Navigating features: A topologically informed chart of electromyographic features space

The success of biological signal pattern recognition depends crucially on the selection of relevant features. Across signal and imaging modalities, a large number of features have been proposed, leading to feature redundancy and the need for optimal feature set identification. A further complication is that, due to the inherent biological variability, even the same classification problem on different datasets can display variations in the respective optimal sets, casting doubts on the generalizability of relevant features. Here, we approach this problem by leveraging topological tools to create charts of features spaces. These charts highlight feature sub-groups that encode similar information (and their respective similarities) allowing for a principled and interpretable choice of features for classification and analysis. Using multiple electromyographic (EMG) datasets as a case study, we use this feature chart to identify functional groups among 58 state-of-the-art EMG features, and to show that they generalize across three different forearm EMG datasets obtained from able-bodied subjects during hand and finger contractions. We find that these groups describe meaningful non-redundant information, succinctly recapitulating information about different regions of feature space. We then recommend representative features from each group based on maximum class separability, robustness and minimum complexity

Constraints on the structure and seasonal variations of Triton's atmosphere from the 5 October 2017 stellar occultation and previous observations

Context. A stellar occultation by Neptune's main satellite, Triton, was observed on 5 October 2017 from Europe, North Africa, and the USA. We derived 90 light curves from this event, 42 of which yielded a central flash detection. Aims. We aimed at constraining Triton's atmospheric structure and the seasonal variations of its atmospheric pressure since the Voyager 2 epoch (1989). We also derived the shape of the lower atmosphere from central flash analysis. Methods. We used Abel inversions and direct ray-tracing code to provide the density, pressure, and temperature profiles in the altitude range similar to 8 km to similar to 190 km, corresponding to pressure levels from 9 mu bar down to a few nanobars. Results. (i) A pressure of 1.18 +/- 0.03 mu bar is found at a reference radius of 1400 km (47 km altitude). (ii) A new analysis of the Voyager 2 radio science occultation shows that this is consistent with an extrapolation of pressure down to the surface pressure obtained in 1989. (iii) A survey of occultations obtained between 1989 and 2017 suggests that an enhancement in surface pressure as reported during the 1990s might be real, but debatable, due to very few high S/N light curves and data accessible for reanalysis. The volatile transport model analysed supports a moderate increase in surface pressure, with a maximum value around 2005-2015 no higher than 23 mu bar. The pressures observed in 1995-1997 and 2017 appear mutually inconsistent with the volatile transport model presented here. (iv) The central flash structure does not show evidence of an atmospheric distortion. We find an upper limit of 0.0011 for the apparent oblateness of the atmosphere near the 8 km altitude.J.M.O. acknowledges financial support from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and the European Social Fund (ESF) through the PhD grant SFRH/BD/131700/2017. The work leading to these results has received funding from the European Research Council under the European Community's H2020 2014-2021 ERC grant Agreement nffi 669416 "Lucky Star". We thank S. Para who supported some travels to observe the 5 October 2017 occultation. T.B. was supported for this research by an appointment to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Post-Doctoral Program at the Ames Research Center administered by Universities Space Research Association (USRA) through a contract with NASA. We acknowledge useful exchanges with Mark Gurwell on the ALMA CO observations. This work has made use of data from the European Space Agency (ESA) mission Gaia (https://www.cosmos.esa.int/gaia), processed by the Gaia Data Processing and Analysis Consortium (DPAC, https://www.cosmos.esa.int/web/gaia/dpac/consortium).Funding for the DPAC has been provided by national institutions, in particular the institutions participating in the Gaia Multilateral Agreement. J.L.O., P.S.-S., N.M. and R.D. acknowledge financial support from the State Agency for Research of the Spanish MCIU through the "Center of Excellence Severo Ochoa" award to the Instituto de Astrofisica de Andalucia (SEV-2017-0709), they also acknowledge the financial support by the Spanish grant AYA-2017-84637-R and the Proyecto de Excelencia de la Junta de Andalucia J.A. 2012-FQM1776. The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme, under Grant Agreement no. 687378, as part of the project "Small Bodies Near and Far" (SBNAF). P.S.