Eigen filter to detect volitional EMG signals in autogenic EMG-controlled FES

Presented is an eigen filter to remove autogenic electrical stimulation artefacts and M-waves while preserving the volitional electromyographic signal. The optimality of the eigen filter is shown, along with simulated and measured data to indicate its superior performance over conventional prediction error filters.     

Development of the semi-empirical equation of state for square-well chain fluid based on the Statistical Associating Fluid Theory (SAFT)

A semi-empirical equation of state for the freely jointed square-well chain fluid is developed. This equation of state is based on Wertheim’s thermodynamic perturbation theory (TPT) and the statistical associating fluid theory (SAFT). The compressibility factor and radial distribution function of square-well monomer are obtained from Monte Carlo simulations. These results are correlated using density expansion. In developing the equation of state the exact analytical expressions are adopted for the second and third virial coefficients for the compressibility factor and the first two terms of the radial distribution function, while the higher order coefficients are determined from regression using the simulation data. In the limit of infinite temperature, the present equation of state and the expression for the radial distribution function are represented by the Carnahan-Starling equation of state. This semi-empirical equation of state gives at least comparable accuracy with other empirical equation of state for the square-well monomer fluid. With the new SAFT equation of state from the accurate expressions for the monomer reference and covalent terms, we compare the prediction of the equation of state to the simulation results for the compressibility factor and radial distribution function of the square-well monomer and chain fluids. The predicted compressibility factors for square well chains are found to be in a good agreement with simulation data. The high accuracy of the present equation of state is ascribed to the fact that rigorous simulation results for the reference fluid are used, especially at low temperatures and low densities. This paper was presented at the 8th APCChE (Asia Pacific Confederation of Chemical Engineering) Congress held at Seoul between August 16 and 19, 1999.     

Analysis of microbial adaptation at enzyme level for enhancing biodegradation rate of BTX

Catechol was found to be a common intermediate in the degradation of benzene and toluene byAlcaligenes xyhsoxidans Y234, and the ring cleavage of the catechol mediated by catechol 1,2-dioxygenase was a rate-determining step. Since benzene induced higher level of catechol 1,2-dioxygenase than toluene, the cells pre-adapted to benzene showed higher degradation rate of benzene and toluene. The degradation rate ofm-xylene was also increased significantly when benzene-adapted cells were inoculated.m-Xylene was metabolized via 3-methyl catechol which was effectively cleaved by catechol 1,2-dioxygenase.     

Estimation and correction method for the two-dimensional positionerrors of a planar XY stage based on motion error measurements

This paper describes an estimation and correction method for the two-dimensional (2D) position errors of a planar XY stage that is driven along the Y-axis by two linear motors. The 2D position errors of the stage were estimated and corrected based on measured motion errors from a conventional laser interferometer system. To compensate for the planar XY stage 2D position errors, corrections were introduced for the yaw, perpendicular, straightness and 1D position errors along each axis, which are predominantly caused by linear scale, yaw, and pitching motion errors. The effect of the motion error corrections was evaluated by diagonal measurements based on the ISO230-6 standard and six different 1D position error measurements along the X and Y-axes. By applying error motion corrections, the diagonal systematic deviation at the center point was improved from 499.7 μm to 1.16 μm, and the estimated maximum 2D position errors were improved to −0.263 and 0.530 μm in the X and Y directions, respectively. The diagonal systematic deviation at a corner point was 1.23 μm and the estimated maximum difference between the corner and center points improved from −2.603 and 2.603 μm to −0.05 and 0.12 μm in the X and Y directions respectively.     

Impact of bandwidth request schemes for Best-Effort traffic in IEEE 802.16 networks

In IEEE 802.16 networks, bandwidth request–grant schemes are employed for reducing data collision and supporting various QoS requirements. In this paper, we investigate the impact of such schemes on Best-Effort (BE) traffic. We examine three candidate schemes. In the first scheme, each Subscribe Station (SS) attempts to request bandwidth in every frame to reduce delay. In the second scheme, the number of bandwidth request is limited to avoid collisions in bandwidth request. In the third scheme, a base station allocates bandwidth to each SS based on the measured sending rate without explicit bandwidth request. We quantitatively analyze the performance of these schemes in terms of the collision rate and buffer length. We also present a simulation study to validate our analysis and to observe the impact of these schemes on BE traffic. This paper shows that IEEE 802.16 networks can be effectively managed through appropriate bandwidth request schemes. It is also shown that bandwidth allocation without request can be an alternative for increasing utilization.     

