313 research outputs found
Understanding Neural Networks in Awake Rat by Resting-State Functional MRI: A Dissertation
Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) is a non-invasive neuroimaging technique that utilizes spontaneous low-frequency fluctuations of blood-oxygenation-level dependent (BOLD) signals to examine resting-state functional connectivity in the brain. In the past two decades, this technique has been increasingly utilized to investigate properties of large-scale functional neural networks as well as their alterations in various cognitive and disease states. However, much less is known about large-scale functional neural networks of the rodent brain, particularly in the awake state. Therefore, we attempted to unveil local and global functional connectivity in awake rat through a combination of seed-based analysis, independent component analysis and graph-theory analysis. In the current studies, we revealed elementary local networks and their global organization in the awake rat brain. We further systematically compared the functional neural networks in awake and anesthetized states, revealing that the rat brain was locally reorganized while maintaining global topological properties from awake to anesthetized states. Furthermore, specific neural circuitries of the rat brain were examined using resting-state fMRI. First anticorrelated functional connectivity between infralimbic cortex and amygdala were found to be evident with different preprocessing methods (global signal regression, regression of ventricular and white matter signal and no signal regression). Secondly the thalamocortical connectivity was mapped for individual thalamic groups, revealing group-specific functional cortical connections that were generally consistent with known anatomical connections in rat. In conclusion, large-scale neural networks can be robustly and reliably studied using rs-fMRI in awake rat, and with this technique we established a baseline of local and global neural networks in the awake rat brain as well as their alterations in the anesthetized condition
Spin-wave mediated interactions for Majority Computation using Skyrmions and Spin-torque Nano-oscillators
Recent progress in all-electrical nucleation, detection and manipulation of
magnetic skyrmions has unlocked the tremendous potential of skyrmion-based
spintronic devices. Here, we show via micromagnetic simulations that the stable
magnetic oscillations of STNO radiate spin waves (SWs) that can be scattered in
the presence of skyrmions in the near vicinity. Interference between SWs
emitted by the STNO and SWs scattered by the skyrmion gives rise to interesting
dynamics that leads to amplification or attenuation of STNO's magnetic
oscillations. In the presence of strong Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction
(DMI), the amplified magnetic oscillations evolve into a new skyrmion. These
interactions between skyrmions and STNOs are found to be identical for both
Neel-type and Bloch-type skyrmions, and are not observed between domain walls
and STNOs. These findings offer a novel perspective in processing information
using single skyrmions and we propose a 3-bit majority gate for logic
applications.Comment: Final Versio
Uncovering intrinsic connectional architecture of functional networks in awake rat brain
Intrinsic connectional architecture of the brain is a crucial element in understanding the governing principle of brain organization. To date, enormous effort has been focused on addressing this issue in humans by combining resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) with other techniques. However, this research area is significantly underexplored in animals, perhaps because of confounding effects of anesthetic agents used in most animal experiments on functional connectivity. To bridge this gap, we have systematically investigated the intrinsic connectional architecture in the rodent brain by using a previously established awake-animal imaging model. First, group independent component analysis was applied to the rsfMRI data to extract elementary functional clusters of the brain. The connectional relationships between these clusters, as evaluated by partial correlation analysis, were then used to construct a graph of whole-brain neural network. This network exhibited the typical features of small-worldness and strong community structures seen in the human brain. Finally, the whole-brain network was segregated into community structures using a graph-based analysis. The results of this work provided a functional atlas of intrinsic connectional architecture of the rat brain at both intraregion and interregion levels. More importantly, the current work revealed that functional networks in rats are organized in a nontrivial manner and conserve fundamental topological properties that are also seen in the human brain. Given the high psychopathological relevance of network organization of the brain, this study demonstrated the feasibility of studying mechanisms and therapies of multiple neurological and psychiatric diseases through translational research
Intrinsic organization of the anesthetized brain
The neural mechanism of unconsciousness has been a major unsolved question in neuroscience despite its vital role in brain states like coma and anesthesia. The existing literature suggests that neural connections, information integration, and conscious states are closely related. Indeed, alterations in several important neural circuitries and networks during unconscious conditions have been reported. However, how the whole-brain network is topologically reorganized to support different patterns of information transfer during unconscious states remains unknown. Here we directly compared whole-brain neural networks in awake and anesthetized states in rodents. Consistent with our previous report, the awake rat brain was organized in a nontrivial manner and conserved fundamental topological properties in a way similar to the human brain. Strikingly, these topological features were well maintained in the anesthetized brain. Local neural networks in the anesthetized brain were reorganized with altered local network properties. The connectional strength between brain regions was also considerably different between the awake and anesthetized conditions. Interestingly, we found that long-distance connections were not preferentially reduced in the anesthetized condition, arguing against the hypothesis that loss of long-distance connections is characteristic to unconsciousness. These findings collectively show that the integrity of the whole-brain network can be conserved between widely dissimilar physiologic states while local neural networks can flexibly adapt to new conditions. They also illustrate that the governing principles of intrinsic brain organization might represent fundamental characteristics of the healthy brain. With the unique spatial and temporal scales of resting-state fMRI, this study has opened a new avenue for understanding the neural mechanism of (un)consciousness
Deterministic Spin-Orbit Torque Switching of Mn3Sn with the Interplay between Spin Polarization and Kagome Plane
Previous studies have demonstrated spin-orbit torque (SOT) switching of Mn3Sn
where the spin polarization lies in the kagome plane (configuration I).
