Neural Information Processing: between synchrony and chaos

The brain is characterized by performing many different processing tasks ranging from elaborate processes such as pattern recognition, memory or decision-making to more simple functionalities such as linear filtering in image processing. Understanding the mechanisms by which the brain is able to produce such a different range of cortical operations remains a fundamental problem in neuroscience. Some recent empirical and theoretical results support the notion that the brain is naturally poised between ordered and chaotic states. As the largest number of metastable states exists at a point near the transition, the brain therefore has access to a larger repertoire of behaviours. Consequently, it is of high interest to know which type of processing can be associated with both ordered and disordered states. Here we show an explanation of which processes are related to chaotic and synchronized states based on the study of in-silico implementation of biologically plausible neural systems. The measurements obtained reveal that synchronized cells (that can be understood as ordered states of the brain) are related to non-linear computations, while uncorrelated neural ensembles are excellent information transmission systems that are able to implement linear transformations (as the realization of convolution products) and to parallelize neural processes. From these results we propose a plausible meaning for Hebbian and non-Hebbian learning rules as those biophysical mechanisms by which the brain creates ordered or chaotic ensembles depending on the desired functionality. The measurements that we obtain from the hardware implementation of different neural systems endorse the fact that the brain is working with two different states, ordered and chaotic, with complementary functionalities that imply non-linear processing (synchronized states) and information transmission and convolution (chaotic states)

Image restoration using HOS and the Radon transform

The authors propose the use of higher-order statistics (HOS) to study the problem of image restoration. They consider images degraded by linear or zero phase blurring point spread functions (PSF) and additive Gaussian noise. The complexity associated with the combination of two-dimensional signal processing and higher-order statistics is reduced by means of the Radon transform. The projection at each angle is an one-dimensional signal that can be processed by any existing 1-D higher-order statistics-based method. They apply two methods that have proven to attain good one-dimensional signal reconstruction, especially in the presence of noise. After the ideal projections have been estimated, the inverse Radon transform gives the restored image. Simulation results are provided.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Stochastic-Based Pattern Recognition Analysis

In this work we review the basic principles of stochastic logic and propose its application to probabilistic-based pattern-recognition analysis. The proposed technique is intrinsically a parallel comparison of input data to various pre-stored categories using Bayesian techniques. We design smart pulse-based stochastic-logic blocks to provide an efficient pattern recognition analysis. The proposed rchitecture is applied to a specific navigation problem. The resulting system is orders of magnitude faster than processor-based solutions

Phase Ordering Dynamics of ϕ4\phi^4 Theory with Hamiltonian Equations of Motion

Phase ordering dynamics of the (2+1)- and (3+1)-dimensional $\phi^4$ theory with Hamiltonian equations of motion is investigated numerically. Dynamic scaling is confirmed. The dynamic exponent $z$ is different from that of the Ising model with dynamics of model A, while the exponent $\lambda$ is the same.Comment: to appear in Int. J. Mod. Phys.

Identification of a lineage of multipotent hematopoietic progenitors

All multipotent hematopoietic progenitors in C57BL-Thy-1.1 bone marrow are divided among three subpopulations of Thy-1.1^(lo) Sca-1^+ Lin^(-/lo) c-kit^+ cells: long-term reconstituting Mac-1^-CD4^-c-kit^+ cells and transiently reconstituting Mac-1^(lo)CD4^-or Mac-1^(lo) CD4^(lo) cells. This study shows that the same populations, with similar functional activities, exist in mice whose hematopoietic systems were reconstituted by hematopoietic stem cells after lethal irradiation. We demonstrate that these populations form a lineage of multipotent progenitors from long-term self-renewing stem cells to the most mature multipotent progenitor population. In reconstituted mice, Mac-1- CD4^-c-kit^+ cells gave rise to Mac-1^(lo)CD4^- cells, which gave rise to Mac-1^(lo)CD4^(lo) cells. Mac-1^- CD4^-c-kit^+ cells had long-term self-renewal potential, with each cell being capable of giving rise to more than 10^4 functionally similar Mac-1^-CD4^-c-kit^+ cells. At least half of Mac-1^(lo)CD4^- cells had transient self-renewal potential, detected in the spleen 7 days after reconstitution. Mac-1^(lo)CD4^(lo) cells did not have detectable self-renewal potential. The identification of a lineage of multipotent progenitors provides an important tool for identifying genes that regulate self-renewal and lineage commitment

