75 GHz). The full band is swept in 20 μs. The mixer output is directly digitized at the sampling rate of 100 MSamples/s. A new phase detection algorithm is developed to analyze both amplitude and frequency modulated signal. The algorithm is benchmarked for a synthesized amplitude modulation-frequency modulation signal. This new algorithm is applied to the data analysis of KSTAR reflectometer.

Synchronous radio-frequency FM signal generator using direct digital synthesizers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arablu, Masoud; Kafashi, Sajad; Smith, Stuart T.

2018-04-01

A novel Radio-Frequency Frequency-Modulated (RF-FM) signal generation method is introduced and a prototype circuit developed to evaluate its functionality and performance. The RF-FM signal generator uses a modulated, voltage-controlled time delay to correspondingly modulate the phase of a 10 MHz sinusoidal reference signal. This modulated reference signal is, in turn, used to clock a Direct Digital Synthesizer (DDS) circuit resulting in an FM signal at its output. The modulating signal that is input to the voltage-controlled time delay circuit is generated by another DDS that is synchronously clocked by the same 10 MHz sine wave signal before modulation. As a consequence, all of the digital components are timed from a single sine wave oscillator that forms the basis of all timing. The resultant output signal comprises a center, or carrier, frequency plus a series of phase-synchronized sidebands having exact integer harmonic frequency separation. In this study, carrier frequencies ranging from 10 MHz to 70 MHz are generated with modulation frequencies ranging from 10 kHz to 300 kHz. The captured spectra show that the FM signal characteristics, amplitude and phase, of the sidebands and the modulation depth are consistent with the Jacobi-Anger expansion for modulated harmonic signals.

Ultracompact vibrometry measurement with nanometric accuracy using optical feedback

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jha, Ajit; Azcona, Francisco; Royo, Santiago

2015-05-01

The nonlinear dynamics of a semiconductor laser with optical feedback (OF) combined with direct current modulation of the laser is demonstrated to suffice for the measurement of subwavelength changes in the position of a vibrating object. So far, classical Optical Feedback Interferometry (OFI) has been used to measure the vibration of an object given its amplitude is greater than half the wavelength of emission, and the resolution of the measurement limited to some tenths of the wavelength after processing. We present here a methodology which takes advantage of the combination of two different phenomena: continuous wave frequency modulation (CWFM), induced by direct modulation of the laser, and non-linear dynamics inside of the laser cavity subject to optical self-injection (OSI). The methodology we propose shows how to detect vibration amplitudes smaller than half the emission wavelength with resolutions way beyond λ/2, extending the typical performance of OFI setups to very small amplitudes. A detailed mathematical model and simulation results are presented to support the proposed methodology, showing its ability to perform such displacement measurements of frequencies in the MHz range, depending upon the modulation frequency. Such approach makes the technique a suitable candidate, among other applications, to economic laser-based ultrasound measurements, with applications in nondestructive testing of materials (thickness, flaws, density, stresses), among others. The results of simulations of the proposed approach confirm the merit of the figures as detection of amplitudes of vibration below λ/2) with resolutions in the nanometer range.

Proportional spike-timing precision and firing reliability underlie efficient temporal processing of periodicity and envelope shape cues

PubMed Central

Zheng, Y.

2013-01-01

Temporal sound cues are essential for sound recognition, pitch, rhythm, and timbre perception, yet how auditory neurons encode such cues is subject of ongoing debate. Rate coding theories propose that temporal sound features are represented by rate tuned modulation filters. However, overwhelming evidence also suggests that precise spike timing is an essential attribute of the neural code. Here we demonstrate that single neurons in the auditory midbrain employ a proportional code in which spike-timing precision and firing reliability covary with the sound envelope cues to provide an efficient representation of the stimulus. Spike-timing precision varied systematically with the timescale and shape of the sound envelope and yet was largely independent of the sound modulation frequency, a prominent cue for pitch. In contrast, spike-count reliability was strongly affected by the modulation frequency. Spike-timing precision extends from sub-millisecond for brief transient sounds up to tens of milliseconds for sounds with slow-varying envelope. Information theoretic analysis further confirms that spike-timing precision depends strongly on the sound envelope shape, while firing reliability was strongly affected by the sound modulation frequency. Both the information efficiency and total information were limited by the firing reliability and spike-timing precision in a manner that reflected the sound structure. This result supports a temporal coding strategy in the auditory midbrain where proportional changes in spike-timing precision and firing reliability can efficiently signal shape and periodicity temporal cues. PMID:23636724

The calcium–frequency response in the rat ventricular myocyte: an experimental and modelling study

PubMed Central

Gattoni, Sara; Røe, Åsmund Treu; Frisk, Michael; Louch, William E.; Niederer, Steven A.

2016-01-01

Key points In the majority of species, including humans, increased heart rate increases cardiac contractility. This change is known as the force–frequency response (FFR). The majority of mammals have a positive force–frequency relationship (FFR). In rat the FFR is controversial.We derive a species‐ and temperature‐specific data‐driven model of the rat ventricular myocyte.As a measure of the FFR, we test the effects of changes in frequency and extracellular calcium on the calcium–frequency response (CFR) in our model and three altered models.The results show a biphasic peak calcium–frequency response, due to biphasic behaviour of the ryanodine receptor and the combined effect of the rapid calmodulin buffer and the frequency‐dependent increase in diastolic calcium.Alterations to the model reveal that inclusion of Ca2+/calmodulin‐dependent protein kinase II (CAMKII)‐mediated L‐type channel and transient outward K+ current activity enhances the positive magnitude calcium–frequency response, and the absence of CAMKII‐mediated increase in activity of the sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+‐ATPase induces a negative magnitude calcium–frequency response. Abstract An increase in heart rate affects the strength of cardiac contraction by altering the Ca2+ transient as a response to physiological demands. This is described by the force–frequency response (FFR), a change in developed force with pacing frequency. The majority of mammals, including humans, have a positive FFR, and cardiac contraction strength increases with heart rate. However, the rat and mouse are exceptions, with the majority of studies reporting a negative FFR, while others report either a biphasic or a positive FFR. Understanding the differences in the FFR between humans and rats is fundamental to interpreting rat‐based experimental findings in the context of human physiology. We have developed a novel model of rat ventricular electrophysiology and calcium dynamics, derived predominantly from experimental data recorded under physiological conditions. As a measure of FFR, we tested the effects of changes in stimulation frequency and extracellular calcium concentration on the simulated Ca2+ transient characteristics and showed a biphasic peak calcium–frequency relationship, consistent with recent observations of a shift from negative to positive FFR when approaching the rat physiological frequency range. We tested the hypotheses that (1) inhibition of Ca2+/calmodulin‐dependent protein kinase II (CAMKII)‐mediated increase in sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+‐ATPase (SERCA) activity, (2) CAMKII modulation of SERCA, L‐type channel and transient outward K+ current activity and (3) Na+/K+ pump dynamics play a significant role in the rat FFR. The results reveal a major role for CAMKII modulation of SERCA in the peak Ca2+–frequency response, driven most significantly by the cytosolic calcium buffering system and changes in diastolic Ca2+. PMID:26916026

Neural coding of sound envelope in reverberant environments.

PubMed

Slama, Michaël C C; Delgutte, Bertrand

2015-03-11

Speech reception depends critically on temporal modulations in the amplitude envelope of the speech signal. Reverberation encountered in everyday environments can substantially attenuate these modulations. To assess the effect of reverberation on the neural coding of amplitude envelope, we recorded from single units in the inferior colliculus (IC) of unanesthetized rabbit using sinusoidally amplitude modulated (AM) broadband noise stimuli presented in simulated anechoic and reverberant environments. Although reverberation degraded both rate and temporal coding of AM in IC neurons, in most neurons, the degradation in temporal coding was smaller than the AM attenuation in the stimulus. This compensation could largely be accounted for by the compressive shape of the modulation input-output function (MIOF), which describes the nonlinear transformation of modulation depth from acoustic stimuli into neural responses. Additionally, in a subset of neurons, the temporal coding of AM was better for reverberant stimuli than for anechoic stimuli having the same modulation depth at the ear. Using hybrid anechoic stimuli that selectively possess certain properties of reverberant sounds, we show that this reverberant advantage is not caused by envelope distortion, static interaural decorrelation, or spectral coloration. Overall, our results suggest that the auditory system may possess dual mechanisms that make the coding of amplitude envelope relatively robust in reverberation: one general mechanism operating for all stimuli with small modulation depths, and another mechanism dependent on very specific properties of reverberant stimuli, possibly the periodic fluctuations in interaural correlation at the modulation frequency. Copyright © 2015 the authors 0270-6474/15/354452-17$15.00/0.

Frequency characteristics of standing-wave acoustooptic modulators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Apolonskii, A. A.; Shchebetov, S. D.

1991-10-01

Experimental data are presented on the performance of wide-aperture standing-wave acoustooptic modulators used as laser mode lockers. In particular, attention is given to the acoustooptic and electrical frequency characteristics of the modulators. The existence of a large effective diffraction frequency region below the fundamental frequency is demonstrated. Individual frequency regions of effective diffraction do not correspond to the even and odd harmonics.

Feedforward and feedback frequency-dependent interactions in a large-scale laminar network of the primate cortex.

PubMed

Mejias, Jorge F; Murray, John D; Kennedy, Henry; Wang, Xiao-Jing

2016-11-01

Interactions between top-down and bottom-up processes in the cerebral cortex hold the key to understanding attentional processes, predictive coding, executive control, and a gamut of other brain functions. However, the underlying circuit mechanism remains poorly understood and represents a major challenge in neuroscience. We approached this problem using a large-scale computational model of the primate cortex constrained by new directed and weighted connectivity data. In our model, the interplay between feedforward and feedback signaling depends on the cortical laminar structure and involves complex dynamics across multiple (intralaminar, interlaminar, interareal, and whole cortex) scales. The model was tested by reproducing, as well as providing insights into, a wide range of neurophysiological findings about frequency-dependent interactions between visual cortical areas, including the observation that feedforward pathways are associated with enhanced gamma (30 to 70 Hz) oscillations, whereas feedback projections selectively modulate alpha/low-beta (8 to 15 Hz) oscillations. Furthermore, the model reproduces a functional hierarchy based on frequency-dependent Granger causality analysis of interareal signaling, as reported in recent monkey and human experiments, and suggests a mechanism for the observed context-dependent hierarchy dynamics. Together, this work highlights the necessity of multiscale approaches and provides a modeling platform for studies of large-scale brain circuit dynamics and functions.

Feedforward and feedback frequency-dependent interactions in a large-scale laminar network of the primate cortex

PubMed Central

Mejias, Jorge F.; Murray, John D.; Kennedy, Henry; Wang, Xiao-Jing

2016-01-01

Interactions between top-down and bottom-up processes in the cerebral cortex hold the key to understanding attentional processes, predictive coding, executive control, and a gamut of other brain functions. However, the underlying circuit mechanism remains poorly understood and represents a major challenge in neuroscience. We approached this problem using a large-scale computational model of the primate cortex constrained by new directed and weighted connectivity data. In our model, the interplay between feedforward and feedback signaling depends on the cortical laminar structure and involves complex dynamics across multiple (intralaminar, interlaminar, interareal, and whole cortex) scales. The model was tested by reproducing, as well as providing insights into, a wide range of neurophysiological findings about frequency-dependent interactions between visual cortical areas, including the observation that feedforward pathways are associated with enhanced gamma (30 to 70 Hz) oscillations, whereas feedback projections selectively modulate alpha/low-beta (8 to 15 Hz) oscillations. Furthermore, the model reproduces a functional hierarchy based on frequency-dependent Granger causality analysis of interareal signaling, as reported in recent monkey and human experiments, and suggests a mechanism for the observed context-dependent hierarchy dynamics. Together, this work highlights the necessity of multiscale approaches and provides a modeling platform for studies of large-scale brain circuit dynamics and functions. PMID:28138530

Respiratory modulation of oscillometric cuff pressure pulses and Korotkoff sounds during clinical blood pressure measurement in healthy adults.

PubMed

Chen, Diliang; Chen, Fei; Murray, Alan; Zheng, Dingchang

2016-05-10

Accurate blood pressure (BP) measurement depends on the reliability of oscillometric cuff pressure pulses (OscP) and Korotkoff sounds (KorS) for automated oscillometric and manual techniques. It has been widely accepted that respiration is one of the main factors affecting BP measurement. However, little is known about how respiration affects the signals from which BP measurement is obtained. The aim was to quantify the modulation effect of respiration on oscillometric pulses and KorS during clinical BP measurement. Systolic and diastolic BPs were measured manually from 40 healthy subjects (from 23 to 65 years old) under normal and regular deep breathing. The following signals were digitally recorded during linear cuff deflation: chest motion from a magnetometer to obtain reference respiration, cuff pressure from an electronic pressure sensor to derive OscP, and KorS from a digital stethoscope. The effects of respiration on both OscP and KorS were determined from changes in their amplitude associated with respiration between systole and diastole. These changes were normalized to the mean signal amplitude of OscP and KorS to derive the respiratory modulation depth. Reference respiration frequency, and the frequencies derived from the amplitude modulation of OscP and KorS were also calculated and compared. Respiratory modulation depth was 14 and 40 % for OscP and KorS respectively under normal breathing condition, with significant increases (both p < 0.05) to 16 and 49 % with deeper breathing. There was no statistically significant difference between the reference respiration frequency and those derived from the oscillometric and Korotkoff signals (both p > 0.05) during deep breathing, and for the oscillometric signal during normal breathing (p > 0.05). Our study confirmed and quantified the respiratory modulation effect on the oscillometric pulses and KorS during clinical BP measurement, with increased modulation depth under regular deeper breathing.

Variable Bandwidth Filtering for Improved Sensitivity of Cross-Frequency Coupling Metrics

PubMed Central

McDaniel, Jonathan; Liu, Song; Cornew, Lauren; Gaetz, William; Roberts, Timothy P.L.; Edgar, J. Christopher

2012-01-01

Abstract There is an increasing interest in examining cross-frequency coupling (CFC) between groups of oscillating neurons. Most CFC studies examine how the phase of lower-frequency brain activity modulates the amplitude of higher-frequency brain activity. This study focuses on the signal filtering that is required to isolate the higher-frequency neuronal activity which is hypothesized to be amplitude modulated. In particular, previous publications have used a filter bandwidth fixed to a constant for all assessed modulation frequencies. The present article demonstrates that fixed bandwidth filtering can destroy amplitude modulation and create false-negative CFC measures. To overcome this limitation, this study presents a variable bandwidth filter that ensures preservation of the amplitude modulation. Simulated time series data were created with theta-gamma, alpha-gamma, and beta-gamma phase-amplitude coupling. Comparisons between filtering methods indicate that the variable bandwidth approach presented in this article is preferred when examining amplitude modulations above the theta band. The variable bandwidth method of filtering an amplitude modulated signal is proposed to preserve amplitude modulation and enable accurate CFC measurements. PMID:22577870

Orbital component extraction by time-variant sinusoidal modeling.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinnesael, Matthias; Zivanovic, Miroslav; De Vleeschouwer, David; Claeys, Philippe; Schoukens, Johan

2016-04-01

Accurately deciphering periodic variations in paleoclimate proxy signals is essential for cyclostratigraphy. Classical spectral analysis often relies on methods based on the (Fast) Fourier Transformation. This technique has no unique solution separating variations in amplitude and frequency. This characteristic makes it difficult to correctly interpret a proxy's power spectrum or to accurately evaluate simultaneous changes in amplitude and frequency in evolutionary analyses. Here, we circumvent this drawback by using a polynomial approach to estimate instantaneous amplitude and frequency in orbital components. This approach has been proven useful to characterize audio signals (music and speech), which are non-stationary in nature (Zivanovic and Schoukens, 2010, 2012). Paleoclimate proxy signals and audio signals have in nature similar dynamics; the only difference is the frequency relationship between the different components. A harmonic frequency relationship exists in audio signals, whereas this relation is non-harmonic in paleoclimate signals. However, the latter difference is irrelevant for the problem at hand. Using a sliding window approach, the model captures time variations of an orbital component by modulating a stationary sinusoid centered at its mean frequency, with a single polynomial. Hence, the parameters that determine the model are the mean frequency of the orbital component and the polynomial coefficients. The first parameter depends on geologic interpretation, whereas the latter are estimated by means of linear least-squares. As an output, the model provides the orbital component waveform, either in the depth or time domain. Furthermore, it allows for a unique decomposition of the signal into its instantaneous amplitude and frequency. Frequency modulation patterns can be used to reconstruct changes in accumulation rate, whereas amplitude modulation can be used to reconstruct e.g. eccentricity-modulated precession. The time-variant sinusoidal model is applied to well-established Pleistocene benthic isotope records to evaluate its performance. Zivanovic M. and Schoukens J. (2010) On The Polynomial Approximation for Time-Variant Harmonic Signal Modeling. IEEE Transactions On Audio, Speech, and Language Processing vol. 19, no. 3, pp. 458-467. Doi: 10.1109/TASL.2010.2049673. Zivanovic M. and Schoukens J. (2012) Single and Piecewise Polynomials for Modeling of Pitched Sounds. IEEE Transactions On Audio, Speech, and Language Processing vol. 20, no. 4, pp. 1270-1281. Doi: 10.1109/TASL.2011.2174228.

Studying the physical basis of global warming: thermal effects of the interaction between radiation and matter and greenhouse effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Besson, Ugo; De Ambrosis, Anna; Mascheretti, Paolo

2010-03-01

We present a teaching module dealing with the thermal effects of interaction between radiation and matter, the infrared emission of bodies and the greenhouse effect devoted to university level and teacher education. The module stresses the dependence of the optical properties of materials (transparency, absorptivity and emissivity) on radiation frequency, as a result of interaction between matter and radiation. Multiple experiences are suggested to favour a progressive construction of knowledge on the physical aspects necessary to understand the greenhouse effect and global warming. Some results obtained with university students are briefly reported.

Model cerebellar granule cells can faithfully transmit modulated firing rate signals

PubMed Central

Rössert, Christian; Solinas, Sergio; D'Angelo, Egidio; Dean, Paul; Porrill, John

2014-01-01

A crucial assumption of many high-level system models of the cerebellum is that information in the granular layer is encoded in a linear manner. However, granule cells are known for their non-linear and resonant synaptic and intrinsic properties that could potentially impede linear signal transmission. In this modeling study we analyse how electrophysiological granule cell properties and spike sampling influence information coded by firing rate modulation, assuming no signal-related, i.e., uncorrelated inhibitory feedback (open-loop mode). A detailed one-compartment granule cell model was excited in simulation by either direct current or mossy-fiber synaptic inputs. Vestibular signals were represented as tonic inputs to the flocculus modulated at frequencies up to 20 Hz (approximate upper frequency limit of vestibular-ocular reflex, VOR). Model outputs were assessed using estimates of both the transfer function, and the fidelity of input-signal reconstruction measured as variance-accounted-for. The detailed granule cell model with realistic mossy-fiber synaptic inputs could transmit information faithfully and linearly in the frequency range of the vestibular-ocular reflex. This was achieved most simply if the model neurons had a firing rate at least twice the highest required frequency of modulation, but lower rates were also adequate provided a population of neurons was utilized, especially in combination with push-pull coding. The exact number of neurons required for faithful transmission depended on the precise values of firing rate and noise. The model neurons were also able to combine excitatory and inhibitory signals linearly, and could be replaced by a simpler (modified) integrate-and-fire neuron in the case of high tonic firing rates. These findings suggest that granule cells can in principle code modulated firing-rate inputs in a linear manner, and are thus consistent with the high-level adaptive-filter model of the cerebellar microcircuit. PMID:25352777

Dynamic shear-stress-enhanced rates of nutrient consumption in gas-liquid semi-continuous-flow suspensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belfiore, Laurence A.; Volpato, Fabio Z.; Paulino, Alexandre T.; Belfiore, Carol J.

2011-12-01

The primary objective of this investigation is to establish guidelines for generating significant mammalian cell density in suspension bioreactors when stress-sensitive kinetics enhance the rate of nutrient consumption. Ultra-low-frequency dynamic modulations of the impeller (i.e., 35104 Hz) introduce time-dependent oscillatory shear into this transient analysis of cell proliferation under semi-continuous creeping flow conditions. Greater nutrient consumption is predicted when the amplitude A of modulated impeller rotation increases, and stress-kinetic contributions to nutrient consumption rates increase linearly at higher modulation frequency via an application of fluctuation-dissipation response. Interphase mass transfer is required to replace dissolved oxygen as it is consumed by aerobic nutrient consumption in the liquid phase. The theory and predictions described herein could be important at small length scales in the creeping flow regime where viscous shear is significant at the interface between the nutrient medium and isolated cells in suspension. Two-dimensional flow around spherically shaped mammalian cells, suspended in a Newtonian culture medium, is analyzed to calculate the surface-averaged magnitude of the velocity gradient tensor and modify homogeneous rates of nutrient consumption that are stimulated by viscous shear, via the formalism of stress-kinetic reciprocal relations that obey Curie's theorem in non-equilibrium thermodynamics. Time constants for stress-free free and stress-sensitive stress nutrient consumption are defined and quantified to identify the threshold (i.e., stress,threshold) below which the effect of stress cannot be neglected in accurate predictions of bioreactor performance. Parametric studies reveal that the threshold time constant for stress-sensitive nutrient consumption stress,threshold decreases when the time constant for stress-free nutrient consumption free is shorter. Hence, stress,threshold depends directly on free. In other words, the threshold rate of stress-sensitive nutrient consumption is higher when the stress-free rate of nutrient consumption increases. Modulated rotation of the impeller, superimposed on steady shear, increases stress,threshold when free is constant, and stress,threshold depends directly on the amplitude A of these angular velocity modulations.

Iodine-frequency-stabilized laser diode and displacement-measuring interferometer based on sinusoidal phase modulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duong, Quang Anh; Vu, Thanh Tung; Higuchi, Masato; Wei, Dong; Aketagawa, Masato

2018-06-01

We propose a sinusoidal phase modulation method to achieve both the frequency stabilization of an external-cavity laser diode (ECLD) to an 127I2 saturated absorption transition near 633 nm and displacement measurement using a Mach–Zehnder interferometer. First, the frequency of the ECLD is stabilized to the b 21 hyperfine component of the P(33) 6-3 transition of 127I2 by combining sinusoidal phase modulation by an electro-optic modulator and frequency modulation spectroscopy by chopping the pump beam using an acousto-optic modulator. Even though a small modulation index of m  =  3.768 rad is utilized, a relative frequency stability of 10‑11 order is obtained over a sampling time of 400 s. Secondly, the frequency-stabilized ECLD is applied as a light source to a Mach–Zehnder interferometer. From the two consecutive modulation harmonics (second and third orders) involved in the interferometer signal, the displacement of the moving mirror is determined for four optical path differences (L 0  =  100, 200, 500, and 1000 mm). The measured modulation indexes for the four optical path differences coincide with the designated value (3.768 rad) within 0.5%. Compared with the sinusoidal frequency modulation Michelson interferometer (Vu et al 2016 Meas. Sci. Technol. 27 105201) which was demonstrated by some of the same authors of this paper, the phase modulation Mach–Zhender interferometer could fix the modulation index to a constant value for the four optical path differences. In this report, we discuss the measurement principle, experimental system, and results.

Relationship Between Peripheral and Psychophysical Measures of Amplitude Modulation Detection in Cochlear Implant Users.

PubMed

Tejani, Viral D; Abbas, Paul J; Brown, Carolyn J

This study investigates the relationship between electrophysiological and psychophysical measures of amplitude modulation (AM) detection. Prior studies have reported both measures of AM detection recorded separately from cochlear implant (CI) users and acutely deafened animals, but no study has made both measures in the same CI users. Animal studies suggest a progressive loss of high-frequency encoding as one ascends the auditory pathway from the auditory nerve to the cortex. Because the CI speech processor uses the envelope of an ongoing acoustic signal to modulate pulse trains that are subsequently delivered to the intracochlear electrodes, it is of interest to explore auditory nerve responses to modulated stimuli. In addition, psychophysical AM detection abilities have been correlated with speech perception outcomes. Thus, the goal was to explore how the auditory nerve responds to AM stimuli and to relate those physiologic measures to perception. Eight patients using Cochlear Ltd. Implants participated in this study. Electrically evoked compound action potentials (ECAPs) were recorded using a 4000 pps pulse train that was sinusoidally amplitude modulated at 125, 250, 500, and 1000 Hz rates. Responses were measured for each pulse over at least one modulation cycle for an apical, medial, and basal electrode. Psychophysical modulation detection thresholds (MDTs) were also measured via a three-alternative forced choice, two-down, one-up adaptive procedure using the same modulation frequencies and electrodes. ECAPs were recorded from individual pulses in the AM pulse train. ECAP amplitudes varied sinusoidally, reflecting the sinusoidal variation in the stimulus. A modulated response amplitude (MRA) metric was calculated as the difference in the maximal and minimum ECAP amplitudes over the modulation cycles. MRA increased as modulation frequency increased, with no apparent cutoff (up to 1000 Hz). In contrast, MDTs increased as the modulation frequency increased. This trend is inconsistent with the physiologic measures. For a fixed modulation frequency, correlations were observed between MDTs and MRAs; this trend was evident at all frequencies except 1000 Hz (although only statistically significant for 250 and 500 Hz AM rates), possibly an indication of central limitations in processing of high modulation frequencies. Finally, peripheral responses were larger and psychophysical thresholds were lower in the apical electrodes relative to basal and medial electrodes, which may reflect better cochlear health and neural survival evidenced by lower preoperative low-frequency audiometric thresholds and steeper growth of neural responses in ECAP amplitude growth functions for apical electrodes. Robust ECAPs were recorded for all modulation frequencies tested. ECAP amplitudes varied sinusoidally, reflecting the periodicity of the modulated stimuli. MRAs increased as the modulation frequency increased, a trend we attribute to neural adaptation. For low modulation frequencies, there are multiple current steps between the peak and valley of the modulation cycle, which means successive stimuli are more similar to one another and neural responses are more likely to adapt. Higher MRAs were correlated with lower psychophysical thresholds at low modulation frequencies but not at 1000 Hz, implying a central limitation to processing of modulated stimuli.

Silicon photonics plasma-modulators with advanced transmission line design.

PubMed

Merget, Florian; Azadeh, Saeed Sharif; Mueller, Juliana; Shen, Bin; Nezhad, Maziar P; Hauck, Johannes; Witzens, Jeremy

2013-08-26

We have investigated two novel concepts for the design of transmission lines in travelling wave Mach-Zehnder interferometer based Silicon Photonics depletion modulators overcoming the analog bandwidth limitations arising from cross-talk between signal lines in push-pull modulators and reducing the linear losses of the transmission lines. We experimentally validate the concepts and demonstrate an E/O -3 dBe bandwidth of 16 GHz with a 4V drive voltage (in dual drive configuration) and 8.8 dB on-chip insertion losses. Significant bandwidth improvements result from suppression of cross-talk. An additional bandwidth enhancement of ~11% results from a reduction of resistive transmission line losses. Frequency dependent loss models for loaded transmission lines and E/O bandwidth modeling are fully verified.

Antibody responses of mice exposed to low-power microwaves under combined, pulse-and-amplitude modulation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Veyret, B.; Bouthet, C.; Deschaux, P.

