Semi-supervised and Active-learning Scenarios: Efficient Acoustic Model Refinement for a Low Resource Indian Language

We address the problem of efficient acoustic-model refinement (continuous retraining) using semi-supervised and active learning for a low resource Indian language, wherein the low resource constraints are having i) a small labeled corpus from which to train a baseline `seed' acoustic model and ii) a large training corpus without orthographic labeling or from which to perform a data selection for manual labeling at low costs. The proposed semi-supervised learning decodes the unlabeled large training corpus using the seed model and through various protocols, selects the decoded utterances with high reliability using confidence levels (that correlate to the WER of the decoded utterances) and iterative bootstrapping. The proposed active learning protocol uses confidence level based metric to select the decoded utterances from the large unlabeled corpus for further labeling. The semi-supervised learning protocols can offer a WER reduction, from a poorly trained seed model, by as much as 50% of the best WER-reduction realizable from the seed model's WER, if the large corpus were labeled and used for acoustic-model training. The active learning protocols allow that only 60% of the entire training corpus be manually labeled, to reach the same performance as the entire data

A study of prevalence of hypothyroidism in cholelithiasis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: For decades there has been discussion whether thyroid disorders could cause gall stone disease. This study attempts to know the prevalence of hypothyroidism in cholelithiasis. There are many factors which can contribute to formation of gall stones in hypothyroidism like decrease in liver cholesterol metabolism, reduced hepatic bile secretion, reduced flow of bile into duodenum and impaired sphincter of oddi relaxation. METHODS: A cross sectional study was done between april 2014 to September 2014. 50 Patients diagnosed as cholelithiasis in department of general surgery, government royapettah hospital were included in the study.Full history, clinical examination, ultrasound abdomen and laboratory blood test for free T3,free T4 and TSH were done for every patient. RESULTS: Out of 50 patients of cholelithiasis, 29(58%) were females and 21(42%) were males. Thyroid disorder in form of hypothyroidism was found in 19 (38%) patients.In that 11(22%) patients presented with subclinical hypothyroidism and 8(16%) patients with clinical hypothyroidism. CONCLUSION: There is an increase in prevalence of hypothyroidism in cholelithiasis in this study. The prevalence was more among > 40 years age group.This increase in prevalence could have an effect on the diagnostic and therapeutic workup of cholelithiasis patients. Hypothyroidism should be considered as a separate risk factor like age, sex, obesity in cholelithiasis patients. So we should be aware of thyroid status in patients of cholelithiasis and should be screened for thyroid function

Wavelength and intensity dependence of multiple forward scattering at above-threshold ionization in mid-infrared strong laser fields

The nonperturbative role of multiple forward scattering for Coulomb focusing in mid-infrared laser fields and its dependence on a laser intensity and wavelength are investigated for low-energy photoelectrons at above-threshold ionization. We show that high-order rescattering events can have comparable contributions to the Coulomb focusing and the effective number of rescattering depends weakly on laser parameters in the classical regime. However, the relative contribution of the forward scattering to the Coulomb focusing and the Coulomb focusing in total decrease with the rise of the laser intensity and wavelength

Public health interventions for Aedes control in the time of Zikavirus- A metareview on effectiveness of vector control strategies

Background: There is renewed interest in effective control measures to control Zika and dengue vectors. A synthesis of published systematic reviews with a focus on grading of intervention evidence is warranted to determine the reliability of evidence for control strategies. Methodology: We conducted a meta-review (a systematic review of systematic reviews) assessing the effectiveness of any Aedes control measure. We searched Scopus and Medline for relevant reviews through to 11 May 2016. Titles, abstracts and full texts were assessed independently for inclusion by two authors. Data extraction was performed independently in duplicate using a standardised form and validity of the evidence in each review was assessed using GRADE criteria. Findings: 13 eligible systematic reviews that investigated the effect of community interventions on entomological parameters (such as vector density) or disease incidence were included. Quality of evidence was mostly low to very low due to poor reporting of study design, observational methodologies, heterogeneity, and indirect outcomes, hindering an evidence-based recommendation. Biological controls seem to achieve better reduction of entomological indices than chemical controls, while educational campaigns can reduce breeding habitats and interrupt disease transmission cycle. Integrated control strategies may not add efficiency to educational campaigns. Conclusions: Despite decades of Aedes mosquito abatement programmes, mosquito populations are widely established and abundant, and associated with a significant disease burden. The efficiency of any control programme is dependent on local settings and resources. More good quality primary studies for the control of Aedes transmitted diseases are still required

The weaver mutant mouse: a model to study the ontogeny of dopamine transmission systems and their role in drug addiction.

Pergamon Press © 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd

Nitric oxide, a neuronal messenger. Its role in the hippocampus neuronal plasticity

Nitric oxide (NO), a free radical gas, has recently been recognized as an important messenger molecule having a neurotransmitter-like function. Studies on the localization of the enzyme synthesizing NO (NO synthase-NOS) have indicated its presence in almost all parts of the brain with a prevalence in the cerebellum. From recent experimental investigations it is apparent that NO might meet the essential criteria to function as a retrograde messenger for Long-term potentiation in hippocampal cells, a process known to be involved in mammalian learning and memory. However, within the hippocampus NO is present in a few cell types which probably form the local neuronal circuit. Thus NO might function as a paracrine factor rather than a retrograde messenger in the hippocampal neurons

The dynamics, stability and manifestation of circumbinary orbits

I numerically investigate the dynamics of orbits in 3D circumbinary phase-space as a function of binary eccentricity and mass fraction. I find that inclined circumbinary orbits in the elliptically-restricted three-body problem display a nodal libration mechanism in the longitude of the ascending node and in the inclination to the plane of the binary. I analyse and quantify the behaviour of these orbits and investigate their stability over time. This work is the first dynamically aware analysis of the stability of circumbinary orbits across both binary mass fraction and binary eccentricity. This work also has implications for exoplanetary astronomy in the existence and determination of stable orbits around binary systems. I also present an examination of the so-called radio ruff around the microquasar SS433, which I show to precess on a timescale of approximately 550 days. The observed precession in the projected angle of the ruff on the sky may be explained if the ruff feature arises from an inclined circumbinary excretion disk. In addition, I describe a pilot study in the near-infrared waveband in search of circumbinary material around other microquasars.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo