A new multi-modal dataset for human affect analysis

In this paper we present a new multi-modal dataset of spontaneous three way human interactions. Participants were recorded in an unconstrained environment at various locations during a sequence of debates in a video conference, Skype style arrangement. An additional depth modality was introduced, which permitted the capture of 3D information in addition to the video and audio signals. The dataset consists of 16 participants and is subdivided into 6 unique sections. The dataset was manually annotated on a continuously scale across 5 different affective dimensions including arousal, valence, agreement, content and interest. The annotation was performed by three human annotators with the ensemble average calculated for use in the dataset. The corpus enables the analysis of human affect during conversations in a real life scenario. We first briefly reviewed the existing affect dataset and the methodologies related to affect dataset construction, then we detailed how our unique dataset was constructed

A systematic review of associations between environmental exposures and development of asthma in children aged up to 9 years

Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Finding Galaxy Groups In Photometric Redshift Space: the Probability Friends-of-Friends (pFoF) Algorithm

We present a structure finding algorithm designed to identify galaxy groups in photometric redshift data sets: the probability friends-of-friends (pFoF) algorithm. This algorithm is derived by combining the friends-of-friends algorithm in the transverse direction and the photometric redshift probability densities in the radial dimension. The innovative characteristic of our group-finding algorithm is the improvement of redshift estimation via the constraints given by the transversely connected galaxies in a group, based on the assumption that all galaxies in a group have the same redshift. Tests using the Virgo Consortium Millennium Simulation mock catalogs allow us to show that the recovery rate of the pFoF algorithm is larger than 80% for mock groups of at least 2\times10^{13}M_{\sun}, while the false detection rate is about 10% for pFoF groups containing at least $\sim8$ net members. Applying the algorithm to the CNOC2 group catalogs gives results which are consistent with the mock catalog tests. From all these results, we conclude that our group-finding algorithm offers an effective yet simple way to identify galaxy groups in photometric redshift catalogs.Comment: AJ accepte

Tracing the Mass-Assembly History of Galaxies with Deep Surveys

We use the optical and near-infrared galaxy samples from the Munich Near-Infrared Cluster Survey (MUNICS), the FORS Deep Field (FDF) and GOODS-S to probe the stellar mass assembly history of field galaxies out to z ~ 5. Combining information on the galaxies' stellar mass with their star-formation rate and the age of the stellar population, we can draw important conclusions on the assembly of the most massive galaxies in the universe: These objects contain the oldest stellar populations at all redshifts probed. Furthermore, we show that with increasing redshift the contribution of star-formation to the mass assembly for massive galaxies increases dramatically, reaching the era of their formation at z ~ 2 and beyond. These findings can be interpreted as evidence for an early epoch of star formation in the most massive galaxies in the universe.Comment: 3 pages, 2 figures; published in B. Aschenbach, V. Burwitz, G. Hasinger, B. Leibundgut (eds.): "Relativistic Astrophysics and Cosmology - Einstein's Legacy. Proceedings of the Conference held in Munich, 2006", ESO Astrophysics Symposia, Springer Verlag, 2007, p. 310. Replaced to match final published versio

High-dose cyclosporin with etoposide--toxicity and pharmacokinetic interaction in children with solid tumours.

The tolerability, anti-tumour activity and pharmacokinetic interaction of high-dose intravenous cyclosporin combined with intravenous etoposide was evaluated in children. Eighteen patients with recurrent or refractory tumours, all of whom had previously received etoposide, were treated with a combination of high-dose cyclosporin and etoposide. In 13, cyclosporin was given as a continuous infusion (15 mg kg(-1) per 24 h for 60 h) and in five a short 3-hour infusion of 30 mg kg(-1) day(-1) on three consecutive days. Pharmacokinetic profiles of etoposide were determined with and without cyclosporin. Cyclosporin levels ranged from 1359 to 4835 ng ml(-1) and cyclosporin increased the median area under the concentration time for etoposide curve from 7.2 to 12.5 mg ml(-1) min. The major toxicity was acute with varying forms of hypersensitivity reactions. In four cases this was severe. Hyperbilirubinaemia was present in 25 of 32 courses but was of short duration. In 14 courses, creatinine and/or urea was elevated, but was also transient. Significant hypertension was seen in six courses. Four of 17 patients evaluable for response obtained a partial response and one showed stable disease. It is concluded that in children given the combination of high-dose cyclosporin and etoposide, the etoposide dose should be halved in order to achieve an area under the drug concentration-time curve similar to that with etoposide alone. A continuous infusion schedule of cyclosporin is better tolerated during the period of administration but is associated with similar hepatic and renal dysfunction to a short schedule. The 24% response rate in children who had previously received etoposide suggests that this may be an effective method of enhancing drug sensitivity and further phase II evaluation is justified

Faint, Evolving Radio AGN in SDSS Luminous Red Galaxies

We detect and study the properties of faint radio AGN in Luminous Red Galaxies (LRGs). The LRG sample comprises 760,000 objects from a catalog of LRG photometric redshifts constructed from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) imaging data, and 65,000 LRGs from the SDSS spectroscopic sample. These galaxies have typical 1.4 GHz flux densities in the 10s-100s of microJy, with the contribution from a low-luminosity AGN dominating any contribution from star formation. To probe the radio properties of such faint objects, we employ a stacking technique whereby FIRST survey image cutouts at each optical LRG position are sorted by the parameter of interest and median-combined within bins. We find that median radio luminosity scales with optical luminosity (L_opt) as L_1.4 GHz ~ L_opt^(beta), where beta appears to decrease from beta ~ 1 at z = 0.4 to beta ~ 0 at z = 0.7, a result which could be indicative of AGN cosmic downsizing. We also find that the overall LRG population, which is dominated by low-luminosity AGN, experiences significant cosmic evolution between z = 0.2 and z = 0.7. This implies a considerable increase in total AGN heating for these massive ellipticals with redshift. By matching against the FIRST catalog, we investigate the incidence and properties of LRGs associated with double-lobed (FR I/II) radio galaxies. (Abridged)Comment: 12 pages, 9 figures, Accepted by A

