ABSTRACT:The topic of functional connectivity in neuroimaging is expanding rapidly and many studies now focus on coupling between spatially separate brain regions. These studies show that a relatively small number of large scale networks exist within the brain, and that healthy function of these networks is disrupted in many clinical populations. To date, the vast majority of studies probing connectivity employ techniques that compute time averaged correlation over several minutes, and between specific pre-defined brain locations. However, increasing evidence suggests that functional connectivity is non-stationary in time. Further, electrophysiological measurements show that connectivity is dependent on the frequency band of neural oscillations. It is also conceivable that networks exhibit a degree of spatial inhomogeneity, i.e. the large scale networks that we observe may result from the time average of multiple transiently synchronised sub-networks, each with their own spatial signature. This means that the next generation of neuroimaging tools to compute functional connectivity must account for spatial inhomogeneity, spectral non-uniformity and temporal non-stationarity. Here, we present a means to achieve this via application of windowed canonical correlation analysis (CCA) to source space projected MEG data. We describe generation of time-frequency connectivity plots, showing the temporal and spectral distribution of coupling between brain regions. Moreover, CCA over voxels provides a means to assess spatial nonuniformity within short time-frequency windows. The feasibility of this technique is demonstrated in simulation and in a resting state MEG experiment where we elucidate multiple distinct spatiotemporal-spectral modes of covariation between the left and right sensorimotor areas. 3 1) INTRODUCTION:Traditional analysis of neuroimaging data has focussed on the identification of significant changes in some metric of interest that are time locked to a particular task. Such methodologies usually rely on knowledge of task timing, and in some cases accurate models of the temporal evolution of neuroimaging signals which are then compared to measured data. These techniques have proved effective in highlighting brain regions that are involved in sensory and cognitive tasks. However, the last decade has seen a 'paradigm shift' in functional brain imaging (Raichle, 2009), with traditional analyses increasingly complemented by analysis of functional connectivity (Biswal et al., 1995, Beckmann et al., 2005, Fox et al., 2005, Fox and Raichle, 2007, Deco and Corbetta, 2011. Here, researchers seek to elucidate spatial patterns of temporal covariation between brain regions.Significant statistical interdependency (e.g. assessed via temporal correlation (Biswal et al., 1995) or independent component analysis (Beckmann et al., 2005)) between signals originating in two or more spatially separate anatomical regions is usually taken to mean that those regions are 'connected'. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has...

This paper initially presents a demonstration of the ability of 17th century artists to achieve self-portrait projections using concave and flat mirrors, and subsequently develops a case for the likelihood of this technique being employed by Rembrandt van Rijn and other old master painters.

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We know that the more greenhouse gases are released, the more the world warms. But, at a certain point, could a small amount of extra greenhouse gas cause a very big change in the climate? And could this big change be irreversible? When a small change causes a very large (and long-term) effect, we call this a tipping point. Scientists are trying to understand whether tipping points exist in the Earth’s climate system, and if so, what impact these could have.

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