Irradiation by pulsed microwaves (9.4 GHz, 1 microsecond pulses at 1,000/s), both with and without concurrent amplitude modulation (AM) by a sinusoid at discrete frequencies between 14 and 41 MHz, was assessed for effects on the immune system of Balb/C mice. The mice were immunized either by sheep red blood cells (SRBC) or by glutaric-anhydride conjugated bovine serum albumin (GA-BSA), then exposed to the microwaves at a low rms power density (30 microW/cm2; whole-body-averaged SAR approximately 0.015 W/kg). Sham exposure or microwave irradiation took place during each of five contiguous days, 10 h/day. The antibody response was evaluated by themore » plaque-forming cell assay (SRBC experiment) or by the titration of IgM and IgG antibodies (GA-BSA experiment). In the absence of AM, the pulsed field did not greatly alter immune responsiveness. In contrast, exposure to the field under the combined-modulation condition resulted in significant, AM-frequency-dependent augmentation or weakening of immune responses.« less

Noise performance of frequency modulation Kelvin force microscopy

PubMed Central

Deresmes, Dominique; Mélin, Thierry

2014-01-01

Summary Noise performance of a phase-locked loop (PLL) based frequency modulation Kelvin force microscope (FM-KFM) is assessed. Noise propagation is modeled step by step throughout the setup using both exact closed loop noise gains and an approximation known as “noise gain” from operational amplifier (OpAmp) design that offers the advantage of decoupling the noise performance study from considerations of stability and ideal loop response. The bandwidth can be chosen depending on how much noise is acceptable and it is shown that stability is not an issue up to a limit that will be discussed. With thermal and detector noise as the only sources, both approaches yield PLL frequency noise expressions equal to the theoretical value for self-oscillating circuits and in agreement with measurement, demonstrating that the PLL components neither modify nor contribute noise. Kelvin output noise is then investigated by modeling the surrounding bias feedback loop. A design rule is proposed that allows choosing the AC modulation frequency for optimized sharing of the PLL bandwidth between Kelvin and topography loops. A crossover criterion determines as a function of bandwidth, temperature and probe parameters whether thermal or detector noise is the dominating noise source. Probe merit factors for both cases are then established, suggesting how to tackle noise performance by probe design. Typical merit factors of common probe types are compared. This comprehensive study is an encouraging step toward a more integral performance assessment and a remedy against focusing on single aspects and optimizing around randomly chosen key values. PMID:24455457

Single mode CO2 laser frequency modulation up to 350 MHz

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leeb, W. R.; Peruso, C. J.

1977-01-01

Experiments on internal frequency modulation (FM) of a CO2 laser showed no limitation of FM by the linewidth. However, distortions in the form of strong enhancement of sideband amplitude arise for frequencies equal to the cavity resonant frequencies, most pronounced if the modulator is positioned near a cavity mirror.

Automatic Modulation Classification of Common Communication and Pulse Compression Radar Waveforms using Cyclic Features

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-01

intermediate frequency LFM linear frequency modulation MAP maximum a posteriori MATLAB® matrix laboratory ML maximun likelihood OFDM orthogonal frequency...spectrum, frequency hopping, and orthogonal frequency division multiplexing ( OFDM ) modulations. Feature analysis would be a good research thrust to...determine feature relevance and decide if removing any features improves performance. Also, extending the system for simulations using a MIMO receiver or

Flexocoupling-induced soft acoustic modes and the spatially modulated phases in ferroelectrics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morozovska, Anna N.; Glinchuk, Maya D.; Eliseev, Eugene A.; Vysochanskii, Yulian M.

2017-09-01

Using the Landau-Ginzburg-Devonshire theory and one component approximation, we examined the conditions of the soft acoustic phonon mode (A-mode) appearance in a ferroelectric (FE) depending on the magnitude of the flexoelectric coefficient f and temperature T . If the flexocoefficient f is equal to the temperature-dependent critical value fcr(T ) at some temperature T =TIC , the A-mode frequency tends to zero at wave vector k =k0cr , and the spontaneous polarization becomes spatially modulated in the temperature range T fcr(TIC) , the A-mode becomes zero for two wave vectors k =k1,2 cr , and does not exist in the range of wave vectors k1cr

Broadband Transmission EPR Spectroscopy

PubMed Central

Hagen, Wilfred R.

2013-01-01

EPR spectroscopy employs a resonator operating at a single microwave frequency and phase-sensitive detection using modulation of the magnetic field. The X-band spectrometer is the general standard with a frequency in the 9–10 GHz range. Most (bio)molecular EPR spectra are determined by a combination of the frequency-dependent electronic Zeeman interaction and a number of frequency-independent interactions, notably, electron spin – nuclear spin interactions and electron spin – electron spin interactions, and unambiguous analysis requires data collection at different frequencies. Extant and long-standing practice is to use a different spectrometer for each frequency. We explore the alternative of replacing the narrow-band source plus single-mode resonator with a continuously tunable microwave source plus a non-resonant coaxial transmission cell in an unmodulated external field. Our source is an arbitrary wave digital signal generator producing an amplitude-modulated sinusoidal microwave in combination with a broadband amplifier for 0.8–2.7 GHz. Theory is developed for coaxial transmission with EPR detection as a function of cell dimensions and materials. We explore examples of a doublet system, a high-spin system, and an integer-spin system. Long, straigth, helical, and helico-toroidal cells are developed and tested with dilute aqueous solutions of spin label hydroxy-tempo. A detection limit of circa 5 µM HO-tempo in water at 800 MHz is obtained for the present setup, and possibilities for future improvement are discussed. PMID:23555819

Modeling of Millimeter-Wave Modulation Characteristics of Semiconductor Lasers under Strong Optical Feedback

PubMed Central

Bakry, Ahmed

2014-01-01

This paper presents modeling and simulation on the characteristics of semiconductor laser modulated within a strong optical feedback (OFB-)induced photon-photon resonance over a passband of millimeter (mm) frequencies. Continuous wave (CW) operation of the laser under strong OFB is required to achieve the photon-photon resonance in the mm-wave band. The simulated time-domain characteristics of modulation include the waveforms of the intensity and frequency chirp as well as the associated distortions of the modulated mm-wave signal. The frequency domain characteristics include the intensity modulation (IM) and frequency modulation (FM) responses in addition to the associated relative intensity noise (RIN). The signal characteristics under modulations with both single and two mm-frequencies are considered. The harmonic distortion and the third order intermodulation distortion (IMD3) are examined and the spurious free dynamic range (SFDR) is calculated. PMID:25383381

Superfluid Boson-Fermion Mixture: Structure Formation and Collective Periodic Motion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitra, A.

2018-01-01

Multiple periodic domain formation due to a modulation instability in a boson-fermion mixture superfluid in the unitary regime has been studied. The periodicity of the structure evolves with time. At the early stage of evolution, bosonic domains show the periodic nature, whereas the periodicity in the fermionic (Cooper pair) domains appears at the late stage of evolution. The nature of interatomic interspecies interactions affects the domain formation. In a harmonic trap, the mixture executes an undamped oscillation. The frequency of the oscillation depends on the relative coupling strength between boson-fermion and fermion-fermion. The repulsive boson-fermion interaction reduces the oscillation frequency, whereas the attractive interaction enhances the frequency significantly.

Mid-infrared wavelength- and frequency-modulation spectroscopy with a pump-modulated singly-resonant optical parametric oscillator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindsay, I. D.; Groß, P.; Lee, C. J.; Adhimoolam, B.; Boller, K.-J.

2006-12-01

We describe the implementation of the wavelength- and frequency-modulation spectroscopy techniques using a singly-resonant optical parametric oscillator (OPO) pumped by a fiber-amplified diode laser. Frequency modulation of the diode laser was transferred to the OPO’s mid-infrared idler output, avoiding the need for external modulation devices. This approach thus provides a means of implementing these important techniques with powerful, widely tunable, mid-infrared sources while retaining the simple, flexible modulation properties of diode lasers.

Laser frequency modulation with electron plasma

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burgess, T. J.; Latorre, V. R.

1972-01-01

When laser beam passes through electron plasma its frequency shifts by amount proportional to plasma density. This density varies with modulating signal resulting in corresponding modulation of laser beam frequency. Necessary apparatus is relatively inexpensive since crystals are not required.

Frequency-Modulated Wave Dielectrophoresis of Vesicles And Cells: Periodic U-Turns at the Crossover Frequency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frusawa, Hiroshi

2018-06-01

We have formulated the dielectrophoretic force exerted on micro/nanoparticles upon the application of frequency-modulated (FM) electric fields. By adjusting the frequency range of an FM wave to cover the crossover frequency f X in the real part of the Clausius-Mossotti factor, our theory predicts the reversal of the dielectrophoretic force each time the instantaneous frequency periodically traverses f X . In fact, we observed periodic U-turns of vesicles, leukemia cells, and red blood cells that undergo FM wave dielectrophoresis (FM-DEP). It is also suggested by our theory that the video tracking of the U-turns due to FM-DEP is available for the agile and accurate measurement of f X . The FM-DEP method requires a short duration, less than 30 s, while applying the FM wave to observe several U-turns, and the agility in measuring f X is of much use for not only salty cell suspensions but also nanoparticles because the electric-field-induced solvent flow is suppressed as much as possible. The accuracy of f X has been verified using two types of experiment. First, we measured the attractive force exerted on a single vesicle experiencing alternating-current dielectrophoresis (AC-DEP) at various frequencies of sinusoidal electric fields. The frequency dependence of the dielectrophoretic force yields f X as a characteristic frequency at which the force vanishes. Comparing the AC-DEP result of f X with that obtained from the FM-DEP method, both results of f X were found to coincide with each other. Second, we investigated the conductivity dependencies of f X for three kinds of cell by changing the surrounding electrolytes. From the experimental results, we evaluated simultaneously both of the cytoplasmic conductivities and the membrane capacitances using an elaborate theory on the single-shell model of biological cells. While the cytoplasmic conductivities, similar for these cells, were slightly lower than the range of previous reports, the membrane capacitances obtained were in good agreement with those previously reported in the literature.

Laser frequency modulator for modulating a laser cavity

DOEpatents

Erbert, Gaylen V.

1992-01-01

The present invention relates to a laser frequency modulator for modulating a laser cavity. It is known in the prior art to utilize a PZT (piezoelectric transducer) element in combination with a mirror to change the cavity length of a laser cavity (which changes the laser frequency). Using a PZT element to drive the mirror directly is adequate at frequencies below 10 kHz. However, in high frequency applications (100 kHz and higher) PZT elements alone do not provide a sufficient change in the cavity length. The present invention utilizes an ultrasonic concentrator with a PZT element and mirror to provide modulation of the laser cavity. With an ultrasonic concentrator, the mirror element at the end of a laser cavity can move at larger amplitudes and higher frequencies.

Reversible unidirectional reflection and absorption of PT-symmetry structure under electro-optical modulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, Yun-tuan; Zhang, Yi-chi; Xia, Jing

2018-06-01

In order to obtain tunable unidirectional device, we assumed an ideal periodic layered Parity-Time (PT) symmetry structure inserted by doped LiNbO3 (LN) interlayers. LN is a typical electro-optical material of which the refractive index depends on the external electric field. In our work, we theoretically investigate the modulation effect of the external electric field on the transmittance and reflectance of the structure through numerical method. Through selected structural parameters, the one-way enhanced reflection and high absorption (above 0.9) behaviors are found. Within a special frequency band (not a single frequency), our theoretical model performs enhanced reflection in one incidence direction and high absorption in the other direction. Furthermore, the directions of enhanced reflection and absorption can be reversed through reversing the direction of applied electric field. Such structure with reversible properties has the potential in designing new optical devices.

Lasing from active optomechanical resonators

PubMed Central

Czerniuk, T.; Brüggemann, C.; Tepper, J.; Brodbeck, S.; Schneider, C.; Kamp, M.; Höfling, S.; Glavin, B. A.; Yakovlev, D. R.; Akimov, A. V.; Bayer, M.

2014-01-01

Planar microcavities with distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs) host, besides confined optical modes, also mechanical resonances due to stop bands in the phonon dispersion relation of the DBRs. These resonances have frequencies in the 10- to 100-GHz range, depending on the resonator’s optical wavelength, with quality factors exceeding 1,000. The interaction of photons and phonons in such optomechanical systems can be drastically enhanced, opening a new route towards the manipulation of light. Here we implemented active semiconducting layers into the microcavity to obtain a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL). Thereby, three resonant excitations—photons, phonons and electrons—can interact strongly with each other providing modulation of the VCSEL laser emission: a picosecond strain pulse injected into the VCSEL excites long-living mechanical resonances therein. As a result, modulation of the lasing intensity at frequencies up to 40 GHz is observed. From these findings, prospective applications of active optomechanical resonators integrated into nanophotonic circuits may emerge. PMID:25008784

Intruder colour and light environment jointly determine how nesting male stickleback respond to simulated territorial intrusions.

PubMed

Bolnick, Daniel I; Hendrix, Kimberly; Jordan, Lyndon Alexander; Veen, Thor; Brock, Chad D

2016-08-01

Variation in male nuptial colour signals might be maintained by negative frequency-dependent selection. This can occur if males are more aggressive towards rivals with locally common colour phenotypes. To test this hypothesis, we introduced red or melanic three-dimensional printed-model males into the territories of nesting male stickleback from two optically distinct lakes with different coloured residents. Red-throated models were attacked more in the population with red males, while melanic models were attacked more in the melanic male lake. Aggression against red versus melanic models also varied across a depth gradient within each lake, implying that the local light environment also modulated the strength of negative frequency dependence acting on male nuptial colour. © 2016 The Author(s).

Specificity of the Human Frequency Following Response for Carrier and Modulation Frequency Assessed Using Adaptation.

PubMed

Gockel, Hedwig E; Krugliak, Alexandra; Plack, Christopher J; Carlyon, Robert P

2015-12-01

The frequency following response (FFR) is a scalp-recorded measure of phase-locked brainstem activity to stimulus-related periodicities. Three experiments investigated the specificity of the FFR for carrier and modulation frequency using adaptation. FFR waveforms evoked by alternating-polarity stimuli were averaged for each polarity and added, to enhance envelope, or subtracted, to enhance temporal fine structure information. The first experiment investigated peristimulus adaptation of the FFR for pure and complex tones as a function of stimulus frequency and fundamental frequency (F0). It showed more adaptation of the FFR in response to sounds with higher frequencies or F0s than to sounds with lower frequency or F0s. The second experiment investigated tuning to modulation rate in the FFR. The FFR to a complex tone with a modulation rate of 213 Hz was not reduced more by an adaptor that had the same modulation rate than by an adaptor with a different modulation rate (90 or 504 Hz), thus providing no evidence that the FFR originates mainly from neurons that respond selectively to the modulation rate of the stimulus. The third experiment investigated tuning to audio frequency in the FFR using pure tones. An adaptor that had the same frequency as the target (213 or 504 Hz) did not generally reduce the FFR to the target more than an adaptor that differed in frequency (by 1.24 octaves). Thus, there was no evidence that the FFR originated mainly from neurons tuned to the frequency of the target. Instead, the results are consistent with the suggestion that the FFR for low-frequency pure tones at medium to high levels mainly originates from neurons tuned to higher frequencies. Implications for the use and interpretation of the FFR are discussed.

The Analysis for Activations in the Brain during Hearing the Amplitude-Modulated Tone by fMRI Measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fukami, Tadanori; Shimada, Takamasa; Akatsuka, Takao; Saito, Yoichi

In audiometry, ABR (Auditory Brainstem Response) is widely used. However, it shows low accuracy in low frequency band. Meanwhile, AMFR (Amplitude-Modulation-Following Response), the response during hearing an amplitude-modulated tone, has high frequency specificity and is brought to attention. As the first step to clinical application of AMFR, we investigated the activated areas in a brain when the subjects hear SAM tone (Sinusoidally Amplitude-Modulated tone) with both ears. We measured following two signals. One is the difference of BOLD (Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent) signal between hearing SAM tone vs. silence, the other is the difference of BOLD signal between hearing SAM tone vs. unmodulated tone. As a result, in the case of SAM vs. silence, the bilaterally auditory cortex (Broadmann Area 41, 42), the biratelally BA 10, left superior frontal gyrus and right superior temporal gyrus were activated (p<0.0037, uncorrected). In the case of SAM vs. unmodulated tone, the bilaterally superior frontal gyrus (BA 6) and precuneus (BA 7), neighboring area including the bilaterally inferior parietal lobule (BA 40), the bilaterally medial frontal gyrus and superior frontal gyrus were activated (p<0.021, uncorrected). Activations of visual perception due to eye-opened state were detected in some parts of activations. As a result, we inferred that modulated tone was recognized in the medial frontal gyrus and inferior parietal lobule was the part related to perception of amplitude-modulation.

Nonlinear optical modulation in a plasmonic Bi:YIG Mach-Zehnder interferometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Firby, C. J.; Elezzabi, A. Y.

2017-02-01

In this work, we propose a magnetoplasmonic modulator for nonlinear radio-frequency (RF) modulation of an integrated optical signal. The modulator consists of a plasmonic Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI), constructed of the ferrimagnetic garnet, bismuth-substituted yttrium iron garnet (Bi:YIG). The transverse component of the Bi:YIG magnetization induces a nonreciprocal phase shift (NRPS) onto the guided optical mode, which can be actively modulated through external magnetic fields. In an MZI, the modulated phase shift in turn modulates the output optical intensity. Due to the highly nonlinear evolution of the Bi:YIG magnetization, we show that the spectrum of the output modulated intensity signal can contain harmonics of the driving RF field, frequency splitting around the driving frequency, down-conversion, or mixing of multiple RF signals. This device provides a unique mechanism of simultaneously generating a number of modulation frequencies within a single device.

Method for curing polymers using variable-frequency microwave heating

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lauf, R.J.; Bible, D.W.; Paulauskas, F.L.

1998-02-24

A method for curing polymers incorporating a variable frequency microwave furnace system designed to allow modulation of the frequency of the microwaves introduced into a furnace cavity is disclosed. By varying the frequency of the microwave signal, non-uniformities within the cavity are minimized, thereby achieving a more uniform cure throughout the workpiece. A directional coupler is provided for detecting the direction of a signal and further directing the signal depending on the detected direction. A first power meter is provided for measuring the power delivered to the microwave furnace. A second power meter detects the magnitude of reflected power. Themore » furnace cavity may be adapted to be used to cure materials defining a continuous sheet or which require compressive forces during curing. 15 figs.« less

Method for curing polymers using variable-frequency microwave heating

DOEpatents

Lauf, Robert J.; Bible, Don W.; Paulauskas, Felix L.

1998-01-01

A method for curing polymers (11) incorporating a variable frequency microwave furnace system (10) designed to allow modulation of the frequency of the microwaves introduced into a furnace cavity (34). By varying the frequency of the microwave signal, non-uniformities within the cavity (34) are minimized, thereby achieving a more uniform cure throughout the workpiece (36). A directional coupler (24) is provided for detecting the direction of a signal and further directing the signal depending on the detected direction. A first power meter (30) is provided for measuring the power delivered to the microwave furnace (32). A second power meter (26) detects the magnitude of reflected power. The furnace cavity (34) may be adapted to be used to cure materials defining a continuous sheet or which require compressive forces during curing.

Realization of pure frequency modulation of DFB laser via combined optical and electrical tuning.

PubMed

Tian, Chao; Chen, I-Chun Anderson; Park, Seong-Wook; Martini, Rainer

2013-04-08

In this paper we present a novel approach to convert AM signal into FM signal in semiconductor lasers via off resonance optical pumping and report on experimental results obtained with a commercial DFB laser. Aside of demonstrating discrete and fast frequency modulation, we achieve pure frequency modulation through combination with electrical modulation suppressing the associated amplitude modulation, which is detrimental to application such as spectroscopy and communication.

The transmission of low frequency medical data using delta modulation techniques.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arndt, G. D.; Dawson, C. T.

1972-01-01

The transmission of low-frequency medical data using delta modulation techniques is described. The delta modulators are used to distribute the low-frequency data into the passband of the telephone lines. Both adaptive and linear delta modulators are considered. Optimum bit rates to minimize distortion and intersymbol interference are discussed. Vibrocardiographic waves are analyzed as a function of bit rate and delta modulator configuration to determine their reproducibility for medical evaluation.

Electroacoustic verification of frequency modulation systems in cochlear implant users.

PubMed

Fidêncio, Vanessa Luisa Destro; Jacob, Regina Tangerino de Souza; Tanamati, Liége Franzini; Bucuvic, Érika Cristina; Moret, Adriane Lima Mortari

2017-12-26

The frequency modulation system is a device that helps to improve speech perception in noise and is considered the most beneficial approach to improve speech recognition in noise in cochlear implant users. According to guidelines, there is a need to perform a check before fitting the frequency modulation system. Although there are recommendations regarding the behavioral tests that should be performed at the fitting of the frequency modulation system to cochlear implant users, there are no published recommendations regarding the electroacoustic test that should be performed. Perform and determine the validity of an electroacoustic verification test for frequency modulation systems coupled to different cochlear implant speech processors. The sample included 40 participants between 5 and 18 year's users of four different models of speech processors. For the electroacoustic evaluation, we used the Audioscan Verifit device with the HA-1 coupler and the listening check devices corresponding to each speech processor model. In cases where the transparency was not achieved, a modification was made in the frequency modulation gain adjustment and we used the Brazilian version of the "Phrases in Noise Test" to evaluate the speech perception in competitive noise. It was observed that there was transparency between the frequency modulation system and the cochlear implant in 85% of the participants evaluated. After adjusting the gain of the frequency modulation receiver in the other participants, the devices showed transparency when the electroacoustic verification test was repeated. It was also observed that patients demonstrated better performance in speech perception in noise after a new adjustment, that is, in these cases; the electroacoustic transparency caused behavioral transparency. The electroacoustic evaluation protocol suggested was effective in evaluation of transparency between the frequency modulation system and the cochlear implant. Performing the adjustment of the speech processor and the frequency modulation system gain are essential when fitting this device. Copyright © 2017 Associação Brasileira de Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia Cérvico-Facial. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Dynamic nuclear polarization using frequency modulation at 3.34 T.

PubMed

Hovav, Y; Feintuch, A; Vega, S; Goldfarb, D

2014-01-01

During dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) experiments polarization is transferred from unpaired electrons to their neighboring nuclear spins, resulting in dramatic enhancement of the NMR signals. While in most cases this is achieved by continuous wave (cw) irradiation applied to samples in fixed external magnetic fields, here we show that DNP enhancement of static samples can improve by modulating the microwave (MW) frequency at a constant field of 3.34 T. The efficiency of triangular shaped modulation is explored by monitoring the (1)H signal enhancement in frozen solutions containing different TEMPOL radical concentrations at different temperatures. The optimal modulation parameters are examined experimentally and under the most favorable conditions a threefold enhancement is obtained with respect to constant frequency DNP in samples with low radical concentrations. The results are interpreted using numerical simulations on small spin systems. In particular, it is shown experimentally and explained theoretically that: (i) The optimal modulation frequency is higher than the electron spin-lattice relaxation rate. (ii) The optimal modulation amplitude must be smaller than the nuclear Larmor frequency and the EPR line-width, as expected. (iii) The MW frequencies corresponding to the enhancement maxima and minima are shifted away from one another when using frequency modulation, relative to the constant frequency experiments. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sex-dependent modulation of ultrasonic vocalizations in house mice (Mus musculus musculus)

PubMed Central

Reitschmidt, Doris; Noll, Anton; Balazs, Peter; Penn, Dustin J.

2017-01-01

House mice (Mus musculus) emit ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs), which are surprisingly complex and have features of bird song, but their functions are not well understood. Previous studies have reported mixed evidence on whether there are sex differences in USV emission, though vocalization rate or other features may depend upon whether potential receivers are of the same or opposite sex. We recorded the USVs of wild-derived adult house mice (F1 of wild-caught Mus musculus musculus), and we compared the vocalizations of males and females in response to a stimulus mouse of the same- or opposite-sex. To detect and quantify vocalizations, we used an algorithm that automatically detects USVs (Automatic Mouse Ultrasound Detector or A-MUD). We found high individual variation in USV emission rates (4 to 2083 elements/10 min trial) and a skewed distribution, with most mice (60%) emitting few (≤50) elements. We found no differences in the rates of calling between the sexes overall, but mice of both sexes emitted vocalizations at a higher rate and higher frequencies during opposite- compared to same-sex interactions. We also observed a trend toward higher amplitudes by males when presented with a male compared to a female stimulus. Our results suggest that mice modulate the rate and frequency of vocalizations depending upon the sex of potential receivers. PMID:29236704

Wideband laser locking to an atomic reference with modulation transfer spectroscopy.

PubMed

Negnevitsky, V; Turner, L D

2013-02-11

We demonstrate that conventional modulated spectroscopy apparatus, used for laser frequency stabilization in many atomic physics laboratories, can be enhanced to provide a wideband lock delivering deep suppression of frequency noise across the acoustic range. Using an acousto-optic modulator driven with an agile oscillator, we show that wideband frequency modulation of the pump laser in modulation transfer spectroscopy produces the unique single lock-point spectrum previously demonstrated with electro-optic phase modulation. We achieve a laser lock with 100 kHz feedback bandwidth, limited by our laser control electronics. This bandwidth is sufficient to reduce frequency noise by 30 dB across the acoustic range and narrows the imputed linewidth by a factor of five.

How sensitivity to ongoing interaural temporal disparities is affected by manipulations of temporal features of the envelopes of high-frequency stimuli

PubMed Central

Bernstein, Leslie R.; Trahiotis, Constantine

2009-01-01

This study addressed how manipulating certain aspects of the envelopes of high-frequency stimuli affects sensitivity to envelope-based interaural temporal disparities (ITDs). Listener’s threshold ITDs were measured using an adaptive two-alternative paradigm employing “raised-sine” stimuli [John, M. S., et al. (2002). Ear Hear. 23, 106–117] which permit independent variation in their modulation frequency, modulation depth, and modulation exponent. Threshold ITDs were measured while manipulating modulation exponent for stimuli having modulation frequencies between 32 and 256 Hz. The results indicated that graded increases in the exponent led to graded decreases in envelope-based threshold ITDs. Threshold ITDs were also measured while parametrically varying modulation exponent and modulation depth. Overall, threshold ITDs decreased with increases in the modulation depth. Unexpectedly, increases in the exponent of the raised-sine led to especially large decreases in threshold ITD when the modulation depth was low. An interaural correlation-based model was generally able to capture changes in threshold ITD stemming from changes in the exponent, depth of modulation, and frequency of modulation of the raised-sine stimuli. The model (and several variations of it), however, could not account for the unexpected interaction between the value of raised-sine exponent and its modulation depth. PMID:19425666

Heat transport by phonons in crystalline materials and nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koh, Yee Kan

This dissertation presents experimental studies of heat transport by phonons in crystalline materials and nanostructures, and across solid-solid interfaces. Particularly, this dissertation emphasizes advancing understanding of the mean-free-paths (i.e., the distance phonons propagate without being scattered) of acoustic phonons, which are the dominant heat carriers in most crystalline semiconductor nanostructures. Two primary tools for the studies presented in this dissertation are time-domain thermoreflectance (TDTR) for measurements of thermal conductivity of nanostructures and thermal conductance of interfaces; and frequency-domain thermoreflectance (FDTR), which I developed as a direct probe of the mean-free-paths of dominant heat-carrying phonons in crystalline solids. The foundation of FDTR is the dependence of the apparent thermal conductivity on the frequency of periodic heat sources. I find that the thermal conductivity of semiconductor alloys (InGaP, InGaAs, and SiGe) measured by TDTR depends on the modulation frequency, 0.1 ≤ f ≤ 10 MHz, used in TDTR measurements. Reduction in the thermal conductivity of the semiconductor alloys at high f compares well to the reduction in the thermal conductivity of epitaxial thin films, indicating that frequency dependence and thickness dependence of thermal conductivity are fundamentally equivalent. I developed the frequency dependence of thermal conductivity into a convenient probe of phonon mean-free-paths, a technique which I call frequency-domain thermoreflectance (FDTR). In FDTR, I monitor the changes in the intensity of the reflected probe beam as a function of the modulation frequency. To facilitate the analysis of FDTR measurements, I developed a nonlocal theory for heat conduction by phonons at high heating frequencies. Calculations of the nonlocal theory confirm my experimental findings that phonons with mean-free-paths longer than two times the penetration depth do not contribute to the apparent thermal conductivity. I employed FDTR to study the mean-free-paths of acoustic phonons in Si1-xGex. I experimentally demonstrate that 40% of heat is carried in Si1-xGe x alloys by phonons with mean-free-path 0.5 ≤ ℓ ≤ 5 mum, and phonons with > 2 mum do not contribute to the thermal conductivity of Si. I employed TDTR and frequency-dependent TDTR to study scattering of long- and medium-wavelength phonons in two important thermoelectric materials embedded with nanoscale precipitates. I find that the through-thickness lattice thermal conductivity of (PbTe)1-x/(PbSe)x nanodot superlattices (NDSLs) approaches the thermal conductivity of bulk homogenous PbTe1-x Sex alloys with the same average composition. On the other hand, I find that 3% of ErAs nanoparticles embedded in InGaAs is sufficient to scatter most of the phonons in InGaAs that have intermediate mean-free-paths, and thus reduces the thermal conductivity of InGaAs below the alloy limit. I find that scattering by nanoparticles approach the geometrical limit and can be readily accounted for by an additional boundary scattering which depends on the concentration of nanoparticles. Finally, I studied the thermal conductance of Au/Ti/Graphene/SiO 2 interfaces by TDTR. I find that heat transport across the interface is dominated by phonons. Even though graphene is only one atomic layer thick, graphene interfaces should be treated as two discrete interfaces instead of one diffuse interface in thermal analysis, suggesting that direct transmission of phonons from Au to SiO2 is negligible. My study is important for thermal management of graphene devices.

