A Neurostimulator System for Real, Sham, and Multi-Target Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Background: Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a clinically effective therapeutic instrument used to modulate neural activity. Despite three decades of research, two challenging issues remain, the possibility of changing the 1) stimulated spot and 2) stimulation type (real or sham) without physically moving the coil. Objective: In this study, a second-generation programmable TMS (pTMS2) device with advanced stimulus shaping is introduced that uses a 5-level cascaded H-bridge inverter and phase-shifted pulse-width modulation (PWM). The principal idea of this research is to obtain real, sham, and multi-locus stimulation with the same TMS system. Methods: We propose a two-channel modulation-based magnetic pulse generator and a novel coil arrangement, consisting of two circular coils with a physical distance of 20 mm between the coils and a control method for modifying the effective stimulus intensity, which leads to the live steerability of the location and type of stimulation. Results: Based on the measured system performance, the stimulation profile can be steered 20 mm along a line from the centroid of the coil locations by modifying the modulation index. Conclusion: The proposed system supports electronic control of the stimulation spot without physical coil movement, resulting in tunable modulation of targets, which is a crucial step towards automated TMS machines.

Study on the Calculation Method for Pumping Process in as Vacuum System

The calculation methods for vacuum system pumping were usually based on some simple theoretical models, the corresponding results had significant deviations from actual situations. In this study, medium and low vacuum systems (including vacuum chambers, pipes and pumps) were taken as research objects. With a measured vacuum system, and relationship between pump’s suction flowrate and inlet pressure, a new calculation method for vacuum pumping time was proposed, in which laminar or turbulent model was selected according to the pipeline’s flow state. New and traditional laminar method were used to calculate the pumping process of the measured system, which found that in the middle and high pressure stage, the pipeline flow was in turbulent state and the resistance was non-negligible. If the influence of turbulence was ignored, the calculated pressure drop would be faster than actual situation. The calculation result was verified by actual measurement result, indicating that new method is practical for vacuum pumping time calculation.

Emergent classicality in general multipartite states and channels

In a quantum measurement process, classical information about the measured system spreads throughout the environment. Meanwhile, quantum information about the system becomes inaccessible to local observers. Here we prove a result about quantum channels indicating that an aspect of this phenomenon is completely general. We show that for any evolution of the system and environment, for everywhere in the environment excluding an O(1)-sized region we call the "quantum Markov blanket," any locally accessible information about the system must be approximately classical, i.e. obtainable from some fixed measurement. The result strengthens the earlier result of Brandão et al. (Nat. comm. 6:7908) in which the excluded region was allowed to grow with total environment size. It may also be seen as a new consequence of the principles of no-cloning or monogamy of entanglement. Our proof offers a constructive optimization procedure for determining the "quantum Markov blanket" region, as well as the effective measurement induced by the evolution. Alternatively, under channel-state duality, our result characterizes the marginals of multipartite states.

A no-go theorem for the persistent reality of Wigner’s friend’s perception

The notorious Wigner’s friend thought experiment (and modifications thereof) has received renewed interest especially due to new arguments that force us to question some of the fundamental assumptions of quantum theory. In this paper, we formulate a no-go theorem for the persistent reality of Wigner’s friend’s perception, which allows us to conclude that the perceptions that the friend has of her own measurement outcomes at different times cannot “share the same reality”, if seemingly natural quantum mechanical assumptions are met. More formally, this means that, in a Wigner’s friend scenario, there is no joint probability distribution for the friend’s perceived measurement outcomes at two different times, that depends linearly on the initial state of the measured system and whose marginals reproduce the predictions of unitary quantum theory. This theorem entails that one must either (1) propose a nonlinear modification of the Born rule for two-time predictions, (2) sometimes prohibit the use of present information to predict the future—thereby reducing the predictive power of quantum theory—or (3) deny that unitary quantum mechanics makes valid single-time predictions for all observers. We briefly discuss which of the theorem’s assumptions are more likely to be dropped within various popular interpretations of quantum mechanics.

Consistent description of microscopic phenomena by macroscopic observers in quantum theory

Quantum mechanics is the foundation of modern physics that is thought to be applicable to all physical phenomena, at least in principle. However, when applied to macroscopic bodies, the theory seems to be inconsistent. Wigner's friend and related thought experiments demonstrate that accounts by different observers described by the rules of quantum mechanics may be contradictory. Although still highly debated, such experiments seem to demonstrate an incompatibility of quantum mechanics with the usual rules of logic. Alternatively, one of the hidden assumptions in the thought experiments must be wrong. For instance, the argument is invalidated if macroscopic observers cannot be considered as physical systems described by the rules of quantum theory. Here we prove that there is a way to apply the rules of quantum mechanics to macroscopic observers while avoiding contradictory accounts of measurement by the observers. The key to this is the random noise that is ever present in nature and that represents the uncontrollable part of interaction between measured system and the surroundings in classical and quantum physics. By exploring the effect of the noise on microscopic and macroscopic bodies, we demonstrate that accounts of Wigner, the friend and other agents all become consistent. Our result suggests that the existing attempts to modify the Schrodinger equation to account for measurement results may be misguided. More broadly, the proposed mechanism for modeling measurements underlies the phenomenon of decoherence and is shown to be sufficient to explain the transition to Newtonian physics in quantum theory.

