Layer-specific population rate coding in a local cortical model with a laminar structure

Uncovering the principle of neural coding is essential for understanding how our mysterious brain works. Recent studies have reported the laminar differences of alpha-beta and gamma rhythms in the sensory cortex, yet it remains unclear about the underlying function role of frequency-dependent interlaminar interactions in neural coding. Using a rate-based network model to simulate the cortical laminar under the external time-varying stimuli, we showed that the physiological specificity of rhythms for layers enables the cortical laminae to preferentially encode information in different frequency ranges. The interplay of the supragranular layer and infragranular layer contributes significantly to improving the neural representation of external time-varying input at the population level. Further investigations revealed the essential role of recurrent connections of the cortical laminae in regulating the population rate coding. In particular, the laminar network optimally encodes the time-varying input at intermediate strengths of intralaminar excitatory–inhibitory circuits and interlaminar connections. Additionally, we verified the crucial role of adaptation in improving population coding by introducing slow dynamics and suppressing the noise-like excitatory activity in the laminar network. These findings highlight the crucial role of frequency-dependent interlaminar interactions in encoding time-varying stimuli and may shed light on the underlying function of cortical structural specificity in neural information processing.

     

A proposed enhanced scheme for the dynamic frequency hopping performance in the IEEE 802.22 standard

This paper presents an integrated scheme for the dynamic‐frequency‐hopping (DFH) technique provided in literature for the IEEE 802.22 standard supporting wireless regional area networks (WRANs). The performance of DFH is analyzed thoroughly for various channel models and for a multiple‐input multiple‐output systems. The core of this research is based on the coexistence of digital terrestrial TV broadcasting and the WRANs in the TV white space. The proposed technique aims at protecting the incumbent users from interfering with the cognitive broadband access in the TV spectrum. In order to achieve this, spectrum sensing is performed in the intended working channel in DFH while spectrum monitoring with an energy‐ratio (ER) algorithm is applied during the WRAN data transmission in the working channel. Hence, in the DFH‐ER algorithm, the reappearance of a digital terrestrial TV signal in a band occupied by the WRANs would be detected immediately. This will provide interference free performance for the licensed signal as well as reliable data transmission for the unlicensed ones. Both analyses and simulation results of the proposed DFH‐ER technique compared with the conventional DFH scenario exemplify the enhancement of the WRAN data transmission while protecting the digital terrestrial TV users. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Control Preparation of Sulfated Zirconia by Sol-Gel Process: Impact on Catalytic Performances During n-Hexane Isomerization

Sulfated zirconia catalysts were prepared by sol-gel method using CH₃COOH as in situ water source to control hydrolysis of alkoxide, and following two sulfation procedures. The samples were characterized by N₂ adsorption, XRD, chemical analysis, and the activity for isomerization of n-hexane was assessed. It was found that sulfation procedure and the amount of acetic acid added exert a great influence on the catalysts properties. Mixture of sulfuric acid with zirconium propoxide before addition of acetic acid allows the retention of a larger amount of sulfur after calcination and enhances catalytic performances of sulfated zirconia. The use of CH₃COOH reduces the rate of hydrolysis, and improves considerably acidic and catalytic properties.     

Silver cluster-biomolecule hybrids: from basics towards sensors

We focus on the functional role of small silver clusters in model hybrid systems involving peptides in the context of a new generation of nanostructured materials for biosensing. The optical properties of hybrids in the gas phase and at support will be addressed with the aim to bridge fundamental and application aspects. We show that extension and enhancement of absorption of peptides can be achieved by small silver clusters due to the interaction of intense intracluster excitations with the π-π* excitations of chromophoric aminoacids. Moreover, we demonstrate that the binding of a peptide to a supported silver cluster can be detected by the optical fingerprint. This illustrates that supported silver clusters can serve as building blocks for biosensing materials. Moreover, the clusters can be used simultaneously to immobilize biomolecules and to increase the sensitivity of detection, thus replacing the standard use of organic dyes and providing label-free detection. Complementary to that, we show that protected silver clusters containing a cluster core and a shell liganded by thiolates exhibit absorption properties with intense transitions in the visible regime which are also suitable for biosensing applications.     

An Adaptive MMOE-PIC Detector for Asynchronous DS-CDMA Communications

We propose a modified linear parallel interference cancelation (PIC) structure using the adaptive minimum mean output-energy (MMOE) algorithm for direct-sequence code-division multiple-access (DS-CDMA) systems. The complexity of the proposed receiver structure is shown to be linear in the number of users and hence, lower complexity than the centralized minimum mean-squared error (MMSE) multiuser detector. It is demonstrated that the proposed receiver structure can significantly reduce the long training period required by the standard adaptive MMOE receiver in near-far environments. Both numerical and theoretical results show that the proposed receiver performs close to the optimum MMSE receiver whereas the conventional adaptive MMOE detector suffers from high BER’s due to the imperfect filter coefficients. Also our results show a three fold increase in the number of users when the MMOE-PIC is used relative to the conventional MMOE receiver. Furthermore, the transient behavior of the proposed MMOE-PIC receiver due to abrupt changes in the interference level is examined. It is shown that the proposed adaptive receiver offers much faster self recovery, with less signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) degradation, than the standard MMOE in sever near-far scenarios.     

