Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A high-speed hybrid brain-computer interface with more than 200 targets

Objective. Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) have recently made significant strides in expanding their instruction set, which has attracted wide attention from researchers. The number of targets and commands is a key indicator of how well BCIs can decode the brain’s intentions. No studies have reported a BCI system with over 200 targets. Approach. This study developed the first high-speed BCI system with up to 216 targets that were encoded by a combination of electroencephalography features, including P300, motion visual evoked potential (mVEP), and steady-state visual evoked potential (SSVEP). Specifically, the hybrid BCI paradigm used the time-frequency division multiple access strategy to elaborately tag targets with P300 and mVEP of different time windows, along with SSVEP of different frequencies. The hybrid features were then decoded by task-discriminant component analysis and linear discriminant analysis. Ten subjects participated in the offline and online cued-guided spelling experiments. Other ten subjects took part in online free-spelling experiments. Main results. The offline results showed that the mVEP and P300 components were prominent in the central, parietal, and occipital regions, while the most distinct SSVEP feature was in the occipital region. The online cued-guided spelling and free-spelling results showed that the proposed BCI system achieved an average accuracy of 85.37% ± 7.49% and 86.00% ± 5.98% for the 216-target classification, resulting in an average information transfer rate (ITR) of 302.83 ± 39.20 bits min−1 and 204.47 ± 37.56 bits min−1, respectively. Notably, the peak ITR could reach up to 367.83 bits min−1. Significance. This study developed the first high-speed BCI system with more than 200 targets, which holds promise for extending BCI’s application scenarios.
Developing an Advanced Prototype of the Acousto-Optical Radio-Wave Spectrometer for Studying Star Formation in the Milky Way

The designed practically prototype of an advanced acousto-optical radio-wave spectrometer is presented in a view of its application to investigating the Milky Way star formation problems. The potential areas for observations of the cold interstellar medium, wherein such a spectrometer can be exploited successfully at different approximations, are: 1) comparison of the Milky Way case with extragalactic ones at scale of the complete galactic disk; 2) global studies of the Galactic spiral arms; and 3) characterization of specific regions like molecular clouds or star clusters. These aspects allow us to suggest that similar instrument will be really useful. The developed prototype of spectrometer is able to realize multi-channel wideband parallel spectrum analysis of very-high-frequency radio-wave signals with an improved resolution power exceeding 103. It includes the 1D-acousto-optic wide-aperture cell as the input device for real-time scale data processing. Here, the current state of developing this acousto-optical spectrometer in frames of the astrophysical instrumentation is briefly discussed, and the data obtained experimentally with a tellurium dioxide crystalline acousto-optical cell are presented. Then, we describe a new technique for more precise spectrum analysis within an algorithm of the collinear wave heterodyning. It implies a two-stage integrated processing, namely, the wave heterodyning of a signal in an acoustically square-law nonlinear medium and then the optical processing in the same solid-state cell. Technical advantage of this approach lies in providing a direct multi-channel parallel processing of ultra-high-frequency radio-wave signals with the resolution power exceeding 104. This algorithm can be realized on a basis of exploiting a large-aperture effective acousto-optical cell, which operates in the Bragg regime and performs the ultra-high-frequency co-directional collinear acoustic wave heterodyning. The general concept and basic conclusions here are confirmed by proof-of-principle experiments with the specially designed cell of a new type based on a lead molybdate crystal.
Intra-articular injection of platelet-rich plasma in patients with hemophilia and painful knee joint cartilage degeneration

ABSTRACT Introduction Knee arthropathy causes pain to people with hemophilia (PWH). One of the current controversies is whether injections of intra-articular platelet-rich plasma (PRP) are effective in relieving the knee pain of PWH. Areas covered A narrative literature review was conducted on the efficacy of PRP injections in the knees of PWH. Expert opinion Intra-articular PRP knee injections are widely used in patients with knee osteoarthritis to relieve pain and delay total knee arthroplasty. Although numerous publications have supported the use of PRP in knee osteoarthritis, there is still major controversy regarding its true usefulness, given that a number of studies with a high degree of evidence have failed to show the efficacy of PRP. With respect to painful hemophilic arthropathy, the use of PRP injections is even more controversial, as there are only four publications on the subject supporting the use of PRP in hemophilia, all of them with a low degree of evidence. A publication with grade 1 evidence recommended against the use of PRP in hemophilic arthropathy because its efficacy has not been demonstrated. My opinion is that intra-articular PRP injections should not be used in hemophilia until there is more evidence of its benefits.
Bénard-Marangoni Instability in an Electrically Conducting Fluid Layer with Temperature-Dependent Viscosity under a Magnetic Field

