Parallel Algorithms for Isolated and Connected Word Recognition

For years researchers have worked toward finding a way to allow people to talk to machines in the same manner a person communicates to another person. This verbal man to machine interface, called speech recognition, can be grouped into three types: isolated word recognition, connected word recognition, and continuous speech recognition. Isolated word recognizers recognize single words with distinctive pauses before and after them. Continuous speech recognizers recognize speech spoken as one person speaks to another, continuously without pauses. Connected word recognition is an extension of isolated word recognition which recognizes groups of words spoken continuously. A group of words must have distinctive pauses before and after it, and the number of words in a group is limited to some small value (typically less than six). If these types of recognition systems are to be successful in the real world, they must be speaker independent and support a large vocabulary. They also must be able to recognize the speech input accurately and in real time. Currently there is no system which can meet all of these criteria because a vast amount of computations are needed. This report examines the use of parallel processing to reduce the computation time for speech recognition. Two different types of parallel architectures are considered here, the Single Instruction stream - Multiple Data (S1MD) machine and the VLSI processor array. The SIMD machine is chosen for its flexibility, which makes it a good candidate for testing new speech recognition algorithms. The VLSI processor array is selected as being good for a dedicated recognition system because of its simple processors and fixed interconnections. This report involves designing SIMD systems and VLSI processor arrays for both isolated and connected word recognition systems. These architectures are evaluated and contrasted in terms of the number of processors needed, the interprocessor connections required, and the “power” each processor needs to achieve real time recognition. The results show that an SIMD machine using 100 processors, each with an MC68000 processor, can recognize isolated words in real time using a 20 KHz sampling rate and a 1,000 word vocabulary

Inferences Drawn from a Risk Assessment Compared Directly with a Randomized Trial of a Home Drinking Water Intervention

Risk assessments and intervention trials have been used by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to estimate drinking water health risks. Seldom are both methods used concurrently. Between 2001 and 2003, illness data from a trial were collected simultaneously with exposure data, providing a unique opportunity to compare direct risk estimates of waterborne disease from the intervention trial with indirect estimates from a risk assessment. Comparing the group with water treatment (active) with that without water treatment (sham), the estimated annual attributable disease rate (cases per 10,000 persons per year) from the trial provided no evidence of a significantly elevated drinking water risk [attributable risk = −365 cases/year, sham minus active; 95% confidence interval (CI), −2,555 to 1,825]. The predicted mean rate of disease per 10,000 persons per person-year from the risk assessment was 13.9 (2.5, 97.5 percentiles: 1.6, 37.7) assuming 4 log removal due to viral disinfection and 5.5 (2.5, 97.5 percentiles: 1.4, 19.2) assuming 6 log removal. Risk assessments are important under conditions of low risk when estimates are difficult to attain from trials. In particular, this assessment pointed toward the importance of attaining site-specific treatment data and the clear need for a better understanding of viral removal by disinfection. Trials provide direct risk estimates, and the upper confidence limit estimates, even if not statistically significant, are informative about possible upper estimates of likely risk. These differences suggest that conclusions about waterborne disease risk may be strengthened by the joint use of these two approaches

Análisis sincrónico de la gobernanza universitaria: una mirada teórica a los años sesenta y setenta

Resumen Estudiar las perspectivas en el campo del gobierno de las universidades tiene cada día mayor preeminencia, especialmente si se toma en cuenta la incuestionable necesidad de avanzar hacía organizaciones más eficientes, conectadas con las expectativas que sobre ellas tiene la sociedad. Considerando este escenario, el trabajo se ha planteado como propósito central realizar un análisis de carácter sincrónico del concepto de gobernanza y la constitución de los gobiernos universitarios. Desde el punto de vista metodológico se utilizaron fuentes secundarias: una revisión de papers publicados esencialmente en revistas de habla inglesa. El estudio comprende las décadas del sesenta y el setenta. Se centra en las raíces del concepto de gobernanza universitaria, en la delineación de los actores que participan en sus gobiernos y en las relaciones de poder que fluyen entre ellos.Entre las principales conclusiones, se pueden destacar como el estamento académico desde el principio de las universidades ha ocupado el rol casi plenipotenciario en su respectivo gobierno, producto de esto, en el correr del desarrollo y mientras la complejidad organizacional se incrementaba, es que fue necesario incorporar nuevos actores a los sistemas de gestión; todo lo anterior, teniendo en cuenta que dos elementos han sido fundamentales para la sobrevivencia de este tipo de instituciones, la legitimidad otorgada por la sociedad y los principios de estrategias del ámbito de la gestión