Strain Modulations as a Mechanism to Reduce Stress Relaxation in Laryngeal Tissues

PubMed Central

Hunter, Eric J.; Siegmund, Thomas; Chan, Roger W.

2014-01-01

Vocal fold tissues in animal and human species undergo deformation processes at several types of loading rates: a slow strain involved in vocal fold posturing (on the order of 1 Hz or so), cyclic and faster posturing often found in speech tasks or vocal embellishment (1–10 Hz), and shear strain associated with vocal fold vibration during phonation (100 Hz and higher). Relevant to these deformation patterns are the viscous properties of laryngeal tissues, which exhibit non-linear stress relaxation and recovery. In the current study, a large strain time-dependent constitutive model of human vocal fold tissue is used to investigate effects of phonatory posturing cyclic strain in the range of 1 Hz to 10 Hz. Tissue data for two subjects are considered and used to contrast the potential effects of age. Results suggest that modulation frequency and extent (amplitude), as well as the amount of vocal fold overall strain, all affect the change in stress relaxation with modulation added. Generally, the vocal fold cover reduces the rate of relaxation while the opposite is true for the vocal ligament. Further, higher modulation frequencies appear to reduce the rate of relaxation, primarily affecting the ligament. The potential benefits of cyclic strain, often found in vibrato (around 5 Hz modulation) and intonational inflection, are discussed in terms of vocal effort and vocal pitch maintenance. Additionally, elderly tissue appears to not exhibit these benefits to modulation. The exacerbating effect such modulations may have on certain voice disorders, such as muscle tension dysphonia, are explored. PMID:24614616

Strain modulations as a mechanism to reduce stress relaxation in laryngeal tissues.

PubMed

Hunter, Eric J; Siegmund, Thomas; Chan, Roger W

2014-01-01

Vocal fold tissues in animal and human species undergo deformation processes at several types of loading rates: a slow strain involved in vocal fold posturing (on the order of 1 Hz or so), cyclic and faster posturing often found in speech tasks or vocal embellishment (1-10 Hz), and shear strain associated with vocal fold vibration during phonation (100 Hz and higher). Relevant to these deformation patterns are the viscous properties of laryngeal tissues, which exhibit non-linear stress relaxation and recovery. In the current study, a large strain time-dependent constitutive model of human vocal fold tissue is used to investigate effects of phonatory posturing cyclic strain in the range of 1 Hz to 10 Hz. Tissue data for two subjects are considered and used to contrast the potential effects of age. Results suggest that modulation frequency and extent (amplitude), as well as the amount of vocal fold overall strain, all affect the change in stress relaxation with modulation added. Generally, the vocal fold cover reduces the rate of relaxation while the opposite is true for the vocal ligament. Further, higher modulation frequencies appear to reduce the rate of relaxation, primarily affecting the ligament. The potential benefits of cyclic strain, often found in vibrato (around 5 Hz modulation) and intonational inflection, are discussed in terms of vocal effort and vocal pitch maintenance. Additionally, elderly tissue appears to not exhibit these benefits to modulation. The exacerbating effect such modulations may have on certain voice disorders, such as muscle tension dysphonia, are explored.

Coherent control of flexural vibrations in dual-nanoweb fibers using phase-modulated two-frequency light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koehler, J. R.; Noskov, R. E.; Sukhorukov, A. A.; Novoa, D.; Russell, P. St. J.

2017-12-01

Coherent control of the resonant response in spatially extended optomechanical structures is complicated by the fact that the optical drive is affected by the backaction from the generated phonons. Here we report an approach to coherent control based on stimulated Raman-like scattering, in which the optical pressure can remain unaffected by the induced vibrations even in the regime of strong optomechanical interactions. We demonstrate experimentally coherent control of flexural vibrations simultaneously along the whole length of a dual-nanoweb fiber, by imprinting steps in the relative phase between the components of a two-frequency pump signal, the beat frequency being chosen to match a flexural resonance. Furthermore, sequential switching of the relative phase at time intervals shorter than the lifetime of the vibrations reduces their amplitude to a constant value that is fully adjustable by tuning the phase modulation depth and switching rate. The results may trigger new developments in silicon photonics, since such coherent control uniquely decouples the amplitude of optomechanical oscillations from power-dependent thermal effects and nonlinear optical loss.

Drive-induced delocalization in the Aubry-André model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ray, S.; Ghosh, A.; Sinha, S.

2018-01-01

Motivated by the recent experiment by Bordia et al. [Nat. Phys. 13, 460 (2017), 10.1038/nphys4020], we study the single particle delocalization phenomena of the Aubry-André (AA) model subjected to periodic drives. In two distinct cases we construct an equivalent classical description to illustrate that the drive-induced delocalization phenomena stems from an instability and the onset of chaos in the underlying dynamics. In the first case we analyze the delocalization and the thermalization in a time modulated AA potential with respect to driving frequency and demonstrate that there exists a threshold value of the amplitude of the drive. In the next example, we show that the periodic modulation of the phase of the hopping amplitude induced by a gauge field leads to an unusual effect on delocalization with a nonmonotonic dependence on the driving frequency. Within a window of such a driving frequency a delocalized Floquet band with a mobility edge appears, exhibiting multifractality in the spectrum as well as in the Floquet eigenfunctions. Finally, we explore the effect of interaction and discuss how the results of the present analysis can be tested experimentally.

Real-time photonic sampling with improved signal-to-noise and distortion ratio using polarization-dependent modulators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Dong; Zhang, Zhiyao; Liu, Yong; Li, Xiaojun; Jiang, Wei; Tan, Qinggui

2018-04-01

A real-time photonic sampling structure with effective nonlinearity suppression and excellent signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) performance is proposed. The key points of this scheme are the polarization-dependent modulators (P-DMZMs) and the sagnac loop structure. Thanks to the polarization sensitive characteristic of P-DMZMs, the differences between transfer functions of the fundamental signal and the distortion become visible. Meanwhile, the selection of specific biases in P-DMZMs is helpful to achieve a preferable linearized performance with a low noise level for real-time photonic sampling. Compared with the quadrature-biased scheme, the proposed scheme is capable of valid nonlinearity suppression and is able to provide a better SNR performance even in a large frequency range. The proposed scheme is proved to be effective and easily implemented for real time photonic applications.

Strong negative terahertz photoconductivity in photoexcited graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Maixia; Wang, Xinke; Ye, Jiasheng; Feng, Shengfei; Sun, Wenfeng; Han, Peng; Zhang, Yan

2018-01-01

Terahertz (THz) response of a chemical vapor deposited graphene on a quartz substrate has been investigated by using an ultrafast optical-pump THz-probe spectroscopy. Without photoexcitation, the frequency-dependence optical conductivity shows a strong carrier response owing to the intrinsically doped graphene. Upon photoexcitation, an enhancement in THz transmission is observed and the transmission increases nonlinearly with the increase of pump power, which is rooted in a reduction of intrinsic conductivity arising from the strong enhancement of carrier scattering rather than THz emission occurrence. The modulation depth of 18.8% was experimentally achieved, which is more than four times greater than that of the previous reported. The photoinduced response here highlights the variety of response possible in graphene depending on the sample quality, carrier mobility and doping level. The graphene provides promising applications in high-performance THz modulators and THz photoelectric devices.

Impact of time-dependent nonaxisymmetric velocity perturbations on dynamo action of von Kármán-like flows.

PubMed

Giesecke, André; Stefani, Frank; Burguete, Javier

2012-12-01

We present numerical simulations of the kinematic induction equation in order to examine the dynamo efficiency of an axisymmetric von Kármán-like flow subject to time-dependent nonaxisymmetric velocity perturbations. The numerical model is based on the setup of the French von Kármán-sodium dynamo (VKS) and on the flow measurements from a water experiment conducted at the University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain. The principal experimental observations that are modeled in our simulations are nonaxisymmetric vortexlike structures which perform an azimuthal drift motion in the equatorial plane. Our simulations show that the interactions of these periodic flow perturbations with the fundamental drift of the magnetic eigenmode (including the special case of nondrifting fields) essentially determine the temporal behavior of the dynamo state. We find two distinct regimes of dynamo action that depend on the (prescribed) drift frequency of an (m=2) vortexlike flow perturbation. For comparatively slowly drifting vortices we observe a narrow window with enhanced growth rates and a drift of the magnetic eigenmode that is synchronized with the perturbation drift. The resonance-like enhancement of the growth rates takes place when the vortex drift frequency roughly equals the drift frequency of the magnetic eigenmode in the unperturbed system. Outside of this small window, the field generation is hampered compared to the unperturbed case, and the field amplitude of the magnetic eigenmode is modulated with approximately twice the vortex drift frequency. The abrupt transition between the resonant regime and the modulated regime is identified as a spectral exceptional point where eigenvalues (growth rates and frequencies) and eigenfunctions of two previously independent modes collapse. In the actual configuration the drift frequencies of the velocity perturbations that are observed in the water experiment are much larger than the fundamental drift frequency of the magnetic eigenmode that is obtained from our numerical simulations. Hence, we conclude that the fulfillment of the resonance condition might be unlikely in present day dynamo experiments. However, a possibility to increase the dynamo efficiency in the VKS experiment might be realized by an application of holes or fingers on the outer boundary in the equatorial plane. These mechanical distortions provoke an anchorage of the vortices at fixed positions thus allowing an adjustment of the temporal behavior of the nonaxisymmetric flow perturbations.

Frequency chirped light at large detuning with an injection-locked diode laser

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Teng, K.; Disla, M.; Dellatto, J.

2015-04-15

We have developed a laser system to generate frequency-chirped light at rapid modulation speeds (∼100 MHz) with a large frequency offset. Light from an external cavity diode laser with its frequency locked to an atomic resonance is passed through a lithium niobate electro-optical phase modulator. The phase modulator is driven by a ∼6 GHz signal whose frequency is itself modulated with a RF MHz signal (<200 MHz). A second injection locked diode laser is used to filter out all of the light except the frequency-chirped ±1 order by more than 30 dB. Using this system, it is possible to generatemore » a 1 GHz frequency chirp in 5 ns.« less

Testing the concept of a modulation filter bank: the audibility of component modulation and detection of phase change in three-component modulators.

PubMed

Sek, Aleksander; Moore, Brian C J

2003-05-01

Two experiments were performed to test the concept that the auditory system contains a "modulation filter bank" (MFB). Experiment 1 examined the ability to "hear out" the modulation frequency of the central component of a three-component modulator applied to a 4-kHz sinusoidal carrier. On each trial, three modulated stimuli were presented. The modulator of the first stimulus contained three components. Within a run the frequencies of the outer two components were fixed and the frequency of the central ("target") component was drawn randomly from one of five values. The modulators of second and third stimuli contained one component. One had a frequency equal to that of the target and the other had a frequency randomly selected from one of the other possible values. Subjects indicated whether the target corresponded to the second or third stimulus. Scores were around 80% correct when the components in the three-component modulator were widely spaced and when the frequencies of the target and comparison differed sufficiently. Experiment 2 examined the ability to hear a change in the relative phase of the components in a three-component modulator with harmonically spaced components, using a 31FC task. The frequency of the central component, f(c), was either 50 or 100 Hz. Scores were 80%-90% correct when the component spacing was < or = 0.5 f(c), but decreased markedly for greater spacings. Performance was only slightly impaired by randomizing the overall modulation depth from one stimulus to the next. The results of both experiments are broadly consistent with what would be expected from a MFB with a Q value of 1 or slightly less.

PGE(2) activation of apical membrane Cl(-) channels in A6 epithelia: impedance analysis.

PubMed Central

Păunescu, T G; Helman, S I

2001-01-01

Measurements of transepithelial electrical impedance of continuously short-circuited A6 epithelia were made at audio frequencies (0.244 Hz to 10.45 kHz) to investigate the time course and extent to which prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) modulates Cl(-) transport and apical membrane capacitance in this cell-cultured model epithelium. Apical and basolateral membrane resistances were determined by nonlinear curve-fitting of the impedance vectors at relatively low frequencies (<50 Hz) to equations (Păunescu, T. G., and S. I. Helman. 2001. Biophys. J. 81:838--851) where depressed Nyquist impedance semicircles were characteristic of the membrane impedances under control Na(+)-transporting and amiloride-inhibited conditions. In all tissues (control, amiloride-blocked, and amiloride-blocked and furosemide-pretreated), PGE(2) caused relatively small (< approximately 3 microA/cm(2)) and rapid (<60 s) maximal increase of chloride current due to activation of a rather large increase of apical membrane conductance that preceded significant activation of Na(+) transport through amiloride-sensitive epithelial Na(+) channels (ENaCs). Apical membrane capacitance was frequency-dependent with a Cole-Cole dielectric dispersion whose relaxation frequency was near 150 Hz. Analysis of the time-dependent changes of the complex frequency-dependent equivalent capacitance of the cells at frequencies >1.5 kHz revealed that the mean 9.8% increase of capacitance caused by PGE(2) was not correlated in time with activation of chloride conductance, but rather correlated with activation of apical membrane Na(+) transport. PMID:11463630

Computational analysis of the regulation of Ca2+ dynamics in rat ventricular myocytes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bugenhagen, Scott M.; Beard, Daniel A.

2015-10-01

Force-frequency relationships of isolated cardiac myocytes show complex behaviors that are thought to be specific to both the species and the conditions associated with the experimental preparation. Ca2+ signaling plays an important role in shaping the force-frequency relationship, and understanding the properties of the force-frequency relationship in vivo requires an understanding of Ca2+ dynamics under physiologically relevant conditions. Ca2+ signaling is itself a complicated process that is best understood on a quantitative level via biophysically based computational simulation. Although a large number of models are available in the literature, the models are often a conglomeration of components parameterized to data of incompatible species and/or experimental conditions. In addition, few models account for modulation of Ca2+ dynamics via β-adrenergic and calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) signaling pathways even though they are hypothesized to play an important regulatory role in vivo. Both protein-kinase-A and CaMKII are known to phosphorylate a variety of targets known to be involved in Ca2+ signaling, but the effects of these pathways on the frequency- and inotrope-dependence of Ca2+ dynamics are not currently well understood. In order to better understand Ca2+ dynamics under physiological conditions relevant to rat, a previous computational model is adapted and re-parameterized to a self-consistent dataset obtained under physiological temperature and pacing frequency and updated to include β-adrenergic and CaMKII regulatory pathways. The necessity of specific effector mechanisms of these pathways in capturing inotrope- and frequency-dependence of the data is tested by attempting to fit the data while including and/or excluding those effector components. We find that: (1) β-adrenergic-mediated phosphorylation of the L-type calcium channel (LCC) (and not of phospholamban (PLB)) is sufficient to explain the inotrope-dependence; and (2) that CaMKII-mediated regulation of neither the LCC nor of PLB is required to explain the frequency-dependence of the data.

Multi-level RF identification system

DOEpatents

Steele, Kerry D.; Anderson, Gordon A.; Gilbert, Ronald W.

2004-07-20

A radio frequency identification system having a radio frequency transceiver for generating a continuous wave RF interrogation signal that impinges upon an RF identification tag. An oscillation circuit in the RF identification tag modulates the interrogation signal with a subcarrier of a predetermined frequency and modulates the frequency-modulated signal back to the transmitting interrogator. The interrogator recovers and analyzes the subcarrier signal and determines its frequency. The interrogator generates an output indicative of the frequency of the subcarrier frequency, thereby identifying the responding RFID tag as one of a "class" of RFID tags configured to respond with a subcarrier signal of a predetermined frequency.

Modulation of cell function by electric field: a high-resolution analysis

PubMed Central

Taghian, T.; Narmoneva, D. A.; Kogan, A. B.

2015-01-01

Regulation of cell function by a non-thermal, physiological-level electromagnetic field has potential for vascular tissue healing therapies and advancing hybrid bioelectronic technology. We have recently demonstrated that a physiological electric field (EF) applied wirelessly can regulate intracellular signalling and cell function in a frequency-dependent manner. However, the mechanism for such regulation is not well understood. Here, we present a systematic numerical study of a cell-field interaction following cell exposure to the external EF. We use a realistic experimental environment that also recapitulates the absence of a direct electric contact between the field-sourcing electrodes and the cells or the culture medium. We identify characteristic regimes and present their classification with respect to frequency, location, and the electrical properties of the model components. The results show a striking difference in the frequency dependence of EF penetration and cell response between cells suspended in an electrolyte and cells attached to a substrate. The EF structure in the cell is strongly inhomogeneous and is sensitive to the physical properties of the cell and its environment. These findings provide insight into the mechanisms for frequency-dependent cell responses to EF that regulate cell function, which may have important implications for EF-based therapies and biotechnology development. PMID:25994294

High-frequency modulation of the four states of polarization of light with a single phase modulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Compain, Eric; Drevillon, Bernard

1998-04-01

A method for light polarization modulation is described. It allows us to independently modulate, at a high frequency, the four components of the Stokes vector of light using a single phase modulator. It works in a double-pass configuration: the polarization of light is modulated a first time by the phase modulator, and is then modified by a coupling object before being modulated a second time by the same modulator. The coupling object consists of multiple glass plates, oriented at the Brewster angle, acting as a partial polarizer and in a right angle prism acting as a phase shifter and back reflector. Its polarimetric properties are obtained from refractive index contrast effects, which provides optimized and constant properties over a wide spectral range. The phase modulator can be either an electro-optic modulator providing a very high-frequency capability (up to 100 MHz) or a photoelastic modulator providing a wide spectral range capability. It is robust because there is no moving part and simple to implement because of the presence of one modulation. It displays a high level of sensitivity because all the components are high-frequency modulated. Two applications using this modulator in a polarimeter or in a polarization states generator are described. The four modulations, having the same fundamental frequency, are easily demodulated by numerical data processing. Optimized demodulation processing, adapted to the different kind of phase modulator is described. Its adaptation taking into account the bandwidth limitation and the variation of the sampling phase, are finally presented in the case of a photoelastic modulator.

Frequency response control of semiconductor laser by using hybrid modulation scheme.

PubMed

Mieda, Shigeru; Yokota, Nobuhide; Isshiki, Ryuto; Kobayashi, Wataru; Yasaka, Hiroshi

2016-10-31

A hybrid modulation scheme that simultaneously applies the direct current modulation and intra-cavity loss modulation to a semiconductor laser is proposed. Both numerical calculations using rate equations and experiments using a fabricated laser show that the hybrid modulation scheme can control the frequency response of the laser by changing a modulation ratio and time delay between the two modulations. The modulation ratio and time delay provide the degree of signal mixing of the two modulations and an optimum condition is found when a non-flat frequency response for the intra-cavity loss modulation is compensated by that for the direct current modulation. We experimentally confirm a 8.64-dB improvement of the modulation sensitivity at 20 GHz compared with the pure direct current modulation with a 0.7-dB relaxation oscillation peak.

Non-stationary discharge patterns in motor cortex under subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation.

PubMed

Santaniello, Sabato; Montgomery, Erwin B; Gale, John T; Sarma, Sridevi V

2012-01-01

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) directly modulates the basal ganglia (BG), but how such stimulation impacts the cortex upstream is largely unknown. There is evidence of cortical activation in 6-hydroxydopamine (OHDA)-lesioned rodents and facilitation of motor evoked potentials in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients, but the impact of the DBS settings on the cortical activity in normal vs. Parkinsonian conditions is still debated. We use point process models to analyze non-stationary activation patterns and inter-neuronal dependencies in the motor and sensory cortices of two non-human primates during STN DBS. These features are enhanced after treatment with 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), which causes a consistent PD-like motor impairment, while high-frequency (HF) DBS (i.e., ≥100 Hz) strongly reduces the short-term patterns (period: 3-7 ms) both before and after MPTP treatment, and elicits a short-latency post-stimulus activation. Low-frequency DBS (i.e., ≤50 Hz), instead, has negligible effects on the non-stationary features. Finally, by using tools from the information theory [i.e., receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and information rate (IR)], we show that the predictive power of these models is dependent on the DBS settings, i.e., the probability of spiking of the cortical neurons (which is captured by the point process models) is significantly conditioned on the timely delivery of the DBS input. This dependency increases with the DBS frequency and is significantly larger for high- vs. low-frequency DBS. Overall, the selective suppression of non-stationary features and the increased modulation of the spike probability suggest that HF STN DBS enhances the neuronal activation in motor and sensory cortices, presumably because of reinforcement mechanisms, which perhaps involve the overlap between feedback antidromic and feed-forward orthodromic responses along the BG-thalamo-cortical loop.

Control of Amygdala Circuits by 5-HT Neurons via 5-HT and Glutamate Cotransmission.

PubMed

Sengupta, Ayesha; Bocchio, Marco; Bannerman, David M; Sharp, Trevor; Capogna, Marco

2017-02-15

The serotonin (5-HT) system and the amygdala are key regulators of emotional behavior. Several lines of evidence suggest that 5-HT transmission in the amygdala is implicated in the susceptibility and drug treatment of mood disorders. Therefore, elucidating the physiological mechanisms through which midbrain 5-HT neurons modulate amygdala circuits could be pivotal in understanding emotional regulation in health and disease. To shed light on these mechanisms, we performed patch-clamp recordings from basal amygdala (BA) neurons in brain slices from mice with channelrhodopsin genetically targeted to 5-HT neurons. Optical stimulation of 5-HT terminals at low frequencies (≤1 Hz) evoked a short-latency excitation of BA interneurons (INs) that was depressed at higher frequencies. Pharmacological analysis revealed that this effect was mediated by glutamate and not 5-HT because it was abolished by ionotropic glutamate receptor antagonists. Optical stimulation of 5-HT terminals at higher frequencies (10-20 Hz) evoked both slow excitation and slow inhibition of INs. These effects were mediated by 5-HT because they were blocked by antagonists of 5-HT 2A and 5-HT 1A receptors, respectively. These fast glutamate- and slow 5-HT-mediated responses often coexisted in the same neuron. Interestingly, fast-spiking and non-fast-spiking INs displayed differential modulation by glutamate and 5-HT. Furthermore, optical stimulation of 5-HT terminals did not evoke glutamate release onto BA principal neurons, but inhibited these cells directly via activation of 5-HT 1A receptors and indirectly via enhanced GABA release. Collectively, these findings suggest that 5-HT neurons exert a frequency-dependent, cell-type-specific control over BA circuitry via 5-HT and glutamate co-release to inhibit the BA output. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The modulation of the amygdala by serotonin (5-HT) is important for emotional regulation and is implicated in the pathogenesis and treatment of affective disorders. Therefore, it is essential to determine the physiological mechanisms through which 5-HT neurons in the dorsal raphe nuclei modulate amygdala circuits. Here, we combined optogenetic, electrophysiological, and pharmacological approaches to study the effects of activation of 5-HT axons in the basal nucleus of the amygdala (BA). We found that 5-HT neurons co-release 5-HT and glutamate onto BA neurons in a cell-type-specific and frequency-dependent manner. Therefore, we suggest that theories on the contribution of 5-HT neurons to amygdala function should be revised to incorporate the concept of 5-HT/glutamate cotransmission. Copyright © 2017 Sengupta et al.

Control of Amygdala Circuits by 5-HT Neurons via 5-HT and Glutamate Cotransmission

PubMed Central

Bannerman, David M.

2017-01-01

The serotonin (5-HT) system and the amygdala are key regulators of emotional behavior. Several lines of evidence suggest that 5-HT transmission in the amygdala is implicated in the susceptibility and drug treatment of mood disorders. Therefore, elucidating the physiological mechanisms through which midbrain 5-HT neurons modulate amygdala circuits could be pivotal in understanding emotional regulation in health and disease. To shed light on these mechanisms, we performed patch-clamp recordings from basal amygdala (BA) neurons in brain slices from mice with channelrhodopsin genetically targeted to 5-HT neurons. Optical stimulation of 5-HT terminals at low frequencies (≤1 Hz) evoked a short-latency excitation of BA interneurons (INs) that was depressed at higher frequencies. Pharmacological analysis revealed that this effect was mediated by glutamate and not 5-HT because it was abolished by ionotropic glutamate receptor antagonists. Optical stimulation of 5-HT terminals at higher frequencies (10–20 Hz) evoked both slow excitation and slow inhibition of INs. These effects were mediated by 5-HT because they were blocked by antagonists of 5-HT2A and 5-HT1A receptors, respectively. These fast glutamate- and slow 5-HT-mediated responses often coexisted in the same neuron. Interestingly, fast-spiking and non-fast-spiking INs displayed differential modulation by glutamate and 5-HT. Furthermore, optical stimulation of 5-HT terminals did not evoke glutamate release onto BA principal neurons, but inhibited these cells directly via activation of 5-HT1A receptors and indirectly via enhanced GABA release. Collectively, these findings suggest that 5-HT neurons exert a frequency-dependent, cell-type-specific control over BA circuitry via 5-HT and glutamate co-release to inhibit the BA output. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The modulation of the amygdala by serotonin (5-HT) is important for emotional regulation and is implicated in the pathogenesis and treatment of affective disorders. Therefore, it is essential to determine the physiological mechanisms through which 5-HT neurons in the dorsal raphe nuclei modulate amygdala circuits. Here, we combined optogenetic, electrophysiological, and pharmacological approaches to study the effects of activation of 5-HT axons in the basal nucleus of the amygdala (BA). We found that 5-HT neurons co-release 5-HT and glutamate onto BA neurons in a cell-type-specific and frequency-dependent manner. Therefore, we suggest that theories on the contribution of 5-HT neurons to amygdala function should be revised to incorporate the concept of 5-HT/glutamate cotransmission. PMID:28087766

Ring modulator small-signal response analysis based on pole-zero representation.

PubMed

Karimelahi, Samira; Sheikholeslami, Ali

2016-04-04

We present a closed-form expression for the small-signal response of a depletion-mode ring modulator and verify it by measurement results. Both electrical and optical behavior of micro-ring modulator as well as the loss variation due to the index modulation is considered in the derivation. This expression suggests that a ring modulator is a third-order system with one real pole, one zero and a pair of complex-conjugate poles. The exact positions of the poles/zero are given and shown to be dependent upon parameters such as electrical bandwidth, coupling condition, optical loss, and sign/value of laser detunings. We show that the location of zero is different for positive and negative detuning, and therefore, the ring modulator frequency response is asymmetric. We use the gain-bandwidth product as a figure of merit and calculate it for various pole/zero locations. We show that gain-bandwidth for the over-coupled ring modulator is superior compared to other coupling conditions. Also, we show that the gain-bandwidth product can be increased to a limit by increasing the electrical bandwidth.

Load-induced modulation of signal transduction networks.

PubMed

Jiang, Peng; Ventura, Alejandra C; Sontag, Eduardo D; Merajver, Sofia D; Ninfa, Alexander J; Del Vecchio, Domitilla

2011-10-11

Biological signal transduction networks are commonly viewed as circuits that pass along information--in the process amplifying signals, enhancing sensitivity, or performing other signal-processing tasks--to transcriptional and other components. Here, we report on a "reverse-causality" phenomenon, which we call load-induced modulation. Through a combination of analytical and experimental tools, we discovered that signaling was modulated, in a surprising way, by downstream targets that receive the signal and, in doing so, apply what in physics is called a load. Specifically, we found that non-intuitive changes in response dynamics occurred for a covalent modification cycle when load was present. Loading altered the response time of a system, depending on whether the activity of one of the enzymes was maximal and the other was operating at its minimal rate or whether both enzymes were operating at submaximal rates. These two conditions, which we call "limit regime" and "intermediate regime," were associated with increased or decreased response times, respectively. The bandwidth, the range of frequency in which the system can process information, decreased in the presence of load, suggesting that downstream targets participate in establishing a balance between noise-filtering capabilities and a circuit's ability to process high-frequency stimulation. Nodes in a signaling network are not independent relay devices, but rather are modulated by their downstream targets.

