A novel time-based surface EMG measure for quantifying hypertonia in paretic arm muscles during daily activities after hemiparetic stroke

After stroke, paretic arm muscles are constantly exposed to abnormal neural drive from the injured brain. As such, hypertonia, broadly defined as an increase in muscle tone, is prevalent especially in distal muscles, which impairs daily function or in long-term leads to a flexed resting posture in the wrist and fingers. However, there currently is no quantitative measure that can reliably track how hypertonia is expressed on daily basis. In this study, we propose a novel time-based surface electromyography (sEMG) measure that can overcome the limitations of the coarse clinical scales often measured in functionally irrelevant context and the magnitude-based sEMG measures that suffer from signal non-stationarity. We postulated that the key to robust quantification of hypertonia is to capture the true baseline in sEMG for each measurement session, by which we can define the relative duration of activity over a short time segment continuously tracked in a sliding window fashion. We validate that the proposed measure of sEMG active duration is robust across parameter choices (e.g., sampling rate, window length, threshold criteria), robust against typical noise sources present in paretic muscles (e.g., low signal-to-noise ratio, sporadic motor unit action potentials), and reliable across measurements (e.g., sensors, trials, and days), while providing a continuum of scale over the full magnitude range for each session. Furthermore, sEMG active duration could well characterize the clinically observed differences in hypertonia expressed across different muscles and impairment levels. The proposed measure can be used for continuous and quantitative monitoring of hypertonia during activities of daily living while at home, which will allow for the study of the practical effect of pharmacological and/or physical interventions that try to combat its presence.

Associations between body mass index and bladder cancer survival: Is the obesity paradox short-lived?

Introduction: We investigated the associations of pre-surgical body mass index (BMI) with bladder cancer outcomes in patients treated with radical cystectomy. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from 488 bladder cancer patients treated with radical cystectomy between 1994 and 2007 and followed up until 2016. Cox regression with step function (time-segment analysis) was conducted for overall survival because the proportional hazard assumption was violated. Results: Of 488 bladder cancer patients, 155 (31.8%) were normal weight, 186 (38.1%) were overweight, and 147 (30.1%) were obese. During the median followup of 59.5 months, 363 (74.4%) patients died, including 197 (40.4%) from bladder cancer. In adjusted Cox regression analyses, BMI was not significantly associated with bladder cancer-specific survival for overweight (hazard ratio [HR] 0.79, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.57–1.10, p=0.16) or obese (HR 0.76, 95% CI 0.52–1.09, p=0.13) patients. In the Cox regression with step function for overall survival, the time interaction was significant overall (p=0.020) and specifically for overweight patients (p=0.006). In the time-segment model, the HR for overweight during the first 63 months was 0.66 (95% CI 0.49–0.90, p=0.008), whereas it was 1.41 (95% CI 0.89–2.23, p=0.14) after 63 months. Although not statistically significant, a similar pattern was observed for obese patients. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that overweight and obese bladder cancer patients had better outcomes within the first five years after radical cystectomy; however, there were no differences in longer-term survival. These data suggest that the obesity paradox in bladder cancer patients treated with radical cystectomy may be short-lived.

The constitution of the academic accordion art in the Moldavian SSR in the period 1940–1960

With the annexation of Bessarabia to the USSR, the process of professionalization of accordionists, convering all levels of artistic education in the country, is influenced by the evolution of performing arts in Eastern Europe (especially Russia, Belarus, Ukraine). The academic bases are consolidated by illustrious pedagogues, such as Iziaslav Birbraier, Valentin Zagumionov (I. Birbraier’s student), Ivan Folomkin (one of the first graduates of the Gnesin State Musical-Pedagogical Institute in Moskow) and others. Durind the years 1940–1960, the establishment of the accordion interpretive art in the Moldavian SSR was directly conditioned by the massive ideologization of the ex-Soviet cultural space, which largely blurred the national identity aspect in the accordion academization process. Based on the classical-romantic aesthetics „adjusted” by the doctrine of socialist realism, the professionalization of Bessarabian instrumentalists is distinguished by a prominent conservatism compared to other accordion schools of that period, such as German, Danish, Czech etc. (we refer primarily to the compositional domain). Even if in this time segment the accordion failed to fully integrate into the „family” of European academic instruments, taking into account some areas (organological, compositional, pedagogical, interpretive) that needed to be intensely perfected, the first postwar decades can still be considered the reference point for establishing the academic status of chromatic harmonics in the Moldavian SSR

