Towards Emotion Recognition: A Persistent Entropy Application

Emotion recognition and classification is a very active area of research. In this paper, we present a first approach to emotion classification using persistent entropy and support vector machines. A topology-based model is applied to obtain a single real number from each raw signal. These data are used as input of a support vector machine to classify signals into 8 different emotions (calm, happy, sad, angry, fearful, disgust and surprised)

Measuring diet in primary school children aged 8-11 years: validation of the Child and Diet Evaluation Tool (CADET) with an emphasis on fruit and vegetable intake.

Background/Objectives:The Child And Diet Evaluation Tool (CADET) is a 24-h food diary that measures the nutrition intake of children aged 3-7 years, with a focus on fruit and vegetable consumption. Until now CADET has not been used to measure nutrient intake of children aged 8-11 years. To ensure that newly assigned portion sizes for this older age group were valid, participants were asked to complete the CADET diary (the school and home food diary) concurrently with a 1-day weighed record. Subjects/Methods:A total of 67 children with a mean age of 9.3 years (s.d.: ± 1.4, 51% girls) participated in the study. Total fruit and vegetable intake in grams and other nutrients were extracted to compare the mean intakes from the CADET diary and Weighed record using t-tests and Pearson's r correlations. Bland-Altman analysis was also conducted to assess the agreement between the two methods. Results: Correlations comparing the CADET diary to the weighed record were high for fruit, vegetables and combined fruit and vegetables (r=0.7). The results from the Bland-Altman plots revealed a mean difference of 54 g (95% confidence interval: -88, 152) for combined fruit and vegetables intake. CADET is the only tool recommended by the National Obesity Observatory that has been validated in a UK population and provides nutrient level data on children's diets. Conclusions:The results from this study conclude that CADET can provide high-quality nutrient data suitable for evaluating intervention studies now for children aged 3-11 years with a focus on fruit and vegetable intake

Insulin resistance in type 1 diabetes: what is ‘double diabetes’ and what are the risks?

In this review, we explore the concept of ‘double diabetes’, a combination of type 1 diabetes with features of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. After considering whether double diabetes is a useful concept, we discuss potential mechanisms of increased insulin resistance in type 1 diabetes before examining the extent to which double diabetes might increase the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). We then go on to consider the proposal that weight gain from intensive insulin regimens may be associated with increased CV risk factors in some patients with type 1 diabetes, and explore the complex relationships between weight gain, insulin resistance, glycaemic control and CV outcome. Important comparisons and contrasts between type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes are highlighted in terms of hepatic fat, fat partitioning and lipid profile, and how these may differ between type 1 diabetic patients with and without double diabetes. In so doing, we hope this work will stimulate much-needed research in this area and an improvement in clinical practice

Neonatal Seizure Management – Is the Timing of Treatment Critical?

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of the time to treatment of the first electrographic seizure on subsequent seizure burden; secondary aim was to describe overall seizure management in a large neonatal cohort. STUDY DESIGN: Newborns (36-44 weeks' gestation) requiring electroencephalographic (EEG) monitoring recruited to two multicentre European studies were included. Infants who received anti-seizure medication exclusively after electrographic seizure onset, were grouped based on time to treatment of the first seizure: ASM within 1-hour, ASM between 1-2 hours and ASM after 2-hours. Outcomes measured were seizure burden, maximum seizure burden, status epilepticus, number of seizures and ASM dose over 24-hours following seizure onset. RESULTS: Out of 472 newborns recruited, 154(32.6%) infants had confirmed electrographic seizures. Sixty-nine infants were exclusively treated after onset of electrographic seizures: 21 infants received ASM within 1 hour, 15 infants between 1-2 hours and 33 infants after 2 hours of seizure onset. Significantly lower seizure burden and less seizures were noted in infants treated with ASM within 1 hour from seizure onset (p value=0.029 and 0.035, respectively). Overall, 258/472(54.7%) infants received ASM throughout the study period, of which 40 infants without electrographic seizures had treatment during EEG monitoring and 11 infants with electrographic seizures had no treatment. CONCLUSION: Treatment of neonatal seizures may be time-critical, but more research is required to confirm this. We also need to improve neonatal seizure diagnosis and treatment

A Tale of Two Current Sheets

I outline a new model of particle acceleration in the current sheet separating the closed from the open field lines in the force-free model of pulsar magnetospheres, based on reconnection at the light cylinder and "auroral" acceleration occurring in the return current channel that connects the light cylinder to the neutron star surface. I discuss recent studies of Pulsar Wind Nebulae, which find that pair outflow rates in excess of those predicted by existing theories of pair creation occur, and use those results to point out that dissipation of the magnetic field in a pulsar's wind upstream of the termination shock is restored to life as a viable model for the solution of the "$\sigma$" problem as a consequence of the lower wind 4-velocity implied by the larger mass loading.Comment: 17 pages, 6 figures, Invited Review, Proceedings of the "ICREA Workshop on The High-Energy Emission from Pulsars and their Systems", Sant Cugat, Spain, April 12-16, 201

Complementary classifications of aeolian dunes based on morphology, dynamics, and fluid mechanics

