Motor Imagery Classification for Brain Computer Interface Using Deep Convolutional Neural Networks and Mixup Augmentation

Goal: Building a DL model that can be trained on small EEG training set of a single subject presents an interesting challenge that this work is trying to address. In particular, this study is trying to avoid the need for long EEG data collection sessions, and without combining multiple subjects training datasets, which has a detrimental effect on the classification performance due to the inter-individual variability among subjects. Methods: A customized Convolutional Neural Network with mixup augmentation was trained with ∼120 EEG trials for only one subject per model. Results: Modified ResNet18 and DenseNet121 models with mixup augmentation achieved 0.920 (95% Confidence Interval: 0.908, 0.933) and 0.933 (95% Confidence Interval: 0.922, 0.945) classification accuracy, respectively. Conclusions: We show that the designed classifiers resulted in a higher classification performance in comparison to other DL classifiers of previous studies on the same dataset, despite the limited training dataset used in this work.Peer reviewe

Isolation of Steroidal Saponin from Dracaena umbratical / Raudhatul Jannah Mohd Zuki et al.

Steroidal saponins are important class of components found in plants that play several crucial bioactivities based on previous studies. One known steroidal saponin was successfully isolated from Dracaena umbratica, a shrub of Dracaenaceae family. Dracaena umbratica also known as ‘Senjuang’ among local people. The isolation of a white amorphous steroidal saponin was conducted via normal phase vacuum liquid chromatography eluted with methanol. Its structure was established by spectroscopic analysis as 3-O-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (14)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (14)-β-D-glucopyranosyl]-25(R)-spirost-5-en-3β-ol

Classification of Thoughts into Wheelchair Control Commands using Neural Network

This paper presents the use of neural network classification thought- based commands for wheelchair control. The advantage is to assist the locked in people who are not able to use physical interfaces like joysticks or buttons. Electroencephalogram (EEG) was used to discriminate motor imagery mental tasks, such as imagination of left hand, right hand, both hands and both feet. The four task classifications were mapped into a wheelchair movement, such as forward, left, right, and backward. The motor imager

Robust and Reliable Modulation Classification for MIMO Systems

Abstract: This paper develops a feature-based Automatic Modulation Classification (AMC) algorithm for spatially multiplexed Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) systems. The proposed algorithm employs two Higher Order Cumulants (HOCs) of the estimated transmit signal streams as discriminating features, and a multiclass Support Vector Machine (SVM) as a classification system. A multi-classifier classification system is introduced to improve the robustness of the decision made by the classifier at each estimated transmit signal stream. Furthermore, an optimal decision fusion scheme using a Maximum-Likelihood (ML) criterion is also introduced to improve the accuracy and reliability of the final classification decision made in the fusion center. The proposed algorithm shows good performance under different operating conditions, over an acceptable range of SNR, without any prior information about the channel state

Aligned magnetic field of two-phase mixed convection flow in dusty Casson fluid over a stretching sheet with Newtonian heating

The effect of aligned magnetic field is numerically investigated for mixed convection flow of dusty Casson fluid over a stretching sheet. The governing equations of flow and heat transfer for the two-phase model (fluid and dust) with an appropriate thermal boundary condition which is Newtonian heating (NH) is presented. The similarity transformation is employed to transform the nonlinear governing equations for each phase into the ordinary differential equations which then solved numerically using Runge-Kutta Fehlberg (RKF45) method. Numerical solutions obtained for velocity and temperature distributions are illustrated through graph by varying several physical parameters. It is observed that the fluid velocity decreases with an increase in aligned magnetic field and particle-fluid interaction parameter

Determination of the best single imputation algorithm for missing rainfall data treatment

The presence of missing rainfall data is inevitable due to error of recording, meteorological extremes and malfunction of instruments. Consequently, a competent imputation algorithm for missing data treatment algorithm is very much needed. There are several such efficient algorithms which have been introduced in earlier studies. However, the limitations of current algorithms are they are highly dependent on the information and homogeneity of adjoining rainfall stations. Therefore, this study is intended to introduce several single imputation algorithms for missing data treatment, which believed to be more competent in treating missing daily rainfall data without the need to depend on the information of adjoining rainfall stations. The proposed algorithms use descriptive measures of the data, including arithmetric means, geometric means, harmonic means, medians and midranges. These algorithms are tested on hourly rainfall data records from six selected rainfall stations located in the Kuantan River Basin. Based on the analysis, the proposed singular imputation algorithms, which treated missing data by geometric means, harmonic means and medians are more superior compared to the other imputation algorithms, irrespective of missing rates and rainfall stations