PARALLEL ALGORITHMS FOR ISOLATED AND CONNECTED WORD RECOGNITION. (VOLUMES I AND II) (SIMD MACHINE, SYSTOLIC ARRAY)

For years researchers have worked toward finding a way to allow people to talk to machines in the same manner a person communicates to another person. This verbal man to machine interface, called speech recognition, can be grouped into three types: isolated word recognition, connected word recognition, and continuous speech recognition. Isolated word recognizers recognize single words with distinctive pauses before and after them. Continuous speech recognizers recognize speech spoken as one person speaks to another, continuously without pauses. Connected word recognition is an extension of isolated word recognition which recognizes groups of words spoken continuously. A group of words must have distinctive pauses before and after it, and the number of words in a group is limited to some small value (typically less than six). If these types of recognition systems are to be successful in the real world, they must be speaker independent and support a large vocabulary. They also must be able to recognize the speech input accurately and in real time. Currently there is no system which can meet all of these criteria because a vast amount of computations are needed. This thesis examines the use of parallel processing to reduce the computation time for speech recognition. Two different types of parallel architectures are considered here, the Single Instruction stream - Multiple Data (SIMD) machine and the VLSI processor array. The SIMD machine is chosen for its flexibility, which makes it a good candidate for testing new speech recognition algorithms. The VLSI processor array is selected as being good for a dedicated recognition system because of its simple processors and fixed interconnections. This thesis involves designing SIMD systems and VLSI processor arrays for both isolated and connected work recognition systems. These architectures are evaluated and contrasted in terms of the number of processors needed, the interprocessor connections required, and the power each processor needs to achieve real time recognition. The results show that an SIMD machine using 100 processors, each with an MC68000 processor, can recognize isolated words in real time using a 20 KHz sampling rate and a 1,000 word vocabulary

Effect of Antenatal Corticosteroids on Respiratory Morbidity in Singletons After Late-Preterm Birth

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether neonates born to women who had previously received antenatal corticosteroids and then delivered a late-preterm birth neonate had less respiratory morbidity compared with those unexposed to antenatal corticosteroids. METHODS: This is a secondary analysis from a multicenter observational study regarding mode of delivery after prior cesarean delivery. We compared women who received one course of antenatal corticosteroids with unexposed parturients, and evaluated various respiratory outcomes among those having a singleton late-preterm birth neonate. We controlled for potential confounders including gestational age at delivery, diabetes, mode of delivery, and maternal race. RESULTS: Five thousand nine hundred twenty-four patients met the inclusion criteria; 550 received steroids, while 5,374 did not. In the univariable model, compared with unexposed women, those who received antenatal corticosteroids appeared more likely to have neonates who required ventilatory support (11.5% v. 8.6%, p=0.022), had respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) (17.1% v. 12.2%, p=0.001), developed transient tachypnea of the newborn (12.9% v. 9.8%, p=0.020), or required resuscitation in the delivery room (55.8% v. 49.7%, p=0.007). After controlling for confounding factors, we found no significant differences among the groups regarding all of the above outcomes with an odds ratio for RDS of 0.78 (95% CI 0.60–1.02) and ventilator support of 0.75 (95% CI 0.55–1.03). CONCLUSION: Exposure to antenatal corticosteroids does not significantly affect respiratory outcomes among those with a subsequent late-preterm birth

Information Systems Education Journal In this issue: 4. Full Flip, Half Flip and No Flip: Evaluation of Flipping an Introductory Programming Course The Relative Efficacy of Video and Text Tutorials in Online Computing Education 44. Use of Failure in IS De

