Synchronized Firings in Retinal Ganglion Cells in Response to Natural Stimulation

The response of synchronously firing groups of population retinal ganglion cells(RGCs)to natural movies(NMs)and pseudo-random white-noise checker-board flickering(CB,as control)are investigated using an information-theoretic algorithm.The main results are:(1)the population RGCs tend to fire in synchrony far more frequently than expected by chance during both NM and CB stimulation;(2)more synchronous groups could be formed and each group contains more neurons under NM than CB stimulation;(3)the individual neurons also participate in more groups and have more distinct partners in NM than CB stimulation.All these results suggest that the synchronized firings in RGCs are more extensive and diverse,which may account for more effective information processing in representing the natural visual environment.

Calcium channels caught in peripheral glia’s tug-of-war on axon regeneration in Drosophila

Neural damage or degeneration is at the crux of many diseases,and treatment of these diseases will require the development of therapeutics to enhance and guide neural regeneration.Both intrinsic and extrinsic factors dictate a neuron’s ability to regenerate,and the combination of these factors results in the great regenerative capacity of the peripheral nervous system(PNS)and the poor regenerative capacity of the central nervous system(CNS)following injury.At the core of a neuron’s function is its ability to relay electrochemical signals,and a neuron’s excitability is a key factor in its ability to regenerate.Recent works have focused on the changes in neuronal electrophysiological properties,firing patterns,and ion flux after injury,which differentially activate signaling pathways at the core of regeneration.The role of glia in neuron regeneration has long been studied.

A new method for evaluating the firing precision of multiple launch rocket system based on Bayesian theory

How to effectively evaluate the firing precision of weapon equipment at low cost is one of the core contents of improving the test level of weapon system.A new method to evaluate the firing precision of the MLRS considering the credibility of simulation system based on Bayesian theory is proposed in this paper.First of all,a comprehensive index system for the credibility of the simulation system of the firing precision of the MLRS is constructed combined with the group analytic hierarchy process.A modified method for determining the comprehensive weight of the index is established to improve the rationality of the index weight coefficients.The Bayesian posterior estimation formula of firing precision considering prior information is derived in the form of mixed prior distribution,and the rationality of prior information used in estimation model is discussed quantitatively.With the simulation tests,the different evaluation methods are compared to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method.Finally,the experimental results show that the effectiveness of estimation method for firing precision is improved by more than 25%.

Transforming growth factor-beta 1 enhances discharge activity of cortical neurons

Transforming growth factor-beta 1(TGF-β1)has been extensively studied for its pleiotropic effects on central nervous system diseases.The neuroprotective or neurotoxic effects of TGF-β1 in specific brain areas may depend on the pathological process and cell types involved.Voltage-gated sodium channels(VGSCs)are essential ion channels for the generation of action potentials in neurons,and are involved in various neuroexcitation-related diseases.However,the effects of TGF-β1 on the functional properties of VGSCs and firing properties in cortical neurons remain unclear.In this study,we investigated the effects of TGF-β1 on VGSC function and firing properties in primary cortical neurons from mice.We found that TGF-β1 increased VGSC current density in a dose-and time-dependent manner,which was attributable to the upregulation of Nav1.3 expression.Increased VGSC current density and Nav1.3 expression were significantly abolished by preincubation with inhibitors of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase(PD98059),p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase(SB203580),and Jun NH2-terminal kinase 1/2 inhibitor(SP600125).Interestingly,TGF-β1 significantly increased the firing threshold of action potentials but did not change their firing rate in cortical neurons.These findings suggest that TGF-β1 can increase Nav1.3 expression through activation of the ERK1/2-JNK-MAPK pathway,which leads to a decrease in the firing threshold of action potentials in cortical neurons under pathological conditions.Thus,this contributes to the occurrence and progression of neuroexcitatory-related diseases of the central nervous system.