A comprehensive framework for the evaluation of ontology modularization

The Semantic Web and ontologies have received increased attention in recent years. The delivery of well-designed ontologies enhances the effect of Semantic Web services, but building ontologies from scratch requires considerable time and effort. Modularizing ontologies and integrating ontology modules to a given context help users effectively develop ontologies and revitalize ontology dissemination. Therefore, various tools for modularizing ontologies have been developed. However, selecting an appropriate tool to fit a given context is difficult because the assumptions for the approaches greatly vary. Therefore, a suitable framework is required to compare and help screen the most suitable modularization tool.In this research, we propose a new evaluation framework for selecting an appropriate ontology modularization tool. We present three aspects of tool evaluation as the main dimensions for the assessment of modularization tools: tool performance, data performance, and usability.This study provides an implicit evaluation and an empirical analysis of three modularization tools. It also provides an evaluation method for ontology modularization, enabling ontology engineers to compare different modularization tools and easily choose an appropriate one for the production of qualifying ontology modules.The experimental results indicate that the proposed evaluation criteria for ontology modularization tools are valid and effective. This research provides a useful method for assessing and selecting ontology modularization tools. Modularization performance, data performance, and usability are the three modularization aspects designed and applied to the context of ontology. We provide a new focus on the comprehensive framework to evaluate the performance and usability of ontology modularization tools. The proposed framework should be of value to both ontology engineers, who are interested in ontology modularization, and to practitioners, who need information on how to evaluate and select a specific type of ontology tool in accordance with the requirements of the individual environment.     

Inhibitory effect of sowthistle (Ixeris dentata) on development and expression of behavioral locomotor sensitization to nicotine in rats

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of sowthistle (Ixeris dentata, IXD) on development and expression of nicotine-induced locomotor sensitization and underlying neuronal activation reflected by c-Fos expression in rats. Rats were pretreated with IXD 30 min before a daily injection of nicotine during an 8-day development phase and then challenged with nicotine after a 6-day withdrawal period. In another set of experiments, same IXD doses were administered once 30 min before nicotine challenge. Daily IXD treatment during development phase was not effective in blocking nicotine-induced locomotor sensitization in rats. However, a single IXD treatment after the development and withdrawal periods of nicotine sensitization significantly alleviated sensitized locomotor behavior on day 15. These behavioral results were coincident with significant inhibition of nicotineinduced c-Fos expression in the nucleus accumbens. These results indicated that IXD pretreatment significantly blocked the expression, but not the development of nicotine-induced locomotor sensitization in rats.     

Exposure to ethyl carbamate in alcohol-drinking and nondrinking adults and its reduction by simple charcoal filtration

The risk of exposure to ethyl carbamate from the consumption of kimchi, soy sauce, and alcoholic beverages was assessed in alcohol-drinking and nondrinking adults. An alcohol-drinking adult obtains 5.6–9.2 ng/kg bw/day of ethyl carbamate through the addition of kimchi and soy sauce, while a nondrinking adult receives 3.3–4.0 ng/kg bw/day via kimchi and soy sauce alone. The average excess cancer risk of an alcohol-drinking adult (3.9 × 10^?7) was also twice higher than that of an adult who does not drink (1.9 × 10^?7). We achieved a maximum of 47% and 45% removal of the ethyl carbamate present in diluted spirits and soy sauce, respectively, through a simple charcoal filtration process. This resulted in a reduction of the average daily intakes of ethyl carbamate through diluted spirits and soy sauce from 1.7 and 2.2 ng/kg bw/day to 0.9 and 1.2 ng/kg bw/day, respectively.     

Chiral Se Nanobrooms with Wavelength and Polarization Sensitive Scattering

High-index dielectric nanostructures offer strong magnetic and electric resonances in the visible range and low optical losses, stimulating research interest in their use for light manipulation technologies. Lithographic fabrication of dielectric nanostructures, while providing precise control over the pattern dimensions, limits the scalability of this approach for practical applications due to an inefficient fabrication process and limited production quantity. Here, the colloidal synthesis of high-index chiral dielectric nanostructures with a broom-like geometry made from trigonal Se is demonstrated. The anisotropic morphology and crystal structure of Se nanobrooms enable both linearly and circularly polarized scattering, as well as spectrum variation along the particle axis, which is, to the authors’ knowledge, the first observation of such behavior from dielectric colloidal nanostructures. To show the versatility of the highly scattering Se NB suspensions, 2D and 3D printing of Se NB inks are demonstrated as a proof of concept. This approach provides a way to manipulate light using aqueous dispersions of high-index dielectric nanostructures, unlocking their potential to fit in various morphologies and dimensions in 2D and 3D for broad applications.