Functional but not obligatory link between microsaccades and neural modulation by covert spatial attention

Covert spatial attention is associated with spatially specific modulation of neural activity as well as with directional biases in fixational eye-movements known as microsaccades. Recently, this link has been suggested to be obligatory, such that modulation of neural activity by covert spatial attention occurs only when paired with microsaccades toward the attended location. Here we revisited this link between microsaccades and neural modulation by covert spatial attention in humans. We investigated spatial modulation of 8-12 Hz EEG alpha activity and microsaccades in a context with no incentive for overt gaze behaviour: when attention is directed internally within the spatial layout of visual working memory. In line with a common attentional origin, we show that spatial modulations of alpha activity and microsaccades co-vary: alpha lateralisation is stronger in trials with microsaccades toward compared to away from the memorised location of the to-be-attended item and occurs earlier in trials with earlier microsaccades toward this item. Critically, however, trials without attention-driven microsaccades nevertheless showed clear spatial modulation of alpha activity - comparable to the neural modulation observed in trials with attention-driven microsaccades. Thus, directional biases in microsaccades are correlated with neural signatures of covert spatial attention, but they are not a prerequisite for neural modulation by covert spatial attention to be manifest.

Characterization of spatial dynamics of fMRI data in white matter using diffusion-informed white matter harmonics

ABSTRACTIn this work, we leverage the Laplacian eigenbasis of voxel-wise white matter (WM) graphs derived from diffusionweighted MRI data, dubbed WM harmonics, to characterize the spatial structure of WM fMRI data. By quantifying the energy content of WM fMRI data associated with subsets of WM harmonics across multiple spectral bands, we show that the data exhibits notable subtle spatial modulations under functional load that are not manifested during rest. WM harmonics provide a novel means to study the spatial dynamics of WM fMRI data, in such way that the analysis is informed by the underlying anatomical structure.

Modulation induced transport signatures in correlated electron waveguides

Recent transport experiments in spatially modulated quasi-1D structures created on top of LaAlO_33/SrTiO_33 interfaces have revealed some interesting features, including phenomena conspicuously absent without the modulation. In this work, we focus on two of these remarkable features and provide theoretical analysis allowing their interpretation. The first one is the appearance of two-terminal conductance plateaus at rational fractions of e^2/he2/h. We explain how this phenomenon, previously believed to be possible only in systems with strong repulsive interactions, can be stabilized in a system with attraction in the presence of the modulation. Using our theoretical framework we find the plateau amplitude and shape, and characterize the correlated phase which develops in the system due to the partial gap, namely a Luttinger liquid of electronic trions. The second observation is a sharp conductance dip below a conductance of 1\times e^2/h1×e2/h, which changes its value over a wide range when tuning the system. We theorize that it is due to resonant backscattering caused by a periodic spin-orbit field. The behavior of this dip can be reliably accounted for by considering the finite length of the electronic waveguides, as well as the interactions therein. The phenomena discussed in this work exemplify the intricate interplay of strong interactions and spatial modulations, and reveal the potential for novel strongly correlated phases of matter in systems which prominently feature both.

Shedding light on moiré excitons: A first-principles perspective

Moiré superlattices in van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures could trap long-lived interlayer excitons. These moiré excitons could form ordered quantum dot arrays, paving the way for unprecedented optoelectronic and quantum information applications. Here, we perform first-principles simulations to shed light on moiré excitons in twisted MoS2/WS2 heterostructures. We provide direct evidence of localized interlayer moiré excitons in vdW heterostructures. The interlayer and intralayer moiré potentials are mapped out based on spatial modulations of energy gaps. Nearly flat valence bands are observed in the heterostructures. The dependence of spatial localization and binding energy of the moiré excitons on the twist angle of the heterostructures is examined. We explore how vertical electric field can be tuned to control the position, polarity, emission energy, and hybridization strength of the moiré excitons. We predict that alternating electric fields could modulate the dipole moments of hybridized moiré excitons and suppress their diffusion in moiré lattices.

Iconicity and interpretability in language emergence

The iconic potential of sign languages suggests that the establishment of a conventionalized set of form-meaning pairings should be relatively easy. However, even an iconic form has to be interpreted correctly for it to conventionalize. In sign languages, spatial modulations are used to indicate real spatial relationships (locative) and grammatical relations. The former is a more-or-less direct representation of how things are situated with respect to each other. Grammatical space, in contrast, is more abstract. As such, the former would seem to be more interpretable than the latter, and so on the face of it, should be more likely to conventionalize in a new sign language. But in at least one emerging sign language the grammatical use of space is conventionalizing first. We argue that this is due to the grammatical use of space being easier to understand correctly, using data from four experiments investigating hearing non-signers interpretation of spatially modulated gestures.

Non-Reciprocal Wave Transmission in a Bilinear Spring-Mass System

Significant amplitude-independent and passive non-reciprocal wave motion can be achieved in a one-dimensional (1D) discrete chain of masses and springs with bilinear elastic stiffness. Some fundamental asymmetric spatial modulations of the bilinear spring stiffness are first examined for their non-reciprocal properties. These are combined as building blocks into more complex configurations with the objective of maximizing non-reciprocal wave behavior. The non-reciprocal property is demonstrated by the significant difference between the transmitted pulse displacement amplitudes and energies for incidence from opposite directions. Extreme non-reciprocity is realized when almost-zero transmission is achieved for the propagation from one direction with a noticeable transmitted pulse for incidence from the other. These models provide the basis for a class of simple 1D non-reciprocal designs and can serve as the building blocks for more complex and higher dimensional non-reciprocal wave systems.

Differentiation and Decoding of the Spatial Modulations of Textures by the Multilayer Convolutional Neural Networks

The paper constitutes a short review of the second-order visual mechanisms studies. Their contribution to the process of the visual attention controlling is being of great interest today. Basic and neural network approaches in the modeling of the second-order visual mechanisms are discussed. The authors report the results of network training when modulated textures were used as training sets, and also present, as an example, the architecture of fast-learning classifier with accuracy more than 98% on test set. The representations obtained through learning are demonstrated. The results of convolutional autoencoders’ training to extract the envelope of the textures, that are modulated in contrast, orientation, and spatial frequency, are presented as well. The successful learning architectures are given as examples. The authors assume that using of convolutional networks in the modeling of the second-order visual mechanisms provides the great perspective, while the results can be used in the algorithms of saliency maps development.

Longitudinal wave propagation in a one-dimensional quasi-periodic waveguide

The paper deals with the analysis of wave propagation in a general one-dimensional (1D) non-uniform waveguide featuring multiple modulations of parameters with different, arbitrarily related, spatial periods. The considered quasi-periodic waveguide, in particular, can be viewed as a model of pure periodic structures with imperfections. Effects of such imperfections on the waveguide frequency bandgaps are revealed and described by means of the method of varying amplitudes and the method of direct separation of motions. It is shown that imperfections cannot considerably degrade wave attenuation properties of 1D periodic structures, e.g. reduce widths of their frequency bandgaps. Attenuation levels and frequency bandgaps featured by the quasi-periodic waveguide are studied without imposing any restrictions on the periods of the modulations, e.g. for their ratio to be rational. For the waveguide featuring relatively small modulations with periods that are not close to each other, each of the frequency bandgaps, to the leading order of smallness, is controlled only by one of the modulations. It is shown that introducing additional spatial modulations to a pure periodic structure can enhance its wave attenuation properties, e.g. a relatively low-frequency bandgap can be induced providing vibration attenuation in frequency ranges where damping is less effective.