Latent-space variational bayes

Variational Bayesian Expectation-Maximization (VBEM), an approximate inference method for probabilistic models based on factorizing over latent variables and model parameters, has been a standard technique for practical Bayesian inference. In this paper, we introduce a more general approximate inference framework for conjugate-exponential family models, which we call Latent-Space Variational Bayes (LSVB). In this approach, we integrate out model parameters in an exact way, leaving only the latent variables. It can be shown that the LSVB approach gives better estimates of the model evidence as well as the distribution over latent variables than the VBEM approach, but in practice, the distribution over latent variables has to be approximated. As a practical implementation, we present a First-order LSVB (FoLSVB) algorithm to approximate this distribution over latent variables. From this approximate distribution, one can estimate the model evidence and the posterior over model parameters. The FoLSVB algorithm is directly comparable to the VBEM algorithm and has the same computational complexity. We discuss how LSVB generalizes the recently proposed collapsed variational methods [20] to general conjugate-exponential families. Examples based on mixtures of Gaussians and mixtures of Bernoullis with synthetic and real-world data sets are used to illustrate some advantages of our method over VBEM.     

The role of metacognitive listening strategies awareness and podcast-use readiness in using podcasting for learning English as a foreign language

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of English as Foreign Language (EFL) learners’ metacognitive listening strategies awareness and podcast-use readiness in using podcasting technology for learning English as a foreign language. One hundred and forty-one EFL students completed Metacognitive Awareness Listening Questionnaire (MALQ) that assessed their awareness and perceived use of listening strategies in five components including planning-evaluation, directed attention, person knowledge, mental translation, and problem solving. They also completed a questionnaire that assessed their readiness to use podcasting in terms of familiarity, attitude, and experience. Information on participants’ frequency of podcast use for learning English, frequency of the internet use, and digital device ownership was also obtained. The result of the analysis revealed that podcasting use was significantly related to metacognitive listening strategies awareness in general and its entire components except mental translation strategies while the strongest correlation was found with problem solving strategies (r = .49, p < 0.01). Podcasting use was also found to be significantly related to perceived podcast-use readiness and internet use hours. Further, multiple regressions showed that perceived podcast-use readiness, problem solving, and person knowledge -in order of power prediction- were good predictors of podcasting use for learning English as a foreign language.     

Analysis, design, and development model: a case study of an internet-based system for insert and parameter selection

Abstract. The analysis, design, and development model (ADDM) is based on the systems lifecycle process (SLCP) in which analysts begin to understand external client requirements and internal client specifications as they are designing and developing a complex system. In the ADDM, clients and system analysts (SA) continuously interact as the system is being designed, developed, tested and maintained. In the design phase, system development can be altered when it is most cost‐effective. Depending on the type of environment and SA preference and expertise, various interfaces and software and hardware configurations are created during the SLCP. The SLCP ensures effective standardization and continuous quality improvements throughout development. The model follows modern information technology principles to integrate and monitor SLCP phases. A case is presented that describes an application of the ADDM. This case outlines the architecture of an e‐commerce production system (ECPS). The system has a three‐tier structure consisting of the client interface, Java server page (JSP) and database module. The model assists in designing economic production operations in an industrial setting by allowing a client to retrieve current production data needed for operations through the internet.     

A novel way to production yttrium glass microspheres for medical applications

In this paper a novel method of producing yttrium aluminum silicate microspheres is reported. Yttrium aluminum silicate microspheres around 20–50 μm in size were obtained when an aqueous solution of Y(NO₃)₃ and Al(NO₃)₃ was added to tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and pumped into stirred silicone oil. The particles produced by this method are regularly shaped and very close to spherical. The amorphous structure, Y-O-Si bonds, spherical shapes, composition, and element distribution were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), carbon/sulfur analysis, and SEM/EDS mapping analysis. The results obtained demonstrate that the silicone oil spheroidization method is suitable for the production of yttrium aluminum silicate microspheres. This study also reveals that a high temperature is not required for the production of yttrium aluminum silicate microspheres.     