The influence of the simultaneous actions of a uniform magnetic field and a temperature-dependent viscosity on the onset of Benard-Marangoni convection in an electrically conducting fluid layer is examined. The main effect of this coupling is generally to inhibit the onset of convection compared to situations where the magnetic field is zero and the viscosity is constant. Perturbations are supposed to remain infinitesimally small.
GENERALIZED ATMOSPHERIC SAMPLING OF KNOTTED POLYGONS

Self-avoiding polygons in the cubic lattice are models of ring polymers in dilute solution. The conformational entropy of a ring polymer is a dominant factor in its physical and chemical properties, and this is modeled by the large number of conformations of lattice polygons. Cubic lattice polygons are embeddings of the circle in three space and may be used as a model of knotting in ring polymers. In this paper we study the effects of knotting on the conformational entropy of lattice polygons and so determine the relative fraction of polygons of different knot types at large lengths. More precisely, we consider the number of cubic lattice polygons of n edges with knot type K, pn(K). Numerical evidence strongly suggests that as n → ∞, where μ0 is the growth constant of unknotted lattice polygons, α is the entropic exponent of lattice polygons, and NK is the number of prime knot components in the knot type K (see the paper [Asymptotics of knotted lattice polygons, J. Phys. A: Math. Gen.31 (1998) 5953–5967]). Determining the exact value of pn(K) is far beyond current techniques for all but very small values of n. Instead we use the GAS algorithm (see the paper [Generalised atmospheric sampling of self-avoiding walks, J. Phys. A: Math. Theor.42 (2009) 335001–335030]) to enumerate pn (K) approximately. We then extrapolate ratios [pn(K)/pn(L)] to larger values of n for a number of given knot types. We give evidence that for the unknot 01 and the trefoil knot 31, there exists a number M01, 31 ≈170000 such that pn (01) > pn (31) if n < M01, 31 and pn (01) ≤pn (31) if n ≥M01, 31. In addition, the asymptotic relative frequencies for a variety of knot types are determined. For example, we find that [pn(31)/pn(41)] → 27.0 ± 2.2, implying that there are approximately 27 polygons of the trefoil knot type for every polygon of knot of type 41 (the figure eight knot), in the asymptotic limit. Finally, we examine the dominant knot types at moderate values of n and conjecture that the most frequent knot types in polygons of any given length n are of the form (or its chiral partner), where are right- and left-handed trefoils, and N increases with n.
Cardan Polynomials and the Reduction of Radicals

A quick check with a calculator shows that this expression is really 1, but how can one algebraically manipulate it into that result? All attempts to do so led the author back to the original cubic from which it started. (The reader might try now to reduce (3) to the value 1. ) That such a combination of square and cube roots should produce a rational number, let alone an integer, is startling. Later we will see that the individual radicals are related to the golden section and its reciprocal:
Omnidirectional, polarization-insensitive and broadband thin absorber in the terahertz regime

A nearly omnidirectional THz absorber for both transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) polarizations is proposed. Through the excitation of the magnetic polariton in a metal-dielectric layer, the incident light is perfectly absorbed in a thin thickness that is about 25 times smaller than the resonance wavelength. By simply stacking several such structural layers with different geometrical dimensions, the bandwidth of this strong absorption can be effectively enhanced due to the hybridization of magnetic polaritons in different layers.
Quasar evolution derived from the Palomar bright quasar survey and other complete quasar surveys.

We present the Bright Quasar Survey (BQS) consisting of 114 objects to an average limiting magnitude B = 16.16 over an area of 10,714 deg/sup 2/. There are 92 quasars with M/sub B/<-23 in the sample. We use the BQS and complete samples from published surveys to derive models of the statistical evolution of quasars. The increase of space density with redshift depends strongly on absolute luminosity, being close to zero for low-luminosity quasars. Detailed predictions are given for the distribution of redshifts and magnitudes and for the total counts based on the evolution models.
Hole mobility in silicon inversion layers: Stress and surface orientation

Hole transport in the p-type metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect-transistor (p-MOSFET) inversion layer under arbitrary stress, surface, and channel orientation is investigated by employing a six-band k∙p model and finite difference formalism. The piezoresistance coefficients are calculated and measured at stresses up to 300MPa via wafer-bending experiments for stresses of technological importance: uniaxial and biaxial stresses on (001) and (110) surface oriented p-MOSFETs with ⟨110⟩ and ⟨111⟩ channels. With good agreement in the measured and calculated small stress piezoresistance coefficients, k∙p calculations are used to give physical insights into hole mobility enhancement at large stress (∼3GPa). The results show that the maximum hole mobility is similar for (001)∕⟨110⟩, (110)∕⟨110⟩, and (110)∕⟨111⟩ p-MOSFETs under uniaxial stress, although the enhancement factor is different. Strong quantum confinement and a low density of states cause less stress-induced mobility enhancement for (110) p-MOSFETs.
The Correlation of C II 158 Micron and CO (J = 1--0) Line Emission