Quasi-periodic Behavior of Mini-disks in Binary Black Holes Approaching Merger

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bowen, Dennis B.; Mewes, Vassilios; Campanelli, Manuela; Noble, Scott C.; Krolik, Julian H.; Zilhão, Miguel

2018-01-01

We present the first magnetohydrodynamic simulation in which a circumbinary disk around a relativistic binary black hole feeds mass to individual accretion disks (“mini-disks”) around each black hole. Mass flow through the accretion streams linking the circumbinary disk to the mini-disks is modulated quasi-periodically by the streams’ interaction with a nonlinear m = 1 density feature, or “lump,” at the inner edge of the circumbinary disk: the stream supplying each mini-disk comes into phase with the lump at a frequency 0.74 times the binary orbital frequency. Because the binary is relativistic, the tidal truncation radii of the mini-disks are not much larger than their innermost stable circular orbits; consequently, the mini-disks’ inflow times are shorter than the conventional estimate and are comparable to the stream modulation period. As a result, the mini-disks are always in inflow disequilibrium, with their masses and spiral density wave structures responding to the stream’s quasi-periodic modulation. The fluctuations in each mini-disk’s mass are so large that as much as 75% of the total mini-disk mass can be contained within a single mini-disk. Such quasi-periodic modulation of the mini-disk structure may introduce distinctive time-dependent features in the binary’s electromagnetic emission.

Breathing of Graphite Particles in a Lithium-Ion Battery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takata, Keiji; Okuda, Mitsuhiro; Yura, Nobuki; Tamura, Ryota

2012-04-01

We imaged changes in volume of graphite particles in a Li-ion battery due to the insertion and extraction of Li ions using scanning probe microscopy. When Li ions were extracted from the graphite particles, the particles were contracted, while expansion was induced in the interspaces between the particles. Variations of the images of volume changes depending on modulation frequencies clearly showed lithium intercalation. A linear relationship between the amplitudes of volume changes and the products of the diffusion elements and the reciprocals of the frequencies has been proven. Thus, the detected signals quantitatively well corresponded to the lithium ion movements.

Concentration-dependent activation of dopamine receptors differentially modulates GABA release onto orexin neurons.

PubMed

Linehan, Victoria; Trask, Robert B; Briggs, Chantalle; Rowe, Todd M; Hirasawa, Michiru

2015-08-01

Dopamine (DA) and orexin neurons play important roles in reward and food intake. There are anatomical and functional connections between these two cell groups: orexin peptides stimulate DA neurons in the ventral tegmental area and DA inhibits orexin neurons in the hypothalamus. However, the cellular mechanisms underlying the action of DA on orexin neurons remain incompletely understood. Therefore, the effect of DA on inhibitory transmission to orexin neurons was investigated in rat brain slices using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. We found that DA modulated the frequency of spontaneous and miniature IPSCs (mIPSCs) in a concentration-dependent bidirectional manner. Low (1 μM) and high (100 μM) concentrations of DA decreased and increased IPSC frequency, respectively. These effects did not accompany a change in mIPSC amplitude and persisted in the presence of G-protein signaling inhibitor GDPβS in the pipette, suggesting that DA acts presynaptically. The decrease in mIPSC frequency was mediated by D2 receptors whereas the increase required co-activation of D1 and D2 receptors and subsequent activation of phospholipase C. In summary, our results suggest that DA has complex effects on GABAergic transmission to orexin neurons, involving cooperation of multiple receptor subtypes. The direction of dopaminergic influence on orexin neurons is dependent on the level of DA in the hypothalamus. At low levels DA disinhibits orexin neurons whereas at high levels it facilitates GABA release, which may act as negative feedback to curb the excitatory orexinergic output to DA neurons. These mechanisms may have implications for consummatory and motivated behaviours. © 2015 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Frequency-specific attentional modulation in human primary auditory cortex and midbrain.

PubMed

Riecke, Lars; Peters, Judith C; Valente, Giancarlo; Poser, Benedikt A; Kemper, Valentin G; Formisano, Elia; Sorger, Bettina

2018-07-01

Paying selective attention to an audio frequency selectively enhances activity within primary auditory cortex (PAC) at the tonotopic site (frequency channel) representing that frequency. Animal PAC neurons achieve this 'frequency-specific attentional spotlight' by adapting their frequency tuning, yet comparable evidence in humans is scarce. Moreover, whether the spotlight operates in human midbrain is unknown. To address these issues, we studied the spectral tuning of frequency channels in human PAC and inferior colliculus (IC), using 7-T functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) and frequency mapping, while participants focused on different frequency-specific sounds. We found that shifts in frequency-specific attention alter the response gain, but not tuning profile, of PAC frequency channels. The gain modulation was strongest in low-frequency channels and varied near-monotonically across the tonotopic axis, giving rise to the attentional spotlight. We observed less prominent, non-tonotopic spatial patterns of attentional modulation in IC. These results indicate that the frequency-specific attentional spotlight in human PAC as measured with FMRI arises primarily from tonotopic gain modulation, rather than adapted frequency tuning. Moreover, frequency-specific attentional modulation of afferent sound processing in human IC seems to be considerably weaker, suggesting that the spotlight diminishes toward this lower-order processing stage. Our study sheds light on how the human auditory pathway adapts to the different demands of selective hearing. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A full-duplex optical access system with hybrid 64/16/4QAM-OFDM downlink

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Chao; Tan, Ze-fu; Shao, Yu-feng; Cai, Li; Pu, He-sheng; Zhu, Yun-le; Huang, Si-si; Liu, Yu

2016-09-01

A full-duplex optical passive access scheme is proposed and verified by simulation, in which hybrid 64/16/4-quadrature amplitude modulation (64/16/4QAM) orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) optical signal is for downstream transmission and non-return-to-zero (NRZ) optical signal is for upstream transmission. In view of the transmitting and receiving process for downlink optical signal, in-phase/quadrature-phase (I/Q) modulation based on Mach-Zehnder modulator (MZM) and homodyne coherent detection technology are employed, respectively. The simulation results show that the bit error ratio ( BER) less than hardware decision forward error correction (HD-FEC) threshold is successfully obtained over transmission path with 20-km-long standard single mode fiber (SSMF) for hybrid downlink modulation OFDM optical signal. In addition, by dividing the system bandwidth into several subchannels consisting of some continuous subcarriers, it is convenient for users to select different channels depending on requirements of communication.

Two dimensional fluid simulation in capacitively coupled silane discharges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Yuan-Hong; Liu, Xiang-Mei; Wang, Yan; Wang, You-Nian

2011-10-01

A two-dimensional (2D) self-consistent fluid model is developed to describe the formation, subsequent growth, transport and charging mechanisms of nanoparticles in a capacitively coupled silane plasma. In this discharge process, large anions are produced by a series of chemical reactions of anions with silane molecules, while the lower limit of the initial nanoparticles are taken as large anions to directly link the coagulation module with the nucleation module. The influences of source parameters on the electron density, electron temperature, nanoparticle uniformity, and deposition rate, are carefully studied. Moreover, the behavior of silicon plasma mixed with SiH4, N2 and O2 in a pulse modulated capacitively coupled plasma has been also investigated. Results showed a strong dependence of the electron density and electron temperature on the duty cycle and the modulated frequency. Supported by NSFC (No.10775025 and No. 10805008), INSTSP (Grant No: 2011ZX02403-001), and PNCETU (NCET-08-0073).

Power-Amplifier Module for 145 to 165 GHz

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Samoska, Lorene; Peralta, Alejandro

2007-01-01

A power-amplifier module that operates in the frequency range of 145 to 165 GHz has been designed and constructed as a combination of (1) a previously developed monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) power amplifier and (2) a waveguide module. The amplifier chip was needed for driving a high-electron-mobility-transistor (HEMT) frequency doubler. While it was feasible to connect the amplifier and frequency-doubler chips by use of wire bonds, it was found to be much more convenient to test the amplifier and doubler chips separately. To facilitate separate testing, it was decided to package the amplifier and doubler chips in separate waveguide modules. Figure 1 shows the resulting amplifier module. The amplifier chip was described in "MMIC HEMT Power Amplifier for 140 to 170 GHz" (NPO-30127), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 27, No. 11, (November 2003), page 49. To recapitulate: This is a three-stage MMIC power amplifier that utilizes HEMTs as gain elements. The amplifier was originally designed to operate in the frequency range of 140 to 170 GHz. The waveguide module is based on a previously developed lower frequency module, redesigned to support operation in the frequency range of 140 to 220 GHz. Figure 2 presents results of one of several tests of the amplifier module - measurements of output power and gain as functions of input power at an output frequency of 150 GHz. Such an amplifier module has many applications to test equipment for power sources above 100 GHz.

Spatial hearing in Cope’s gray treefrog: II. Frequency-dependent directionality in the amplitude and phase of tympanum vibrations

PubMed Central

Lee, Norman; Schrode, Katrina M.; Johns, Anastasia R.; Christensen-Dalsgaard, Jakob; Bee, Mark A.

2014-01-01

Anuran ears function as pressure difference receivers, and the amplitude and phase of tympanum vibrations are inherently directional, varying with sound incident angle. We quantified the nature of this directionality for Cope’s gray treefrog, Hyla chrysoscelis. We presented subjects with pure tones, advertisement calls, and frequency-modulated sweeps to examine the influence of frequency, signal level, lung inflation, and sex on ear directionality. Interaural differences in the amplitude of tympanum vibrations were 1–4 dB greater than sound pressure differences adjacent to the two tympana, while interaural differences in the phase of tympanum vibration were similar to or smaller than those in sound phase. Directionality in the amplitude and phase of tympanum vibration were highly dependent on sound frequency, and directionality in amplitude varied slightly with signal level. Directionality in the amplitude and phase of tone- and call-evoked responses did not differ between sexes. Lung inflation strongly affected tympanum directionality over a narrow frequency range that, in females, included call frequencies. This study provides a foundation for further work on the biomechanics and neural mechanisms of spatial hearing in H. chrysoscelis, and lends valuable perspective to behavioral studies on the use of spatial information by this species and other frogs. PMID:24504183

Spatial hearing in Cope's gray treefrog: II. Frequency-dependent directionality in the amplitude and phase of tympanum vibrations.

PubMed

Caldwell, Michael S; Lee, Norman; Schrode, Katrina M; Johns, Anastasia R; Christensen-Dalsgaard, Jakob; Bee, Mark A

2014-04-01

Anuran ears function as pressure difference receivers, and the amplitude and phase of tympanum vibrations are inherently directional, varying with sound incident angle. We quantified the nature of this directionality for Cope's gray treefrog, Hyla chrysoscelis. We presented subjects with pure tones, advertisement calls, and frequency-modulated sweeps to examine the influence of frequency, signal level, lung inflation, and sex on ear directionality. Interaural differences in the amplitude of tympanum vibrations were 1-4 dB greater than sound pressure differences adjacent to the two tympana, while interaural differences in the phase of tympanum vibration were similar to or smaller than those in sound phase. Directionality in the amplitude and phase of tympanum vibration were highly dependent on sound frequency, and directionality in amplitude varied slightly with signal level. Directionality in the amplitude and phase of tone- and call-evoked responses did not differ between sexes. Lung inflation strongly affected tympanum directionality over a narrow frequency range that, in females, included call frequencies. This study provides a foundation for further work on the biomechanics and neural mechanisms of spatial hearing in H. chrysoscelis, and lends valuable perspective to behavioral studies on the use of spatial information by this species and other frogs.

The calcium-frequency response in the rat ventricular myocyte: an experimental and modelling study.

PubMed

Gattoni, Sara; Røe, Åsmund Treu; Frisk, Michael; Louch, William E; Niederer, Steven A; Smith, Nicolas P

2016-08-01

In the majority of species, including humans, increased heart rate increases cardiac contractility. This change is known as the force-frequency response (FFR). The majority of mammals have a positive force-frequency relationship (FFR). In rat the FFR is controversial. We derive a species- and temperature-specific data-driven model of the rat ventricular myocyte. As a measure of the FFR, we test the effects of changes in frequency and extracellular calcium on the calcium-frequency response (CFR) in our model and three altered models. The results show a biphasic peak calcium-frequency response, due to biphasic behaviour of the ryanodine receptor and the combined effect of the rapid calmodulin buffer and the frequency-dependent increase in diastolic calcium. Alterations to the model reveal that inclusion of Ca(2+) /calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CAMKII)-mediated L-type channel and transient outward K(+) current activity enhances the positive magnitude calcium-frequency response, and the absence of CAMKII-mediated increase in activity of the sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) -ATPase induces a negative magnitude calcium-frequency response. An increase in heart rate affects the strength of cardiac contraction by altering the Ca(2+) transient as a response to physiological demands. This is described by the force-frequency response (FFR), a change in developed force with pacing frequency. The majority of mammals, including humans, have a positive FFR, and cardiac contraction strength increases with heart rate. However, the rat and mouse are exceptions, with the majority of studies reporting a negative FFR, while others report either a biphasic or a positive FFR. Understanding the differences in the FFR between humans and rats is fundamental to interpreting rat-based experimental findings in the context of human physiology. We have developed a novel model of rat ventricular electrophysiology and calcium dynamics, derived predominantly from experimental data recorded under physiological conditions. As a measure of FFR, we tested the effects of changes in stimulation frequency and extracellular calcium concentration on the simulated Ca(2+) transient characteristics and showed a biphasic peak calcium-frequency relationship, consistent with recent observations of a shift from negative to positive FFR when approaching the rat physiological frequency range. We tested the hypotheses that (1) inhibition of Ca(2+) /calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CAMKII)-mediated increase in sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) -ATPase (SERCA) activity, (2) CAMKII modulation of SERCA, L-type channel and transient outward K(+) current activity and (3) Na(+) /K(+) pump dynamics play a significant role in the rat FFR. The results reveal a major role for CAMKII modulation of SERCA in the peak Ca(2+) -frequency response, driven most significantly by the cytosolic calcium buffering system and changes in diastolic Ca(2+) . © 2016 The Authors. The Journal of Physiology © 2016 The Physiological Society.

47 CFR 97.307 - Emission standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

...-modulated emission may have a modulation index greater than 1 at the highest modulation frequency. (2) No..., or for frequency-shift keying, the frequency shift between mark and space must not exceed 1 kHz. (5... Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND SPECIAL RADIO SERVICES AMATEUR RADIO...

47 CFR 97.307 - Emission standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

...-modulated emission may have a modulation index greater than 1 at the highest modulation frequency. (2) No..., or for frequency-shift keying, the frequency shift between mark and space must not exceed 1 kHz. (5... Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND SPECIAL RADIO SERVICES AMATEUR RADIO...

47 CFR 97.307 - Emission standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

...-modulated emission may have a modulation index greater than 1 at the highest modulation frequency. (2) No..., or for frequency-shift keying, the frequency shift between mark and space must not exceed 1 kHz. (5... Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND SPECIAL RADIO SERVICES AMATEUR RADIO...

47 CFR 97.307 - Emission standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

...-modulated emission may have a modulation index greater than 1 at the highest modulation frequency. (2) No..., or for frequency-shift keying, the frequency shift between mark and space must not exceed 1 kHz. (5... Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND SPECIAL RADIO SERVICES AMATEUR RADIO...

47 CFR 97.307 - Emission standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

...-modulated emission may have a modulation index greater than 1 at the highest modulation frequency. (2) No..., or for frequency-shift keying, the frequency shift between mark and space must not exceed 1 kHz. (5... Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND SPECIAL RADIO SERVICES AMATEUR RADIO...

47 CFR 74.535 - Emission and bandwidth.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... transmitter power (PMEAN) in accordance with the following schedule: (1) When using frequency modulation: (i... employed when digital modulation occupies 50 percent or more of the total peak frequency deviation of a... deviation produced by the digital modulation signal and the deviation produced by any frequency division...

Isolating spectral cues in amplitude and quasi-frequency modulation discrimination by reducing stimulus duration.

PubMed

Borucki, Ewa; Berg, Bruce G

2017-05-01

This study investigated the psychophysical effects of distortion products in a listening task traditionally used to estimate the bandwidth of phase sensitivity. For a 2000 Hz carrier, estimates of modulation depth necessary to discriminate amplitude modulated (AM) tones and quasi-frequency modulated (QFM) were measured in a two interval forced choice task as a function modulation frequency. Temporal modulation transfer functions were often non-monotonic at modulation frequencies above 300 Hz. This was likely to be due to a spectral cue arising from the interaction of auditory distortion products and the lower sideband of the stimulus complex. When the stimulus duration was decreased from 200 ms to 20 ms, thresholds for low-frequency modulators rose to near-chance levels, whereas thresholds in the region of non-monotonicities were less affected. The decrease in stimulus duration appears to hinder the listener's ability to use temporal cues in order to discriminate between AM and QFM, whereas spectral information derived from distortion product cues appears more resilient. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Vibrational tug-of-war: The pKA dependence of the broad vibrational features of strongly hydrogen-bonded carboxylic acids.

PubMed

Van Hoozen, Brian L; Petersen, Poul B

2018-04-07

Medium and strong hydrogen bonds give rise to broad vibrational features frequently spanning several hundred wavenumbers and oftentimes exhibiting unusual substructures. These broad vibrational features can be modeled from first principles, in a reduced dimensional calculation, that adiabatically separates low-frequency modes, which modulate the hydrogen bond length, from high-frequency OH stretch and bend modes that contribute to the vibrational structure. Previously this method was used to investigate the origin of an unusual vibrational feature frequently found in the spectra of dimers between carboxylic acids and nitrogen-containing aromatic bases that spans over 900 cm -1 and contains two broad peaks. It was found that the width of this feature largely originates from low-frequency modes modulating the hydrogen bond length and that the structure results from Fermi resonance interactions. In this report, we examine how these features change with the relative acid and base strength of the components as reflected by their aqueous pK A values. Dimers with large pK A differences are found to have features that can extend to frequencies below 1000 cm -1 . The relationships between mean OH/NH frequency, aqueous pK A , and O-N distance are examined in order to obtain a more rigorous understanding of the origin and shape of the vibrational features. The mean OH/NH frequencies are found to correlate well with O-N distances. The lowest OH stretch frequencies are found in dimer geometries with O-N distances between 2.5 and 2.6 Å. At larger O-N distances, the hydrogen bonding interaction is not as strong, resulting in higher OH stretch frequencies. When the O-N distance is smaller than 2.5 Å, the limited space between the O and N determines the OH stretch frequency, which gives rise to frequencies that decrease with O-N distances. These two effects place a lower limit on the OH stretch frequency which is calculated to be near 700 cm -1 . Understanding how the vibrational features of strongly hydrogen-bonded structures depend on the relative pK A and other structural parameters will guide studies of biological structures and analysis of proton transfer studies using photoacids.

Multidimensional signal modulation and/or demodulation for data communications

DOEpatents

Smith, Stephen F [London, TN; Dress, William B [Camas, WA

2008-03-04

Systems and methods are described for multidimensional signal modulation and/or demodulation for data communications. A method includes modulating a carrier signal in a first domain selected from the group consisting of phase, frequency, amplitude, polarization and spread; modulating the carrier signal in a second domain selected from the group consisting of phase, frequency, amplitude, polarization and spread; and modulating the carrier signal in a third domain selected from the group consisting of phase, frequency, amplitude, polarization and spread.

Relative sideband amplitudes versus modulation index for common functions using frequency and phase modulation. [for design and testing of communication system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stocklin, F.

1973-01-01

The equations defining the amplitude of sidebands resulting from either frequency modulation or phase modulation by either square wave, sine wave, sawtooth or triangular modulating functions are presented. Spectral photographs and computer generated tables of modulation index vs. relative sideband amplitudes are also included.

[Modulating effect of weak combined magnetic fields on duration of mealworm beetle Tenebrio molitor metamorphosis stage].

PubMed

Novikov, V V; Sheĭman, I M; Iablokova, E V; Fesenko, E E

2014-01-01

It is shown that an exposure of pupae of the mealworm beetle Tenebrio molitor to the combined static (42 μT) and very weak alternating (250 nT) magnetic fields exerts different influence, depending on the frequency of the alternating magnetic field, on duration of metamorphosis processes in these insects. For instance, an exposure of pupae to weak combined magnetic fields, adjusted to the frequency of ion cyclotron resonance for glutaminic acid (4,4 Hz), stimulates metamorphosis process--a transitional stage from pupae to imago lasts shorter. An inhibiting effect was observed when adjusted to the frequency of ion cyclotron resonance for Ca2 (32,2 Hz). At some frequencies this effect is not seen. For instance, an exposure at a frequency of ion cyclotron resonance for K+ (16,5 Hz) exerts no noticeable effect on the duration of the pupal metamorphosis stage.

Single-sideband modulator for frequency domain multiplexing of superconducting qubit readout

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chapman, Benjamin J.; Rosenthal, Eric I.; Kerckhoff, Joseph; Vale, Leila R.; Hilton, Gene C.; Lehnert, K. W.

2017-04-01

We introduce and experimentally characterize a superconducting single-sideband modulator compatible with cryogenic microwave circuits and propose its use for frequency domain multiplexing of superconducting qubit readout. The monolithic double-balanced modulators that comprise the device are formed with purely reactive elements (capacitors and Josephson junction inductors) and require no microwave-frequency control tones. Microwave signals in the 4 to 8 GHz band, with power up to -85 dBm, are converted up or down in frequency by as much as 120 MHz. Spurious harmonics in the device can be suppressed by up to 25 dB for select probe and modulation frequencies.

Effect of synthetic jet modulation schemes on the reduction of a laminar separation bubble

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seo, J. H.; Cadieux, F.; Mittal, R.; Deem, E.; Cattafesta, L.

2018-03-01

The response of a laminar separation bubble to synthetic jet forcing with various modulation schemes is investigated via direct numerical simulations. A simple sinusoidal waveform is considered as a reference case, and various amplitude modulation schemes, including the square-wave "burst" modulation, are employed in the simulations. The results indicate that burst modulation is less effective at reducing the length of the flow separation than the sinusoidal forcing primarily because burst modulation is associated with a broad spectrum of input frequencies that are higher than the target frequency for the flow control. It is found that such high-frequency forcing delays vortex roll-up and promotes vortex pairing and merging, which have an adverse effect on reducing the separation bubble length. A commonly used amplitude modulation scheme is also found to have reduced effectiveness due to its spectral content. A new amplitude modulation scheme which is tailored to impart more energy at the target frequency is proposed and shown to be more effective than the other modulation schemes. Experimental measurements confirm that modulation schemes can be preserved through the actuator and used to enhance the energy content at the target modulation frequency. The present study therefore suggests that the effectiveness of synthetic jet-based flow control could be improved by carefully designing the spectral content of the modulation scheme.

Encoding frequency contrast in primate auditory cortex

PubMed Central

Scott, Brian H.; Semple, Malcolm N.

2014-01-01

Changes in amplitude and frequency jointly determine much of the communicative significance of complex acoustic signals, including human speech. We have previously described responses of neurons in the core auditory cortex of awake rhesus macaques to sinusoidal amplitude modulation (SAM) signals. Here we report a complementary study of sinusoidal frequency modulation (SFM) in the same neurons. Responses to SFM were analogous to SAM responses in that changes in multiple parameters defining SFM stimuli (e.g., modulation frequency, modulation depth, carrier frequency) were robustly encoded in the temporal dynamics of the spike trains. For example, changes in the carrier frequency produced highly reproducible changes in shapes of the modulation period histogram, consistent with the notion that the instantaneous probability of discharge mirrors the moment-by-moment spectrum at low modulation rates. The upper limit for phase locking was similar across SAM and SFM within neurons, suggesting shared biophysical constraints on temporal processing. Using spike train classification methods, we found that neural thresholds for modulation depth discrimination are typically far lower than would be predicted from frequency tuning to static tones. This “dynamic hyperacuity” suggests a substantial central enhancement of the neural representation of frequency changes relative to the auditory periphery. Spike timing information was superior to average rate information when discriminating among SFM signals, and even when discriminating among static tones varying in frequency. This finding held even when differences in total spike count across stimuli were normalized, indicating both the primacy and generality of temporal response dynamics in cortical auditory processing. PMID:24598525

Scale invariant rearrangement of resting state networks in the human brain under sustained stimulation.

PubMed

Tommasin, Silvia; Mascali, Daniele; Moraschi, Marta; Gili, Tommaso; Assan, Ibrahim Eid; Fratini, Michela; DiNuzzo, Mauro; Wise, Richard G; Mangia, Silvia; Macaluso, Emiliano; Giove, Federico

2018-06-14

Brain activity at rest is characterized by widely distributed and spatially specific patterns of synchronized low-frequency blood-oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) fluctuations, which correspond to physiologically relevant brain networks. This network behaviour is known to persist also during task execution, yet the details underlying task-associated modulations of within- and between-network connectivity are largely unknown. In this study we exploited a multi-parametric and multi-scale approach to investigate how low-frequency fluctuations adapt to a sustained n-back working memory task. We found that the transition from the resting state to the task state involves a behaviourally relevant and scale-invariant modulation of synchronization patterns within both task-positive and default mode networks. Specifically, decreases of connectivity within networks are accompanied by increases of connectivity between networks. In spite of large and widespread changes of connectivity strength, the overall topology of brain networks is remarkably preserved. We show that these findings are strongly influenced by connectivity at rest, suggesting that the absolute change of connectivity (i.e., disregarding the baseline) may be not the most suitable metric to study dynamic modulations of functional connectivity. Our results indicate that a task can evoke scale-invariant, distributed changes of BOLD fluctuations, further confirming that low frequency BOLD oscillations show a specialized response and are tightly bound to task-evoked activation. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Microwave Fiber-Optics Delay Line.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-01-01

frequency response. We observed the anticipated modulation resonance and its dependence on the dc bias level. However, we did not have a scanning Fabry - Perot ...could not be determined accurately because a scanning Fabry - Perot was not available. However, from the various experimental observations and the rise time...Hitachi HLP-2400U BH laser and a Rockwell heterojunction photodiode o. ......... 26 11 Demodulated rf power versus detector dc photocurrent

Effects Of Local Oscillator Errors On Digital Beamforming

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-01

processor EF element factor EW electronic warfare FFM flicker frequency modulation FOV field-of-view FPGA field-programmable gate array FPM flicker...frequencies and also more difficult to measure [15]. 2. Flicker frequency modulation The source for flicker frequency modulation ( FFM ) is attributed to...a physical resonance mechanism of an oscillator or issues controlling electronic components. Some oscillators might not show FFM noise, which might

47 CFR 73.758 - System specifications for digitally modulated emissions in the HF broadcasting service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... this paragraph. (4) Modulation. Quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) with orthogonal frequency... frequency broadcasting (HFBC) band, provided the protection afforded to the analog emissions is at least as... used for either DSB or SSB emissions. (c) Emission characteristics—(1) Bandwidth and center frequency...

Spin polarization of {sup 87}Rb atoms with ultranarrow linewidth diode laser: Numerical simulation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Z. G.; Interdisciplinary Center of Quantum Information, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, 410073; College of Science, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, 410073

2016-08-15

In order to polarize {sup 87}Rb vapor effectively with ultranarrow linewidth diode laser, we studied the polarization as a function of some parameters including buffer gas pressure and laser power. Moreover, we also discussed the methods which split or modulate the diode laser frequency so as to pump the two ground hyperfine levels efficiently. We obtained some useful results through numerical simulation. If the buffer gas pressure is so high that the hyperfine structure is unresolved, the polarization is insensitive to laser frequency at peak absorption point so frequency splitting and frequency modulation methods do not show improvement. At lowmore » pressure and laser power large enough, where the hyperfine structure is clearly resolved, frequency splitting and frequency modulation methods can increase polarization effectively. For laser diodes, frequency modulation is easily realized with current modulation, so this method is attractive since it does not add any other components in the pumping laser system.« less

Digital quadrature phase detection

DOEpatents

Smith, James A.; Johnson, John A.

