1,337 research outputs found
Analysing Changes in the Acoustic Features of the Human Voice to Detect Depression amongst Biological Females in Higher Education
Depression significantly affects a large percentage of the population, with young adult females being one of the most at-risk demographics. Concurrently, there is a growing demand on healthcare, and with sufficient resources often unavailable to diagnose depression, new diagnostic methods are needed that are both cost-effective and accurate. The presence of depression is seen to significantly affect certain acoustic features of the human voice. Acoustic features have been found to exhibit subtle changes beyond the perception of the human auditory system when an individual has depression. With advances in speech processing, these subtle changes can be observed by machines. By measuring these changes, the human voice can be analysed to identify acoustic features that show a correlation with depression. The implementation of voice diagnosis would both reduce the burden on healthcare and ensure those with depression are diagnosed in a timely fashion, allowing them quicker access to treatment. The research project presents an analysis of voice data from 17 biological females between the ages of 20-26 years old in higher education as a means to detect depression. Eight participants were considered healthy with no history of depression, whilst the other nine currently had depression. Participants performed two vocal tasks consisting of extending sounds for a period of time and reading back a passage of speech. Six acoustic features were then measured from the voice data to determine whether these features can be utilised as diagnostic indicators of depression. The main finding of this study demonstrated one of the acoustic features measured demonstrates significant differences when comparing depressed and healthy individuals.<br/
Relating visual and semantic image descriptors
This paper addresses the automatic analysis of visual content and extraction of metadata beyond pure visual descriptors. Two approaches are described: Automatic Image Annotation (AIA) and Confidence Clustering (CC). AIA attempts to automatically classify images based on two binary classifiers and is
designed for the consumer electronics domain. Contrastingly, the CC approach does not attempt to assign a unique label to images but rather to organise the database based on concepts
Close Galaxy Pairs at z = 3: A Challenge to UV Luminosity Abundance Matching
We use a sample of z~3 Lyman Break Galaxies (LBGs) to examine close pair
clustering statistics in comparison to LCDM-based models of structure
formation. Samples are selected by matching the LBG number density and by
matching the observed LBG 3-D correlation function of LBGs over the two-halo
term region. We show that UV-luminosity abundance matching cannot reproduce the
observed data, but if subhalos are chosen to reproduce the observed clustering
of LBGs we are able to reproduce the observed LBG pair fraction, (Nc), defined
as the average number of companions per galaxy. This model suggests an over
abundance of LBGs by a factor of ~5 over those observed, suggesting that only 1
in 5 halos above a fixed mass hosts a galaxy with LBG-like UV luminosity
detectable via LBG selection techniques. We find a total observable close pair
fraction of 23 \pm 0.6% (17.7 \pm 0.5%) using a prototypical cylinder radius in
our overdense fiducial model and 8.3 \pm 0.5% (5.6 \pm 0.2%) in an abundance
matched model (impurity corrected). For the matched spectroscopic slit
analysis, we find Ncs = 5.1\pm0.2% (1.68\pm0.02%), the average number of
companions observed serendipitously in our for fiducial slits (abundance
matched), whereas the observed fraction of serendipitous spectroscopic close
pairs is 4.7\pm1.5 per cent using the full LBG sample and 7.1\pm2.3% for a
subsample with higher signal-to-noise ratio. We show that the standard method
of halo assignment fails to reproduce the break in the LBG close pair behavior
at small scale. To reconcile these discrepancies we suggest that a plausible
fraction of LBGs in close pairs with lower mass than our sample experience
interaction-induced enhanced star formation that boosts their luminosity
sufficiently to be detected in observational sample but are not included in the
abundance matched simulation sample.Comment: 18 pages, 12 figures, 1 table, published in MNRA
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Intense high-frequency gyrotron-based microwave beams for material processing
Microwave processing of materials has traditionally utilized frequencies in the 0.915 and 2.45 GHz regions. Microwave power sources are readily available at these frequencies but the relatively long wavelengths can present challenges in uniformly heating materials. An additional difficulty is the poor coupling of ceramic based materials to the microwave energy. Los Alamos National Laboratory scientists, working in conjunction with the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS), have assembled a high-frequency demonstration processing facility utilizing gyrotron based RF sources. The facility is primarily intended to demonstrate the unique features available at frequencies as high as 84 GHz. The authors can readily provide quasi-optical, 37 GHz beams at continuous wave (CW) power levels in the 10 kW range. They have also provided beams at 84 GHz at 10 kW CW power levels. They are presently preparing a facility to demonstrate the sintering of ceramics at 30 GHz. This paper presents an overview of the present demonstration processing facility and describes some of the features they have available now and will have available in the near future
Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) Micrometeoroid and Orbital Debris (MMOD) Assessment
The Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) Project requested the NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) conduct an independent evaluation of the Micrometeoroid and Orbital Debris (MMOD) models used in the latest JPSS MMOD risk assessment. The principal focus of the assessment was to compare Orbital Debris Engineering Model version 3 (ORDEM 3.0) with the Meteoroid and Space Debris Terrestrial Environment Reference version 2009 (MASTER-2009) and Aerospace Debris Environment Projection Tool (ADEPT) and provide recommendations to the JPSS Project regarding MMOD protection. The outcome of the NESC assessment is contained in this report
Pilot Trial on the Use of Etanercept and Methylprednisolone as Primary Treatment for Acute Graft-versus-Host Disease
AbstractClinical and preclinical data indicate that tumor necrosis factor (TNF)âα is an important mediator of acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. We completed a study using etanercept, a fusion protein capable of neutralizing TNF-α, for the initial treatment of aGVHD. Etanercept (25 mg subcutaneously) was administered twice weekly for 16 doses, along with methylprednisolone (2 mg/kg) and tacrolimus for biopsy-proven aGVHD. Twenty patients with a median age of 47 years (range, 8â63 years) were enrolled. Fourteen patients with grade II aGVHD (11 family donors and 3 unrelated donors) and 6 patients with grade III aGVHD (3 family donors and 3 unrelated donors) were treated. Twelve patients completed 16 doses of therapy, and 8 received 5 to 15 doses. Reasons for not completing all doses of etanercept included progression of aGVHD (n = 4), relapsed leukemia (n = 2), progression of pulmonary and central nervous system lesions (n = 1), and perforated duodenal ulcer (n = 1). Fifteen (75%) of 20 patients had complete resolution of aGVHD within 4 weeks of therapy. Increasing levels of soluble TNF receptor 1 plasma concentration during the first 4 weeks of therapy indicated progression of aGVHD in 5 patients. In contrast, for 15 responding patients, soluble TNF receptor 1 plasma concentration levels returned to baseline. These data demonstrate the feasibility of using cytokine blockade in the early treatment of aGVHD
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