The good correlation observed between the C II 158 micron and CO (J = 1 - 0) line emission from a large sample of Galactic H II regions, reflection nebulae, PN, and extragalactic nuclei is explained here by postulating a common origin to these two lines: photodissociation regions produced by the illumination of molecular clouds by FUV flux which are more than 100 times the average local interstellar field. Part of the correlation is due to a similar density dependence of I(C II) and I(CO) at high incident flux and part is due to beam dilution of Galactic and extragalactic sources. A method is presented for estimating a low limit to the beam filling factor of emitting gas and the incident UV radiation field. 48 refs.
Livelihood Impacts of Flash Floods in Cox's Bazar District, Bangladesh

This article aims to understand local views and understandings of livelihood impacts of flash floods, and how to tackle the challenges. The work is completed through case studies of two villages in Cox's Bazar District in south-east Bangladesh, Manirjhil and Chotojamchori. Based in theoretical understandings from disaster research of how underlying conditions rather than hazards cause disasters, this empirical study combined household surveys and participatory rural appraisal (PRA) techniques for collecting field data. The results detail local perspectives of underlying conditions—namely poverty, inequity, precarious livelihoods, and few contingency options—impacting livelihoods, especially highlighting food, water, disease, and migration, all of which link directly to livelihoods. A significant concern is the need to take out loans which can contribute to continuing poverty. Suggested strategies for dealing with flash flood impacts were based in local contexts and did not always account for broader remits, such as the deep-seated gendered nature of societal roles in Bangladesh or power and governance structures within the Bangladeshi context.
Paved with Good Intentions: A Social Construction Approach to Alignment in Disaster Donations

Following disasters, materiel convergence (the influx of materiel donations) can cause extreme negative impacts; it has been described as a “second disaster”. Non-priority goods and donations that exceed the need can negatively impact transportation into the area and create storage concerns for both distribution centers and survivors. A successful supply chain aligns the needs and interests of the actors involved. This paper focuses on how actors involved in the disaster donations supply chain construct and understand their own interests, and how those interests align between actor groups (i.e. donors, donation collectors, and distributors). Interviews were conducted following Hurricane Sandy in 2013 and two tornadoes outside of Oklahoma City in May 2013 with individual actors in the donation supply chain. These interviews were analyzed for how interviewees constructed the need for donations, and the alignment of their interests with other actors at different stages. Overall, a misalignment was observed between donors, donation collectors, and donations distributors. Future research should investigate the specific interests of survivors and how their interests align with other actors in the donation supply chain.
“Everything Always Works”: Continuity as a Source of Disaster Preparedness Problems

This paper offers new theoretical explanations about the problems with disaster preparedness efforts for vulnerable publics. Findings were developed through an inductive, grounded theory study conducted among staff and students at a large university in Southern California. Disaster preparedness is traditionally conceptualized as a collection of practices consisting of the collection and storage of material objects, resources, knowledge, and plans. People who do not engage in these activities in known risk areas are often blamed for the negative consequences of disaster. Here it is argued that preparedness reflects an assumed continuity between pre-and post-disaster contexts. This is closely tied to the pervasive need for social actors to maintain a sense of continuity in everyday life otherwise known as ontological security. The continuity of infrastructure and everyday life are major obstacles to the engagement of preparedness efforts for people. This study shows the notion of a potential catastrophe presents as an ontological crisis that impedes people's preparedness practices on both organizational and individual levels. It also demonstrates how the very idea of preparedness as directly connected to successful response is a product of the particular societal context of a risk area.
Grating stray light analysis and control in the UVCS/SOHO

The Ultraviolet Coronagraph Spectrometer (UVCS) of the Solar and Heliospheric (SOHO) mission has been developed for spectroscopic and polarimetric determinations of temperatures, densities and flow velocities in the extended solar corona. The instrument consists of a visible light (VL) polarimeter, and two ultraviolet (UV) spectrometers, optimized for the H I Lyman (alpha) (Ly-(alpha) ) line ((lambda) 1216 angstrom) and for the O VI doublet ((lambda) (lambda) 1032/1037 angstrom). The stray-light profile of the Ly-(alpha) holographic grating has been measured, in a laboratory set-up, in both the spatial and spectral directions. The observed profile has been found to be a combination of two components: the scattering from the grating surface, and the Fraunhofer diffraction due to the vignetting of the grating. An analytical expression for the scattering component of the grating point spread function (PSF) has been derived from a simple model of the grating surface roughness. The stray-light profile generated by the analytical expression of the grating PSF gives a good fit of stray-light profile measured in the laboratory. This instrument function has been used in the analysis of in-flight UVCS observations of the profile of electron scattered Ly- (alpha) from the solar corona. These observations have resulted, for the first time, in the most direct measurement of the coronal electron temperature.
A cloudiness transition in a marine boundary layer

Abstract In situ aircraft data and lidar data are used to analyze a transition in the boundary layer thermodynamic structure from a clear boundary layer through small cumulus and broken stratocumulus to a deck of solid stratocumulus. The data was collected in conjunction with a Landsat overpass on 7 July 1987 off the coast of southern California. A steady progression in mixing line stability is seen associated with the change in cloudiness. The (empirically based) stability threshold for the breakup of this stratocumulus is that the slope of the mixing line is 0.66 ± 0.04 of the slope of the wet virtual adiabat (the stability threshold for cloud-top entrainment instability). We propose a simple linear parameterization for cloud fraction in terms of mixing line stability. Surface flux measurements are consistent with bulk aerodynamic estimates. We present mean profiles for the four cloudiness regimes for further analysis.
Emergency Managers’ Attitudes about Communication of Hazard Vulnerability by Monuments and Historical Markers

The utility of communicating hazard vulnerability to the public through monuments and historical markers commemorating and describing past disasters is explored in this paper. A survey of county emergency management directors in Wisconsin focused upon their awareness of such monuments and their attitudes regarding the effectiveness of disaster markers and commemoration in communicating hazard risk to the public, both residents and visitors. Emergency managers held disparate views regarding the effectiveness of the markers among the public, although managers in counties with markers tended to hold a higher opinion of their effectiveness in communicating hazard risk and to be more willing to commemorate future disasters.
Central Social Media Actors in Disaster Information Networks

Government agencies and media outlets traditionally have played central roles in disaster information networks. However, their hub status has slightly diminished as social media empowers others to communicate more easily. Little systemic research has identified the key actors in these new information networks. This paper examines Twitter hashtag networks during four disasters, the Boston Marathon bombing; the West, Texas fertilizer plant explosion; the Midwest spring flooding in Peoria, Illinois; and the Moore, Oklahoma tornado. Findings indicate minimal government and nonprofit involvement. While traditional media outlets still played an important role in some networks, others were more heavily shaped by influential private citizens. We examine those networks by identifying key actors and evaluating their message content and conclude by offering an initial typology for hashtag information networks and discuss directions for future research.
An Assessment of the Return-Entry Process for Hurricane Rita 2005

Return-entry is the movement of an evacuated population back to an area following the issuance of an all-clear message. This research examines the geographic, communication, and demographic factors that affect return-entry compliance rates using Hurricane Rita 2005 as a case study. Surveys were mailed to 1,200 households in a twelve county area comprising the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) return-entry plan. The results show that compliance with the Hurricane Rita return-entry plan was low, as 46.4% of respondents returned home on or after their scheduled return date, while only 23.2% returned on their exact scheduled return date. In addition, communication of the return-entry plan was relatively poor as 54.0% of evacuees reported receiving the all-clear message and 19.5% of respondents reported being aware of the TxDOT staggered return-entry plan. In regard to factors that affect the return process, a relationship was found between distance evacuated and return-entry date, in that the farther a household evacuates, the more likely it will return at a later date. A relationship was also found between scheduled return-entry date and compliance, as people scheduled to return to the zone that sustained damage (Day 3) had a higher rate of compliance than those evacuees who returned to the undamaged zone (Day 2). Finally, female respondents were more likely to comply with the return-entry orders than males respondents, and individuals of lower education levels were more likely to comply with return-entry orders than individuals of higher education levels.
Suspense and Surprise in Media Product Design: Evidence from Twitch

The authors quantify the relative importance of beliefs-based suspense and surprise measures in the entertainment preferences of viewers of Twitch, the largest online video game streaming platform. Using detailed viewership and game statistics data from broadcasts of tournaments of a popular video game, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, the authors compute measures of suspense and surprise for a rational viewer. They then develop and estimate a stylized utility model that underlies viewers’ decisions to both join and leave a game stream. The method used enables the authors to causally identify the direct effect of suspense and surprise on viewers’ utilities, separating it from other sources of entertainment value (e.g., team skill) and from indirect/supply-side effects (e.g., word of mouth, advertising). The authors show that suspense enters a viewer's utility but find little evidence of the effect of surprise. The magnitudes imply that a one-standard-deviation increase in round-level suspense decreases the probability of leaving a stream by . 27 percentage points. The authors find no detectable effect of suspense and surprise on the decision to join a stream, ruling out indirect effects. Variation in suspense levels explains 9.2% of the observed range of the evolution of a stream's viewership. The authors use these estimates to evaluate counterfactual game and platform designs. They show that historical updates to Counter-Strike: Global Offensive game rules have increased tournament viewership by 4.1%, that rules can be further modified to increase viewership, and that alternative platform designs that inform joining users of games’ scores will additionally increase overall viewership by 1.3%. Together, these results illustrate the value of the authors’ method as a general tool that content producers and platforms can use to evaluate and design media products.