Anxiety and the Antisocial

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Greg Goldberg
Keyword(s):  
Queer Theory ◽  
Theoretical Work ◽  
Theoretical Framework ◽  
Sharing Economy ◽  
Recent Theoretical Work ◽  
Modes Of Thought ◽  
Psychological Disposition

This chapter elaborates a novel theoretical framework that draws from the antisocial thesis in queer theory, particularly as formulated by Leo Bersani, as well as recent theoretical work on affect and emotion by Sianne Ngai and Sara Ahmed. Weaving these theoretical strands together, the chapter proposes that anxiety is not simply an individual psychological disposition, but can also be ascribed to modes of thought. The chapter then argues that anxiety, as a discursive affect, functions as a “straightening device,” policing antisocial subjects (or non-subjects) and calling them back to valued forms of sociality. This argument provides a foundation for interpreting the anxieties about playbor, automation, and the sharing economy discussed in the chapters that follow.

Toward a Theory of Regulation for Developing Countries: Following Jean-Jacques Laffont's Lead

2009 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 729-770 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Estache ◽  
Liam Wren-Lewis
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Poverty Reduction ◽  
Regulatory Policy ◽  
Institutional Context ◽  
Theoretical Work ◽  
Theoretical Framework ◽  
Efficient Operation ◽  
Limited Success ◽  
Recent Theoretical Work ◽  
Alternative Approaches

The efficient operation and expansion of infrastructures in developing countries is crucial for growth and poverty reduction. However, recent reforms aimed at improving the performance of these sectors have had limited success. Evidence suggests that, in many instances, this was because the traditional regulatory theory relied on by policymakers was not suitable for the institutional context in developing countries. This article surveys more recent theoretical work focusing on problems with regulation in these countries. At the heart of the survey is the work of Jean-Jacques Laffont, who, in the last decade of his life, set about developing a theoretical framework for regulation in developing countries. We consider the implications of his work, which focused on the key institutional limitations faced in developing countries. We then discuss where experience suggests that there are important omissions from this modeling, bringing in extensions and alternative approaches pursued by other authors. We conclude by summarizing the key ways in which regulatory policy will be different when institutions are weak. Overall, we find that an understanding of the institutional context and its implications are crucial when designing a regulatory framework for developing countries.

scholarly journals The effect of the centrifugal acceleration on period spacings of gravito-inertial modes in intermediate-mass stars

2021 ◽  
Vol 648 ◽  
pp. A97
Author(s):  
J. Henneco ◽  
T. Van Reeth ◽  
V. Prat ◽  
S. Mathis ◽  
J. S. G. Mombarg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Precision ◽  
Theoretical Work ◽  
Theoretical Framework ◽  
Stellar Structure ◽  
Relevant Parameter ◽  
Space Telescopes ◽  
Centrifugal Acceleration ◽  
Coriolis Acceleration ◽  
Recent Theoretical Work ◽  
Photometric Observations

Context. The Kepler and Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) space telescopes delivered high-precision, long-duration photometric time series for hundreds of main-sequence stars, revealing their numerous gravito-inertial (g) pulsation modes. This high precision allows us to evaluate increasingly detailed theoretical stellar models. Recent theoretical work extended the traditional approximation of rotation, a framework to evaluate the effect of the Coriolis acceleration on g modes, to include the effects of the centrifugal acceleration in the approximation of slightly deformed stars, which so far have mostly been neglected in asteroseismology. This extension of the traditional approximation was conceived by re-deriving the traditional approximation in a centrifugally-deformed, spheroidal coordinate system. Aims. We explore the effect of the centrifugal acceleration on g modes and assess its detectability in space-based photometric observations. Methods. We implemented the new theoretical framework to calculate the centrifugal deformation of pre-computed 1D spherical stellar structure models and computed the corresponding g-mode frequencies, assuming uniform rotation. The framework was evaluated for a grid of stellar structure models covering a relevant parameter space for observed g-mode pulsators. Results. The centrifugal acceleration modifies the effect of the Coriolis acceleration on g modes, narrowing the equatorial band in which they are trapped. Furthermore, the centrifugal acceleration causes the pulsation periods and period spacings of the most common g modes (prograde dipole modes and r modes) to increase with values similar to the observational uncertainties of the measured period spacing values in Kepler and TESS data. Conclusions. The effect of the centrifugal acceleration on g modes is formally detectable in modern space photometry. The implementation of the used theoretical framework in stellar structure and pulsation codes will allow for more precise asteroseismic modelling of centrifugally deformed stars in order to assess its effect on mode excitation, trapping, and damping.

