MEG-measured auditory steady-state oscillations show high test-retest reliability: a sensor and source-space analysis

Stability of oscillatory signatures across magnetoencephalography (MEG) measurements is an important prerequisite for basic and clinical research that has been insufficiently addressed. Here, we evaluated the test–retest reliability of auditory steady-state responses (ASSRs) over two MEG sessions. The study required participants (N = 13) to detect the rare occurrence of pure tones interspersed within a stream of 5 Hz or 40 Hz amplitude-modulated (AM) tones. Intraclass correlations (ICC; Shrout and Fleiss, 1979) were derived to assess stability of spectral power changes and the inter-trial phase coherence (ITPC) of task-elicited neural responses. ASSRs source activity was estimated using eLORETA beamforming from bilateral auditory cortex. ASSRs to 40 Hz AM stimuli evoked stronger power modulation and phase-locking than 5 Hz stimulation. Overall, spectral power and ITPC values at both sensor- and source-level showed robust ICC values. Notably, ITPC measures yielded higher ICCs (~ 0.86–0.96) between sessions compared to the assessment of spectral power change (~ 0.61–0.82). Our data indicate that spectral modulations and phase consistency of ASSRs in MEG data are highly reproducible, providing support for MEG-measured oscillatory parameters in basic and clinical research

MEG sensor and source measures of visually induced gamma-band oscillations are highly reliable

High frequency brain oscillations are associated with numerous cognitive and behavioral processes. Non-invasive measurements using electro-/magnetoencephalography (EEG/MEG) have revealed that high frequency neural signals are heritable and manifest changes with age as well as in neuropsychiatric illnesses. Despite the extensive use of EEG/MEG-measured neural oscillations in basic and clinical research, studies demonstrating test–retest reliability of power and frequency measures of neural signals remain scarce. Here, we evaluated the test–retest reliability of visually induced gamma (30–100 Hz) oscillations derived from sensor and source signals acquired over two MEG sessions. The study required participants (N = 13) to detect the randomly occurring stimulus acceleration while viewing a moving concentric grating. Sensor and source MEG measures of gamma-band activity yielded comparably strong reliability (average intraclass correlation, ICC = 0.861). Peak stimulus-induced gamma frequency (53–72 Hz) yielded the highest measures of stability (ICCsensor = 0.940; ICCsource = 0.966) followed by spectral signal change (ICCsensor = 0.890; ICCsource = 0.893) and peak frequency bandwidth (ICCsensor = 0.856; ICCsource = 0.622). Furthermore, source-reconstruction significantly improved signal-to-noise for spectral amplitude of gamma activity compared to sensor estimates. Our assessments highlight that both sensor and source derived estimates of visually induced gamma-band oscillations from MEG signals are characterized by high test–retest reliability, with source derived oscillatory measures conferring an improvement in the stability of peak-frequency estimates. Importantly, our finding of high test–retest reliability supports the feasibility of pharma-MEG studies and longitudinal aging or clinical studies

General description and operation of the agro-environmental system: Crop management modeling

Input for a data management system to provide farmers with information to improve crop management practices in Virginia requires monitoring of control crops at field stations, crop surveys derived from remotely sensed aircraft data, meteorological data from synchronous satellites, and details of local agricultural conditions. Presently models are under development for determining pest problems, water balance in the soil, stages of plant maturity, and optimum planting date. The status of the Cerospora leafspot model for peanut crop management is considered. Other models under development planned relate to Cylindtocladium Blackrot and Sclerotinia blight of peanuts, cyst nematode (Globerdena solanacearum) of tobacco, and red crown rot of soybeans. A software for program for estimating precipitation and solar radiation on a statewise basis is also being developed

Continuous phase transitions with a convex dip in the microcanonical entropy

The appearance of a convex dip in the microcanonical entropy of finite systems usually signals a first order transition. However, a convex dip also shows up in some systems with a continuous transition as for example in the Baxter-Wu model and in the four-state Potts model in two dimensions. We demonstrate that the appearance of a convex dip in those cases can be traced back to a finite-size effect. The properties of the dip are markedly different from those associated with a first order transition and can be understood within a microcanonical finite-size scaling theory for continuous phase transitions. Results obtained from numerical simulations corroborate the predictions of the scaling theory.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev.

