A general framework for hybrids of hidden Markov models (HMMs) and neural networks (NNs) called hidden neural networks (HNNs) is described. The article begins by reviewing standard HMMs and estimation by conditional maximum likelihood, which is used by the HNN. In the HNN, the usual HMM probability parameters are replaced by the outputs of state-specific neural networks. As opposed to many othe...

This paper tackles the problem of estimating the parameters of relevant distributions that describe speckled imagery. Speckle noise appears in data obtained with coherent illumination, as is the case of sonar, laser, ultrasound-B and synthetic aperture radar images. This noise is non-Gaussian and non-additive and, therefore, classical techniques of processing and analysis may fail. A universal ...

Iron (Fe) sequestration is described in overweight and in its associated metabolic complications, i.e., metabolic syndrome (MetS) and non-alcoholic liver fatty disease (NAFLD); however, the interactions between Fe, obesity and inflammation make it difficult to recognize the specific role of each of them in the risk of obesity-induced metabolic diseases. Even the usual surrogate marker of Fe sto...

Bayesian networks (BNs) have become an essential tool for reasoning under uncertainty in complex models. In particular, the subclass of Gaussian Bayesian networks (GBNs) can be used to model continuous variables with Gaussian distributions. Here we focus on the task of learning GBNs from data. Factorization of the multivariate Gaussian joint density according to a directed acyclic graph (DAG) p...

When an ultrasound is a diagnosis A male newborn of 3700 g., born after 40 weeks’ gestation via a vaginal dystotic delivery, Apgar 8 and 10 to 1’and 5’, had a fracture of the right clavicle. After about 48 hours he was admitted to our department for jaundice and hematoma of the right hemiscrotum (Fig.1), with no pain, no other symptoms. Scrotal Doppler US showed a normal testicle size and shape...