AI-based small arms firing skill evaluation system in the military domain

Evaluation system of small arms firing has an important effect in the context of military domain. A partially automated evaluation system has been conducted and performed at the ground level. Automation of such system with the inclusion of artificial intelligence is a much required process. This papers puts focus on designing and developing an AI-based small arms firing evaluation systems in the context of military environment. Initially image processing techniques are used to calculate the target firing score. Additionally, firing errors during the shooting have also been detected using a machine learning algorithm. However, consistency in firing requires an abundance of practice and updated analysis of the previous results. Accuracy and precision are the basic requirements of a good shooter. To test the shooting skill of combatants, firing practices are held by the military personnel at frequent intervals that include 'grouping' and 'shoot to hit' scores. Shortage of skilled personnel and lack of personal interest leads to an inefficient evaluation of the firing standard of a firer. This paper introduces a system that will automatically be able to fetch the target data and evaluate the standard based on the fuzzy systems.Moreover it will be able to predict the shooter performance based on linear regression techniques.Thereby, it compares with recognized patterns to analyze the individual expertise and suggest improvements based on previous values. The paper is developed on a Small Arms Firing Skill Evaluation System, which makes the whole process of firing and target evaluation faster with better accuracy. The experiment has been conducted on real-time scenarios considering the military field and shows a promising result to evaluate the system automatically.

A geographical similarity-based sampling method of non-fire point data for spatial prediction of forest fires

Understanding the mechanisms and risks of forest fires by building a spatial prediction model is an important means of controlling forest fires.Non-fire point data are important training data for constructing a model,and their quality significantly impacts the prediction performance of the model.However,non-fire point data obtained using existing sampling methods generally suffer from low representativeness.Therefore,this study proposes a non-fire point data sampling method based on geographical similarity to improve the quality of non-fire point samples.The method is based on the idea that the less similar the geographical environment between a sample point and an already occurred fire point,the greater the confidence in being a non-fire point sample.Yunnan Province,China,with a high frequency of forest fires,was used as the study area.We compared the prediction performance of traditional sampling methods and the proposed method using three commonly used forest fire risk prediction models:logistic regression(LR),support vector machine(SVM),and random forest(RF).The results show that the modeling and prediction accuracies of the forest fire prediction models established based on the proposed sampling method are significantly improved compared with those of the traditional sampling method.Specifically,in 2010,the modeling and prediction accuracies improved by 19.1%and 32.8%,respectively,and in 2020,they improved by 13.1%and 24.3%,respectively.Therefore,we believe that collecting non-fire point samples based on the principle of geographical similarity is an effective way to improve the quality of forest fire samples,and thus enhance the prediction of forest fire risk.

Temporal and spatial analysis of vegetation fire activity in the circum-Arctic during 2001–2020

Vegetation fires become the concern worldwide due to their substantial impacts on climate and environment,and in particular in the circum-Arctic.Assessing vegetation fires and associated emissions and causes can improve understanding of fire regime and provide helpful information for vegetation fires solution.In this study,satellitebased vegetation fires and emissions during 2001–2020 were investigated and contributions of different types of fires were analyzed.Furthermore,climate anomalies related to extreme vegetation fires were explored.The main results showed that the region south of the Arctic circle(50°N-67°N)experienced a greater number of vegetation fires compared to the Arctic(north of 67°N).During 2001–2020,interannual variability of vegetation fires between 50°N and 67°N appeared to be decreasing while emissions(including carbon,dry matter,PM_(2.5),and BC)appeared to be increasing overall,which were contributed by the increasing summer boreal forest fires in this region largely.In the Arctic,vegetation fires and emissions increased in recent years distinctly,and those were dominated by the summer forest fires.Spatially,large increases of vegetation fires were located in the eastern Siberia and northern North America while large decreases were located in the northwestern Eurasia mainly.Additionally,in the Arctic,the unprecedented vegetation fires were observed in the eastern Siberia and Alaska in 2019 and in the eastern Siberia in 2020,which could be attributed to high pressure,high near-surface temperature,and low air moisture anomalies.Meanwhile,obvious anticyclonic anomalies in Alaska in 2019 and in the eastern Siberia in 2020 and cyclonic anomalies in the western Siberia in 2019,also played an important role on fire occurrences making drier conditions.