-S. acknowledges financial support by the Spanish grant AYA-RTI2018-098657-J-I00 "LEO-SBNAF". The work was partially based on observations made at the Laboratorio Nacional de Astrofisica (LNA), Itajuba-MG, Brazil. The following authors acknowledge the respective CNPq grants: F.B.-R. 309578/2017-5; R.V.-M. 304544/2017-5, 401903/2016-8; J.I.B.C. 308150/2016-3 and 305917/2019-6; M.A. 427700/20183, 310683/2017-3, 473002/2013-2. This study was financed in part by the Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior -Brasil (CAPES) -Finance Code 001 and the National Institute of Science and Technology of the e-Universe project (INCT do e-Universo, CNPq grant 465376/2014-2). G.B.R. acknowledges CAPES-FAPERJ/PAPDRJ grant E26/203.173/2016 and CAPES-PRINT/UNESP grant 88887.571156/2020-00, M.A. FAPERJ grant E26/111.488/2013 and A.R.G.Jr. FAPESP grant 2018/11239-8. B.E.M. thanks CNPq 150612/2020-6 and CAPES/Cofecub-394/2016-05 grants. Part of the photometric data used in this study were collected in the frame of the photometric observations with the robotic and remotely controlled telescope at the University of Athens Observatory (UOAO; Gazeas 2016). The 2.3 m Aristarchos telescope is operated on Helmos Observatory by the Institute for Astronomy, Astrophysics, Space Applications and Remote Sensing of the National Observatory of Athens. Observations with the 2.3 m Aristarchos telescope were carried out under OPTICON programme. This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 730890. This material reflects only the authors views and the Commission is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained therein. The 1. 2m Kryoneri telescope is operated by the Institute for Astronomy, Astrophysics, Space Applications and Remote Sensing of the National Observatory of Athens. The Astronomical Observatory of the Autonomous Region of the Aosta Valley (OAVdA) is managed by the Fondazione Clement Fillietroz-ONLUS, which is supported by the Regional Government of the Aosta Valley, the Town Municipality of Nus and the "Unite des Communes valdotaines Mont-Emilius". The 0.81 m Main Telescope at the OAVdA was upgraded thanks to a Shoemaker NEO Grant 2013 from The Planetary Society. D.C. and J.M.C. acknowledge funds from a 2017 'Research and Education' grant from Fondazione CRT-Cassa di Risparmio di Torino. P.M. acknowledges support from the Portuguese Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia ref. PTDC/FISAST/29942/2017 through national funds and by FEDER through COMPETE 2020 (ref. POCI010145 FEDER007672). F.J. acknowledges Jean Luc Plouvier for his help. S.J.F. and C.A. would like to thank the UCL student support observers: Helen Dai, Elise Darragh-Ford, Ross Dobson, Max Hipperson, Edward Kerr-Dineen, Isaac Langley, Emese Meder, Roman Gerasimov, Javier Sanjuan, and Manasvee Saraf. We are grateful to the CAHA, OSN and La Hita Observatory staffs. This research is partially based on observations collected at Centro Astronomico HispanoAleman (CAHA) at Calar Alto, operated jointly by Junta de Andalucia and Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (IAA-CSIC). This research was also partially based on observation carried out at the Observatorio de Sierra Nevada (OSN) operated by Instituto de Astrofisica de Andalucia (CSIC). This article is also based on observations made with the Liverpool Telescope operated on the island of La Palma by Liverpool John Moores University in the Spanish Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos of the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias with financial support from the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council. Partially based on observations made with the Tx40 and Excalibur telescopes at the Observatorio Astrofisico de Javalambre in Teruel, a Spanish Infraestructura Cientifico-Tecnica Singular (ICTS) owned, managed and operated by the Centro de Estudios de Fisica del Cosmos de Aragon (CEFCA). Tx40 and Excalibur are funded with the Fondos de Inversiones de Teruel (FITE). A.R.R. would like to thank Gustavo Roman for the mechanical adaptation of the camera to the telescope to allow for the observation to be recorded. R.H., J.F.R., S.P.H. and A.S.L. have been supported by the Spanish projects AYA2015-65041P and PID2019-109467GB-100 (MINECO/FEDER, UE) and Grupos Gobierno Vasco IT1366-19. Our great thanks to Omar Hila and their collaborators in Atlas Golf Marrakech Observatory for providing access to the T60cm telescope. TRAPPIST is a project funded by the Belgian Fonds (National) de la Recherche Scientifique (F.R.S.-FNRS) under grant PDR T.0120.21. TRAPPIST-North is a project funded by the University of Liege, and performed in collaboration with Cadi Ayyad University of Marrakesh. E.J. is a FNRS Senior Research Associate

