A Machine Learning-Based Approach for Audio Signals Classification using Chebychev Moments and Mel-Coefficients

This paper proposes a machine learning-based architecture for audio signals classification based on a joint exploitation of the Chebychev moments and the Mel-Frequency Cepstrum Coefficients. The procedure starts with the computation of the Mel-spectrogram of the recorded audio signals; then, Chebychev moments are obtained projecting the Cadence Frequency Diagram derived from the Mel-spectrogram into the base of Chebychev moments. These moments are then concatenated with the Mel-Frequency Cepstrum Coefficients to form the final feature vector. By doing so, the architecture exploits the peculiarities of the discrete Chebychev moments such as their symmetry characteristics. The effectiveness of the procedure is assessed on two challenging datasets, UrbanSound8K and ESC-50

Putting families of origin into the queer picture : introducing this special issue

In undertaking our own separate research projects and in our crosscontinental comparative analyses of those projects, we became aware of the gaps between the richness of research on GLBT lives, including experiences of intimacy and parenthood, and the paucity of research on their relations with their families of origin. Still marginal is, in particular, research on the perspectives of the families of origin themselves: parents, but also siblings, grandparents, and other members of extended families. For the purposes of this special issue, we are deploying the term families of origin to mean heterosexual-identifying family members (at least as they publicly perform and display their sexualities), living within a heteronormative socio-politicocultural system. As we will argue in this introduction, however, there is a need to document and research, and thereby historically situate, family diversity, including the increasing shifting discourses and lived experiences of same-sex and other queer families of origin

Intramedullary nailing for pertrochanteric fractures of proximal femur: a consecutive series of 323 patients treated with two devices

Introduction: Pertrochanteric fractures (PFs) frequently affect the lower limb of osteoporotic patients and represent an important cause of morbidity and mortality in the elderly. In this prospective randomized controlled trial, we have compared functional and radiological results and complications of patients affected by PFs treated with two intramedullary proximal femoral nails. Materials: We enrolled 323 subjects with PFs, classified according to AO/OTA system as 31.A1 (pertrochanteric simple) and 31.A2 (pertrochanteric multifragmentary). Patients were divided into two groups according to the osteosynthesis devices: group A, Elos-Intrauma® nail (155 cases) and group B, Gamma 3-Stryker® nail (168 cases). Pre-operatively, the baseline characteristics of each patient (gender, age, weight and BMI) were collected. Intraoperative blood loss, subjective pain by visual analogue scale (VAS), esthetic satisfaction, functional scores of the hip by Harris Hip Score (HHS), and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) were noted. The post-operative degree of fracture reduction was assessed. Each patient had a minimum follow-up of 12 months. Results: The study group was composed of 106 male and 217 female with an average age of 85.4 (range, 65-90, standard deviation (SD) 5.95) years. No statistical differences about sex and age distribution were noted between the two groups. Group A reported lower intraoperative blood loss, 45 ml vs 51 ml, respectively (p < 0.001). There was not any statistical difference about operative time. Group A had a better reduction of fracture (p = 0.0347). The greatest difference was detectable comparing subgroups 31.A2 (p = 0.032). There were no statistical differences about complication frequency and the overall rate was 25% (80 cases). Finally, there was no difference in terms of VAS, HHS, and WOMAC score between the two groups on each follow-up. Patients of group A showed a higher subjective satisfaction index at 1 post-operative year, 7.42 (SD 1.19) vs 6.45 (SD 1.35) of group B (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Elos® nail is a reliable device on a short-term follow-up and represents an alternative choice to the Gamma 3® nail, a well-known and appreciated system for over 25 years

Tildrakizumab in moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis: A multicenter, retrospective, real-life study