Prediction of forest fire occurrence in China under climate change scenarios

Climate change has an impact on forest fire patterns.In the context of global warming,it is important to study the possible effects of climate change on forest fires,carbon emission reductions,carbon sink effects,forest fire management,and sustainable development of forest ecosystems.This study is based on MODIS active fire data from 2001-2020 and the influence of climate,topography,vegetation,and social factors were integrated.Temperature and precipitation information from different scenarios of the BCC-CSM2-MR climate model were used as future climate data.Under climate change scenarios of a sustainable low development path and a high conventional development path,the extreme gradient boosting model predicted the spatial distribution of forest fire occurrence in China in the 2030s(2021-2040),2050s(2041-2060),2070s(2061-2080),and2090s(2081-2100).Probability maps were generated and tested using ROC curves.The results show that:(1)the area under the ROC curve of training data(70%)and validation data(30%)were 0.8465 and 0.8171,respectively,indicating that the model can reasonably predict the occurrence of forest fire in the study area;(2)temperature,elevation,and precipitation were strongly correlated with fire occurrence,while land type,slope,distance from settlements and roads,and slope direction were less strongly correlated;and,(3)based on future climate change scenarios,the probability of forest fire occurrence will tend to shift from the south to the center of the country.Compared with the current climate(2001-2020),the occurrence of forest fires in 2021-2040,2041-2060,2061-2080,and 2081-2100 will increase significantly in Henan Province(Luoyang,Nanyang,S anmenxia),Shaanxi Province(Shangluo,Ankang),Sichuan Province(Mianyang,Guangyuan,Ganzi),Tibet Autonomous Region(Shannan,Linzhi,Changdu),Liaoning Province(Liaoyang,Fushun,Dandong).

Firing activities in a fractional-order Hindmarsh–Rose neuron with multistable memristor as autapse

Considering the fact that memristors have the characteristics similar to biological synapses, a fractional-order multistable memristor is proposed in this paper. It is verified that the fractional-order memristor has multiple local active regions and multiple stable hysteresis loops, and the influence of fractional-order on its nonvolatility is also revealed. Then by considering the fractional-order memristor as an autapse of Hindmarsh–Rose(HR) neuron model, a fractional-order memristive neuron model is developed. The effects of the initial value, external excitation current, coupling strength and fractional-order on the firing behavior are discussed by time series, phase diagram, Lyapunov exponent and inter spike interval(ISI) bifurcation diagram. Three coexisting firing patterns, including irregular asymptotically periodic(A-periodic)bursting, A-periodic bursting and chaotic bursting, dependent on the memristor initial values, are observed. It is also revealed that the fractional-order can not only induce the transition of firing patterns, but also change the firing frequency of the neuron. Finally, a neuron circuit with variable fractional-order is designed to verify the numerical simulations.

Paradoxical roles of inhibitory autapse and excitatory synapse in formation of counterintuitive anticipated synchronization

Different from the common delayed synchronization(DS)in which response appears after stimulation,anticipated synchronization(AS)in unidirectionally coupled neurons denotes a counterintuitive phenomenon in which response of the receiver neuron appears before stimulation of the sender neuron,showing an interesting function of brain to anticipate the future.The dynamical mechanism for the AS remains unclear due to complex dynamics of inhibitory and excitatory modulations.In this article,the paradoxical roles of excitatory synapse and inhibitory autapse in the formation of AS are acquired.Firstly,in addition to the common roles such that inhibitory modulation delays and excitatory modulation advances spike,paradoxical roles of excitatory stimulation to delay spike via type-II phase response and of inhibitory autapse to advance spike are obtained in suitable parameter regions,extending the dynamics and functions of the excitatory and inhibitory modulations.Secondly,AS is related to the paradoxical roles of the excitatory and inhibitory modulations,presenting deep understandings to the AS.Inhibitory autapse induces spike of the receiver neuron advanced to appear before that of the sender neuron at first,and then excitatory synapse plays a delay role to prevent the spike further advanced,resulting in the AS as the advance and delay effects realize a dynamic balance.Lastly,inhibitory autapse with strong advance,middle advance,and weak advance and delay effects induce phase drift(spike of the receiver neuron advances continuously),AS,and DS,respectively,presenting comprehensive relationships between AS and other behaviors.The results present potential measures to modulate AS related to brain function.