The testicular cycle of captive <i>Tupinambis merianae</i> lizards in a temperate environment

Las poblaciones de Tupinambis merianae, que habitan las regiones templadas y subtropicales, muestran un comportamiento marcadamente estacional con períodos equivalentes de actividad e hibernación. Correspondientemente, la reproducción en estos lagartos es un fenómeno cíclico caracterizado por una corta actividad sexual primaveral. Este trabajo examina los cambios testiculares que ocurren durante el ciclo reproductivo de especímenes de Tupinambis merianae criados en un ambiente templado. Evalúa la participación de la porción renal sexual como glándula sexual secundaria. En otoño e invierno, el testículo exhibe una gametogénesis discontinua. La espermatocitogénesis ocurre en otoño dando lugar a una espermiogénesis precoz abortiva, que concluye en los meses fríos. En la primavera temprana, la gónada reinicia su actividad espermiogénica alcanzando prontamente un pico de máximo crecimiento y abundante producción de esperma. El clímax testicular ocurre brevemente después de la hibernación y coincide con un período de cópulas de alrededor de un mes (octubre). En ese período, el epidídimo considerablemente dilatado se encuentra revestido por un epitelio cilíndrico y contiene grandes masas de esperma. Simultáneamente, la porción sexual de los túbulos renales exhibe células columnares hipertróficas cargadas de grandes gránulos citoplasmáticos PAS (+). Pronto la actividad reproductiva cesa y da lugar a una fase de involución gonadal, que se extiende a través del resto de la primavera y verano (noviembre-febrero), indicando la existencia de un único evento reproductivo al ario. Las observaciones se discuten en relación con los factores climáticos y las características biológicas del grupo.Asociación Herpetológica Argentina (AHA

The testicular cycle of captive Tupinambis merianae lizards in a temperate environment

Las poblaciones de Tupinambis merianae, que habitan las regiones templadas y subtropicales, muestran un comportamiento marcadamente estacional con períodos equivalentes de actividad e hibernación. Correspondientemente, la reproducción en estos lagartos es un fenómeno cíclico caracterizado por una corta actividad sexual primaveral. Este trabajo examina los cambios testiculares que ocurren durante el ciclo reproductivo de especímenes de Tupinambis merianae criados en un ambiente templado. Evalúa la participación de la porción renal sexual como glándula sexual secundaria. En otoño e invierno, el testículo exhibe una gametogénesis discontinua. La espermatocitogénesis ocurre en otoño dando lugar a una espermiogénesis precoz abortiva, que concluye en los meses fríos. En la primavera temprana, la gónada reinicia su actividad espermiogénica alcanzando prontamente un pico de máximo crecimiento y abundante producción de esperma. El clímax testicular ocurre brevemente después de la hibernación y coincide con un período de cópulas de alrededor de un mes (octubre). En ese período, el epidídimo considerablemente dilatado se encuentra revestido por un epitelio cilíndrico y contiene grandes masas de esperma. Simultáneamente, la porción sexual de los túbulos renales exhibe células columnares hipertróficas cargadas de grandes gránulos citoplasmáticos PAS (+). Pronto la actividad reproductiva cesa y da lugar a una fase de involución gonadal, que se extiende a través del resto de la primavera y verano (noviembre-febrero), indicando la existencia de un único evento reproductivo al ario. Las observaciones se discuten en relación con los factores climáticos y las características biológicas del grupo. <br> Tupinambis merianae populations living in temperate and subtropical regions show a distinctly seasonal behaviour, with equivalent periods of activity and hibernation. Correspondingly, reproduction in these lizards is a cyclic phenomenon, characterized by a short spring sexual activity. This work examines the testicular changes that occur during the reproductive cycle of Tupinambis merianae specimens raised in a temperate environment. The involvement of the kidney sexual portion as a secondary sexual gland is also considered. In autumn and winter, the testicle exhibits a discontinuous gametogenesis. Spermacytogenesis takes place in autumn, giving rise to a precocious abortive spermiogenesis which concludes at cool months. At early spring, the gonad restarts its spermiogenetic activity attaining promptly a peak of maximal growth and abundant sperm production. The testicular climax occurs shortly after hibernation and coincides with a mating period of about a month (October). At that period, the quite enlarged epididymis is lined with a cylindrical epithelium and contains large sperm masses. Simultaneously, the sexual portions of kidney tubules display hypertrophic columnar cells filled with large PAS (+) cytoplasmic granules. Soon, the reproductive activity ceases and makes way for a phase of gonadal involution which extends through the rest of spring and summer (November-February), indicating the existence of a single reproductive event per year. The observations are discussed in connection with climate factors and biological features of the group

