Occupancy Based Household Energy Disaggregation using Ultra Wideband Radar and Electrical Signature Profiles

Human behaviour and occupancy accounts for a substantial proportion of variation in the energy efficiency pro le of domestic buildings. Yet while people often claim that they would like to reduce their energy bills, rhetoric frequently fails to match action due to the effort involved in understand- ing and changing deeply engrained energy consumption habits. Here, we present and, through dedicated experiments, test in-house developed soft-ware to remotely identify appliance energy usage within buildings, using energy equipment which could be placed at the electricity meter location. Furthermore, we monitor and compare the occupancy of the location under study through Ultra-Wideband (UWB) radar technology and compare the resulting data with those received from the power monitoring software, via time synchronization. These signals when mapped together can potentially provide both occupancy and speci c appliances power consumption, which could enable energy usage segregation on a yet impossible scale as well as usage attributable to occupancy behaviour. Such knowledge forms the basis for the implementation of automated energy saving actions based on a households unique energy profi le

Multi-BD Symbiotic Radio-Aided 6G IoT Network: Energy Consumption Optimization with QoS Constraint Approach

The commensal symbiotic radio (CSR) system is proposed as a novel solution for connecting systems through green communication networks. This system enables us to establish secure, ubiquitous, and unlimited connectivity, which is a goal of 6G. The base station uses MIMO antennas to transmit its signal. Passive IoT devices, called symbiotic backscatter devices (SBDs), receive the signal and use it to charge their power supply. When the SBDs have data to transmit, they modulate the information onto the received ambient RF signal and send it to the symbiotic user equipment, which is a typical active device. The main purpose is to enhance energy efficiency in this network by minimizing energy consumption (EC) while ensuring the minimum required throughput for SBDs. To achieve this, we propose a new scheduling scheme called Timing-SR that optimally allocates resources to SBDs. The main optimization problem involves non-convex objective functions and constraints. To solve this, we use mathematical techniques and introduce a new approach called sequential quadratic and conic quadratic representation to relax and discipline the problem, leading to reducing its complexity and convergence time. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed approach outperforms other outlined schemes in reducing EC

Dosimetric Analysis of Neural and Vascular Structures in Skull Base Tumors Treated with Stereotactic Radiosurgery.

Objective To examine the relationship between the prescribed target dose and the dose to healthy neurovascular structures in patients with vestibular schwannomas treated with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). Study Design Case series with chart review. Setting SRS center from 2011 to 2013. Subjects Twenty patients with vestibular schwannomas treated at the center from 2011 to 2013. Methods Twenty patients with vestibular schwannomas were included. The average radiation dose delivered to healthy neurovascular structures (eg, carotid artery, basilar artery, facial nerve, trigeminal nerve, and cochlea) was analyzed. Results Twenty patients with vestibular schwannomas who were treated with fused computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging-guided SRS were included in the study. The prescribed dose ranged from 10.58 to 17.40 Gy over 1 to 3 hypofractions to cover 95% of the target tumor volume. The mean dose to the carotid artery was 5.66 Gy (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.53-6.80 Gy), anterior inferior cerebellar artery was 8.70 Gy (95% CI, 4.54-12.86 Gy), intratemporal facial nerve was 3.76 Gy (95% CI, 3.04-4.08 Gy), trigeminal nerve was 5.21 Gy (95% CI, 3.31-7.11 Gy), and the cochlea was 8.70 Gy (95% CI, 7.81-9.59 Gy). Conclusions SRS for certain vestibular schwannomas can expose the anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) and carotid artery to radiation doses that can potentially initiate atherosclerotic processes. The higher doses to the AICA and carotid artery correlated with increasing tumor volume. The dose delivered to other structures such as the cochlea and intratemporal facial nerve appears to be lower and much less likely to cause immediate complications when shielded

Equity Risk Premiums and Risk Free Rates in Modelling and Prediction of Financial Markets

