We have experimentally implemented a photonics-aided large-capacity fiber-mm-wave wireless communication system employing a simple dual-polarized single-input single-output (SISO) wireless based on ...polarization multiplexing at the W-band. To compare the performance of different algorithms, 18G-baud, and 35G-baud 16-level quadrature-amplitude-modulation (16QAM), probabilistically shaped 16QAM (PS-16QAM), 64QAM and PS-64QAM signal using different carrier phase recovery (CPR) algorithms are transmitted in the system. Moreover, we compare the Viterbi–Viterbi (VV), improved new algorithm based on VV (NVV), blind phase search (BPS), and two-stage BPS algorithms’ computational complexity to better compare different algorithms. Using the experiment result, we can demonstrate that the BPS algorithm is about half a magnitude better than the NVV algorithm for PS-QAM signals, while the NVV algorithm has the lowest computational complexity. Additionally, we also achieve error-free wireless transmission at a net data rate of 324.1 Gb/s with the bit error ratio (BER) below the forward-error correction (FEC) threshold of 1 × 10−2 assuming soft-decision forward-error correction (SD-FEC) when using the BPS algorithm.
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•Hindlimb unloading (Hu) generated cognitive & synaptic plasticity deficits in mice.•rTMS pre-treatment protected against cognitive deficits induced by Hu.•rTMS pre-treatment ...protected against synaptic plasticity impairments induced by Hu.•rTMS neuroprotective effects are possibly associated with CREB/BDNF signaling network.
During space flight, microgravity has several negative effects on cognitive functions and learning and memory abilities. However, there are few effectively preventive methods that have been developed yet. Previous studies showed that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), as a novel non-invasive technique, alleviated cognitive dysfunctions and facilitated synaptic plasticity. In the present study, we used a hindlimb unloading (Hu) mouse model to simulate microgravity conditions. And then, we investigated whether rTMS played a neuroprotective role in a Hu mouse model. Behavioral experiments including Open field test and Novel object recognition test were performed. These results showed that spontaneous activity and recognition memory were reduced by Hu, while rTMS significantly protected against the harmful effect. Furthermore, electrophysiological recordings were performed to examine the level of synaptic plasticity including paired-pulse facilitation (PPF) and long-term potentiation (LTP). In the hippocampus DG and CA1 regions, dendritic spine density was measured using Golgi-Cox staining. Our data showed that rTMS effectively impeded the impairment of PPF and LTP, as well as the decrease of spine density induced by Hu. Subsequently, Western blot assay showed that rTMS inhibited the downregulation of CREB/BDNF signaling network associated proteins in Hu mice. It suggests that rTMS pre-treatment plays a neuroprotective role in protecting against cognitive impairments and synaptic plasticity deficits induced by microgravity stimulation.
Follistatin-like 1 (FSTL1), also named transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1–inducible gene, is a secreted extracellular glycoprotein expressing widely in nervous system. Several recent studies have ...revealed that FSTL1 plays an essential role in neurological diseases including neuropathic pain and ischemic stroke. It proves that FSTL1 suppresses synaptic transmission by activating Na/K-ATPase in DRG neurons and inhibits neuronal apoptosis by phosphorylation AKT signaling. However, it is not clear whether FSTL1 can play a role in other type of neuron or neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we found that the mice with Fstl1 genetic knockdown showed not only the impairments of learning and memory abilities, but also abnormal neural oscillations and synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus. Subsequently, we identified broad transcriptional changes including 55 up-regulated and 184 down-regulated genes in Fstl1 knockdown mice by RNA-Seq analysis, as well as neurotransmitter transport, synaptic transmission and disease-related genes. The expression changes of some DEGs were further validated via quantitative Realtime PCR (qRT-PCR). Further patch-clamp whole cell recording showed that Fstl1+/− mice displayed a significant decrease in glutamatergic synaptic transmission and increase in GABAergic synaptic transmission, which were consistent with the RNA-Seq analysis. Taken together, our results provide an evidence and a possibly underlying mechanism for the critical role of FSTL1 in the hippocampus on learning and memory and normal neural oscillations, suggesting that FSTL1 may plays an important role in neurodegenerative diseases related to cognitive impairments.