However, the critical current density () is unrealistically large (= A/) and independent on the external field (). The stabilized magnetic state also depends on the initial state.
These features conflict with the ferromagnet (FM) switching scheme as claimed
in those studies, and thus call for other explanations. Alternatively, the
system with the spin polarization perpendicular to the kagome plane
(configuration II) is more like the FM based system since the spin polarization
is orthogonal to all magnetic moments. In this work, we show SOT switching of
Mn3Sn in configuration II. Similar to the FM, Jcrit and Hext are in the order
of A/ and hundreds of Oersted, respectively. The switching
result is also independent of the initial state. Interestingly, the unique spin
structure of Mn3Sn also leads to distinct features from FM systems. We
demonstrate that Jcrit increases linearly with Hext, and extrapolation gives
ultralow for the field-free switching system. In addition, the
switching polarity is opposite to the FM. We also provide the switching phase
diagram as a guideline for experimental demonstration. Our work provides
comprehensive understanding for the switching mechanism in both configurations.
The switching protocol proposed in this work is more advantageous in realistic
spintronic applications. We also clearly reveal the fundamental difference
between FM and noncollinear antiferromagnetic switching
Communication-Efficient Cooperative Multi-Agent PPO via Regulated Segment Mixture in Internet of Vehicles
Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning (MARL) has become a classic paradigm to
solve diverse, intelligent control tasks like autonomous driving in Internet of
Vehicles (IoV). However, the widely assumed existence of a central node to
implement centralized federated learning-assisted MARL might be impractical in
highly dynamic scenarios, and the excessive communication overheads possibly
overwhelm the IoV system. Therefore, in this paper, we design a communication
efficient cooperative MARL algorithm, named RSM-MAPPO, to reduce the
communication overheads in a fully distributed architecture. In particular,
RSM-MAPPO enhances the multi-agent Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO) by
incorporating the idea of segment mixture and augmenting multiple model
replicas from received neighboring policy segments. Afterwards, RSM-MAPPO
adopts a theory-guided metric to regulate the selection of contributive
replicas to guarantee the policy improvement. Finally, extensive simulations in
a mixed-autonomy traffic control scenario verify the effectiveness of the
RSM-MAPPO algorithm
Metawaveguide for Asymmetric Interferometric Light-Light Switching
Light-light switching typically requires strong nonlinearity where intense laser fields route and direct data flows of weak power, leading to a high power consumption that limits its practical use. Here we report an experimental demonstration of a metawaveguide that operates exactly in the opposite way in a linear regime, where an intense laser field is interferometrically manipulated on demand by a weak control beam with a modulation extinction ratio up to approximately 60 dB. This asymmetric control results from operating near an exceptional point of the scattering matrix, which gives rise to intrinsic asymmetric reflections of the metawaveguide through delicate interplay between index and absorption. The designed metawaveguide promises low-power interferometric light-light switching for the next generation of optical devices and networks
Spatially Nonuniform Oscillations in Ferrimagnets Based on an Atomistic Model
The ferrimagnets, such as GdxFeCo(1-x), can produce ultrafast magnetic
switching and oscillation due to the strong exchange field. The two-sublattices
macrospin model has been widely used to explain the experimental results.
However, it fails in describing the spatial nonuniform magnetic dynamics which
gives rises to many important phenomenons such as the domain walls and
skyrmions. Here we develop the two-dimensional atomistic model and provide a
torque analysis method to study the ferrimagnetic oscillation. Under the
spin-transfer torque, the magnetization oscillates in the exchange mode or the
flipped exchange mode. When the Gd composition is increased, the exchange mode
firstly disappears, and then appears again as the magnetization compensation
point is reached. We show that these results can only be explained by analyzing
the spatial distribution of magnetization and effective fields. In particular,
when the sample is small, a spatial nonuniform oscillation is also observed in
the square film. Our work reveals the importance of spatial magnetic
distributions in understanding the ferrimagnetic dynamics. The method developed
in this paper provides an important tool to gain a deeper understanding of
ferrimagnets and antiferromagnets. The observed ultrafast dynamics can also
stimulate the development of THz oscillators.Comment: 17 pages, 4 figure
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