Gait parameter estimation from a miniaturized ear-worn sensor using singular spectrum analysis and longest common subsequence

This paper presents a new approach to gait analysis and parameter estimation from a single miniaturised earworn sensor embedded with a triaxial accelerometer. Singular spectrum analysis (SSA) combined with the longest common subsequence (LCSS) algorithm has been used as a basis for gait parameter estimation. It incorporates information from all axes of the accelerometer to estimate parameters including swing, stance and stride times. Rather than only using local features of the raw signals, the periodicity of the signals is also taken into account. The hypotheses tested by this study include: 1) how accurate is the ear-worn sensor in terms of gait parameter extraction compared to the use of an instrumented treadmill; 2) does the ear-worn sensor provide a feasible option for assessment and quantification of gait pattern changes. Key gait events for normal subjects such as heel contact and toe off are validated with a high-speed camera, as well as a force-plate instrumented treadmill. Ten healthy adults walked for 20 minutes on a treadmill with an increasing incline of 2% every 2 minutes. The upper and lower limits of the absolute errors using 95% confidence intervals for swing, stance and stride times were obtained as 35.5±3.99ms, 36.9 ± 3.84ms, and 17.9 ± 2.29ms, respectively

Development of a multiplex event-specific PCR assay for detection of genetically modified rice

Global rice supplies have been found contaminated with unapproved varieties of genetically modified (GM) rice in recent years, which has led to product recalls in several of countries. Faster and more effective detection of GM contamination can prevent adulterated food, feed and seed from being consumed and grown, minimize the potential environmental, health or economic damage. In this study, a simple, reliable and cost-effective multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for identifying genetic modifications of TT51-1, Kemingdao1 (KMD1) and Kefeng6 (KF6) rice was developed by using the event-specific fragment. The limit of detection (LOD) for each event in the multiplex PCR is approximately 0.1%. Developed multiplex PCR assays can provide a rapid and simultaneous detection of GM rice

Segmentation and Evaluation of Adipose Tissue from Whole Body MRI Scans

Accurate quantification of total body and the distribution of regional adipose tissue using manual segmentation is a challenging problem due to the high variation between manual delineations. Manual segmentation also requires highly trained experts with knowledge of anatomy. We present a hybrid segmentation method that provides robust delineation results for adipose tissue from whole body MRI scans. A formal evaluation of accuracy of the segmentation method is performed. This semi-automatic segmentation algorithm reduces significantly the time required for quantification of adipose tissue, and the accuracy measurements show that the results are close to the ground truth obtained from manual segmentations

Assessing the Gender Impacts and Contributions of CCAFS Climate-Smart Villages in Lao PDR

From July – September 2021, a Gender Impact Assessment (GIA) was conducted to measure the impacts of the CSV gender strategy in regards to project participation, agricultural productivity, and overall socio-economic impacts at the village-cluster level. The GIA also aimed to provide insight on the impacts of the global COVID-19 pandemic on project objectives, and more specifically, women’s coping strategies as they relate to Climate-Smart Villages. Primary data was collected from two villages in Savannakhet Province, Lao PDR, and included a total of 28 respondents (9 female, 19 male). Although all respondents reported positive impacts to their livelihoods and improved resilience to climate change-related challenges, the CSV did not achieve gender-transformative outcomes. This is likely the result of a gender strategy which emphasized equal participation without improving knowledge on gender equality principles or fostering an enabling environment for social behaviour change. Also, since the CSV gender strategy did not include specific gender development targets, it could not be determined whether gender-specific outcomes were reached. This highlights the need for long-term systemic gender strategizing across sectors, programmes, and partnerships

On a Testing Methodology for the Mechanical Property Assessment of a New Low-Cost Titanium Alloy Derived from Synthetic Rutile

Mechanical property data of a low-cost titanium alloy derived directly from synthetic rutile is reported. A small-scale testing approach comprising consolidation via field-assisted sintering technology, followed by axisymmetric compression testing, has been designed to yield mechanical property data from small quantities of titanium alloy powder. To validate this approach and provide a benchmark, Ti-6Al-4V powder has been processed using the same methodology and compared with material property data generated from thermo-physical simulation software. Compressive yield strength and strain to failure of the synthetic rutile-derived titanium alloy were revealed to be similar to that of Ti-6Al-4V

Heavy quarkonium: progress, puzzles, and opportunities

A golden age for heavy quarkonium physics dawned a decade ago, initiated by the confluence of exciting advances in quantum chromodynamics (QCD) and an explosion of related experimental activity. The early years of this period were chronicled in the Quarkonium Working Group (QWG) CERN Yellow Report (YR) in 2004, which presented a comprehensive review of the status of the field at that time and provided specific recommendations for further progress. However, the broad spectrum of subsequent breakthroughs, surprises, and continuing puzzles could only be partially anticipated. Since the release of the YR, the BESII program concluded only to give birth to BESIII; the $B$-factories and CLEO-c flourished; quarkonium production and polarization measurements at HERA and the Tevatron matured; and heavy-ion collisions at RHIC have opened a window on the deconfinement regime. All these experiments leave legacies of quality, precision, and unsolved mysteries for quarkonium physics, and therefore beg for continuing investigations. The plethora of newly-found quarkonium-like states unleashed a flood of theoretical investigations into new forms of matter such as quark-gluon hybrids, mesonic molecules, and tetraquarks. Measurements of the spectroscopy, decays, production, and in-medium behavior of c\bar{c}, b\bar{b}, and b\bar{c} bound states have been shown to validate some theoretical approaches to QCD and highlight lack of quantitative success for others. The intriguing details of quarkonium suppression in heavy-ion collisions that have emerged from RHIC have elevated the importance of separating hot- and cold-nuclear-matter effects in quark-gluon plasma studies. This review systematically addresses all these matters and concludes by prioritizing directions for ongoing and future efforts.Comment: 182 pages, 112 figures. Editors: N. Brambilla, S. Eidelman, B. K. Heltsley, R. Vogt. Section Coordinators: G. T. Bodwin, E. Eichten, A. D. Frawley, A. B. Meyer, R. E. Mitchell, V. Papadimitriou, P. Petreczky, A. A. Petrov, P. Robbe, A. Vair