Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Reduction of Crosstalk in the Electromyogram: Experimental Validation of the Optimal Spatio-Temporal Filter

Objective: Crosstalk in surface electromyogram (EMG) is an important open problem and the common strategy of reducing it through spatial filters needs improvements. Methods: We evaluated experimentally the optimal spatio-temporal filter (OSTF), i.e., a recent approach that adapts to the subject, filtering different EMG channels both in time and space to emphasize the signal of a target muscle discarding that of adjacent ones. EMGs were recorded by a high-density recording system from pronator teres (target muscle) and flexor carpi radialis (crosstalk muscle) of 8 healthy subjects. OSTF was tested in different conditions, considering one channel per muscle (either single or double differential, SD and DD, respectively), changing the selectivity of detection (small electrodes close to each other, or large ones with higher inter-electrode distance), the force applied by the muscles (whose EMGs were summed to simulate different levels of crosstalk), and the duration of the signal to train the method. Results: OSTF was less affected by crosstalk than SD and DD filters. Statistically significant improvements were obtained in reducing the crosstalk-induced variations: for example, considering small electrodes, we obtained a percentage error of 157.30±57.11 % and 38.54±10.47 % (mean±std) in the estimation of the average rectified value (ARV), and an error of 23.57±3.92 % and 8.31±0.88 % in the estimation of the median frequency (MDF), for SD and OSTF, respectively. Conclusion: The OSTF can be applied in real-time, is easy to use, and is feasible even when using only few detection channels, as is customary in many applications.
Spectral properties of backscattered UV radiation in cloudy atmospheres

[1] We use a Plane-Parallel Cloud (PPC) model to illustrate how Mie scattering from cloud particles interacts with Rayleigh scattering in the atmosphere and produces a complex wavelength dependence in the top-of-the-atmosphere (TOA) reflectances measured by satellite instruments that operate in the ultraviolet (UV) part of the spectrum. Comparisons of the PPC-model-derived spectral dependence of reflectances with the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) measurements show surprisingly good agreement over a wide range of observational conditions. The PPC model results also are compared with the results of two other cloud models: Lambert Equivalent Reflectivity (LER) and Modified LER (MLER) that have been used to analyze satellite data in the UV. These models assume that clouds are opaque Lambertian reflectors rather than Mie scattering particles. Although one of these models (MLER) can be adjusted to agree reasonably well with the TOMS data, the adjustments are somewhat arbitrary and may not be suitable for interpreting satellite data if one desires high accuracy. We also use the PPC model to illustrate how clouds can perturb tropospheric O3 absorption in complex ways that cannot be explained by models that treat them as reflecting surfaces rather than as volume scatterers.
Wavelength calibration with deep-learning using long short-term memory architectures

In this paper, the long-term short-term memory (LSTM) architecture is investigated as a tool for wavelength calibration of a spectrometer. Polynomial fitting is the most common method of wavelength calibration, whereby wavelength standards, such as neon and krypton are recorded and the position of the spectral lines on the detector together with the known wavelengths are used for fitting. The method performs poorly when only a small number of lines appear within the bandwidth recorded by the spectrometer. We demonstrate how the basic encoder-decoder LSTM architecture can be used to provide superior wavelength calibration accuracy when five or less lines are present. We believe with further development, machine learning could outperform the traditional methods in all cases.
Benefits of Erinacines from Different Cultivate Formulas on Cognitive Deficits and Anxiety-Like Behaviour in Mice with Trimethyltin-Induced Toxicity

