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The modified Benjamin-Bona-Mahony (mBBM) model is utilized in the optical illusion field to describe the propagation of long waves in a nonlinear dispersive medium during a visual illusion (Khater 2021). This article investigates the mBBM equation through the utilization of the rational (G′G) -expansion technique to derive new analytical wave solutions. The analytical solutions we have obtained comprise hyperbolic, trigonometric, and rational functions. Some of these exact solutions closely align with previously published results in specific cases, affirming the validity of our other solutions. To provide insights into diverse wave propagation characteristics, we have conducted an in-depth analysis of these solutions using 2D, 3D, and density plots. We also investigated the effects of various parameters on the characteristics of the obtained wave solutions of the model. Moreover, we employed the techniques of linear stability to perform stability analysis of the considered model. Additionally, we have explored the stability of the associated dynamical system through the application of phase plane theory. This study also demonstrates the efficacy and capabilities of the rational (G′G) -expansion approach in analyzing and extracting soliton solutions from nonlinear partial differential equations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Localisation of simple stimuli such as angle vertices may contribute to a plethora of illusory effects. We focus on the Müller-Lyer illusion in an attempt to measure and characterise a more elementary effect that may contribute to the magnitude of said illusion. Perceived location error of angle vertices (a single set of Müller-Lyer fins) and arcs in a 2D plane was measured with the aim to provide clarification of ambiguous results from studies of angle localisation and expand the results to other types of stimuli. In three experiments, we utilised the method of constant stimuli in order to determine perceived locations of angle vertices (Experiments 1 and 2) as well as circular and elliptical arcs (Experiment 3). The results show significant distortions of perceived compared to objective vertex locations (all effect sizes d > 1.01, p < .001). Experiment 2 revealed strong effects of angle size and fin length on localisation error. Mislocalization was larger for more acute angles and longer angle fins (both ηp² = .43, p < .001). In Experiment 3, localisation errors were larger for longer arcs (ηp² = .19, p = .001) irrespective of shape (circular or elliptical). We discuss the effect in the context of modern trends in research of the Müller-Lyer illusion as well as the widely popular centroid theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

THE SPEECH-TO-SONG ILLUSION IS A PERCEPTUAL transformation in which a spoken phrase initially heard as speech begins to sound like song across repetitions. In two experiments, we tested whether phrase-specific learning and memory processes engaged by repetition contribute to the illusion. In Experiment 1, participants heard 16 phrases across two conditions. In both conditions, participants heard eight repetitions of each phrase and rated their experience after each repetition using a 10-point scale from ''sounds like speech'' to ''sounds like song.'' The conditions differed in whether the repetitions were heard consecutively or interleaved such that participants were exposed to other phrases between each repetition. The illusion was strongest when exposures to phrases happened consecutively, but phrases were still rated as more song-like after interleaved exposures. In Experiment 2, participants heard eight consecutive repetitions of each of eight phrases. Seven days later, participants were exposed to eight consecutive repetitions of the eight phrases heard previously as well as eight novel phrases. The illusion was preserved across a delay of one week: familiar phrases were rated as more song-like in session two than novel phrases. The results provide evidence for the role of rapid phrase-specific learning and long-term memory in the speech-to-song illusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous efforts have been made to test the OPTIMAL theory of motor learning in healthy children and adult populations. However, only a small number of studies have tested this theory in children with cognitive-motor disorders, such as developmental coordination disorder (DCD). The present study aims to examine the individual and additive effects of a visual illusion and self-controlled practice on a golf putting task in children at risk for DCD based on the OPTIMAL theory. Forty children at risk for DCD (mean age = 8.57 ± 1.05 years) were randomly assigned to four experimental groups (1—small visual illusion + self-controlled practice; 2—big visual illusion + self-controlled practice; 3—small visual illusion + yoked; 4—big visual illusion + yoked). Following 12 pretest trials of a golf putting task, the participants completed 5 blocks of 12 trials of practice on the first day. A retention test (12 trials) and a transfer dual-task test (12 trials) were conducted on the second day. The results indicated that in retention test the big visual illusion + self-controlled practice group was significantly better than the small visual illusion + yoked group (p = 0.01), while there was not any other significant difference between groups at retention test as well as between all groups at practice phase and transfer test (p > 0.05 for all comparisons). In other words, an additive effect has been observed just in the retention test but not the practice phase as well as transfer test. In general, the results of this study support the OPTIMAL theory of motor learning in children at risk for DCD and suggests to all educators who work with these children to use the combination of the visual illusion with self-controlled practice to improve the motor learning of children at risk for DCD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motion silencing is a striking and unexplained visual illusion wherein changes that are otherwise salient become difficult to perceive when the changing elements also move. We develop a new method for quantifying illusion strength (Experiments 1a and 1b), and we demonstrate a privileged role for rotational motion on illusion strength compared with highly controlled stimuli that lack rotation (Experiments 2a to 3b). These contrasts make it difficult to explain the illusion in terms of lower-level detection limits. Instead, we explain the illusion as a failure to attribute changes to locations. Rotation exacerbates the illusion because its perception relies upon structured object representations. This aggravates the difficulty of attributing changes by demanding that locations are referenced relative to both an object-internal frame and an external frame. Two final experiments (4a and 4b) add support to this account by employing a synchronously rotating external frame of reference that diminishes otherwise strong motion silencing. All participants were Johns Hopkins University undergraduates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fairness products are an essential component of daily beauty routines for many individuals in subcontinental Asia. However, it is important to be aware that these products often contain ingredients that can be detrimental to the skin and are banned in several developed countries. Objective: Our study aims to analyze the content of fairness cream commercials in order to gain a deeper understanding of the information used to persuade and influence consumers to use these products. Methods: Fairness cream commercials originating from countries in subcontinental Asia, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal, were specifically searched and analyzed on the YouTube platform. Results: An analysis of 152 fairness cream commercials on YouTube identified 84.21% of commercials targeted female consumers, while only 15.79% targeted male consumers. 