The effect of load characteristics on multi-machine electric power system dynamic stability

Imperial Users onl

Stress detection using wearable physiological and sociometric sensors

Stress remains a significant social problem for individuals in modern societies. This paper presents a machine learning approach for the automatic detection of stress of people in a social situation by combining two sensor systems that capture physiological and social responses. We compare the performance using different classifiers including support vector machine, AdaBoost, and k-nearest neighbour. Our experimental results show that by combining the measurements from both sensor systems, we could accurately discriminate between stressful and neutral situations during a controlled Trier social stress test (TSST). Moreover, this paper assesses the discriminative ability of each sensor modality individually and considers their suitability for real time stress detection. Finally, we present an study of the most discriminative features for stress detection

Using mobile devices and apps to support reflective learning about older people with dementia

There has been little research to develop computing technologies to support the care of people with dementia, in spite of the growing challenges that the condition poses for society. To design such technologies, an existing model of computer-support reflective learning was instantiated with findings from a pre-design study in one residential home. The result was a mobile device running an adapted enterprise social media app to support person-centred care. Evaluations of the device and app in two residential homes revealed that use of the app both motivated and increased different styles of care note recording, but little reflective learning was identified or reported. The results suggest the need for more comprehensive and flexible computer-based support for reflective learning about residents in their care – and new designs of this more comprehensive support are also introduced

Mobile Phones and Social Signal Processing for Analysis and Understanding of Dyadic Conversations

Social Signal Processing is the domain aimed at bridging the social intelligence gap between humans and machines via modeling, analysis and synthesis of nonverbal behavior in social interactions. One of the main challenges of the domain is to sense unobtrusively the behavior of social interaction participants, one of the key conditions to preserve the spontaneity and naturalness of the interactions under exam. In this respect, mobile devices offer a major opportunity because they are equipped with a wide array of sensors that, while capturing the behavior of their users with an unprecedented depth, are still invisible. This is particularly important because mobile devices are part of the everyday life of a large number of individuals and, hence, they can be used to investigate and sense natural and spontaneous scenarios

Integrated Functions of Pax3 and Pax7 in the Regulation of Proliferation, Cell Size and Myogenic Differentiation

Pax3 and Pax7 are paired-box transcription factors with roles in developmental and adult regenerative myogenesis. Pax3 and Pax7 are expressed by postnatal satellite cells or their progeny but are down regulated during myogenic differentiation. We now show that constitutive expression of Pax3 or Pax7 in either satellite cells or C2C12 myoblasts results in an increased proliferative rate and decreased cell size. Conversely, expression of dominant-negative constructs leads to slowing of cell division, a dramatic increase in cell size and altered morphology. Similarly to the effects of Pax7, retroviral expression of Pax3 increases levels of Myf5 mRNA and MyoD protein, but does not result in sustained inhibition of myogenic differentiation. However, expression of Pax3 or Pax7 dominant-negative constructs inhibits expression of Myf5, MyoD and myogenin, and prevents differentiation from proceeding. In fibroblasts, expression of Pax3 or Pax7, or dominant-negative inhibition of these factors, reproduce the effects on cell size, morphology and proliferation seen in myoblasts. Our results show that in muscle progenitor cells, Pax3 and Pax7 function to maintain expression of myogenic regulatory factors, and promote population expansion, but are also required for myogenic differentiation to proceed