Influence of Firing Temperature on Properties of High Alumina Bricks

To reduce production costs and make full and reasonable use of raw materials,high alumina bricks were prepared using tabular corundum and mullite as aggregates,sillimanite as intermediate particles,and white fused corundum powder,α-alumina micropowder,and Suzhou soil as the matrix,firing at different temperatures(1420,1440,1460,1480,1500 and 1520℃)for 4 h.The apparent porosity(AP),the bulk density(BD),the cold crushing strength(CCS),the thermal shock resistance(TSR),the refractoriness under load(RUL)and the creep rate of the samples were tested.The effects of the firing temperature on the creep rate(1450℃×50 h,under a load of 0.2 MPa)of the samples were studied.The results show that with the sillimanite addition of 22.5 mass%,the sample fired at 1460℃for 4 h performs the best comprehensive properties:the AP of 17.5%,the BD of 2.75 g·cm^(-3),the CCS of 100.5 MPa,the TSR number of 35 cycles,the RUL of 1682℃,and the creep rate of-0.428%,which can prolong the service life of furnaces.

A Survey of the Machine Learning Models for Forest Fire Prediction and Detection

Forest fires are a significant threat to the environment, causing ecological damage, economic losses, and posing a threat to human life. Hence, timely detection and prevention of forest fires are critical to minimizing their impact. In this paper, we review the current state-of-the-art methods in forest fire detection and prevention using predictions based on weather conditions and predictions based on forest fire history. In particular, we discuss different Machine Learning (ML) models that have been used for forest fire detection. Further, we present the challenges faced when implementing the ML-based forest fire detection and prevention systems, such as data availability, model prediction errors and processing speed. Finally, we discuss how recent advances in Deep Learning (DL) can be utilized to improve the performance of current fire detection systems.

几种新型手枪射击弹壳上痕迹特征浅析

为了适应新形势下枪弹检验工作的需要,我中心枪弹处于1997、1998年分别购置了一批新型枪支.其中有13种配用9mm×19mm巴拉贝鲁姆手枪弹的新型手枪,它们分别是213型9毫米手枪、213A型9毫米手枪、七七B型9毫米手枪、七七B2型9毫米手枪、NP20型9毫米手枪、NP22型9毫米手枪、NP28型9毫米手枪、NP38型9毫米手枪、201C型9毫米手枪和NZ75型9毫米手枪.为了让更多的同行了解这13种新型手枪发射子弹的弹壳上的主要痕迹特征,我们制作了一些样本.由于每种枪仅购置了一支,故本文所介绍的有些痕迹特征究竟属于种类特征,抑或是个别特征,还有待于作进一步的实验和研究.将13种枪支划分为5组分别进行论述:一组:213型、213A型;

Neural mechanism of gastric motility regulation by electroacupuncture at RN12 and BL21: A paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus-dorsal vagal complex-vagus nervegastric channel pathway

