Bott--Kitaev periodic table and index theory

We consider topological insulators and superconductors with discrete symmetries and clarify the relevant index theory behind the periodic table proposed by Kitaev. An effective Hamiltonian determines the analytical index, which can be computed by a topological index. We focus on the spatial dimensions one, two and three, and only consider the bulk theory. In two dimensions, the $\mathbb{Z}$-valued invariants are given by the first Chern number. Meanwhile, $\mathbb{Z}_2$-valued invariants can be computed by the odd topological index and its variations. The Bott-Kitaev periodic table is well-known in the physics literature, we organize the topological invariants in the framework of KR-theory.Comment: 37 page

Estimation of free water-corrected microscopic fractional anisotropy.

Water diffusion anisotropy MRI is sensitive to microstructural changes in the brain that are hallmarks of various neurological conditions. However, conventional metrics like fractional anisotropy are confounded by neuron fiber orientation dispersion, and the relatively low resolution of diffusion-weighted MRI gives rise to significant free water partial volume effects in many brain regions that are adjacent to cerebrospinal fluid. Microscopic fractional anisotropy is a recent metric that can report water diffusion anisotropy independent of neuron fiber orientation dispersion but is still susceptible to free water contamination. In this paper, we present a free water elimination (FWE) technique to estimate microscopic fractional anisotropy and other related diffusion indices by implementing a signal representation in which the MRI signal within a voxel is assumed to come from two distinct sources: a tissue compartment and a free water compartment. A two-part algorithm is proposed to rapidly fit a set of diffusion-weighted MRI volumes containing both linear- and spherical-tensor encoding acquisitions to the representation. Simulations an

Investigating white matter hyperintensities in a multicenter COVID-19 study using 7T MRI

Background: Emerging evidence indicates that COVID-19 can negatively impact patient’s brain health (Douaud et al., 2022) (Cecchetti et al., 2022). Common clinical symptoms include brain fog, headaches, difficulty concentrating, and loss of sense of smell or taste. Some studies suggest that SARS-CoV-2 infection can damage the blood brain barrier either directly or through immune-inflammatory mechanisms (Zhang, et al. 2021). White matter hyperintensities (WMH) are imaging biomarkers of brain vascular or inflammatory injury. We investigated the association between severity of COVID-19 infection and burden of white matter hyperintensity volumes within a diverse multi-nation, multi-racial cohort using 7 Tesla (7T) MRI that can detect more subtle injury than conventional 1.5 or 3T MRI. Method: Participants were recruited at 4 sites: Pittsburgh, San Antonio and Houston, USA, and Nottingham, UK. To date, we have scanned and included the following participants in our analysis (Table 1). Detailed cognitive, neurological, mood and functional assessments and high-resolution MRI scans were collected. Subsequent WMH segmentation was performed using our in-house built deep learning based model (Figure 1). All segmentations were visually inspected and manually corrected before statistical analysis. Normalized WMH is calculated as a ratio of the WMH volume and the intracranial volume (WMH/ICV). Imaging data for an additional 36 age-matched controls were retrieved from the 7 Tesla Bioengineering Research Program (7TBRP) imaging bank at Pittsburgh. Result: Figure 1 shows the WMH segmentation outputs from our deep learning based model on images acquired at the 3 sites. Our Linear regression models along with our non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test result suggests that compared to mild COVID cases and healthy control, COVID infected individuals that were ICU admitted show elevated WMH burden (Figure 2). Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that white matter hyperintensity volumes were higher among patients who had severe acute COVID infection that required ICU admission, compared to healthy age-matched controls. In contrast, no difference in white matter burden was observed in patients with mild COVID infection compared to healthy controls. Additional data (both cross-sectional and longitudinal), including more sensitive MRI measures is being collected to define the full spectrum of brain injury associated with sequelae of COVID infection

Validation of Deep Learning techniques for quality augmentation in diffusion MRI for clinical studies

The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of deep learning (DL) techniques in improving the quality of diffusion MRI (dMRI) data in clinical applications. The study aims to determine whether the use of artificial intelligence (AI) methods in medical images may result in the loss of critical clinical information and/or the appearance of false information. To assess this, the focus was on the angular resolution of dMRI and a clinical trial was conducted on migraine, specifically between episodic and chronic migraine patients. The number of gradient directions had an impact on white matter analysis results, with statistically significant differences between groups being drastically reduced when using 21 gradient directions instead of the original 61. Fourteen teams from different institutions were tasked to use DL to enhance three diffusion metrics (FA, AD and MD) calculated from data acquired with 21 gradient directions and a b-value of 1000 s/mm2. The goal was to produce results that were comparable to those calculated from 61 gradient directions. The results were evaluated using both standard image quality metrics and Tract-Based Spatial Statistics (TBSS) to compare episodic and chronic migraine patients. The study results suggest that while most DL techniques improved the ability to detect statistical differences between groups, they also led to an increase in false positive. The results showed that there was a constant growth rate of false positives linearly proportional to the new true positives, which highlights the risk of generalization of AI-based tasks when assessing diverse clinical cohorts and training using data from a single group. The methods also showed divergent performance when replicating the original distribution of the data and some exhibited significant bias. In conclusion, extreme caution should be exercised when using AI methods for harmonization or synthesis in clinical studies when processing heterogeneous data in clinical studies, as important information may be altered, even when global metrics such as structural similarity or peak signal-to-noise ratio appear to suggest otherwise

Design and application analysis of active circulators for operation in frequencies of continuous-wave Doppler ultrasound

