EEG Windowed statitical wavelet deviation for estimation of muscular artifacts

Electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings are, most of the times, corrupted by spurious artifacts, which should be rejected or cleaned by the practitioner. As human scalp EEG screening is error-prone, automatic artifact detection is an issue of capital importance, to ensure objective and reliable results. In this paper we propose a new approach for discrimination of muscular activity in the human scalp quantitative EEG (QEEG), based on the time-frequency shape analysis. The impact of the muscular activity on the EEG can be evaluated from this methodology. We present an application of this scoring as a preprocessing step for EEG signal analysis, in order to evaluate the amount of muscular activity for two set of EEG recordings for dementia patients with early stage of Alzheimer’s disease and control age-matched subjects.

Symmetry coefficients and incompressibility of clusterized supernova matter

The symmetry energy coefficients, incompressibility, and single-particle and isovector potentials of clusterized dilute nuclear matter are calculated at different temperatures employing the S-matrix approach to the evaluation of the equation of state. Calculations have been extended to understand the aforesaid properties of homogeneous and clusterized supernova matter in the subnuclear density region. A comparison of the results in the S-matrix and mean-field approach reveals some subtle differences in the density and temperature region we explore.

Neutron skin of 208Pb, nuclear symmetry energy, and the parity radius experiment

A precise determination of the neutron skin thickness of a heavy nucleus sets a basic constraint on the nuclear symmetry energy (the neutron skin thickness is the difference of the neutron and proton rms radii of the nucleus). The parity radius experiment (PREX) may achieve it by electroweak parity-violating electron scattering (PVES) on 208Pb. We investigate PVES in nuclear mean field approach to allow the accurate extraction of the neutron skin thickness of 208Pb from the parity-violating asymmetry probed in the experiment. We demonstrate a high linear correlation between the parity-violating asymmetry and the neutron skin thickness in successful mean field forces as the best means to constrain the neutron skin of 208Pb from PREX, without assumptions on the neutron density shape. Continuation of the experiment with higher precision in the parity-violating asymmetry is motivated since the present method can support it to constrain the density slope of the nuclear symmetry energy to new accuracy.

Spontaneous cell polarization: Feedback control of Cdc42 GTPase breaks cellular symmetry.

Spontaneous polarization without spatial cues, or symmetry breaking, is a fundamental problem of spatial organization in biological systems. This question has been extensively studied using yeast models, which revealed the central role of the small GTPase switch Cdc42. Active Cdc42-GTP forms a coherent patch at the cell cortex, thought to result from amplification of a small initial stochastic inhomogeneity through positive feedback mechanisms, which induces cell polarization. Here, I review and discuss the mechanisms of Cdc42 activity self-amplification and dynamic turnover. A robust Cdc42 patch is formed through the combined effects of Cdc42 activity promoting its own activation and active Cdc42-GTP displaying reduced membrane detachment and lateral diffusion compared to inactive Cdc42-GDP. I argue the role of the actin cytoskeleton in symmetry breaking is not primarily to transport Cdc42 to the active site. Finally, negative feedback and competition mechanisms serve to control the number of polarization sites.

Testing reciprocity in social interactions: A comparison between the Directional consistency and Skew symmetry statistics

In the present work we focus on two indices that quantify directionality and skew-symmetrical patterns in social interactions as measures of social reciprocity: the Directional consistency (DC) and Skew symmetry indices. Although both indices enable researchers to describe social groups, most studies require statistical inferential tests. The main aims of the present study are: firstly, to propose an overall statistical technique for testing null hypotheses regarding social reciprocity in behavioral studies, using the DC and Skew symmetry statistics (Φ) at group level; and secondly, to compare both statistics in order to allow researchers to choose the optimal measure depending on the conditions. In order to allow researchers to make statistical decisions, statistical significance for both statistics has been estimated by means of a Monte Carlo simulation. Furthermore, this study will enable researchers to choose the optimal observational conditions for carrying out their research, as the power of the statistical tests has been estimated.

Unbreakable PT symmetry of solitons supported by inhomogeneous defocusing nonlinearity

Peer Reviewed

Symmetry

Soitinnus: piano.

