Symmetric Itakura Distance as an EEG Signal Feature for Sleep Depth Determination

Author(s):  
Edson Estrada ◽  
Homer Nazeran ◽  
Farideh Ebrahimi ◽  
Mohammad Mikaeili

Sleep is a natural periodic state of rest for the body, in which the eyes are usually closed and consciousness is completely or partially lost. Consequently, there is a decrease in bodily movements and responsiveness to external stimuli. In this pilot study, we performed power spectral estimation of EEG signals by Autoregressive (AR) modeling, and then used Itakura Distance to measure the degree of similarity between an EEG baseline and EEG epochs for the entire sleep study. Sleep data from twenty-five subjects (21 males and 4 females, age: 50 ± 10 years, range 28–68 years) from Physionet database were used. We found that Itakura Distance was the smallest for sleep stages similar to the baseline. We intend to deploy this feature as an important element in automatic classification of sleep stages. Results show that trends provided by this feature could discern between sleep stages with a very high level of statistical significance p<0.01.

2015 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 339-348
Author(s):  
M. Lazarevic ◽  
D. Niksic ◽  
V. Pantelic ◽  
N. Stanisic ◽  
N. Delic ◽  
...  

To test the variability of traits of Simmental bulls in performance test, data of the Livestock - Veterinary Centres for Reproduction and Artificial Insemination of Velika Plana and Krnjaca were used. In the analysis, data on 113 performance tested bulls born from 2008 to 2009 were used. The analysis included two sets of characteristics: body development traits and growth traits. The average body mass of calves entering the test was 195.75 kg, while the body mass at the end of the test was 476.50 kg, average daily gain in the test was 1138.69 g. Average values of body development traits measured at the end of the test, with 12 months of age were: height at withers 127.13 cm, chest circumference 179.42 cm, the chest depth 61.19 cm and body length 151.34 cm. The influence of their sires, the year and the Centre on the variability of traits was studied. The effect of age is present at a high level of statistical significance (p<0.01) for all traits that are registered at the end of the test, while the effect of the Centre was present in the variability of body mass at the end of the test, the daily gain in the test and the length of the body. The bulls-sires' influence was demonstrated (p<0.05) on the variability in body mass of calves entering the test.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 921
Author(s):  
Barbara Lefranc ◽  
Charles Martin-Krumm ◽  
Charlotte Aufauvre-Poupon ◽  
Benoit Berthail ◽  
Marion Trousselard

The fine-tuned interplay between the brain and the body underlies the adaptive ability to respond appropriately in the changing environment. Mindfulness Disposition (MD) has been associated with efficient emotional functioning because of a better ability to feel engaged by information from the body and to notice subtle changes. This interoceptive ability is considered to shape the ability to respond to external stimuli, especially olfaction. However, few studies have evaluated the relationships between interoception and exteroception according to MD. We conducted an exploratory study among 76 healthy subjects for first investigating whether MD is associated with better exteroception and second for describing the causal interactions network between mindfulness, interoception, emotion, and subjective and objective olfaction assessments. Results found that a high level of MD defined by clustering exhibited best scores in positive emotions, interoception, and extra sensors’ acuity. The causal network approach showed that the interactions between the interoception subscales differed according to the MD profiles. Moreover, interoception awareness is strongly connected with both the MD and the hedonic value of odors. Then, differences according to MD might provide arguments for a more mindful attention style toward interoceptive cues in relation to available exteroceptive information. This interaction might underlie positive health.


1997 ◽  
Vol 36 (04/05) ◽  
pp. 41-46
Author(s):  
A. Kjaer ◽  
W. Jensen ◽  
T. Dyrby ◽  
L. Andreasen ◽  
J. Andersen ◽  
...  

Abstract.A new method for sleep-stage classification using a causal probabilistic network as automatic classifier has been implemented and validated. The system uses features from the primary sleep signals from the brain (EEG) and the eyes (AOG) as input. From the EEG, features are derived containing spectral information which is used to classify power in the classical spectral bands, sleep spindles and K-complexes. From AOG, information on rapid eye movements is derived. Features are extracted every 2 seconds. The CPN-based sleep classifier was implemented using the HUGIN system, an application tool to handle causal probabilistic networks. The results obtained using different training approaches show agreements ranging from 68.7 to 70.7% between the system and the two experts when a pooled agreement is computed over the six subjects. As a comparison, the interrater agreement between the two experts was found to be 71.4%, measured also over the six subjects.


