Thalamus conveys diverse contextual information to layer 1 of visual cortex

Poster at SfN 2015

17th October, 2015

Sensory perception depends on context. Many models emphasise cortical feedback as the source of contextual modulation. However, higher-order thalamic nuclei, such as the pulvinar, interconnect with many cortical and subcortical areas, suggesting a role for the thalamus in providing sensory and behavioral context — yet the nature of the signals conveyed to cortex by higher-order thalamus remains poorly understood.

The brain's social network

Nerve cells interact like friends on Facebook

4th February, 2015

Neurons in the brain are wired like a social network, report researchers from Biozentrum, University of Basel. Each nerve cell has links with many others, but the strongest bonds form between the few cells most similar to each other.

SlackMatlab

Matlab integration for Slack

19th November, 2014

Basic integration to send notifications to Slack from Matlab, via an Incoming Webhooks integration. Sending message attachments along with a notification is supported.

Kernel density estimation for circular functions

28th March, 2014

A circular distribution (blue line) estimated using a kernel density method.

Matlab code for performing kernel density estimates on periodic and aperiodic domains, for unidimensional and multidimensional data.

The myth of the Scientist-Priest

Letter to the Editor

5th March, 2013

Eliane Glaser trots out the old "science is a gated community" argument, with scientists as priests or gatekeepers with "privileged access" to the minutiae of the natural world ("Prof Brian Cox: physicist or priest?"). This feels particularly mean-spirited considering the target of her epithets is none other than Brian Cox, who spends a considerable portion of his days striving to make science accessible to non-scientists...