Errorless and errorful learning modulated by transcranial direct current stimulation

Background

Caspase-3 is one of the most downstream enzymes activated in the apoptotic pathway. In caspase-3 deficient mice, loss of cochlear hair cells and spiral ganglion cells coincide closely with hearing loss. In contrast with the auditory system, details of the vestibular phenotype have not been characterized. Here we report the vestibular phenotype and inner ear anatomy in the caspase-3 deficient (Casp3 ^-/- ) mouse strain.

Results

Average ABR thresholds of Casp3 ^-/- mice were significantly elevated (P < 0.05) compared to Casp3 ^+/- mice and Casp3 ^+/+ mice at 3 months of age. In DPOAE testing, distortion product 2F1-F2 was significantly decreased (P < 0.05) in Casp3 ^-/- mice, whereas Casp3 ^+/- and Casp3 ^+/+ mice showed normal and comparable values to each other. Casp3 ^-/- mice were hyperactive and exhibited circling behavior when excited. In lateral canal VOR testing, Casp3 ^-/- mice had minimal response to any of the stimuli tested, whereas Casp3 ^+/- mice had an intermediate response compared to Casp3 ^+/+ mice. Inner ear anatomical and histological analysis revealed gross hypomorphism of the vestibular organs, in which the main site was the anterior semicircular canal. Hair cell numbers in the anterior- and lateral crista, and utricle were significantly smaller in Casp3 ^-/- mice whereas the Casp3 ^+/- and Casp3 ^+/+ mice had normal hair cell numbers.

Conclusions

These results indicate that caspase-3 is essential for correct functioning of the cochlea as well as normal development and function of the vestibule.     

Bifrontal transcranial direct current stimulation slows reaction time in a working memory task

Background  

Weak transcortical direct current stimulation (tDCS) applied to the cortex can shift the membrane potential of superficial neurons thereby modulating cortical excitability and activity. Here we test the possibility of modifying ongoing activity associated with working memory by tDCS. The concept of working memory applies to a system that is capable of transiently storing and manipulating information, as an integral part of the human memory system. We applied anodal and cathodal transcranial direct current (tDCS) stimulation (260 μA) bilaterally at fronto-cortical electrode sites on the scalp over 15 min repeatedly (15 sec-on/15 sec-off) as well as sham-tDCS while subjects performed a modified Sternberg task.     

自制微弱直流电流检测装置

介绍了用音乐架卡和压电陶瓷片制作的检测微弱直流电流的实验装置。     

Contour level object detection with top-down information

This paper presents a contour level object detection approach. In contrast to conventional bounding box results, we give out the salient closed contour of the object, which provides a possibility of semantic analysis for the object. We get the salient closed contour with Ratio Contour algorithm. The top-down information needed by salient closed contour extraction is based on the well-known Bag-of-Features methodology. Our top-down information based contour extraction and completion is much more efficient and robust than many related approaches lack of the top-down information. We also propose a novel post-processing framework for object detection. With low threshold and a refined binary classifier, we can get stable high performance. We evaluate our approaches on UIUC cars dataset. We show that our approaches apparently improve the performance of object detections under clutter.     

Accurate object detection with a discriminative shape model

Discriminative model over bag-of-visual-words representation significantly improves the accuracy of object detection under clutter. However, it encounters bottleneck because of completely ignoring geometric constraint between features. On the contrary, to detect object accurately explicit shape model heavily relies on geometric information of the object, which as a result lacks of discriminative power. In this paper, we present a discriminative shape model to make use of the advantages of the two models based on the insight that the two models are essentially complementary. Discriminative model provides discriminative power, while shape model encodes geometry. The cost function that we used to distinguish objects considers both the detection maps of the discriminative model and the result of shape matching. In this cost function, we adopt a novel way to deal with multi-scale detection maps. We show that this cost function has very strong discriminative power, which makes learning a discriminative threshold for full object detection possible. For shape model, we also present a scheme for learning a good shape model from noisy images. Experiments on UIUC Car and Weizmann–Shotton horses show state-of-the-art performance of our model.     

Recent microgravity experiments with complex direct current plasmas

Complex plasmas are low‐temperature plasmas containing micrometer‐sized particles. They are useful as models for strongly coupled many‐body systems. Since the microparticles are strongly affected by gravity, microgravity experiments with complex plasmas are conducted. Here we report on recent microgravity experiments with the experimental facility PK‐4 performed in parabolic flights. In particular, we discuss electrorheological and demixing experiments and the image analysis tools used.     

