SimBCI-A framework for studying BCI methods by simulated EEG

International audienceBrain-computer interface (BCI) methods are commonly studied using electroencephalogram (EEG) data recorded from human experiments. For understanding and developing BCI signal processing techniques, real data is costly to obtain and its composition is a priori unknown. The brain mechanisms generating the EEG are not directly observable and their states cannot be uniquely identified from the EEG. Subsequently, we do not have generative ground truth for real data. In this paper, we propose a novel convenience framework called simBCI to alleviate testing and studying BCI signal processing methods in simulated, controlled conditions. The framework can be used to generate artificial BCI data and to test classification pipelines with such data. Models and parameters on both data generation and the signal processing side can be iterated over to examine the interplay of different combinations. The framework provides the first time open source implementations of several models and methods. We invite researchers to insert more advanced models. The proposed system does not intend to replace human experiments. Instead, it can be used to discover hypotheses, study algorithms, educate about BCI, and debug signal processing pipelines of other BCI systems. The proposed framework is modular, extensible, and freely available as open source. 1 It currently requires MATLAB

Infertility and hypergonadotropic hypogonadism as first evidence of hereditary apolipoprotein A-I amyloidosis

Purpose: We report that primary infertility and hypergonadotropic hypogonadism in young patients may be caused by testicular amyloidosis and it is associated with the presence of a mutation in the apoA-I gene, resulting in the replacement of proline for leucine at residue 75 of the protein. Materials and Methods: Ten patients presenting with infertility, gynecomastia, decreased libido, erectile dysfunction or a family history of amyloidosis underwent clinical evaluation, hormone assays, semen analysis, ultrasonographic investigation of the testicles, testicular biopsy and DNA sequencing of the apoA-I gene. Results: All patients showed azoospermia and 9 had increased testicular volume. Massive amyloid deposition was observed in all testicular biopsies and the apoA-I mutation of replacement of proline for leucine at residue 75 of the protein was noted. Five patients showed hypergonadotropic hypogonadism and 5 had normal testosterone values with high gonadotropin levels. Conclusions: Nonobstructive azoospermia and macro-orchidism with or without hypogonadism may be caused by hereditary apoA-I amyloidosis in young patients. Testicular amyloidosis can be the first manifestation of this systemic disease. Specific staining for amyloid deposits and genetic analysis of apoA-I mutations are recommended in young, infertile patients with macro-orchidism. Finally, surveillance in asymptomatic mutation carriers is suggested to evaluate the opportunity to implement sperm retrieval and start androgen replacement therapy when necessary

"Growing through relationship" - the Engagement of the Health Professional Students in the Internship Experience: a Grounded Theory Research

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Little is known about the students' engagement in the training experience and how it is lived by the health professional students. We aim at building a theoretical model of the engagement process starting from their lived experiences with Grounded Theory approach. METHODS: In-depth qualitative interviews are conducted with 12 students from the Master Degree Courses in Nursing, Physiotherapy and Prevention Techniques in the environment and in the workplace, who had carried out and/or were doing internships in the same territory (2nd and 3rd year). Results The health professions' student engagement in the training program is developed in three main phases: initial phase, central phase and final phase, where emotions, behaviours, awareness contribute to the development of the entire engagement process with different relevance. The intertwining of these different components that develop along the stages of the experience gives life to the core category: growing through relationship, which expressed the crucial role of the relational network built during the internship experience in shaping students' engagement. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study underline the crucial role of students' engagement in the internship experience in favouring both better learning outcomes and perspective professional success and wellbeing. (www.actabiomedica.it)

High-pressure behavior and phase stability of Na2B4O6(OH)2·3H2O (kernite)

The high-pressure behavior of kernite [ideally Na2B4O6(OH)2\ub73H2O, a ~ 7.02 \u212b, b ~ 9.16 \u212b, c ~ 15.68 \u212b, \u3b2 = 108.9\ub0, Sp Gr P21/c, at ambient conditions], an important B-bearing raw material (with B2O3 48 51 wt%) and a potential B-rich aggregate in radiation shielding materials, has been studied by single-crystal synchrotron X-ray diffraction up to 14.6 GPa. Kernite undergoes an iso-symmetric phase transition at 1.6-2.0 GPa (to kernite-II). Between 6.6-7.5 GPa, kernite undergoes a second phase transition, possibly iso-symmetric in character (to kernite-III). The crystal structure of kernite-II was solved and refined. The isothermal bulk modulus (KV0 = \u3b2-1 P0,T0, where \u3b2P0,T0 is the volume compressibility coefficient) of the ambient-pressure polymorph of kernite was found to be KV0 = 29(1) GPa and a marked anisotropic compressional pattern, with K(a)0: K(b)0: K(c)0~1:3:1.5., was observed. In kernite-II, the KV0 increases to 43.3(9) GPa and the anisotropic compressional pattern increases pronouncedly. The mechanisms, at the atomic scale, which govern the structure deformation, have been described

Bilateral pyosalpinx in a peripubescent female with Hirschsprung's disease: a case report

This is a case report of bilateral pyosalpinx in a peripubescent female with a history of Hirschsprung's disease. Bilateral pyosalpinx is a rare condition in non-sexually active females. The presence of this disease in a patient with a history of Hirschsprung's disease is concerning for an association of the two processes

Enumeration of simple random walks and tridiagonal matrices

We present some old and new results in the enumeration of random walks in one dimension, mostly developed in works of enumerative combinatorics. The relation between the trace of the $n$-th power of a tridiagonal matrix and the enumeration of weighted paths of $n$ steps allows an easier combinatorial enumeration of the paths. It also seems promising for the theory of tridiagonal random matrices .Comment: several ref.and comments added, misprints correcte

The effect of the regular solution model in the condensation of protoplanetary dust

We utilize a chemical equilibrium code in order to study the condensation process which occurs in protoplanetary discs during the formation of the first solids. The model specifically focuses on the thermodynamic behaviour on the solid species assuming the regular solution model. For each solution, we establish the relationship between the activity of the species, the composition and the temperature using experimental data from the literature. We then apply the Gibbs free energy minimization method and study the resulting condensation sequence for a range of temperatures and pressures within a protoplanetary disc. Our results using the regular solution model show that grains condense over a large temperature range and therefore throughout a large portion of the disc. In the high temperature region (T > 1400 K) Ca-Al compounds dominate and the formation of corundum is sensitive to the pressure. The mid-temperature region is dominated by Fe(s) and silicates such as Mg2SiO4 and MgSiO3 . The chemistry of forsterite and enstatite are strictly related, and our simulations show a sequence of forsterite-enstatite-forsterite with decreasing temperature. In the low temperature regions (T < 600 K) a range of iron compounds and sulfides form. We also run simulations using the ideal solution model and see clear differences in the resulting condensation sequences with changing solution model In particular, we find that the turning point in which forsterite replaces enstatite in the low temperature region is sensitive to the solution model. Our results show that the ideal solution model is often a poor approximation to experimental data at most temperatures important in protoplanetary discs. We find some important differences in the resulting condensation sequences when using the regular solution model, and suggest that this model should provide a more realistic condensation sequence.Comment: MNRAS: Accepted 2011 February 16. Received 2011 February 14; in original form 2010 July 2