1992-01-01

A system for detecting the phase of a frequency of phase modulated signal that includes digital quadrature sampling of the frequency or phase modulated signal at two times that are one quarter of a cycle of a reference signal apart, determination of the arctangent of the ratio of a first sampling of the frequency or phase modulated signal to the second sampling of the frequency or phase modulated signal, and a determination of quadrant in which the phase determination is increased by 2.pi. when the quadrant changes from the first quadrant to the fourth quadrant and decreased by 2.pi. when the quadrant changes from the fourth quadrant to the first quadrant whereby the absolute phase of the frequency or phase modulated signal can be determined using an arbitrary reference convention.

Digital quadrature phase detection

DOEpatents

Smith, J.A.; Johnson, J.A.

1992-05-26

A system for detecting the phase of a frequency or phase modulated signal that includes digital quadrature sampling of the frequency or phase modulated signal at two times that are one quarter of a cycle of a reference signal apart, determination of the arctangent of the ratio of a first sampling of the frequency or phase modulated signal to the second sampling of the frequency or phase modulated signal, and a determination of quadrant in which the phase determination is increased by 2[pi] when the quadrant changes from the first quadrant to the fourth quadrant and decreased by 2[pi] when the quadrant changes from the fourth quadrant to the first quadrant whereby the absolute phase of the frequency or phase modulated signal can be determined using an arbitrary reference convention. 6 figs.

A simulation framework for auditory discrimination experiments: Revealing the importance of across-frequency processing in speech perception.

PubMed

Schädler, Marc René; Warzybok, Anna; Ewert, Stephan D; Kollmeier, Birger

2016-05-01

A framework for simulating auditory discrimination experiments, based on an approach from Schädler, Warzybok, Hochmuth, and Kollmeier [(2015). Int. J. Audiol. 54, 100-107] which was originally designed to predict speech recognition thresholds, is extended to also predict psychoacoustic thresholds. The proposed framework is used to assess the suitability of different auditory-inspired feature sets for a range of auditory discrimination experiments that included psychoacoustic as well as speech recognition experiments in noise. The considered experiments were 2 kHz tone-in-broadband-noise simultaneous masking depending on the tone length, spectral masking with simultaneously presented tone signals and narrow-band noise maskers, and German Matrix sentence test reception threshold in stationary and modulated noise. The employed feature sets included spectro-temporal Gabor filter bank features, Mel-frequency cepstral coefficients, logarithmically scaled Mel-spectrograms, and the internal representation of the Perception Model from Dau, Kollmeier, and Kohlrausch [(1997). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 102(5), 2892-2905]. The proposed framework was successfully employed to simulate all experiments with a common parameter set and obtain objective thresholds with less assumptions compared to traditional modeling approaches. Depending on the feature set, the simulated reference-free thresholds were found to agree with-and hence to predict-empirical data from the literature. Across-frequency processing was found to be crucial to accurately model the lower speech reception threshold in modulated noise conditions than in stationary noise conditions.

Subthalamic stimulation differentially modulates declarative and nondeclarative memory.

PubMed

Hälbig, Thomas D; Gruber, Doreen; Kopp, Ute A; Scherer, Peter; Schneider, Gerd-Helge; Trottenberg, Thomas; Arnold, Guy; Kupsch, Andreas

2004-03-01

Declarative memory has been reported to rely on the medial temporal lobe system, whereas non-declarative memory depends on basal ganglia structures. We investigated the functional role of the subthalamic nucleus (STN), a structure closely connected with the basal ganglia for both types of memory. Via deep brain high frequency stimulation (DBS) we manipulated neural activity of the STN in humans. We found that DBS-STN differentially modulated memory performance: declarative memory was impaired, whereas non-declarative memory was improved in the presence of STN-DBS indicating a specific role of the STN in the activation of memory systems. Copyright 2004 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

FREQUENCY MODULATION OF DIRECTLY IMAGED EXOPLANETS: GEOMETRIC EFFECT AS A PROBE OF PLANETARY OBLIQUITY

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kawahara, Hajime, E-mail: kawahara@eps.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp; Research Center for the Early Universe, School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033

2016-05-10

We consider the time–frequency analysis of a scattered light curve of a directly imaged exoplanet. We show that the geometric effect due to planetary obliquity and orbital inclination induce the frequency modulation of the apparent diurnal periodicity. We construct a model of the frequency modulation and compare it with the instantaneous frequency extracted from the pseudo-Wigner distribution of simulated light curves of a cloudless Earth. The model provides good agreement with the simulated modulation factor, even for the light curve with Gaussian noise comparable to the signal. Notably, the shape of the instantaneous frequency is sensitive to the difference betweenmore » the prograde, retrograde, and pole-on spin rotations. While our technique requires the albedo map to be static, it does not need to solve the albedo map of the planet. The time–frequency analysis is complementary to other methods which utilize the amplitude modulation. This paper demonstrates the importance of the frequency domain of the photometric variability for the characterization of directly imaged exoplanets in future research.« less

Polarimetric Imaging using Two Photoelastic Modulators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Yu; Cunningham, Thomas; Diner, David; Davis, Edgar; Sun, Chao; Hancock, Bruce; Gutt, Gary; Zan, Jason; Raouf, Nasrat

2009-01-01

A method of polarimetric imaging, now undergoing development, involves the use of two photoelastic modulators in series, driven at equal amplitude but at different frequencies. The net effect on a beam of light is to cause (1) the direction of its polarization to rotate at the average of two excitation frequencies and (2) the amplitude of its polarization to be modulated at the beat frequency (the difference between the two excitation frequencies). The resulting modulated optical light beam is made to pass through a polarizing filter and is detected at the beat frequency, which can be chosen to equal the frame rate of an electronic camera or the rate of sampling the outputs of photodetectors in an array. The method was conceived to satisfy a need to perform highly accurate polarimetric imaging, without cross-talk between polarization channels, at frame rates of the order of tens of hertz. The use of electro-optical modulators is necessitated by a need to obtain accuracy greater than that attainable by use of static polarizing filters over separate fixed detectors. For imaging, photoelastic modulators are preferable to such other electrio-optical modulators as Kerr cells and Pockels cells in that photoelastic modulators operate at lower voltages, have greater angular acceptances, and are easier to use. Prior to the conception of the present method, polarimetric imaging at frame rates of tens of hertz using photoelastic modulators was not possible because the resonance frequencies of photoelastic modulators usually lie in the range from about 20 to about 100 kHz.

Photonic harmonic up-converter based on a self-oscillating optical frequency comb using a DP-DPMZM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Xuedi; Li, Shangyuan; Xie, Zhengyang; Peng, Shaowen; Wu, Dexin; Xue, Xiaoxiao; Zheng, Xiaoping; Zhou, Bingkun

2018-04-01

A photonic harmonic up-converter based on a self-oscillating optical frequency comb (OFC) utilizing an integrated dual-polarization dual-parallel Mach-Zehnder Modulator (DP-DPMZM) is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. One DPMZM is used to generate the optoelectronic oscillator (OEO)-based OFC, and the rest one is used to generate the optical-modulated intermediate frequency (IF) signal. Beating these two signals, the up-converted signals at different bands would be obtained. As the OFC is generated based on the OEO loop, phase noise can be very low, ensuring good phase noise properties of the up-converted signals. Moreover, frequency spacing between the combs is dependent on oscillating frequency of the OEO, which can be as large as tens of gigahertz. Thus IF signals with large bandwidth can be up-converted to RF bands without aliasing. Experimentally, the 2.5 GHz IF signal is simultaneously up-converted to 13.3, 24.1, and 34.9 GHz by a self-oscillating 7-line OFC spacing at 10.8 GHz. Owing to good phase noise property of the OEO, the up-converted signals at 13.3 and 24.1 GHz maintain the phase noise of the IF signal from 1 KHz to 100 KHz offset. The results show that the converter is promising for multi-band radar and satellite navigation applications.

Large scale modulation of high frequency acoustic waves in periodic porous media.

PubMed

Boutin, Claude; Rallu, Antoine; Hans, Stephane

2012-12-01

This paper deals with the description of the modulation at large scale of high frequency acoustic waves in gas saturated periodic porous media. High frequencies mean local dynamics at the pore scale and therefore absence of scale separation in the usual sense of homogenization. However, although the pressure is spatially varying in the pores (according to periodic eigenmodes), the mode amplitude can present a large scale modulation, thereby introducing another type of scale separation to which the asymptotic multi-scale procedure applies. The approach is first presented on a periodic network of inter-connected Helmholtz resonators. The equations governing the modulations carried by periodic eigenmodes, at frequencies close to their eigenfrequency, are derived. The number of cells on which the carrying periodic mode is defined is therefore a parameter of the modeling. In a second part, the asymptotic approach is developed for periodic porous media saturated by a perfect gas. Using the "multicells" periodic condition, one obtains the family of equations governing the amplitude modulation at large scale of high frequency waves. The significant difference between modulations of simple and multiple mode are evidenced and discussed. The features of the modulation (anisotropy, width of frequency band) are also analyzed.

The independent and combined effects of respiratory events and cortical arousals on the autonomic nervous system across sleep stages.

PubMed

Liang, Jiuxing; Zhang, Xiangmin; He, Xiaomin; Ling, Li; Zeng, Chunyao; Luo, Yuxi

2018-05-10

During sleep, respiratory events readily modulate the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Whether such modulation is caused by the respiratory event itself or the cortical arousal that follows and whether these influences differ across sleep stages are not clear. Thus, we aimed to study the independent and combined effects of respiratory events and cortical arousals on the ANS across sleep stages. We recruited 22 male patients with sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (SAHS) and analyzed the differences in the indices of heart rate variability among normal respiration (NR), pathological respiratory events without cortical arousals (PR), cortical arousals without respiratory events (CA), and the coexistence of PR and CA (PR&CA), by sleep stage. Compared with NR, four indices of variation of the beat-to-beat interval demonstrated consistent results in all sleep stages generally: PR&CA showed the biggest difference, followed by PR and followed by CA, which exhibited the least difference. Thus, the respiratory event itself affects ANS modulation, but the cortical arousal that follows generally enhances this effect. For low-frequency power and low-frequency/high-frequency power ratio (LF/HF), PR&CA had the greatest impact. For mean beat-to-beat interval and high-frequency power (HFP), the influence of PR, CA, and PR&CA depended on sleep depth. However, PR&CA had a different influence on HFP in N2 stage vs. REM stage. Sleep stage also has an effect on this neuromodulatory mechanism. These findings may help clarify the relationship between SAHS and cardiovascular disease.

Chromium:forsterite laser frequency comb stabilization and development of portable frequency references inside a hollow optical fiber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thapa, Rajesh

We have made significant accomplishments in the development of portable frequency standard inside hollow optical fibers. Such standards will improve portable optical frequency references available to the telecommunications industry. Our approach relies on the development of a stabilized Cr:forsterite laser to generate the frequency comb in the near-IR region. This laser is self referenced and locked to a CW laser which in turn is stabilized to a sub-Doppler feature of a molecular transition. The molecular transition is realized using a hollow core fiber filled with acetylene gas. We finally measured the absolute frequency of these molecular transitions to characterize the references. In this thesis, the major ideas, techniques and experimental results for the development and absolute frequency measurement of the portable frequency references are presented. A prism-based Cr:forsterite frequency comb is stabilized. We have effectively used the prism modulation along with power modulation inside the cavity in order to actively stabilize the frequency comb. We have also studied the carrier-envelope-offset frequency (f0) dynamics of the laser and its effect on laser stabilization. A reduction of f0 linewidth from ˜2 MHz to ˜20 kHz has also been observed. Both our in-loop and out-of-loop measurements of the comb stability showed that the comb is stable within a part in 1011 at 1-s gate time and is currently limited by our reference signal. In order to develop this portable frequency standard, saturated absorption spectroscopy is performed on the acetylene v1 + v3 band near 1532 nm inside different kinds of hollow optical fibers. The observed linewidths are a factor 2 narrower in the 20 mum fiber as compared to 10 mum fiber, and vary from 20-40 MHz depending on pressure and power. The 70 mum kagome fiber shows a further reduction in linewidth to less than 10 MHz. In order to seal the gas inside the hollow optical fiber, we have also developed a technique of splicing the hollow fiber to solid fiber in a standard commercial arc splicer, rather than the more expensive filament splicer, and achieved comparable splice loss. We locked a CW laser to the saturated absorption feature using a Frequency Modulation technique and then compared to an optical frequency comb. The stabilized frequency comb, providing a dense grid of reference frequencies in near-infrared region is used to characterize and measure the absolute frequency reference based on these hollow optical fibers.

Frequency-doubled microwave waveforms generation using a dual-polarization quadrature phase shift keying modulator driven by a single frequency radio frequency signal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Zihang; Zhao, Shanghong; Li, Xuan; Qu, Kun; Lin, Tao

2018-01-01

A photonic approach to generate frequency-doubled microwave waveforms using an integrated dual-polarization quadrature phase shift keying (DP-QPSK) modulator driven by a sinusoidal radio frequency (RF) signal is proposed. By adjusting the dc bias points of the DP-QPSK modulator, the obtained second-order and six-order harmonics are in phase while the fourth-order harmonics are complementary when the orthogonal polarized outputs of the modulator are photodetected. After properly setting the modulation indices of the modulator, the amplitude of the second-order harmonic is 9 times of that of the six-order harmonic, indicating a frequency-doubled triangular waveform is generated. If a broadband 90° microwave phase shifter is attached after the photodetector (PD) to introduce a 90° phase shift, a frequency-doubled square waveform can be obtained after adjusting the amplitude of the second-order harmonic 3 times of that of the six-order harmonic. The proposal is first theoretically analyzed and then validated by simulation. Simulation results show that a 10 GHz triangular and square waveform sequences are successfully generated from a 5 GHz sinusoidal RF drive signal.

Ultimate linewidth reduction of a semiconductor laser frequency-stabilized to a Fabry-Pérot interferometer.

PubMed

Bahoura, Messaoud; Clairon, André

2003-11-01

We report a theoretical dynamical analysis on effect of semiconductor laser phase noise on the achievable linewidth when locked to a Fabry-Pérot cavity fringe using a modulation-demodulation frequency stabilization technique such as the commonly used Pound-Drever-Hall frequency locking scheme. We show that, in the optical domain, the modulation-demodulation operation produces, in the presence of semiconductor laser phase noise, two kinds of excess noise, which could be much above the shot noise limit, namely, conversion noise (PM-to-AM) and intermodulation noise. We show that, in typical stabilization conditions, the ultimate semiconductor laser linewidth reduction can be severely limited by the intermodulation excess noise. The modulation-demodulation operation produces the undesirable nonlinear intermodulation effect through which the phase noise spectral components of the semiconductor laser, in the vicinity of even multiples of the modulation frequency, are downconverted into the bandpass of the frequency control loop. This adds a spurious signal, at the modulation frequency, to the error signal and limits the performance of the locked semiconductor laser. This effect, reported initially in the microwave domain using the quasistatic approximation, can be considerably reduced by a convenient choice of the modulation frequency.

Thickness-dependent carrier and phonon dynamics of topological insulator Bi2Te3 thin films.

PubMed

Zhao, Jie; Xu, Zhongjie; Zang, Yunyi; Gong, Yan; Zheng, Xin; He, Ke; Cheng, Xiang'ai; Jiang, Tian

2017-06-26

As a new quantum state of matter, topological insulators offer a new platform for exploring new physics, giving rise to fascinating new phenomena and new devices. Lots of novel physical properties of topological insulators have been studied extensively and are attributed to the unique electron-phonon interactions at the surface. Although electron behavior in topological insulators has been studied in detail, electron-phonon interactions at the surface of topological insulators are less understood. In this work, using optical pump-optical probe technology, we performed transient absorbance measurement on Bi 2 Te 3 thin films to study the dynamics of its hot carrier relaxation process and coherent phonon behavior. The excitation and dynamics of phonon modes are observed with a response dependent on the thickness of the samples. The thickness-dependent characteristic time, amplitude and frequency of the damped oscillating signals are acquired by fitting the signal profiles. The results clearly indicate that the electron-hole recombination process gradually become dominant with the increasing thickness which is consistent with our theoretical calculation. In addition, a frequency modulation phenomenon on the high-frequency oscillation signals induced by coherent optical phonons is observed.

Light beam frequency comb generator

DOEpatents

Priatko, G.J.; Kaskey, J.A.

1992-11-24

A light beam frequency comb generator uses an acousto-optic modulator to generate a plurality of light beams with frequencies which are uniformly separated and possess common noise and drift characteristics. A well collimated monochromatic input light beam is passed through this modulator to produce a set of both frequency shifted and unshifted optical beams. An optical system directs one or more frequency shifted beams along a path which is parallel to the path of the input light beam such that the frequency shifted beams are made incident on the modulator proximate to but separated from the point of incidence of the input light beam. After the beam is thus returned to and passed through the modulator repeatedly, a plurality of mutually parallel beams are generated which are frequency-shifted different numbers of times and possess common noise and drift characteristics. 2 figs.

Light beam frequency comb generator

DOEpatents

Priatko, Gordon J.; Kaskey, Jeffrey A.

1992-01-01

A light beam frequency comb generator uses an acousto-optic modulator to generate a plurality of light beams with frequencies which are uniformly separated and possess common noise and drift characteristics. A well collimated monochromatic input light beam is passed through this modulator to produce a set of both frequency shifted and unshifted optical beams. An optical system directs one or more frequency shifted beams along a path which is parallel to the path of the input light beam such that the frequency shifted beams are made incident on the modulator proximate to but separated from the point of incidence of the input light beam. After the beam is thus returned to and passed through the modulator repeatedly, a plurality of mutually parallel beams are generated which are frequency-shifted different numbers of times and possess common noise and drift characteristics.

Harmonic generation with a dual frequency pulse.

PubMed

Keravnou, Christina P; Averkiou, Michalakis A

2014-05-01

Nonlinear imaging was implemented in commercial ultrasound systems over the last 15 years offering major advantages in many clinical applications. In this work, pulsing schemes coupled with a dual frequency pulse are presented. The pulsing schemes considered were pulse inversion, power modulation, and power modulated pulse inversion. The pulse contains a fundamental frequency f and a specified amount of its second harmonic 2f. The advantages and limitations of this method were evaluated with both acoustic measurements of harmonic generation and theoretical simulations based on the KZK equation. The use of two frequencies in a pulse results in the generation of the sum and difference frequency components in addition to the other harmonic components. While with single frequency pulses, only power modulation and power modulated pulse inversion contained odd harmonic components, with the dual frequency pulse, pulse inversion now also contains odd harmonic components.

Nonlinear dynamics of cardiovascular ageing

PubMed Central

Shiogai, Y.; Stefanovska, A.; McClintock, P.V.E.

2010-01-01

The application of methods drawn from nonlinear and stochastic dynamics to the analysis of cardiovascular time series is reviewed, with particular reference to the identification of changes associated with ageing. The natural variability of the heart rate (HRV) is considered in detail, including the respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) corresponding to modulation of the instantaneous cardiac frequency by the rhythm of respiration. HRV has been intensively studied using traditional spectral analyses, e.g. by Fourier transform or autoregressive methods, and, because of its complexity, has been used as a paradigm for testing several proposed new methods of complexity analysis. These methods are reviewed. The application of time–frequency methods to HRV is considered, including in particular the wavelet transform which can resolve the time-dependent spectral content of HRV. Attention is focused on the cardio-respiratory interaction by introduction of the respiratory frequency variability signal (RFV), which can be acquired simultaneously with HRV by use of a respiratory effort transducer. Current methods for the analysis of interacting oscillators are reviewed and applied to cardio-respiratory data, including those for the quantification of synchronization and direction of coupling. These reveal the effect of ageing on the cardio-respiratory interaction through changes in the mutual modulation of the instantaneous cardiac and respiratory frequencies. Analyses of blood flow signals recorded with laser Doppler flowmetry are reviewed and related to the current understanding of how endothelial-dependent oscillations evolve with age: the inner lining of the vessels (the endothelium) is shown to be of crucial importance to the emerging picture. It is concluded that analyses of the complex and nonlinear dynamics of the cardiovascular system can illuminate the mechanisms of blood circulation, and that the heart, the lungs and the vascular system function as a single entity in dynamical terms. Clear evidence is found for dynamical ageing. PMID:20396667

Nonlinear dynamics of cardiovascular ageing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shiogai, Y.; Stefanovska, A.; McClintock, P. V. E.

2010-03-01

The application of methods drawn from nonlinear and stochastic dynamics to the analysis of cardiovascular time series is reviewed, with particular reference to the identification of changes associated with ageing. The natural variability of the heart rate (HRV) is considered in detail, including the respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) corresponding to modulation of the instantaneous cardiac frequency by the rhythm of respiration. HRV has been intensively studied using traditional spectral analyses, e.g. by Fourier transform or autoregressive methods, and, because of its complexity, has been used as a paradigm for testing several proposed new methods of complexity analysis. These methods are reviewed. The application of time-frequency methods to HRV is considered, including in particular the wavelet transform which can resolve the time-dependent spectral content of HRV. Attention is focused on the cardio-respiratory interaction by introduction of the respiratory frequency variability signal (RFV), which can be acquired simultaneously with HRV by use of a respiratory effort transducer. Current methods for the analysis of interacting oscillators are reviewed and applied to cardio-respiratory data, including those for the quantification of synchronization and direction of coupling. These reveal the effect of ageing on the cardio-respiratory interaction through changes in the mutual modulation of the instantaneous cardiac and respiratory frequencies. Analyses of blood flow signals recorded with laser Doppler flowmetry are reviewed and related to the current understanding of how endothelial-dependent oscillations evolve with age: the inner lining of the vessels (the endothelium) is shown to be of crucial importance to the emerging picture. It is concluded that analyses of the complex and nonlinear dynamics of the cardiovascular system can illuminate the mechanisms of blood circulation, and that the heart, the lungs and the vascular system function as a single entity in dynamical terms. Clear evidence is found for dynamical ageing.

Gap Detection and Temporal Modulation Transfer Function as Behavioral Estimates of Auditory Temporal Acuity Using Band-Limited Stimuli in Young and Older Adults

PubMed Central

Shen, Yi

2015-01-01

Purpose Gap detection and the temporal modulation transfer function (TMTF) are 2 common methods to obtain behavioral estimates of auditory temporal acuity. However, the agreement between the 2 measures is not clear. This study compares results from these 2 methods and their dependencies on listener age and hearing status. Method Gap detection thresholds and the parameters that describe the TMTF (sensitivity and cutoff frequency) were estimated for young and older listeners who were naive to the experimental tasks. Stimuli were 800-Hz-wide noises with upper frequency limits of 2400 Hz, presented at 85 dB SPL. A 2-track procedure (Shen & Richards, 2013) was used for the efficient estimation of the TMTF. Results No significant correlation was found between gap detection threshold and the sensitivity or the cutoff frequency of the TMTF. No significant effect of age and hearing loss on either the gap detection threshold or the TMTF cutoff frequency was found, while the TMTF sensitivity improved with increasing hearing threshold and worsened with increasing age. Conclusion Estimates of temporal acuity using gap detection and TMTF paradigms do not seem to provide a consistent description of the effects of listener age and hearing status on temporal envelope processing. PMID:25087722

Frequency-Modulated Continuous Flow Analysis Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry (FM-CFA-ESI-MS) for Sample Multiplexing.

PubMed

Filla, Robert T; Schrell, Adrian M; Coulton, John B; Edwards, James L; Roper, Michael G

2018-02-20

A method for multiplexed sample analysis by mass spectrometry without the need for chemical tagging is presented. In this new method, each sample is pulsed at unique frequencies, mixed, and delivered to the mass spectrometer while maintaining a constant total flow rate. Reconstructed ion currents are then a time-dependent signal consisting of the sum of the ion currents from the various samples. Spectral deconvolution of each reconstructed ion current reveals the identity of each sample, encoded by its unique frequency, and its concentration encoded by the peak height in the frequency domain. This technique is different from other approaches that have been described, which have used modulation techniques to increase the signal-to-noise ratio of a single sample. As proof of concept of this new method, two samples containing up to 9 analytes were multiplexed. The linear dynamic range of the calibration curve was increased with extended acquisition times of the experiment and longer oscillation periods of the samples. Because of the combination of the samples, salt had little effect on the ability of this method to achieve relative quantitation. Continued development of this method is expected to allow for increased numbers of samples that can be multiplexed.

Neuronal Responses in the Globus Pallidus during Subthalamic Nucleus Electrical Stimulation in Normal and Parkinson's Disease Model Rats

PubMed Central

Ryu, Sang Baek; Bae, Eun Kyung; Kim, Jinhyung; Hwang, Yong Sup; Im, Changkyun; Chang, Jin Woo; Shin, Hyung-Cheul

2013-01-01

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) has been widely used as a treatment for the movement disturbances caused by Parkinson's disease (PD). Despite successful application of DBS, its mechanism of therapeutic effect is not clearly understood. Because PD results from the degeneration of dopamine neurons that affect the basal ganglia (BG) network, investigation of neuronal responses of BG neurons during STN DBS can provide informative insights for the understanding of the mechanism of therapeutic effect. However, it is difficult to observe neuronal activity during DBS because of large stimulation artifacts. Here, we report the observation of neuronal activities of the globus pallidus (GP) in normal and PD model rats during electrical stimulation of the STN. A custom artifact removal technique was devised to enable monitoring of neural activity during stimulation. We investigated how GP neurons responded to STN stimulation at various stimulation frequencies (10, 50, 90 and 130 Hz). It was observed that activities of GP neurons were modulated by stimulation frequency of the STN and significantly inhibited by high frequency stimulation above 50 Hz. These findings suggest that GP neuronal activity is effectively modulated by STN stimulation and strongly dependent on the frequency of stimulation. PMID:23946689

Method and apparatus for coherent burst ranging

DOEpatents

Wachter, Eric A.; Fisher, Walter G.

1998-01-01

A high resolution ranging method is described utilizing a novel modulated waveform, hereafter referred to as coherent burst modulation. In the coherent burst method, high frequency modulation of an acoustic or electromagnetic transmitter, such as a laser, is performed at a modulation frequency. This modulation frequency is transmitted quasi-continuously in the form of interrupted bursts of radiation. Energy from the transmitter is directed onto a target, interacts with the target, and the returning energy is collected. The encoded burst pattern contained in the collected return signal is detected coherently by a receiver that is tuned so as to be principally sensitive to the modulation frequency. The receiver signal is processed to determine target range using both time-of-flight of the burst envelope and phase shift of the high frequency modulation. This approach effectively decouples the maximum unambiguous range and range resolution relationship of earlier methods, thereby allowing high precision ranging to be conducted at arbitrarily long distances using at least one burst of encoded energy. The use of a receiver tuned to the high frequency modulation contained within the coherent burst vastly improves both sensitivity in the detection of the target return signal and rejection of background interferences, such as ambient acoustic or electromagnetic noise. Simultaneous transmission at several energies (or wavelengths) is possible by encoding each energy with a separate modulation frequency or pattern; electronic demodulation at the receiver allows the return pattern for each energy to be monitored independently. Radial velocity of a target can also be determined by monitoring change in phase shift of the return signal as a function of time.

Method and apparatus for coherent burst ranging

DOEpatents

Wachter, E.A.; Fisher, W.G.

1998-04-28

A high resolution ranging method is described utilizing a novel modulated waveform, hereafter referred to as coherent burst modulation. In the coherent burst method, high frequency modulation of an acoustic or electromagnetic transmitter, such as a laser, is performed at a modulation frequency. This modulation frequency is transmitted quasi-continuously in the form of interrupted bursts of radiation. Energy from the transmitter is directed onto a target, interacts with the target, and the returning energy is collected. The encoded burst pattern contained in the collected return signal is detected coherently by a receiver that is tuned so as to be principally sensitive to the modulation frequency. The receiver signal is processed to determine target range using both time-of-flight of the burst envelope and phase shift of the high frequency modulation. This approach effectively decouples the maximum unambiguous range and range resolution relationship of earlier methods, thereby allowing high precision ranging to be conducted at arbitrarily long distances using at least one burst of encoded energy. The use of a receiver tuned to the high frequency modulation contained within the coherent burst vastly improves both sensitivity in the detection of the target return signal and rejection of background interferences, such as ambient acoustic or electromagnetic noise. Simultaneous transmission at several energies (or wavelengths) is possible by encoding each energy with a separate modulation frequency or pattern; electronic demodulation at the receiver allows the return pattern for each energy to be monitored independently. Radial velocity of a target can also be determined by monitoring change in phase shift of the return signal as a function of time. 12 figs.