Pengaplikasian Lumpur Sidoarjo Kadar Tinggi Pada Mortar Dan Beton

Berbagaipenelitian mengenai pemanfaatan material lumpur Sidoarjo, khususnya sebagai material pengganti semen (pozzolan) telah dilakukan. Penelitian ini berfokus pada penggunaan lumpur Sidoarjo dengan kadar yang tinggi, yaitu >50%, serta membandingkan hasil tersebut dengan fly ash. Analisa terhadap materialdilakukan menggunakan XRF (X-Ray Flouresence) untuk mengetahui karakteristik dari material tersebut. Analisa juga dilakukan terhadap pengaruh ukuran butiranmenggunakan PSA (Particle Size Analysis).Lumpur dilakukan treatment dari pengeringan, pembakaran hingga digiling menggunakan bar-mill dengan lama penggilingan bervariasi untuk mendapatkan ukuran butiran berbeda. Presentase kadar yang digunakan adalah 50%, 55% dan 60% dari total cementitious material. Mortar dan beton digunakan ukuran 5x5x5 cm3 dan 15x15x15 cm3 lalu dilakukan pengujian berupa kuat tekan, workability dan setting time. Hasil menunjukkan semakin halus ukuran butiran, semakin tinggi kuat tekan dan workability-nya. Diantara kadar 50%-60% penggantian semen dengan lumpur Sidoarjo, kadar 50% merupakan yang paling efektif.Pada beton dengan lumpur Sidoarjo menghasilkan slump test sebesar 8,5 cm dengan kuat tekan 34,07 MPa pada umur 37 hari

Pengaruh Konsistensi Fly Ash Terhadap Sifat - Sifat Mortar Hvfa

Fly ash merupakan hasil dari pembakaran batubara banyak digunakan sebagai bahan pengganti semen. Keuntungan penggunaan fly ash pada beton segar ialah kehalusan dan bentuk partikel fly ash yang bulat dapat meningkatkan workability, serta mengurangi terjadinya bleeding dan segregasi. Permasalahan yang sering dihadapi dalam penggunaan fly ash ini adalah kemampuan untuk mengontrol mutu fly ash yang dihasilkan.Fly ash berwarna abu-abu hingga kehitaman warna kehitaman karena adanya karbon, hal ini disebabkan pembakaran yang tidak sempurna. Juga dari penelitian lain disebutkan bahwa kandungan dari fly ash dipengaruhi dari asal batu bara, teknik pembakaran batu bara, kandungan mineral, metode pengumpulan, lama waktu penyimpanan, dan periode pengambilan sampel.Oleh karena itu dapat disimpulkan bahwa, perbedaan waktu pengambilan fly ash memungkinkan terjadinya perbedaan antara masing-masing fly ash. Dalam penelitian ini kami ingin melihat konsistensi dari setiap fly ash yang kami ambil dengan waktu yang berbeda-beda. Kandungan mineral yang terdapat dalam fly ash bervariasi, dan variasi ini tentu bisa menyebabkan perbedaan pada kualitas dan mutu beton yang dihasilkan. Variasi fly ash yang ada dapat dilihat dari kandungan kimia yang ada, kehalusan, dan loss on ignition (LOI). Kualitas dari fly ash dapat dengan mudah ditentukan melalui pengukuran nilai pH fly ash.Dalam penelitian ini menggunakan campuran mortar high volume fly ash (HVFA) dimana menggunakan penggantian semen hingga 50%