AIM: To study the neural mechanism by which electroacupuncture(EA) at RN12(Zhongwan) and BL21(Weishu) regulates gastric motility.METHODS: One hundred and forty-four adult Sprague Dawley rats were studied in four separate experiments. Intragastric pressure was measured using custommade rubber balloons, and extracellular neuron firing activity, which is sensitive to gastric distention in the dorsal vagal complex(DVC), was recorded by an electrophysiological technique. The expression levels of c-fos, motilin(MTL) and gastrin(GAS) in the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus(PVN) were assayed by immunohistochemistry, and the expression levels of motilin receptor(MTL-R) and gastrin receptor(GAS-R) in both the PVN and the gastric antrum were assayed by western blotting.RESULTS: EA at RN12 + BL21(gastric Shu and Mu points), BL21(gastric Back-Shu point), RN12(gastric Front-Mu point), resulted in increased neuron-activating frequency in the DVC(2.08 ± 0.050, 1.17 ± 0.023, 1.55 ± 0.079 vs 0.75 ± 0.046, P < 0.001) compared with a model group. The expression of c-fos(36.24 ± 1.67, 29.41 ± 2.55, 31.79 ± 3.00 vs 5.73 ± 2.18, P < 0.001), MTL(22.48 ± 2.66, 20.76 ± 2.41, 19.17 ± 1.71 vs 11.68 ± 2.52, P < 0.001), GAS(24.99 ± 2.95, 21.69 ± 3.24, 23.03 ± 3.09 vs 12.53 ± 2.15, P < 0.001), MTL-R(1.39 ± 0.05, 1.22 ± 0.05, 1.17 ± 0.12 vs 0.84 ± 0.06, P < 0.001), and GAS-R(1.07 ± 0.07, 0.91 ± 0.06, 0.78 ± 0.05 vs 0.45 ± 0.04, P < 0.001) increased in the PVN after EA compared with the model group. The expression of MTL-R(1.46 ± 0.14, 1.26 ± 0.11, 0.99 ± 0.07 vs 0.65 ± 0.03, P < 0.001), and GAS-R(1.63 ± 0.11, 1.26 ± 0.16, 1.13 ± 0.02 vs 0.80 ± 0.11, P < 0.001) increased in the gastric antrum after EA compared with the model group. Damaging the PVN resulted in reduced intragastric pressure(13.67 ± 3.72 vs 4.27 ± 1.48, P < 0.001). These data demonstrate that the signals induced by EA stimulation of acupoints RN12 and BL21 are detectable in the DVC and the PVN, and increase the levels of gastrointestinal hormones and their receptors in the PVN and gastric antrum to regulate gastric motility. CONCLUSION: EA at RN12 and BL21 regulates gastric motility, which may be achieved through the PVN-DVCvagus-gastric neural pathway.

Dynamics of firing patterns,synchronization and resonances in neuronal electrical activities:experiments and analysis

Recent advances in the experimental and theoretical study of dynamics of neuronal electrical firing activities are reviewed. Firstly, some experimental phenomena of neuronal irregular firing patterns, especially chaotic and stochastic firing patterns, are presented, and practical nonlinear time analysis methods are introduced to distinguish deterministic and stochastic mechanism in time series. Secondly, the dynamics of electrical firing activities in a single neuron is concerned, namely, fast-slow dynamics analysis for classification and mechanism of various bursting patterns, one- or two-parameter bifurcation analysis for transitions of firing patterns, and stochastic dynamics of firing activities （stochastic and coherence resonances, integer multiple and other firing patterns induced by noise, etc.）. Thirdly, different types of synchronization of coupled neurons with electrical and chemical synapses are discussed. As noise and time delay are inevitable in nervous systems, it is found that noise and time delay may induce or enhance synchronization and change firing patterns of coupled neurons. Noise-induced resonance and spatiotemporal patterns in coupled neuronal networks are also demonstrated. Finally, some prospects are presented for future research. In consequence, the idea and methods of nonlinear dynamics are of great significance in exploration of dynamic processes and physiological functions of nervous systems.

Modeling surface fuels moisture content in Pinus brutia stands

Fuel moisture content is an important variable for forest fires because it affects fuel ignition and fire behavior. In order to accurately predict fuel ignition potential, fuel moisture content must be assessed by evaluating fire spread, fireline intensity and fuel consumption.Our objective here is to model moisture content of surface fuels in normally stocked Calabrian pine(Pinus brutia Ten.) stands in relation to weather conditions, namely temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed in the Mugla province of Turkey. All surface fuels were categorized according to diameter classes and fuel types. Six fuel categories were defined: these were 0–0.3, 0.3–0.6, and0.6–1 cm diameter classes, and cone, surface litter, and duff. Plastic containers 15 9 20 cm in size with 1 9 1 mm mesh size were used. Samples were taken from 09:00 to19:00 h and weighed every 2 h with 0.01 g precision for10 days in August. At the end of the study, samples were taken to the laboratory, oven-dried at 105 °C for 24 h and weighed to obtain fuel-moisture contents. Weather measurements were taken from a fully automated weather station set up at the study site prior to the study. Correlation and regression analyses were carried out and models were developed to predict fuel moisture contents for desorption and adsorption phase for each fuel type categories. Practical fuel moisture prediction models were developed for dry period. Models were developed that performed well with reasonable accuracy, explaining up to 92 and 95.6%of the variability in fuel-moisture contents for desorption and adsorption phases, respectively. Validation of the models were conducted using an independent data set and known fuel moisture prediction models. The predictive power of the models was satisfactory with mean absolute error values being 1.48 and 1.02 for desorption and adsorption as compared to the 2.05 and 1.60 values for the Van Wagner's hourly litter moisture content prediction model. Results obtained in this study will be invaluable for fire management planning and modeling.