Macroscopic and nanoscale study of wettability alteration of oil-wet calcite surface in presence of magnesium and sulfate ions

Effect of Mg2+ and SO2*4 on wettability alteration of modified calcite surface to oil-wet by stearic acid (SA) is addressed both in macroscopic and nanoscale using contact angle and atomic force microscopy technique (AFM), respectively. No apparent difference is shown by AFM images, compared to a clear trend that is obtained form contact angle measurements, where Mg2+ ions have shown to alter the modified calcite surface to more water-wet than that in presence of SO2*4 ions. The adhesion forces, due to the presence of SA, are shown to be less pronounced in presence of Mg2+ ion than that in case of SO2*4. This confirms the macroscale measurements of contact angle by nanoscale level. The phenomenon of the alteration to more water-wet calcite surface is related to the distribution coefficient of SA in n-decane/water system, which decreased in presence of Mg2+ and SO2*4 ions, indicating less adsorption of SA on calcite surface.     

Blow‐up for wave equation with the scale‐invariant damping and combined nonlinearities

In this article, we study the blow‐up of the damped wave equation in the scale‐invariant case and in the presence of two nonlinearities. More precisely, we consider the following equation: $$u_{tt}?\mathrm{\Delta }u+\frac{\mu }{1+t}{u}_t=|u_t{|}^p+|u{|}^q,\text{in}{?}^N\times [0,\infty ),$$ with small initial data. For $\mu <\frac{N(q?1)}{2}$ and μ ∈ (0, μ_?) , where μ_? > 0 is depending on the nonlinearties' powers and the space dimension (μ_? satisfies $(q?1)\left((N+2{\mu }_{?}?1)p?2\right)=4$), we prove that the wave equation, in this case, behaves like the one without dissipation (μ = 0 ). Our result completes the previous studies in the case where the dissipation is given by $\frac{\mu }{{(1+t)}^{\beta }}{u}_t;\beta >1$, where, contrary to what we obtain in the present work, the effect of the damping is not significant in the dynamics. Interestingly, in our case, the influence of the damping term $\frac{\mu }{1+t}{u}_t$ is important.     

Poly(vinylalcohol)/poly(ethyleneglycol)/poly(ethyleneimine) blend membranes - structure and CO2 facilitated transport

Poly(vinylalcohol) (PVA)/poly(ethyleneimine) (PEI)/poly(ethyleneglycol) (PEG) blend membranes were prepared by solution casting followed by solvent evaporation. The effects of the blend polymer composition on the membrane structure and CO₂/N₂ permeation characteristics were investigated. IR spectroscopy evidenced strong hydrogen bonding interactions between amorphous PVA and PEI, and weaker interactions between PVA and PEG. DSC studies showed that PVA crystallization was partially inhibited by the interactions between amorphous PVA and PEI blend, in which PEG separated into nodules. The CO₂ permeability decreased with an increase in CO₂ partial pressure in feed gas, while the N₂ permeability remained constant. This result indicated that only CO₂ was transported by the facilitated transport mechanism. The CO₂ and N₂ permeabilities increased monotonically with the PEI content in the blend membranes, whereas the ideal selectivity of CO₂ to N₂ transport showed a maximum. When CO₂ is humidified, its permeability through the blend membranes is much higher than that of dry CO₂, but the change in permeability due to the presence of humidity is reversible.     

Gold nanoparticles by soft UV nanoimprint lithography coupled to a lift-off process for plasmonic sensing of antibodies

In this paper, we present the results of gold nanoparticles fabrication on large area by soft UV nanoimprint lithography (UV-NIL) and lift-off process for antibodies sensing. For this fabrication, the hard polydimethylsiloxane (H-PDMS) is used as flexible mold material. A simple AMONIL/PMMA bilayer is used to transfer patterns by etching the substrate with a suitable RIE process. The UV-NIL process has enabled to obtain gold nanoparticles with a diameter about 160 nm on a zone of 1 mm². For bioplasmonic applications, the sensing of Anti-Biotin was studied.     

Nanoholes by soft UV nanoimprint lithography applied to study of membrane proteins

In this paper, we present an alternative technique to the well-known electron beam lithography in order to realize nanoholes in the silicon substrates for biological applications. The used technique is soft UV nanoimprint lithography (UV-NIL). We optimized the fabrication of silicon based supports obtained by soft UV-NIL and reactive ion etching to carry out very large arrays of nanoholes. The resolution limits are investigated when using poly(dimethylsiloxane) as flexible mold material. RIE conditions are initiated to limit the lateral mask resist etch.