Os circuladores tradicionais são amplamente utilizados em telecomunicações e defesa militar para o simultâneo envio e recepção de sinais por um único meio. Esses circuitos passivos, fabricados a partir de materiais ferromagnéticos, possuem a desvantagem do aumento de dimensões, peso e custos de fabricação com a diminuição da frequência de operação definida no projeto destes dispositivos, inviabilizando sua aplicação em frequências abaixo de 500 MHz. O circulador ativo surgiu como uma alternativa aos tradicionais, tendo aplicações em frequências desde o nível DC até a ordem de dezenas de gigahertz. As suas maiores aplicações ocorrem quando são necessários dispositivos compactos, de baixo custo e de baixa potência. Os primeiros circuitos propostos possuíam uma grande limitação em termos de frequência de operação e de potência entregue à carga. Entretanto, com os avanços tecnológicos na eletrônica, tais problemas podem ser amenizados atualmente. Neste trabalho é apresentado o desenvolvimento de um circuito circulador ativo para a utilização em instrumentação eletrônica, em particular para a operação em frequências na ordem das utilizadas em equipamentos de ultrassom Doppler de ondas contínuas, na faixa de 2 MHz a 10 MHz. As possíveis vantagens da implementação de circuladores em sistemas de ultrassom estão relacionadas ao incremento da relação sinal-ruído, aumento da área de recepção do transdutor, simplificação da construção do transdutor, simplificação do circuito de demodulação/ processamento, e maior isolação entre os circuitos de transmissão e recepção de sinais. Na fase inicial, o circulador ativo proposto é modelado por equacionamento, utilizando-se tanto o modelo ideal dos amplificadores operacionais como o seu modelo de resposta em frequência. Simulações computacionais foram executadas para confirmar a validade do equacionamento. Um circuito montado em placa de prototipagem rápida foi apresentado, e testes de prova de conceito em baixas frequências foram realizados, mostrando uma grande semelhança entre o teórico, o simulado e o experimental. A segunda parte contou com o projeto do circuito circulador para a operação em maiores frequências. O circuito proposto é composto por três amplificadores operacionais de realimentação por corrente e vários componentes passivos. Uma análise de sensibilidade utilizando os métodos de Monte-Carlo e análise do pior caso foi aplicada, resultando em um perfil de comportamento frente às variações dos componentes do circuito e às variações da impedância de carga. Uma placa de circuito impressa foi projetada, utilizando-se de boas práticas de leiaute para a operação em altas frequências. Neste circuito montado, foram realizados os seguintes testes e medições: comportamento no domínio do tempo, faixa dinâmica, nível de isolação em relação à amplitude do sinal, largura de banda, levantamento dos parâmetros de espalhamento, e envio e recepção de sinais por transdutor de ultrassom Doppler de ondas contínuas. Os resultados dos testes de desempenho foram satisfatórios, apresentando uma banda de transmissão de sinais para frequências de 100 MHz, isolação entre portas não consecutivas de 39 dB na frequência de interesse para ultrassom Doppler e isolação maior que 20 dB para frequências de até 35 MHz. A faixa dinâmica excedeu a tensão de 5 Vpp, e o circuito teve bom comportamento no envio e na recepção simultânea de sinais pelo transdutor de ultrassom.Traditional circulators are widely used in both telecommunications and military defense for sending and receiving signals simultaneously through a single medium. These passive circuits which are manufactured from ferromagnetic materials, have the disadvantages of having suffered an increase in dimensions, weight, and manufacturing costs along with the decrease in the operation frequency established in the designs of such devices, thus preventing their useful employment in frequencies below 500 MHz. The active circulator emerged as an alternative to the traditional ones, and has applications on frequencies ranging from a DC level to levels involving dozens of gigahertz. It is applicable when compact devices are made necessary, at a low cost, and for low frequencies. The first circuits to be introduced had a major limitation in terms of operating frequency and power delivered to the load. However, due to technological advances in electronics, problems such as the aforementioned can now be minimized. This research work presents the development of an active circulator circuit to be used in electronic instrumentation, particularly for operation at frequencies such as those used in continuous wave Doppler ultrasound equipment, ranging from 2 MHz to 10 MHz. The advantages made possible by implementing ultrasound systems with circulators are related to an increase in the signal-to-noise ratio, an increase in the transducers reception area, a simplified construction of the transducer, simplification of the demodulation/processing circuit, and a greater isolation between the transmission circuits and signal reception. In the initial phase, the proposed active circulator was modeled by means of an equating method, using both the ideal model of operational amplifiers and the model of frequency response. Computer simulations were carried out in order to confirm the validity of the equating method. A circuit mounted upon a breadboard was introduced and proof of concept assessments were performed at low frequencies, showing a great similarity among the theoretical, simulated and experimented data. The second phase is when the circulator circuits design was developed in order make its operation at higher frequencies possible. The proposed circuit is comprised of three currentfeedback operational amplifiers and several passive components. A sensitivity analysis was carried out using Monte-Carlo methods and worst-case analyses, resulting in a certain behavioral profile influenced by variations in circuit components and variations in load impedance. A printed circuit board was designed, employing good practice layout standards so that operation at high frequencies would be achieved. The following evaluations and measurements were performed on the circuit that was assembled: time domain behavior, dynamic range, isolation level relative to signal amplitude, bandwidth, survey of the scattering parameters, and transmission and reception of signals by a continuous wave Doppler ultrasound transducer. The results of the performance tests were satisfactory, presenting a 100 MHz signal transmission band, isolation between non-consecutive ports of 39 dB at the frequency of interest to the Doppler ultrasound, and an isolation greater than 20 dB for frequencies of up to 35 MHz. The dynamic range exceeded the 5Vpp and the circuit performed satisfactorily in the simultaneous transmission and reception of signals through the ultrasound\'s transducer