Spectral and topological analyses of the cortical representation of the head position: Does hypnotizability matter?

NTRODUCTION: The aim of this exploratory study was to assess the EEG correlates of head positions (which have never been studied in humans) in participants with different psychophysiological characteristics, as encoded by their hypnotizability scores. This choice is motivated by earlier studies suggesting different processing of vestibular/neck proprioceptive information in subjects with high (highs) and low (lows) hypnotizability scores maintaining their head rotated toward one side (RH). METHODS: We analyzed EEG signals recorded in 20 highs and 19 lows in basal conditions (head forward) and during RH using spectral analysis, which captures changes localized to specific recording sites, and topological data analysis (TDA), which instead describes large-scale differences in processing and representing sensorimotor information. RESULTS: Spectral analysis revealed significant differences related to head position for alpha 1, beta 2, beta 3, and gamma bands, but not to hypnotizability. TDA instead revealed global hypnotizability-related differences in the strengths of the correlations among recording sites during RH. Significant changes were observed in lows on the left parieto-occipital side and in highs in right frontoparietal region. Significant differences between the two groups were found in the occipital region, where changes were larger in lows than in highs. CONCLUSIONS: This study reports finding of the EEG correlates of changes in the head posture for the first time, indicating that hypnotizability is related to the head posture representation/processing on large-scale networks and that spectral and topological data analyses provide complementary results

Theory of Optical Coupling Effects Among Surfactant Au Nanoparticles Films

In previous reports, Dalfovo et al. showed experimentally that thin films of Au nanoparticles (NP) with organic coating change their optical properties when exposed to several analytes in the vapor phase (Anal Chem 84:4886–4892 2012; J Phys Chem C 119:5098–5106 2015). This optical behavior was associated with changes in the mean distance between nanoparticles, which resulted in a displacement of their plasmon bands towards blue or red in the presence of toluene (Tol) or ethanol (EtOH) vapors, respectively. In the report by Dalfovo et al. (J Phys Chem C 119:5098–5106 2015), in-situ grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray spectroscopy (GISAXS) was performed to determine changes in the inter-NP distance within the film. In the present work, we perform theoretical calculations to interpret the results obtained by Dalfovo et al. (Anal Chem 84:4886–4892 2012; J Phys Chem C 119:5098–5106 2015). For this purpose, we employ two different theoretical approaches, a quasi-static method (QS) and the Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker method (KKR), in order to describe the plasmon resonance shift as a function of the inter-NP distance changes during exposure to Tol and EtOH vapors. Both theoretical approaches describe qualitatively the behavior observed in previous experimental results that correlate the plasmon resonant wavelength with the inter-NP distance obtained by GISAXS. Our theoretical results show that the plasmon resonant wavelength strongly depends on the ratio between the inter-particle distance and the diameter of the nanoparticles and consequently, these films could be used for optical tuning.Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicada

Investigation of pharmaceuticals and their metabolites in Brazilian hospital wastewater by LC-QTOF MS screening combined with a preliminary exposure and in silico risk assessment

