Concordia University

About: Concordia University is a education organization based out in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Context (language use) & Control theory. The organization has 13565 authors who have published 31084 publications receiving 783525 citations. The organization is also known as: Sir George Williams University & Loyola College, Montreal.

Direction-dependent tunneling through nanostructured magnetic barriers in graphene

Abstract: We evaluate the transmission through magnetic barriers in graphene-based nanostructures. Several particular cases are considered: a magnetic step, single and double barriers, and $\ensuremath{\delta}$-function barriers. A separate class of magnetic-barrier structures are those with inhomogeneous magnetic-field profiles, such that the average magnetic field vanishes, which can be realized by nanostructured ferromagnetic stripes placed on top of the graphene layer. Quantum bound states that are localized near or in the barrier are predicted for a magnetic step and some structures with finite-width barriers but none for $\ensuremath{\delta}$-function barriers. When a bound state is localized close to the barrier edge, it has a nonzero velocity parallel to this edge. The transmission depends strongly on the direction of the incident electron or hole wave vector and gives the possibility to construct a direction-dependent wave vector filter. In general, the resonant structure of the transmission is significantly more pronounced for (Dirac) electrons with linear spectrum than for the usual electrons with a parabolic spectrum.

Phenotypically plastic neophobia: a response to variable predation risk

Abstract: Prey species possess a variety of morphological, life history and behavioural adaptations to evade predators. While specific evolutionary conditions have led to the expression of permanent, non-plastic anti-predator traits, the vast majority of prey species rely on experience to express adaptive anti-predator defences. While ecologists have identified highly sophisticated means through which naive prey can deal with predation threats, the potential for death upon the first encounter with a predator is still a remarkably important unresolved issue. Here, we used both laboratory and field studies to provide the first evidence for risk-induced neophobia in two taxa (fish and amphibians), and argue that phenotypically plastic neophobia acts as an adaptive anti-predator strategy for vulnerable prey dealing with spatial and temporal variation in predation risk. Our study also illustrates how risk-free maintenance conditions used in laboratory studies may blind researchers to adaptive anti-predator strategies that are only expressed in high-risk conditions.

Specific Increases within Global Decreases: A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Investigation of Five Days of Motor Sequence Learning

Abstract: Our capacity to learn movement sequences is fundamental to our ability to interact with the environment. Although different brain networks have been linked with different stages of learning, there is little evidence for how these networks change across learning. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to identify the specific contributions of the cerebellum and primary motor cortex (M1) during early learning, consolidation, and retention of a motor sequence task. Performance was separated into two components: accuracy (the more explicit, rapidly learned, stimulus–response association component) and synchronization (the more procedural, slowly learned component). The network of brain regions active during early learning was dominated by the cerebellum, premotor cortex, basal ganglia, presupplementary motor area, and supplementary motor area as predicted by existing models. Across days of learning, as performance improved, global decreases were found in the majority of these regions. Importantly, within the context of these global decreases, we found specific regions of the left M1 and right cerebellar VIIIA/VIIB that were positively correlated with improvements in synchronization performance. Improvements in accuracy were correlated with increases in hippocampus, BA 9/10, and the putamen. Thus, the two behavioral measures, accuracy and synchrony, were found to be related to two different sets of brain regions—suggesting that these networks optimize different components of learning. In addition, M1 activity early on day 1 was shown to be predictive of the degree of consolidation on day 2. Finally, functional connectivity between M1 and cerebellum in late learning points to their interaction as a mechanism underlying the long-term representation and expression of a well learned skill.