77.63% of commercials used celebrities in their commercials and 47.37% of commercials mentioned specific ingredients. Conclusions: Based on our findings, it is crucial for dermatologists to take an active role in educating patients and consumers about the potential risks associated with certain ingredients found in fairness creams. Dermatologists should emphasize the importance of prioritizing overall skin health rather than solely focusing on skin lightening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vittorio Benussi (1878–1927) is known for numerous studies on optical illusions, visual and haptic perception, spatial and time perception. In Padova, he had a brilliant student who carefully worked on the topic of how people estimate numerosity, Silvia De Marchi (1897–1936). Her writings have never been translated into English before. Here we comment on her work and life, characterized also by the challenges faced by women in academia. The studies on perception of numerosity from her thesis were published as an article in 1929. We provide a translation from Italian, a redrawing of its 23 illustrations and of the graphs. It shows an original experimental approach and an anticipation of what later became known as magnitude estimation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe a novel size illusion in which targets appear to either shrink or grow when enclosed within a narrow tube. The direction of size change is determined by the contrast step between display elements. We first noticed this effect in the context of the dynamic "rocking line" illusion (RLI), but it can also be easily seen in completely static displays. As with the RLI, the overall scale of the display seems to play an important role. We provide an online, interactive demo, enabling the reader to explore the relevant parameter space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Stimuli received beyond a very short timeframe, known as temporal binding windows (TBWs), are perceived as separate events. In previous audio‐visual multisensory integration (McGurk effect) studies, widening of TBWs has been observed in people with schizophrenia. The present study aimed to determine if dexamphetamine could increase TBWs in unimodal auditory and unimodal visual illusions that may have some validity as experimental models for auditory and visual hallucinations in psychotic disorders. Methods: A double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, counter‐balanced crossover design with permuted block randomisation for drug order was followed. Dexamphetamine (0.45 mg/kg, PO, q.d.) was administered to healthy participants. Phantom word illusion (speech illusion) and visual‐induced flash illusion/VIFI (visual illusion) tests were measured to determine if TBWs were altered as a function of delay between stimuli presentations. Word emotional content for phantom word illusions was also analysed. Results: Dexamphetamine significantly increased the total number of phantom words/speech illusions (p < 0.01) for pooled 220–1100 ms ISIs in kernel density estimation and the number of positive valence words heard (beta = 2.20, 95% CI [1.86, 2.55], t = 12.46, p < 0.001) with a large effect size (std. beta = 1.05, 95% CI [0.89, 1.22]) relative to placebo without affecting the TBWs. For the VIFI test, kernel density estimation for pooled 0–801 ms ISIs showed a significant difference (p < 0.01) in the data distributions of number of target flash (es) perceived by participants after receiving dexamphetamine as compared with placebo. Conclusions: Overall, healthy participants who were administered dexamphetamine (0.45 mg/kg, PO, q.d.) experienced increases in auditory and visual illusions in both phantom word illusion and VIFI tests without affecting their TBWs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigation of visual illusions helps us understand how we process visual information. For example, face pareidolia, the misperception of illusory faces in objects, could be used to understand how we process real faces. However, it remains unclear whether this illusion emerges from errors in face detection or from slower, cognitive processes. Here, our logic is straightforward; if examples of face pareidolia activate the mechanisms that rapidly detect faces in visual environments, then participants will look at objects more quickly when the objects also contain illusory faces. To test this hypothesis, we sampled continuous eye movements during a fast saccadic choice task—participants were required to select either faces or food items. During this task, pairs of stimuli were positioned close to the initial fixation point or further away, in the periphery. As expected, the participants were faster to look at face targets than food targets. Importantly, we also discovered an advantage for food items with illusory faces but, this advantage was limited to the peripheral condition. These findings are among the first to demonstrate that the face pareidolia illusion persists in the periphery and, thus, it is likely to be a consequence of erroneous face detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article weaves three unhealthy realities of the contemporary age that have hijacked democracy in support of (dis)information's absolute power, scientific research be damned! Democracy's dysfunctions are operationalized within a neoliberal age, owing to social media's perpetual cycle of distractions, scorn and political spinelessness across party lines, and the reluctance or inability of news sources to expose the hard truths and take preventive actions in the (dis)information diffusion processes surrounding the COVID-19 disease. The think-aloud narrative gives readers an opportunity to analyze the spread of (dis)information that has made it so potent during the pandemic. The narrative calls on libraries (and others) to implement critical literacies and social justice intersections that might allow for a path moving forward to overcome these dysfunctional conditions that we are experiencing in the twenty-first century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vision can provide useful cues about the geometric properties of an object, like its size, distance, pose, and shape. But how the brain merges these properties into a complete sensory representation of a three-dimensional object is poorly understood. To address this gap, we investigated a visual illusion in which humans misperceive the shape of an object due to a small change in one eye's retinal image. We first show that this illusion affects percepts of a highly familiar object under completely natural viewing conditions. Specifically, people perceived their own rectangular mobile phone to have a trapezoidal shape. We then investigate the perceptual underpinnings of this illusion by asking people to report both the perceived shape and pose of controlled stimuli. Our results suggest that the shape illusion results from distorted cues to object pose. In addition to yielding insights into object perception, this work informs our understanding of how the brain combines information from multiple visual cues in natural settings. The shape illusion can occur when people wear everyday prescription spectacles; thus, these findings also provide insight into the cue combination challenges that some spectacle wearers experience on a regular basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Autokinesis results in an apparent motion of a small visual stimulus in the dark. • In this study optical tracking was used to manually report perceived motion. • At low speeds of stimulus motion, perception was more aligned with autokinesis. • At high speeds, perception was more aligned with the actual motion direction. • These results suggest a perceptual threshold for accurate detection of