Vacuum birefringence at x-ray free-electron lasers

We study the perspectives of measuring the phenomenon of vacuum birefringence predicted by quantum electrodynamics using an x-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) alone.We devise an experimental scheme allowing two consecutive XFEL pulses to collide under a finite angle, and Accessories thus act as both pump and probe field for the effect.The signature o

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The non-specific matrix thalamus facilitates the cortical information processing modes relevant for conscious awareness

Summary: The neurobiological mechanisms of arousal and anesthesia remain poorly understood.Recent evidence highlights the key role of interactions between the cerebral cortex and the diffusely projecting matrix thalamic nuclei.Here, we interrogate these processes in a whole-brain corticothalamic neural mass model endowed with targeted and diffusely

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