Search results for: auditory late latency response

Authors: Célia Barreto Carvalho, Carolina da Motta, José Pinto-Gouveia, Ermelindo Bernardo Peixoto

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Auditory hallucinations among the most invalidating and distressing experiences reported by patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, leading to feelings of powerlessness and helplessness towards their illness. In more severe cases, these auditory hallucinations can take the form of commanding voices, which are often related to high suicidality rates in these patients. Several authors propose that the meanings attributed to the hallucinatory experience, rather than characteristics like form and content, can be determinant in patients’ reactions to hallucinatory activity, particularly in the case of voice-hearing experiences. In this study, 48 patients diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia presenting auditory hallucinations were studied. Multiple regression analyses were computed to study the influence of several developmental aspects, such as family and social dynamics, bullying, depression, and socio-cognitive variables on the auditory hallucinations, on patients’ attributions and relationships with their voices, and on the resulting invalidation of hallucinatory experience. Overall, results showed how relationships with voices can mirror several aspects of interpersonal relationship with others, and how self-schemas, depression and actual social relationships help shaping the voice-hearing experience. Early experiences of victimization and submission help predict the attributions of omnipotence of the voices, and increased hostility from parents seems to increase the malevolence of the voices, suggesting that socio-cognitive factors can significantly contribute to the etiology and maintenance of auditory hallucinations. The understanding of the characteristics of auditory hallucinations and the relationships patients established with their voices can allow the development of more promising therapeutic interventions that can be more effective in decreasing invalidation caused by this devastating mental illness.

Keywords: auditory hallucination, beliefs, life events, schizophrenia

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Authors: Hirokatsu Kawashima

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One important element of teaching/learning listening is intensive listening such as listening for precise sounds, words, grammatical, and semantic units. Several classroom-based investigations have been conducted to explore the usefulness of auditory recognition of phonological, grammatical and semantic errors in such a context. The current study reports the results of one such investigation, which targeted auditory recognition of phonological, grammatical, and semantic errors at the sentence level. 56 Japanese EFL learners participated in this investigation, in which their recognition performance of phonological, grammatical and semantic errors was measured on a 9-point scale by learners’ self-evaluation from the perspective of 1) two types of similar English sound (vowel and consonant minimal pair words), 2) two types of sentence word order (verb phrase-based and noun phrase-based word orders), and 3) two types of semantic consistency (verb-purpose and verb-place agreements), respectively, and their general listening proficiency was examined using standardized tests. A number of findings have been made about the interactive relationships between the three types of auditory error recognition and general listening proficiency. Analyses based on the OPLS (Orthogonal Projections to Latent Structure) regression model have disclosed, for example, that the three types of auditory error recognition are linked in a non-linear way: the highest explanatory power for general listening proficiency may be attained when quadratic interactions between auditory recognition of errors related to vowel minimal pair words and that of errors related to noun phrase-based word order are embraced (R2=.33, p=.01).

Keywords: auditory error recognition, intensive listening, interaction, investigation

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Authors: Argyris B. Karapetsas, Rozi M. Laskaraki, Aikaterini A. Karapetsa, Maria Bampou, Valentini N. Vamvaka

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The main aim of the current protocol is the contribution of neuropsychology in both assessment and rehabilitation settings for children with dyslexia. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the significant role of neuropsychological assessment including both Psychometric and electrophysiological tests as well as to investigate the effectiveness of an Auditory Training program, designed via Music designed for children with Developmental Dyslexia (DD). Materials: In our study, participated 45 third-, and fourth-grade students with DD and a matched control group (n=45). Method: At the first phase of the protocol, children underwent a clinical assessment, including both electrophysiological, i.e. Event Related Potentials (ERPs) esp. P300 waveform, and psychometric tests, being conducted in Laboratory of Neuropsychology, at University of Thessaly, in Volos, Greece. Assessment’s results confirmed statistically significant lower performance for children with DD for all tests, compared to the typical readers of the control group. After evaluation, a subgroup of children with DD participated in a Rehabilitation Program including digitized musical auditory training activities. Results: The electrophysiological recordings after the intervention revealed shorter, almost similar, P300 latency values for children with DD to those of the control group, indicating the beneficial effects of the Intervention, thus enabling children develop reading skills and become successful readers. Discussion: Similar research data confirm the crucial role of neuropsychology in both diagnosis and treatment of common disorders, observed in children. Indeed, as for DD, there is growing evidence that brain activity dysfunction does occur, as it is confirmed by neuropsychological assessment and also musical auditory training may have remedial effects. Conclusions: The outcomes of the current study suggest that due to the neurobiological origin of DD, neuropsychology may give the means in both neuropsychological assessment and rehabilitation, enabling professionals to cope with cerebral dysfunction and recovery more efficiently.

Keywords: diagnosis, dyslexia, ERPs, Music, neuropsychology, rehabilitation

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Authors: Khatir Omar, Fekih Sidi Mohamed, Sahli Abderahmene, Benkhettou Abdelkader, Boudjemaa Ismail

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Advancements in technology have revolutionized healthcare, with notable impacts on auditory health. This study introduces an approach aimed at optimizing materials for middle ear prostheses to enhance auditory performance. We have developed a finite element (FE) model of the ear incorporating a pure titanium TORP prosthesis, validated against experimental data. Subsequently, we applied the Functionally Graded Materials (FGM) methodology, utilizing linear, exponential, and logarithmic degradation functions to modify prosthesis materials. Biocompatible materials suitable for auditory prostheses, including Stainless Steel, titanium, and Hydroxyapatite, were investigated. The findings indicate that combinations such as Stainless Steel with titanium and Hydroxyapatite offer improved outcomes compared to pure titanium and Hydroxyapatite ceramic in terms of both displacement and stress. Additionally, personalized prostheses tailored to individual patient needs are feasible, underscoring the potential for further advancements in auditory healthcare.