motion signals. In natural viewing conditions, the brain can optimally integrate retinal and extraretinal signals to maintain a stable visual perception. These mechanisms, however, may fail in circumstances where extraction of a motion signal is less viable such as impoverished visual scenes. This can result in a phenomenon known as autokinesis in which one may experience apparent motion of a small visual stimulus in an otherwise completely dark environment. In this study, we examined the effect of autokinesis on visual perception of motion in human observers. We used a novel method with optical tracking in which the visual motion was reported manually by the observer. Experiment results show at lower speeds of motion, the perceived direction of motion was more aligned with the effect of autokinesis, whereas in the light or at higher speeds in the dark, it was more aligned with the actual direction of motion. These findings have important implications for understanding how the stability of visual representation in the brain can affect accurate perception of motion signals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses four recent works of scholarship that challenge traditional ideas about the novel and its role in literature. The authors argue for new approaches to understanding novels, moving away from the dominance of realism and exploring different perspectives. Scott Black suggests centering the history of fiction around romance instead of the realist novel, while Wendy Anne Lee examines the concept of insensibility in eighteenth-century fiction. Anna Kornbluh rethinks realism as an abstract modeling of social space, and Elaine Freedgood challenges the paradigm of realism in Victorian novels. These works contribute to a broader debate within novel studies and invite readers to reconsider their understanding of the novel. [Extracted from the article]

This study examines the influence of human activities and climate variability on 86 dams and hydropower across Iran. The term 'mirage water' is introduced to estimate the impact of these factors on inflow. Data analysis shows that out of 1729 m3s−1 of mirage water, 705 m3s−1 are contributed by anthropogenic activities and 1024 m3s−1 by precipitation deficits. This indicates that some parts of Iran's strategic investments in water resources management over the past 60 years have failed. The study underscores the necessity for enhanced management practices and infrastructure investments to ensure sustainable water resources in arid and semi-arid regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The action of an ideal fluid in Euler variables with a variable number of particles is used for the phenomenological description of the processes of particle creation in strong external fields. It has been demonstrated that the conformal invariance of the creation law imposes quite strict restrictions on the possible types of sources. It is shown that combinations with the particle number density in the creation law can be interpreted as dark matter within the framework of this model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Rotating Snakes illusion is a visual illusion where a stationary image elicits a compelling sense of anomalous motion. There have been recurring albeit anecdotal claims that the perception of illusory motion is more salient when the image consists of patterns with the combination of blue and yellow; however, there is limited empirical evidence that supports those claims. In the present study, we aimed to assess whether the Rotating Snakes illusion is more salient in its blue-yellow variation, compared to red-green and greyscale variations when the luminance of corresponding elements within the patterns were equated. Using the cancellation method, we found that the velocity required to establish perceptual stationarity was indeed greater for the stimulus composed of patterns with a blue-yellow combination than the other two variants. Our findings provide, for the first time, empirical evidence that the presence of colour affects the magnitude of illusion in the Rotating Snakes illusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animal-built structures that function in mate attraction can be constrained in signal expression by the availability of building materials in the environment and the male's ability to find them as well as the ability to construct the structure itself. As part of their courtship display, male great bowerbirds, Ptilonorhynchus nuchalis , use hundreds of grey-white objects to create a bower court. Males arrange these objects to create a positive size–distance gradient, the evenness of which generates a forced perspective visual illusion that is associated with mating success. However, a range of differently sized objects are required to build a high-quality gradient, and it is unclear how local object availability and male ability to place objects in the correct location (i.e. building ability) affect gradient quality. To disentangle these effects, we provided males with a standardized set of court objects after removing their original objects. If gradient quality is associated with male building ability, we predicted that the quality of the gradient constructed with the standardized set of objects would be positively correlated with the male's original gradient quality. Contrary to our predictions, males that built high-quality gradients in their original court did not build high-quality gradients when given a standardized set of objects. We conclude that the bower court may not be a reliable signal of male building ability, and that object availability and/or male ability to locate appropriate objects explains some of the observed variation in gradient quality. • Male great bowerbirds readily rebuild bower courts with supplied objects. • Natural difference in court quality is not maintained with standardized objects. • Local object availability not male building ability likely affects court quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The analogy between the brain and deep neural networks (DNNs) has sparked interest in neuroscience. Although DNNs have limitations, they remain valuable for modeling specific brain characteristics. This study used Skye's Oblique Grating illusion to assess DNNs' relevance to brain neural networks. We collected data on human perceptual responses to a series of visual illusions. This data was then used to assess how DNN responses to these illusions paralleled or differed from human behavior. We performed two analyses:(1) We trained DNNs to perform horizontal vs. non-horizontal classification on images with bars tilted different degrees (non-illusory images) and tested them on images with horizontal bars with different illusory strengths measured by human behavior (illusory images), finding that DNNs showed human-like illusions; (2) We performed representational similarity analysis to assess whether illusory representation existed in different layers within DNNs, finding that DNNs showed illusion-like responses to illusory images. The representational similarity between real tilted images and illusory images was calculated, which showed the highest values in the early layers and decreased layer-by-layer. Our findings suggest that DNNs could serve as potential models for explaining the mechanism of visual illusions in human brain, particularly those that may originate in early visual areas like the primary visual cortex (V1). While promising, further research is necessary to understand the nuanced differences between DNNs and human visual pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Time and space are intimately related to each other. Previous evidence has shown that stimulus size can affect perceived duration even when size differences are illusory. In the present study, we investigated the effect of visual-spatial illusions on duration judgments in a temporal reproduction paradigm. Specifically, we induced the Ebbinghaus illusion (Exp. 1) and the horizontal-vertical illusion (Exp. 2) during the encoding phase of the target interval or the reproduction phase. The results showed (a) that illusory size affects temporal processing similarly to the way physical size does, (b) that the effect is independent of whether the illusion appeared during encoding or reproduction, and (c) that the interference between size and temporal processing is bidirectional. These results suggest a rather late locus of size-time interference in the processing stream. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Müller-Lyer (ML) figures bias size estimation consistently, yet different methods can lead to different degrees of illusory bias. Autistic individuals may also be less likely to perceive illusory biases with varying levels of autistic trait expression proposed to modulate reported illusory biases. The Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ) and Systemizing Quotient (SQ) are self-report measures that quantify autistic trait expression and systemizing ability in neurotypical individuals. The current study sought to determine if perceptions of illusory size bias negatively correlate with autistic trait expression and the extent to which varying methods of illusion presentation change the magnitude of illusory bias. Thirty neurotypical adults completed both questionnaires as well as four size estimation tasks. Two tasks involved perceptual discrimination of ML figures by concurrent and successive presentation, where participants selected the longer figure by keypress. For Tasks 3 and 4, participants adjusted the size of a non-illusory line (Task 3) or complementary illusory figure (Task 4) to match the perceived length. Overall, task performance was not correlated with autistic trait expression. One exception was a negative correlation with AQ when adjusting a complementary illusory ML figure in Task 4. Illusory biases were also stronger when two illusory figures were presented concurrently. Given these results, illusion susceptibility to the ML is suggested to be reduced with increases in AQ, but only when the method of illusion measurement is adjustment of concurrent illusory figures. Taken together the results provide evidence that traits associated with autism in a neurotypical population may systematically modulate perception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visuoperceptual dysfunction is common in Parkinson's disease (PD) and is also reported in its prodromal phase, isolated REM sleep behavior disorder (iRBD). We aimed to investigate color discrimination ability and complex visual illusions known as pareidolias in patients with iRBD and PD compared to healthy controls, and their associating clinical factors. 46 iRBD, 43 PD, and 64 healthy controls performed the Farnsworth–Munsell 100 hue test and noise pareidolia tests. Any relationship between those two visual functions and associations with prodromal motor and non-motor manifestations were evaluated, including MDS-UPDRS part I to III, Cross-Cultural Smell Identification Test, sleep questionnaires, and comprehensive neuropsychological assessment. iRBD and PD patients both performed worse on the Farnsworth–Munsell 100 hue test and had greater number of pareidolias compared to healthy controls. No correlations were found between the extent of impaired color discrimination and pareidolia scores in either group. In iRBD patients, pareidolias were associated with frontal executive dysfunction, while impaired color discrimination was associated with visuospatial dysfunction, hyposmia, and higher MDS-UPDRS-III scores. Pareidolias in PD patients correlated with worse global cognition, whereas color discrimination deficits were associated with frontal executive dysfunction. Color discrimination deficits and pareidolias are frequent but does not correlate with each other from prodromal to clinically established stage of PD. The different pattern of clinical associates with the two visual symptoms suggests that evaluation of both color and pareidolias may aid in revealing the course of neurodegeneration in iRBD and PD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visual illusions provide a unique opportunity to understand cognitive and perceptual alterations in schizophrenia-spectrum conditions. Schizophrenia patients often exhibit increased susceptibility to the Müller-Lyer illusion. Here, we investigate susceptibility to the Müller-Lyer visual illusion in the general population with different levels of schizotypy. We assessed a population-based convenience sample (N = 263) on an online platform. In addition to basic demographics, participants completed the Müller-Lyer illusion, the Cardiff Anomalous Perceptions Scale (CAPS) to measure perceptual anomalies, and the Multidimensional Schizotypy Scale – Brief (MSS-B) for schizotypic traits. To evaluate what predicts susceptibility to the illusion, we fitted a large set of multilevel logistic regression models and performed model averaging over the coefficients. We found support for increased illusion susceptibility among individuals with high positive schizotypy. However, we did not find a comparable effect for anomalous perceptions alone, or for negative or disorganized schizotypy. The increased Müller-Lyer effect in positive schizotypy might be specific to delusion-like beliefs and magical ideation. Further research is needed to clarify how a hierarchical Bayesian formulation of brain function (e.g. imbalances between bottom-up perceptual processing and substantial reliance on prior expectations) can account for the Müller-Lyer effect in schizophrenia-spectrum conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ambiguous optical illusions have been a paradigmatic object of fascination, research and inspiration in arts, psychology and video games. However, accurate computational models of perception of ambiguous figures have been elusive. In this paper, we design and train a deep neural network model to simulate human perception of the Necker cube, an ambiguous drawing with several alternating possible interpretations. Defining the weights of the neural network connection using a quantum generator of truly random numbers, in agreement with the emerging concepts of quantum artificial intelligence and quantum cognition, we reveal that the actual perceptual state of the Necker cube is a qubit-like superposition of the two fundamental perceptual states predicted by classical theories. Our results finds applications in video games and virtual reality systems employed for training of astronauts and operators of unmanned aerial vehicles. They are also useful for researchers working in the fields of machine learning and vision, psychology of perception and quantum–mechanical models of human mind and decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visual motion signals can produce self-motion perception known as vection in observers. Vection can be generated by illusory motions in the form of global expantion in still images as well as by visual motion signals. The perception of vection can be enhanced by flickering images at a rate of 5 Hz. This study examined the illusory motion and vection induced by a printed static image under flickering ambient light at rates up to 100 Hz. The perception of illusory motion and vection were enhanced by flickering ambient lights at 50, 75, and 100 Hz. The enhancement effect was higher for the flicker rates expected to be detectable by humans. The findings of this study suggest that alternating bright and dark signals to the cone receptors and primary visual cortex trigger perceptions of illusory motions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecumenism is a recurrent theme in Orthodox theological debates, but the syntagma "Orthodox ecumenism" is rarely used because it seems to be very restrictive and inappropriate. However, in exceptional situations, such as a war between two Orthodox peoples, I think it might be more than necessary. In the first part of this essay, I will discuss how the mirage of a "third" Rome and the partnership with the Kremlin makes the Russian Church an adversary of ecumenism inside of Orthodoxy. Any Church that blesses a war, aggression, and confrontation and shows imperial tendencies is excluded de facto from the communion with other Churches. In the second part of my work, I will analyze the consequences of the "schism" created by Patriarch Kirill in the bosom of Orthodoxy. What were (or what were not!) the positions of other Orthodox Churches when Patriarch Kirill blessed the war and betrayed the principles of the Gospel of Christ? Why is there a need for a so-called "Ecumenical Orthodox Council" and what are the chances of this happening? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contemporary Arabic speculative fiction, particularly following the Arab Spring uprisings, is often interpreted as part of an emerging trend of Arab dystopias responding to political upheaval. These texts' ecological concerns, which produce diverse conceptions of futurity, are understudied. This article examines how urban futures are envisioned in an Egyptian speculative fiction text, Ahmed Naji's Istikhdām al-ḥayāh (2014; Using Life, 2017). Putting Using Life in dialogue with discussions on Gulf futurism and Arabfuturisms, the article first examines the text's depiction of hegemonic techno-futurist visions, aimed at manifesting a global utopian future through urban design and development projects. The author argues that this futurist discourse, which has affinities with Gulf futurism, operates through the dual enframing of nature and history, and then demonstrates how the text resists this techno-futurist vision through an assemblage aesthetics that echoes Sulaiman Majali's Arabfuturism(s) manifesto. The novel's assemblage aesthetics, which is central to its conception of counter-futures, redefines the human relationship to urban ecologies and to literature through an emphasis on embodiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Literary critics often cast the English university novel as a traditionalist relic of the nineteenth century, one largely defensive of Oxbridge classics and masculinity. Yet the subgenre was a more subversive cultural nexus of sorts: an attempted reconciliation of novel form with the era's emerging and optically illusive technologies. These Bildungsromane , largely or exclusively set at universities, value letting undergraduates stare at and learn to enjoy outdoor vistas. In turn, they frequently compare those college landscapes to illusory devices like panoramas and magic lanterns. The fictions thus represent a struggle to bridge conventional Oxbridge education with innovative outdoor learning, and Romantic natural aesthetics with a visual subjectivism more akin to the early modernists. The essay begins by linking the so-called visual turn of nineteenth-century studies with the fewer book-length accounts of university fiction. The paper's second section then defines natural versus what I call illusory prospect gazing in English culture; where the former involved staring at outdoor vistas for pleasure, the latter offered this through indoor and often unsettlingly virtual landscapes. Finally, the essay turns to university novels, which combine both forms of prospect gazing for students' educative benefits. While earlier fictions liken college grounds to panoramas, later ones grow fascinated with photographic, phantasmagoric, and kaleidoscopic vistas. We can begin to re-evaluate the university novel, then, as one of the era's new optical technologies: it taught undergraduate characters and readers alike to visually enjoy and distrust their surroundings, and to confront the Romantic legacies and dizzying futures of novel form. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

'Dazzle coloration' describes a wide variety of high-contrast patterns allegedly providing protection against attack during motion. Previous research falls into three broad groups. First, studies using humans demonstrate that certain surface patterns can cause significant misperceptions in controlled laboratory conditions, although the effects are inconsistent in both direction and magnitude. Second, experiments on target capture or tracking also show effects that are strongly dependent upon the test paradigm. It has not been established that these laboratory findings generalize to other species, or to the real world. Third, mainly comparative studies build a case for longitudinal striping being involved in escape strategies in some squamate reptiles. We suggest that: (1) the concept of dazzle conflates a description of appearance with presumed function; (2) some effects attributed to dazzle have not been distinguished clearly from other mechanisms of protective coloration; and (3) confusion persists over the evidence necessary to attribute a dazzle function to markings. We refine the definition of dazzle to exclude appearance: dazzle is coloration that interferes with target interception, as a result of misperception of its speed, trajectory and/or range. Our review clarifies discussion of dazzle, and sets out a coherent and practical framework for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

10.1119/5.0111635.3 A mirage or fatamorgana is typically an upside-down "mirror" image of a scenery in deserts, over sun-heated roads, or above bodies of water. When the temperature gradient of air is large, as can happen near a surface, it results in a large gradient of the density and the refractive index as a function of height. Mirages appear when light travels through a medium with a gradient in its refractive index and, therefore, get bent towards the higher values, generating reflected images. A computer program that simulates mirages above water using the method of ray tracing has been developed and is presented here in detail for educational purposes. Results on the effect are shown by simulated images for various water-air temperature-difference cases with values ranging from 5 to 0 °C. Comparison of the simulations to a real-life scenario at Lake Balaton, Hungary has also been provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pareidolias, or the misperception of ambiguous stimuli as meaningful objects, are complex visual illusions thought to be phenomenologically similar to Visual Hallucination (VH). VH are a major predictor of dementia in Parkinson's Disease (PD) and are included as a core clinical feature in Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB). A newly developed Noise Pareidolia Test (NPT) was proposed as a possible surrogate marker for VH in DLB patients as increased pareidolic responses correlated with informant-corroborated accounts of VH. This association could, however, be mediated by visuoperceptual impairment. To understand the drivers of performance on the NPT, we contrasted performances in patient groups that varied both in terms of visuoperceptual ability and rates of VH. N = 43 patients were studied of whom n = 13 had DLB or PD with Dementia (PDD); n = 13 had PD; n = 12 had typical, memory-onset Alzheimer's Disease (tAD); and n = 5 had Posterior Cortical Atrophy (PCA) due to Alzheimer's disease. All patient groups reported pareidolias. Within the Lewy body disorders (PD, DLB, PDD), there was no significant difference in pareidolic response rates between hallucinating and non-hallucinating patients. Visuoperceptual deficits and pareidolic responses were most frequent in the PCA group—none of whom reported VH. Regression analyses in the entire patient cohort indicated that pareidolias were strongly predicted by visuoperceptual impairment but not by the presence of VH. These findings suggest that pareidolias reflect the underlying visuoperceptual impairment