The Role of Haptics in Training and Games for Hearing-Impaired Individuals: A Systematic Review

Sensory substitution and augmentation are pivotal concepts in multi-modal perception, particularly when confronting the challenges associated with impaired or missing sense rehabilitation. The present systematic review investigates the role of haptics for the hearing impaired in training or gamified activities. We applied a set of keywords to the Scopus® and PubMed® databases, obtaining a collection of 35 manuscripts spanning 23 years. Each article has been categorized following a documented procedure and thoroughly analyzed. Our findings reveal a rising number of studies in this field in the last five years, mostly testing the effectiveness of the developed rehabilitative method (77.14%). Despite a wide variety in almost every category we analyzed, such as haptic devices, body location, and data collection, we report a constant difficulty in recruitment, reflected in the low number of hearing-impaired participants (mean of 8.31). This review found that in all six papers reporting statistically significant positive results, the vibrotactile device in use generated vibrations starting from a sound, suggesting that some perceptual aspects connected to sound are transmittable through touch. This fact provides evidence that haptics and vibrotactile devices could be viable solutions for hearing-impaired rehabilitation and training

AN ACTIVE LEARNING PROCEDURE FOR THE INTERAURAL TIME DIFFERENCE DISCRIMINATION THRESHOLD

Measuring the auditory lateralization elicited by interaural time difference (ITD) cues involves the estimation of a psychometric function (PF). The shape of this function usually follows from the analysis of the subjective data and models the probability of correctly localizing the angular position of a sound source. The present study describes and evaluates a procedure for progressively fitting a PF, using Gaussian process classification of the subjective responses produced during a binary decision experiment. The process refines adaptively an approximated PF, following Bayesian inference. At each trial, it suggests the most informative auditory stimulus for function refinement according to Bayesian active learning by disagreement (BALD) mutual information. In this paper, the procedure was modified to accommodate two-alternative forced choice (2AFC) experimental methods and then was compared with a standard adaptive “three-down, one-up” staircase procedure. Our process approximates the average threshold ITD 79.4% correct level of lateralization with a mean accuracy increase of 8.9% over the Weibull function fitted on the data of the same test. The final accuracy for the Just Noticeable Difference (JND) in ITD is achieved with only 37.6% of the trials needed by a standard lateralization test

Using Open Source Libraries in the Development of Control Systems Based on Machine Vision

The possibility of the boundaries detection in the images of crushed ore particles using a convolutional neural network is analyzed. The structure of the neural network is given. The construction of training and test datasets of ore particle images is described. Various modifications of the underlying neural network have been investigated. Experimental results are presented. © 2020, IFIP International Federation for Information Processing.Foundation for Assistance to Small Innovative Enterprises in Science and Technology, FASIEFunding. The work was performed under state contract 3170ΓC1/48564, grant from the FASIE

IgG cryoglobulinemia

OBJECTIVE: Mixed Cryoglobulinemia is the most well-known Hepatitis C Virus (HCV)-associated extrahepatic manifestation. MC is both an autoimmune and B-lymphoproliferative disorder. Cryoglobulins (CGs) are classified into three groups according to immunoglobulin (Ig) composition: type I is composed of one isotype or Ig class. Type II and type III mixed CGs are immune complexes composed of polyclonal IgGs acting as autoantigens and mono, polyclonal or oligoclonal IgM with rheumatoid factor activity. IgG1 and IgG3 are the predominant subclasses involved. This study shows the simultaneous presence of IgG-RF and IgG3, supporting the hypothesis of an involvement of this subclass in the initiation of early stages of CGs. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We describe a case series of six HCV-positive patients, all of whom had peripheral neuropathy and transient ischemic attacks, presenting cryoprecipitates formed by IgG3 and IgG1. Cryoprecipitate IgG subclass research was carried out by immunofixation electrophoresis by using antisera against IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, and IgG4. RESULTS: Our six patients presented with an immunochemical pattern characterized by the mere presence of IgG1 and IgG3 subclasses with probable RF activity and one of these six patients exhibited monoclonal IgG3 in his cerebrospinal fluid. CONCLUSIONS: We can hypothesize that the IgG passage through the blood-brain barrier could have contributed to the cause of TIAs, through a mechanism involving the precipitation of circulating immune complexes formed by the two subclasses in the intrathecal vessels