This paper proposes a novel adaptive framework for modelling financial markets using equity risk premiums, risk free rates and volatilities. The recorded economic factors are initially used to train four adaptive filters for a certain limited period of time in the past. Once the systems are trained, the adjusted coefficients are used for modelling and prediction of an important financial market index. Two different approaches based on least mean squares (LMS) and recursive least squares (RLS) algorithms are investigated. Performance analysis of each method in terms of the mean squared error (MSE) is presented and the results are discussed. Computer simulations carried out using recorded data show MSEs of 4% and 3.4% for the next month prediction using LMS and RLS adaptive algorithms, respectively. In terms of twelve months prediction RLS method shows a better tendency estimation compared to the LMS algorithm

False-Positive Cholesteatomas on Non-Echoplanar Diffusion-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

ObjectivesTo investigate false-positive findings on non-echoplanar (non-EPI) diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) in patients under surveillance post-cholesteatoma surgery.Study design, setting, subjects, and methodsA retrospective review was performed on patients diagnosed with cholesteatoma who underwent surgical resection and were then followed by serial non-EPI DWI using half-Fourier acquisition single-shot turbo spin echo (HASTE) sequence. All patients had at least two annual follow-up imaging studies.ResultsFalse-positive findings were identified in four patients. The size of the suspected lesions was 4 to 12 mm. Otoendoscopy was used during all primary cases and Argon laser was used in one case. In all cases, the entire cholesteatoma was removed, and no residual disease was detected at the end of the procedures. One patient underwent revision surgery but only cartilage graft was found in the area of concern. All patients had stable or resolved hyperintense areas in the subsequent HASTE sequences.ConclusionFalse positive findings can occur with non-EPI DWI MRI and patients need to be counseled accordingly before revision surgery. Decreasing intensity and dimension of a suspected lesion and a positive finding in an area other than the location of the initial cholesteatoma may favor a false positive. If a false positive finding is suspected when the surgeon is confident of complete resection of the cholesteatoma, an MRI can be repeated in 6 to 12 months to assess changes in the dimension and intensity of the area of concern. Cartilage grafts may cause restricted diffusion on DWI sequences

Efficacy of Multi-Modal Migraine Prophylaxis Therapy on Hyperacusis Patients.

ObjectivesTo evaluate the efficacy of a multi-modal migraine prophylaxis therapy for patients with hyperacusis.MethodsIn a prospective cohort, patients with hyperacusis were treated with a multi-modal step-wise migraine prophylactic regimen (nortriptyline, verapamil, topiramate, or a combination thereof) as well as lifestyle and dietary modifications. Pre- and post-treatment average loudness discomfort level (LDL), hyperacusis discomfort level measured by a visual analogue scale (VAS), and scores on the modified Khalfa questionnaire for severity of hyperacusis were compared.ResultsTwenty-two of the 25 patients (88%) reported subjective resolution of their symptoms following treatment. Post-treatment audiograms showed significant improvement in average LDL from 81.3 ± 3.2 dB to 86.4 ± 2.6 dB (P < .001), indicating increased sound tolerability. The VAS discomfort level also showed significant improvement from a pre-treatment average of 7.7 ± 1.1 to 3.7 ± 1.6 post-treatment (P < .001). There was also significant improvement in the average total score on modified Khalfa questionnaire (32.2 ± 3.6 vs 22.0 ± 5.7, P < .001).ConclusionsThe majority of patients with hyperacusis demonstrated symptomatic improvement from migraine prophylaxis therapy, as indicated by self-reported and audiometric measures. Our findings indicate that, for some patients, hyperacusis may share a pathophysiologic basis with migraine disorder and may be successfully managed with multimodal migraine prophylaxis therapy

Occupancy based household energy disaggregation using ultra wideband radar and electrical signature profiles