New biologic agents targeting interleukin (IL)23/T-helper17 axis, such as tildrakizumab, have been developed for the treatment of plaque psoriasis. To analyze the efficacy and safety of tildrakizumab in a real life setting of patients affected by moderate-to-severe psoriasis over a 28-week treatment period. A multicentric retrospective study was conducted in patients who initiated tildrakizumab between February 2020 and March 2021. Psoriasis Area and Severity Index-PASI was measured at baseline and after 4, 16 and 28 weeks. The percentage change in PASI value from baseline to the considered time-points, proportion of patients with absolute PASI <3 at week 28 and the percentages of achieving a PASI75 or PASI90 response were assessed. Data about potential safety issues and adverse events (AEs) were collected. Statistical analysis were performed for establish clinical efficacy and for variables predicting clinical response. Fifty nine patients with psoriasis were included. Overall mean PASI percentage reduction was of 88% from baseline to week 28 and 47 out of 59 patients (79.7%) at week 28 had an absolute PASI <3. PASI75 and PASI90 responses at week 28 were achieved by 48 (81.40%) patients and 38 (64.4.0%) patients, respectively. No substantial associations between gender, body mass index - BMI, PASI at baseline and prior exposition to biological therapies and the efficacy endpoints were retrieved. No serious safety issues or discontinuations related to adverse events were reported. In our real-life study, tildrakizumab showed high efficacy and a favorable safety profile, regardless of patient- and disease-related factors

A Novel Approach for an Integrated Straw tube-Microstrip Detector

We report on a novel concept of silicon microstrips and straw tubes detector, where integration is accomplished by a straw module with straws not subjected to mechanical tension in a Rohacell $^{\circledR}$ lattice and carbon fiber reinforced plastic shell. Results on mechanical and test beam performances are reported on as well.Comment: Accepted by Transactions on Nuclear Science (2005). 11 pages, 9 figures, uses lnfprep.st

Effect of Probiotic Administration on Serum Tryptophan Metabolites in Pediatric Type 1 Diabetes Patients

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is characterized by anomalous functioning of the immuno regulatory, tryptophan-catabolic enzyme indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenase 1 (IDO1). In T1D, the levels of kynurenine—the first byproduct of tryptophan degradation via IDO1—are significantly lower than in nondiabetic controls, such that defective immune regulation by IDO1 has been recognized as potentially contributing to autoimmunity in T1D. Because tryptophan catabolism—and the production of immune regulatory catabolites—also occurs via the gut microbiota, we measured serum levels of tryptophan, and metabolites thereof, in pediatric, diabetic patients after a 3-month oral course of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG. Daily administration of the probiotic significantly affected circulating levels of tryptophan as well as the qualitative pattern of metabolite formation in the diabetic patients, while it decreased inflammatory cytokine production by the patients. This study suggests for the first time that a probiotic treatment may affect systemic tryptophan metabolism and restrain proinflammatory profile in pediatric T1D

Gas Analysis and Monitoring Systems for the RPC Detector of CMS at LHC

The Resistive Plate Chambers (RPC) detector of the CMS experiment at the LHC proton collider (CERN, Switzerland) will employ an online gas analysis and monitoring system of the freon-based gas mixture used. We give an overview of the CMS RPC gas system, describe the project parameters and first results on gas-chromatograph analysis. Finally, we report on preliminary results for a set of monitor RPC.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figures. Presented by Stefano Bianco (Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati dell'INFN) at the IEEE NSS, San Diego (USA), October 200

PRIMA+: A proton Computed Tomography apparatus

The proton Computed Tomography (pCT) is a medical imaging method, based on the use of proton beams with kinetic energy of the order of 250 MeV, aimed to directly measure the stopping power distribution of tissues thus improving the present accuracy of treatment planning in hadron therapy. A pCT system should be capable to measure tissue electron density with an accuracy better than 1% and a spatial resolution better than 1 mm. The blurring effect due to multiple Coulomb scattering can be mitigated by single proton tracking technique. As a first step towards pCT the PRIMA+ Collaboration built a prototype capable to carry out a single radiography and a tomographic image of a rotating object. This apparatus includes a silicon microstrip tracker to identify the proton trajectory and a YAG:Ce calorimeter to measure the particle residual energy