Serum dosage of CPK-MB in dogs with ST deviation by chemiluminescence

Abstract: Although frequently in humans, hypoxic and ischemic heart diseases are poorly documented in dogs, with only few reports of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in this species. Some electrocardiographic findings might suggest myocardium hypoxia/ischemia, like ST segment elevation or depression, but there are no studies showing whether deviations in ST segment are associated to myocardial injury and serum increase of creatine phosphokinase (CPK-MB). In order to investigate possible myocardial cells injury in poor perfusion conditions, 38 dogs were studied, 20 with normal electrocardiogram and 18 with ST segment elevation or depression, recorded in lead II, at a paper speed of 50 mm/sec and N sensibility (1mV=1cm). Serum measurement of creatine phosphokinase isoenzyme MB (CPK-MB) in normal dogs (group 1) determined control values (in ng/mL), which were compared to those obtained from dogs with deviation (group 2), which allowed confirmation or not of myocardial injury. CPK-MB mean values obtained from dogs in groups 1 and 2 were 0.540ng/ml (SD±0.890)ng/mL and 0.440ng/mL (SD±1.106), respectively. At a significance level of 5%, the relation of CPK-MB with age, mass and total creatine phosphokinase (CPK-T) was not significant in groups 1 and 2. CPK-MB showed no difference, at 5% level, between groups 1 and 2. In conclusion, it is possible to use the human chemiluminescent immunometric assay kit in canine species and that hypoxia/ischemia revealed by ST segment deviation does not mean significant myocardium injury.

A Design Methodology for the Compensation of Positioning Deviation in Gantry Manipulators

This work presents recent results concerning a design methodology used to estimate the positioning deviation for a gantry (Cartesian) manipulator, related mainly to structural elastic deformation of components during operational conditions. The case-study manipulator is classified as gantry type and its basic dimensions are 1,53m x 0,97m x 1,38m. The dimensions used for the calculation of effective workspace due to end-effector path displacement are: 1m x 0,5m x 0,5m. The manipulator is composed by four basic modules defined as module X, module Y, module Z and terminal arm, where is connected the end-effector. Each module controlled axis performs a linear-parabolic positioning movement. The planning path algorithm has the maximum velocity and the total distance as input parameters for a given task. The acceleration and deceleration times are the same. Denavit-Hartemberg parameterization method is used in the manipulator kinematics model. The gantry manipulator can be modeled as four rigid bodies with three degrees-of-freedom in translational movements, connected as an open kinematics chain. Dynamic analysis were performed considering inertial parameters specification such as component mass, inertia and center of gravity position of each module. These parameters are essential for a correct manipulator dynamic modelling, due to multiple possibilities of motion and manipulation of objects with different masses. The dynamic analysis consists of a mathematical modelling of the static and dynamic interactions among the modules. The computation of the structural deformations uses the finite element method (FEM).

Manifestation of the pairing symmetry in the vortex core structure in iron-based superconductors

The superconducting gap is a basic character of a superconductor. While the cuprates and conventional phonon-mediated superconductors are characterized by distinct d- and s-wave pairing symmetries with nodal and nodeless gap distributions respectively, the superconducting gap distributions in iron-based superconductors are rather diversified. While nodeless gap distributions have been directly observed in Ba1–xKxFe2As2, BaFe2–xCoxAs2, LiFeAs, KxFe2–ySe2, and FeTe1–xSex, the signatures of a nodal superconducting gap have been reported in LaOFeP, LiFeP, FeSe, KFe2As2, BaFe2–xRuxAs2, and BaFe2(As1–xPx)2. Due to the multiplicity of the Fermi surface in these compounds s± and d pairing states can be both nodeless and nodal. A nontrivial orbital structure of the order parameter, in particular the presence of the gap nodes, leads to effects in which the disorder is much richer in dx2–y2-wave superconductors than in conventional materials. In contrast to the s-wave case, the Anderson theorem does not work, and nonmagnetic impurities exhibit a strong pair-breaking influence. In addition, a finite concentration of disorder produces a nonzero density of quasiparticle states at zero energy, which results in a considerable modification of the thermodynamic and transport properties at low temperatures. The influence of order parameter symmetry on the vortex core structure in iron-based pnictide and chalcogenide superconductors has been investigated in the framework of quasiclassical Eilenberger equations. The main results of the thesis are as follows. The vortex core characteristics, such as, cutoff parameter, ξh, and core size, ξ2, determined as the distance at which density of the vortex supercurrent reaches its maximum, are calculated in wide temperature, impurity scattering rate, and magnetic field ranges. The cutoff parameter, ξh(B; T; Г), determines the form factor of the flux-line lattice, which can be obtained in _SR, NMR, and SANS experiments. A comparison among the applied pairing symmetries is done. In contrast to s-wave systems, in dx2–y2-wave superconductors, ξh/ξc2 always increases with the scattering rate Г. Field dependence of the cutoff parameter affects strongly on the second moment of the magnetic field distributions, resulting in a significant difference with nonlocal London theory. It is found that normalized ξ2/ξc2(B/Bc2) dependence is increasing with pair-breaking impurity scattering (interband scattering for s±-wave and intraband impurity scattering for d-wave superconductors). Here, ξc2 is the Ginzburg-Landau coherence length determined from the upper critical field Bc2 = Φ0/2πξ2 c2, where Φ0 is a flux quantum. Two types of ξ2/ξc2 magnetic field dependences are obtained for s± superconductors. It has a minimum at low temperatures and small impurity scattering transforming in monotonously decreasing function at strong scattering and high temperatures. The second kind of this dependence has been also found for d-wave superconductors at intermediate and high temperatures. In contrast, impurity scattering results in decreasing of ξ2/ξc2(B/Bc2) dependence in s++ superconductors. A reasonable agreement between calculated ξh/ξc2 values and those obtained experimentally in nonstoichiometric BaFe2–xCoxAs2 (μSR) and stoichiometric LiFeAs (SANS) was found. The values of ξh/ξc2 are much less than one in case of the first compound and much more than one for the other compound. This is explained by different influence of two factors: the value of impurity scattering rate and pairing symmetry.

