Evaluation of the feasibility of a novel distance adaptable steady-state visual evoked potential based brain-computer interface

Steady-state visual evoked potential (SSVEP) based brain-computer interface (BCI) has attracted great attention in BCI research due to its advantages over the other electroencephalography (EEG) based BCI paradigms, such as high speed, high signal to noise ratio, high accuracy, commands scalability and minimal user training time. Several studies have demonstrated that SSVEP BCI can provide a reliable channel to the users to communicate and control an external device. While most SSVEP based BCI studies focus on encoding the visual stimuli, enhancing the signal detection and improving the classification accuracy, there is a need to bridge the gap between BCI "bench" research and real world application. This study proposes a novel distance adaptable SSVEP based BCI paradigm which allows its users to operate the system in a range of viewing distances between the user and the visual stimulator. Unlike conventional SSVEP BCI where users can only operate the system at a fixed distance in front of the visual stimulator, users can operate the proposed BCI at a range of viewing distances. 10 healthy subjects participated in the experiment to evaluate the feasibility of the proposed SSVEP BCI. The visual stimulator was presented to the subjects at 4 viewing distances, 60cm, 150cm, 250cm and 350cm. The mean classification accuracy across the subjects and the viewing distances is over 75 The results demonstrate the feasibility of a distance adaptable SSVEP based BCI

Impact of stimulus configuration on steady state visual evoked potentials (SSVEP) response

We investigate the impact of configuration of multistimuli presented in computer monitor to steady-state visual evoked potential response. The configuration of stimuli is defined by three parameters-the size of stimuli, the separation distance between the stimuli and the layout. Two 4 by 4 checkerboards in twelve configurations were presented to the subjects. 9 subjects participated in this study. Subjects’ electroencephalography (EEG) data was off-line analyzed by using Fast Fourier Transform (FFT). The mean classification rates of configuration with bigger size and larger separation distance is higher than those configurations with smaller size and shorter separation distance. These results suggest that the stimulus size is the most important parameter of three, followed by the separation distance and layout

Hemoglobin A1c Levels Modify Associations between Dietary Acid Load and Breast Cancer Recurrence.

BackgroundMetabolic acidosis promotes cancer metastasis. No prospective studies have examined the association between dietary acid load and breast cancer recurrence among breast cancer survivors, who are susceptible to metabolic acidosis. Hyperglycemia promotes cancer progression and acid formation; however, researchers have not examined whether hyperglycemia can modify the association between dietary acid load and breast cancer recurrence.MethodsWe studied 3081 early-stage breast cancer survivors enrolled in the Women's Healthy Eating and Living study who provided dietary information through 24-h recalls at baseline and during follow-up and had measurements of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) at baseline. We assessed dietary acid load using two common dietary acid load scores, potential renal acid load (PRAL) score and net endogenous acid production (NEAP) score.ResultsAfter an average of 7.3 years of follow-up, dietary acid load was positively associated with recurrence when baseline HbA1c levels were ≥ 5.6% (median level) and ≥5.7% (pre-diabetic cut-point). In the stratum with HbA1c ≥ 5.6%, comparing the highest to the lowest quartile of dietary acid load, the multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio was 2.15 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.34-3.48) for PRAL and was 2.31 (95% CI 1.42-3.74) for NEAP. No associations were observed in the stratum with HbA1c levels were <5.6%. P-values for interactions were 0.01 for PRAL and 0.05 for NEAP.ConclusionsOur study demonstrated for the first time that even at or above normal to high HbA1c levels, dietary acid load was associated with increased risk of breast cancer recurrence among breast cancer survivors.ImpactsOur study provides strong evidence for developing specific dietary acid load guidelines based on HbA1c levels

Extreme Precipitation Events over East Asia: Evaluating the CMIP5 Model

Extreme hydrological events are a direct threat to society and the environment, and their study within the framework of global climate change remains crucial. However, forecasts present numerous uncertainties

Disordered Fe vacancies and superconductivity in potassium-intercalated iron selenide (K2-xFe4+ySe5)