•Fstl1+/− mice exhibit memory deficits and synaptic plasticity impairments.•Fstl1+/− mice exhibit abnormal neural oscillations in the hippocampus.•Fstl1+/− mice exhibit 55 up-regulated and 184 down-regulated genes in hippocampus.•Fstl1 may be a novel target for the neurological diseases with cognitive impairment.
•Simulated microgravity disturbed neural oscillations in the hippocampus of mice.•rTMS treatment significantly modulated theta oscillatory patterns in Hu mice.•rTMS treatment could ameliorate the ...disturbance of oscillatory patterns in Hu mice.•A potential underlying mechanism was associated with improving the E/I balance.
Microgravity, as a part of the stress of space flight, has several negative effects on cognitive functions. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), as a novel non-invasive technique, could be an effective approach to alleviated cognitive decline, applied in both preclinical and clinical studies. Neural oscillations and their interactions are involved in cognitive functions and support the communication of neural information. The neural oscillation could be a window from which we may understand what happens in the brain. The current study aimed to explore if 15 Hz rTMS plays a neural modulation role in a mouse model of hindlimb unloading. We hypothezed that rTMS can improve the cognitive and neural oscillatory deficits induced by hindlimb unloading via maintaining the balance between glutamatergic and GABAergic systems. Our data show that rTMS can significantly alleviate behavior deficits, modulate theta oscillation, improve the disturbed power distribution of theta oscillation and the decreased strength of Cross-Frequency Coupling in the dentate gyrus region, and effectively mitigated the blocked communication of neural information in the perforant pathway (PP)―dentate gyrus (DG) neural pathway in Hu mice. Furthermore, biochemical analysis using high-performance liquid chromatography and Western blot assay confirmed that rTMS increases the low expression of glutamate (Glu) and N-Methyl d-Aspartate receptor subtype 2B (NR2B) and decreases the high expression of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), 67 KDa isoform of glutamate decarboxylase (GAD67), and GABA type A receptor subunit alpha1 (GABAARα1) in the hippocampus of Hu mice. Taken together, the results suggest that rTMS plays a significant neural modulation role in the hippocampal neural activity disorders induced by Hu, which possibly depends on rTMS maintaining the balance of glutamatergic and gamma-aminobutyric acidergic (GABAergic) systems.
Abstract Alcohol consumption is a heritable behavior seriously endangers human health. However, genetic studies on alcohol consumption primarily focuses on common variants, while insights from rare ...coding variants are lacking. Here we leverage whole exome sequencing data across 304,119 white British individuals from UK Biobank to identify protein-coding variants associated with alcohol consumption. Twenty-five variants are associated with alcohol consumption through single variant analysis and thirteen genes through gene-based analysis, ten of which have not been reported previously. Notably, the two unreported alcohol consumption-related genes GIGYF1 and ANKRD12 show enrichment in brain function-related pathways including glial cell differentiation and are strongly expressed in the cerebellum. Phenome-wide association analyses reveal that alcohol consumption-related genes are associated with brain white matter integrity and risk of digestive and neuropsychiatric diseases. In summary, this study enhances the comprehension of the genetic architecture of alcohol consumption and implies biological mechanisms underlying alcohol-related adverse outcomes.
A computational human brain model with the voxel-wise assimilation method was established based on individual structural and functional imaging data. We found that the more similar the brain model is ...to the biological counterpart in both scale and architecture, the more similarity was found between the assimilated model and the biological brain both in resting states and during tasks by quantitative metrics. The hypothesis that resting state activity reflects internal body states was validated by the interoceptive circuit's capability to enhance the similarity between the simulation model and the biological brain. We identified that the removal of connections from the primary visual cortex (V1) to downstream visual pathways significantly decreased the similarity at the hippocampus between the model and its biological counterpart, despite a slight influence on the whole brain. In conclusion, the model and methodology present a solid quantitative framework for a digital twin brain for discovering the relationship between brain architecture and functions, and for digitally trying and testing diverse cognitive, medical and lesioning approaches that would otherwise be unfeasible in real subjects.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) interacts with psychopathology in a complex way; however, little is known about the underlying brain, biochemical, and genetic mechanisms.