Knowledge and awareness about chronic kidney disease among undergraduate students in International Islamic University Malaysia Kuantan Campus

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) causes 70% of all death globally. The prevalence of CKD has shown an increasing trend for the past 20 years in Malaysia. Thus, determining the knowledge and awareness of CKD among healthcare students in preparing them to be a good healthcare provider in the future is important. This study aimed to determine the association between knowledge and awareness about CKD among International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) undergraduate students. A crosssectional study was conducted among 108 students using simple random sampling method. The questionnaire was given to the class representative to be self-administered to interested students. It had close-ended questions consisting of Part A to Part D. The scoring given for correctly answered items was one and the total score for Part C was 7 marks. Most of the students were female (70.4%). The mean knowledge score of CKD was 3.65 (SD = 1.12) with nearly half of the students (43.5%) classified as having poor knowledge. Most respondents were aware about CKD (99.1%) and have heard about it from medical personnel (48.1%) and the Internet (25.9%). Further analysis showed that only courses taken by the respondents were significantly associated with knowledge on CKD (p = 0.039). The level of knowledge among undergraduate students is still poor, yet they are aware about the existence of CKD and its aetiology. Therefore, the health sciences curriculum should emphasise on CKD management from a multidisciplinary aspect of care. It is recommended to conduct similar research among different student populations to create awareness and obtain important baseline findings

Histological assessments of intestinal immuno-morphology of tiger grouper juvenile, Epinephelus fuscoguttatus

Histological assessments on the intestinal morphology and immunity of tiger grouper juveniles, Epinephelus fuscoguttatus help in determining the earliest age to start an oral vaccination. This study describes the morphological development of the intestinal immunity of tiger grouper of various ages. Clinically healthy tiger groupers were selected and divided into 4 groups of 20 fish per group. Groups 1, 2, 3 and 4 consisted of juveniles of 30, 60, 90 and 120 days old, respectively. The whole intestine was collected and divided into three regions, the anterior, mid and posterior intestine and fixed in 10% buffered formalin before slides were prepared for microscopic examinations. It was found that the histological structures of the anterior intestine were for absorption of nutrient from digested food particles. The significantly (p < 0.05) higher number and length of the intestinal villi and smaller gap between villi were observed in the anterior intestine, which were structures for absorption. Structures of the posterior intestine were for immunity especially the adaptive immunity with included significantly (p < 0.05) higher numbers of the lymphoid and goblet cells, and significantly (p < 0.05) thicker lamina propria, which were structures for immunity. The mid intestine was the transition structure that involved in both absorption and innate immunity. The results also revealed that leukocytes existed in the lamina propria of 30-days old tiger groupers, an indication that the immune system was present at that particular age

Pattern of herbal and dietary supplement usage and conventional medication adherence among patients with chronic kidney disease: a survey finding

Introduction: There is widespread use of herbal and dietary supplements worldwide among patients despite robust clinical evidence of its efficacy. This may lead to adverse effects, such as diabetes,hypertension, stroke, cardiovascular risk and kidney problems due to inappropriate self-prescription. This study was performed to determine the prevalence of herbal and dietary supplements usage among patients with chronic kidney disease and its association with the socio-demographic background and the conventional medication adherence. Materials and methods: A survey was conducted among 78 chronic kidney disease patients attending the Nephrology Clinic, Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan, Kuantan, Pahang. Data were collected using a questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi Square Test and Fisher’s Exact Test. The p-value was set to be less 0.05 for its level of significance. Results: Most of the patients aged more than 50 years (89.7%), female (53.8%), unemployed (41%) and from lower socioeconomic earners (75.6%). Only 5.2% of respondents reported using herbal and dietary supplements. There was no association between socio-demographic background with the herbal and dietary supplements usage. Similarly, there was no association between herbal and dietary supplements usage and the conventional medication adherence. Conclusion: This study provides a good baseline on the usage of herbal and dietary supplements use among chronic disease patients. It can be concluded that the level of awareness among the patients is good. Nevertheless, a larger study shall be performed in the future to explore the pattern of association