The parent compound of an unconventional superconductor must contain unusual correlated electronic and magnetic properties of its own. In the high-Tc potassium intercalated FeSe, there has been significant debate regarding what the exact parent compound is. Our studies unambiguously show that the Fe-vacancy ordered K2Fe4Se5 is the magnetic, Mott insulating parent compound of the superconducting state. Non-superconducting K2Fe4Se5 becomes a superconductor after high temperature annealing, and the overall picture indicates that superconductivity in K2-xFe4+ySe5 originates from the Fe-vacancy order to disorder transition. Thus, the long pending question whether magnetic and superconducting state are competing or cooperating for cuprate superconductors may also apply to the Fe-chalcogenide superconductors. It is believed that the iron selenides and related compounds will provide essential information to understand the origin of superconductivity in the iron-based superconductors, and possibly to the superconducting cuprates

The study on SFLAB GanedenBC30 viability on baking products during storage

AbstractFor understanding Bacillus coagulans, GanedenBC30 was used in different ways to added in raw dough and examine their viability after baking. Eight different baking products: (1) chrysanthemum cookies, (2) egg pastry cakes, (3) mooncakes, (4) muffins, (5) polo breads, (6) soda cookies, (7) sponge cakes, and (8) toasts were made from 0.5% GanedenBC30 added to their dough in two ways: (a) flour powder or (b) egg yolk. Then the (a) pH value, (b) titratable acidity, (c) GanedenBC30 counts, and (d) viability GanedenBC30 of eight different baking products were determined after storing at 4oC for 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 days, or 25oC for 0, 3, 6 days. The eight types of raw dough had relatively lower pH values and rise after baking. The titratable acidity of the eight types of dough was relatively higher, and declined after baking. However, the pH value and titratable acidity of the eight baking products remained the same after 9 days at 4oC. On the other hand, the GanedenBC30 counts in the eight baking products were less than their raw dough GanedenBC30 levels. For storage at both 4 and 25oC, the results show the GanedenBC30 viability of baking products decreased with storage days. The dough made by flour powder and baking showed higher GanedenBC30 viability than by egg yolk. GanedenBC30 are good candidates for baking product use, both in lactic acid production and probiotic preparations

Poly[(μ2-3,6-di-4-pyridyl-1,2,4,5-tetra­zine)(μ2-thio­cyanato)copper(I)]

The title compound, [Cu(NCS)(C12H8N6)]n, is a self-assembled two-dimensional metal–organic network. The Cu atom is linked by two N atoms from two 3,6-di-4-pyridyl-1,2,4,5-tetra­zine ligands and by the N and S atoms from two thio­cyanate ligands in a distorted tetra­hedral environment. The Cu atom and the thio­cyanate ligand occupy a crystallographic mirror plane m, and a crystallographic inversion centre is in the middle of the tetra­zine ring, generating the zigzag fashion of the two-dimensional network. The infinite –Cu—SCN—Cu—SCN– chain is due to translational symmetry along the a axis. These chains are further connected through the 3,6-di-4-pyridyl-1,2,4,5-tetra­zine ligands that bridge the CuI centers, generating a two-dimensional network. There are π—π stacking inter­actions between the pyridine and tetra­zine rings (perpendicular distances of 3.357 and 3.418 Å), with a centroid–centroid distance of 3.6785 (16) Å

Advanced materials for aqueous supercapacitors in the asymmetric design

AbstractSupercapacitors have been recognized as one of the promising energy storage devices in the future energy technology. In this perspective, rapid progress is made in the development of fundamental and applied aspects of supercapacitors. Various techniques have been developed specifically to estimate the specific capacitance. Numerous efforts have been made in the literature to increase the specific capacitance of electrode materials. Recently, researchers pay more attention on designing supercapacitors of asymmetric type with extending cell voltage and dissimilar materials with complementary working potentials. Researchers try to increase the specific energy of asymmetric supercapacitors (ASCs). Conversely, it is still a challenge to find a suitable operation conditions for ASCs in various designs, especially for the one with battery type electrode. In this review, we describe our recent research works and other reports on the preparation of various nanostructured electrode materials and the performances of both symmetric and asymmetric supercapacitors. Finally, we demonstrate effects of charge balance on the capacitive performances of ASCs which consist of one electrode material of the battery type and one capacitive material. We also demonstrate how to evaluate the charge capacities of both positive and negative electrode materials for this ASC application