Advances in Radiofrequency Coil Developments for 7 Tesla Human MRI

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is extensively used in clinics as a non-invasive medical diagnostic tool. MRI has excellent soft tissue contrast characteristics, utilizes non-ionizing radiation, and is considered safer than other imaging techniques, such as PET, CT, and X-Ray. Currently, clinics acquire MRI images using magnetic field intensities of 1.5 Tesla (T) and 3T. However, higher field strengths provide better resolution and improved tissue contrast. Two years following the FDA clearance of the first 7T scanner (Siemens, Terra), 7T related technologies are changing the standards of imaging and are expected to become the new clinical standard in the future. 7T MRI enables improved characterization of abnormalities in the human body and early identification of disease, especially in neuroimaging. Despite the promises of 7T MRI, several challenges still need to be addressed before it can be widely utilized in the clinic. The higher the magnetic field strength implicates a shorter wavelength of the electromagnetic waves inside the tissues. At 7T, the RF wavelength is approximately 12 cm inside the tissues, which is smaller than many parts of the body. This short wavelength causes strong RF interference, which produces inhomogeneous RF field distributions inside the regions of interest. These inhomogeneities cause voids or regions of low contrast in the images, thus limiting the diagnostic capabilities of 7T MRI. Additionally, the inhomogeneous electric field distribution at 7T might lead to higher local and global power deposition, which is a safety concern. In this dissertation work, optimized RF coil designs and methodologies are presented for head and extremity imaging at 7T. The simulated and experimentally-verified results show improved homogeneity of the RF magnetic field as well as reduction of power deposition in tissue during MRI scans

Modular architecture and resilience of structural covariance networks in first-episode antipsychotic-naive psychoses

Abstract Structural covariance network (SCN) studies on first-episode antipsychotic-naïve psychosis (FEAP) have examined less granular parcellations on one morphometric feature reporting lower network resilience among other findings. We examined SCNs of volume, cortical thickness, and surface area using the Human Connectome Project atlas-based parcellation (n = 358 regions) from 79 FEAP and 68 controls to comprehensively characterize the networks using a descriptive and perturbational network neuroscience approach. Using graph theoretical methods, we examined network integration, segregation, centrality, community structure, and hub distribution across the small-worldness threshold range and correlated them with psychopathology severity. We used simulated nodal “attacks” (removal of nodes and all their edges) to investigate network resilience, calculated DeltaCon similarity scores, and contrasted the removed nodes to characterize the impact of simulated attacks. Compared to controls, FEAP SCN showed higher betweenness centrality (BC) and lower degree in all three morphometric features and disintegrated with fewer attacks with no change in global efficiency. SCNs showed higher similarity score at the first point of disintegration with ≈ 54% top-ranked BC nodes attacked. FEAP communities consisted of fewer prefrontal, auditory and visual regions. Lower BC, and higher clustering and degree, were associated with greater positive and negative symptom severity. Negative symptoms required twice the changes in these metrics. Globally sparse but locally dense network with more nodes of higher centrality in FEAP could result in higher communication cost compared to controls. FEAP network disintegration with fewer attacks suggests lower resilience without impacting efficiency. Greater network disarray underlying negative symptom severity possibly explains the therapeutic challenge

Correction: Design and fabrication of a realistic anthropomorphic heterogeneous head phantom for MR purposes.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0183168.]

Design and fabrication of a realistic anthropomorphic heterogeneous head phantom for MR purposes

<div><p>Objective</p><p>The purpose of this study is to design an anthropomorphic heterogeneous head phantom that can be used for MRI and other electromagnetic applications.</p><p>Materials and methods</p><p>An eight compartment, physical anthropomorphic head phantom was developed from a 3T MRI dataset of a healthy male. The designed phantom was successfully built and preliminarily evaluated through an application that involves electromagnetic-tissue interactions: MRI (due to it being an available resource). The developed phantom was filled with media possessing electromagnetic constitutive parameters that correspond to biological tissues at ~297 MHz. A preliminary comparison between an in-vivo human volunteer (based on whom the anthropomorphic head phantom was created) and various phantoms types, one being the anthropomorphic heterogeneous head phantom, were performed using a 7 Tesla human MRI scanner.</p><p>Results</p><p>Echo planar imaging was performed and minimal ghosting and fluctuations were observed using the proposed anthropomorphic phantom. The magnetic field distributions (during MRI experiments at 7 Tesla) and the scattering parameter (measured using a network analyzer) were most comparable between the anthropomorphic heterogeneous head phantom and an in-vivo human volunteer.</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>The developed anthropomorphic heterogeneous head phantom can be used as a resource to various researchers in applications that involve electromagnetic-biological tissue interactions such as MRI.</p></div

Constitutive properties and densities of the classified tissues at ~ 297 MHz.

<p>Constitutive properties and densities of the classified tissues at ~ 297 MHz.</p