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Electrically evoked compound action potentials (ECAPs) generated in the subthalamic nucleus (STN) contain features that may be useful for titrating deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy for Parkinson’s disease. Delivering a strong therapeutic effect with DBS therapies, however, relies on selectively targeting neural pathways to avoid inducing side effects. In this study, we investigated the spatiotemporal features of ECAPs in and around the STN across parameter sweeps of stimulation current amplitude, pulse width, and electrode configuration, and used a linear classifier of ECAP responses to predict electrode location. Four non-human primates were implanted unilaterally with either a directional (n = 3) or non-directional (n = 1) DBS lead targeting the sensorimotor STN. ECAP responses were characterized by primary features (within 1.6 ms after a stimulus pulse) and secondary features (between 1.6 and 7.4 ms after a stimulus pulse). Using these features, a linear classifier was able to accurately differentiate electrodes within the STN versus dorsal to the STN in all four subjects. ECAP responses varied systematically with recording and stimulating electrode locations, which provides a subject-specific neuroanatomical basis for selecting electrode configurations in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease with DBS therapy.

 

Stimulated Raman scattering is ubiquitous in many high-intensity laser environments. Parametric four-wave mixing between the pump and Raman sidebands can affect the Raman gain, but stringent phase matching requirements and strongly nonlinear dynamics obscure clear understanding of its effects at high laser powers. Here we investigate four-wave mixing in the presence of strong self-focusing and weak ionization at laser powers above the Kerr critical power. Theoretical analysis shows that the plasma generated at focus naturally leads to phase matching conditions suitable for enhanced Raman gain, almost without regard to the initial phase mismatch. Multidimensional nonlinear optical simulations with multiphoton and collisional ionization confirm the enhancement and suggest that it may lead to significantly higher Raman losses in some high-intensity laser environments.

 

Abstract Modeling and simulation for additive manufacturing (AM) are critical enablers for understanding process physics, conducting process planning and optimization, and streamlining qualification and certification. It is often the case that a suite of hierarchically linked (or coupled) simulation models is needed to achieve the above tasks, as the entirety of the complex physical phenomena relevant to the understanding of process-structure-property-performance relationships in the context of AM precludes the use of a single simulation framework. In this study using a Bayesian network approach, we address the important problem of conducting uncertainty quantification (UQ) analysis for multiple hierarchical models to establish process-microstructure relationships in laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) AM. More significantly, we present the framework to calibrate and analyze simulation models that have experimentally unmeasurable variables, which are quantities of interest predicted by an upstream model and deemed necessary for the downstream model in the chain. We validate the framework using a case study on predicting the microstructure of a binary nickel-niobium alloy processed using LPBF as a function of processing parameters. Our framework is shown to be able to predict segregation of niobium with up to 94.3% prediction accuracy on test data. 

The MCAO pathfinder Clear on the 1.6-meter Goode Solar Telescope has been enabling us to advance solar MCAO from early conceptual demonstrations to science grade wide-field image correction. We report on recent improvements to the control loop and we comment on issues such as the co-aligning of wavefront sensors and deformable mirrors and the sensitivity of wavefront sensor gains. Further, we comment on the challenges to wavefront sensing and the control system architecture faced when scaling up to a 4-meter aperture. Finally, we present an early concept of the future MCAO upgrade for the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope.