Automatic Speech Recognition for Indoor HRI Scenarios

This article presents a stand-alone automatic speech recognition system that accounts for listener movement, time-varying reverberation effects, environmental noise, and user position information for beamforming approaches in an HRI setting. We raise the importance of replacing the classical black-box integration of automatic speech recognition technology in HRI applications with the incorporation of the acoustic environment representation and modeling, and of the target source direction. Test data were recorded on a real robot under various moving conditions. For addressing the time-varying acoustic channel problem and incorporating environmental effect during training, clean speech samples were passed through estimated static channel responses and noise was added. Beamforming is investigated regarding oracle source tracking using, for instance, image processing. The proposed strategy is interesting for the robotics community, because it allows the development of voice-based HRI with limited training data and without relying on third-party technologies or Internet access eliminating the need to upload data to the cloud. In our mobile HRI scenario, the resulting speech recognition engine provided an average word error rate that is at least 19% and 34% lower than publicly available speech recognition APIs with the playback (i.e., loudspeaker) and human testing modalities, respectively.

Functional Interplay of Type-2 Corticotrophin Releasing Factor and Dopamine Receptors in the Basolateral Amygdala-Medial Prefrontal Cortex Circuitry

BACKGROUND

Basolateral amygdala (BLA) excitatory projections to medial prefrontal cortex (PFC) play a key role controlling stress behavior, pain, and fear. Indeed, stressful events block synaptic plasticity at the BLA-PFC circuit. The stress responses involve the action of corticotrophin releasing factor (CRF) through type 1 and type 2 CRF receptors (CRF1 and CRF2). Interestingly, it has been described that dopamine receptor 1 (D1R) and CRF peptide have a modulatory role of BLA-PFC transmission. However, the participation of CRF1 and CRF2 receptors in BLA-PFC synaptic transmission still is unclear.

METHODS

We used in vivo microdialysis to determine dopamine and glutamate (GLU) extracellular levels in PFC after BLA stimulation. Immunofluorescence anatomical studies in rat PFC synaptosomes devoid of postsynaptic elements were performed to determine the presence of D1R and CRF2 receptors in synaptical nerve endings.

RESULTS

Here, we provide direct evidence of the opposite role that CRF receptors exert over dopamine extracellular levels in the PFC. We also show that D1R colocalizes with CRF2 receptors in PFC nerve terminals. Intra-PFC infusion of antisauvagine-30, a CRF2 receptor antagonist, increased PFC GLU extracellular levels induced by BLA activation. Interestingly, the increase in GLU release observed in the presence of antisauvagine-30 was significantly reduced by incubation with SCH23390, a D1R antagonist.

CONCLUSION

PFC CRF2 receptor unmasks D1R effect over glutamatergic transmission of the BLA-PFC circuit. Overall, CRF2 receptor emerges as a new modulator of BLA to PFC glutamatergic transmission, thus playing a potential role in emotional disorders.

Patency of coronary side branches covered by an everolimus-eluting bioresorbable vascular scaffold: clinical outcomes and computed tomography scan follow-up

AIMS

The behaviour of side branches (SBs) covered by a bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BVS) is not well known. This study analysed the rate of side branch occlusion (SBO) immediately after BVS implantation, its clinical impact, predictors of SBO and the fate of such SBs at follow-up.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We assessed 140 patients with 346 jeopardised SBs divided into three groups: small (<1 mm, n=181), intermediate (1-2 mm, n=102) and large (>2 mm, n=63). SBO was defined as a TIMI flow 0 or 1. Computed tomography was scheduled at six months for patients with jailed SBs >1 mm. Immediate occlusion occurred in 31 (9%) SBs: 22 (12%) small, 8 (8%) intermediate and one (1.6%) large, while post-procedural SBO was 5.5%. In-hospital events included one thrombosis (0.7%) and eight non-Q-wave myocardial infarctions (6%). After 17±3 months, one patient died (0.7%) and six patients needed repeat revascularisation (4%). Re-evaluation showed no late SBO at 7±3 months. Predictors of SBO were: small SBs (OR 2.06, 95% CI: 1.08-4.63; p<0.05) and stenosis >50% at the origin (OR 17.22, 95% CI: 7.79-38.10; p<0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of SBO and its clinical impact were low when SBs >1 mm were covered. These favourable results were maintained at midterm.

Inactivated poliovirus vaccine given alone or in a sequential schedule with bivalent oral poliovirus vaccine in Chilean infants: a randomised, controlled, open-label, phase 4, non-inferiority study

BACKGROUND

Bivalent oral poliovirus vaccine (bOPV; types 1 and 3) is expected to replace trivalent OPV (tOPV) globally by April, 2016, preceded by the introduction of at least one dose of inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) in routine immunisation programmes to eliminate vaccine-associated or vaccine-derived poliomyelitis from serotype 2 poliovirus. Because data are needed on sequential IPV-bOPV schedules, we assessed the immunogenicity of two different IPV-bOPV schedules compared with an all-IPV schedule in infants.

METHODS

We did a randomised, controlled, open-label, non-inferiority trial with healthy, full-term (>2·5 kg birthweight) infants aged 8 weeks (± 7 days) at six well-child clinics in Santiago, Chile. We used supplied lists to randomly assign infants (1:1:1) to receive three polio vaccinations (IPV by injection or bOPV as oral drops) at age 8, 16, and 24 weeks in one of three sequential schedules: IPV-bOPV-bOPV, IPV-IPV-bOPV, or IPV-IPV-IPV. We did the randomisation with blocks of 12 stratified by study site. All analyses were done in a masked manner. Co-primary outcomes were non-inferiority of the bOPV-containing schedules compared with the all-IPV schedule for seroconversion (within a 10% margin) and antibody titres (within two-thirds log2 titres) to poliovirus serotypes 1 and 3 at age 28 weeks, analysed in the per-protocol population. Secondary outcomes were seroconversion and titres to serotype 2 and faecal shedding for 4 weeks after a monovalent OPV type 2 challenge at age 28 weeks. Safety analyses were done in the intention-to-treat population. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01841671, and is closed to new participants.

FINDINGS

Between April 25 and August 1, 2013, we assigned 570 infants to treatment: 190 to IPV-bOPV-bOPV, 192 to IPV-IPV-bOPV, and 188 to IPV-IPV-IPV. 564 (99%) were vaccinated and included in the intention-to-treat cohort, and 537 (94%) in the per-protocol analyses. In the IPV-bOPV-bOPV, IPV-IPV-bOPV, and IPV-IPV-IPV groups, respectively, the proportions of children with seroconversion to type 1 poliovirus were 166 (98·8%) of 168, 95% CI 95·8-99·7; 178 (100%), 97·9-100·0; and 175 (100%), 97·9-100·0. Proportions with seroconvsion to type 3 poliovirus were 163 (98·2%) of 166, 94·8-99·4; 177 (100%), 97·9-100·0, and 172 (98·9%) of 174, 95·9-99·7. Non-inferiority was thus shown for the bOPV-containing schedules compared with the all-IPV schedule, with no significant differences between groups. In the IPV-bOPV-bOPV, IPV-IPV-bOPV, and IPV-IPV-IPV groups, respectively, the proportions of children with seroprotective antibody titres to type 1 poliovirus were 168 (98·8%) of 170, 95% CI 95·8-99·7; 181 (100%), 97·9-100·0; and 177 (100%), 97·9-100·0. Proportions to type 3 poliovirus were 166 (98·2%) of 169, 94·9-99·4; 180 (100%), 97·9-100·0; and 174 (98·9%) of 176, 96·0-99·7. Non-inferiority comparisons could not be done for this outcome because median titres for the groups receiving OPV were greater than the assay's upper limit of detection (log2 titres >10·5). The proportions of children seroconverting to type 2 poliovirus in the IPV-bOPV-bOPV, IPV-IPV-bOPV, and IPV-IPV-IPV groups, respectively, were 130 (77·4%) of 168, 95% CI 70·5-83·0; 169 (96·0%) of 176, 92·0-98·0; and 175 (100%), 97·8-100. IPV-bOPV schedules resulted in almost a 0·3 log reduction of type 2 faecal shedding compared with the IPV-only schedule. No participants died during the trial; 81 serious adverse events were reported, of which one was thought to be possibly vaccine-related (intestinal intussusception).

INTERPRETATION

Seroconversion rates against polioviruses types 1 and 3 were non-inferior in sequential schedules containing IPV and bOPV, compared with an all-IPV schedule, and proportions of infants with protective antibodies were high after all three schedules. One or two doses of bOPV after IPV boosted intestinal immunity for poliovirus type 2, suggesting possible cross protection. Additionally, there was evidence of humoral priming for type 2 from one dose of IPV. Our findings could give policy makers flexibility when choosing a vaccination schedule, especially when trying to eliminate vaccine-associated and vaccine-derived poliomyelitis.

FUNDING

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Myxoma of the left ventricle

This report concerns a 69-year-old woman who presented with an asymptomatic myxoma in the left ventricle. The tumor was successfully excised. We provide a very brief review of 72 other published cases of surgically treated left ventricular myxoma.

[Hepatitis A in a pediatric population from a northwestern Argentina]

With the purpose of elaborating a plan of an epidemiological study to develop an Hepatitis A vigilance program in the most affected areas Tucuman, it was carried out evaluation about antibody, IgM HAV in 191 patients. These patients had been diagnosed with acute Hepatitis. The sample belonged to 15% of the new patients who attended the Gastroenterology Service at time. 75.9% of the studied patients had IgM HAV (+). There was a predominance of consultation within March to July, with a similar distribution according to sex. The range of age was from 3 month till 14 years old with an outstanding high consultation rate of the 75.4% considering the group within 3 years old. A percentage of 63% developed jaundice and 45% had had a close touch with persons infected with hepatitis. About this last item, the outstanding sort of contact was between school partners with a percentage of 41.27%. There were 20 children admitted at the Hospital. Four of them developed fulminant hepatic failure without having determined any etiologic agent. Only one of this group showed a spontaneous resolution. The rest of them could not survive to receive hepatic transplant. There were 95.12% who had current water in their houses and 68% of them had installed bathroom with sewer.

CONCLUSIONS

Evaluating the of Hepatitis in childhood with viral markers. Investigating hepatitis during fall and winter. Developing health promotion and prevention at schools as well as carrying out the most extreme hygienic steps to achieve this. Encouraging the obligatory announcement about the real cases so as to determine the geographic distribution and to carry out proper prevention campaigns in the most affected areas. Actualizing a seroprevalence study of hepatitis A in order to carry out a vaccination program based in believeable and actual dates so as to determinate costs and benefits items.

Leydig cell tumour of the testis with gynaecomastia and elevated oestrogen, progesterone and prolactin levels: case report

The successful surgical removal of a feminizing interstitial cell tumour of the testis is described. The high oestradiol, progesterone and prolactin levels fell after surgery and the suppressed testosterone, FSH and LH recovered. Oestrogen secretion by the tumour could explain most of the observed hormonal changes.