Confinement and the analytic structure of the one body propagator in Scalar QED

We investigate the behavior of the one body propagator in SQED. The self energy is calculated using three different methods: i) the simple bubble summation, ii) the Dyson-Schwinger equation, and iii) the Feynman-Schwinger represantation. The Feynman-Schwinger representation allows an {\em exact} analytical result. It is shown that, while the exact result produces a real mass pole for all couplings, the bubble sum and the Dyson-Schwinger approach in rainbow approximation leads to complex mass poles beyond a certain critical coupling. The model exhibits confinement, yet the exact solution still has one body propagators with {\it real} mass poles.Comment: 5 pages 2 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

The microcanonical thermodynamics of finite systems: The microscopic origin of condensation and phase separations; and the conditions for heat flow from lower to higher temperatures

Microcanonical thermodynamics allows the application of statistical mechanics both to finite and even small systems and also to the largest, self-gravitating ones. However, one must reconsider the fundamental principles of statistical mechanics especially its key quantity, entropy. Whereas in conventional thermostatistics, the homogeneity and extensivity of the system and the concavity of its entropy are central conditions, these fail for the systems considered here. For example, at phase separation, the entropy, S(E), is necessarily convex to make exp[S(E)-E/T] bimodal in E. Particularly, as inhomogeneities and surface effects cannot be scaled away, one must be careful with the standard arguments of splitting a system into two subsystems, or bringing two systems into thermal contact with energy or particle exchange. Not only the volume part of the entropy must be considered. As will be shown here, when removing constraints in regions of a negative heat capacity, the system may even relax under a flow of heat (energy) against a temperature slope. Thus the Clausius formulation of the second law: ``Heat always flows from hot to cold'', can be violated. Temperature is not a necessary or fundamental control parameter of thermostatistics. However, the second law is still satisfied and the total Boltzmann entropy increases. In the final sections of this paper, the general microscopic mechanism leading to condensation and to the convexity of the microcanonical entropy at phase separation is sketched. Also the microscopic conditions for the existence (or non-existence) of a critical end-point of the phase-separation are discussed. This is explained for the liquid-gas and the solid-liquid transition.Comment: 23 pages, 2 figures, Accepted for publication in the Journal of Chemical Physic

Enumerative aspects of the Gross-Siebert program

We present enumerative aspects of the Gross-Siebert program in this introductory survey. After sketching the program's main themes and goals, we review the basic definitions and results of logarithmic and tropical geometry. We give examples and a proof for counting algebraic curves via tropical curves. To illustrate an application of tropical geometry and the Gross-Siebert program to mirror symmetry, we discuss the mirror symmetry of the projective plane.Comment: A version of these notes will appear as a chapter in an upcoming Fields Institute volume. 81 page

A morphological study of waves in the thermosphere using DE-2 observations

Theoretical model and data analysis of DE-2 observations for determining the correlation between the neutral wave activity and plasma irregularities have been presented. The relationships between the observed structure of the sources, precipitation and joule heating, and the fluctuations in neutral and plasma parameters are obtained by analyzing two measurements of neutral atmospheric wave activity and plasma irregularities by DE-2 during perigee passes at an altitude on the order of 300 to 350 km over the polar cap. A theoretical model based on thermal nonlinearity (joule heating) to give mode-mode coupling is developed to explore the role of neutral disturbance (winds and gravity waves) on the generation of plasma irregularities

Ambiguities in statistical calculations of nuclear fragmentation

The concept of freeze out volume used in many statistical approaches for disassembly of hot nuclei leads to ambiguities. The fragmentation pattern and the momentum distribution (temperature) of the emanated fragments are determined by the phase space at the freeze-out volume where the interaction among the fragments is supposedly frozen out. However, to get coherence with the experimental momentum distribution of the charged particles, one introduces Coulomb acceleration beyond this freeze-out. To be consistent, we investigate the effect of the attractive nuclear force beyond this volume and find that the possible recombination of the fragments alters the physical observables significantly casting doubt on the consistency of the statistical model.Comment: 11 pages+3 figure