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Assemblies of vertically connected neurons in the cerebral cortex form information processing units (columns) that participate in the distribution and segregation of sensory signals. Despite well-accepted models of columnar architecture, functional mechanisms of inter-laminar communication remain poorly understood. Hence, the purpose of the present investigation was to examine the effects of sensory information features on columnar response properties. Using acute recording techniques, extracellular response activity was collected from the right hemisphere of eight mature cats (felis catus). Recordings were conducted with multichannel electrodes that permitted the simultaneous acquisition of neuronal activity within primary auditory cortex columns. Neuronal responses to simple (pure tones), complex (noise burst and frequency modulated sweeps), and ecologically relevant (con-specific vocalizations) acoustic signals were measured. Collectively, the present investigation demonstrates that despite consistencies in neuronal tuning (characteristic frequency), irregularities in discharge activity between neurons of individual A1 columns increase as a function of spectral (signal complexity) and temporal (duration) acoustic variations. Multi-unit responses to acoustic signals within A1 columnsThe data set consists of eight multi-unit electrophysiology experiments located within a single .zip file. Acoustic feature (signal type and duration) are in subfolders where data rasters for each recording session conducted can be found. Columns represent time and rows trial number. Data is presented as Matlab files.DRYAD.zip

This paper presents 2D and 3D applications of the Chan-Vese model to heart and trachea segmentation. We improved the multi-phase Chan-Vese model by introducing an iterative method, by choosing an appropriate $L^1$ fidelity term as well as an efficient and prior free initial condition. For 3D applications, the algorithm is parallelized in order to speed up the computations. We provide extensive information on computational details, on the convergence times and on the quality of segmentations obtained. The results of the segmentations are then meshed to be used for finite element simulations. 20 pages

Recent work has shown that many cellular automata (CA) have configurations whose orbit closures are isomorphic to odometers. We investigate the geometry of the spacetime diagrams of these `odometer configurations'. For boolean linear CA, we exactly determine the positions of the consecutive `gears' of the odometer mechanism in the configuration. Then we characterize and explain the self-similar structure visible in the spacetime diagrams of odometer configurations for two classes of nonlinear CA: ratchet CA and Coven CA. International audience ISBN 978-5-94057-377-7

In the near future, emergency services within Canada will be supporting new technologies for 9-1-1 call centres and firefighters to learn about an emergency situation. One such technology is drones. To understand the benefits and challenges of using drones within emergency response, we conducted a study with citizens who have called 9-1-1 and firefighters who respond to a range of everyday emergencies. Our results show that drones have numerous benefits to both firefighters and 9-1-1 callers which include context awareness and social support for callers who receive feelings of assurance that help is on the way. Privacy was largely not an issue, though safety issues arose especially for complex uses of drones such as indoor flying. Our results point to opportunities for designing drone systems that help people to develop a sense of trust with emergency response drones, and mitigate privacy and safety concerns with more complex drone systems. International audience

We present the results of the re-discovery of the decay $B^0 \to \pi^- \ell^+ \nu_\ell$ in 34.6 fb$^{-1}$ of Belle II data using hadronic $B$-tagging via the Full Event Interpretation algorithm. We observe 21 signal events on a background of 155 in a fit to the distribution of the square of the missing mass, $M_{\mathrm{miss}}^2$, with a significance of 5.69$\sigma$, and determine a total branching fraction of (1.58 $\pm$ 0.43$_{\mathrm{stat}}$ $\pm$ 0.07$_{\mathrm{sys}}$) $\times 10^{-4}$.

In the work using interval mathematics, we develop knowledge for cardinal numbers from the viewpoint of uncertainty analysis. In the finite non-T 1 topological spaces, the inclusion-exclusion formula provide interval estimations for the closure and interior of given sets. This paper introduces a novel approach that combines combinatorial and point-set topology, which leads to a number of results. Among these is the cardinality estimation for the intersection of two open sets that cover a hyperconnected topo-logical space.

Serpentinites exhumed from mantle wedges are enriched in elements that are mobile at low temperatures, such as As, Sb, Pb, and Sr, based on samples from the Himalayas and the Alps. Such data provide compelling evidence that these fluid-soluble elements were incorporated into the overlying fore-arc mantle wedge from the subducting slab. Thus, serpentinites in the fore-arc mantle act as a sink for water and fluid-soluble elements, insulating the overlying mantle from further hydration.. Downward movement of the serpentinite layer, facilitated by mantle flow, causes transport of these elements to deeper, hotter levels in the mantle. Eventual dehydration of these serpentinites discharges the fluid-soluble elements with water, leading to partial melting of the mantle wedge and accounting for the observed enrichment of these elements in magmas at the volcanic front.

The use of low optical concentration with planar reflectors represents a relatively simple method for improving solar photovoltaic (PV) specific efficiency. A coupled optical and thermal model was developed to determine the effects on yearly performance of a planar concentrator on array-scale solar PV installations. This model accounts for i) thermal, ii) angle of incidence, iii) reflectivity, and iv) string mismatch loss mechanisms in order to enable informed design of low optical concentration systems. A case study in Canada is presented using the model and the simulation results show that a planar reflector system installed on a traditional crystalline silicon-based PV farm can produce increases in electrical yield from 23-34% compared to a traditional optimized system and thus represents a potential method of achieving practical gains in PV system yield. International audience