Keywords: middle ear, prosthesis, ossicles, FGM, vibration analysis, finite-element method

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Authors: Pratibha Srivastava, Chithra V. J., Sudhakar S., Nitin K. D.

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A closed-loop system comprises of a controller, a response system, and an actuating system. The controller, which is the system under test for us, excites the actuators based on feedback from the sensors in a periodic manner. The sensors should provide the feedback to the System Under Test (SUT) within a deterministic time post excitation of the actuators. Any delay or miss in the generation of response or acquisition of excitation pulses may lead to control loop controller computation errors, which can be catastrophic in certain cases. Such systems categorised as hard real-time systems that need special strategies. The real-time operating systems available in the market may be the best solutions for such kind of simulations, but they pose limitations like the availability of the X Windows system, graphical interfaces, other user tools. In this paper, we present strategies that can be used on a general purpose operating system (Bare Linux Kernel) to achieve a deterministic deadline and hence have the added advantages of a GPOS with real-time features. Techniques shall be discussed how to make the time-critical application run with the highest priority in an uninterrupted manner, reduced network latency for distributed architecture, real-time data acquisition, data storage, and retrieval, user interactions, etc.

Keywords: real time data acquisition, real time kernel preemption, scheduling, network latency

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Authors: Toshitaka Higashino, Naoki Wakamiya

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Human beings perform a task by perceiving information from outside, recognizing them, and responding them. There have been various attempts to analyze and understand internal processes behind the reaction to a given stimulus by conducting psychological experiments and analysis from multiple perspectives. Among these, we focused on Model Human Processor (MHP). However, it was built based on psychological experiments and thus the relation with brain activity was unclear so far. To verify the validity of the MHP and propose our model from a viewpoint of neuroscience, EEG (Electroencephalography) measurements are performed during experiments in this study. More specifically, first, experiments were conducted where Latin alphabet characters were used as visual stimuli. In addition to response time, ERPs (event-related potentials) such as N100 and P300 were measured by using EEG. By comparing cycle time predicted by the MHP and latency of ERPs, it was found that N100, related to perception of stimuli, appeared at the end of the perceptual processor. Furthermore, by conducting an additional experiment, it was revealed that P300, related to decision making, appeared during the response decision process, not at the end. Second, by experiments using Japanese Hiragana characters, i.e. Japan's own phonetic symbols, those findings were confirmed. Finally, Japanese Kanji characters were used as more complicated visual stimuli. A Kanji character usually has several readings and several meanings. Despite the difference, a reading-related task and a meaning-related task exhibited similar results, meaning that they involved similar information processing processes of the brain. Based on those results, our model was proposed which reflects response time and ERP latency. It consists of three processors: the perception processor from an input of a stimulus to appearance of N100, the cognitive processor from N100 to P300, and the decision-action processor from P300 to response. Using our model, an application system which reflects brain activity can be established.

Keywords: brain activity, EEG, information processing model, model human processor

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Authors: Lana Burmistrova

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Introduction: The influence of visual impairments on several cognitive processes used in the music learning process is an increasingly important area in special education and cognitive musicology. Many children have several visual impairments due to the refractive errors and irreversible inhibitors. However, based on the compensatory neuroplasticity and functional reorganization, congenitally blind (CB) and early blind (EB) individuals use several areas of the occipital lobe to perceive and process auditory and tactile information. CB individuals have greater memory capacity, memory reliability, and less false memory mechanisms are used while executing several tasks, they have better working memory (WM) and short-term memory (STM). Blind individuals use several strategies while executing tactile and working memory n-back tasks: verbalization strategy (mental recall), tactile strategy (tactile recall) and combined strategies. Methods and design: The aim of the pilot study was to substantiate similar tendencies while executing attention, memory and combined auditory tasks in blind and sighted individuals constructed for this study, and to investigate attention, memory and combined mechanisms used in the music learning process. For this study eight (n=8) blind and eight (n=8) sighted individuals aged 13-20 were chosen. All respondents had more than five years music performance and music learning experience. In the attention task, all respondents had to identify pitch changes in tonal and randomized melodic pairs. The memory task was based on the mismatch negativity (MMN) proportion theory: 80 percent standard (not changed) and 20 percent deviant (changed) stimuli (sequences). Every sequence was named (na-na, ra-ra, za-za) and several items (pencil, spoon, tealight) were assigned for each sequence. Respondents had to recall the sequences, to associate them with the item and to detect possible changes. While executing the combined task, all respondents had to focus attention on the pitch changes and had to detect and describe these during the recall. Results and conclusion: The results support specific features in CB and EB, and similarities between late blind (LB) and sighted individuals. While executing attention and memory tasks, it was possible to observe the tendency in CB and EB by using more precise execution tactics and usage of more advanced periodic memory, while focusing on auditory and tactile stimuli. While executing memory and combined tasks, CB and EB individuals used passive working memory to recall standard sequences, active working memory to recall deviant sequences and combined strategies. Based on the observation results, assessment of blind respondents and recording specifics, following attention and memory correlations were identified: reflective attention and STM, reflective attention and periodic memory, auditory attention and WM, tactile attention and WM, auditory tactile attention and STM. The results and the summary of findings highlight the attention and memory features used in the music learning process in the context of blindness, and the tendency of the several attention and memory types correlated based on the task, strategy and individual features.

Keywords: attention, blindness, memory, music learning, strategy

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Authors: Vaishali Joshi

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Purpose: A literature gap exists on the concept of sensory marketing elements, such as tactile elements, auditory elements, visual elements, and olfactory elements, studied together in the context of retailing. An investigation is required to study the impact of these sensory cues together on consumer behaviour. So, this study will undertake the impact of sensory marketing in fashion accessories stores on female shoppers’ purchasing activities. The present research study highlights the role of sensory cues, such as tactile cues, visual cues, auditory cues, and olfactory cues, on the shopper’s emotional states and their purchase intention. Design/methodology/approach: The emotional states and the purchase intention of the female shoppers influenced by the visual, tactile, olfactory, and auditory cues present in the fashion accessories stores were measured. The mall intercept technique was used for the data collection. Data analysis was done through Structural Equation Modelling. Research limitations/implications: The restricted geographical range and limited sample size of the study had a substantial poor influence on the wide usage of the study’s outcome. Also, here, the sample was female respondents only.

Keywords: sensory marketing, visual cues, olfactory cues, tactile cues, auditory cues

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Authors: J. Mano Ranjini

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Each and every child is special, born with a unique talent to explore this world. The word Dyslexia is derived from the Greek language in which “dys” meaning poor or inadequate and “lexis” meaning words or language. Dyslexia describes about a different kind of mind, which is often gifted and productive, that learns the concept differently. The main aim of the study is to bring the positive outcome of the reading level by examining the effectiveness of Visual Auditory Kinesthetic Tactile technique on Reading Level among Dyslexic Children at Helikx Open School and Learning Centre. A Quasi experimental one group pretest post test design was adopted for this study. The Reading Level was assessed by using the Schonell Graded Word Reading Test. Thirty subjects were drawn by using purposive sampling technique and the intervention Visual Auditory Kinesthetic Tactile technique was implemented to the Dyslexic Children for 30 consecutive days followed by the post Reading Level assessment revealed the improvement in the mean score value of reading level by 12%. Multi-sensory (VAKT) teaching uses all learning pathways in the brain (visual, auditory, kinesthetic-tactile) in order to enhance memory and learning and the ability in uplifting emotional, physical and societal dimensions. VAKT is an effective method to improve the reading skill of the Dyslexic Children that ensures the enormous significance of learning thereby influencing the wholesome of the child’s life.

Keywords: visual auditory kinesthetic tactile technique, reading level, dyslexic children, Helikx Open School

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Authors: Nur Emma Mustaffa, Hii Ping Ping

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Late payment is a common issue in the construction industry and the subcontractors are not spared from it. This study has been carried out with the objectives to identify the implications of late payment issues toward the subcontractors and the strategies adopted by them to overcome the late payment issues. In terms of the strategies which can be adopted in overcoming the late payment, the subcontractors may suspend or slow down the construction process, making periodic follow up with the client, demand the rights to interest on late payment or the issuance of a promissory note by the client. The focus of the study is primarily on Grade 4 to Grade 7 contractors in Johor Bahru, Malaysia who carried out subcontracting works and registered under Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB). Employing survey as the main research method for data collection, the analysis would therefore mainly be adopting Likert Scale Analysis, Ranking Analysis and Frequency Distribution Analysis. This research showed the main implication of late payment issues towards subcontractors is created financial hardship to them. Besides, the most effective strategy adopted by the subcontractors to overcome the late payment issues is follow-up with client using formal procedure. From the findings, most of the subcontractors had low level of experiences and frequency in the adoption of Construction Industry Payment and Adjudication Act (CIPAA) 2012 to solve the payment disputes in the construction industry. In a nutshell, it is hoped that these findings will become guidance to the subcontractors to overcome the late payment issues in their future projects.

Keywords: subcontractors, implications, strategies, CIPAA 2012, payment

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Authors: Man Fung Ho, Lap So, Jiaqi Zhang, Yuheng Zhao, Huiyang Lu, Tat Shing Choi, K. Y. Michael Wong

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Nowadays, a tremendous amount of data is available in the transportation system, enabling the development of various machine learning approaches to make short-term latency predictions. A natural question is then the choice of relevant information to enable accurate predictions. Using traffic data collected from the Taiwan Freeway System, we consider the prediction of short-term latency of a freeway segment with a length of 17 km covering 5 measurement points, each collecting vehicle-by-vehicle data through the electronic toll collection system. The processed data include the past latencies of the freeway segment with different time lags, the traffic conditions of the individual segments (the accumulations, the traffic fluxes, the entrance and exit rates), the total accumulations, and the weekday latency profiles obtained by Gaussian process regression of past data. We arrive at several important conclusions about how data should be refined to obtain accurate predictions, which have implications for future system-wide latency predictions. (1) We find that the prediction of median latency is much more accurate and meaningful than the prediction of average latency, as the latter is plagued by outliers. This is verified by machine-learning prediction using XGBoost that yields a 35% improvement in the mean square error of the 5-minute averaged latencies. (2) We find that the median latency of the segment 15 minutes ago is a very good baseline for performance comparison, and we have evidence that further improvement is achieved by machine learning approaches such as XGBoost and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM). (3) By analyzing the feature importance score in XGBoost and calculating the mutual information between the inputs and the latencies to be predicted, we identify a sequence of inputs ranked in importance. It confirms that the past latencies are most informative of the predicted latencies, followed by the total accumulation, whereas inputs such as the entrance and exit rates are uninformative. It also confirms that the inputs are much less informative of the average latencies than the median latencies. (4) For predicting the latencies of segments composed of two or three sub-segments, summing up the predicted latencies of each sub-segment is more accurate than the one-step prediction of the whole segment, especially with the latency prediction of the downstream sub-segments trained to anticipate latencies several minutes ahead. The duration of the anticipation time is an increasing function of the traveling time of the upstream segment. The above findings have important implications to predicting the full set of latencies among the various locations in the freeway system.

Keywords: data refinement, machine learning, mutual information, short-term latency prediction

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Authors: Safwa Yargui

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This research examines the quest for a post-war American epic poem in the age of late capitalism. It explores the possibility of an epic poem in the context of post-war late capitalist America, despite the prevailing scholarly skepticism regarding the existence of epic poetry after Milton’s Paradise Lost. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the possibility of a post-war American epic through the argument of epic consciousness. Epic consciousness provides a significant nuance to the reading of the post-war American epic by focusing on the epic’s responsiveness to late capitalism via various language forms; cultural manifestations; and conscious distortions of late capitalist media-related language; in addition to the epic’ conscious inclusion of the process of writing a post-war epic that requires a direct engagement with American-based materials. By focusing on interdisciplinary theoretical approaches, this paper includes both socio-cultural literary theories as well as literary and epic approaches developed by scholars in their critical texts that respectively contextualize the late capitalist situation and the question of post-war American epic poetry. The major findings of this research provides a new theoretical approach to the question of post-war American epic poetry. In examining the role of consciousness, this paper aims to suggest a re-thinking of the post-war American epic that is capable of self-commitment for the purpose of achieving a new sense of epic poetry in post-war late capitalist America.

Keywords: american epic, epic consciousness, late capitalism, post-wat poetry

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Authors: Regis Pochon, Nicolas Stefaniak, Veronique Baltazart, Pamela Gobin

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Anxiety is known to have an impact on working memory. In reasoning or memory tasks, individuals with anxiety tend to show longer response times and poorer performance. Furthermore, there is a memory bias for negative information in anxiety. Given the crucial role of working memory in lexical learning, anxious students may encounter more difficulties in learning to read and spell. Anxiety could even affect an earlier learning, that is the activation of phonological representations, which are decisive for the learning of reading and writing. The aim of this study is to compare the access to phonological representations of beginning readers and writers according to their level of anxiety, using an auditory lexical decision task. Eighty students of 6- to 9-years-old completed the French version of the Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale and were then divided into four anxiety groups according to their total score (Low, Median-Low, Median-High and High). Two set of eighty-one stimuli (words and non-words) have been auditory presented to these students by means of a laptop computer. Stimuli words were selected according to their emotional valence (positive, negative, neutral). Students had to decide as quickly and accurately as possible whether the presented stimulus was a real word or not (lexical decision). Response times and accuracy were recorded automatically on each trial. It was anticipated a) longer response times for the Median-High and High anxiety groups in comparison with the two others groups, b) faster response times for negative-valence words in comparison with positive and neutral-valence words only for the Median-High and High anxiety groups, c) lower response accuracy for Median-High and High anxiety groups in comparison with the two others groups, d) better response accuracy for negative-valence words in comparison with positive and neutral-valence words only for the Median-High and High anxiety groups. Concerning the response times, our results showed no difference between the four groups. Furthermore, inside each group, the average response times was very close regardless the emotional valence. Otherwise, group differences appear when considering the error rates. Median-High and High anxiety groups made significantly more errors in lexical decision than Median-Low and Low groups. Better response accuracy, however, is not found for negative-valence words in comparison with positive and neutral-valence words in the Median-High and High anxiety groups. Thus, these results showed a lower response accuracy for above-median anxiety groups than below-median groups but without specificity for the negative-valence words. This study suggests that anxiety can negatively impact the lexical processing in young students. Although the lexical processing speed seems preserved, the accuracy of this processing may be altered in students with moderate or high level of anxiety. This finding has important implication for the prevention of reading and spelling difficulties. Indeed, during these learnings, if anxiety affects the access to phonological representations, anxious students could be disturbed when they have to match phonological representations with new orthographic representations, because of less efficient lexical representations. This study should be continued in order to precise the impact of anxiety on basic school learning.

Keywords: anxiety, emotional valence, childhood, lexical access

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Authors: Imen Amari, Kaouther Gasmi, Asma Rebaya, Salem Hasnaoui

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The problem of scheduling and mapping data flow applications on multi-core architectures is notoriously difficult. This difficulty is related to the rapid evaluation of Telecommunication and multimedia systems accompanied by a rapid increase of user requirements in terms of latency, execution time, consumption, energy, etc. Having an optimal scheduling on multi-cores DSP (Digital signal Processors) platforms is a challenging task. In this context, we present a novel technic and algorithm in order to find a valid schedule that optimizes the key performance metrics particularly the Latency. Our contribution is based on Satisfiability Modulo Theories (SMT) solving technologies which is strongly driven by the industrial applications and needs. This paper, describe a scheduling module integrated in our proposed Workflow which is advised to be a successful approach for programming the applications based on NoC-DSP platforms. This workflow transform automatically a Simulink model to a synchronous dataflow (SDF) model. The automatic transformation followed by SMT solver scheduling aim to minimize the final latency and other software/hardware metrics in terms of an optimal schedule. Also, finding the optimal numbers of cores to be used. In fact, our proposed workflow taking as entry point a Simulink file (.mdl or .slx) derived from embedded Matlab functions. We use an approach which is based on the synchronous and hierarchical behavior of both Simulink and SDF. Whence, results of running the scheduler which exist in the Workflow mentioned above using our proposed SMT solver algorithm refinements produce the best possible scheduling in terms of latency and numbers of cores.

Keywords: multi-cores DSP, scheduling, SMT solver, workflow

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Authors: Parminder K. Laroiya, Sukhdeep S. Kang

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The Present cross-sectional study was conducted on 610 boys (ranging in age bracket of 11 to 17 years) to assess their developmental age to check percentage of early, normal and late maturity among them, and to check whether there is any significant difference in their calendar age and developmental age. Developmental age of these subjects has been accessed by TW2 method (using hand wrist X-rays) and their chronological age was checked from their date of birth certificate. Developmental status of subjects i.e. early, normal or late mature was considered with +2 years or -2 years from their calendar age. Results of this study shows that 50% boys were normal in their maturity status in all age brackets and rest of subjects were either early maturers 24.92% or late maturers 25.08%. When pattern of maturity was studied in each age group it has been found that till the age of 15 years, percentage of normal maturity was less than 50 % whereas in 16 and 17 years age groups, this percentage of normal maturity increased to 60% - 65 % ( this may be because at this age mostly boys attain adolescence) Further investigation of each age group showed that till the age of 14 years percentage of late maturity among these boys were approximately 35% to 40% whereas early maturity lies between 15% to 20%. It has been found from the present study that at the age of 15 years, there is a twist among percentage of late and early maturity among boys-early maturers are 38.61% and late maturers are 16.84%. At the age of 16 and 17 years percentage of late maturity has been decreased to 3% to 6%, whereas percentage of early maturity increased to 35.64 % and 30.69 % respectively.

Keywords: maturity status, developmental age, chronological age, X-rays

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Authors: C. M. Mat Isa, H. Mohd Saman, S. R. Mohd Nasir, A. Jaapar

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International market expansion involves a strategic process of market entry decision through which a firm expands its operation from domestic to the international domain. Hence, entry timing choices require the needs to balance the early entry risks and the problems in losing opportunities as a result of late entry into a new market. Questionnaire surveys administered to 115 Malaysian construction firms operating in 51 countries worldwide have resulted in 39.1 percent response rate. Factor analysis was used to determine the most significant factors affecting entry timing choices of the firms to penetrate the international market. A logistic regression analysis used to examine the firms’ entry timing choices, indicates that the model has correctly classified 89.5 per cent of cases as late movers. The findings reveal that the most significant factor influencing the construction firms’ choices as late movers was the firm factor related to the firm’s international experience, resources, competencies and financing capacity. The study also offers valuable information to construction firms with intention to internationalize their businesses.

Keywords: factors, early movers, entry timing choices, late movers, logistic regression model, principal axis factorial analysis, Malaysian construction firms

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Authors: Kamel Abd Elaziz Mohamed, Ahmed Yehia Mousa, Ahmed Samir ElSawy, Adel Mohamed Saleem

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Introduction: Critically ill patients frequently require tracheostomy to simplify long term air way management. While tracheostomy indications have remained unchanged, the timing of elective tracheostomy for the ventilated patient has been questioned. Aim of the work: This study was performed to compare the differences between early and late percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (PDT) regarding, mechanical ventilation duration (MVD), length of ICU stay, length of hospital stay, incidence of ventilator associated pneumonia and hospital outcome. Patients and methods: Forty patients who met the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into early PDT who had the tracheostomy within the first 10 days of mechanical ventilation (MV) and the late PDT who had the tracheostomy after 10 days of MV. On admission, demographic data and Acute Physiology and Chronic ill Health II and GCS were collected. The duration of mechanical ventilation, ICU length of stay (LOS) and hospital LOS were all calculated. Results: Total of 40 patients were randomized to either early PDT (n= 20) or late PDT (n= 20). There were no significant differences between both groups regarding demographic data or the scores: APACHE II (22.75± 7 vs 24.35 ± 8) and GCS (6.10 ±2 vs 7.10 ± 2.71). An early PDT showed fewer complications vs late procedure, however it was insignificant. There were significant differences between the two groups regarding mean (MVD) which was shorter in early PDT than the late PDT group (32.2± 10.5) vs (20.6 ± 13 days; p= 0.004). Mean ICU stay was shorter in early PDT than late PDT (21 .0± 513.4) vs (40.15 ±12.7 days; p 6 0.001). Mean hospital stay was shorter in early PDT than late PDT (34.60± 18.37) vs (55.60± 25.73 days; p=0.005). Patients with early PDT suffered less sepsis and VAP than late PDT, there was no difference regarding the mortality rate between the two groups. Conclusion: Early PDT is recommended for patients who require prolonged tracheal intubation in the ICU as outcomes like the duration of mechanical ventilation length of ICU stay and hospital stay were significantly shorter in early tracheostomy.

Keywords: intensive care unit, early PDT, late PDT, intubation

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Authors: Mohamed Ahmed Fouad

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Background: Stroke is the most leading cause to functional disability and gait problems. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of rhythmic auditory stimulation combined with treadmill training on selected gait kinematics in stroke patients. Methods: Thirty male stroke patients participated in this study. The patients were assigned randomly into two equal groups, (study and control). Patients in the study group received treadmill training combined with rhythmic auditory stimulation in addition to selected physical therapy program for hemiparetic patients. Patients in the control group received treadmill training in addition to the same selected physical therapy program including strengthening, stretching, weight bearing, balance exercises and gait training. Biodex gait trainer 2 TM was used to assess selected gait kinematics (step length, step cycle, walking speed, time on each foot and ambulation index) before and after six weeks training period (end of treatment) for both groups. Results: There was a statistically significant increase in walking speed, step cycle, step length, percent of the time on each foot and ambulation index in both groups post-treatment. The improvement in gait parameters post-treatment was significantly higher in the study group compared to the control. Conclusion: Rhythmic auditory stimulation combined with treadmill training is effective in improving selected gait kinematics in stroke patients when added to the selected physical therapy program.

Keywords: stroke, rhythmic auditory stimulation, treadmill training, gait kinematics

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Authors: Tamer Mesallam, Medhat Yousef, Ayna Almasaad

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BACKGROUND: Cochlear implantation (CI) in children with additional disabilities can be a fundamental and supportive intervention. Although, there may be some positive impacts of CI on children with multiple disabilities such as better outcomes of communication skills, development, and quality of life, the families of those children complain from the post-implant habilitation efforts that considered as a burden. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the outcomes of CI children with different co-disabilities through using the Meaningful Auditory Integration Scale (MAIS) and the Meaningful Use of Speech Scale (MUSS) as outcome measurement tools. METHODS: The study sample comprised 25 hearing-impaired children with co-disability who received cochlear implantation. Age and gender-matched control group of 25 cochlear-implanted children without any other disability has been also included. The participants' auditory skills and speech outcomes were assessed using MAIS and MUSS tests. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant difference in the different outcomes measure between the two groups. However, the outcomes of some multiple disabilities subgroups were comparable to the control group. Around 40% of the participants with co-disabilities experienced advancement in their methods of communication from behavior to oral mode. CONCLUSION: Cochlear-implanted children with multiple disabilities showed variable degrees of auditory and speech outcomes. The degree of benefits depends on the type of the co-disability. Long-term follow-up is recommended for those children.

Keywords: children with disabilities, Cochlear implants, hearing impairment, language development

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Authors: Kaddi Mohammed, A. Benatiallah, D. Benatiallah

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Data grid is a technology that has full emergence of new challenges, such as the heterogeneity and availability of various resources and geographically distributed, fast data access, minimizing latency and fault tolerance. Researchers interested in this technology address the problems of the various systems related to the industry such as task scheduling, load balancing and replication. The latter is an effective solution to achieve good performance in terms of data access and grid resources and better availability of data cost. In a system with duplication, a coherence protocol is used to impose some degree of synchronization between the various copies and impose some order on updates. In this project, we present an approach for placing replicas to minimize the cost of response of requests to read or write, and we implement our model in a simulation environment. The placement techniques are based on a cost model which depends on several factors, such as bandwidth, data size and storage nodes.

Keywords: response time, query, consistency, bandwidth, storage capacity, CERN

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Authors: Maxwel F. Silva, José Geraldo Pedrosa

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This paper is a study about the voyage of Adolfo Caminha to the USA in the late nineteenth century described in “No país dos ianques”. The hypothesis is that the USA constitutes a civilizing reference that moves away from Europe. The Americanism expression it means that the Yankees have invented a new repertoire through which built a new idea of civilization. The base is European, but your architecture is new. This paper is not concerned with the meanings and uses of the Americanism expression among the Yankees, but with the ways in which the America were understood by otherness, especially in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. In this way, this study discusses the concept of Americanism in the thought of Adolfo Caminha and it is relation with the Brazil in the late nineteenth century, especially in questions about democracy, liberty and progress.

Keywords: Adolfo Caminha, Americanism, discourse, voyage

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Authors: German Galvez-Garcia, Javier Albayay, Javiera Peña, Marta Lavin, George A. Michael

Abstract:

The aim of this research was to investigate whether the selection of the actions needs different inhibition processes during the response selection stage. In Experiment 1, we compared the magnitude of the Spatial Stroop effect, which occurs in response selection stage, in two motor actions (lifting vs reaching) when the participants performed both actions in the same block or in different blocks (mixed block vs. pure blocks).Within pure blocks, we obtained faster latencies when lifting actions were performed, but no differences in the magnitude of the Spatial Stroop effect were observed. Within mixed block, we obtained faster latencies as well as bigger-magnitude for Spatial Stroop effect when reaching actions were performed. We concluded that when no action selection is required (the pure blocks condition), inhibition works as a unitary system, whereas in the mixed block condition, where action selection is required, different inhibitory processes take place within a common processing stage. In Experiment 2, we investigated this common processing stage in depth by limiting participants’ available resources, requiring them to engage in a concurrent auditory task within a mixed block condition. The Spatial Stroop effect interacted with Movement as it did in Experiment 1, but it did not significantly interact with available resources (Auditory task x Spatial Stroop effect x Movement interaction). Thus, we concluded that available resources are distributed equally to both inhibition processes; this reinforces the likelihood of there being a common processing stage in which the different inhibitory processes take place.

Keywords: inhibition process, motor processes, selective inhibition, dual task

Procedia PDF Downloads 359

Authors: Asma Rebaya, Kaouther Gasmi, Imen Amari, Salem Hasnaoui

Abstract:

Over these last years, applications such as telecommunications, signal processing, digital communication with advanced features (Multi-antenna, equalization..) witness a rapid evaluation accompanied with an increase of user exigencies in terms of latency, the power of computation… To satisfy these requirements, the use of hardware/software systems is a common solution; where hardware is composed of multi-cores and software is represented by models of computation, synchronous data flow (SDF) graph for instance. Otherwise, the most of the embedded system designers utilize Simulink for modeling. The issue is how to simplify the c code generation, for a multi-cores platform, of an application modeled by Simulink. To overcome this problem, we propose a workflow allowing an automatic transformation from the Simulink model to the SDF graph and providing an efficient schedule permitting to optimize the number of cores and to minimize latency. This workflow goes from a Simulink application and a hardware architecture described by IP.XACT language. Based on the synchronous and hierarchical behavior of both models, the Simulink block diagram is automatically transformed into an SDF graph. Once this process is successfully achieved, the scheduler calculates the optimal cores’ number needful by minimizing the maximum density of the whole application. Then, a core is chosen to execute a specific graph task in a specific order and, subsequently, a compatible C code is generated. In order to perform this proposal, we extend Preesm, a rapid prototyping tool, to take the Simulink model as entry input and to support the optimal schedule. Afterward, we compared our results to this tool results, using a simple illustrative application. The comparison shows that our results strictly dominate the Preesm results in terms of number of cores and latency. In fact, if Preesm needs m processors and latency L, our workflow need processors and latency L'< L.

Keywords: hardware/software system, latency, modeling, multi-cores platform, scheduler, SDF graph, Simulink model, workflow

Procedia PDF Downloads 239

Authors: Rashmi D. G., Aishwarya G., Niharika M. K.

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Purpose: Free recall tasks target cognitive and linguistic processes like episodic memory, lexical access and retrieval. Consequently, the free recall paradigm is suitable for assessing memory deterioration caused by aging; this also depends on linguistic factors, including the use of first and second languages and their relative ability. Hence, the present study aimed to determine if aging has an effect on visual and auditory recall abilities. Method: Twenty young adults (mean age: 25.4±0.99) and older adults (mean age: 63.3±3.51) participated in the study. Participants performed a free recall task under two conditions – related and unrelated and two modalities - visual and auditory where they were instructed to recall as many items as possible with no specific order and time limit. Results: Free recall performance was calculated as the mean number of correctly recalled items. Although younger participants recalled a higher number of items, the performance across conditions and modality was variable. Conclusion: In summary, the findings of the present study revealed an age-related decline in the efficiency of episodic memory, which is crucial to remember recent events.

Keywords: recall, episodic memory, aging, modality

Procedia PDF Downloads 64

Authors: Alimohamad Asghari, Ahmad Daneshi, Mohammad Farhadi, Arash Bayat, Mohammad Ajalloueyan, Marjan Mirsalehi, Mohsen Rajati, Seyed Basir Hashemi, Nader Saki, Ali Omidvari

Abstract:

Evidence suggests that Cochlear Implantation (CI) is a beneficial approach for auditory and speech skills improvement in children with severe to profound hearing loss. However, it remains controversial if implantation in children <12 months is safe and effective compared to older children. The present study aimed to determine whether children's ages affect surgical complications and auditory and speech development. The current multicenter study enrolled 86 children who underwent CI surgery at <12 months of age (group A) and 362 children who underwent implantation between 12 and 24 months of age (group B). The Categories of Auditory Performance (CAP) and Speech Intelligibility Rating (SIR) scores were determined pre-impanation, and "one-year" and "two-year" post-implantation. Four complications (overall rate: 4.65%; three minor) occurred in group A and 12 complications (overall rate: 4.41%; nine minor) occurred in group B. We found no statistically significant difference in the complication rates between the groups (p>0.05). The mean SIR and CAP scores improved over time following CI activation in both groups. However, we did not find significant differences in CAP and SIR scores between the groups across different time points. Cochlear implantation is a safe and efficient procedure in children younger than 12 months, providing substantial auditory and speech benefits comparable to children undergoing implantation at 12 to 24 months of age. Furthermore, surgical complications in younger children are similar to those of children undergoing the CI at an older age.

Keywords: cochlear implant, Infant, complications, outcome

Procedia PDF Downloads 76

Authors: Amanda Cristina da Silva Reis, Bruno Paulino Venâncio, Cristina Theada Ferreira, Andrea Fialho do Prado, Lucimara Guedes dos Santos, Aline de Souza Gravatá, Larissa Lima Gonçalves, Isabella Aparecida Ferreira Moretto, João Carlos Ferrari Corrêa, Fernanda Ishida Corrêa

Abstract:

Objective: To compare two protocols of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) on quadriceps muscle spasticity in individuals diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Method: Clinical, crossover study, in which six adult individuals diagnosed with MS and spasticity in the lower limbs were randomized to receive one session of high-frequency (≥5Hz) and low-frequency (≤ 1Hz) TMS on motor cortex (M1) hotspot for quadriceps muscle, with a one-week interval between the sessions. To assess the spasticity was applied the Ashworth scale and were analyzed the latency time (ms) of the motor evoked potential (MEP) and the central motor conduction time (CMCT) of the bilateral quadriceps muscle. Assessments were performed before and after each intervention. The difference between groups was analyzed using the Friedman test, with a significance level of 0.05 adopted. Results: All statistical analyzes were performed using the SPSS Statistic version 26 programs, with a significance level established for the analyzes at p<0.05. Shapiro Wilk normality test. Parametric data were represented as mean and standard deviation for non-parametric variables, median and interquartile range, and frequency and percentage for categorical variables. There was no clinical change in quadriceps spasticity assessed using the Ashworth scale for the 1 Hz (p=0.813) and 5 Hz (p= 0.232) protocols for both limbs. Motor Evoked Potential latency time: in the 5hz protocol, there was no significant change for the contralateral side from pre to post-treatment (p>0.05), and for the ipsilateral side, there was a decrease in latency time of 0.07 seconds (p<0.05 ); for the 1Hz protocol there was an increase of 0.04 seconds in the latency time (p<0.05) for the contralateral side to the stimulus, and for the ipsilateral side there was a decrease in the latency time of 0.04 seconds (p=<0.05), with a significant difference between the contralateral (p=0.007) and ipsilateral (p=0.014) groups. Central motor conduction time in the 1Hz protocol, there was no change for the contralateral side (p>0.05) and for the ipsilateral side (p>0.05). In the 5Hz protocol for the contralateral side, there was a small decrease in latency time (p<0.05) and for the ipsilateral side, there was a decrease of 0.6 seconds in the latency time (p<0.05) with a significant difference between groups (p=0.019). Conclusion: A high or low-frequency session does not change spasticity, but it is observed that when the low-frequency protocol was performed, there was an increase in latency time on the stimulated side, and a decrease in latency time on the non-stimulated side, considering then that inhibiting the motor cortex increases cortical excitability on the opposite side.