of Lewy body disorders, rather than being a direct marker for VH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During a 20-year civil war, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has served as a bastion of international support, democratic values, and humanitarian assistance. Highlighting democratization, security, economic assistance, and human rights, we employed over 20 years of United Nations (UN) archives to examine the effectiveness of its mission mandates, and found that UNAMA had reduced child labor and judicial corruption while increasing civil society and facilitating international humanitarian aid. However, UNAMA failed to improve security or establish an inclusive government, particularly with respect to human rights violations. After the US military withdrawal in 2021, the future of UNAMA is contingent upon political negotiations with the Taliban. Only time will tell whether contributions of the mission will persist into the post-conflict era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apparent motion is a visual illusion in which stationary stimuli, flashing in distinct spatial locations at certain time intervals, are perceived as one stimulus moving between these locations. In the primary visual cortex, apparent-motion stimuli produce smooth spatio-temporal patterns of activity similar to those produced by continuously moving stimuli. An important prerequisite for producing such activity patterns is prolongation of responses to brief stimuli. Indeed, a brief stimulus can evoke in the visual cortex a long response, outlasting the stimulus by hundreds of milliseconds. Here we use firing-rate based models with simple ring structure, and biologically-detailed conductance-based refractory density (CBRD) model with retinotopic space representation to analyze the response retention and the origin of smooth profiles of activity in response to apparent-motion stimuli. We show that the strength of recurrent connectivity is the major factor that endorses neuronal networks with the ability for response retention. The same strengths of recurrent connections mediate the appearance of bump attractor in the ring models. Factors such as synaptic depression, NMDA receptor mediated currents, and conductances regulating spike adaptation influence response retention, but cannot substitute for the weakness of recurrent connections to reproduce response retention in models with weak connectivity. However, the weakness of lateral recurrent connections can be compensated by layering: in multi-layer models even with weaker connections the activity retains due to its feedforward propagation from layer to layer. Using CBRD model with retinotopic space representation we further show that smooth spatio-temporal profiles of activity in response to apparent-motion stimuli are produced in the models expressing response retention, but not in the models that fail to produce response retention. Together, these results demonstrate a link between response retention and the ability of neuronal networks to generate spatio-temporal patterns of activity, which are compatible with perception of apparent motion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persistent soil seed banks are a mechanism by which plant populations, especially those of pioneer species, replenish themselves after disturbance. Germination, and therefore aboveground replenishment, is linked to the abundance and vertical distribution of viable seeds in the soil, but it is unclear how different types of disturbance influence seed-bank structure. This distinction is critical for conservation, as anthropogenic sources increasingly alter the types of disturbance that ecosystems experience. We characterized the vertical structure of the seed banks of Paronychia chartacea (Papery Whitlow-wort) and Hypericum cumulicola (Highlands Scrub St. John's Wort), 2 federally endangered herbs endemic to Florida scrub, in habitats that experience fire (scrub habitat) and vehicle disturbance (roadsides). Within populations of each species in each habitat, we collected soil from 4 soil depths. We used microscopy and a germination study to measure total and viable seed density, then related these values to habitat, soil depth, and aboveground vegetation density. The vertical structure of viable seeds in the seed bank did not significantly differ between the 2 habitats. The top 4 centimeters of soil contained the majority of viable seeds for both species in both habitats, and viable seeds were denser in scrub habitat compared to roadsides. Roadsides contained relatively depauperate seed banks compared to natural, interior scrub. Abundance of viable seeds did not relate to aboveground vegetation density, possibly reflecting higher germination or recruitment on roadsides. This finding calls into question the long-term stability of apparently healthy roadside populations of endemic herbs, and necessitates further research into how seed banks influence the dynamics of these vulnerable species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"A Madman's Will: John Randolph, 400 Slaves, and the Mirage of Freedom" by Gregory May is a book that provides a nuanced understanding of John Randolph of Roanoke, a colorful and enigmatic politician of the early nineteenth century. The book focuses on Randolph's desire to liberate his enslaved laborers and grant them land for economic self-sufficiency. However, due to white greed, racism, and indifference, the process of emancipation was delayed and undermined. The book also explores the legal disputes and the lived experiences of the enslaved people involved. May's narrative sheds light on the complexities of ante-bellum slavery and the limitations placed on Black freedom. [Extracted from the article]

"Experiencing the Impossible: The Science of Magic" by Gustav Kuhn is a groundbreaking book that explores the psycho-neurological processes behind the experience of magic. It delves into the cognitive mechanisms and neurological mechanisms that underpin magical beliefs, offering insights into the mysteries of the human mind. The book discusses topics such as misdirection, magical thinking, the role of visual illusions as coping mechanisms, the coexistence of rational and magical proclivities, the subjective nature of conscious perception, the fallibility of human memory, and the phenomenon of mind control. It also examines the intersections between magic and hypnosis, magic and film, and magic and game design. This book is highly recommended for historians of science, psychologists, philosophers, graduate students, and general readers interested in the science of magic. [Extracted from the article]

To survive, organisms constantly make decisions to avoid danger and maximize rewards in information-rich environments. As a result, decisions about sensory input are not only driven by sensory information but also by other factors, such as the expected rewards of a decision (known as the payoff matrix) or by information about temporal regularities in the environment (known as cognitive priors or predictions). However, it is unknown to what extent these different types of information affect subjective experience or whether they merely result in nonperceptual response criterion shifts. To investigate this question, we used three carefully matched manipulations that typically result in behavioral shifts in decision criteria: a visual illusion (Müller-Lyer condition), a punishment scheme (payoff condition), and a change in the ratio of relevant stimuli (base rate condition). To gauge shifts in subjective experience, we introduce a task in which participants not only make decisions about what they have just seen but are also asked to reproduce their experience of a target stimulus. Using Bayesian ordinal modeling, we show that each of these three manipulations affects the decision criterion as intended but that the visual illusion uniquely affects sensory experience as measured by reproduction. In a series of follow-up experiments, we use computational modeling to show that although the visual illusion results in a distinct drift-diffusion (DDM) parameter profile relative to nonsensory manipulations, reliance on DDM parameter estimates alone is not sufficient to ascertain whether a given manipulation is perceptual or nonperceptual. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, the features of summation of effects caused by contextual distracting dots in the length-matching task (a variant of the filled-space illusion) were investigated. In the first two series of psychophysical experiments, the illusion magnitude was measured as a function of the displacement of distractors (either single or double sets of dots) orthogonally to the main axis of the stimulus. It was demonstrated that with increasing displacement, the illusion smoothly decreases for a single set of distractors, while for two sets, the illusion first increases to a certain maximum value, and then gradually decreases. In the third and fourth series of experiments, magnitude of the illusion was measured as a function of the luminance of one set of distracting dots, while the luminance of the other set was fixed. It has been shown that increasing the luminance until the same value is reached for both sets leads to a monotonous growth in the illusion magnitude; after that, the illusion asymptotically decreases to an almost constant level. The theoretical interpretation of the established functional dependencies was performed using a quantitative model based on the assumption that the illusion may arise due to the weighted summation of the distractor-induced normalized neural activity, which leads to the perceptual mislocalization of terminators of stimulus spatial intervals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visual illusions have always fascinated people but they have often been confined to the field of entertainment. Although philosophers, psychologists and neuroscientists have used them to explore the bases of human perception and to teach about vision, these attractive tools have still remained largely underexploited. The goal of the present paper is to argue that visual illusions can also serve as a powerful medium to question our relation to the world and to others, as they demonstrate that we do not fully perceive reality and that each interpretation of the world may be equally sound. Further, specific 3D visual illusions, such as 3D ambiguous objects that give rise to two specific interpretations, enable the viewer to realize that their perception is tied to their viewing point, and that this may also apply to social cognition and interactions. Specifically, this low-level embodied experience should generalize to other levels and enhance the consideration of others' perspective independently of the type of representations. Therefore, the use of illusions in general, and 3D ambiguous objects in particular, constitutes an avenue for future interventions designed to increase our perspective-taking abilities and the pacification of social relations through mutual understanding, which is particularly relevant in the current era. • Illusions have an intrinsic positive affective value. • Illusions could enhance the consideration of others' perspective. • Illusions represent a powerful medium for bottom-up social cognitive interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical objects behave following the principle of solidity: One solid object cannot pass through another. To what extent does the visual system integrate this physical regularity as a prior constraint? A new variant of the Pulfrich effect demonstrates a surprising degree of tolerance for violations of solidity when pitted against motion and depth cues. When adult participants view a pendulum swinging in the fronto-parallel plane with both eyes (one of which was covered by a light-attenuating filter), they falsely perceive the pendulum as swinging in an elliptical path (known as the "Pulfrich effect"). Here, we show that even when the pendulum's motion takes place entirely behind a solid horizontal bar, observers nevertheless see the pendulum pass through the bar while moving in an ellipse. This illusion suggests that the Pulfrich effect and the underlying stereoscopic depth cues can be robust to object solidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proximal root caries cannot always be detected on clinical examination. Panoramic digital radiography can provide information that is difficult to obtain in clinical oral examinations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of panoramic radiographic examinations in the detection of root caries and the frequency of the phenomenon of cervical burnout which can complicate the precise detection of root caries. Material and method: 45 patients selected for this study presented themselves at the Department of Cariology and Restorative Odontotherapy within the Faculty of Dental Medicine, UMF "Gr. T. Popa" Iasi and underwent digital radiographic and clinical examinations for the detection of root surface lesions. Results: Detection of early proximal root lesions was difficult to achieve on visual-tactile examination, and only 23 lesions were detected that were in an advanced cavitary stage. At the panoramic radiographic examination, 21 proximal root lesions were detected (47% of all). The teeth most affected by proximal root caries in this study were the upper second molars and the lower first and second molars and second premolars. The presence of cervical burnout was detected in 10 radiographs and was especially observed in the lower premolars in a triangular or circular shape, having demarcation edges, gradually becoming less visible towards the center of the tooth. Conclusions: The digital panoramic radiographic examination used in this study contributed significantly to the detection of proximal root lesions, but also presented some limitations due to radiographic visual illusions, such as cervical burnout and overlap of proximal surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Unusual or unexpected effect of treatment Background: Many patients with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) experience cholinesterase inhibitor- and antipsychotic-resistant psychosis. The new second-generation antipsychotic pimavanserin has been used with some success in the treatment of psychosis in other forms of dementia, including Alzheimer disease and Parkinson disease dementia. It is possible that pimavanserin may also be useful in the treatment of psychosis in DLB. We sought to describe the disease course and treatment of psychosis in 4 patients with DLB who were prescribed pimavanserin after other medications failed to reduce the frequency or severity of hallucinations and delusions. Case Report: This is a case series of 4 male patients (ages 56 to 74 at the beginning of the reports) who developed DLB and psychosis (eg, visual illusions, visual and olfactory hallucinations, and paranoid delusions). All 4 patients were prescribed cholinesterase inhibitors (eg, donepezil or rivastigmine) prior to pimavanserin, and only 1 patient experienced improved psychosis while on cholinesterase inhibitors. All 3 patients who were prescribed first-generation antipsychotics (eg, haloperidol) or traditional second-generation antipsychotics (eg, olanzapine, risperidone, or quetiapine) experienced initial or lasting side effects with no improvement of psychosis. Conversely, all 4 patients tolerated pimavanserin well, and 3 of the 4 patients experienced significant improvement of psychosis (eg, fewer hallucinations, fewer delusions, reduced paranoia, and/or reduced distress or agitation relat)ed to hallucinations and delusions) when prescribed pimavanserin. Conclusions: This case series suggests that pimavanserin is tolerable in older males with