120 research outputs found
A Theta-Band EEG Based Index for Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease
Despite recent advances, early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) from electroencephalography (EEG) remains
a difficult task. In this paper, we offer an added measure through which such early diagnoses can potentially be improved. One
feature that has been used for discriminative classification is changes in EEG synchrony. So far, only the decrease of synchrony
in the higher frequencies has been deeply analyzed. In this paper, we investigate the increase of synchrony found in narrow
frequency ranges within the θ band. This particular increase of synchrony is used with the well-known decrease of synchrony
in the band to enhance detectable differences between AD patients and healthy subjects. We propose a new synchrony ratio
that maximizes the differences between two populations. The ratio is tested using two different data sets, one of them containing
mild cognitive impairment patients and healthy subjects, and another one, containing mild AD patients and healthy subjects.
The results presented in this paper show that classification rate is improved, and the statistical difference between AD patients
and healthy subjects is increased using the proposed ratio
Single-shot qubit readout in circuit Quantum Electrodynamics
The future development of quantum information using superconducting circuits
requires Josephson qubits [1] with long coherence times combined to a
high-fidelity readout. Major progress in the control of coherence has recently
been achieved using circuit quantum electrodynamics (cQED) architectures [2,
3], where the qubit is embedded in a coplanar waveguide resonator (CPWR) which
both provides a well controlled electromagnetic environment and serves as qubit
readout. In particular a new qubit design, the transmon, yields reproducibly
long coherence times [4, 5]. However, a high-fidelity single-shot readout of
the transmon, highly desirable for running simple quantum algorithms or measur-
ing quantum correlations in multi-qubit experiments, is still lacking. In this
work, we demonstrate a new transmon circuit where the CPWR is turned into a
sample-and-hold detector, namely a Josephson Bifurcation Amplifer (JBA) [6, 7],
which allows both fast measurement and single-shot discrimination of the qubit
states. We report Rabi oscillations with a high visibility of 94% together with
dephasing and relaxation times longer than 0:5 \mu\s. By performing two
subsequent measurements, we also demonstrate that this new readout does not
induce extra qubit relaxation.Comment: 14 pages including 4 figures, preprint forma
Inocybe ochrogaleata sp. nov., un nouvel Inocybe récolté dans la péninsule Ibérique
The authors describe Inocybe ochrogaleata, a new Inocybe collected under Quercus ilex and Pinus halepensis accompanied by Cistus (among others Cistus albidus) in the Huétor Santillán natural park, the Sierras Tejeda, Almijara and Alhama (Andalusia) and Quatretonda in the Valencia region (Spain). A discussion on genetically and morphologically similar taxa is proposed
Cerebral perturbations during exercise in hypoxia.: The brain during hypoxic exercise
International audienceReduction of aerobic exercise performance observed under hypoxic conditions is mainly attributed to altered muscle metabolism due to impaired O(2) delivery. It has been recently proposed that hypoxia-induced cerebral perturbations may also contribute to exercise performance limitation. A significant reduction in cerebral oxygenation during whole body exercise has been reported in hypoxia compared with normoxia, while changes in cerebral perfusion may depend on the brain region, the level of arterial oxygenation and hyperventilation induced alterations in arterial CO(2). With the use of transcranial magnetic stimulation, inconsistent changes in cortical excitability have been reported in hypoxia, whereas a greater impairment in maximal voluntary activation following a fatiguing exercise has been suggested when arterial O(2) content is reduced. Electromyographic recordings during exercise showed an accelerated rise in central motor drive in hypoxia, probably to compensate for greater muscle contractile fatigue. This accelerated development of muscle fatigue in moderate hypoxia may be responsible for increased inhibitory afferent signals to the central nervous system leading to impaired central drive. In severe hypoxia (arterial O(2) saturation <70-75%), cerebral hypoxia per se may become an important contributor to impaired performance and reduced motor drive during prolonged exercise. This review examines the effects of acute and chronic reduction in arterial O(2) (and CO(2)) on cerebral blood flow and cerebral oxygenation, neuronal function, and central drive to the muscles. Direct and indirect influences of arterial deoxygenation on central command are separated. Methodological concerns as well as future research avenues are also considered
Developmental RNA-Seq transcriptomics of haploid germ cells and spermatozoa uncovers novel pathways associated with teleost spermiogenesis
In non-mammalian vertebrates, the molecular mechanisms involved in the transformation of haploid germ cells (HGCs) into spermatozoa (spermiogenesis) are largely unknown. Here, we investigated this process in the marine teleost gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) through the examination of the changes in the transcriptome between cell-sorted HGCs and ejaculated sperm (SPZEJ). Samples were collected under strict quality controls employing immunofluorescence microscopy as well as by determining the sperm motion kinematic parameters by computer-assisted sperm analysis. Deep sequencing by RNA-seq identified a total of 7286 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (p-value < 0.01) between both cell types, of which nearly half were upregulated in SPZEJ compared to HCGs. In addition, approximately 9000 long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) were found, of which 56% were accumulated or emerged de novo in SPZEJ. The upregulated transcripts are involved in transcriptional and translational regulation, chromatin and cytoskeleton organization, metabolic processes such as glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation, and also include a number of ion and water channels, exchangers, transporters and receptors. Pathway analysis conducted on DEGs identified 37 different signaling pathways enriched in SPZEJ, including 13 receptor pathways, from which the most predominant correspond to the chemokine and cytokine, gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor and platelet derived growth factor signaling pathways. Our data provide new insight into the mRNA and lncRNA cargos of teleost spermatozoa and uncover the possible involvement of novel endocrine mechanisms during the differentiation and maturation of spermatozoa.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Experimental violation of a Bell's inequality in time with weak measurement