We investigated the neurological effects of the varied erinacine composition of different mycelia cultures in mice with trimethyltin (TMT)-induced neurodegeneration. Forty male ICR mice were randomly divided into five groups of Sham-veh, TMT-veh, TMT-EME, TMT-EMR and TMT-EME/R. The TMT groups received 2.6 mg/kg one-time intraperitoneal injections of TMT. Oral dosages of 200 mg/kg erinacine combination from each Hericium erinaceus mycelia (EM) cultivated formula (100% eucalyptus wood [E], 100% rubber wood [R], or 40% eucalyptus wood/60% rubber wood [E/R]) were given for two weeks. Spatial learning, memory, flexibility, and anxious behaviour were evaluated alongside brain tissues’ oxidative status and histological analyses. Erinacine composition from EME/R exhibited significant positive effects on spatial learning, memory, flexibility, and anxiety (p < 0.05). These findings emerged concurrently with the significant mitigation of hippocampal lipid peroxidation, CA1 hippocampal, cortical neuron, and corpus callosum white matter degeneration (p < 0.05). These neurological benefits were associated with the EME/R composition of erinacine A, C, D, G, H, I, K and R. The best neuroprotective effect against TMT-induced neurodegeneration in mice is offered by the EME/R erinacine composition according to its anti-lipid peroxidation, its nurturing effect on neuronal and white matter, and mitigation of behavioural deficits.
Clarifying the nature of stochastic fluctuations and accumulation processes in spontaneous movements

Experiments on choice-predictive brain signals have played an important role in the debate on free will. In a seminal study, Benjamin Libet and colleagues found that a negative-going EEG signal, the readiness potential (RP), can be observed over motor-related brain regions even hundreds of ms before the time of the conscious decision to move. If the early onset of the readiness potential is taken as an indicator of the “brain’s decision to move” this could mean that this decision is made early, by unconscious brain activity, rather than later, at the time when the subject believes to have decided. However, an alternative kind of interpretation, involving ongoing stochastic fluctuations, has recently been brought to light. This stochastic decision model (SDM) takes its inspiration from leaky accumulator models of perceptual decision making. It suggests that the RP originates from an accumulation of ongoing stochastic fluctuations. In this view, the decision happens only at a much later stage when an accumulated noisy signal (plus imperative) reaches a threshold. Here, we clarify a number of confusions regarding both the evidence for the stochastic decision model as well as the interpretation that it offers. We will explore several points that we feel are in need of clarification: (a) the empirical evidence for the role of stochastic fluctuations is so far only indirect; (b) the interpretation of animal studies is unclear; (c) a model that is deterministic during the accumulation stage can explain the data in a similar way; (d) the primary focus in the literature has been on the role of random fluctuations whereas the deterministic aspects of the model have been largely ignored; (e) contrary to the original interpretation, the deterministic component of the model is quantitatively the dominant input into the accumulator; and finally (f) there is confusion regarding the role of “imperative” in the SDM and its link to “evidence” in perceptual decision making. Our aim is not to rehabilitate the role of the RP in the free will debate. Rather we aim to address some confusions regarding the evidence for accumulators playing a role in these preparatory brain processes.
Tropical Climatic Variation on the Pacific Slopes of the Ecuadorian Andes Based on a 25,000-Year Pollen Record from Deep-Sea Sediment Core Tri 163-31B

Abstract Marine sediments from 3°37′S, 83°58′W yield a well-dated pollen record of equatorial Andean vegetation. Moderate development of Podocarpus -high montane rainforest (∼34,000-28,000 yr B.P.) and increase of high Andean grassland pollen (∼28,000-16,000 yr B.P.) imply an extended dry, cool glacial period following a brief interstade. Rapid stepwise expansion in coastal and montane forest pollen characterizes the deglacial interval. The general correspondence between pollen and oxygen isotope variations in Tri 163-31B suggests that tropical climatic variations in the northern Andes were basically coherent with northern hemisphere glacier variations.
Atmosphere, Weather, and Baseball: How Much Farther Do Baseballs Really Fly at Denver's Coors Field?

