1,721,088 research outputs found
Subbands Neural Networks Prediction for On-line Audio Signal Recovery
No full textIn this paper, a subbands multirate architecture is presented for audio signal recovery. Audio signal recovery is a common problem in digital music signal restoration field, because of corrupted samples that must be replaced. The subband approach allows for the reconstruction of a long audio data sequence from forward-backward predicted samples. In order to improve prediction performances, neural networks with spline flexible activation function are used as narrow subband nonlinear forward-backward predictors. Previous neural-networks approaches involved a long training process. Due to the small networks needed for each subband and to the spline adaptive activation functions that speed-up the convergence time and improve the generalization performances, the proposed signal recovery scheme works in online (or in continuous learning) mode as a simple nonlinear adaptive filter. Experimental results show the mean square reconstruction error and maximum error obtained with increasing gap length, from 200 to 5000 samples for different musical genres. A subjective performances analysis is also reported. The method gives good results for the reconstruction of over 100 ms of audio signal with low audible effects in overall quality and outperforms the previous approaches
Experimental verification of a short method for the determination of the acoustical insulation index of party walls
No full textThe results are presented of experimental work, still in progress at the University of Bologna, aiming to verify the feasibility and reproducibility of a short test method for estimating the sound reduction index of a party wall, according to the ISO proposal (ISO TC 43/SC2/WG10). The method is intended as a quick test to be carried out with reduced instrumentation, during building construction. It is based upon the determination of the A-weighted sound level difference between adjacent rooms, DA. This difference is compared here with the more usual indices (see ISO 140 and 717), and empirical correlations are found that are well correlated to experimental data and so permit forecasting which is more than satisfactory for a survey check method. The empirical correlation equations are in good agreement with the proposed ISO table, which is therefore confirmed, notwithstanding the differences between British and Italian data. A deeper insight into the measured data suggests that receiving room reverberation time measurement is one of the main causes of variance; in order to solve this problem work hypotheses are put forward which do not require the use of absorbing packs. © 1989
SUBBANDS AUDIO SIGNAL RECOVERING USING NEURAL NONLINEAR PREDICTION
No full textAudio signal recovery is a common problem in the digital audio restoration field, because of corrupted samples that must be replaced. In this paper a subband architecture is presented for audio signal recovery, using neural nonlinear prediction based on adaptive spline neural networks. The experimental results show the mean square reconstruction error, and maximum error obtained with increasing gap length, from 200 to 5000 samples. The method gives good results allowing the reconstruction of over 100 ms of signal with low audible effects in overall quality
Programma 2000: celebrating 10 years of activity of an Italian pilot programme on early intervention in psychosis
No full textOBJECTIVE:
This paper describes the structure and the organization of the single Italian programme specifically targeted at the early detection of and interventions for subjects at onset of or at high risk of psychosis, Programma 2000.
METHODS:
Programma 2000 is a comprehensive multi-modal protocol of early intervention in psychosis, set up in Milan in 1999. The service has been very active since its opening, and at the time of writing (spring (April) 2008), more than 300 young patients have been evaluated through a detailed protocol that embraces Health of the Nation Outcome Scale (HoNOS), Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), Cognitive Behavioural Assessment 2.0, Disability Assessment Schedule, Camberwell Family Interview, Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale and the Early Recognition Inventory Retrospective Assessment of Symptoms. The treatment includes psychoeducation, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), both structured and unstructured psychosocial interventions and pharmacotherapy, when necessary.
RESULTS:
The programme focuses on young people aged 17-30 years: to date, a total of 132 subjects with definite psychosis or within the high-risk category have been enrolled in treatment after assessment. Patients with first-episode psychosis were, on average and expectedly, more severe than those in the at-risk group, and were more likely to be prescribed antipsychotic drugs. A large majority of patients in both groups received tailored CBT; individual sessions of skills training were provided to two-thirds of patients. In both groups, improvement was found in both the BPRS and HoNOS, and in the level of global functioning as assessed on Global Assessment of Functioning at 6 month and 1 year follow up. Global functioning was more sensitive to change than symptom severity, reflecting the intensive and personalized efforts to improve social and role functioning in patients.
CONCLUSIONS:
Programma 2000 is still in development but it has already gained the support of therapists and other relevant people involved in the life of subjects at onset, or at high risk of psychosis
Boxes and sound quality in an Italian opera house
No full textThe `Teatro Comunale' (City Theatre) in Bologna is an Italian opera house of the 18th century, designed by the famous architect Antonio Galli Bibiena. Largely built in masonry, it has been only partially restored and altered several times, but never destroyed and rebuilt. The study of its acoustics, while interesting for itself, offers the opportunity to investigate the role of the boxes, which constitute the most evident characteristic of Italian opera houses. The study was carried on at first by measurements, acquiring binaural impulse responses in the stalls and in the boxes, and then by computer simulation, modelling also some changes which cannot be done in the real hall. The measurements revealed clear differences between the listening quality in the boxes and in the stalls, especially regarding ITDG, clarity and IACC. Computer simulations show how the sound field in the historical theatre could be if the sound absorption of the boxes were changed, adding some velvet curtains, as was done in ancient times, and clarify the effects of the cavities which constitutes the boxes
Modeling Non-Ideal Behaviors of Supercapacitors' Equivalent Capacitance
Full text linkSupercapacitors can improve energy storage performances and capabilities, in particular for applications requiring high specific capacitance and high specific power. Unfortunately, supercapacitors are characterized by several non-ideal and complex behaviors that must be modeled and taken into account. One of the most relevant issue consists in the definition of the equivalent capacitance and then to the energy that can be potentially stored and practically used. This paper discusses the possible capacitance definitions and measurement methods, including the possible approaches to model the capacitance and its non-idealities
'Programma2000': a multi-modal pilot programme on early intervention in psychosis underway in Italy since 1999
No full textAIM:
The aim of this study was to describe a service operating in Milan, Italy, that provides early intervention for young people aged 17-30 years at the onset and at high risk of psychosis.
METHOD:
Following 2 years of preliminary study and organization, Programma2000 was launched in Milan in 1999. This programme was targeted at early detection and intervention in subjects at the onset of, at risk of, or showing 'prodromal' signs of psychosis. This paper contains data on the organization and activities of Programma2000.
RESULTS:
The service has been active since its launch and has received 378 referrals as of March 2009, 342 of which were thoroughly evaluated. At entry, patients undergo a detailed evaluation of their psychopathology, personal and social role functioning, and cognitive status, with repeated testing over time in order to multidimensionally assess outcome. Treatment involves cognitive-behavioural psychotherapy, structured and unstructured psychosocial interventions, and pharmacotherapy when deemed necessary. Treatment appears effective in reducing morbidity and improving social functioning.
CONCLUSION:
A team dedicated to the early identification and treatment of young people with early psychosis is a feasible and sustainable extension of the traditional methods of care for people with mental disorders in Italy
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
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