基于FPGA的自适应阈值运动目标检测

帧间差分法是运动目标检测最为常用的方法之一,具有算法简单、数据处理量小、易于实现等优点,因而得到广泛应用。而帧间差分法通常是根据单一的光照条件设定的固定阈值以判断是否有运动物体,因此限制了其在不同光照条件下的应用。针对上述情况,以色度、饱和度、亮度(HSL)颜色空间中的亮度值为依据,建立光强-亮度-阈值表,从而以动态的阈值调整拓展了帧间差分法在不同光照条件下的应用。通过仿真和FPGA实现了该目标检测系统,并搭建了验证测试系统。实验结果表明,当光照强度为90 W/m2时,在3.0 m/s和0.5 m/s速度下,自适应阈值的检测正确率分别达到93%和95%,与固定阈值设定较大时的检测结果相近;在0.59 W/m2的低光照条件下针对上述运动速度,检测率分别达到84%和92%,与小固定阈值检测结果相近。     

Aging is associated with increased collagen type IV accumulation in the basal lamina of human cerebral microvessels

Background  

Microvascular alterations contribute to the development of stroke and vascular dementia. The goal of this study was to evaluate age and hypertension related changes of the basal lamina in cerebral microvessels of individuals, who died from non-cerebral causes.     

Transcranial direct current stimulation of the prefrontal cortex modulates working memory performance: combined behavioural and electrophysiological evidence

Background  

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a technique that can systematically modify behaviour by inducing changes in the underlying brain function. In order to better understand the neuromodulatory effect of tDCS, the present study examined the impact of tDCS on performance in a working memory (WM) task and its underlying neural activity. In two experimental sessions, participants performed a letter two-back WM task after sham and either anodal or cathodal tDCS over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC).     

Transcranial direct current stimulation for the treatment of tinnitus: a review of clinical trials and mechanisms of action

Background

Tinnitus is the perception of sound in the absence of any external acoustic stimulation. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has shown promising though heterogeneous therapeutic outcomes for tinnitus. The present study aims to review the recent advances in applications of tDCS for tinnitus treatment. In addition, the clinical efficacy and main mechanisms of action of tDCS on suppressing tinnitus are discussed.

Methods

The study was performed in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. The databases of the PubMed (1980–2018), Embase (1980–2018), PsycINFO (1850–2018), CINAHL, Web of Science, BIOSIS Previews (1990–2018), Cambridge Scientific Abstracts (1990–2018), and google scholar (1980–2018) using the set search terms. The date of the most recent search was 20 May, 2018. The randomized controlled trials that have assessed at least one therapeutic outcome measured before and after tDCS intervention were included in the final analysis.

Results

Different tDCS protocols were used for tinnitus ranging single to repeated sessions (up to 10) consisting of daily single session of 15 to 20-min and current intensities ranging 1–2 mA. Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and auditory cortex are the main targets of stimulation. Both single and repeated sessions showed moderate to significant treatment effects on tinnitus symptoms. In addition to improvements in tinnitus symptoms, the tDCS interventions particularly bifrontal DLPFC showed beneficial outcomes on depression and anxiety comorbid with tinnitus. Heterogeneities in the type of tinnitus, tDCS devices, protocols, and site of stimulation made the systematic reviews of the literature difficult. However, the current evidence shows that tDCS can be developed as an adjunct or complementary treatment for intractable tinnitus. TDCS may be a safe and cost-effective treatment for tinnitus in the short-term application.

Conclusions

The current literature shows moderate to significant therapeutic efficacy of tDCS on tinnitus symptoms. Further randomized placebo-controlled double-blind trials with large sample sizes are needed to reach a definitive conclusion on the efficacy of tDCS for tinnitus. Future studies should further focus on developing efficient disease- and patient-specific protocols.

     

等离子体在任意强度的直流电场中产生电流的过程

通过Fokker-Planck模拟,研究了等离子体在任意强度的直流电场中产生电流的过程以及电子分布函数的演变过程.研究发现,不同强度的电场中等离子体的行为存在着明显的差别.在弱电场中,电流与电场满足Spitzer公式,且电流产生的响应时间约等于撤销电场后电流衰减的弛豫时间;在中等强度的电场中,电子分布函数呈现为静止Maxwell分布和漂移Maxwell分布之和,而且在中等强度或者强直流电场中弛豫时间也将远远大于响应时间.根据电子分布函数的演变规律,推导了一组类似于流体力学方程的公式,这组方程像Spitzer公式一样简便地描述了等离子体中电流与电场的关系,并且对电场强度没有限制.数值模拟显示这组方程比Spitzer公式更适用于等离子体的混合粒子模拟中. 关键词： 等离子体电流 电子分布函数 Fokker-Planck模拟 Spitzer公式     