Abstract This article tests the widely held assumption that batted baseballs travel 10 percent farther in Denver than in major-league ballparks at sea level. An analysis of (1) National League fly-ball-distance data for 1995–1998, (2) the micrometeorology of Coors Field, and (3) weather dynamics along the Colorado front range shows that the assumed elevation enhancement of fly-ball distance has been greatly overestimated due to prevailing weather conditions in downtown Denver. We conclude that the record number of home runs at Coors Field must be attributed as much to the personnel of the Colorado Rockies team and the effects of mile-high elevation on the act of pitching a baseball as to the effect of low air density on fly-ball distance.
Photocatalytic and antimicrobial efficacy of PVDF/TiO2 membranes fabricated by solution blow spinning

With its ability to purify water and treat wastewater, photocatalytic membranes have become a promising solution. The membrane's unique properties allow for the separation of solid compounds and the degradation of organic materials through photocatalytic and antibacterial means. Poly(vinylidene fluoride)/titanium oxide (PVDF/TiO2) composite remain the materials of choice for making these membranes due to their economy, effectiveness, safety, and durability. In this work a photocatalytic membrane reactor (PMR) system was developed using PVDF/TiO2 membranes fabricated by the solution blow spinning (SBS) process. Obtaining photocatalytic membranes using this method is an efficient and ecological route that overcomes the disadvantage of separating the photocatalyst after the treatment is complete. The results of PMR system showed that the PVDF/TiO2 membrane could effectively remove total coliforms and E. coli from polluted water. After 10 min of contaminated water circulation through the PMR system, the presence of pathogens was not detected, indicating the efficiency of the obtained membranes.
Using the standardized precipitation index for flood risk monitoring

Flood risk and the critical time of occurrence are difficult to monitor and detect. The availability and application of adapted indices may allow not only continuous monitoring of hydrological conditions in flood‐prone areas, but also the potential threat of possible flood events in order to promote preventive actions to mitigate the impacts of the phenomenon. The standardized precipitation index (SPI) was developed for drought detection and monitoring. However, because of its characteristics, the SPI can also be used as a tool to monitor wetter‐than‐normal conditions. The aim of this paper, based on the recurrent floods affecting the southern Cordoba Province in Argentina, is to analyse the potential of the SPI as a tool for monitoring flood risk in that region. Results indicate that the SPI satisfactorily explains the development of conditions leading up to the three main flood events to occur in the region during the past 25 years. This fact supports the proposal for applying the SPI as an effective component of a regional system for climate risk monitoring. Copyright © 2002 Royal Meteorological Society.
Generalized Vertical Coordinates for Eddy-Resolving Global and Coastal Ocean Forecasts

Abstract : Numerical modeling studies over the past several decades have demonstrated progress both in model architecture and in the use of rapidly advancing computational resources. Perhaps the most notable aspect of this progression has been the evolution from simulations on coarse-resolution horizontal and vertical grids that outline basins of simplified geometry and bathymetry and that are forced by idealized surface fluxes, to fine-resolution simulations that incorporate realistic coastline definition and bottom data on relatively short time scales.
Heat flux and mixing efficiency in the surface mixing layer

Fluctuations of vertical velocity and temperature, w' and T', were measured with a horizontal profiler that was towed at night in the oceanic boundary layer between 15 and 25 m depth. Stratified and convective turbulent regimes were encountered along the tow path. A direct estimate of the turbulent heat flux F was computed from the correlation of w' and T'. The concurrent measurement of the dissipation rate of turbulent kinetic energy e allowed us to estimate the mixing efficiency Γ 0 = F/F∈, where F∈ was the heat flux estimate based on the average dissipation rate. In regions where the turbulence in the stratified boundary layer was sustained by shear instabilities 0.08 < Γ 0 < 1.38. The average was Γ 0 = 0.46, a value close to the maximum mixing efficiency predicted by classical scaling arguments and laboratory results. The measurements of w' were significantly influenced by instrument motions and the orbital velocities induced by surface waves. A motion correction algorithm made it possible to resolve overturning length scales up to 33 m and thus to capture all scales that contributed to the heat flux F. For the surface mixing layer reported here the largest flux-supporting scales were ∼14 m. For the stably stratified regimes in particular the peak of the heat flux cospectrum was at one half of the Ozmidov wave number, 0.5k 0 .
Speech-Visual Emotion Recognition via Modal Decomposition Learning

