Introducing non-linear analysis into sustained speech characterization to improve sleep apnea detection

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-25020-0_28Proceedings of 5th International Conference on Nonlinear Speech Processing, NOLISP 2011, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Spain)We present a novel approach for detecting severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) cases by introducing non-linear analysis into sustained speech characterization. The proposed scheme was designed for providing additional information into our baseline system, built on top of state-of-the-art cepstral domain modeling techniques, aiming to improve accuracy rates. This new information is lightly correlated with our previous MFCC modeling of sustained speech and uncorrelated with the information in our continuous speech modeling scheme. Tests have been performed to evaluate the improvement for our detection task, based on sustained speech as well as combined with a continuous speech classifier, resulting in a 10% relative reduction in classification for the first and a 33% relative reduction for the fused scheme. Results encourage us to consider the existence of non-linear effects on OSA patients’ voices, and to think about tools which could be used to improve short-time analysis.The activities described in this paper were funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation as part of the TEC2009-14719-C02-02 (PriorSpeech) project

Diseño de un cuestionario para evaluar conocimientos didáctico-matemáticos sobre razonamiento algebraico elemental

La promoció del pensament algebraic en alumnes de primària requereix implementar accions formatives específiques per als professors, la qual cosa al seu torn implica elaborar instruments d'avaluació de l'estat dels seus coneixements didàctic - matemàtics sobre el tema. En aquest treball presentem resultats de l'estudi realitzat per a la construcció d'un qüestionari d'avaluació dels coneixements didàctic - matemàtics d'estudiants de magisteri sobre raonament algebraic elemental. Descrivim les categories de coneixements algebraics tingudes en compte (estructures, funcions i modelització) i les categories de coneixements didàctics (facetes epistèmica, cognitiva, instruccional i ecològica). Així mateix es descriuen i analitzen les tasques incloses en el qüestionari informant de la validesa de contingut del mateix.Promoting algebraic thinking in elementary school pupils requires implementing specific training activities for teachers, which in turn involves developing tools to assess their didactic-mathematical knowledge about this subject. In this paper we present results of a study aimed to build a questionnaire for assessing the didactic-mathematic knowledge of prospective primary teachers on elementary algebraic reasoning. We describe the categories of algebraic knowledge (structures, functions and modeling), as well as the categories of didactical knowledge (epistemic, cognitive, instructional and ecological facets) taken into account. We also describe and analyze the tasks included in the questionnaire reporting its content validity.La promoción del pensamiento algebraico en alumnos de primaria requiere implementar acciones formativas específicas para los profesores, lo que a su vez implica elaborar instrumentos de evaluación del estado de sus conocimientos didáctico - matemáticos sobre el tema. En este trabajo presentamos resultados del estudio realizado para la construcción de un cuestionario de evaluación de los conocimientos didáctico - matemáticos de estudiantes de magisterio sobre razonamiento algebraico elemental. Describimos las categorías de conocimientos algebraicos tenidas en cuenta (estructuras, funciones y modelización) y las categorías de conocimientos didácticos (facetas epistémica, cognitiva, instruccional y ecológica). Así mismo se describen y analizan las tareas incluidas en el cuestionario informando de la validez de contenido del mismo

Deconstructing Weight Management Interventions for Young Adults: Looking Inside the Black Box of the EARLY Consortium Trials.

ObjectiveThe goal of the present study was to deconstruct the 17 treatment arms used in the Early Adult Reduction of weight through LifestYle (EARLY) weight management trials.MethodsIntervention materials were coded to reflect behavioral domains and behavior change techniques (BCTs) within those domains planned for each treatment arm. The analytical hierarchy process was employed to determine an emphasis profile of domains in each intervention.ResultsThe intervention arms used BCTs from all of the 16 domains, with an average of 29.3 BCTs per intervention arm. All 12 of the interventions included BCTs from the six domains of Goals and Planning, Feedback and Monitoring, Social Support, Shaping Knowledge, Natural Consequences, and Comparison of Outcomes; 11 of the 12 interventions shared 15 BCTs in common across those six domains.ConclusionsWeight management interventions are complex. The shared set of BCTs used in the EARLY trials may represent a core intervention that could be studied to determine the required emphases of BCTs and whether additional BCTs add to or detract from efficacy. Deconstructing interventions will aid in reproducibility and understanding of active ingredients

Ventricular arrhythmias in patients with functional mitral regurgitation and implantable cardiac devices: implications of mitral valve repair with Mitraclip