The violation of J. Bell's inequality with two entangled and spatially
separated quantum two- level systems (TLS) is often considered as the most
prominent demonstration that nature does not obey ?local realism?. Under
different but related assumptions of "macrorealism", plausible for macroscopic
systems, Leggett and Garg derived a similar inequality for a single degree of
freedom undergoing coherent oscillations and being measured at successive
times. Such a "Bell's inequality in time", which should be violated by a
quantum TLS, is tested here. In this work, the TLS is a superconducting quantum
circuit whose Rabi oscillations are continuously driven while it is
continuously and weakly measured. The time correlations present at the detector
output agree with quantum-mechanical predictions and violate the inequality by
5 standard deviations.Comment: 26 pages including 10 figures, preprint forma
Developmental RNA-Seq transcriptomics of haploid germ cells and spermatozoa uncovers novel pathways associated with teleost spermiogenesis
In non-mammalian vertebrates, the molecular mechanisms involved in the transformation of haploid germ cells (HGCs) into spermatozoa (spermiogenesis) are largely unknown. Here, we investigated this process in the marine teleost gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) through the examination of the changes in the transcriptome between cell-sorted HGCs and ejaculated sperm (SPZ). Samples were collected under strict quality controls employing immunofluorescence microscopy as well as by determining the sperm motion kinematic parameters by computer-assisted sperm analysis. Deep sequencing by RNA-seq identified a total of 7286 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (p-value < 0.01) between both cell types, of which nearly half were upregulated in SPZ compared to HCGs. In addition, approximately 9000 long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) were found, of which 56% were accumulated or emerged de novo in SPZ. The upregulated transcripts are involved in transcriptional and translational regulation, chromatin and cytoskeleton organization, metabolic processes such as glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation, and also include a number of ion and water channels, exchangers, transporters and receptors. Pathway analysis conducted on DEGs identified 37 different signaling pathways enriched in SPZ, including 13 receptor pathways, from which the most predominant correspond to the chemokine and cytokine, gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor and platelet derived growth factor signaling pathways. Our data provide new insight into the mRNA and lncRNA cargos of teleost spermatozoa and uncover the possible involvement of novel endocrine mechanisms during the differentiation and maturation of spermatozoa
Cerebral hemodynamic and ventilatory responses to hypoxia, hypercapnia, and hypocapnia during 5 days at 4,350 m.
International audienceThis study investigated the changes in cerebral near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) signals, cerebrovascular and ventilatory responses to hypoxia and CO2 during altitude exposure. At sea level (SL), after 24 hours and 5 days at 4,350 m, 11 healthy subjects were exposed to normoxia, isocapnic hypoxia, hypercapnia, and hypocapnia. The following parameters were measured: prefrontal tissue oxygenation index (TOI), oxy- (HbO2), deoxy- and total hemoglobin (HbTot) concentrations with NIRS, blood velocity in the middle cerebral artery (MCAv) with transcranial Doppler and ventilation. Smaller prefrontal deoxygenation and larger ΔHbTot in response to hypoxia were observed at altitude compared with SL (day 5: ΔHbO2-0.6±1.1 versus -1.8±1.3 μmol/cmper mm Hg and ΔHbTot 1.4±1.3 versus 0.7±1.1 μmol/cm per mm Hg). The hypoxic MCAv and ventilatory responses were enhanced at altitude. Prefrontal oxygenation increased less in response to hypercapnia at altitude compared with SL (day 5: ΔTOI 0.3±0.2 versus 0.5±0.3% mm Hg). The hypercapnic MCAv and ventilatory responses were decreased and increased, respectively, at altitude. Hemodynamic responses to hypocapnia did not change at altitude. Short-term altitude exposure improves cerebral oxygenation in response to hypoxia but decreases it during hypercapnia. Although these changes may be relevant for conditions such as exercise or sleep at altitude, they were not associated with symptoms of acute mountain sickness
DNA methylation profiling identifies epigenetic dysregulation in pancreatic islets from type 2 diabetic patients
The first genome-scale DNA methylation study on pancreatic islets from type 2 diabetic patients identifies disease-associated DNA methylation pattern that translate into aberrant gene expression in novel factors relevant for β-cell function and survival
A hybrid feature selection approach for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease
Objective. Recently, significant advances have been made in the early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease from EEG. However, choosing suitable measures is a challenging task. Among other measures, frequency Relative Power and loss of complexity have been used with promising results. In the present study we investigate the early diagnosis of AD using synchrony measures and frequency Relative Power on EEG signals, examining the changes found in different frequency ranges. Approach. We first explore the use of a single feature for computing the classification rate, looking for the best frequency range. Then, we present a multiple feature classification system that outperforms all previous results using a feature selection strategy. These two approaches are tested in two different databases, one containing MCI and healthy subjects (patients age: 71.9 ± 10.2, healthy subjects age: 71.7 ± 8.3), and the other containing Mild AD and healthy subjects (patients age: 77.6 ± 10.0; healthy subjects age: 69.4± 11.5). Main Results. Using a single feature to compute classification rates we achieve a performance of 78.33% for the MCI data set and of 97.56 % for Mild AD. Results are clearly improved using the multiple feature classification, where a classification rate of 95% is found for the MCI data set using 11 features, and 100% for the Mild AD data set using 4 features. Significance. The new features selection method described in this work may be a reliable tool that could help to design a realistic system that does not require prior knowledge of a patient's status. With that aim, we explore the standardization of features for MCI and Mild AD data sets with promising results
- …