It is becoming a mainstream feature fusion approach for speech-visual emotion recognition (SVER) by directly using neural networks to fuse the extracted speech and visual features. However, the heterogeneity between speech and visual modalities usually results in a distribution gap and information redundancy between the extracted speech and visual features, thus affecting the performance of the SVER. To this end, this letter proposes a SVER method based on the modal decomposition learning. It leverages the shared, private and reconstructed modal learning with a specifically designed loss to decompose the extracted speech and visual features into the shared and private subspaces to obtain the shared and private features, which effectively reduces the distribution gap and information redundancy between the extracted speech and visual features. Experiments on the BAUM-1 s, RAVDESS and eNTERFACE05 datasets also show that the proposed method achieves a better result.
Nano-Perfumes As A Fragrance Carrier: Their Brief History, Essential Aspects, Development, Preparation Methods, Characteristics, And Future Perspectives

Nano-perfume is an alcohol-free perfume in the form of oil-in-water nanoemulsions containing fragrance. Due to its favorable properties, nano-perfume may appeal to a broader client base, including children and individuals with sensitive skin. This technology can provide an alternative solution to the low permanence of fragrances by eliminating ethanol and decreasing the amount of surfactant, co-surfactant, and solvents used in the formulation. However, relatively few researchers have studied and developed this technology to date. In this review, we examine several essential elements of nano-perfume, therefore it is hoped that relevant questions will be raised regarding the future of this technology. The discussion is focused on the definition and composition of perfume, the notion of "notes" in fragrances products, nanotechnology in the cosmetics industry, significant characteristics of nano-perfume, as well as problems and prospects.
A 120.9-dB DR Digital-Input Capacitively Coupled Chopper Class-D Audio Amplifier

This article presents a digital-input class-D amplifier (CDA) achieving high dynamic range (DR) by employing a chopped capacitive feedback network and a capacitive digital-to-analog converter (DAC). Compared with conventional resistive-feedback CDAs driven by resistive or current-steering DACs, the proposed architecture eliminates the noise from the DAC and feedback resistors. Intermodulation between the chopping, pulsewidth modulation (PWM), and DAC sampling frequency is analyzed to avoid negative impacts on the DR and linearity. Real-time dynamic element matching (RTDEM) is employed to address distortion due to mismatch in the DAC, while its intersymbol interference (ISI) is eliminated by deadbanding. The prototype, implemented in a 180-nm bipolar, CMOS, and DMOS (BCD) process, achieves 120.9 dB of DR and a peak total harmonic distortion plus noise (THD+N) of −111.2 dB. It can drive a maximum of 15/26 W into an 8-/4- $\Omega $ load with a peak efficiency of 90%/86%.
Sphygmomanometer Dynamic Pressure Measurement Using a Condenser Microphone

There is a worldwide need to improve blood pressure (BP) measurement error in order to correctly diagnose hypertension. Cardiovascular diseases cause 17.9 million deaths annually and are a substantial monetary strain on healthcare. The current measurement uncertainty of 3 mmHg should be improved upon. Dynamic pressure measurement standards are lacking or non-existing. In this study we propose a novel method of measuring air pressure inside the sphygmomanometer tubing during BP measurement using a condenser microphone. We designed, built, and tested a system that uses a radiofrequency (RF) modulation method to convert changes in capacitance of a condenser microphone into pressure signals. We tested the RF microphone with a low-frequency (LF) sound source, BP simulator and using a piezoresistive pressure sensor as a reference. Necessary tests were conducted to assess the uncertainty budget of the system. The RF microphone prototype has a working frequency range from 0.5 Hz to 280 Hz in the pressure range from 0 to 300 mmHg. The total expanded uncertainty (k = 2, p = 95.5%) of the RF microphone was 4.32 mmHg. The proposed method could establish traceability of BP measuring devices to acoustic standards described in IEC 61094-2 and could also be used in forming dynamic BP standards.
The Case for the Patient-Centric Development of Novel Digital Sleep Assessment Tools in Major Depressive Disorder