This work evaluates the occurrence of pharmaceuticals, with special emphasis on their metabolites, in raw hospital wastewater (HWW) using wide-scope screening based on liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry. The applied strategy uses an extended purpose-built database, containing >1000 pharmaceuticals and 250 metabolites. Raw HWW samples from a hospital located in south Brazil were collected over six months, with a monthly sampling frequency. Accurate-mass full-spectrum data provided by quadrupole-time of flight MS allowed the identification of 43 pharmaceuticals and up to 31 metabolites in the samples under study. Additionally, other four metabolites not included in the initial database could be identified using a complementary strategy based on the common fragmentation pathway between the parent compound and its metabolites. Nine metabolites derived from four pharmaceuticals were identified in the raw HWW samples, whereas their parent compounds were not found in these samples. The results of this work illustrate the importance of including not only parent pharmaceuticals but also their main metabolites in screening analysis. Besides, the inclusion of in silico QSAR predictions allowed assessing the environmental fate and effect of pharmaceuticals and metabolites in terms of biodegradability, as possible Persistent, Bioaccumulative and Toxic (PBT) compounds, and their potential hazard to the aquatic environment

WT1 and LANA expression correlate with decreased T cell infiltrates.

A. Using HALO analysis software of KS tumors from the AMC066/A5263 clinical trial, pseudocolor images were created for IHC of LANA, WT1, CD8, and CD4 cells. B. WT1 expression in all cases was inversely correlated with the number of CD8+T cells, using Spearman’s correlation test. Of note, melanin is noted along the epidermis and was excluded upon analysis of WT1 expression. C. Overall assessment of cellular populations according to histological subtype showed lower CD8 and CD4 T cells with advanced histological subtype, and the reverse for WT1 and LANA, p D. Clusters of CD8+ cells were seen at the periphery of nodular KS lesions, a representative case. E. Areas with numerous LANA+ cells were selected and quantified for CD8 positivity in a sequential tissue section, and vice versa using ordinary one-way ANOVA, Tukey’s multiple comparisons test. This spatial analysis was performed for WT1, LANA, CD4+T cells and CD8+T cells in areas of high LANA (intranodular areas) or high CD8 +T cells (along the periphery of nodular lesions), and lymphocytic infiltrates in corresponding regions for WT1/LANA/CD8/CD4 in plaques and patches. Ordinary one-way ANOVA multiple comparisons was performed as shown in S4 Table, p<0.05 (*), p <0.01 (**), p <0.001(***), p <0.0001(****), ns (not significant).</p

vFLIP upregulates major oncogenic WT1 isoforms.

A. vFLIP expression upregulates WT1, demonstrated by immunofluorescence (green) in HuARLT-1 cells transduced with a doxycycline inducible pLVX vFLIP-FLAG lentivirus for wild type vFLIP vs mutant vFLIP compared to untransfected control cells. A mutant vFLIP that is unable to bind IKKγ and induce NFĸB is defective in its ability to upregulate WT1. B. Quantitation of WT1 immunofluorescence upon vFLIP induction, performed by averaging the GFP fluorescence for six distinct areas, showed increase WT1 expression with wild type vFLIP compared to control (HuARLT-1 not transduced with vFLIP), and mutant vFLIP: control vs. vFLIP. Statistical significance was determined using one way ANOVA, Tukey’s multiple comparisons, pC. Western blots show that WT1 protein is increased upon vFLIP-FLAG induction in HuARLT-1 cells. EMD Millipore WT1-NT antibody (clone 6F-H2) against WT1 was used. This increase was not seen to the same extent when the mutant vFLIP-FLAG is expressed, which is also less stable than the wild type form, as seen with antibodies to FLAG. Quantification of three independent experiments is shown below, p = 0.05(*), using one-sided, student’s t test. D. Inhibition of NFĸB signaling with BMS-345541 demonstrated reduction of WT1 expression, with quantification for WT1 in three independent experiments shown below. E. RT-qPCR for WT1 showed induction of WT1 mRNA with wild type vFLIP expression, which did not occur upon mutant vFLIP expression: control vs. vFLIP, pF. Major WT1 isoforms, A, B, C, D are all found to be upregulated by RT-qPCR for WT1 in vitro upon vFLIP induction in HuARLT-1 cells, p<0.05(*), p<0.01(**), p <0.001(***), p<0.0001(****), not significant (ns), using ordinary one way ANOVA, Tukey’s multiple comparisons test.</p