We introduce the Variational Hölder (VH) bound as an alternative to Variational Bayes (VB) for approximate Bayesian inference. Unlike VB which typically involves maximization of a non-convex lower bound with respect to the variational parameters, the VH bound involves minimization of a convex upper bound to the intractable integral with respect to the variational parameters. Minimization of the...

In this paper we provide a review of the recent literature on Bayesian Blind Image Deconvolution (BID) methods. We believe that two events have marked the recent history of BID: the predominance of Variational Bayes (VB) inference as a tool to solve BID problems and the increasing interest of the computer vision community in solving BID problems. VB inference in combination with recent image mo...

A series of ortho-hydroxypyridine-4-ones were prepared in high yields and evaluated for antioxidant and iron chelating activities. N(1)-H hydroxypyridinones Va, Vb, and Ve were the best radical scavengers in DPPH free radical scavenging assay. Compound Vb was proved to be the most potent compound in hydrogen peroxide scavenging assay. All of the synthesized compounds had very close chelating ab...

The topic of this paper is speech modeling using the Variational Bayesian Mixture of Gaussians algorithm proposed by Hagai Attias (2000). Several mixtures of Gaussians were trained for representing cepstrum vectors computed from the TIMIT database. The VB-MOG algorithm was compared to the standard EM algorithm. VB-MOG was clearly better, its convergence was faster, there was no tendency to over...

The topic of this paper is speech modeling using the Variational Bayesian Mixture of Gaussians algorithm proposed by Hagai Attias (2000). Several mixtures of Gaussians were trained for representing cepstrum vectors computed from the TIMIT database. The VB-MOG algorithm was compared to the standard EM algorithm. VB-MOG was clearly better, its convergence was faster, there was no tendency to over...

Objective: To evaluate mouthpiece ventilation (MPV) in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) who are noncompliant with noninvasive ventilation (NIV). Methods: We evaluated four young patients with DMD who had previously refused to undergo NIV. Each patient was reassessed and encouraged to try MPV. Results: The four patients tolerated MPV well and were compliant with NIV at home. M...

BACKGROUND Currently, there is no clear consensus on the extent of this lateral neck dissection required in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) with lateral neck metastasis. The purpose of this study was to review our experience with metastatic PTC, and identify the pattern of lymphatic spread to the lateral neck. METHODS A retrospective medical chart review of PTC patients treated with lateral ne...