Controller for controlling operation of at least one electrical load operating on an AC supply, and a method thereof

DOEpatents

Cantin, Luc; Deschenes, Mario; D'Amours, Mario

1995-08-15

A controller is provided for controlling operation of at least one electrical load operating on an AC supply having a typical frequency, the AC supply being provided via power transformers by an electrical power distribution grid. The controller is associated with the load and comprises an input interface for coupling the controller to the grid, a frequency detector for detecting the frequency of the AC supply and producing a signal indicative of the frequency, memory modules for storing preprogrammed commands, a frequency monitor for reading the signal indicative of the frequency and producing frequency data derived thereof, a selector for selecting at least one of the preprogrammed commands with respect to the frequency data, a control unit for producing at least one command signal representative of the selected preprogrammed commands, and an output interface including a device responsive to the command signal for controlling the load. Therefore, the load can be controlled by means of the controller depending on the frequency of the AC supply.

Ultrafast strong-field photoelectron emission from biased metal surfaces: exact solution to time-dependent Schrödinger Equation

PubMed Central

Zhang, Peng; Lau, Y. Y.

2016-01-01

Laser-driven ultrafast electron emission offers the possibility of manipulation and control of coherent electron motion in ultrashort spatiotemporal scales. Here, an analytical solution is constructed for the highly nonlinear electron emission from a dc biased metal surface illuminated by a single frequency laser, by solving the time-dependent Schrödinger equation exactly. The solution is valid for arbitrary combinations of dc electric field, laser electric field, laser frequency, metal work function and Fermi level. Various emission mechanisms, such as multiphoton absorption or emission, optical or dc field emission, are all included in this single formulation. The transition between different emission processes is analyzed in detail. The time-dependent emission current reveals that intense current modulation may be possible even with a low intensity laser, by merely increasing the applied dc bias. The results provide insights into the electron pulse generation and manipulation for many novel applications based on ultrafast laser-induced electron emission. PMID:26818710

Multiple frequency optical mixer and demultiplexer and apparatus for remote sensing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Jeffrey R. (Inventor)

2010-01-01

A pulsed laser system includes a modulator module configured to provide pulsed electrical signals and a plurality of solid-state seed sources coupled to the modulator module and configured to operate, responsive to the pulsed electrical signals, in a pulse mode. Each of the plurality of solid-state seed sources is tuned to a different frequency channel separated from any adjacent frequency channel by a frequency offset. The pulsed laser system also includes a combiner that combines outputs from each of the solid state seed sources into a single optical path and an optical doubler and demultiplexer coupled to the single optical path and providing each doubled seed frequency on a separate output path.

Rate-dependent Ca2+ signalling underlying the force-frequency response in rat ventricular myocytes: a coupled electromechanical modeling study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Rate-dependent effects on the Ca2+ sub-system in a rat ventricular myocyte are investigated. Here, we employ a deterministic mathematical model describing various Ca2+ signalling pathways under voltage clamp (VC) conditions, to better understand the important role of calmodulin (CaM) in modulating the key control variables Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase-II (CaMKII), calcineurin (CaN), and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) as they affect various intracellular targets. In particular, we study the frequency dependence of the peak force generated by the myofilaments, the force-frequency response (FFR). Methods Our cell model incorporates frequency-dependent CaM-mediated spatially heterogenous interaction of CaMKII and CaN with their principal targets (dihydropyridine (DHPR) and ryanodine (RyR) receptors and the SERCA pump). It also accounts for the rate-dependent effects of phospholamban (PLB) on the SERCA pump; the rate-dependent role of cAMP in up-regulation of the L-type Ca2+ channel (ICa,L); and the enhancement in SERCA pump activity via phosphorylation of PLB. Results Our model reproduces positive peak FFR observed in rat ventricular myocytes during voltage-clamp studies both in the presence/absence of cAMP mediated β-adrenergic stimulation. This study provides quantitative insight into the rate-dependence of Ca2+-induced Ca2+-release (CICR) by investigating the frequency-dependence of the trigger current (ICa,L) and RyR-release. It also highlights the relative role of the sodium-calcium exchanger (NCX) and the SERCA pump at higher frequencies, as well as the rate-dependence of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ content. A rigorous Ca2+ balance imposed on our investigation of these Ca2+ signalling pathways clarifies their individual roles. Here, we present a coupled electromechanical study emphasizing the rate-dependence of isometric force developed and also investigate the temperature-dependence of FFR. Conclusions Our model provides mechanistic biophysically based explanations for the rate-dependence of CICR, generating useful and testable hypotheses. Although rat ventricular myocytes exhibit a positive peak FFR in the presence/absence of beta-adrenergic stimulation, they show a characteristic increase in the positive slope in FFR due to the presence of Norepinephrine or Isoproterenol. Our study identifies cAMP-mediated stimulation, and rate-dependent CaMKII-mediated up-regulation of ICa,L as the key mechanisms underlying the aforementioned positive FFR. PMID:24020888

Switching circuit to improve the frequency modulation difference-intensity THz quantum cascade laser imaging

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Saat, N. K.; Dean, P.; Khanna, S. P.

2015-04-24

We demonstrate new switching circuit for difference-intensity THz quantum cascade laser (QCL) imaging by amplitude modulation and lock in detection. The switching circuit is designed to improve the frequency modulation so that it can stably lock the amplitude modulation of the QCL and the detector output. The combination of a voltage divider and a buffer in switching circuit to quickly switch the amplitude of the QCL biases of 15.8 V and 17.2 V is successfully to increase the frequency modulation up to ∼100 Hz.

System for adjusting frequency of electrical output pulses derived from an oscillator

DOEpatents

Bartholomew, David B.

2006-11-14

A system for setting and adjusting a frequency of electrical output pulses derived from an oscillator in a network is disclosed. The system comprises an accumulator module configured to receive pulses from an oscillator and to output an accumulated value. An adjustor module is configured to store an adjustor value used to correct local oscillator drift. A digital adder adds values from the accumulator module to values stored in the adjustor module and outputs their sums to the accumulator module, where they are stored. The digital adder also outputs an electrical pulse to a logic module. The logic module is in electrical communication with the adjustor module and the network. The logic module may change the value stored in the adjustor module to compensate for local oscillator drift or change the frequency of output pulses. The logic module may also keep time and calculate drift.

Fiber-based polarization-sensitive Mueller matrix optical coherence tomography with continuous source polarization modulation.

PubMed

Jiao, Shuliang; Todorović, Milos; Stoica, George; Wang, Lihong V

2005-09-10

We report on a new configuration of fiber-based polarization-sensitive Mueller matrix optical coherence tomography that permits the acquisition of the round-trip Jones matrix of a biological sample using only one light source and a single depth scan. In this new configuration, a polarization modulator is used in the source arm to continuously modulate the incident polarization state for both the reference and the sample arms. The Jones matrix of the sample can be calculated from the two frequency terms in the two detection channels. The first term is modulated by the carrier frequency, which is determined by the longitudinal scanning mechanism, whereas the other term is modulated by the beat frequency between the carrier frequency and the second harmonic of the modulation frequency of the polarization modulator. One important feature of this system is that, for the first time to our knowledge, the Jones matrix of the sample can be calculated with a single detection channel and a single measurement when diattenuation is negligible. The system was successfully tested by imaging both standard polarization elements and biological samples.

Sensitivity of human auditory cortex to rapid frequency modulation revealed by multivariate representational similarity analysis.

PubMed

Joanisse, Marc F; DeSouza, Diedre D

2014-01-01

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) was used to investigate the extent, magnitude, and pattern of brain activity in response to rapid frequency-modulated sounds. We examined this by manipulating the direction (rise vs. fall) and the rate (fast vs. slow) of the apparent pitch of iterated rippled noise (IRN) bursts. Acoustic parameters were selected to capture features used in phoneme contrasts, however the stimuli themselves were not perceived as speech per se. Participants were scanned as they passively listened to sounds in an event-related paradigm. Univariate analyses revealed a greater level and extent of activation in bilateral auditory cortex in response to frequency-modulated sweeps compared to steady-state sounds. This effect was stronger in the left hemisphere. However, no regions showed selectivity for either rate or direction of frequency modulation. In contrast, multivoxel pattern analysis (MVPA) revealed feature-specific encoding for direction of modulation in auditory cortex bilaterally. Moreover, this effect was strongest when analyses were restricted to anatomical regions lying outside Heschl's gyrus. We found no support for feature-specific encoding of frequency modulation rate. Differential findings of modulation rate and direction of modulation are discussed with respect to their relevance to phonetic discrimination.

Generation of Optical Millimeter Wave Using Two Cascaded Polarization Modulators Based on Frequency Octupling Without Filtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Yang; Ma, Jianxin; Zhang, Ruijiao; Xin, Xiangjun; Zhang, Junyi

2015-11-01

An approach to generate an optical millimeter wave is introduced with frequency octupling using two cascaded polarization modulators followed by polarizers, respectively. By adjusting the modulation indexes of polarization modulators, only the ±4th-order sidebands are generated with a pure spectrum. Since no filter is needed, the proposed technique can be used to generate a frequency-tunable millimeter wave with a large frequency-tunable range. To prove the feasibility of the proposed approach, a simulation is conducted to generate an 80-GHz millimeter wave, and then its transmission performance is checked.

Extension of wavelength-modulation spectroscopy to large modulation depth for diode laser absorption measurements in high-pressure gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Hejie; Rieker, Gregory B.; Liu, Xiang; Jeffries, Jay B.; Hanson, Ronald K.

2006-02-01

Tunable diode laser absorption measurements at high pressures by use of wavelength-modulation spectroscopy (WMS) require large modulation depths for optimum detection of molecular absorption spectra blended by collisional broadening or dense spacing of the rovibrational transitions. Diode lasers have a large and nonlinear intensity modulation when the wavelength is modulated over a large range by injection-current tuning. In addition to this intensity modulation, other laser performance parameters are measured, including the phase shift between the frequency modulation and the intensity modulation. Following published theory, these parameters are incorporated into an improved model of the WMS signal. The influence of these nonideal laser effects is investigated by means of wavelength-scanned WMS measurements as a function of bath gas pressure on rovibrational transitions of water vapor near 1388 nm. Lock-in detection of the magnitude of the 2f signal is performed to remove the dependence on detection phase. We find good agreement between measurements and the improved model developed for the 2f component of the WMS signal. The effects of the nonideal performance parameters of commercial diode lasers are especially important away from the line center of discrete spectra, and these contributions become more pronounced for 2f signals with the large modulation depths needed for WMS at elevated pressures.

Anisotropic emission of neutrino and gravitational-wave signals from rapidly rotating core-collapse supernovae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takiwaki, Tomoya; Kotake, Kei

2018-03-01

We present analysis on neutrino and GW signals based on three-dimensional (3D) core-collapse supernova simulations of a rapidly rotating 27 M⊙ star. We find a new neutrino signature that is produced by a lighthouse effect where the spinning of strong neutrino emission regions around the rotational axis leads to quasi-periodic modulation in the neutrino signal. Depending on the observer's viewing angle, the time modulation will be clearly detectable in IceCube and the future Hyper-Kamiokande. The GW emission is also anisotropic where the GW signal is emitted, as previously identified, most strongly towards the equator at rotating core-collapse and bounce, and the non-axisymmetric instabilities in the postbounce phase lead to stronger GW emission towards the spin axis. We show that these GW signals can be a target of LIGO-class detectors for a Galactic event. The origin of the postbounce GW emission naturally explains why the peak GW frequency is about twice of the neutrino modulation frequency. We point out that the simultaneous detection of the rotation-induced neutrino and GW signatures could provide a smoking-gun signature of a rapidly rotating proto-neutron star at the birth.

Specific innovative semi-transparent solar cell for indoor and outdoor LiFi applications.

PubMed

Bialic, Emilie; Maret, Luc; Kténas, Dimitri

2015-09-20

Research in light-fidelity (LiFi), also called visible light communication (VLC), has gained huge interest. In such a communication system, an optical sensor translates the received luminous modulation flux into an electrical signal which is decoded. To consider LiFi as an alternative solution for wireless communication, the receiver must be operational in indoor and outdoor configurations. Photovoltaic modules could appear as a solution to this issue. In this paper, we present signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) response in the frequency of two different kinds of photovoltaic modules. We characterize in detail the SNR by using an experimental setup which connects a software-based direct current optical (DCO)-orthogonal frequency division multiiplexing emitter and receiver to hardware optical front ends. We analyze LiFi performances under different lighting conditions. We prove that the available bandwidth depends drastically on ambient lighting configurations. Under specific lighting conditions, a bandwidth around 4 MHz corresponding a data rate around 8 Mbit/s could be achieved. We present the lighting saturation effects and we prove that the semi-transparent solar cell under study improves their performances (both bandwidth and data rate) in high ambient lighting environments.

Nonlinear Right-Hand Polarized Wave in Plasma in the Electron Cyclotron Resonance Region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krasovitskiy, V. B.; Turikov, V. A.

2018-05-01

The propagation of a nonlinear right-hand polarized wave along an external magnetic field in subcritical plasma in the electron cyclotron resonance region is studied using numerical simulations. It is shown that a small-amplitude plasma wave excited in low-density plasma is unstable against modulation instability with a modulation period equal to the wavelength of the excited wave. The modulation amplitude in this case increases with decreasing detuning from the resonance frequency. The simulations have shown that, for large-amplitude waves of the laser frequency range propagating in plasma in a superstrong magnetic field, the maximum amplitude of the excited longitudinal electric field increases with the increasing external magnetic field and can reach 30% of the initial amplitude of the electric field in the laser wave. In this case, the energy of plasma electrons begins to substantially increase already at magnetic fields significantly lower than the resonance value. The laser energy transferred to plasma electrons in a strong external magnetic field is found to increase severalfold compared to that in isotropic plasma. It is shown that this mechanism of laser radiation absorption depends only slightly on the electron temperature.

Temporal modulation transfer functions in cochlear implantees using a method that limits overall loudness cues

PubMed Central

Fraser, Matthew; McKay, Colette M.

2012-01-01

Temporal modulation transfer functions (TMTFs) were measured for six users of cochlear implants, using different carrier rates and levels. Unlike most previous studies investigating modulation detection, the experimental design limited potential effects of overall loudness cues. Psychometric functions (percent correct discrimination of modulated from unmodulated stimuli versus modulation depth) were obtained. For each modulation depth, each modulated stimulus was loudness balanced to the unmodulated reference stimulus, and level jitter was applied in the discrimination task. The loudness-balance data showed that the modulated stimuli were louder than the unmodulated reference stimuli with the same average current, thus confirming the need to limit loudness cues when measuring modulation detection. TMTFs measured in this way had a low-pass characteristic, with a cut-off frequency (at comfortably loud levels) similar to that for normal-hearing listeners. A reduction in level caused degradation in modulation detection efficiency and a lower-cut-off frequency (i.e. poorer temporal resolution). An increase in carrier rate also led to a degradation in modulation detection efficiency, but only at lower levels or higher modulation frequencies. When detection thresholds were expressed as a proportion of dynamic range, there was no effect of carrier rate for the lowest modulation frequency (50 Hz) at either level. PMID:22146425

Comparing the information conveyed by envelope modulation for speech intelligibility, speech quality, and music quality.

PubMed

Kates, James M; Arehart, Kathryn H

2015-10-01

This paper uses mutual information to quantify the relationship between envelope modulation fidelity and perceptual responses. Data from several previous experiments that measured speech intelligibility, speech quality, and music quality are evaluated for normal-hearing and hearing-impaired listeners. A model of the auditory periphery is used to generate envelope signals, and envelope modulation fidelity is calculated using the normalized cross-covariance of the degraded signal envelope with that of a reference signal. Two procedures are used to describe the envelope modulation: (1) modulation within each auditory frequency band and (2) spectro-temporal processing that analyzes the modulation of spectral ripple components fit to successive short-time spectra. The results indicate that low modulation rates provide the highest information for intelligibility, while high modulation rates provide the highest information for speech and music quality. The low-to-mid auditory frequencies are most important for intelligibility, while mid frequencies are most important for speech quality and high frequencies are most important for music quality. Differences between the spectral ripple components used for the spectro-temporal analysis were not significant in five of the six experimental conditions evaluated. The results indicate that different modulation-rate and auditory-frequency weights may be appropriate for indices designed to predict different types of perceptual relationships.

Comparing the information conveyed by envelope modulation for speech intelligibility, speech quality, and music quality

PubMed Central

Kates, James M.; Arehart, Kathryn H.

2015-01-01

This paper uses mutual information to quantify the relationship between envelope modulation fidelity and perceptual responses. Data from several previous experiments that measured speech intelligibility, speech quality, and music quality are evaluated for normal-hearing and hearing-impaired listeners. A model of the auditory periphery is used to generate envelope signals, and envelope modulation fidelity is calculated using the normalized cross-covariance of the degraded signal envelope with that of a reference signal. Two procedures are used to describe the envelope modulation: (1) modulation within each auditory frequency band and (2) spectro-temporal processing that analyzes the modulation of spectral ripple components fit to successive short-time spectra. The results indicate that low modulation rates provide the highest information for intelligibility, while high modulation rates provide the highest information for speech and music quality. The low-to-mid auditory frequencies are most important for intelligibility, while mid frequencies are most important for speech quality and high frequencies are most important for music quality. Differences between the spectral ripple components used for the spectro-temporal analysis were not significant in five of the six experimental conditions evaluated. The results indicate that different modulation-rate and auditory-frequency weights may be appropriate for indices designed to predict different types of perceptual relationships. PMID:26520329

Precision and broadband frequency swept laser source based on high-order modulation-sideband injection-locking.

PubMed

Wei, Fang; Lu, Bin; Wang, Jian; Xu, Dan; Pan, Zhengqing; Chen, Dijun; Cai, Haiwen; Qu, Ronghui

2015-02-23

A precision and broadband laser frequency swept technique is experimentally demonstrated. Using synchronous current compensation, a slave diode laser is dynamically injection-locked to a specific high-order modulation-sideband of a narrow-linewidth master laser modulated by an electro-optic modulator (EOM), whose driven radio frequency (RF) signal can be agilely, precisely controlled by a frequency synthesizer, and the high-order modulation-sideband enables multiplied sweep range and tuning rate. By using 5th order sideband injection-locking, the original tuning range of 3 GHz and tuning rate of 0.5 THz/s is multiplied by 5 times to 15 GHz and 2.5 THz/s respectively. The slave laser has a 3 dB-linewidth of 2.5 kHz which is the same to the master laser. The settling time response of a 10 MHz frequency switching is 2.5 µs. By using higher-order modulation-sideband and optimized experiment parameters, an extended sweep range and rate could be expected.

Super-contrast photoacoustic resonance imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Fei; Zhang, Ruochong; Feng, Xiaohua; Liu, Siyu; Zheng, Yuanjin

2018-02-01

In this paper, a new imaging modality, named photoacoustic resonance imaging (PARI), is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. Being distinct from conventional single nanosecond laser pulse induced wideband PA signal, the proposed PARI method utilizes multi-burst modulated laser source to induce PA resonant signal with enhanced signal strength and narrower bandwidth. Moreover, imaging contrast could be clearly improved than conventional single-pulse laser based PA imaging by selecting optimum modulation frequency of the laser source, which originates from physical properties of different materials beyond the optical absorption coefficient. Specifically, the imaging steps is as follows: 1: Perform conventional PA imaging by modulating the laser source as a short pulse to identify the location of the target and the background. 2: Shine modulated laser beam on the background and target respectively to characterize their individual resonance frequency by sweeping the modulation frequency of the CW laser source. 3: Select the resonance frequency of the target as the modulation frequency of the laser source, perform imaging and get the first PARI image. Then choose the resonance frequency of the background as the modulation frequency of the laser source, perform imaging and get the second PARI image. 4: subtract the first PARI image from the second PARI image, then we get the contrast-enhanced PARI results over the conventional PA imaging in step 1. Experimental validation on phantoms have been performed to show the merits of the proposed PARI method with much improved image contrast.

Differences in gamma frequencies across visual cortex restrict their possible use in computation.

PubMed

Ray, Supratim; Maunsell, John H R

2010-09-09

Neuronal oscillations in the gamma band (30-80 Hz) have been suggested to play a central role in feature binding or establishing channels for neural communication. For these functions, the gamma rhythm frequency must be consistent across neural assemblies encoding the features of a stimulus. Here we test the dependence of gamma frequency on stimulus contrast in V1 cortex of awake behaving macaques and show that gamma frequency increases monotonically with contrast. Changes in stimulus contrast over time leads to a reliable gamma frequency modulation on a fast timescale. Further, large stimuli whose contrast varies across space generate gamma rhythms at significantly different frequencies in simultaneously recorded neuronal assemblies separated by as little as 400 microm, making the gamma rhythm a poor candidate for binding or communication, at least in V1. Instead, our results suggest that the gamma rhythm arises from local interactions between excitation and inhibition. 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Frequency clusters in self-excited dust density waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menzel, Kristoffer O.; Arp, Oliver; Piel, Alexander

2010-11-01

Self-excited dust density waves were studied under microgravity conditions. Their non-sinusoidal shape and high degrees of modulation suggests that nonlinear effects play an important role in their spatio-temporal dynamics. The resulting complex wave pattern is analyzed in great detail by means of the Hilbert transform, which provides instantaneous wave attributes, such as the phase and the frequency. Our analysis showed that the spatial frequency distribution of the DDWs is usually not constant over the dust cloud. In contrast, the wave field is divided into regions of different but almost constant frequencies [1]. The boundaries of these so-called frequency clusters coincide with the locations of phase defects in the wave field. It is found that the size of the clusters depends on the strength of spatial gradients in the plasma parameters. We attribute the formation of frequency clusters to synchronization phenomena as a consequence of the nonlinear character of the wave.[1] K. O. Menzel, O. Arp, A.Piel, Phys. Rev. Lett. 104, 235002 (2010)

Oblique reconstructions in tomosynthesis. II. Super-resolution

PubMed Central

Acciavatti, Raymond J.; Maidment, Andrew D. A.

2013-01-01

Purpose: In tomosynthesis, super-resolution has been demonstrated using reconstruction planes parallel to the detector. Super-resolution allows for subpixel resolution relative to the detector. The purpose of this work is to develop an analytical model that generalizes super-resolution to oblique reconstruction planes. Methods: In a digital tomosynthesis system, a sinusoidal test object is modeled along oblique angles (i.e., “pitches”) relative to the plane of the detector in a 3D divergent-beam acquisition geometry. To investigate the potential for super-resolution, the input frequency is specified to be greater than the alias frequency of the detector. Reconstructions are evaluated in an oblique plane along the extent of the object using simple backprojection (SBP) and filtered backprojection (FBP). By comparing the amplitude of the reconstruction against the attenuation coefficient of the object at various frequencies, the modulation transfer function (MTF) is calculated to determine whether modulation is within detectable limits for super-resolution. For experimental validation of super-resolution, a goniometry stand was used to orient a bar pattern phantom along various pitches relative to the breast support in a commercial digital breast tomosynthesis system. Results: Using theoretical modeling, it is shown that a single projection image cannot resolve a sine input whose frequency exceeds the detector alias frequency. The high frequency input is correctly visualized in SBP or FBP reconstruction using a slice along the pitch of the object. The Fourier transform of this reconstructed slice is maximized at the input frequency as proof that the object is resolved. Consistent with the theoretical results, experimental images of a bar pattern phantom showed super-resolution in oblique reconstructions. At various pitches, the highest frequency with detectable modulation was determined by visual inspection of the bar patterns. The dependency of the highest detectable frequency on pitch followed the same trend as the analytical model. It was demonstrated that super-resolution is not achievable if the pitch of the object approaches 90°, corresponding to the case in which the test frequency is perpendicular to the breast support. Only low frequency objects are detectable at pitches close to 90°. Conclusions: This work provides a platform for investigating super-resolution in oblique reconstructions for tomosynthesis. In breast imaging, this study should have applications in visualizing microcalcifications and other subtle signs of cancer. PMID:24320445

Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Potentiates Fear Memory Salience Through Functional Modulation of Mesolimbic Dopaminergic Activity States.

PubMed

Fitoussi, Aurelie; Zunder, Jordan; Tan, Huibing; Laviolette, Steven R

2018-05-18

Chronic or acute exposure to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive compound in cannabis, has been associated with numerous neuropsychiatric side-effects, including dysregulation of emotional processing and associative memory formation. Clinical and pre-clinical evidence suggests that the effects of THC are due to the ability to modulate mesolimbic dopamine (DA) activity states in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and ventral tegmental area (VTA). Nevertheless, the mechanisms by which THC modulates mesolimbic DA function and emotional processing are not well understood. Using an olfactory associative fear memory procedure combined with in vivo neuronal electrophysiology, we examined the effects of direct THC microinfusions targeting the shell region of the NAc (NASh) and examined how THC may modulate the processing of fear-related emotional memory and concomitant activity states of the mesolimbic DA system. We report that intra-NASh THC dose-dependently potentiates the emotional salience of normally sub-threshold fear-conditioning cues. These effects were dependent upon intra-VTA transmission through GABAergic receptor mechanisms and intra-NASh DAergic transmission. Furthermore, doses of intra-NASh THC that potentiated fear memory salience were found to modulate intra-VTA neuronal network activity by increasing the spontaneous firing and bursting frequency of DAergic neurons whilst decreasing the activity levels of a subpopulation of putative GABAergic VTA neurons. These findings demonstrate that THC can act directly in the NASh to modulate mesolimbic activity states and induce disturbances in emotional salience and memory formation through modulation of VTA DAergic transmission. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

47 CFR 95.607 - CB transmitter modification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... transmitting frequencies, increased modulation level, a different form of modulation, or increased TP (RF... modulating frequency, typically 0.1 seconds at maximum power) or peak envelope power (TP averaged during 1 RF cycle at the highest crest of the modulation envelope), as measured at the transmitter output antenna...

Rydberg-atom based radio-frequency electrometry using frequency modulation spectroscopy in room temperature vapor cells.

PubMed

Kumar, Santosh; Fan, Haoquan; Kübler, Harald; Jahangiri, Akbar J; Shaffer, James P

2017-04-17

Rydberg atom-based electrometry enables traceable electric field measurements with high sensitivity over a large frequency range, from gigahertz to terahertz. Such measurements are particularly useful for the calibration of radio frequency and terahertz devices, as well as other applications like near field imaging of electric fields. We utilize frequency modulated spectroscopy with active control of residual amplitude modulation to improve the signal to noise ratio of the optical readout of Rydberg atom-based radio frequency electrometry. Matched filtering of the signal is also implemented. Although we have reached similarly, high sensitivity with other read-out methods, frequency modulated spectroscopy is advantageous because it is well-suited for building a compact, portable sensor. In the current experiment, ∼3 µV cm^-1 Hz^-1/2 sensitivity is achieved and is found to be photon shot noise limited.

Laser frequency stabilization by combining modulation transfer and frequency modulation spectroscopy.

PubMed

Zi, Fei; Wu, Xuejian; Zhong, Weicheng; Parker, Richard H; Yu, Chenghui; Budker, Simon; Lu, Xuanhui; Müller, Holger

2017-04-01

We present a hybrid laser frequency stabilization method combining modulation transfer spectroscopy (MTS) and frequency modulation spectroscopy (FMS) for the cesium D₂ transition. In a typical pump-probe setup, the error signal is a combination of the DC-coupled MTS error signal and the AC-coupled FMS error signal. This combines the long-term stability of the former with the high signal-to-noise ratio of the latter. In addition, we enhance the long-term frequency stability with laser intensity stabilization. By measuring the frequency difference between two independent hybrid spectroscopies, we investigate the short-and long-term stability. We find a long-term stability of 7.8 kHz characterized by a standard deviation of the beating frequency drift over the course of 10 h and a short-term stability of 1.9 kHz characterized by an Allan deviation of that at 2 s of integration time.

A low-cost, tunable laser lock without laser frequency modulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shea, Margaret E.; Baker, Paul M.; Gauthier, Daniel J.