Late Neogene Radiolaria from the East Coast Deformed Belt, New Zealand

<p>Within the East Coast Deformed Belt there are a number of Late Neogene sedimentary basins with relatively deep-water sediments which, at places, contain abundant radiolarian skeletons. The region was subject to relatively open ocean circulation patterns during the Neogene which, combined with the input of rhyolitic glass shards, has enhanced the siliceous microfossil preservation. A short review of the silica budget is presented and discussed in relation to the preservation of siliceous microfossils in the New Zealand sequences. Techniques were developed to extract and quantitatively study fossil Radiolaria from some of the relatively barren shelf/slope sediments. One hundred and thirty-eight radiolarian taxa are described, most of which can be assigned at the generic level, but thirty-one of which can not be assigned specific names and may eventually prove to be new species. The radiolarian zonation presented is based on detailed analysis of 155 samples from 26 sections and sites ranging in age from basal Tongaporutuan (early Late Miocene) to middle Nukumaruan (early Pleistocene). Sediments of the Kapitean (uppermost Miocene) were generally deposited in shallow water environments or are missing in unconformities in the East Coast Deformed Belt, consequently the radiolarian zonation is based on very poor data in this time segment. Also upper Opoitian and Waipipian (middle Pliocene) sediments, although at places deposited in relatively deep water, generally lack siliceous tuffs, and radiolarian preservation is poor. Five major radiolarian zones can be recognised: Diartus hughesi Zone, Didymocyrtis sp. A Zone, Didymocyrtis sp. A Zone, Didymocyrtis tetrathalmus tetrathalmus Zone, Lamprocyrtis heteroporos Zone, and Lamprocyclas gamphonycha Zone. In samples with good radiolarian preservation six subzones can be identified. The Diartus hughesi Zone can be divided into the Heliodiscus umbonatum Subzone, Didymocyrtis laticonus Subzone, Heliodiscus asteriscus forma large pores Subzone, and Anthocyrtidium ehrenbergi pliocenica Subzone. Additionally the Didymocyrtis tetrathalmus tetrathalmus Zone can be divided into the Lychnocanium sp. aff. grande Subzone and Lamprocyrtis hannai Subzone. The bioevents that define the zonal boundaries are discussed along with other biostratigraphically useful radiolarian datums. These zones and zubzones are correlated to the foraminiferal zonation which in turn has been related, in part, to the paleomagnetic time scale. Correlation are then made with other radiolarian zonations in the north Pacific, tropics, and southern ocean. Points to emerge from these correlations include the apparent provincialism in the transition from Stichocorys delmontense to Stichocorys peregrine in the tropical Pacific. This transition has been reported to occur during approximately 1.5Ma but in New Zealand occurs over a time segment of at least 5.5Ma. The first appearance of Lamprocyclas gamphonycha appears to be an isochronous datum level in temperate radiolarian faunas of the northern and southern Pacific. The last appearance datum of Diartus hughesi at about 7.5Ma is in good agreement with its level in the tropics. The presence of this taxon in lower Gilbert Antarctic cores suggests either a grossly diachronous event between tropical/temperate areas and the southern ocean or, more probably, a misinterpretation of the paleomagnetic signature from key southern ocean piston cores. If the latter situation is the case then the real age estimates on the "Pre middle Gilbert" southern ocean diatom and silicoflagellate stratigraphies are questionable because they are based on the same key cores. Statistical faunal analysis shows that during the Miocene there was not much change in the radiolarian faunas with time and a major change, probably climatically controlled, took place across the Miocene/Pliocene boundary. Variability in preservation has probably affected the faunas to obscure more precise time variation although post-Miocene faunas indicate that some is present. In conclusion, the Radiolaria, although not as common in the fossil record as the foraminifera, definitely contribute to New Zealand Late Neogene integrated stratigraphy and suggest that our knowledge could be greatly enhanced by the study of other siliceous microfossil groups.</p>