Author(s):  
Aleksandra Rakhmanova ◽  
Georgiy Loginov ◽  
Vladimir Dolich ◽  
Nataliya Komleva ◽  
Galina Rakhmanova

The relevance of the article is determined by the existence of contradictions between the need to introduce innovative technologies into the educational process at school, as an integral attribute of modern education, and the negative influence of factors on the physical and psycho-emotional state of health of students related to the use of information and communication tools (computers, phones, headphones). The goal of the study was to assess the relationship between the timing of the use of information and communication tools and the frequency of functional and psycho-emotional complaints in groups of middle and high school schoolchildren. 400 schoolchildren of the Saratov Region, the Moscow Region, Leningrad Region and the Republic of Dagestan were surveyed, who made up two groups of research: middle-school schoolchildren (grades 5–6) and high-school schoolchildren (grades 10–11 The survey was carried out by means of the standardized formalized cards which included the questions considering usage time of computers and mobile phones, complaints to a headache, hands pain, other pain and/or feeling of discomfort from visual organ and the organs of hearing, as well as a psycho-emotional state. Statistical analysis of the data was performed using the STATISTICA application software program by StatSoft Inc (USA). To compare the frequencies of a binary feature, a fourfold table of absolute frequencies was constructed and the level of statistical significance for the exact Fisher’s two-tailed test criterion was determined. The study was conducted according to the requirements of bioethics, after signing informed consent statement by teenagers and their parents. The study examined the relationship between the timing of the use of information and communication tools and the frequency of complaints in groups of schoolchildren. The results of the study should be taken into account when developing and implementing preventive measures to prevent negative effects of computers and mobile devices on the body of students.


Author(s):  
Anton Rozhkov ◽  
Anton Popov ◽  
Vitaliy Balahonskiy

The article is devoted to the study of subjective factors affecting shooting accuracy of law enforcement officers. The empirical study identified some subjective factors reducing gun shooting accuracy and effectiveness among law enforcers. These characteristics include sensorimotor coordination and subjective experience of stress during the shooting process. Scientific analysis made it possible to determine statistical significance of the influence of these factors on the accuracy of shooting. To increase the effectiveness of shooting among officers with a low index of sensorimotor coordination, the authors suggest using exercises aimed at cultivating sensorimotor coordination in fire training classes. While working with employees being under a high level of subjectively experienced stress, more attention should be paid to training techniques to overcome stress and form intelligent behavior in extreme situations. The authors also draw readers’ attention to factors increasing the effectiveness of shooting: officers’ ability to determine the subjective level of stress, their knowledge of emotional self-regulation techniques, knowledge of the sequence of their actions in the firing line.


Author(s):  
Андрей Анатольевич Иванов ◽  
Александр Иванович Жданов ◽  
Максим Сергеевич Шевелин ◽  
Александр Сергеевич Брежнев

В статье представлены данные оригинального исследования по улучшению хирургического лечения аневризм брюшного отдела аорты. С этой целью произведен сравнительный анализ двух альтернативных друг другу операций: 1) резекции аневризмы с последующим протезированием аорты; 2) эндопротезирования аорты. Сформулировано научное предположение о том, что замена «классических» операций резекции аневризмы на «альтернативные» операции эндопротезирования приведет к принципиальному снижению уровня послеоперационных осложнений. В независимых группах пациентов с использованием сравниваемых хирургических вмешательств произведена точная качественная и количественная оценка послеоперационных осложнений: нетромботических - кардиальных, пульмональных, ренальных и тромботических - тромбозов глубоких вен и тромбозов браншей протеза. После реализации исследования было установлено, что замена «классических» операций на «альтернативные» достоверно приводит к принципиальному снижению уровня наиболее жизнеопасных осложнений - кардиальных (острых форм ишемической болезни сердца, нарушений сердечного ритма), пульмональных (пневмоний, тромбоэмболии легочной артерии, респираторного дистресс-синдрома взрослых) и ренальных (острой почечной недостаточности). Некоторое исключение составили менее жизнеопасные тромботические осложнения. Полученные результаты имеют высокий уровень статистической значимости, что позволяет рекомендовать их к рассмотрению к использованию в практике сосудистой хирургии The article presents data from an original study to improve the surgical treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms. For this purpose, a comparative analysis of two alternate operations was performed: 1) aneurysm resection followed by aortic prosthetics; 2) aortic endoprosthetics. The scientific hypothesis is formulated that the replacement of the «classical» operations of resection of the aneurysm with «alternative» operations of endoprosthetics will lead to a fundamental decrease in the level of postoperative complications. In independent groups of patients using the compared surgical interventions, an accurate qualitative and quantitative assessment of postoperative complications was made: non-thrombotic - cardiac, pulmonary, renal and thrombotic - deep vein thrombosis and prosthetic jaw thrombosis. After the study was completed, it was found that the fundamental replacement of «classical» operations with «alternative» reliably leads to a fundamental decrease in the level of the most life-threatening complications - cardiac (acute forms of coronary heart disease, cardiac arrhythmias), pulmonary (pneumonia, pulmonary thromboembolism, respiratory distress syndrome of adults) and renal (acute renal failure). Some exceptions were less life-threatening thrombotic complications. The results obtained have a high level of statistical significance, which allows us to recommend them for consideration in the practice of vascular surgery