Background: Depression imposes a major burden on public health as the leading cause of disability worldwide. Sleep disturbance is a core symptom of depression that affects the vast majority of patients. Nonetheless, it is frequently not resolved by depression treatment and may even be worsened through some pharmaceutical interventions. Disturbed sleep negatively impact patients’ quality of life, and persistent sleep disturbance increases the risk of recurrence, relapse, and even suicide. However, the development of novel treatments that might improve sleep problems is hindered by the lack of reliable low-burden objective measures that can adequately assess disturbed sleep in this population. Summary: Developing improved digital measurement tools that are fit for use in clinical trials for major depressive disorder could promote the inclusion of sleep as a focus for treatment, clinical drug development, and research. This perspective piece explores the path toward the development of novel digital measures, reviews the existing evidence on the meaningfulness of sleep in depression, and summarizes existing methods of sleep assessments, including the use of digital health technologies. Key Messages: Our objective was to make a clear call to action and path forward for the qualification of new digital outcome measures which would enable assessment of sleep disturbance as an aspect of health that truly matters to patients, promoting sleep as an important outcome for clinical development, and ultimately ensure that disturbed sleep will not remain the forgotten symptom of depression.
LINEAR QUADRATIC GAUSSIAN CONTROL FOR UPFC

ABSRACT: Linear quadratic Gaussian (LQG) control is a powerful and accurate method to design controllers in the electric power systems. This paper aims at designing unified power flow controller (UPFC) auxiliary stabilizer by using LQG control strategy. The proposed method is simulated based on a multi machine electric power system. The effectiveness and validity of the proposed method is evaluated under several operating conditions and uncertainties.
High-risk human papillomavirus infection prevalence in non-malignant tonsillar tissue: A single-center cross-sectional study

Background/Aim: The prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) in non-malignant tonsils can vary according to geographical location, age group, and risk factors. Some studies have found a relatively low prevalence of HPV, while other studies have found higher rates in non-malignant tonsils. The presence of HPV in non-malignant tonsils may be associated with precursor lesions that have the potential to develop into cancer. The aim of the current study was to detect the prevalence of HPV and p16 (one of the HPV types) in non-malignant tonsils and determine the existence of HPV in tonsil tissue using molecular and histological techniques. Methods: One hundred-three samples from non-malignant tonsils and one sample from squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsils were analyzed for the prevalence of HPV using molecular and histological methods. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was performed to detect HPV in the tissue samples. Results: HPV was not found in any tissue specimens based on histopathological and p16 immunohistochemical evaluations. HPV was not detected in all tissue samples using reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Conclusions: In our study of one hundred and four patients, HPV and p16 were not genetically detected in the tonsils that underwent surgery for reasons other than cancer. Hence, more comprehensive studies can contribute to evaluating the relationship between benign tonsil tissue and HPV infection, potentially leading to improved diagnostic and preventative measures.
ANALYZING CENSORED WATER QUALITY DATA USING A NON‐PARAMETRIC APPROACH 1

ABSTRACT: In the analysis of water quality data, samples with concentrations reported below the limit of detection (LOD) are referred to as Type I censored on the left. A variety of procedures have been proposed for estimating descriptive statistics from left‐censored data. Usually, the estimation is carried out by either replacing the LOD with a constant between 0 and the LOD, or assuming the data follow a normal or lognormal distribution. In this paper, a simple transformation is proposed to convert multiple left‐censored water quality data to right‐censored data. The transformed cumulative distribution is similar to a survival function, and enables use of survival analysis techniques for left‐censored data. In particular, the product limit method (Kaplan‐Meier estimator) is applied to estimate descriptive statistics from the transformed data. The performance of the Kaplan‐Meier estimator is compared with maximum likelihood, probability plotting, and substitution methods by Monte Carlo simulations. The Kaplan‐Meier estimator performs as well as or better than these more familiar methods. Finally, the Kaplan‐Meier estimator is used to analyze some priority pollutant data collected in sediment from the central basin of Puget Sound.