Balanced excitation and inhibition is widely observed in cortex. How does this balance shape neural computations and stimulus representations? This question is often studied using computational models of neuronal networks in a dynamically balanced state. But balanced network models predict a linear relationship between stimuli and population responses. So how do cortical circuits implement nonlinear representations and computations? We show that every balanced network architecture admits stimuli that break the balanced state and these breaks in balance push the network into a "semi-balanced state" characterized by excess inhibition to some neurons, but an absence of excess excitation. The semi-balanced state produces nonlinear stimulus representations and nonlinear computations, is unavoidable in networks driven by multiple stimuli, is consistent with cortical recordings, and has a direct mathematical relationship to artificial neural networks.

Balanced excitation and inhibition is widely observed in cortical recordings. How does this balance shape neural computations and stimulus representations? This problem is often studied using computational models of neuronal networks in a dynamically balanced state. However, these balanced network models predict a linear relationship between stimuli and population responses, in contrast to the nonlinearity of cortical computations. We show that every balanced network architecture admits some stimuli that break the balanced state and these breaks in balance push the network into a "semi-balanced state" characterized by excess inhibition to some neurons, but an absence of excess excitation. The semi-balanced state is unavoidable in networks driven by multiple stimuli, is more consistent with experimental data, has a direct mathematical relationship to artificial neural networks, and permits nonlinear stimulus representations and nonlinear computations.

The TV series The Handmaid’s Tale, based on the bestselling book by Margaret Atwood, provides the audience with a visual experience which leaves them with indelible impressions of social stratification. Inspired by the representation of social hierarchy shown by differences between clothes, protestors in real life have found the costume of the handmaids to be a useful symbol to protest themes related to the TV series in reality, including sexual assault and reproductive rights. However, barely anything is written or discussed about the medicalization of birth around The Handmaid’s Tale. Although the medicalization of birth has existed in the United States for a long time, most people are uneducated about its harms. The medical-industrial complex behind the scene positions patients under an unfair medical system that can negatively impact their health. Therefore, this paper shows how the TV series provides a lens through which to reflect the negative aspects of this real-life issue in order to raise public awareness.

10515 Withdrawal Notice: Abstract 10151 by Beitsch et al, entitled "Rates of pathogenic variants in common cancer genes among different racial/ethnic groups," was withdrawn by the authors from presentation and publication. As they were preparing for presentation at the meeting, the authors discovered additional data that potentially altered the abstract's conclusions. The abstract was withdrawn on May 13, 2022.