2015-05-01

Many experiments in optical physics require laser frequency stabilization. This can be achieved by locking to an atomic reference using saturated absorption spectroscopy. Often, the laser frequency is modulated and phase sensitive detection used. This method, while well-proven and robust, relies on expensive components, can introduce an undesirable frequency modulation into the laser, and is not easily frequency tuned. Here, we report a simple locking scheme similar to those implemented previously. We modulate the atomic resonances in a saturated absorption setup with an AC magnetic field created by a single solenoid. The same coil applies a DC field that allows tuning of the lock point. We use an auto-balanced detector to make our scheme more robust against laser power fluctuations and stray magnetic fields. The coil, its driver, and the detector are home-built with simple, cheap components. Our technique is low-cost, simple to setup, tunable, introduces no laser frequency modulation, and only requires one laser. We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the NSF through Grant # PHY-1206040.

Time-Dependent Traveling Wave Tube Model for Intersymbol Interference Investigations

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-06-01

band is 5.7 degrees. C. Differences between broadband and single-tone excitations The TWT characteristics are compared when excited by single-tones...direct description of the effects of the TWT on modulated digital signals. The TWT model comprehensively takes into account the effects of frequency...of the high power amplifier and the operational digital signal. This method promises superior predictive fidelity compared to methods using TWT

Origin of 1/f PM and AM noise in bipolar junction transistor amplifiers.

PubMed

Walls, F L; Ferre-Pikal, E S; Jefferts, S R

1997-01-01

In this paper we report the results of extensive research on phase modulation (PM) and amplitude modulation (AM) noise in linear bipolar junction transistor (BJT) amplifiers. BJT amplifiers exhibit 1/f PM and AM noise about a carrier signal that is much larger than the amplifiers thermal noise at those frequencies in the absence of the carrier signal. Our work shows that the 1/f PM noise of a BJT based amplifier is accompanied by 1/f AM noise which can be higher, lower, or nearly equal, depending on the circuit implementation. The 1/f AM and PM noise in BJTs is primarily the result of 1/f fluctuations in transistor current, transistor capacitance, circuit supply voltages, circuit impedances, and circuit configuration. We discuss the theory and present experimental data in reference to common emitter amplifiers, but the analysis can be applied to other configurations as well. This study provides the functional dependence of 1/f AM and PM noise on transistor parameters, circuit parameters, and signal frequency, thereby laying the groundwork for a comprehensive theory of 1/f AM and PM noise in BJT amplifiers. We show that in many cases the 1/f PM and AM noise can be reduced below the thermal noise of the amplifier.

Femtosecond laser induced concentric semi-circular periodic surface structures on silicon based on the quasi-plasmonic annular nanostructure.

PubMed

Han, Weina; Liu, Furong; Yuan, Yanping; Li, Xiaowei; Wang, Qingsong; Wang, Shaojun; Jiang, Lan

2018-05-04

In this study, we report polarization-dependent concentric circular periodic surface structures on Si induced by a single shot femtosecond (fs) laser pulse based on pre-processed quasi-plasmonic annular-shaped nanostructure. An abnormal annular-shaped energy deposition of the fundamental fs laser pulse can be found by using dual-wavelength superposition of the fundamental frequency (ω) and the second-harmonic frequency (2ω) of an fs Ti:sapphire laser, which is confirmed by real beam shape detection. Based on the annular-shaped energy distribution of dual-wavelength fs laser, a concentric quasi-plasmonic corral nanostructure can be imprinted on the Au thin film. Surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) excitations on the planar metallic nanostructures enable the manipulation of light on subwavelength scales. Thus, the pre-processed concentric quasi-plasmonic corral nanostructure can act as a precursor for the subsequent SPPs excitation and propagation by the fs laser irradiation. Using this technique, polarization-dependent semi-circular periodic surface structures on silicon can be found by the irradiation of fs laser pulse with only one shot. This research provides an additional freedom for the laser induced periodic surface structure (LIPSS) modulation based on the modulation of SPPs excitation and propagation, which plays an important role in the formation of LIPSS.

Femtosecond laser induced concentric semi-circular periodic surface structures on silicon based on the quasi-plasmonic annular nanostructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Weina; Liu, Furong; Yuan, Yanping; Li, Xiaowei; Wang, Qingsong; Wang, Shaojun; Jiang, Lan

2018-07-01

In this study, we report polarization-dependent concentric circular periodic surface structures on Si induced by a single shot femtosecond (fs) laser pulse based on pre-processed quasi-plasmonic annular-shaped nanostructure. An abnormal annular-shaped energy deposition of the fundamental fs laser pulse can be found by using dual-wavelength superposition of the fundamental frequency (ω) and the second-harmonic frequency (2ω) of an fs Ti:sapphire laser, which is confirmed by real beam shape detection. Based on the annular-shaped energy distribution of dual-wavelength fs laser, a concentric quasi-plasmonic corral nanostructure can be imprinted on the Au thin film. Surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) excitations on the planar metallic nanostructures enable the manipulation of light on subwavelength scales. Thus, the pre-processed concentric quasi-plasmonic corral nanostructure can act as a precursor for the subsequent SPPs excitation and propagation by the fs laser irradiation. Using this technique, polarization-dependent semi-circular periodic surface structures on silicon can be found by the irradiation of fs laser pulse with only one shot. This research provides an additional freedom for the laser induced periodic surface structure (LIPSS) modulation based on the modulation of SPPs excitation and propagation, which plays an important role in the formation of LIPSS.

Spatiotemporal character of the Bobylev-Pikin flexoelectric instability in a twisted nematic bent-core liquid crystal exposed to very low frequency fields.

PubMed

Krishnamurthy, K S

2014-05-01

The Bobylev-Pikin striped-pattern state induced by a homogeneous electric field is a volume flexoelectric instability, originating in the midregion of a planarly aligned nematic liquid crystal layer. We find that the instability acquires a spatiotemporal character upon excitation by a low frequency (0.5 Hz) square wave field. This is demonstrated using a bent-core liquid crystal, initially in the 90°-twisted planar configuration. The flexoelectric modulation appears close to the cathode at each polarity reversal and, at low voltage amplitudes, decays completely as the field becomes steady. Correspondingly, at successive polarity changes, the stripe direction switches between the alignment directions at the two substrates. For large voltages, the stripes formed nearly along the alignment direction at the cathode gradually reorient toward the midplane director. These observations are generally attributed to inhomogeneous and time-dependent field conditions that come to exist after each polarity reversal. Polarity dependence of the instability is attributed to the formation of intrinsic double layers that bring about an asymmetry in surface fields. Momentary field elevation near the cathode following a voltage sign reversal and concomitant gradient flexoelectric polarization are considered the key factors in accounting for the surfacelike modulation observed at low voltages.

Regional Soiling Stations for PV: Soling Loss Analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

TamizhMani, G.; King, B.; Venkatesan, A.

The soiling loss factor (SLF) of photovoltaic (PV) modules/system is an interplay between the dust frequency and intensity of the site, rain frequency and intensity of the site, tilt angle and height of the module installation, and wind speed and humidity of the site. The integrated area of the downward peaks of the SLF time series plots for a year provides the annual soiling loss for the system at each tilt angle. Sandia National Laboratories, in collaboration with Arizona State University, installed five regional soiling stations around the country and collected soiling loss data over a year. Four of thesemore » soiling stations are located at the U.S. Department of Energy Regional Test Centers (Florida, Albuquerque, Colorado and Vermont), while the fifth station is located at the Arizona State University Photovoltaic Reliability Lab (Arizona). This paper presents an analysis on the SLF for each test site at ten different tilt angles. Based on the analysis of a yearlong data obtained in 2015, it appears to indicate that the Arizona site experienced the highest annual soiling loss with a significant dependence on the tilt angle while the other four sites experienced a negligibly small annual soiling loss with practically no dependence on the tilt angle.« less

Frequency-dependent glycinergic inhibition modulates plasticity in hippocampus.

PubMed

Keck, Tara; Lillis, Kyle P; Zhou, Yu-Dong; White, John A

2008-07-16

Previous studies have demonstrated the presence of functional glycine receptors (GlyRs) in hippocampus. In this work, we examine the baseline activity and activity-dependent modulation of GlyRs in region CA1. We find that strychnine-sensitive GlyRs are open in the resting CA1 pyramidal cell, creating a state of tonic inhibition that "shunts" the magnitude of EPSPs evoked by electrical stimulation of the Schaffer collateral inputs. This GlyR-mediated shunting conductance is independent of the presynaptic stimulation rate; however, pairs of presynaptic and postsynaptic action potentials, repeated at frequencies above 5 Hz, reduce the GlyR-mediated conductance and increase peak EPSP magnitudes to levels at least 20% larger than those seen with presynaptic stimulation alone. We refer to this phenomenon as rate-dependent efficacy (RDE). Exogenous GlyR agonists (glycine, taurine) block RDE by preventing the closure of postsynaptic GlyRs. The GlyR antagonist strychnine blocks postsynaptic GlyRs under all conditions, occluding RDE. During RDE, GlyRs are less responsive to local glycine application, suggesting that a reduction in the number or sensitivity of membrane-inserted GlyRs underlies RDE. By extending the RDE induction protocol to include 500 paired presynaptic and postsynaptic spikes, we can induce long-term synaptic depression (LTD). Manipulations that lead to reduced functionality of GlyRs, either pharmacologically or through RDE, also lead to increased LTD. This result suggests that RDE contributes to long-term synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus.

Multifunctional and Context-Dependent Control of Vocal Acoustics by Individual Muscles

PubMed Central

Srivastava, Kyle H.; Elemans, Coen P.H.

2015-01-01

The relationship between muscle activity and behavioral output determines how the brain controls and modifies complex skills. In vocal control, ensembles of muscles are used to precisely tune single acoustic parameters such as fundamental frequency and sound amplitude. If individual vocal muscles were dedicated to the control of single parameters, then the brain could control each parameter independently by modulating the appropriate muscle or muscles. Alternatively, if each muscle influenced multiple parameters, a more complex control strategy would be required to selectively modulate a single parameter. Additionally, it is unknown whether the function of single muscles is fixed or varies across different vocal gestures. A fixed relationship would allow the brain to use the same changes in muscle activation to, for example, increase the fundamental frequency of different vocal gestures, whereas a context-dependent scheme would require the brain to calculate different motor modifications in each case. We tested the hypothesis that single muscles control multiple acoustic parameters and that the function of single muscles varies across gestures using three complementary approaches. First, we recorded electromyographic data from vocal muscles in singing Bengalese finches. Second, we electrically perturbed the activity of single muscles during song. Third, we developed an ex vivo technique to analyze the biomechanical and acoustic consequences of single-muscle perturbations. We found that single muscles drive changes in multiple parameters and that the function of single muscles differs across vocal gestures, suggesting that the brain uses a complex, gesture-dependent control scheme to regulate vocal output. PMID:26490859

Low frequency steady-state brain responses modulate large scale functional networks in a frequency-specific means.

PubMed

Wang, Yi-Feng; Long, Zhiliang; Cui, Qian; Liu, Feng; Jing, Xiu-Juan; Chen, Heng; Guo, Xiao-Nan; Yan, Jin H; Chen, Hua-Fu

2016-01-01

Neural oscillations are essential for brain functions. Research has suggested that the frequency of neural oscillations is lower for more integrative and remote communications. In this vein, some resting-state studies have suggested that large scale networks function in the very low frequency range (<1 Hz). However, it is difficult to determine the frequency characteristics of brain networks because both resting-state studies and conventional frequency tagging approaches cannot simultaneously capture multiple large scale networks in controllable cognitive activities. In this preliminary study, we aimed to examine whether large scale networks can be modulated by task-induced low frequency steady-state brain responses (lfSSBRs) in a frequency-specific pattern. In a revised attention network test, the lfSSBRs were evoked in the triple network system and sensory-motor system, indicating that large scale networks can be modulated in a frequency tagging way. Furthermore, the inter- and intranetwork synchronizations as well as coherence were increased at the fundamental frequency and the first harmonic rather than at other frequency bands, indicating a frequency-specific modulation of information communication. However, there was no difference among attention conditions, indicating that lfSSBRs modulate the general attention state much stronger than distinguishing attention conditions. This study provides insights into the advantage and mechanism of lfSSBRs. More importantly, it paves a new way to investigate frequency-specific large scale brain activities. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Supramodal parametric working memory processing in humans.

PubMed

Spitzer, Bernhard; Blankenburg, Felix

2012-03-07

Previous studies of delayed-match-to-sample (DMTS) frequency discrimination in animals and humans have succeeded in delineating the neural signature of frequency processing in somatosensory working memory (WM). During retention of vibrotactile frequencies, stimulus-dependent single-cell and population activity in prefrontal cortex was found to reflect the task-relevant memory content, whereas increases in occipital alpha activity signaled the disengagement of areas not relevant for the tactile task. Here, we recorded EEG from human participants to determine the extent to which these mechanisms can be generalized to frequency retention in the visual and auditory domains. Subjects performed analogous variants of a DMTS frequency discrimination task, with the frequency information presented either visually, auditorily, or by vibrotactile stimulation. Examining oscillatory EEG activity during frequency retention, we found characteristic topographical distributions of alpha power over visual, auditory, and somatosensory cortices, indicating systematic patterns of inhibition and engagement of early sensory areas, depending on stimulus modality. The task-relevant frequency information, in contrast, was found to be represented in right prefrontal cortex, independent of presentation mode. In each of the three modality conditions, parametric modulations of prefrontal upper beta activity (20-30 Hz) emerged, in a very similar manner as recently found in vibrotactile tasks. Together, the findings corroborate a view of parametric WM as supramodal internal scaling of abstract quantity information and suggest strong relevance of previous evidence from vibrotactile work for a more general framework of quantity processing in human working memory.

Observations of the effect of lower hybrid waves on ELM behaviour in EAST

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, R.; Xu, G. S.; Liang, Y.; Wang, H. Q.; Zhou, C.; Liu, A. D.; Wang, L.; Qian, J. P.; Gan, K. F.; Yang, J. H.; Duan, Y. M.; Li, Y. L.; Ding, S. Y.; Wu, X. Q.; Yan, N.; Chen, L.; Shao, L. M.; Zhang, W.; Hu, G. H.; Zhao, N.; Liu, S. C.; Kong, D. F.; Gong, X. Z.

2015-03-01

Dedicated experiments focusing on the influence of lower hybrid waves (LHWs) on edge-localized modes (ELMs) were first performed during the 2012 experimental campaign of EAST, via modulating the input power of LHWs in the high-confinement-mode (H-mode) plasma mainly sustained by ion cyclotron resonant heating. Natural ELMs are effectively mitigated (ELM frequency increases, while its intensity decreases dramatically) as the LHW is applied, observed over a fairly wide range of plasma current or edge safety factor. By scanning the modulation frequency (fm) of LHW injected power in a target plasma dominated by the so-called small ELMs, we conclude that large ELMs with markedly larger amplitudes and lower frequencies are reproduced at low modulation frequencies (fm < 100 Hz). Analysis of the evolution of edge extreme ultraviolet radiation signals further indicates that plasma fluctuations at the pedestal region indistinctively respond to rapid modulation (fm ⩾ 100 Hz) of LHW injected power. This is proposed as the mechanism responsible for the observed fm dependence of the mitigation effect induced by LHWs on large ELMs. In addition, a critical threshold of LHW input power PLHW is estimated as PLHWthr≃800 kW , beyond which the impact of applied LHWs on ELM behaviours can be achieved. Finally, Langmuir probe measurements suggest that, rather than the concentration of free energy into a narrowband quasi-coherent precursor commonly observed growing until the ELM crash, the continuous development of broadband turbulence during the ELM-absent phase with the application of LHWs might contribute to the avoidance of ELM crashes. These results present new insights into existing experiments, and also provide some foundations and references for the next-step research about exploring in more depth and improving this new attractive method to effectively control the ELM-induced very large transient heat and particle flux.

Rogue waves in a multistable system.

PubMed

Pisarchik, Alexander N; Jaimes-Reátegui, Rider; Sevilla-Escoboza, Ricardo; Huerta-Cuellar, G; Taki, Majid

2011-12-30

Clear evidence of rogue waves in a multistable system is revealed by experiments with an erbium-doped fiber laser driven by harmonic pump modulation. The mechanism for the rogue wave formation lies in the interplay of stochastic processes with multistable deterministic dynamics. Low-frequency noise applied to a diode pump current induces rare jumps to coexisting subharmonic states with high-amplitude pulses perceived as rogue waves. The probability of these events depends on the noise filtered frequency and grows up when the noise amplitude increases. The probability distribution of spike amplitudes confirms the rogue wave character of the observed phenomenon. The results of numerical simulations are in good agreement with experiments.

EEG sleep activities react topographically different to GABAergic sleep modulation by flunitrazepam: relationship to regional distribution of benzodiazepine receptor subtypes?

PubMed

Scheuler, W

Spectral analysis was performed to study the response of various EEG sleep activities to a modification of GABAergic sleep regulation by flunitrazepam. We observed sleep stage- and sleep cycle-dependent differences in the topographic distribution of the reactions. An increase in power density was found in the frontal regions for the alpha 2 and sigma 1 frequency band whereas a decrease in power density was emphasized in the posterior regions for the delta and alpha 1 frequency band. These topographic differences might be related to the regional distribution of benzodiazepine receptor subtypes.

Tunable reflecting terahertz filter based on chirped metamaterial structure

PubMed Central

Yang, Jing; Gong, Cheng; Sun, Lu; Chen, Ping; Lin, Lie; Liu, Weiwei

2016-01-01

Tunable reflecting terahertz bandstop filter based on chirped metamaterial structure is demonstrated by numerical simulation. In the metamaterial, the metal bars are concatenated to silicon bars with different lengths. By varying the conductivity of the silicon bars, the reflectivity, central frequency and bandwidth of the metamaterial could be tuned. Light illumination could be introduced to change the conductivity of the silicon bars. Numerical simulations also show that the chirped metamaterial structure is insensitive to the incident angle and polarization-dependent. The proposed chirped metamaterial structure can be operated as a tunable bandstop filter whose modulation depth, bandwidth, shape factor and center frequency can be controlled by light pumping. PMID:27941833

Enhanced modulation rates via field modulation in spin torque nano-oscillators

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Purbawati, A.; Garcia-Sanchez, F.; Buda-Prejbeanu, L. D.

Spin Transfer Nano-Oscillators (STNOs) are promising candidates for telecommunications applications due to their frequency tuning capabilities via either a dc current or an applied field. This frequency tuning is of interest for Frequency Shift Keying concepts to be used in wireless communication schemes or in read head applications. For these technological applications, one important parameter is the characterization of the maximum achievable rate at which an STNO can respond to a modulating signal, such as current or field. Previous studies of in-plane magnetized STNOs on frequency modulation via an rf current revealed that the maximum achievable rate is limited bymore » the amplitude relaxation rate Γ{sub p}, which gives the time scale over which amplitude fluctuations are damped out. This might be a limitation for applications. Here, we demonstrate via numerical simulation that application of an additional rf field is an alternative way for modulation of the in-plane magnetized STNO configuration, which has the advantage that frequency modulation is not limited by the amplitude relaxation rate, so that higher modulation rates above GHz are achievable. This occurs when the modulating rf field is oriented along the easy axis (longitudinal rf field). Tilting the direction of the modulating rf field in-plane and perpendicularly with respect to the easy axis (transverse rf field), the modulation is again limited by the amplitude relaxation rate similar to the response observed in current modulation.« less

Helminth Infections Coincident with Active Pulmonary Tuberculosis Inhibit Mono- and Multifunctional CD4+ and CD8+ T Cell Responses in a Process Dependent on IL-10

PubMed Central

George, Parakkal Jovvian; Anuradha, Rajamanickam; Kumar, Nathella Pavan; Sridhar, Rathinam; Banurekha, Vaithilingam V.; Nutman, Thomas B.; Babu, Subash

2014-01-01

Tissue invasive helminth infections and tuberculosis (TB) are co-endemic in many parts of the world and can trigger immune responses that might antagonize each other. We have previously shown that helminth infections modulate the Th1 and Th17 responses to mycobacterial-antigens in latent TB. To determine whether helminth infections modulate antigen-specific and non-specific immune responses in active pulmonary TB, we examined CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses as well as the systemic (plasma) cytokine levels in individuals with pulmonary TB with or without two distinct helminth infections—Wuchereria bancrofti and Strongyloides stercoralis infection. By analyzing the frequencies of Th1 and Th17 CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and their component subsets (including multifunctional cells), we report a significant diminution in the mycobacterial–specific frequencies of mono- and multi–functional CD4+ Th1 and (to a lesser extent) Th17 cells when concomitant filarial or Strongyloides infection occurs. The impairment in CD4+ and CD8+ T cell cytokine responses was antigen-specific as polyclonal activated T cell frequencies were equivalent irrespective of helminth infection status. This diminution in T cell responses was also reflected in diminished circulating levels of Th1 (IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-2)- and Th17 (IL-17A and IL-17F)-associated cytokines. Finally, we demonstrate that for the filarial co-infections at least, this diminished frequency of multifunctional CD4+ T cell responses was partially dependent on IL-10 as IL-10 blockade significantly increased the frequencies of CD4+ Th1 cells. Thus, co-existent helminth infection is associated with an IL-10 mediated (for filarial infection) profound inhibition of antigen-specific CD4+ T cell responses as well as protective systemic cytokine responses in active pulmonary TB. PMID:25211342

[Alcoholism during pregnancy: an underestimated health problem].

PubMed

Montesinos Balboa, Jorge Eduardo; Altúzar González, Marlene; Benítez Castillejos, Fortunato

2004-10-01

To identify the frequency of consumption of alcohol in pregnant women who went to a module of prenatal control; to describe the consumption habits and to identify the number of cases in those that the physician of first level identified the addiction, using the institutional instruments. A descriptive and prospective study was carried out, the study population was selected by means of non randomized sampling of the total of pregnant women who went to receive services of prenatal control, in two units of family medicine of the Mexican Institute of Social Security, of Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico. The instrument AUDIT (Alcoholism Disorders Identification Test) was used, to identify use-frequency, abuse, dependence and physical/mental damage conditioned by the alcohol. In 132 studied women, it found a frequency of 45.5% of pregnant women with positive consumption and a case of dependence, none of which was identified by the family doctor. The consumption of alcohol in the studied population is high, even bigger than the frequency detected in populations of non pregnant women. The use of detection tests such as the AUDIT and the implementation of measures guided to the training and the personnel's of health sensitization about the magnitude and impact of this problem are recommended.

Phase synchronization of baroclinic waves in a differentially heated rotating annulus experiment subject to periodic forcing with a variable duty cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Read, P. L.; Morice-Atkinson, X.; Allen, E. J.; Castrejón-Pita, A. A.

2017-12-01

A series of laboratory experiments in a thermally driven, rotating fluid annulus are presented that investigate the onset and characteristics of phase synchronization and frequency entrainment between the intrinsic, chaotic, oscillatory amplitude modulation of travelling baroclinic waves and a periodic modulation of the (axisymmetric) thermal boundary conditions, subject to time-dependent coupling. The time-dependence is in the form of a prescribed duty cycle in which the periodic forcing of the boundary conditions is applied for only a fraction δ of each oscillation. For the rest of the oscillation, the boundary conditions are held fixed. Two profiles of forcing were investigated that capture different parts of the sinusoidal variation and δ was varied over the range 0.1 ≤δ≤1 . Reducing δ was found to act in a similar way to a reduction in a constant coupling coefficient in reducing the width of the interval in forcing frequency or period over which complete synchronization was observed (the "Arnol'd tongue") with respect to the detuning, although for the strongest pulse-like forcing profile some degree of synchronization was discernible even at δ=0.1 . Complete phase synchronization was obtained within the Arnol'd tongue itself, although the strength of the amplitude modulation of the baroclinic wave was not significantly affected. These experiments demonstrate a possible mechanism for intraseasonal and/or interannual "teleconnections" within the climate system of the Earth and other planets that does not rely on Rossby wave propagation across the planet along great circles.

Illumination Modulation for Improved Propagation-Based Phase Imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chakraborty, Tonmoy

Propagation-based phase imaging enables the quantitative reconstruction of a light beam's phase from measurements of its intensity. Because the intensity depends on the time-averaged square of the field the relationship between intensity and phase is, in general, nonlinear. The transport of intensity equation (TIE), is a linear equation relating phase and propagated intensity that arises from restricting the propagation distance to be small. However, the TIE limits the spatial frequencies that can be reliably reconstructed to those below some cutoff, which limits the accuracy of reconstruction of fine features in phase. On the other hand, the low frequency components suffer from poor signal to noise ratio (SNR) unless the propagation distance is sufficiently large, which leads to low frequency artifacts that obscure the reconstruction. In this research, I will consider the use of incoherent primary sources of illumination, in a Kohler illumination setup, to enhance the low-frequency performance of the TIE. The necessary steps required to design and build a table-top imaging setup which is capable of capturing intensity at any defocused position while modulating the source will be explained. In addition, it will be shown how by employing such illumination, the steps required for computationally recovering the phase, i.e. Fourier transforms and frequency-domain filtering, may be performed in the optical system. While these methods can address the low-frequency performance of the TIE, they do not extend its high-frequency cutoff. To avoid this cutoff, for objects with slowly varying phase, the contrast transfer function (CTF) model, an alternative to the TIE, can be used to recover phase. By allowing the combination of longer propagation distances and incoherent sources, it will be shown how CTF can improve performance at both high and low frequencies.

Apparatus and method for qualitative and quantitative measurements of optical properties of turbid media using frequency-domain photon migration

DOEpatents

Tromberg, B.J.; Tsay, T.T.; Berns, M.W.; Svaasand, L.O.; Haskell, R.C.

1995-06-13

Optical measurements of turbid media, that is media characterized by multiple light scattering, is provided through an apparatus and method for exposing a sample to a modulated laser beam. The light beam is modulated at a fundamental frequency and at a plurality of integer harmonics thereof. Modulated light is returned from the sample and preferentially detected at cross frequencies at frequencies slightly higher than the fundamental frequency and at integer harmonics of the same. The received radiance at the beat or cross frequencies is compared against a reference signal to provide a measure of the phase lag of the radiance and modulation ratio relative to a reference beam. The phase and modulation amplitude are then provided as a frequency spectrum by an array processor to which a computer applies a complete curve fit in the case of highly scattering samples or a linear curve fit below a predetermined frequency in the case of highly absorptive samples. The curve fit in any case is determined by the absorption and scattering coefficients together with a concentration of the active substance in the sample. Therefore, the curve fitting to the frequency spectrum can be used both for qualitative and quantitative analysis of substances in the sample even though the sample is highly turbid. 14 figs.

Apparatus and method for qualitative and quantitative measurements of optical properties of turbid media using frequency-domain photon migration

DOEpatents

Tromberg, Bruce J.; Tsay, Tsong T.; Berns, Michael W.; Svaasand, Lara O.; Haskell, Richard C.

1995-01-01

Optical measurements of turbid media, that is media characterized by multiple light scattering, is provided through an apparatus and method for exposing a sample to a modulated laser beam. The light beam is modulated at a fundamental frequency and at a plurality of integer harmonics thereof. Modulated light is returned from the sample and preferentially detected at cross frequencies at frequencies slightly higher than the fundamental frequency and at integer harmonics of the same. The received radiance at the beat or cross frequencies is compared against a reference signal to provide a measure of the phase lag of the radiance and modulation ratio relative to a reference beam. The phase and modulation amplitude are then provided as a frequency spectrum by an array processor to which a computer applies a complete curve fit in the case of highly scattering samples or a linear curve fit below a predetermined frequency in the case of highly absorptive samples. The curve fit in any case is determined by the absorption and scattering coefficients together with a concentration of the active substance in the sample. Therefore, the curve fitting to the frequency spectrum can be used both for qualitative and quantitative analysis of substances in the sample even though the sample is highly turbid.

