Emotional State Recognition Performance Improvement on a Handwriting and Drawing Task

In this work we combine time, spectral and cepstral features of the signal captured in a tablet to characterize depression, anxiety, and stress emotional state recognition on the EMOTHAW database. EMOTHAW contains the emotional states of users represented by capturing signals from sensors on the tablet and pen when the user is performing 3 specific handwriting and 4 drawing tasks, which had been categorized into depressed, anxious, stressed, and typical, according to the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS). Each user was characterized with six time-domain features, and the number of spectral-domain and cepstral-domain features for the horizontal and vertical displacement of the pen, the pressure on the paper, and the time spent on-air and off-air, depended on the configuration of the filterbank. As next step, we select the best features using the Fast Correlation-Based Filtering method. Since our dataset has 129 users, then as next step, we augmented the training data by randomly selecting a percentage of the training data and adding a small random Gaussian noise to the extracted features. We then train a radial basis SVM model using the Leave-One-Out (LOO) methodology. The experimental results show an average accuracy classification improvement ranging of 15%, and an accuracy classification improvement ranging from 4% to 34% compared with baseline (state of the art) for specific emotions such as depression, anxiety, stress, and typical emotional states

Data Mining and Machine Learning in Astronomy

We review the current state of data mining and machine learning in astronomy. 'Data Mining' can have a somewhat mixed connotation from the point of view of a researcher in this field. If used correctly, it can be a powerful approach, holding the potential to fully exploit the exponentially increasing amount of available data, promising great scientific advance. However, if misused, it can be little more than the black-box application of complex computing algorithms that may give little physical insight, and provide questionable results. Here, we give an overview of the entire data mining process, from data collection through to the interpretation of results. We cover common machine learning algorithms, such as artificial neural networks and support vector machines, applications from a broad range of astronomy, emphasizing those where data mining techniques directly resulted in improved science, and important current and future directions, including probability density functions, parallel algorithms, petascale computing, and the time domain. We conclude that, so long as one carefully selects an appropriate algorithm, and is guided by the astronomical problem at hand, data mining can be very much the powerful tool, and not the questionable black box.Comment: Published in IJMPD. 61 pages, uses ws-ijmpd.cls. Several extra figures, some minor additions to the tex

Search for massive protostellar candidates in the southern hemisphere: I. Association with dense gas

(Abridged) We have observed CS and C17O lines, and 1.2 mm cont. emission towards a sample of 130 high-mass protostellar candidates with DEC<-30 deg. This is the first step of the southern extension of a project started more than a decade ago aimed at the identification of massive protostellar candidates. We selected from the IRAS PSC 429 sources which potentially are compact molecular clouds. The sample is divided into two groups: the 298 sources with [25-12]>0.57 and [60-12]>1.30 we call 'High' sources, the remaining 131 we call 'Low' sources. In this paper, we check the association with dense gas and dust in 130 'Low' sources. We find a detection rate of ca. 85% in CS, demonstrating a tight association with dense molecular clumps. Among the sources detected in CS, ca. 76% have also been detected in C17O and ca. 93% in the 1.2 mm cont. Mm-cont. maps show the presence of clumps with diameters 0.2-2 pc and masses from a few Msun to 10^5 Msun; H2 volume densities lie between ca. 10^{4.5} and 10^{5.5} cm^{-3}. The L(bol) are 10^3-10^6 Lsun, consistent with embedded high-mass objects. Based on our results and those found in the literature for other samples, we conclude that our sources are massive objects probably in a stage prior to the formation of an HII region. We propose a scenario in which 'High' and 'Low' sources are both made of a massive clump hosting a high-mass protostellar candidate and a nearby stellar cluster. The difference might be due to the fact that the IRAS 12mu flux, the best discriminant between the two groups, is dominated by the emission from the cluster in 'Lows' and from the massive protostellar object in 'Highs'.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astron. & Astroph.; 34 pages (incl. 14 figures and 8 tables

Actualización taxonómica y avance en el conocimiento de <i>Liolaemus</i> Wiegmann 1834 (Iguania: Liolaemidae) en el Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia

Liolaemus representa al grupo de saurios más diverso en Sudamérica. Las especies de este género, habitan en diferentes ecosistemas caracterizándose por su endemismo, cuyo conocimiento taxonómico incrementó a partir de 1837, principalmente en Argentina y Chile, mientras que en el Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia (Bolivia) el conocimiento taxonómico y filogenético del género empezó a tener relevancia a partir del 2002, orientando apropiadamente la riqueza real con la que cuenta el país. Sin embargo, en Bolivia los estudios de densidad poblacional, dieta y reproducción empezaron a reportarse desde la década de los ochenta, los estudios de distribución potencial a partir del 2007 y los relacionados a la ecología térmica a partir del 2015. Es indudable que los estudios taxonómicos están fortaleciendo al conocimiento del género en Bolivia, los cuales permiten comprender con precisión las áreas de endemismo, importantes para análisis biogeográficos o estudios de modelamiento de distribución potencial de especies, priorizando así su estado de conservación. La falta de una revisión comparativa y taxonómica en los ejemplares depositados en las colecciones científicas y las carencias de información en áreas donde no se llevaron a cabo prospecciones a lo largo de la distribución del género en Bolivia, prolongaron por mucho tiempo la descripción de especies que se encuentran a la espera de ser formalmente reportadas a la comunidad científica y a la sociedad, para luego encarar estudios en diferentes disciplinas. Este trabajo presenta una actualización de la riqueza del género Liolaemusen Bolivia, haciendo énfasis en los principales trabajos y avances en los últimos dieciocho años.Liolaemus represents the most diverse group of saurians in South America. The species of this genus, inhabit different ecosystems characterized by their endemism, whose taxonomic knowledge increased from 1837 to date, mainly in Argentina and Chile, while in the Plurinational State of Bolivia (Bolivia) the taxonomic and phylogenetic knowledge of the genus began to have relevance from 2002 to date, properly guiding the real wealth that the country has. However, in Bolivia, studies of population density, diet and reproduction began to be reported in the 1980s, studies of potential distribution began in 2007 and those related to thermal ecology began in 2015. There is no doubt that taxonomic studies are strengthening the knowledge of the genus in Bolivia, which allows a precise understanding of the areas of endemism, important for biogeographic analysis or modeling studies of potential distribution of species, thus prioritizing their conservation status. The lack of a comparative and taxonomic review of the specimens deposited in scientific collections and the lack of information in areas where no prospecting was carried out throughout the distribution of the genus in Bolivia, prolonged for a long time the description of species that are waiting to be formally reported to the scientific community and society, and then face studies in different disciplines. This work presents an update of the genus Liolaemus richness in Bolivia, emphasizing the main works and advances in the last eighteen years.Asociación Herpetológica Argentin

MeCP2 Regulates the Synaptic Expression of a Dysbindin-BLOC-1 Network Component in Mouse Brain and Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Neurons

Clinical, epidemiological, and genetic evidence suggest overlapping pathogenic mechanisms between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and schizophrenia. We tested this hypothesis by asking if mutations in the ASD gene MECP2 which cause Rett syndrome affect the expression of genes encoding the schizophrenia risk factor dysbindin, a subunit of the biogenesis of lysosome-related organelles complex-1 (BLOC-1), and associated interacting proteins. We measured mRNA and protein levels of key components of a dysbindin interaction network by, quantitative real time PCR and quantitative immunohistochemistry in hippocampal samples of wild-type and Mecp2 mutant mice. In addition, we confirmed results by performing immunohistochemistry of normal human hippocampus and quantitative qRT-PCR of human inducible pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs)-derived human neurons from Rett syndrome patients. We defined the distribution of the BLOC-1 subunit pallidin in human and mouse hippocampus and contrasted this distribution with that of symptomatic Mecp2 mutant mice. Neurons from mutant mice and Rett syndrome patients displayed selectively reduced levels of pallidin transcript. Pallidin immunoreactivity decreased in the hippocampus of symptomatic Mecp2 mutant mice, a feature most prominent at asymmetric synapses as determined by immunoelectron microcopy. Pallidin immunoreactivity decreased concomitantly with reduced BDNF content in the hippocampus of Mecp2 mice. Similarly, BDNF content was reduced in the hippocampus of BLOC-1 deficient mice suggesting that genetic defects in BLOC-1 are upstream of the BDNF phenotype in Mecp2 deficient mice. Our results demonstrate that the ASD-related gene Mecp2 regulates the expression of components belonging to the dysbindin interactome and these molecular differences may contribute to synaptic phenotypes that characterize Mecp2 deficiencies and ASD.Fil: Larimore, Jennifer. Agnes Scott College; Estados UnidosFil: Ryder, Pearl V.. University of Emory; Estados UnidosFil: Kim, Kun Yong. University of Yale. School of Medicine; Estados UnidosFil: Ambrose, L. Alex. Agnes Scott College; Estados UnidosFil: Chapleau, Christopher. University Of Alabama; Estados UnidosFil: Calfa, Gaston Diego. University Of Alabama; Estados Unidos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Gross, Christina. University of Emory; Estados UnidosFil: Bassell, Gary J.. University of Emory; Estados UnidosFil: Pozzo Miller, Lucas. University Of Alabama; Estados UnidosFil: Smith, Yoland. University of Emory; Estados UnidosFil: Talbot, Konrad. The Pennsylvania State University; Estados UnidosFil: Park, In Hyun. University of Yale. School of Medicine; Estados UnidosFil: Faundez, Victor. University of Emory; Estados Unido