直流和交流Josephson效应的研究

基于Feynman模型得到的Josephson方程,在求解过程中采取了ρ1=ρ2的假设,但这个假设在数学处理上并不严格。为了得到严格的结果,未进行上述假设,通过解微分方程得到了严格的Josephson方程,结果显示在一定条件下才能得到通常所说的Josephson方程。     

基于双阈值视觉注意模型的图像关注焦点检测

图像关注焦点（FOA）检测是基于人眼视觉关注模型的图像感兴趣区提取的关键技术。为了更加精确、合理地搜索图像关注焦点,提出一种基于双阈值视觉关注模型的FOA检测算法。算法首先提取图像的亮度、颜色、方向和离散矩变换（DMT）特征,生成各个特征对应的特征图;然后将各特征图合并为一张包含多种特征的显著图;最后根据显著图的灰度直方图建立静态阈值与动态阈值,确定图像关注焦点的位置与数量。实验结果表明：新算法在图像关注焦点检测的准确性上较Itti模型有更为优秀的表现,更符合人眼视觉的关注习惯。     

Theoretical analysis of transcranial Hall-effect stimulation based on passive cable model

Transcranial Hall-effect stimulation(THS) is a new stimulation method in which an ultrasonic wave in a static magnetic field generates an electric field in an area of interest such as in the brain to modulate neuronal activities. However, the biophysical basis of simulating the neurons remains unknown. To address this problem, we perform a theoretical analysis based on a passive cable model to investigate the THS mechanism of neurons. Nerve tissues are conductive; an ultrasonic wave can move ions embedded in the tissue in a static magnetic field to generate an electric field(due to Lorentz force).In this study, a simulation model for an ultrasonically induced electric field in a static magnetic field is derived. Then,based on the passive cable model, the analytical solution for the voltage distribution in a nerve tissue is determined. The simulation results showthat THS can generate a voltage to stimulate neurons. Because the THS method possesses a higher spatial resolution and a deeper penetration depth, it shows promise as a tool for treating or rehabilitating neuropsychiatric disorders.     

Positive current correlations associated with super-Poissonian shot noise

We report on shot noise cross spectrum measurements in a beam splitter configuration. Electrons tunneling through potential barriers are incident on a beam splitter and scattered into two separate channels. Such a partition process introduces correlations between the fluctuations of the two currents. Our work has confirmed that the generally expected negative correlations resulted from sub-Poissonian electron sources. More interestingly, positive cross correlations associated with barriers exhibiting super-Poissonian shot noise have also been observed. We have found that both positive and negative correlations can be related to the noise properties of the electron source.     

混沌激光实现异质物大小和位置的光学检测

利用混沌激光实现一定浓度脂肪乳液中异质物大小和位置的光学检测,实验采用混沌激光作为光源,并将光信号分为两路,一路信号用于探测脂肪乳液中的异质物信息,另外一路直接经过光电探测器作为参考信号,将两路光信号由光电探测器接收,通过信号处理系统进行互相关,分析混沌激光的互相关峰值信息,可得到异质物的大小和位置信息;通过混沌激光实现异质物信息分析的理论模型,建立混沌相关信号峰值信息与异质物大小和位置之间的关系,并且通过实验验证。结果表明:采用混沌互相关法可以对异质物大小和位置坐标进行探测。     

基于可变形部件模型HOG特征的人形目标检测

使用单幅图像进行特定目标的检测是机器视觉领域的重要任务之一。利用机器学习的方法,使用LSVM分类器进行人形目标的检测。该方法提取图像的HOG（梯度方向直方图）特征和其对应的可变形部件来描述目标的外形特征,能够较好地解决目标由于运动而产生外形变化的问题。对常见公共区域场景进行数据采集并随机抽取了200张图像,使用所述方法对其中共1 100个人形目标进行检测,正确率识别率为78.3%。结果表明该方法具有一定的可行性和稳定性,能够较好检测出单幅图像中的人形目标并加以标注。但对于某种程度有所遮蔽的人形目标则会产生漏检的现象。     

Two-temperature channel model of a direct current arc

A relatively simple method is proposed for computing the gas and electron temperatures in an arc plasmotron channel within the framework of the self-consistent two-temperature channel model of an arc discharge. This method affords the possibility of obtaining the gas and electron temperature distribution with good enough accuracy for given discharge parameters (current intensity in the discharge, power inserted in the discharge, etc.) as a function of the radial coordinate in both nonequilibrium (T_e T_ai) and quasi-equilibrium (T_e = T_ai within the current conducting channel) cases. The results obtained can be utilized in model computations to estimate the gas and electron temperatures as well, possibly, as in a number of engineering computations.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 7, pp. 80–86, July, 1990.The author is grateful to L. A. Rachevskii for useful discussion of results of the research.