Evolution of Hyperbolic-Secant Pulses Towards Cross-Phase Modulation Induced Optical Wave Breaking and Soliton or Soliton Trains Generation in Quintic Nonlinear Fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhong, Xian-Qiong; Zhang, Xiao-Xia; Du, Xian-Tong; Liu, Yong; Cheng, Ke

2015-10-01

The approximate analytical frequency chirps and the critical distances for cross-phase modulation induced optical wave breaking (OWB) of the initial hyperbolic-secant optical pulses propagating in optical fibers with quintic nonlinearity (QN) are presented. The pulse evolutions in terms of the frequency chirps, shapes and spectra are numerically calculated in the normal dispersion regime. The results reveal that, depending on different QN parameters, the traditional OWB or soliton or soliton pulse trains may occur. The approximate analytical critical distances are found to be in good agreement with the numerical ones only for the traditional OWB whereas the approximate analytical frequency chirps accords well with the numerical ones at the initial evolution stages of the pulses. Supported by the Postdoctoral Fund of China under Grant No. 2011M501402, the Key Project of Chinese Ministry of Education under Grant No. 210186, the Major Project of Natural Science Supported by the Educational Department of Sichuan Province under Grant No. 13ZA0081, the Key Project of National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No 61435010, and the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No. 61275039

Investigation of optimal method for inducing harmonic motion in tissue using a linear ultrasound phased array--a simulation study.

PubMed

Heikkilä, Janne; Hynynen, Kullervo

2006-04-01

Many noninvasive ultrasound techniques have been developed to explore mechanical properties of soft tissues. One of these methods, Localized Harmonic Motion Imaging (LHMI), has been proposed to be used for ultrasound surgery monitoring. In LHMI, dynamic ultrasound radiation-force stimulation induces displacements in a target that can be measured using pulse-echo imaging and used to estimate the elastic properties of the target. In this initial, simulation study, the use of a one-dimensional phased array is explored for the induction of the tissue motion. The study compares three different dual-frequency and amplitude-modulated single-frequency methods for the inducing tissue motion. Simulations were computed in a homogeneous soft-tissue volume. The Rayleigh integral was used in the simulations of the ultrasound fields and the tissue displacements were computed using a finite-element method (FEM). The simulations showed that amplitude-modulated sonication using a single frequency produced the largest vibration amplitude of the target tissue. These simulations demonstrate that the properties of the tissue motion are highly dependent on the sonication method and that it is important to consider the full three-dimensional distribution of the ultrasound field for controlling the induction of tissue motion.

Synaptic dynamics regulation in response to high frequency stimulation in neuronal networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Fei; Wang, Jiang; Li, Huiyan; Wei, Xile; Yu, Haitao; Deng, Bin

2018-02-01

High frequency stimulation (HFS) has confirmed its ability in modulating the pathological neural activities. However its detailed mechanism is unclear. This study aims to explore the effects of HFS on neuronal networks dynamics. First, the two-neuron FitzHugh-Nagumo (FHN) networks with static coupling strength and the small-world FHN networks with spike-time-dependent plasticity (STDP) modulated synaptic coupling strength are constructed. Then, the multi-scale method is used to transform the network models into equivalent averaged models, where the HFS intensity is modeled as the ratio between stimulation amplitude and frequency. Results show that in static two-neuron networks, there is still synaptic current projected to the postsynaptic neuron even if the presynaptic neuron is blocked by the HFS. In the small-world networks, the effects of the STDP adjusting rate parameter on the inactivation ratio and synchrony degree increase with the increase of HFS intensity. However, only when the HFS intensity becomes very large can the STDP time window parameter affect the inactivation ratio and synchrony index. Both simulation and numerical analysis demonstrate that the effects of HFS on neuronal network dynamics are realized through the adjustment of synaptic variable and conductance.

Task-induced frequency modulation features for brain-computer interfacing.

PubMed

Jayaram, Vinay; Hohmann, Matthias; Just, Jennifer; Schölkopf, Bernhard; Grosse-Wentrup, Moritz

2017-10-01

Task-induced amplitude modulation of neural oscillations is routinely used in brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) for decoding subjects' intents, and underlies some of the most robust and common methods in the field, such as common spatial patterns and Riemannian geometry. While there has been some interest in phase-related features for classification, both techniques usually presuppose that the frequencies of neural oscillations remain stable across various tasks. We investigate here whether features based on task-induced modulation of the frequency of neural oscillations enable decoding of subjects' intents with an accuracy comparable to task-induced amplitude modulation. We compare cross-validated classification accuracies using the amplitude and frequency modulated features, as well as a joint feature space, across subjects in various paradigms and pre-processing conditions. We show results with a motor imagery task, a cognitive task, and also preliminary results in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), as well as using common spatial patterns and Laplacian filtering. The frequency features alone do not significantly out-perform traditional amplitude modulation features, and in some cases perform significantly worse. However, across both tasks and pre-processing in healthy subjects the joint space significantly out-performs either the frequency or amplitude features alone. This result only does not hold for ALS patients, for whom the dataset is of insufficient size to draw any statistically significant conclusions. Task-induced frequency modulation is robust and straight forward to compute, and increases performance when added to standard amplitude modulation features across paradigms. This allows more information to be extracted from the EEG signal cheaply and can be used throughout the field of BCIs.

Theta-Modulated Gamma-Band Synchronization Among Activated Regions During a Verb Generation Task

PubMed Central

Doesburg, Sam M.; Vinette, Sarah A.; Cheung, Michael J.; Pang, Elizabeth W.

2012-01-01

Expressive language is complex and involves processing within a distributed network of cortical regions. Functional MRI and magnetoencephalography (MEG) have identified brain areas critical for expressive language, but how these regions communicate across the network remains poorly understood. It is thought that synchronization of oscillations between neural populations, particularly at a gamma rate (>30 Hz), underlies functional integration within cortical networks. Modulation of gamma rhythms by theta-band oscillations (4–8 Hz) has been proposed as a mechanism for the integration of local cell coalitions into large-scale networks underlying cognition and perception. The present study tested the hypothesis that these oscillatory mechanisms of functional integration were present within the expressive language network. We recorded MEG while subjects performed a covert verb generation task. We localized activated cortical regions using beamformer analysis, calculated inter-regional phase locking between activated areas, and measured modulation of inter-regional gamma synchronization by theta phase. The results show task-dependent gamma-band synchronization among regions activated during the performance of the verb generation task, and we provide evidence that these transient and periodic instances of high-frequency connectivity were modulated by the phase of cortical theta oscillations. These findings suggest that oscillatory synchronization and cross-frequency interactions are mechanisms for functional integration among distributed brain areas supporting expressive language processing. PMID:22707946

Measurement of Relaxation Time of Excess Carriers in Si and CIGS Solar Cells by Modulated Electroluminescence Technique

DOE PAGES

Khatavkar, Sanchit; Muniappan, Kulasekaran; Kannan, Chinna V.; ...

2017-11-10

Excess carrier lifetime plays a crucial role in determining the efficiency of solar cells. In this paper, we use the frequency dependence of inphase and quadrature components of modulated electroluminescence (MEL) to measure the relaxation time (decay) of excess carriers. The advantage of the MEL technique is that the relaxation time is obtained directly from the angular frequency at which the quadrature component peaks. It does not need knowledge of the material parameters like mobility, etc., and can be used for any finished solar cells which have detectable light emission. The experiment is easy to perform with standard electrical equipment.more » For silicon solar cells, the relaxation time is dominated by recombination and hence, the relaxation time is indeed the excess carrier lifetime. In contrast, for the CIGS solar cells investigated here, the relaxation time is dominated by trapping and emission from shallow minority carrier traps.« less

Measurement of Relaxation Time of Excess Carriers in Si and CIGS Solar Cells by Modulated Electroluminescence Technique

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Khatavkar, Sanchit; Muniappan, Kulasekaran; Kannan, Chinna V.

Excess carrier lifetime plays a crucial role in determining the efficiency of solar cells. In this paper, we use the frequency dependence of inphase and quadrature components of modulated electroluminescence (MEL) to measure the relaxation time (decay) of excess carriers. The advantage of the MEL technique is that the relaxation time is obtained directly from the angular frequency at which the quadrature component peaks. It does not need knowledge of the material parameters like mobility, etc., and can be used for any finished solar cells which have detectable light emission. The experiment is easy to perform with standard electrical equipment.more » For silicon solar cells, the relaxation time is dominated by recombination and hence, the relaxation time is indeed the excess carrier lifetime. In contrast, for the CIGS solar cells investigated here, the relaxation time is dominated by trapping and emission from shallow minority carrier traps.« less

Cell-specific gain modulation by synaptically released zinc in cortical circuits of audition.

PubMed

Anderson, Charles T; Kumar, Manoj; Xiong, Shanshan; Tzounopoulos, Thanos

2017-09-09

In many excitatory synapses, mobile zinc is found within glutamatergic vesicles and is coreleased with glutamate. Ex vivo studies established that synaptically released (synaptic) zinc inhibits excitatory neurotransmission at lower frequencies of synaptic activity but enhances steady state synaptic responses during higher frequencies of activity. However, it remains unknown how synaptic zinc affects neuronal processing in vivo. Here, we imaged the sound-evoked neuronal activity of the primary auditory cortex in awake mice. We discovered that synaptic zinc enhanced the gain of sound-evoked responses in CaMKII-expressing principal neurons, but it reduced the gain of parvalbumin- and somatostatin-expressing interneurons. This modulation was sound intensity-dependent and, in part, NMDA receptor-independent. By establishing a previously unknown link between synaptic zinc and gain control of auditory cortical processing, our findings advance understanding about cortical synaptic mechanisms and create a new framework for approaching and interpreting the role of the auditory cortex in sound processing.

Developing online learning modules in a family medicine residency.

PubMed

Skye, Eric P; Wimsatt, Leslie A; Master-Hunter, Tara A; Locke, Amy B

2011-03-01

Online modules offer an opportunity to overcome barriers to educational delivery. Such approaches can require significant investment dependent on the development model used. There is little in the literature on the formative assessment of design and development. Better understanding is needed to determine effective methods of training and supporting faculty authors. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of Web-based modules developed by a Department of Family Medicine in delivering instruction to resident learners and to examine perceptions of the design and development process. Participants included 49 resident learners and 28 faculty and staff members as the development team. Data collection involved use of Web-based surveys, participant observation focus groups, and pretesting/posttesting. Frequency distributions and mean comparisons were used to analyze quantitative data. Participant comments were thematically analyzed. Residents felt that modules met their educational goals and contributed to understanding of core content. Pretest/posttest data showed statistical improvement for a majority of modules. The use of Web authoring software for Web-based learning and scheduling time to work on the modules posed the greatest challenges to module authors. Formative assessment methods can provide important information to module developers and support staff to shape training, content development, and improve module ease of use, navigation, and content for resident learners.

Phase coded, micro-power impulse radar motion sensor

DOEpatents

McEwan, Thomas E.

1996-01-01

A motion sensing, micro-power impulse radar MIR impresses on the transmitted signal, or the received pulse timing signal, one or more frequencies lower than the pulse repetition frequency, that become intermediate frequencies in a "IF homodyne" receiver. Thus, many advantages of classical RF receivers can be thereby be realized with ultra-wide band radar. The sensor includes a transmitter which transmits a sequence of electromagnetic pulses in response to a transmit timing signal at a nominal pulse repetition frequency. A receiver samples echoes of the sequence of electromagnetic pulses from objects within the field with controlled timing, in response to a receive timing signal, and generates a sample signal in response to the samples. A timing circuit supplies the transmit timing signal to the transmitter and supplies the receive timing signal to the receiver. The relative timing of the transmit timing signal and the receive timing signal is modulated between a first relative delay and a second relative delay at an intermediate frequency, causing the receiver to sample the echoes such that the time between transmissions of pulses in the sequence and samples by the receiver is modulated at the intermediate frequency. Modulation may be executed by modulating the pulse repetition frequency which drives the transmitter, by modulating the delay circuitry which controls the relative timing of the sample strobe, or by modulating amplitude of the transmitted pulses. The electromagnetic pulses will have a nominal center frequency related to pulse width, and the first relative delay and the second relative delay between which the timing signals are modulated, differ by less than the nominal pulse width, and preferably by about one-quarter wavelength at the nominal center frequency of the transmitted pulses.

Phase coded, micro-power impulse radar motion sensor

DOEpatents

McEwan, T.E.

1996-05-21

A motion sensing, micro-power impulse radar MIR impresses on the transmitted signal, or the received pulse timing signal, one or more frequencies lower than the pulse repetition frequency, that become intermediate frequencies in a ``IF homodyne`` receiver. Thus, many advantages of classical RF receivers can be thereby be realized with ultra-wide band radar. The sensor includes a transmitter which transmits a sequence of electromagnetic pulses in response to a transmit timing signal at a nominal pulse repetition frequency. A receiver samples echoes of the sequence of electromagnetic pulses from objects within the field with controlled timing, in response to a receive timing signal, and generates a sample signal in response to the samples. A timing circuit supplies the transmit timing signal to the transmitter and supplies the receive timing signal to the receiver. The relative timing of the transmit timing signal and the receive timing signal is modulated between a first relative delay and a second relative delay at an intermediate frequency, causing the receiver to sample the echoes such that the time between transmissions of pulses in the sequence and samples by the receiver is modulated at the intermediate frequency. Modulation may be executed by modulating the pulse repetition frequency which drives the transmitter, by modulating the delay circuitry which controls the relative timing of the sample strobe, or by modulating amplitude of the transmitted pulses. The electromagnetic pulses will have a nominal center frequency related to pulse width, and the first relative delay and the second relative delay between which the timing signals are modulated, differ by less than the nominal pulse width, and preferably by about one-quarter wavelength at the nominal center frequency of the transmitted pulses. 5 figs.

Frequency dependence in matings with water-borne sperm.

PubMed

Pemberton, A J; Noble, L R; Bishop, J D D

2003-03-01

Negative frequency-dependent mating success--the rare male effect--is a potentially powerful evolutionary force, but disagreement exists as to whether previous work, focusing on copulating species, has robustly demonstrated this phenomenon. Noncopulating sessile organisms that release male gametes into the environment but retain their eggs for fertilization may routinely receive unequal mixtures of sperm. Although promiscuity seems unavoidable it does not follow that the resulting paternity obeys 'fair raffle' expectations. This study investigates frequency dependence in the mating of one such species, the colonial ascidian Diplosoma listerianum. In competition with an alternative sperm source males fathered more progeny if previously mated to a particular female than if no mating history existed. This suggests positive frequency-dependent selection, but may simply result from a mate order effect involving sperm storage. With fewer acclimation matings, separated by longer intervals, this pattern was not found. When, in a different experimental design, virgin females were given simultaneous mixtures of gametes at widely divergent concentrations, sperm at the lower frequency consistently achieved a greater than expected share of paternity--a rare male effect. A convincing argument as to why D. listerianum should favour rare sperm has not been identified, as sperm rarity is expected to correlate very poorly with ecological or genetic male characteristics in this pattern of mating. The existence of nongenetic female preferences at the level of colony modules, analogous in effect to fixed female preferences, is proposed. If visible to selection, indirect benefits from increasing the genetic diversity of a sibship appear the only likely explanation of the rare male effect in this system as the life history presents virtually no costs to multiple mating, and a near absence of direct (resource) benefits, whereas less controversial hypotheses of female promiscuity (e.g. trade up, genetic incompatibility) do not seem appropriate.

Real-Time Optical Image Processing Techniques

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-10-31

pursued through the analysis, design, and fabrication of pulse frequency modulated halftone screens and the modification of micro-chan- nel spatial...required for non-linear operation. Real-time nonlinear processing was performed using the halftone screen and MSLM. The experiments showed the effectiveness...pulse frequency modulation has been pursued through the analysis, design, and fabrication of pulse frequency modulated halftone screens and the

Cross-Modulated Amplitudes and Frequencies Characterize Interacting Components in Complex Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gans, Fabian; Schumann, Aicko Y.; Kantelhardt, Jan W.; Penzel, Thomas; Fietze, Ingo

2009-03-01

The dynamics of complex systems is characterized by oscillatory components on many time scales. To study the interactions between these components we analyze the cross modulation of their instantaneous amplitudes and frequencies, separating synchronous and antisynchronous modulation. We apply our novel technique to brain-wave oscillations in the human electroencephalogram and show that interactions between the α wave and the δ or β wave oscillators as well as spatial interactions can be quantified and related with physiological conditions (e.g., sleep stages). Our approach overcomes the limitation to oscillations with similar frequencies and enables us to quantify directly nonlinear effects such as positive or negative frequency modulation.

FIBER AND INTEGRATED OPTICS: Radio-frequency electrooptic modulation in optical fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bulyuk, A. N.

1992-10-01

The electrooptic interaction in single-mode optical fibers with both linear and circular birefringe is analyzed. In most cases, a large interaction length imposes a limit on the modulation frequency. A circular birefringence in an optical fiber may lead to an effective coupling of polarization normal modes if a phase-matching condition is satisfied. Through an appropriate choice of polarization states of the light at the entrance and exit of the device, one can achieve a polarization modulation or a frequency shift of the light. There are possible applications in rf polarization modulators, devices for shifting the frequency of light, and detectors of electromagnetic fields.

Measurement of a free spectral range of a Fabry-Perot cavity using frequency modulation and null method under off-resonance conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aketagawa, Masato; Kimura, Shohei; Yashiki, Takuya; Iwata, Hiroshi; Banh, Tuan Quoc; Hirata, Kenji

2011-02-01

In this paper, we discuss a method to measure the free spectral range (FSR) of a Fabry-Perot cavity (FP-cavity) using frequency modulation with one electric optical modulator (EOM) and the null method. A laser beam modulated by the EOM, to which a sine wave signal is supplied from a radio frequency (RF) oscillator, is incident on the FP-cavity. The transmitted or reflected light from the FP-cavity is observed and converted to an RF signal by a high-speed photodetector, and the RF signal is synchronously demodulated with a lock-in amplifier by referring to a cosine wave signal from the oscillator. We theoretically and experimentally demonstrate that the lock-in amplifier signal for the transmitted or reflected light becomes null with a steep slope when the modulation frequency is equal to the FSR under the condition that the carrier frequency of the laser is slightly detuned from the resonance of the FP-cavity. To reduce the measurement uncertainty for the FSR, we also discuss a selection method for laser power, a modulation index and the detuning shift of the carrier frequency, respectively.

An assessment of envelope-based demodulation in case of proximity of carrier and modulation frequencies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shahriar, Md Rifat; Borghesani, Pietro; Randall, R. B.; Tan, Andy C. C.

2017-11-01

Demodulation is a necessary step in the field of diagnostics to reveal faults whose signatures appear as an amplitude and/or frequency modulation. The Hilbert transform has conventionally been used for the calculation of the analytic signal required in the demodulation process. However, the carrier and modulation frequencies must meet the conditions set by the Bedrosian identity for the Hilbert transform to be applicable for demodulation. This condition, basically requiring the carrier frequency to be sufficiently higher than the frequency of the modulation harmonics, is usually satisfied in many traditional diagnostic applications (e.g. vibration analysis of gear and bearing faults) due to the order-of-magnitude ratio between the carrier and modulation frequency. However, the diversification of the diagnostic approaches and applications shows cases (e.g. electrical signature analysis-based diagnostics) where the carrier frequency is in close proximity to the modulation frequency, thus challenging the applicability of the Bedrosian theorem. This work presents an analytic study to quantify the error introduced by the Hilbert transform-based demodulation when the Bedrosian identity is not satisfied and proposes a mitigation strategy to combat the error. An experimental study is also carried out to verify the analytical results. The outcome of the error analysis sets a confidence limit on the estimated modulation (both shape and magnitude) achieved through the Hilbert transform-based demodulation in case of violated Bedrosian theorem. However, the proposed mitigation strategy is found effective in combating the demodulation error aroused in this scenario, thus extending applicability of the Hilbert transform-based demodulation.

Cerenkov emissions of ion acoustic-like waves generated by electron beams emitted during TSS 1R

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, C. Y.; Burke, W. J.; Hardy, D. A.; Gough, M. P.; Olson, D. G.; Gentile, L. C.; Gilchrist, B. E.; Bonifazi, C.; Raitt, W. J.; Thompson, D. C.

During the Tethered Satellite System reflight the Spacecraft Particle Correlation Experiment detected fluxes of energetic electrons and ions that were simultaneously modulated at low frequencies during firings of both the fast pulsed electron gun (FPEG) and the electron generator assembly (EGA). The modulations have been interpreted as signatures of large-amplitude, ion acoustic-like waves excited in Cerenkov interactions between electron beams and ambient plasmas as the shuttle moved at supersonic speeds across the ionospheric magnetic field. We present examples of particle modulations observed during steady beam emissions. Measurements show that (1) most electron modulations were at frequencies of several hundred Hertz and (2) ions modulated at similar frequencies appeared at spectral energy peaks during shuttle negative charging events. Detection of modulated ion fluxes confirms the Cerenkov emission hypothesis. Observed frequency variations indicate that the EGA beam underwent more spatial spreading than the FPEG beam.

High frequency modulation and injection locking of terahertz quantum cascade lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gu, L.; Wan, W. J.; Zhu, Y. H.; Fu, Z. L.; Li, H.; Cao, J. C.

2017-06-01

Due to intersubband transitions, the quantum cascade laser (QCL) is free of relaxations and able to work under fast modulations. In this work, the authors investigate the fast modulation properties of a continuous wave (cw) terahertz QCL emitting around 3 THz (˜100 μm). Both simulation and experimental results show that the 3 dB modulation bandwidth for the device can reach 11.5 GHz and the modulation response curve is relatively flat upto ˜16 GHz. The radio frequency (RF) injection measurements verify that around the laser threshold the inter-mode beat note interacts strongly with the RF signal and the laser can be modulated at the round trip frequency of 15.5 GHz.

Characterization of perpendicular STT-MRAM by spin torque ferromagnetic resonance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sha, Chengcen; Yang, Liu; Lee, Han Kyu; Barsukov, Igor; Zhang, Jieyi; Krivorotov, Ilya

We describe a method for simple quantitative measurement of magnetic anisotropy and Gilbert damping of the MTJ free layer in individual perpendicular STT-MRAM devices by spin torque ferromagnetic resonance (ST-FMR) with magnetic field modulation. We first show the dependence of ST-FMR spectra of an STT-MRAM element on out-of-plane magnetic field. In these spectra, resonances arising from excitation of the quasi-uniform and higher order spin wave eigenmodes of the free layer as well as acoustic mode of the synthetic antiferromagnet (SAF) are clearly seen. The quasi-uniform mode frequency at zero field gives magnetic anisotropy field of the free layer. Then we show dependence of the quasi-uniform mode linewidth on frequency is linear over a range of frequencies but deviatesfrom linearity in the low and high frequency regimes. Comparison to ST-FMR spectrareveals that the high frequency line broadening is linked to the SAF mode softening near the SAF spin flop transition at 5 kG. In the low field regime, the SAF mode frequency approaches that of the quasi-uniform mode, and resonant coupling of the modes leads to the line broadening. A linear fit to the linewidth data outside of the high and low field regimes gives the Gilbert damping parameter of the free layer. This work was supported by the Samsung Global MRAM Innovation Program.

Arousal mechanisms related to posture and locomotion: 1. Descending modulation.

PubMed

Garcia-Rill, Edgar; Homma, Yutaka; Skinner, Robert D

2004-01-01

Much of the controversy surrounding the induction of locomotion following stimulation of mesopontine sites, including the pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN), appears based on procedural differences, including stimulus onset, delay preceding stepping, and frequency of stimuli. The results reviewed in this chapter address these issues and provide novel information suggesting that descending projections from the PPN may exert a frequency-dependent effect. Stimulation at approximately 60 Hz (which induces prolonged tonic firing) may exercise a "push" towards locomotion (activation of pontine interneurons) as well as a "pull" away from decreased muscle tone (inhibiting giant pontine reticulospinal cells). Higher frequencies of stimulation (> 100 Hz, which induces phasic burst-like activity) may "push" towards decreases in muscle tone, including the atonia of rapid eye movement sleep (activating giant pontine reticulospinal cells).

Breathing Bright Solitons in a Bose Einstein Condensate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chong, Gui-Shu; Hai, Wen-Hua; Xie, Qiong-Tao

2003-12-01

A Bose-Einstein condensate with time varying scattering length in time-dependent harmonic trap is analytically investigated and soliton-like solutions of the Gross-Pitaeviskii equation are obtained to describe single soliton, bisoliton and N-soliton properties of the matter wave. The influences of the geometrical property and modulate frequency of trapping potential on soliton behaviour are discussed. When the trap potential has a very small trap aspect ratio or oscillates with a high frequency, the matter wave preserves its shape nearly like a soliton train in propagation, while the breathing behaviour, which displays the periodic collapse and revival of the matter wave, is found for a relatively large aspect ratio or slow varying potential. Meanwhile mass centre of the matter wave translates and/or oscillates for different trap aspect ratio and trap frequencies.

Interactions between amplitude modulation and frequency modulation processing: Effects of age and hearing loss.

PubMed

Paraouty, Nihaad; Ewert, Stephan D; Wallaert, Nicolas; Lorenzi, Christian

2016-07-01

Frequency modulation (FM) and amplitude modulation (AM) detection thresholds were measured for a 500-Hz carrier frequency and a 5-Hz modulation rate. For AM detection, FM at the same rate as the AM was superimposed with varying FM depth. For FM detection, AM at the same rate was superimposed with varying AM depth. The target stimuli always contained both amplitude and frequency modulations, while the standard stimuli only contained the interfering modulation. Young and older normal-hearing listeners, as well as older listeners with mild-to-moderate sensorineural hearing loss were tested. For all groups, AM and FM detection thresholds were degraded in the presence of the interfering modulation. AM detection with and without interfering FM was hardly affected by either age or hearing loss. While aging had an overall detrimental effect on FM detection with and without interfering AM, there was a trend that hearing loss further impaired FM detection in the presence of AM. Several models using optimal combination of temporal-envelope cues at the outputs of off-frequency filters were tested. The interfering effects could only be predicted for hearing-impaired listeners. This indirectly supports the idea that, in addition to envelope cues resulting from FM-to-AM conversion, normal-hearing listeners use temporal fine-structure cues for FM detection.

Systems and methods for selective detection and imaging in coherent Raman microscopy by spectral excitation shaping

DOEpatents

Xie, Xiaoliang Sunney; Freudiger, Christian; Min, Wei

2016-03-15

A microscopy imaging system is disclosed that includes a light source system, a spectral shaper, a modulator system, an optics system, an optical detector and a processor. The light source system is for providing a first train of pulses and a second train of pulses. The spectral shaper is for spectrally modifying an optical property of at least some frequency components of the broadband range of frequency components such that the broadband range of frequency components is shaped producing a shaped first train of pulses to specifically probe a spectral feature of interest from a sample, and to reduce information from features that are not of interest from the sample. The modulator system is for modulating a property of at least one of the shaped first train of pulses and the second train of pulses at a modulation frequency. The optical detector is for detecting an integrated intensity of substantially all optical frequency components of a train of pulses of interest transmitted or reflected through the common focal volume. The processor is for detecting a modulation at the modulation frequency of the integrated intensity of substantially all of the optical frequency components of the train of pulses of interest due to the non-linear interaction of the shaped first train of pulses with the second train of pulses as modulated in the common focal volume, and for providing an output signal for a pixel of an image for the microscopy imaging system.

47 CFR 90.242 - Travelers' information stations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... the modulation limiter and the modulated stage. At audio frequencies between 3 kHz and 20 kHz this...' information stations. (a) The frequencies 530 through 1700 kHz in 10 kHz increments may be assigned to the... consideration of possible cross-modulation and inter-modulation interference effects which may result from the...

Three axis vector atomic magnetometer utilizing polarimetric technique

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pradhan, Swarupananda, E-mail: spradhan@barc.gov.in, E-mail: pradhans75@gmail.com

2016-09-15

The three axis vector magnetic field measurement based on the interaction of a single elliptically polarized light beam with an atomic system is described. The magnetic field direction dependent atomic responses are extracted by the polarimetric detection in combination with laser frequency modulation and magnetic field modulation techniques. The magnetometer geometry offers additional critical requirements like compact size and large dynamic range for space application. Further, the three axis magnetic field is measured using only the reflected signal (one polarization component) from the polarimeter and thus can be easily expanded to make spatial array of detectors and/or high sensitivity fieldmore » gradient measurement as required for biomedical application.« less