A chart of the southern part of South America : with the track of the centurion from the island of St. Catherines to the island of Juan Fernandes in which is inserted the variation and soundings observ'd on board her, together with her deviation from her estimated course in passing round Cap Horn, occasiond by the force of the currents / R. W. Seale sculp

Nimeketiedot nimiönkehyksissä

Chemoenzymatic synthesis of amaryllidaceae alkaloids and their C-1 analogues : symmetry based approach to total synthesis of thebaine

Described herein is the chemoenzymatic total synthesis of several Amaryllidaceae constituents and their unnatural C-I analogues. A new approach to pancratistatin and related compounds will be discussed along with the completed total synthesis of 7 -deoxypancratistatin and trans-dihydrolycoricidine. Evaluation of all new C-l analogues as cancer cell growth inhibitory agents is described. The enzymatic oxidation of dibromobenzenes by Escherichia coli 1M 109 (pDTG60 1) is presented along with conversion of their metabolites to (-)-conduritol E. Investigation into the steric and functional factors governing the enzymatic dihydroxylation of various benzoates by the same organism is also discussed. The synthetic utility of these metabolites is demonstrated through their conversion to pseudo-sugars, aminocyclitols, and complex bicyclic ring systems. The current work on the total synthesis of some morphine alkaloids is also presented. Highlighted will be the synthesis of several model systems related to the efficient total synthesis of thebaine.

Redundancy gain : manifestations, causes and predictions

Les temps de réponse dans une tache de reconnaissance d’objets visuels diminuent de façon significative lorsque les cibles peuvent être distinguées à partir de deux attributs redondants. Le gain de redondance pour deux attributs est un résultat commun dans la littérature, mais un gain causé par trois attributs redondants n’a été observé que lorsque ces trois attributs venaient de trois modalités différentes (tactile, auditive et visuelle). La présente étude démontre que le gain de redondance pour trois attributs de la même modalité est effectivement possible. Elle inclut aussi une investigation plus détaillée des caractéristiques du gain de redondance. Celles-ci incluent, outre la diminution des temps de réponse, une diminution des temps de réponses minimaux particulièrement et une augmentation de la symétrie de la distribution des temps de réponse. Cette étude présente des indices que ni les modèles de course, ni les modèles de coactivation ne sont en mesure d’expliquer l’ensemble des caractéristiques du gain de redondance. Dans ce contexte, nous introduisons une nouvelle méthode pour évaluer le triple gain de redondance basée sur la performance des cibles doublement redondantes. Le modèle de cascade est présenté afin d’expliquer les résultats de cette étude. Ce modèle comporte plusieurs voies de traitement qui sont déclenchées par une cascade d’activations avant de satisfaire un seul critère de décision. Il offre une approche homogène aux recherches antérieures sur le gain de redondance. L’analyse des caractéristiques des distributions de temps de réponse, soit leur moyenne, leur symétrie, leur décalage ou leur étendue, est un outil essentiel pour cette étude. Il était important de trouver un test statistique capable de refléter les différences au niveau de toutes ces caractéristiques. Nous abordons la problématique d’analyser les temps de réponse sans perte d’information, ainsi que l’insuffisance des méthodes d’analyse communes dans ce contexte, comme grouper les temps de réponses de plusieurs participants (e. g. Vincentizing). Les tests de distributions, le plus connu étant le test de Kolmogorov- Smirnoff, constituent une meilleure alternative pour comparer des distributions, celles des temps de réponse en particulier. Un test encore inconnu en psychologie est introduit : le test d’Anderson-Darling à deux échantillons. Les deux tests sont comparés, et puis nous présentons des indices concluants démontrant la puissance du test d’Anderson-Darling : en comparant des distributions qui varient seulement au niveau de (1) leur décalage, (2) leur étendue, (3) leur symétrie, ou (4) leurs extrémités, nous pouvons affirmer que le test d’Anderson-Darling reconnait mieux les différences. De plus, le test d’Anderson-Darling a un taux d’erreur de type I qui correspond exactement à l’alpha tandis que le test de Kolmogorov-Smirnoff est trop conservateur. En conséquence, le test d’Anderson-Darling nécessite moins de données pour atteindre une puissance statistique suffisante.