Discovery of Large-Scale Gravitational Infall in a Massive Protostellar Cluster

We report Mopra (ATNF), Anglo-Australian Telescope, and Atacama Submillimeter Telescope Experiment observations of a molecular clump in Carina, BYF73 = G286.21+0.17, which give evidence of large-scale gravitational infall in the dense gas. From the millimetre and far-infrared data, the clump has mass ~ 2 x 10^4 Msun, luminosity ~ 2-3 x 10^4 Lsun, and diameter ~ 0.9 pc. From radiative transfer modelling, we derive a mass infall rate ~ 3.4 x 10^-2 Msun yr-1. If confirmed, this rate for gravitational infall in a molecular core or clump may be the highest yet seen. The near-infrared K-band imaging shows an adjacent compact HII region and IR cluster surrounded by a shell-like photodissociation region showing H2 emission. At the molecular infall peak, the K imaging also reveals a deeply embedded group of stars with associated H2 emission. The combination of these features is very unusual and we suggest they indicate the ongoing formation of a massive star cluster. We discuss the implications of these data for competing theories of massive star formation.Comment: v1: 23 pages single-column, 6 figures (some multipart) at end v2: 14 pages 2-column, 6 figures interspersed v3: edited to referee's comments with new sections and new figures; accepted to MNRAS, 20 pages 2-column, 8 figures (some multipart) intersperse

Cardiorespiratory fitness: Reference on the six-minute walk test and oxygen consumption in adolescents from south-central chile

Indexación ScopusCardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) provides oxygen to the exercising muscles and is related to body adiposity, with cardiometabolic variables. The aim was to develop reference values and a predictive model of CRF in Chilean adolescents. A total of 741 adolescents of both genders (15.7 years old) participated in a basic anthropometry, performance in the six-minute walk test (SMWT), and in Course Navette was measured. Percentiles were determined for the SMWT, for the ˙VO2max, and an equation was developed to estimate it. The validity of the equation was checked using distribution assumptions and the Bland–Altman diagram. The STATA v.14 program was used (p < 0.05). The 50th percentile values for males and females in the SMWT and in the ˙VO2max of Course Navette were, respectively, from 607 to 690 and from 630 to 641 m, and from 43.9 to 45 and from 37.5 to 31.5 mlO2·kg·min−1, for the range of 13 to 17 years. For its part, the model to predict ˙VO2max incorporated gender, heart rate, height, waist-to-height ratio (WHR), and distance in the SMWT (R2 = 0.62; estimation error = 0.38 LO2·min−1; p <0.001). Reference values can guide physical fitness in Chilean adolescents, and ˙VO2max was possible to predict from morphofunctional variables. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/5/247

The Mid-Infrared Colours of Galactic Bulge, Disk and Magellanic Planetary Nebulae

We present mid-infrared (MIR) photometry for 367 Galactic disk, bulge and Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) planetary nebulae, determined using GLIMPSE II and SAGE data acquired using the Spitzer Space Telescope. This has permitted us to make a comparison between the luminosity functions of bulge and LMC planetary nebulae, and between the MIR colours of all three categories of source. It is determined that whilst the 3.6 microns luminosity function of the LMC and bulge sources are likely to be closely similar, the [3.6]-[5.8] and [5.8]-[8-0] indices of LMC nebulae are different from those of their disk and bulge counterparts. This may arise because of enhanced 6.2 microns PAH emission within the LMC sources, and/or as a result of differences between the spectra of LMC PNe and those of their Galactic counterparts. We also determine that the more evolved disk sources listed in the MASH catalogues of Parker et al. and Miszalski et al. (2008) have similar colours to those of the less evolved (and higher surface brightness) sources in the catalogue of Acker et al. (1992); a result which appears at variance with previous studies of these sources.Comment: 14 pages, 9 figures, Publicated in MNRAS. 58 pages in arXi