The Information Systems Education Journal (ISEDJ) is a double-blind peer-reviewed academic journal published reviewed published by ISCAP, Information Systems and Computing Academic Professionals. The first year of publication was 2003. ISEDJ is published online (http://isedj.org). Our sister publication, the Proceedings of EDSIGCon (http://www.edsigcon.org) features all papers, panels, workshops, and presentations from the conference. The journal acceptance review process involves a minimum of three double-blind peer reviews, where both the reviewer is not aware of the identities of the authors and the authors are not aware of the identities of the reviewers. The initial reviews happen before the conference. At that point papers are divided into award papers (top 15%), other journal papers (top 30%), unsettled papers, and non-journal papers. The unsettled papers are subjected to a second round of blind peer review to establish whether they will be accepted to the journal or not. Those papers that are deemed of sufficient quality are accepted for publication in the ISEDJ journal. Currently the target acceptance rate for the journal is under 40%. Information Systems Education Journal is pleased to be listed in the 1st Edition of Cabell's Directory of Publishing Opportunities in Educational Technology and Library Science, in both the electronic and printed editions. Questions should be addressed to the editor at [email protected] or the publisher at [email protected]. Special thanks to members of AITP-EDSIG who perform the editorial and review processes for ISEDJ. AITP Education Special Interest Group (EDSIG) Board of Directors Abstract This paper discusses how cloud computing can be leveraged to add value to academic programs in information systems and other fields by improving financial sustainment models for institutional technology and academic departments, relieving the strain on overworked technology support resources, while adding richness and improving pedagogical delivery of course content. A literature review on cloud definitions and how cloud paradigms are being implemented in academia is conducted. The author suggests that for smaller programs and institutions, cloud hosting of applications, services and platforms in support of information systems programs may be the only financially viable solution to course technology requirements. The impact of transitioning core information systems courses to a cloud paradigm is discussed, and examples of how the transition can improve course content and delivery are provided. Finally, details are presented on how a transition to the cloud is being accomplished in the information systems program of the school of continuing studies at the author's small liberal arts university

The importance of low-dose CT screening to identify emphysema in asymptomatic participants with and without a prior diagnosis of COPD

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) includes chronic bronchitis, small airways disease, and emphysema. Diagnosis of COPD requires spirometric evidence and may be normal even when small airways disease or emphysema is present. Emphysema increases the risk of exacerbations, and is associated with all-cause mortality and increased risk of lung cancer. We evaluated the prevalence of emphysema in participants with and without a prior history of COPD. We reviewed a prospective cohort of 52,726 subjects who underwent baseline low dose CT screening for lung cancer from 2003 to 2016 in the International Early Lung Cancer Action Program. Of 52,726 participants, 23.8%(12,542) had CT evidence of emphysema. Of these 12,542 participants with emphysema, 76.5%(9595/12,542) had no prior COPD diagnosis even though 23.6% (2258/9595) had moderate or severe emphysema. Among 12,542 participants, significant predictors of no prior COPD diagnosis were: male (OR = 1.47, p < 0.0001), younger age (ORage10 = 0.72, p < 0.0001), lower pack-years of smoking (OR10pack-years = 0.90, p < 0.0001), completed college or higher (OR = 1.54, p < 0.0001), no family history of lung cancer (OR = 1.12, p = 0.04), no self-reported cardiac disease (OR = 0.76, p = 0.0003) or hypertension (OR = 0.74, p < 0.0001). The severity of emphysema was significantly lower among the 9595 participants with no prior COPD diagnosis, the OR for moderate emphysema was ORmoderate = 0.58(p = 0.0007) and for severe emphysema, it was ORsevere = 0.23(p < 0.0001). Emphysema was identified in 23.8% participants undergoing LDCT and was unsuspected in 76.5%. LDCT provides an opportunity to identify emphysema, and recommend smoking cessation. •Emphysema was identified in 23.8% participants and was unsuspected in 76.5%.•23.6% of participants with unsuspected COPD had moderate or severe emphysema on LDCT.•COPD is underdiagnosed in patients undergoing LDCT.•LDCT provides an opportunity to identify emphysema, reduce morbidity and mortality