The light-scattering Mueller matrices for Rayleigh and Rayleigh-Gans-Debye approximation

1990 ◽  
Vol 55 (12) ◽  
pp. 2889-2897
Author(s):  
Jaroslav Holoubek
Keyword(s):  
Light Scattering ◽  
Theoretical Work ◽  
Matrix Elements ◽  
Elastic Light Scattering ◽  
Yield Information ◽  
Recent Theoretical Work ◽  
Particle Parameters ◽  
Complete Set ◽  
Single Matrix ◽  
Scattering Matrix Elements

Recent theoretical work has shown that the complete set of polarized elastic light-scattering studies should yield information about scatterer structure that has so far hardly been utilized. We present here calculations of angular dependences of light-scattering matrix elements for spheres near the Rayleigh and Rayleigh-Gans-Debye limits. The significance of single matrix elements is documented on examples that show how different matrix elements respond to changes in particle parameters. It appears that in the small-particle limit (Rg/λ < 0.1) we do not loose much information by ignoring "large particle" observables.

scholarly journals Magnetospheric Structure of Rotation-Powered Neutron Stars

1992 ◽  
Vol 128 ◽  
pp. 56-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Arons
Keyword(s):  
Radio Emission ◽  
Gamma Radiation ◽  
Heavy Ions ◽  
Theoretical Work ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Observational Constraints ◽  
Polar Caps ◽  
Recent Theoretical Work ◽  
Density Flow ◽  
Promising Avenue

AbstractI survey recent theoretical work on the structure of the magnetospheres of rotation-powered pulsars, within the observational constraints set by their observed spindown, their ability to power synchrotron nebulae and their ability to produce beamed collective radio emission, while putting only a small fraction of their energy into incoherent X- and gamma radiation. I find no single theory has yet given a consistent description of the magnetosphere, but I conclude that models based on a dense outflow of pairs from the polar caps, permeated by a lower density flow of heavy ions, are the most promising avenue for future research.

scholarly journals THE EXOTIC BARIUM BISMUTHATES

1996 ◽  
Vol 10 (08) ◽  
pp. 863-955 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. TARAPHDER ◽  
RAHUL PANDIT ◽  
H. R. KRISHNAMURTHY ◽  
T. V. RAMAKRISHNAN
Keyword(s):  
Bound States ◽  
Random Phase ◽  
Density Wave ◽  
Mean Field ◽  
Experimental Tests ◽  
Theoretical Work ◽  
Recent Theoretical Work ◽  
Effects Of Disorder ◽  
Exotic Physics ◽  
Transport Gaps

We review the remarkable properties, including superconductivity, charge-density-wave ordering and metal–insulator transitions, of lead- and potassium-doped barium bismuthate. We will discuss some of the early theoretical studies of these systems. Our recent theoretical work, on the negative-U, extended-Hubbard model for these systems, will also be described. Both the large- and intermediate-U regimes of this model were examined, using mean-field and random-phase approximations, particularly with a view to fitting various experimental properties of these bismuthates. On the basis of our studies, we point out possibilities for exotic physics in these systems. We also emphasize the different consequences of electronic and phonon-mediated mechanisms for the negative U. We show that, for an electronic mechanism, the semiconducting phases of these bismuthates must be unique, with their transport properties dominated by charge±2eCooperon bound states. This can explain the observed difference between the optical and transport gaps. We propose other experimental tests for this novel mechanism of charge transport and comment on the effects of disorder.

scholarly journals Landauer in the age of synthetic biology: energy consumption and information processing in biochemical networks

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pankaj Mehta ◽  
Alex H Lang ◽  
David J Schwab
Keyword(s):  
Information Processing ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Synthetic Biology ◽  
Protein Modification ◽  
Theoretical Work ◽  
Biochemical Networks ◽  
Fundamental Physics ◽  
Recent Theoretical Work ◽  
Cellular Circuits ◽  
Molecular Components

A central goal of synthetic biology is to design sophisticated synthetic cellular circuits that can perform complex computations and information processing tasks in response to specific inputs. The tremendous advances in our ability to understand and manipulate cellular information processing networks raises several fundamental physics questions: How do the molecular components of cellu- lar circuits exploit energy consumption to improve information processing? Can one utilize ideas from thermodynamics to improve the design of synthetic cellular circuits and modules? Here, we summarize recent theoretical work addressing these questions. Energy consumption in cellular cir- cuits serves five basic purposes: (1) increasing specificity, (2) manipulating dynamics, (3) reducing variability, (4) amplifying signal, and (5) erasing memory. We demonstrate these ideas using several simple examples and discuss the implications of these theoretical ideas for the emerging field of synthetic biology. We conclude by discussing how it may be possible to overcome these limitations using “post-translational” synthetic biology that exploits reversible protein modification.

scholarly journals Mixed-polarity random-dot stereograms alter GABA and Glx concentration in the early visual cortex

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reuben Rideaux ◽  
Nuno Goncalves ◽  
Andrew E Welchman
Keyword(s):  
Visual Cortex ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Theoretical Work ◽  
Dimensional Structure ◽  
Resonance Spectroscopy ◽  
Gaba Concentration ◽  
Recent Theoretical Work ◽  
Random Dot Stereograms ◽  
Mixed Polarity ◽  
Early Visual Cortex