Background: Limited information has been reported regarding the impact of percutaneous mitral valve repair (PMVR) on ventricular arrhythmic (VA) burden. The aim of this study was to address the incidence of VA and appropriate antitachycardia implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD) therapies before and after PMVR. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed all consecutive patients with heart failure with reduce left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) grade 3+ or 4+ and an active ICD or cardiac resynchronizer who underwent PMVR in any of the eleven recruiting centers. Only patients with complete available device VA monitoring from one-year before to one year after PMVR were included. Baseline clinical and echocardiographic characteristics were collected before PMVR and at 12-months follow-up. Results: Ninety-three patients (68.2+/-10.9 years old, male 88.2%) were enrolled. PMVR was successfully performed in all patients and device success at discharge was 91.4%. At 12-month follow-up, we observed a significant reduction in mitral regurgitation severity, NT-proBNP and prevalence of severe pulmonary hypertension and severe kidney disease. Patients also referred a significant improvement in NYHA functional class and showed a non-significant trend to reserve left ventricular remodeling. After PMVR a significant decrease in the incidence of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) (5.0+/-17.8 vs. 2.7+/-13.5, P=0.002), sustained VT or ventricular fibrillation (0.9+/-2.5 vs. 0.5+/-2.9, P=0.012) and ICD antitachycardia therapies (2.5+/-12.0 vs. 0.9+/-5.0, P=0.033) were observed. Conclusions: PMVR was related to a reduction in arrhythmic burden and ICD therapies in our cohort

Ion-Transfer Voltammetric Behavior of Propranolol at Nanoscale Liquid-Liquid Interface Arrays

In this work, the ion-transfer voltammetric detection of the protonated β-blocker propranolol was explored at arrays of nanoscale interfaces between two immiscible electrolyte solutions (ITIES). Silicon nitride nanoporous membranes with 400 pores in a hexagonal arrangement, with either 50 or 17 nm radius pores, were used to form regular arrays of nanoITIES. It was found that the aqueous-to-organic ion-transfer current continuously increased steadily rather than reaching a limiting current plateau after the ion-transfer wave; the slope of this limiting current region was concentration dependent and associated with the high ion flux at the nanointerfaces. Electrochemical data were examined in terms of an independent nanointerface approach and an equivalent microdisc approach, supported by finite element simulation. In comparison to the larger interface configuration (50 nm radius), the array of 17 nm radius nanoITIES exhibited a 6.5-times higher current density for propranolol detection due to the enhanced ion flux arising from the convergent diffusion to smaller electrochemical interfaces. Both nanoITIES arrays achieved the equivalent limits of detection, 0.8 μM, using cyclic voltammetry. Additionally, the effect of scan rate on the charging and faradaic currents at these nanoITIES arrays, as well as their stability over time, was investigated. The results demonstrate that arrays of nanoscale liquid–liquid interfaces can be applied to study electrochemical drug transfer, and provide the basis for the development of miniaturized and integrated detection platforms for drug analysis

Cryo-Electron Tomography of the Mammalian Synapse

Characterizing the detailed structure of the mammalian synapse is of crucial importance to understand its mechanisms of function. Here I describe a protocol to study synaptic architecture by cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET), a powerful electron microscopy technique that enables 3D visualization of unstained, fully hydrated cellular structures at molecular resolution. The protocol focuses on purified synaptic terminals (“synaptosomes”), currently the most suitable preparation to analyze mammalian synaptic architecture by cryo-ET

Diseño de un cuestionario para evaluar conocimientos didáctico-matemáticos sobre razonamiento algebraico elemental

La promoción del pensamiento algebraico en alumnos de primaria requiere implementar acciones formativas específicas para los profesores, lo que a su vez implica elaborar instrumentos de evaluación del estado de sus conocimientos didáctico - matemáticos sobre el tema. En este trabajo presentamos resultados del estudio realizado para la construcción de un cuestionario de evaluación de los conocimientos didáctico - matemáticos de estudiantes de magisterio sobre razonamiento algebraico elemental. Describimos las categorías de conocimientos algebraicos tenidas en cuenta (estructuras, funciones y modelización) y las categorías de conocimientos didácticos (facetas epistémica, cognitiva, instruccional y ecológica). Así mismo se describen y analizan las tareas incluidas en el cuestionario informando de la validez de contenido del mismo.La promoció del pensament algebraic en alumnes de primària requereix implementar accions formatives específiques per als professors, la qual cosa al seu torn implica elaborar instruments d'avaluació de l'estat dels seus coneixements didàctic - matemàtics sobre el tema. En aquest treball presentem resultats de l'estudi realitzat per a la construcció d'un qüestionari d'avaluació dels coneixements didàctic - matemàtics d'estudiants de magisteri sobre raonament algebraic elemental. Descrivim les categories de coneixements algebraics tingudes en compte (estructures, funcions i modelització) i les categories de coneixements didàctics (facetes epistèmica, cognitiva, instruccional i ecològica). Així mateix es descriuen i analitzen les tasques incloses en el qüestionari informant de la validesa de contingut del mateix.Promoting algebraic thinking in elementary school pupils requires implementing specific training activities for teachers, which in turn involves developing tools to assess their didactic-mathematical knowledge about this subject. In this paper we present results of a study aimed to build a questionnaire for assessing the didactic-mathematic knowledge of prospective primary teachers on elementary algebraic reasoning. We describe the categories of algebraic knowledge (structures, functions and modeling), as well as the categories of didactical knowledge (epistemic, cognitive, instructional and ecological facets) taken into account. We also describe and analyze the tasks included in the questionnaire reporting its content validity