An automatic feature generation method for handwritten digit recognition is described. Two different evaluation measures, orthogonality and information, are used to guide the search for features. The features are used in a backpropagation trained neural network. Classification rates compare favorably with results published in a survey of high-performance handwritten digit recognition systems. T...

Cerebellar research has focused principally on adult motor function. However, the cerebellum also maintains abundant connections with nonmotor brain regions throughout postnatal life. Here we review evidence that the cerebellum may guide the maturation of remote nonmotor neural circuitry and influence cognitive development, with a focus on its relationship with autism. Specific cerebellar zones...

Biological systems like the human cortex show homogeneous connectivity, with additional strongly heterogeneous projections from one area to another. Here we report how such a dynamic system performs a macroscopically coherent pattern formation. The connection topology is used systematically as a control parameter to guide the neural system through a series of phase transitions. We discuss the e...

A recent study (Di Lazzaro et al. J Neurophysiol 105: 2150-2156, 2011) describes the findings from a rigorous comparison on the effects of several popular variations of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) protocols. The results demonstrate that excitatory and inhibitory neural networks may be independently modulated based on TMS protocol selection. Moreover, the within-group replication of ...

We report on an experiment where we inserted symbolic rules into a neural network during the training process. This was done to guide the learning and to help escape local minima. The rules are constructed by analysing the errors made by the network after training. This process can be repeated, which allows to improve the network performance again and again. We propose a general framework and p...

Background: Alterations of neuroplasticity and cortical excitability are important pathophysiological factors in stroke. Modulation of the neuroplasticity has been proposed as an underlying mechanism of recovery in different neurological disorders. But it is not still clear how the CNS faces the complexity of muscle control. Neuroplastic processes may be used for the functional improvement of s...

at the final stages of a coronary artery bypass graft operation on a 64-year-old man, an experienced physician attempted to insert an intra-aortic balloon pump into the femoral artery via the seldinger technique. however, while the balloon pump was being passed over the guide wire, the latter was completely lost. the guide wire should be held at the tip at all times to prevent passage into the ...

it is estimated that annually 10 million people are affected by traumatic brain injury and it is one of the major causes of death and disability in accidents. studies have shown the potential therapeutic value of neural stem cell therapies. also, neural stem cell motility and migration to the site of injury has a great regeneration value of the damaged tissues. extracellular and intracellular f...

A new method (thermal spokes) is proposed to simulate the guide rolls in FE analysis of the ring rolling process. So far this method is the only one, capable of calculating guide rolls reaction contact forces related to the stiffness of their adjustment mechanism. The method is simple to use, does not introduce further nonlinearities and could be used in any kind of FE formulations. The method ...