ABSTRACTThe offset between images projected onto the left and right retinae (binocular disparity) provides a powerful cue to the three-dimensional structure of the environment. It was previously shown that depth judgements are better when images comprise both light and dark features, rather than only dark or only light elements. Since Harris and Parker (1995) discovered the “mixed-polarity benefit”, there has been limited evidence supporting their hypothesis that the benefit is due to separate bright and dark channels. Goncalves and Welchman (2017) observed that single- and mixed-polarity stereograms evoke different levels of positive and negative activity in a deep neural network trained on natural images to make depth judgements, which also showed the mixed-polarity benefit. Motivated by this discovery, here we seek to test the potential for changes in the balance of excitation and inhibition that are produced by viewing these stimuli. In particular, we use magnetic resonance spectroscopy to measure Glx and GABA concentration in the early visual cortex of adult humans while viewing single- and mixed-polarity random-dot stereograms (RDS). We find that observers’ Glx concentration is significantly higher while GABA concentration is significantly lower when viewing mixed-polarity RDS than when viewing single-polarity RDS. These results indicate that excitation and inhibition facilitate processing of single- and mixed-polarity stereograms in the early visual cortex to different extents, consistent with recent theoretical work (Goncalves & Welchman, 2017).

scholarly journals Imaging Mueller matrix determination of transparent, unpolarizing samples using a classically entangled polarization state

2018 ◽  
Vol 64 (4) ◽  
pp. 407
Author(s):  
Jacqueline Isamar Muro-Ríos ◽  
R. Espinosa-Luna
Keyword(s):  
Open Space ◽  
Polarization State ◽  
Theoretical Work ◽  
Mueller Matrix ◽  
Experimental Setup ◽  
Wave Plate ◽  
Recent Theoretical Work ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Theoretical Proposal

Inspired in a recent theoretical work for the determination of the Mueller matrix, using as incidence a single classically entangled polarization state (F. Töppel et al., New J. Phys. 16 (2014) 073019), an experimental setup is proposed and tested.  The open space and two wave plate retarders are used as the transparent, nondepolarizing samples under study. Results show some experimental improvements are necessary in order to implement accurately the theoretical proposal in which this work is based.

scholarly journals Task-evoked pupil responses reflect internal belief states

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. Colizoli ◽  
J.W. de Gee ◽  
A.E. Urai ◽  
T.H. Donner
Keyword(s):  
Pupil Diameter ◽  
Theoretical Work ◽  
Prediction Errors ◽  
Decision Confidence ◽  
Uncertain Evidence ◽  
Recent Theoretical Work ◽  
The Face ◽  
Belief States ◽  
State Of The Environment ◽  
Made In

AbstractPerceptual decisions about the state of the environment are often made in the face of uncertain evidence. Internal uncertainty signals are considered important regulators of learning and decision-making. A growing body of work has implicated the brain’s arousal systems in uncertainty signaling. Here, we found that two specific computational variables, postulated by recent theoretical work, evoke boosts of arousal at different times during a perceptual decision: decision confidence (the observer’s internally estimated probability that a choice was correct given the evidence) before feedback, and prediction errors (deviations from expected reward) after feedback. We monitored pupil diameter, a peripheral marker of central arousal state, while subjects performed a challenging perceptual choice task with a delayed monetary reward. We quantified evoked pupil responses during decision formation and after reward-linked feedback. During both intervals, decision difficulty and accuracy had interacting effects on pupil responses. Pupil responses negatively scaled with decision confidence prior to feedback and scaled with uncertainty-dependent prediction errors after feedback. This pattern of pupil responses during both intervals was in line with a model using the observer’s graded belief about choice accuracy to anticipate rewards and compute prediction errors. We conclude that pupil-linked arousal systems are modulated by internal belief states.

Effect of pressure on bubble size in dissolved air flotation

2002 ◽  
Vol 2 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 41-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Han ◽  
Y. Park ◽  
J. Lee ◽  
J. Shim
Keyword(s):  
Bubble Size ◽  
Critical Pressure ◽  
Theoretical Work ◽  
Particle Sizes ◽  
Water And Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Dissolved Air Flotation ◽  
Recent Theoretical Work ◽  
Water And Wastewater ◽  
Air Flotation ◽  
Dissolved Air

Although dissolved air flotation (DAF) has been successfully adopted for water and wastewater treatment, the fundamental characteristics of the process have not been fully investigated. According to recent theoretical work on DAF, bubble size is one of the most important factors that affect the efficiency of the process, with better removal efficiency when the sizes of both bubbles and particles are similar. In this study, a newly developed particle counter method (PCM) was introduced to measure particle sizes. To confirm its usefulness, the results were compared with those from image analysis. Then, using PCM, the size of bubbles in DAF was measured under various pressure conditions which are known to affect the bubble size the most (from 2 to 6 atmospheres). The bubble size decreased as the pressure increased up to a pressure of 3.5 atmospheres. Above this critical pressure, the bubble size did not decrease with further increases in pressure. According to these experimental results, it is not only costly, but also unnecessary, to maintain a pressure above 3.5 atmospheres if the goal is only to generate smaller bubbles.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document