To clarify the phenotypic and ...genetic associations between IBS and brain health, we performed a comprehensive retrospective cohort study on a large population. Our study included 171,104 participants from the UK Biobank who underwent a thorough assessment of IBS, with the majority also providing neuroimaging, behavioral, biochemical, and genetic information. Multistage linked analyses were conducted, including phenome-wide association analysis, polygenic risk score calculation, and 2-sample Mendelian randomization analysis.
The phenome-wide association analysis showed that IBS was linked to brain health problems, including anxiety and depression, and poor cognitive performance. Significantly lower brain volumes associated with more severe IBS were found in key areas related to emotional regulation and higher-order cognition, including the medial orbitofrontal cortex/ventromedial prefrontal cortex, anterior insula, anterior and mid-cingulate cortices, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and hippocampus. Higher triglycerides, lower high-intensity lipoprotein, and lower platelets were also related (p < 1 × 10−10) to more severe IBS. Finally, Mendelian randomization analyses demonstrated potential causal relationships between IBS and brain health and indicated possible mediating effects of dyslipidemia and inflammation.
For the first time, this study provides a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between IBS and brain health phenotypes, integrating perspectives from neuroimaging, behavioral performance, biochemical factors, and genetics, which is of great significance for clinical applications to potentially address brain health impairments in patients with IBS.
Abstract Brain function is vulnerable to the consequences of inadequate sleep, an adverse trend that is increasingly prevalent. The REM sleep phase has been implicated in coordinating various brain ...structures and is hypothesized to have potential links to brain variability. However, traditional imaging research have encountered challenges in attributing specific brain region activity to REM sleep, remained understudied at the whole-brain connectivity level. Through the spilt-night paradigm, distinct patterns of REM sleep phases were observed among the full-night sleep group ( n = 36), the early-night deprivation group ( n = 41), and the late-night deprivation group ( n = 36). We employed connectome-based predictive modeling (CPM) to delineate the effects of REM sleep deprivation on the functional connectivity of the brain (REM connectome) during its resting state. The REM sleep-brain connectome was characterized by stronger connectivity within the default mode network (DMN) and between the DMN and visual networks, while fewer predictive edges were observed. Notably, connections such as those between the cingulo-opercular network (CON) and the auditory network, as well as between the subcortex and visual networks, also made significant contributions. These findings elucidate the neural signatures of REM sleep loss and reveal common connectivity patterns across individuals, validated at the group level.
Recent studies proposed a general psychopathology factor underlying common comorbidities among psychiatric disorders. However, its neurobiological mechanisms and generalizability remain elusive. In ...this study, we used a large longitudinal neuroimaging cohort from adolescence to young adulthood (IMAGEN) to define a neuropsychopathological (NP) factor across externalizing and internalizing symptoms using multitask connectomes. We demonstrate that this NP factor might represent a unified, genetically determined, delayed development of the prefrontal cortex that further leads to poor executive function. We also show this NP factor to be reproducible in multiple developmental periods, from preadolescence to early adulthood, and generalizable to the resting-state connectome and clinical samples (the ADHD-200 Sample and the Stratify Project). In conclusion, we identify a reproducible and general neural basis underlying symptoms of multiple mental health disorders, bridging multidimensional evidence from behavioral, neuroimaging and genetic substrates. These findings may help to develop new therapeutic interventions for psychiatric comorbidities.
In this work, we present a computing platform named digital twin brain (DTB) that can simulate spiking neuronal networks of the whole human brain scale and more importantly, a personalized biological ...brain structure. In comparison to most brain simulations with a homogeneous global structure, we highlight that the sparseness, couplingness and heterogeneity in the sMRI, DTI and PET data of the brain has an essential impact on the efficiency of brain simulation, which is proved from the scaling experiments that the DTB of human brain simulation is communication-intensive and memory-access intensive computing systems rather than computation-intensive. We utilize a number of optimization techniques to balance and integrate the computation loads and communication traffics from the heterogeneous biological structure to the general GPU-based HPC and achieve leading simulation performance for the whole human brain-scaled spiking neuronal networks. On the other hand, the biological structure, equipped with a mesoscopic data assimilation, enables the DTB to investigate brain cognitive function by a reverse-engineering method, which is demonstrated by a digital experiment of visual evaluation on the DTB. Furthermore, we believe that the developing DTB will be a promising powerful platform for a large of research orients including brain-inspiredintelligence, rain disease medicine and brain-machine interface.