Dunes form where winds blow over a bed of mobile sediment grains – conditions that are common in our solar system. On Earth, dunes abound in arid continental interiors and along sandy coastlines. Dune fields have also been recognized on Venus, Mars, Saturn's moon Titan, and Pluto. In response to the different boundary conditions and other environmental forcings, dunes adopt a rich diversity of shapes, sizes, and behaviors. Thus, people around the globe and over centuries have developed a rich vocabulary to describe dunes and their complexity. As a result, existing dune nomenclature often includes redundant terms with differing definitions across scientific communities. Previous studies have endeavored to link dune shape to environmental forcing, usually by means of correlation. Although instructive, correlation-based classifications can be misleading if not based on an underlying mechanics and if dune morphogenetic classes are not uniquely defined. Here, we synthesize existing dune terminology and use the last two decades of research on dune morphodynamics to propose three complementary dune classification schemes based on: (1) descriptive dune gemorphology, (2) morphodynamic processes, and (3) fluid mechanics and physics of sediment transport. The first classification relates dune types to geomorphic setting, presence or absence of vegetation or obstacles, and dune shape (including planform shape, and cross-sectional symmetry or asymmetry). Dune classes can be further subdivided where the direction of sand transport is known independently. The second classification relates dune types and shapes to bed properties (sand-covered vs partially starved bed) and wind forcing (directional variability or the relative strengths and directions of wind modes) that together influence dune dynamics (growth, migration, elongation) and select the dominant processes by which dunes are shaped and oriented relative to the resultant transport direction. The third classification relates, for different planetary environments, the range of possible dune sizes, from minimum to maximum wavelength, to flow regime (rough or smooth) and response of sediment transport, which influence the coupling between sand bed topography, fluid flow, and sediment transport. These characteristic lengths are useful scales for comparative geomorphology. The three classification schemes provide complementary information. Together, they form a unified framework for geomorphologists, sedimentologists, geographers, physicists, and others to describe windblown sand dunes on Earth and beyond through their shape, dynamics, and size as a response to winds and boundary conditions

Characterisation of neonatal seizures and their treatment using continuous EEG monitoring: a multicentre experience.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this multicentre study was to describe detailed characteristics of electrographic seizures in a cohort of neonates monitored with multichannel continuous electroencephalography (cEEG) in 6 European centres. METHODS: Neonates of at least 36 weeks of gestation who required cEEG monitoring for clinical concerns were eligible, and were enrolled prospectively over 2 years from June 2013. Additional retrospective data were available from two centres for January 2011 to February 2014. Clinical data and EEGs were reviewed by expert neurophysiologists through a central server. RESULTS: Of 214 neonates who had recordings suitable for analysis, EEG seizures were confirmed in 75 (35%). The most common cause was hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (44/75, 59%), followed by metabolic/genetic disorders (16/75, 21%) and stroke (10/75, 13%). The median number of seizures was 24 (IQR 9-51), and the median maximum hourly seizure burden in minutes per hour (MSB) was 21 min (IQR 11-32), with 21 (28%) having status epilepticus defined as MSB>30 min/hour. MSB developed later in neonates with a metabolic/genetic disorder. Over half (112/214, 52%) of the neonates were given at least one antiepileptic drug (AED) and both overtreatment and undertreatment was evident. When EEG monitoring was ongoing, 27 neonates (19%) with no electrographic seizures received AEDs. Fourteen neonates (19%) who did have electrographic seizures during cEEG monitoring did not receive an AED. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that even with access to cEEG monitoring, neonatal seizures are frequent, difficult to recognise and difficult to treat. OBERSERVATION STUDY NUMBER: NCT02160171

The Role of Auditory Features Within Slot-Themed Social Casino Games and Online Slot Machine Games

Over the last few years playing social casino games has become a popular entertainment activity. Social casino games are offered via social media platforms and mobile apps and resemble gambling activities. However, social casino games are not classified as gambling as they can be played for free, outcomes may not be determined by chance, and players receive no monetary payouts. Social casino games appear to be somewhat similar to online gambling activities in terms of their visual and auditory features, but to date little research has investigated the cross over between these games. This study examines the auditory features of slot-themed social casino games and online slot machine games using a case study design. An example of each game type was played on three separate occasions during which, the auditory features (i.e., music, speech, sound effects, and the absence of sound) within the games were logged. The online slot-themed game was played in demo mode. This is the first study to provide a qualitative account of the role of auditory features within a slot-themed social casino game and an online slot machine game. Our results found many similarities between how sound is utilised within the two games. Therefore the sounds within these games may serve functions including: setting the scene for gaming, creating an image, demarcating space, interacting with visual features, prompting players to act, communicating achievements to players, providing reinforcement, heightening player emotions and the gaming experience. As a result this may reduce the ability of players to make a clear distinction between these two activities, which may facilitate migration between game

Maternal Mid-Gestation Cytokine Dysregulation in Mothers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder characterised by deficits in social interactions and communication, with stereotypical and repetitive behaviours. Recent evidence suggests that maternal immune dysregulation may predispose offspring to ASD. Independent samples t-tests revealed downregulation of IL-17A concentrations in cases, when compared to controls, at both 15 weeks (p = 0.02), and 20 weeks (p = 0.02), which persisted at 20 weeks following adjustment for confounding variables. This adds to the growing body of evidence that maternal immune regulation may play a role in foetal neurodevelopment