The Search for New Resonances in Strong Symmetry Breaking Scenarios with the ATLAS Detector

Utilisant les plus récentes données recueillies par le détecteur ATLAS lors de collisions pp à 7 et 8 TeV au LHC, cette thèse établira des contraintes sévères sur une multitude de modèles allant au-delà du modèle standard (MS) de la physique des particules. Plus particulièrement, deux types de particules hypothétiques, existant dans divers modèles théoriques et qui ne sont pas présentes dans le MS, seront étudiés et sondés. Le premier type étudié sera les quarks-vectoriels (QV) produits lors de collisions pp par l’entremise de couplages électrofaibles avec les quarks légers u et d. On recherchera ces QV lorsqu’ils se désintègrent en un boson W ou Z, et un quark léger. Des arguments théoriques établissent que sous certaines conditions raisonnables la production simple dominerait la production en paires des QV. La topologie particulière des évènements en production simple des QV permettra alors la mise en oeuvre de techniques d’optimisation efficaces pour leur extraction des bruits de fond électrofaibles. Le deuxième type de particules recherché sera celles qui se désintègrent en WZ lorsque ces bosons de jauges W, et Z se désintègrent leptoniquement. Les états finaux détectés par ATLAS seront par conséquent des évènements ayant trois leptons et de l’énergie transverse manquante. La distribution de la masse invariante de ces objets sera alors examinée pour déterminer la présence ou non de nouvelles résonances qui se manifesterait par un excès localisé. Malgré le fait qu’à première vue ces deux nouveaux types de particules n’ont que très peu en commun, ils ont en réalité tous deux un lien étroit avec la brisure de symétrie électrofaible. Dans plusieurs modèles théoriques, l’existence hypothétique des QV est proposé pour annuler les contributions du quark top aux corrections radiatives de la masse du Higgs du MS. Parallèlement, d’autres modèles prédisent quant à eux des résonances en WZ tout en suggérant que le Higgs est une particule composite, chambardant ainsi tout le sector Higgs du MS. Ainsi, les deux analyses présentées dans cette thèse ont un lien fondamental avec la nature même du Higgs, élargissant par le fait même nos connaissances sur l’origine de la masse intrinsèque des particules. En fin de compte, les deux analyses n’ont pas observé d’excès significatif dans leurs régions de signal respectives, ce qui permet d’établir des limites sur la section efficace de production en fonction de la masse des résonances.

Evaluating perceptual maps of asymmetries for gait symmetry quantification and pathology detection

Le mouvement de la marche est un processus essentiel de l'activité humaine et aussi le résultat de nombreuses interactions collaboratives entre les systèmes neurologiques, articulaires et musculo-squelettiques fonctionnant ensemble efficacement. Ceci explique pourquoi une analyse de la marche est aujourd'hui de plus en plus utilisée pour le diagnostic (et aussi la prévention) de différents types de maladies (neurologiques, musculaires, orthopédique, etc.). Ce rapport présente une nouvelle méthode pour visualiser rapidement les différentes parties du corps humain liées à une possible asymétrie (temporellement invariante par translation) existant dans la démarche d'un patient pour une possible utilisation clinique quotidienne. L'objectif est de fournir une méthode à la fois facile et peu dispendieuse permettant la mesure et l'affichage visuel, d'une manière intuitive et perceptive, des différentes parties asymétriques d'une démarche. La méthode proposée repose sur l'utilisation d'un capteur de profondeur peu dispendieux (la Kinect) qui est très bien adaptée pour un diagnostique rapide effectué dans de petites salles médicales car ce capteur est d'une part facile à installer et ne nécessitant aucun marqueur. L'algorithme que nous allons présenter est basé sur le fait que la marche saine possède des propriétés de symétrie (relativement à une invariance temporelle) dans le plan coronal.