A review of the effects of forest fire on soil properties

Forest fires are key ecosystem modifiers affecting the biological,chemical,and physical attributes of forest soils.The extent of soil disturbance by fire is largely dependent on fire intensity,duration and recurrence,fuel load,and soil characteristics.The impact on soil properties is intricate,yielding different results based on these factors.This paper reviews research investigating the effects of wildfire and prescribed fire on the biological and physico-chemical attributes of forest soils and provides a summary of current knowledge associated with the benefits and disadvantages of such fires.Low-intensity fires with ash deposition on soil surfaces cause changes in soil chemistry,including increase in available nutrients and pH.High intensity fires are noted for the complete combustion of organic matter and result in severe negative impacts on forest soils.High intensity fires result in nutrient volatilization,the break down in soil aggregate stability,an increase soil bulk density,an increase in the hydrophobicity of soil particles leading to decreased water infiltration with increased erosion and destroy soil biota.High soil heating(> 120℃) from high-intensity forest fires is detrimental to the soil ecosystem,especially its physical and biological properties.In this regard,the use of prescribed burning as a management tool to reduce the fuel load is highly recommended due to its low intensity and limited soil heating.Furthermore,the use of prescribed fires to manage fuel loads is critically needed in the light of current global warming as it will help prevent increased wildfire incidences.This review provides information on the impact of forest fires on soil properties,a key feature in the maintenance of healthy ecosystems.In addition,the review should prompt comprehensive soil and forest management regimes to limit soil disturbance and restore fire-disturbed soil ecosystems.

Higher Performance Seismic Structures for Advanced Cities and Societies

1. Introduction Tokyo, one of the largest cities in the world, is the capital of Japan, a heavily earthquake-prone country. The Japanese population and much of its functionality are highly concentrated in Tokyo. The estimated damage to Tokyo as a result of future large earthquakes with a magnitude greater than the Japanese scale 7 is extremely high. The number of casualties could exceed 20 000 due to both the shaking itself and post-earthquake fires.

Impacts of the Kuwait Oil Fires on the Mount Qomolangma Region

Mt. Qomolangma (also known as Mt. Everest), the world's highest mountain, is situated over the world＇s highest plateau, the Tibetan Plateau. Because of its height and because of its distance from industrialized areas, the environmental state of the Mt. Qonlolangma region can normally be considered 'undisturbed'. It is interesting to investigate how this “undisturbed” state has been changing with time and whether it has been influenced by large environmentally disruptive events such as the Kuwait oil fires of 1990 and 1991 (Small, 1991). In order to do this, river water samples were collected from the Rongpu River at Rongpu Temple Station in the summers of 1992 and 1993,as was done in 1975, and aerosol samples were collected in the summer of 1992 at the same station as was done in 1980. River water samples were analyzed using atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Aerosol samples were analyzed using proton-induced x-ray emission (PIXE) at the University of Fudan in Shanghai. The results show that the concentrations of chemical species in the river water at Rongpu Temple Station were much higher in the summer of 1992 than they were in 1975 and 1993, and the concentrations of atmospheric chemical species were much higher in 1992 than they were in 1980. The environment of the north slope of Mt.Qomolangma was therefore heavily polluted before and / or during the summer of 1992, possibly due to the Kuwait oil fires in 1990 and 1991.

Study on the influence of projectile on muzzle disturbance

In order to make an efficient analysis of muzzle disturbance influenced by projectile mass, mass eccentricity, dynamic unbalance, load deviation, and clearance between projectile and bore, the orthogonal test method is extended to analyze the launch dynamics. Taking a tank as the research object, the launch dynamics equations of a tank system are established. Based on the stochastic simulation principle, the tank launch dynamic simulation system is constructed and through the development of the orthogonal test method, the influence of projectile on muzzle disturbance is studied. The study results provided both theoretical foundation and simulation approaches for improving the firing dispersion of the tank.