Keywords: multiple sclerosis, spasticity, motor evoked potential, transcranial magnetic stimulation

Procedia PDF Downloads 55

Authors: Nana Saralidze, Nino Sharashenidze, Zurab Kevanishvili

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Hidden hearing loss may occur in humans exposed to prolonged high-level sound. It is the loss of ability to hear high-level background noise while having normal hearing in quiet. We compared the hearing of people who regularly listen 3 hours and more to personal music players and those who do not. Forty participants aged 18-30 years were divided into two groups: regular users of music players and people who had never used them. And the third group – elders aged 50-55 years, had 15 participants. Pure-tone audiometry (125-16000 Hz), auditory brainstem response (ABR) (70dB SPL), and ability to identify speech in noise (4-talker babble with a 65-dB signal-to-noise ratio at 80 dB) were measured in all participants. All participants had normal pure-tone audiometry (all thresholds < 25 dB HL). A significant difference between groups was observed in that regular users of personal audio systems correctly identified 53% of words, whereas the non-users identified 74% and the elder group – 63%. This contributes evidence supporting the presence of a hidden hearing loss in humans and demonstrates that speech-in-noise audiometry is an effective method and can be considered as the GOLD standard for detecting hidden hearing loss.

Keywords: mp3 player, hidden hearing loss, speech audiometry, pure tone audiometry

Procedia PDF Downloads 38

Authors: Marvin R. Tenecio

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The analysis of "religious resistance" has been prevalent in Asian and Philippine studies. Discussions on religious resistance from a variety of perspectives are deemed as crucial turning points in the concept's ongoing development and expansion. By broadening the backdrop of religious protest between the early 1960s and the late 1980s, the researchers contend that a study examining the role carried by the Catholic Church in the upheavals against dictatorships in South Korea and the Philippines would be beneficial to the body of knowledge. This study examines a variety of historical writings about the activities occurring at that time. The researchers also compare and contrast the Catholic Church's contributions to the Korean and Philippine resistance against Park Chung-Hee and Ferdinand Marcos Sr., respectively, during the early 1960s until the late 1980s, using the lens of history from below, particularly the Pasyon and Revolution. The Catholic Church stood out against human rights abuses, promoted social justice, and mobilized the public for political reform in response to the dictatorships in South Korea and the Philippines. Even though the specific circumstances and personalities may have changed, the Church's position in both countries was vital in opposing authoritarian governments and supporting democratic movements.

Keywords: resistance, movements, catholic, church, dictatorship

Procedia PDF Downloads 46

Authors: Mojtaba Esmaeilzad Limoudehi, Ebrahim Amiri

Abstract:

Water scarcity is now one of the leading challenges for human societies. In this regard, recognizing the relationship between soil, water, plant growth, and plant response to stress is very significant. In this paper, considering the importance of drought stress and the role of choosing suitable cultivars in resistance against drought, a split-plot experiment using early, intermediate, and late-maturing cultivars was carried out in Katul filed, Golestan province during two cultivation years of 2015 and 2016. The main factor was irrigation intervals at four levels, including 7 days, 14 days, 21 days, and 28 days. The subfactor was the subplot of six maize cultivars (two early maturing cultivars, two medium maturing cultivars, and two late-maturing cultivars). The results of variance analysis have revealed that irrigation interval and cultivars treatment have significant effects on the number of grain in each corn, number of rows in each corn, number of grain per row, the weight of 1000 grains, grain yield, and biomass yield. Although, the interaction of these two factors on the mentioned attributes was meaningful. The best grain yield was achieved at 7 days irrigation interval and late maturing maize cultivars treatment, which was equal to 12301 kg/ha.

Keywords: corn, growth period, optimization, stress

Procedia PDF Downloads 109

Authors: N. Mansouri, A. Asadi

Abstract:

Data Grid is a geographically distributed environment that deals with data intensive application in scientific and enterprise computing. Data replication is a common method used to achieve efficient and fault-tolerant data access in Grids. In this paper, a dynamic data replication strategy, called Enhanced Latest Access Largest Weight (ELALW) is proposed. This strategy is an enhanced version of Latest Access Largest Weight strategy. However, replication should be used wisely because the storage capacity of each Grid site is limited. Thus, it is important to design an effective strategy for the replication replacement task. ELALW replaces replicas based on the number of requests in future, the size of the replica, and the number of copies of the file. It also improves access latency by selecting the best replica when various sites hold replicas. The proposed replica selection selects the best replica location from among the many replicas based on response time that can be determined by considering the data transfer time, the storage access latency, the replica requests that waiting in the storage queue and the distance between nodes. Simulation results utilizing the OptorSim show our replication strategy achieve better performance overall than other strategies in terms of job execution time, effective network usage and storage resource usage.

Keywords: data grid, data replication, simulation, replica selection, replica placement

Procedia PDF Downloads 233