Clinical and hemodynamic criteria for use of the intra-aortic balloon pump in patients requiring cardiac surgery

In order to establish criteria for elective use of the intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) in patients having cardiac surgery, we conducted a retrospective study of 43 patients who required counterpulsation, because of inability to be weaned from cardiopulmonary bypass, between May, 1972, and June, 1974. Patients in cardiogenic shock preoperatively were excluded. The 43 patients included 23 (Group A) who had severe preoperative left ventricular dysfunction with a mean cardiac index less than 1.8 L. per minute per square meter, ejection fraction less than 30 per cent, and end-diastolic pressure greater than 22 mm. Hg; 20 patients (Group B) had a combination of moderate cardiac dysfunction (cardiac index less than 2.2, ejection fraction less than 40, end-diastolic pressure less than 18) in the presence of acute infarction or severe aortic stenosis (gradient greater than 80 mm. Hg) with or without coronary disease. An inverse relationship was noted between survival and delay from completion of operation to the use of 1ABP. Thirty-two of 43 patients were weaned off bypass and were balloon assisted for 12 to 96 hours postoperatively; 25 patients were discharged (58 per cent). In Subgroup A, 14 of 23 (60 per cent) and, in Subgroup B, 9 of 20 (45 per cent) were long-term survivors. Based on these findings, 45 patients were operated upon between June, 1974, and December, 1975, with elective use of 1ABP and were assessed by serial hemodynamic studies. Sixteen had severe preoperative left ventricular dysfunction similar to Subgroup A and 29 had moderate dysfunction in combination with pathology similar to Subgroup B. Fifteen of these patients were hemodynamically unstable at time of arrival in the operating room; 1ABP was inserted under local anesthesia. Thirty-nine patients (87 per cent) were weaned off bypass and were hospital survivors. In Subgroup A, 13 of 16 (81 per cent) and, in Group B, 21 of 29 (72 per cent) were long-term survivors. Criteria for elective use of 1ABP in cardiac surgery should include severe preoperative left ventricular dysfunction or a combination of moderate dysfunction with coronary or valvular pathology. Elective 1ABP improves the survival with trivial iatrogenic morbidity.     

Static and adaptive routing in ISL networks from a constellation perspective

This paper presents and evaluates different routing schemes in a constellation of non‐geostationary satellites. Routing decisions may or may not take into account the state of the network. While taking into account the network state is likely to bring an improvement in both the network utilization and the quality of service, it also makes the routing architecture more complex. This paper proposes to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of these different design approaches for routing. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evaluation of the guaranteed handover algorithm in satellite constellations requiring mutual visibility

Handover is one of the key subjects in maintaining the quality of service offered by non‐geostationary constellation systems. As the satellite coverage moves according to the satellite motion, the continuity of a call must be maintained from one satellite to another. In case the handover fails, the call is dropped, resulting in a quality of service degradation. This paper proposes several handover procedures that guarantee a successful handover in non‐geostationary satellite constellations requiring mutual visibility. Reservations at next satellite must be done in advance in order to avoid call drops. Several handover performance metrics (such as call blocking probability, call dropping probability and handover rate) are presented for each procedure as a function of traffic load variation. Comparisons of handover performance metrics between these procedures are presented as well. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

ATM-based routing in LEO/MEO satellite networks with intersatellitelinks

An asynchronous transfer mode (ATM)-based concept for the routing of information in a low Earth orbit/medium Earth orbit (LEO/MEO) satellite system including intersatellite links (ISLs) is proposed. Specific emphasis is laid on the design of an ATM-based routing scheme for the ISL part of the system. The approach is to prepare a virtual topology by means of virtual path connections (VPCs) connecting all pairs of end nodes in the ISL subnetwork for a complete period in advance, similar to implementing a set of (time dependent) routing tables. The search for available end-to-end routes within the ISL network is based on a modified Dijkstra (1959) shortest path algorithm (M-DSPA) capable of coping with the time-variant topology. With respect to the deterministic time variance of the considered ISL topologies, an analysis of optimization aspects for the selection of a path at call setup time is presented. The performance of the path search in combination with a specific optimization procedure is-by means of extensive simulations-evaluated for example LEO and MEO ISL topologies, respectively