Path integral implementation of relational quantum mechanics

Relational formulation of quantum mechanics is based on the idea that relational properties among quantum systems, instead of the independent properties of a quantum system, are the most fundamental elements to construct quantum mechanics. In a recent paper (Yang in Sci Rep 8:13305, 2018), basic relational quantum mechanics framework is formulated to derive quantum probability, Born’s Rule, Schrödinger Equations, and measurement theory. This paper further extends the reformulation effort in three aspects. First, it gives a clearer explanation of the key concepts behind the framework to calculate measurement probability. Second, we provide a concrete implementation of the relational probability amplitude by extending the path integral formulation. The implementation not only clarifies the physical meaning of the relational probability amplitude, but also allows us to elegantly explain the double slit experiment, to describe the interaction history between the measured system and a series of measuring systems, and to calculate entanglement entropy based on path integral and influence functional. In return, the implementation brings back new insight to path integral itself by completing the explanation on why measurement probability can be calculated as modulus square of probability amplitude. Lastly, we clarify the connection between our reformulation and the quantum reference frame theory. A complete relational formulation of quantum mechanics needs to combine the present works with the quantum reference frame theory.

Analysis of Conductance Probes for Two-Phase Flow and Holdup Applications

In this paper we perform an analysis of the conductance probes used in two-phase flow applications especially for two-phase flow tomography of annular flow, to measure the waves produced in the interface with different boundary conditions without perturbing the flow, and in addition we examine the holdup applications as measuring the average void fraction in a given region. The method used to obtain the detector conductance between the electrodes is to solve analytically the generalized Laplace equation in 3D with the boundary conditions of the problem, and then to obtain the average potential difference between the detector electrodes. Then, dividing the current intensity circulating between the emitter and the receiver electrodes by the average potential difference yields the probe conductance, which depends on the geometric and physical characteristics of the measured system and the probe. This conductance is then non-dimensionalized by dividing by the conductance of the pipe full of water. In this way a set of analytical expression have been obtained for the conductance of two-plate sensors with different geometries and locations. We have performed an exhaustive comparison of the results obtained using the equations deduced in this paper with the experimental data from several authors in different cases with very good agreement. In some cases when the distribution of bubbles is not homogeneous, we have explored the different alternatives of the effective medium theory (EMT) in terms of the self-consistent EMT and the non-consistent EMT.

Marketplace affiliates potential analysis using cosine similarity and vision-based page segmentation

One success factor of an online affiliate is determined by the quality of the content source. Therefore, affiliate marketplaces need to do an objective assessment to retrieve content data that will be used to choose the right product in the appropriate product filter. Usually, the selection is not made using a good and measured system so that the selection of product content is only based on parts that are not in accordance with what is seen or subjective. However, if analyzed using a good and measurable system will produce an objective product content and can have a positive impact on users because the selection is based on factual data. The purpose of this research is to analyze the potential of the affiliate marketplace by combining cosine similarity with vision-based page segmentation. This is a new breakthrough made for optimization to get the best content in accordance with the required criteria. This work will produce a number of product recommendations that are appropriate for publication and then made use of for comparison that matches the required criteria. At the limited evaluation stage, the performance of the proposed model obtained satisfactory results, in which 5 queries tested were all as expected.

Mixed controller (IRC+NSC) involved in the harmonic vibration response cantilever beam model

This manuscript aims for improving the vibrational behaviors of a cantilever beam model through an intermediate lumped mass via offering a new control methodology to suppress for such high oscillations of the system. The equation of the considered cantilever beam structure is gained applying Euler–Lagrange technique. Accordingly, the considered model is modified by mixing Integral Resonant Control (IRC) along with the Nonlinear Saturation Controller (NSC) as anew controller to the considered system. Due to the recommended control technique, the modified system model is studied and analyzed by the perturbation technique. Time histories figures of the measured system plus the new controller are involved to display the response before and after control. The frequency response figures of the modified model before and after new controller near simultaneous condition [Formula: see text] are gained. Each frequency-response curves have stable and unstable regions are determined numerically. Numerical results show the vibrations of the system are eliminated when adding combined IRC and NSC controllers. Finally, numerical outcomes are performed that illustrated an excellent agreement with the analytical ones. Comparison between this paper and recent papers of the cantilever beam are done.