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (7) ◽  
pp. 661-665
Author(s):  
Cunxi Nie ◽  
Fei Xie ◽  
Ning Ma ◽  
Yueyu Bai ◽  
Wenju Zhang ◽  
...  

As a major component of biologically active compounds in the body, proteins contribute to the synthesis of body tissues for the renewal and growth of the body. The high level of dietary protein and the imbalance of amino acid (AA) composition in mammals result in metabolic disorders, inefficient utilization of protein resources and increased nitrogen excretion. Fortunately, nutritional interventions can be an effective way of attenuating the nitrogen excretion and increasing protein utilization, which include, but are not limited to, formulating the AA balance and protein-restricted diet supplementing with essential AAs, and adding probiotics in the diet. This review highlights recent advances in the turnover of dietary proteins and mammal’s metabolism for health, in order to improve protein bioavailability through nutritional approach.


Author(s):  
Kiona Hagen Niehaus ◽  
Rebecca Fiebrink

This paper describes the process of developing a software tool for digital artistic exploration of 3D human figures. Previously available software for modeling mesh-based 3D human figures restricts user output based on normative assumptions about the form that a body might take, particularly in terms of gender, race, and disability status, which are reinforced by ubiquitous use of range-limited sliders mapped to singular high-level design parameters. CreatorCustom, the software prototype created during this research, is designed to foreground an exploratory approach to modeling 3D human bodies, treating the digital body as a sculptural landscape rather than a presupposed form for rote technical representation. Building on prior research into serendipity in Human-Computer Interaction and 3D modeling systems for users at various levels of proficiency, among other areas, this research comprises two qualitative studies and investigation of the impact on the first author's artistic practice. Study 1 uses interviews and practice sessions to explore the practices of six queer artists working with the body and the language, materials, and actions they use in their practice; these then informed the design of the software tool. Study 2 investigates the usability, creativity support, and bodily implications of the software when used by thirteen artists in a workshop. These studies reveal the importance of exploration and unexpectedness in artistic practice, and a desire for experimental digital approaches to the human form.


Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 624
Author(s):  
Cintya Dharmayanti ◽  
Todd A. Gillam ◽  
Manuela Klingler-Hoffmann ◽  
Hugo Albrecht ◽  
Anton Blencowe

Synthetic polypeptides and polymer-peptide hybrid materials have been successfully implemented in an array of biomedical applications owing to their biocompatibility, biodegradability and ability to mimic natural proteins. In addition, these materials have the capacity to form complex supramolecular structures, facilitate specific biological interactions, and incorporate a diverse selection of functional groups that can be used as the basis for further synthetic modification. Like conventional synthetic polymers, polypeptide-based materials can be designed to respond to external stimuli (e.g., light and temperature) or changes in the environmental conditions (e.g., redox reactions and pH). In particular, pH-responsive polypeptide-based systems represent an interesting avenue for the preparation of novel drug delivery systems that can exploit physiological or pathological pH variations within the body, such as those that arise in the extracellular tumour microenvironment, intracellularly within endosomes/lysosomes, or during tissue inflammation. Here, we review the significant progress made in advancing pH-responsive polypeptides and polymer-peptide hybrid materials during the last five years, with a particular emphasis on the manipulation of ionisable functional groups, pH-labile linkages, pH-sensitive changes to secondary structure, and supramolecular interactions.


2014 ◽  
Vol 664 ◽  
pp. 423-428
Author(s):  
Mauricio Plaza Torres ◽  
William Aperador

Hip disarticulation is an amputation through the hip joint capsule, removing the entire lower extremity, with closure of the remaining musculature over the exposed acetabulum. Tumors of the distal and proximal femur were treated by total femur resection; a hip disarticulation sometimes is performance for massive trauma with crush injuries to the lower extremity. This article discusses the design a system for rehabilitation of a patient with bilateral hip disarticulations. The prosthetics designed allowed the patient to do natural gait suspended between parallel articulate crutches with the body weight support between the crutches. The care of this patient was a challenge due to bilateral amputations at such a high level and the special needs of a patient mobility.


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