El juzgamiento de los delitos de lesa humanidad en la Argentina postdictatorial

Indice: Introducción (9) ; Garantismo y proceso a los militares: una categoría difícil para el par constituyente/constituido (13) por Hernán Bouvier; Reflexiones en torno a los fundamentos éticos y políticos de la imprescriptibilidad de los delitos de lesa humanidad. (53) por Daniela Domeniconi; El derecho a la educación de los condenados y procesados por delitos de lesa humanidad. Un análisis crítico de la Resolución del Consejo Superior de la UBA. (79) por María Valentina Risso y María Belén Gulli; Sobre el dominio territorial como requisito del elemento político en la definición de delitos de lesa humanidad. Un análisis enfocado en la calificación jurídica de los actos de la izquierda armada en Argentina. (107) Por Juan F. Iosa; Dictadura Argentina: el antagonismo en una misma sociedad (143) por Dana Antonela Loncon; Corte Interamericana de Derechos Humanos y Justicia Transicional: algunas inquietudes a partir de «Gelman» (169) por Juan M. Mocoroa ; ¿Retribución o venganza? Un problema en el marco de la justificación de los juicios por violación de derechos humanos. (209) Por Natalia ScavuzzoA 30 años del retorno de la democracia en Argentina y superado el período de clausura de responsabilidades generado por las leyes de obediencia debida y punto final durante el gobierno del presidente Alfonsín y por los indultos dictados en su momento por el presidente Menem, las instituciones argentinas han retomado el camino del juzgamiento y castigo de los máximos responsables de los delitos de lesa humanidad cometidos durante la última dictadura. Este proceso ha sido denominado «la tercera generación de juicios por violación de derechos humanos». Es altamente probable que con la adopción de esta vía institucional, y una vez avanzados los juicios y dictadas las condenas, comience a cerrarse un ciclo de la historia argentina, ciclo signado por las demandas de memoria, verdad y justicia de parte de nuestra sociedad y particularmente de los organismos de derechos humanos. Fortalece esta hipótesis la avanzada edad de la mayoría de los implicados en los delitos investigados. Las instituciones argentinas han elegido un camino que no ha carecido de cuestionamientos y que no ha sido compartido por una buena cantidad de países que vivieron procesos similares (los casos de Sudáfrica y Chile son paradigmáticos). Asimismo, las variadas cuestiones jurídico-políticas surgidas en ocasión de los juicios (imprescriptibilidad, retroactividad, perdón, castigo, alcance de las garantías procesales y de fondo para este tipo de casos, etc.) han dado lugar a posturas divergentes que aun hoy no están cerradas ni por la justicia, ni por la doctrina, ni por la sociedad en general. Bien se puede decir que el juzgamiento de estos delitos es un punto de intensidad jurídico-políticofilosófico donde se entrecruzan cuestiones de diversa naturaleza pero que comparten su centralidad para el desenvolvimiento de la democracia y la vigencia del estado de derecho en nuestro país. El presente volumen reúne una serie de ensayos que giran alrededor del juzgamiento de los delitos de lesa humanidad en la Argentina postdictatorial. Los trabajos son el producto de una investigación grupal de dos años, bajo la codirección de Juan Iosa y Hernán Bouvier, subsidiado por Secyt-UNC. Motivó este proyecto, entre otras cosas, la idea de que el juzgamiento de los hechos ocurridos entre 1976 y 1983 en Argentina requería un balance. La necesidad de este balance se imponía por múltiples razones. Entre ellas, los vaivenes políticos y jurídicos que signaron las diferentes etapas de juzgamiento, así como la percepción general de que por razones institucionales y generacionales una parte importante de los juicios estaba llegando a su culminación. Los juicios se tomaron como objeto de un estudio predominantemente (aunque no excluyentemente) normativo. Tuvo central importancia la evaluación crítica, desde los puntos de vista jurídico, moral y político, de las decisiones de los tribunales en estos casos

Changes in CD4+ cells’ miRNA expression following exposure to HIV-1

Background: MiRNAs inhibit HIV-1 expression by either modulating host innate immunity or by directly interfering with viral mRNAs. Here, we investigated the miRNA profile that discriminates different classes of HIV-1 infected patients from multiple exposed uninfected individuals. Methods: The expression levels of 377 miRNAs were selectively analyzed in CD4+ cells isolated from whole blood of HIV-1 \ue9lite LTNP (\ue9LTNP), naive, and multiply exposed uninfected individuals (MEU). MiRNA extraction was performed by the mirVana miRNA Isolation Kit (Ambion) and their expression was subsequently examined by real-time PCR-based arrays. The expression of miRNAs was also determined in primary culture of CD4+T cells and monocyte-macrophages infected in vitro by R5 strains. Expression of Dicer and Drosha was evaluated by real-time PCR. Results: We only considered miRNAs that were expressed in the 70% of patients of at least one class and varied by at least 1 log10 from healthy controls. Out of 377 miRNAs, 26 were up-regulated, while 88 were down-regulated. Statistical analysis showed that 21 miRNAs significantly differentiated \ue9LTNP from MEU and 23 miRNAs distinguished naive from MEU, while only 1 (miR-155) discriminated \ue9LTNP from naive. By hierarchical clustering of the miRNAs according to patient class, \ue9LTNP clustered with naive whereas all MEU subjects grouped together. The Dicer and Drosha expression in the patient classes correlated with miRNA profile changes. Among miRNAs differentially expressed in patient classes, 32 were detected in in vitro infection model: the most of the up-regulated miRNAs were expressed in monocyte-macrophages, whereas the most of the down-regulated miRNAs were expressed in T lymphocytes. Conclusions: These findings support that miRNA profile could be the result not only of a productive infection, but also of the exposure to HIV products that leave a signature in immune cells. These data provide some intriguing issues relative to the development of HIV vaccines targeting viral proteins

Serum free light chain quantitative assays: Dilemma of a biomarker

Background: Serum free light chains detection assays are consistently meeting greater interest for the diagnosis and monitoring of monoclonal gammopathies and plasma cell dyscrasias. Nowadays, there are neither standardized methods nor reference material for the determination of free light chains; for this reason, it is important to compare two different assays used in clinical laboratory. Methods: We evaluated 300 serum samples from patients with B-cell disorders and compared the analytical performances of both assay. Each test was assayed on both testing platforms (Siemens Dade Behring BN II Nephelometer and SPAPLUS by The Binding Site). κ/λ ratios were determined and compared. Results were analyzed by Passing-Bablok and Bland-Altman plots to evaluate comparability of the two techniques and to determine bias. Results: The reproducibility of both assays is acceptable, reaching minimum and desirable analytical goals derived from biological variability. However, values are not interchangeable between systems. This study shows that the two systems do not allow results to be transferred from one method to the other even if they display good agreement. Conclusion: Our study highlights the importance of elaborating an international standard for free light chains quantification in order to offer homogeneous results as well as guarantee harmonization of values among laboratories. Moreover, the assays should be validated in specific patient groups to determine that they are clinically fit for purpose