DLB and that it may be useful for the reduction of distressful hallucinations, delusions, and paranoia in patients with DLB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hundreds (if not thousands) of multisensory studies provide evidence that the human brain can integrate temporally and spatially discrepant stimuli from distinct modalities into a singular event. This process of multisensory integration is usually portrayed in the scientific literature as contributing to our integrated, coherent perceptual reality. However, missing from this account is an answer to a simple question: how do confidence judgements compare between multisensory information that is integrated across multiple sources, and multisensory information that comes from a single, congruent source in the environment? In this paper, we use the sound-induced flash illusion to investigate if confidence judgements are similar across multisensory conditions when the numbers of auditory and visual events are the same, and the numbers of auditory and visual events are different. Results showed that congruent audiovisual stimuli produced higher confidence than incongruent audiovisual stimuli, even when the perceptual report was matched across the two conditions. Integrating these behavioural findings with recent neuroimaging and theoretical work, we discuss the role that prefrontal cortex may play in metacognition, multisensory causal inference and sensory source monitoring in general. This article is part of the theme issue 'Decision and control processes in multisensory perception'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of migraine with aura (MwA) is a widespread condition that can affect up to 30% of migraine patients and manifests itself as a temporary visual illusion followed by a prolonged headache. It was initially pitched as a neurological disease, and observed that the spread of accompanying electrophysiological waves as part of the condition, which came to be known as cortical spreading depression (CSD). A strong theoretical basis for a link between MwA and CSD has eventually led to knowledge of the dynamics between the pair. In addition to experiment-based observations, mathematical models make an important contribution towards a numerical means of expressing codependent neural-scale manifestations. This provides alternate means of understanding and observing the phenomena while helping to visualize the links between the variables and their magnitude in contributing towards the emanation and dynamic pulsing of the condition. A number of biophysical mechanisms are believed to contribute to the MwA-CSD, spanning ion diffusion, ionic currents of membranes, osmosis, spatial buffering, neurotransmission, gap junctions, metabolic pumping, and synapse connections. As part of this review study, the various mathematical models for the description of the condition are expressed, reviewed, and contrasted, all of which vary in their depth, perspective, and level of information presented. Subsequent to this, the review looked into links between electrophysiological data-driven manifestations from measurements such as EEG and fMRI. While concluding remarks forged a structured pathway in the area on sub-themes that need to be investigated in order to strengthen and robustify the existing models, they include an accounting for inter-personal variability in models, sex and hormonal factors, and age groups, i.e., pediatrics vs. adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is commonly known—and previous studies have indicated—that time appears to last longer during unpleasant situations. This study examined whether a reciprocal statement can be made—that is, whether changes in the perception of time can influence our judgment (or rating) of a negative event. We used a temporal illusion method (Pomares et al. Pain 152, 230–234, 2011) to induce distortions in the perception of time. Two stimuli were presented for a constant time: a full clock, which stayed on the screen until its clock hand completed a full rotation (360°); and a short clock, in which the clock hand moved just three-quarters of the way (270°), thus suggesting a reduced interval duration. However, both stimuli were shown for the same amount of time. We specifically investigated (a) whether we could induce a temporal illusion with this simple visual manipulation, and (b) whether this illusion could change participants' ratings of a painful stimulus. In Experiment I (n = 22), to answer (a) above, participants were asked to reproduce the duration in which the different clocks were presented. In Experiment II (n = 30), a painful thermal stimulation was applied on participants' hands while the clocks were shown. Participants were asked to rate the perceived intensity of their pain, and to reproduce its duration. Results showed that, for both experiments, participants reproduced a longer interval after watching the full clock compared with the short clock, confirming that the clock manipulation was able to induce a temporal illusion. Furthermore, the second experiment showed that participants rated the thermal stimuli as less painful when delivered with the short clock than with the full clock. These findings suggest that temporal distortions can modulate the experience of pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous outcome random dot kinematogram (RDK) tasks reveal that participants sometimes produce Opposite Direction Motion Reports (ODMRs), motion reports in the opposite direction to that presented. The stimulus conditions that produce ODMRs have not been systematically identified. One theory proposes that spatio-temporal filtering properties of motion-sensitive neurons cause occasional misperception of motion direction, but not its axis. To test this "temporal smearing" hypothesis, we conducted a continuous outcome RDK experiment using two different stimulus display frame rates: 120 Hz and 60 Hz. This manipulation selectively increased the rate of ODMRs in the 120 Hz condition, supporting the temporal smearing hypothesis. Additionally, people reported higher confidence levels for ODMRs compared to other error responses. Our results highlight two distinct error classes on RDK tasks, and that ODMR incidence can be partially controlled by manipulating stimulus frame rate. These data have important implications for modelling behaviour on RDK tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visual illusions are popularly referred to as the phenomena where the eye sees something that is not there. The aim of this review is to show that illusions are not the occasional misinterpretations of the physical world. Illusions are critical to our understanding of perceptual processes. The cause of illusions can vary depending on the reflection or refraction of light, how the brain processes the information reaching the retina, or how the visual system works when perceiving depth. Illusions, which have inspired both artists and scientists, have been instrumental in our understanding of human perception and the functioning of the brain in general. At the beginning of this article, the classes that emerge from a scientific perspective will be defined in parallel with the hierarchical visual perception. Examples of illusions that inform us about the physiological (corresponding to the early stages of visual perception) processes and cognitive (corresponding to higher level stages of visual perception) strategies will be given, and the factors that may cause them will be examined. In the light of theoretical approaches and perceptual grouping concepts, I will discuss how these interpretations help us to understand the brain and human nature. Next, I will give examples of findings and applications in clinical populations to touch on the role of illusions in our understanding of visual perception in e.g. schizophrenia patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]