The three aspects of a statistical approach to a pattern recognition problem are the selection of features, choice of a measure of similarity, and a method for creating the reference templates (patterns) used in the statistical tests. This paper discusses a philosophy for creating reference templates for a speaker independent, isolated word recognition system. Although there remain many unanswe...

BACKGROUND Although the number of studies on anti-smoking interventions has increased, studies focused on identifying social contextual factors in rural areas are scarce. The purpose of this study was to explore the role of social support and social networks in smoking behavior among middle and older aged people living in rural areas of South Korea. METHODS The study employed a cross-sectiona...

The present study evaluated the possible alcohol dependence and related problems among adolescents and determined possible associations with socioeconomic factors and gender. A cross-sectional study was conducted with a representative sample of 936 adolescents aged 15 to 19 years enrolled at public and private schools in the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Data related to alcohol consumption an...

The use-dilution test for evaluating the effectiveness of disinfectants against bacteria was modified to determine the effectiveness of disinfectants against a group of viruses. Modifications were kept to a minimum to retain the general principles of the test and thereby retain the test's familiarity among testing laboratory personnel. Modifications included the use of a standard allantoic flui...

Numerous laboratory tests have been devised and used with varying enthusiasm as aids in the diagnosis of rheumatic fever, but the establishment of the intimate relationship between this condition and upper respiratory tract streptococcal infection has directed interest mainly to the demonstration of serological evidence of streptococcal activity in rheumatic subjects. Of the various tests used ...