Human behaviour and occupancy accounts for a substantial proportion of variation in the energy efficiency pro le of domestic buildings. Yet while people often claim that they would like to reduce their energy bills, rhetoric frequently fails to match action due to the effort involved in understand- ing and changing deeply engrained energy consumption habits. Here, we present and, through dedicated experiments, test in-house developed soft-ware to remotely identify appliance energy usage within buildings, using energy equipment which could be placed at the electricity meter location. Furthermore, we monitor and compare the occupancy of the location under study through Ultra-Wideband (UWB) radar technology and compare the resulting data with those received from the power monitoring software, via time synchronization. These signals when mapped together can potentially provide both occupancy and speci c appliances power consumption, which could enable energy usage segregation on a yet impossible scale as well as usage attributable to occupancy behaviour. Such knowledge forms the basis for the implementation of automated energy saving actions based on a households unique energy profi le

Discontinuous Phase Transition in an Exactly Solvable One-Dimensional Creation-Annihilation System

An exactly solvable reaction-diffusion model consisting of first-class particles in the presence of a single second-class particle is introduced on a one-dimensional lattice with periodic boundary condition. The number of first-class particles can be changed due to creation and annihilation reactions. It is shown that the system undergoes a discontinuous phase transition in contrast to the case where the density of the second-class particles is finite and the phase transition is continuous.Comment: Revised, 8 pages, 1 EPS figure. Accepted for publication in Journal of Statistical Mechanics: theory and experimen

Radiation-free Microwave Technology for Breast Lesion Detection using Supervised Machine Learning Model

Mammography is the gold standard technology for breast screening, which has been demonstrated through different randomized controlled trials to reduce breast cancer mortality. However, mammography has limitations and potential harms, such as the use of ionizing radiation. To overcome the ionizing radiation exposure issues, a novel device (i.e. MammoWave) based on low-power radio-frequency signals has been developed for breast lesion detection. The MammoWave is a microwave device and is under clinical validation phase in several hospitals across Europe. The device transmits non-invasive microwave signals through the breast and accumulates the backscattered (returned) signatures, commonly denoted as the S21 signals in engineering terminology. Backscattered (complex) S21 signals exploit the contrast in dielectric properties of breasts with and without lesions. The proposed research is aimed to automatically segregate these two types of signal responses by applying appropriate supervised machine learning (ML) algorithm for the data emerging from this research. The support vector machine with radial basis function has been employed here. The proposed algorithm has been trained and tested using microwave breast response data collected at one of the clinical validation centres. Statistical evaluation indicates that the proposed ML model can recognise the MammoWave breasts signal with no radiological finding (NF) and with radiological findings (WF), i.e., may be the presence of benign or malignant lesions. A sensitivity of 84.40% and a specificity of 95.50% have been achieved in NF/WF recognition using the proposed ML model

A Multicentric, Single Arm, Prospective, Stratified Clinical Investigation to Confirm MammoWave’s Ability in Breast Lesions Detection

Novel techniques, such as microwave imaging, have been implemented in different prototypes and are under clinical validation, especially for breast cancer detection, due to their harmless technology and possible clinical advantages over conventional imaging techniques. In the prospective study presented in this work, we aim to investigate through a multicentric European clinical trial (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT05300464) the effectiveness of the MammoWave microwave imaging device, which uses a Huygens-principle-based radar algorithm for image reconstruction and comprises dedicated image analysis software. A detailed clinical protocol has been prepared outlining all aspects of this study, which will involve adult females having a radiologist study output obtained using conventional exams (mammography and/or ultrasound and/or magnetic resonance imaging) within the previous month. A maximum number of 600 volunteers will be recruited at three centres in Italy and Spain, where they will be asked to sign an informed consent form prior to the MammoWave scan. Conductivity weighted microwave images, representing the homogeneity of the tissues’ dielectric properties, will be created for each breast, using a conductivity = 0.3 S/m. Subsequently, several microwave image parameters (features) will be used to quantify the images’ non-homogenous behaviour. A selection of these features is expected to allow for distinction between breasts with lesions (either benign or malignant) and those without radiological findings. For all the selected features, we will use Welch’s t-test to verify the statistical significance, using the gold standard output of the radiological study review