Caltech Faint Galaxy Redshift Survey X: A Redshift Survey in the Region of the Hubble Deep Field North

A redshift survey has been carried out in the region of the Hubble Deep Field North using the Low Resolution Imaging Spectrograph at the Keck Observatory. The resulting redshift catalog, which contains 671 entries, is a compendium of our own data together with published LRIS/Keck data. It is more than 92% complete for objects, irrespective of morphology, to $R = 24$ mag in the HDF itself and to $R = 23$ mag in the Flanking Fields within a diameter of 8 arcmin centered on the HDF, an unusually high completion for a magnitude limited survey performed with a large telescope. A median redshift $z = 1.0$ is reached at $R \sim 23.8$. Strong peaks in the redshift distribution, which arise when a group or poor cluster of galaxies intersect the area surveyed, can be identified to $z \sim 1.2$ in this dataset. More than 68% of the galaxies are members of these redshift peaks. In a few cases, closely spaced peaks in $z$ can be resolved into separate groups of galaxies that can be distinguished in both velocity and location on the sky. The radial separation of these peaks in the pencil-beam survey is consistent with a characteristic length scale for the their separation of $\approx$70 Mpc in our adopted cosmology ($h = 0.6, \Omega_M = 0.3$, $\Lambda = 0$). Strong galaxy clustering is in evidence at all epochs back to $z \le 1.1$. (abstract abridged)Comment: Accepted to the ApJ. This version contains all the figures and tables. 2 minor typos in table 2b correcte

X-ray, Optical, and Infrared Imaging and Spectral Properties of the 1 Ms Chandra Deep Field North Sources

We present the optical, near-infrared, submillimeter, and radio follow-up catalog of the X-ray selected sources from the 1 Ms Chandra observation of the Hubble Deep Field North region. We have B, V, R, I, and z' magnitudes for the 370 X-ray point sources, HK' magnitudes for 276, and spectroscopic redshifts for 182. We present high-quality spectra for 175 of these. The redshift distribution shows indications of structures at z=0.843 and z=1.0175 (also detected in optical surveys) which could account for a part of the field-to-field variation seen in the X-ray number counts. The flux contributions separated into unit bins of redshift show that the z<1 spectroscopically identified sources already contribute about one-third of the total flux in both the hard and soft bands. We find from ratios of the X-ray counts that the X-ray spectra are well-described by absorption of an intrinsic Gamma=1.8 power-law, with log NH values ranging from 21 to 23.7. We estimate that the Chandra sources that produce 87% of the HEAO-A X-ray background (XRB) at 3 keV produce 57% at 20 keV, provided that at high energies the spectral shape of the sources continues to be well-described by a Gamma=1.8 power-law. However, when the Chandra contributions are renormalized to the BeppoSAX XRB at 3 keV, the shape matches fairly well the observed XRB at both energies. Thus, whether a substantial population of as-yet undetected Compton-thick sources is required to completely resolve the XRB above 10 keV depends critically on how the currently discrepant XRB measurements in the 1-10 keV energy range tie together with the higher energy XRB. (Abridged)Comment: October 2002 issue of The Astronomical Journal, 19 pages + Table 1, Figs 2 and 6 can be found at http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~barger/cdfn.htm

The Redshift One LDSS-3 Emission line Survey (ROLES) II: Survey method and z~1 mass-dependent star-formation rate density

Motivated by suggestions of 'cosmic downsizing', in which the dominant contribution to the cosmic star formation rate density (SFRD) proceeds from higher to lower mass galaxies with increasing cosmic time, we describe the design and implementation of the Redshift One LDSS3 Emission line Survey (ROLES). ROLES is a K-selected (22.5 < K_AB < 24.0) survey for dwarf galaxies [8.5<log(M*/Msun)< 9.5] at 0.89 < z < 1.15 drawn from two extremely deep fields (GOODS-S and MS1054-FIRES). Using the [OII]3727 emission line, we obtain redshifts and star-formation rates (SFRs) for star-forming galaxies down to a limit of ~0.3 Msun/yr. We present the [OII] luminosity function measured in ROLES and find a faint end slope of alpha_faint ~ -1.5, similar to that measured at z~0.1 in the SDSS. By combining ROLES with higher mass surveys, we measure the SFRD as a function of stellar mass using [OII] (with and without various empirical corrections), and using SED-fitting to obtain the SFR from the rest-frame UV luminosity for galaxies with spectroscopic redshifts. Our best estimate of the corrected [OII]-SFRD and UV SFRD both independently show that the SFRD evolves equally for galaxies of all masses between z~1 and z~0.1. The exact evolution in normalisation depends on the indicator used, with the [OII]-based estimate showing a change of a factor of ~2.6 and the UV-based a factor of ~6. We discuss possible reasons for the discrepancy in normalisation between the indicators, but note that the magnitude of this uncertainty is comparable to the discrepancy between indicators seen in other z~1 works. Our result that the shape of the SFRD as a function of stellar mass (and hence the mass range of galaxies dominating the SFRD) does not evolve between z~1 and z~0.1 is robust to the choice of indicator. [abridged]Comment: Resubmitted to MNRAS following first referee report. 20 pages, 16 figures. High resolution version available at http://astro.uwaterloo.ca/~dgilbank/papers/roles2.pd