Impact of network activity on noise delayed spiking for a Hodgkin-Huxley model

In a Hodgkin-Huxley neuron model driven just above threshold, external noise can increase both jitter and latency of the first spike, an effect called “noise delayed decay” (NDD). This phenomenon is important when considering how neuronal information is represented, thus by the precise timing of spikes or by their rate. We examine how NDD can be affected by network activity by varying the model's membrane time constant, τ_m. We show that NDD is significant for small τ_m or high network activity, and decreases for large τ_m, or low network activity. Our results suggest that for inputs just above threshold, the activity of the network constrains the neuronal coding strategy due to, at least in part, the NDD effect.     

Characterization and phase transformation study of TlSbSe2 crystals

TlSbSe₂ monocrystals were grown using the modified Bridgman–Stockbarger method and were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Reflectivity spectra have been registered in the range 50 to 4000 cm^–1 for E parallel to a and E parallel to b polarizations, on the cleavage plane. A remarkable anisotropy at two directions was verified. With regard to previous observations, additional peaks were discriminated and the fundamental phonon parameters were determined using classical dispersion relations. The material presents a complex phase transformation – with two thermal effects – that was examined using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Non-isothermal measurements, at different heating and cooling rates (β), were used to study the thermal phenomena. The main effect is attributed to a structural displacement and the second one to a cation exchange procedure. The phase transformation temperature depends strongly on the cooling rate and the peaks are shifted by 30 K with the increase of this rate, on the contrary to the increase of the heating rate that has a smaller effect. Phenomena related with the influence of the previous, repeated heating and cooling cycles on the transformation are also examined and analytically discussed.     

Comparative study of boron compounds and aluminum trihydroxide as flame retardant additives in epoxy resin

The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the flame retardant properties of boron compounds with respect to aluminum trihydroxide (ATH) in an epoxy system based on bisphenol A epichlorohydrin‐based epoxy resin and cycloaliphatic polyamine‐based hardener. Six different boron compounds including colemanite (C), ulexite (U), boric acid (BA), boric oxide (BO), melamine borate (MB) and guanidinium nonaborate (GB) were used as flame retardant additive. The flame retardant properties of epoxy‐based composites were investigated using limiting oxygen index (LOI), UL 94 standards both in vertical and horizontal position, thermogravimetric analysis, cone calorimeter and scanning electron microscopy. According to flammability test results, boron compounds except for C and U showed better performance than ATH. According to the LOI results, 40% BA containing sample had the highest LOI value of 28.5, while 30% MB, 35% GB and 40% BA containing samples had the highest UL 94V rating (V0). According to the cone calorimeter test results, all boron containing samples had better fire performances than ATH containing sample; 40 wt% BO containing sample showed the lowest peak heat release rate, average heat release rate and total heat release values. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Collective temporal coherence for subthreshold signal encoding on a stochastic small-world Hodgkin-Huxley neuronal network

We study the collective temporal coherence of a small-world network of coupled stochastic Hodgkin-Huxley neurons. Previous reports have shown that network coherence in response to a subthreshold periodic stimulus, thus subthreshold signal encoding, is maximal for a specific range of the fraction of randomly added shortcuts relative to all possible shortcuts, p, added to an initially locally connected network. We investigated this behavior further as a function of channel noise, stimulus frequency and coupling strength. We show that temporal coherence peaks when the frequency of the external stimulus matches that of the intrinsic subthreshold oscillations. We also find that large values of the channel noise, corresponding to small cell sizes, increases coherence for optimal values of the stimulus frequency and the topology parameter p. For smaller values of the channel noise, thus larger cell sizes, network coherence becomes insensitive to these parameters. Finally, the degree of coupling between neurons in the network modulates the sensitivity of coherence to topology, such that for stronger coupling the peak coherence is achieved with fewer added short cuts.