Late Neogene Radiolaria from the East Coast Deformed Belt, New Zealand

<p>Within the East Coast Deformed Belt there are a number of Late Neogene sedimentary basins with relatively deep-water sediments which, at places, contain abundant radiolarian skeletons. The region was subject to relatively open ocean circulation patterns during the Neogene which, combined with the input of rhyolitic glass shards, has enhanced the siliceous microfossil preservation. A short review of the silica budget is presented and discussed in relation to the preservation of siliceous microfossils in the New Zealand sequences. Techniques were developed to extract and quantitatively study fossil Radiolaria from some of the relatively barren shelf/slope sediments. One hundred and thirty-eight radiolarian taxa are described, most of which can be assigned at the generic level, but thirty-one of which can not be assigned specific names and may eventually prove to be new species. The radiolarian zonation presented is based on detailed analysis of 155 samples from 26 sections and sites ranging in age from basal Tongaporutuan (early Late Miocene) to middle Nukumaruan (early Pleistocene). Sediments of the Kapitean (uppermost Miocene) were generally deposited in shallow water environments or are missing in unconformities in the East Coast Deformed Belt, consequently the radiolarian zonation is based on very poor data in this time segment. Also upper Opoitian and Waipipian (middle Pliocene) sediments, although at places deposited in relatively deep water, generally lack siliceous tuffs, and radiolarian preservation is poor. Five major radiolarian zones can be recognised: Diartus hughesi Zone, Didymocyrtis sp. A Zone, Didymocyrtis sp. A Zone, Didymocyrtis tetrathalmus tetrathalmus Zone, Lamprocyrtis heteroporos Zone, and Lamprocyclas gamphonycha Zone. In samples with good radiolarian preservation six subzones can be identified. The Diartus hughesi Zone can be divided into the Heliodiscus umbonatum Subzone, Didymocyrtis laticonus Subzone, Heliodiscus asteriscus forma large pores Subzone, and Anthocyrtidium ehrenbergi pliocenica Subzone. Additionally the Didymocyrtis tetrathalmus tetrathalmus Zone can be divided into the Lychnocanium sp. aff. grande Subzone and Lamprocyrtis hannai Subzone. The bioevents that define the zonal boundaries are discussed along with other biostratigraphically useful radiolarian datums. These zones and zubzones are correlated to the foraminiferal zonation which in turn has been related, in part, to the paleomagnetic time scale. Correlation are then made with other radiolarian zonations in the north Pacific, tropics, and southern ocean. Points to emerge from these correlations include the apparent provincialism in the transition from Stichocorys delmontense to Stichocorys peregrine in the tropical Pacific. This transition has been reported to occur during approximately 1.5Ma but in New Zealand occurs over a time segment of at least 5.5Ma. The first appearance of Lamprocyclas gamphonycha appears to be an isochronous datum level in temperate radiolarian faunas of the northern and southern Pacific. The last appearance datum of Diartus hughesi at about 7.5Ma is in good agreement with its level in the tropics. The presence of this taxon in lower Gilbert Antarctic cores suggests either a grossly diachronous event between tropical/temperate areas and the southern ocean or, more probably, a misinterpretation of the paleomagnetic signature from key southern ocean piston cores. If the latter situation is the case then the real age estimates on the "Pre middle Gilbert" southern ocean diatom and silicoflagellate stratigraphies are questionable because they are based on the same key cores. Statistical faunal analysis shows that during the Miocene there was not much change in the radiolarian faunas with time and a major change, probably climatically controlled, took place across the Miocene/Pliocene boundary. Variability in preservation has probably affected the faunas to obscure more precise time variation although post-Miocene faunas indicate that some is present. In conclusion, the Radiolaria, although not as common in the fossil record as the foraminifera, definitely contribute to New Zealand Late Neogene integrated stratigraphy and suggest that our knowledge could be greatly enhanced by the study of other siliceous microfossil groups.</p>

A Method for Battery Health Estimation Based on Charging Time Segment

The problem of low accuracy and low convenience in the existing state of health (SOH) estimation method for vehicle lithium-ion batteries has become one of the important problems in the electric vehicle field. This paper proposes an improved cuckoo search particle filter (ICS-PF) algorithm based on a charging time segment from equal voltage data to estimate battery health status. Appropriate voltage ranges of charging time segments are selected according to the battery charging law, and in the meantime, the charging time segments are collected as a health indicator to establish the corresponding relationship with battery capacity attenuation value. An improved cuckoo search particle filter algorithm based on the traditional particle filter (PF) and cuckoo search (CS) algorithm is proposed by enhancing the search step size and discovery probability to estimate the capacity attenuation. The estimation result shows that this method is superior to the traditional particle filter and cuckoo search particle filter (CS-PF) method, as the maximum estimation error is less than 2%.

Equality over Time

Age is nothing like merit and effort. We have no more control over our age than over our ethnicity, and yet others may fail to treat us as equals on that basis. At the same time, we tend to tolerate differential treatment by age more than we do for other suspect grounds. After an analysis of age discrimination compared to other cases of discrimination, this chapter proposes that this is because age is “special” in at least one morally significant way: we can expect to pass through all the categories as we age, and so inequalities between age groups can be compatible with equal treatment of persons over time. This basic fact gives traction to a dominant view on equality through time: complete lives egalitarianism. This chapter critically examines the intuitive position that we should look for evidence of inequalities over time, rather than at each time segment, to establish whether a society is fair. It also discusses the implications of complete lives egalitarianism for intergenerational justice.

The Climate Emergency in the Spanish Media and the «Decalogue of Recommendations for Reporting on Climate Change»

In the last two years, since the publication of the latest IPCC reports (IPCC, 2018 & 2020), greater alarm in the scientific, media and social areas has elevated the climate crisis to an emergency level. The social perception of the risk for people and the communication of this emergency has become a complex social phenomenon being constantly updated. This article sets out the results of the content analysis for communications on climate change (CC) in the main Spanish press, radio and television media and their respective Twitter accounts. A structural sampling has been used to identify the different media and supports to be analyzed. The time segment of the Climate Week NYC 2019 was chosen because key dates for the objectives of the study converge there. The Decalogue of Recommendations for Reporting on Climate Change (ECODES, 2018)”, endorsed by over 80 media sources in Spain in the years 2018 and 2019, brings together a series of variables for climate change communication analysis including outstanding concepts and values. The results confirm that the media discourse on CC is worded in accordance with the different social, scientific, and political agendas which interact with the media agenda. Particularities have been found in terms of how the information has been treated and the representations of CC, depending on the type of media analyzed. The evaluation also permits the identification of common elements that characterize the media discourse and shows how the acceleration of the six social tipping interventions (STI) identified by Otto et al. (2020) requires the strategic cooperation of the media for social transformation.

Combined Optimization of Frequency Band and Time Segment Using Quantum Particle Swarm Algorithm for Brain-Computer Interfaces

Common spatial pattern (CSP) is a popular algorithm for spatial filtering and subsequent feature extraction in motor imagery-based (MI) brain-computer interface (BCI) systems. The performance of CSP, however, depends heavily on the subject-specific frequency band and time segment used for classifying mental tasks. Accurate selection of most informative frequency band and time segment poses a great challenge. In this study, quantum particle swarm optimization is proposed for sole selection of frequency band and joint selection of frequency band and time segment, which are realized by a wrapping approach, incorporating CSP for feature extraction and support vector machine for classification into the classification model. The classification error rate is used as the fitness function of quantum particle swarm optimization. The classification performance of quantum particle swarm optimization based CSP algorithm for joint selection of frequency band and time segment is evaluated by comparing with other three CSP algorithms using either fixed frequency band and time segment or fixed time segment and the frequency band selected by particle swarm optimization and quantum-behaved particle swarm optimization, on two MI data sets with different number of channels and trials. Experimental results suggest that the proposed algorithm outperforms the other three algorithms in terms of classification error rate. Across all subjects from the two data sets, the averaged error rate of the proposed algorithm was 7.45%, 2.97% and 2.05% lower than the CSP with fixed frequency band and time segment, that with selected frequency bands by particle swarm optimization and that with selected bands by quantum particle swarm optimization. The proposed algorithm can facilitate the real-world application of BCIs.

A new Bayesian piecewise linear regression model for dynamic network reconstruction

Background Linear regression models are important tools for learning regulatory networks from gene expression time series. A conventional assumption for non-homogeneous regulatory processes on a short time scale is that the network structure stays constant across time, while the network parameters are time-dependent. The objective is then to learn the network structure along with changepoints that divide the time series into time segments. An uncoupled model learns the parameters separately for each segment, while a coupled model enforces the parameters of any segment to stay similar to those of the previous segment. In this paper, we propose a new consensus model that infers for each individual time segment whether it is coupled to (or uncoupled from) the previous segment. Results The results show that the new consensus model is superior to the uncoupled and the coupled model, as well as superior to a recently proposed generalized coupled model. Conclusions The newly proposed model has the uncoupled and the coupled model as limiting cases, and it is able to infer the best trade-off between them from the data.