Mr. David
M. Baurac
Argonne National Laboratory
9700 S. Cass Avenue
Argonne, IL 60439-4833
Phone: 630-252-5584
Fax: 630-252-5274
E-mail: baurac@anl.gov
Number of Human Subjects projects reported: 2
"Analysis of Differentiation Markers in Normal and Leukemic Blood Cells"
Principal Investigator: Dr. Eliezer Huberman, Argonne National Laboratory
Project started in: 1995
This project ended in fiscal year 2000.
Funding for Human Subjects Research: No Funding Sources Reported
This project does not involve the use of multiple protocols/subprojects.
Institutional Review Board (IRB) Review:
Type of Review: Full Board
Approving Institution: Argonne National Laboratory
Most recent approval: 01/14/00
IRB approval number: ANL-93/003
Number of human subjects who participated in this project/protocol/subproject in the last reporting period: 0
Reporting period for number of human subjects:
Fiscal Year 2000 (10/1/99-9/30/2000)
Type(s) of Human Subjects Involvement:
The purpose of the experimental research project is to investigate the usefulness of various cellular markers as indicators of the differentiation state of normal and leukemic blood cells. With appropriate markers, we hope to be able to distinguish normal blood cells from tumor cells. In our laboratory, the normal and leukemic blood cells will be analyzed for various critical cellular markers such as nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids to determine if the marker is preferentially expressed in normal or tumor cells. The sensitivity of the techniques is determined by examination of various mixtures of normal and leukemic cells. The goal is to develop a procedure to detect leukemic cells while they still represent a relatively small fraction of the total cell population. Approximately 25 volunteers may be solicited for participation in the study during the time remaining in the study period. Peripheral blood will be obtained by venipuncture using the medical staff at the ANL medical department. Blood will be collected in 10 milliliter vacutainer tubes with two to four (2-4) tubes required for a typical experiment. Written informed consent from the donor will be obtained in all cases where blood samples are requested. The volunteers will be informed prior to the collection of the sample that there may be some discomfort during the drawing of the blood with the possibility of a bruise or soreness at the site of the venipuncture. The protocols used in this study do not include any procedures associated with cell cloning, genetic engineering, or in vitro fertilization.
"Speaker Recognition Through NLP and CWT Modeling"
Principal Investigator: Dr. Stefania A. Brown-VanHoozer, Argonne National Laboratory
Project started in: 2000
Funding for Human Subjects Research:
This project does not involve the use of multiple protocols/subprojects.
Institutional Review Board (IRB) Review:
Type of Review: Full Board
Approving Institution: Argonne National Laboratory
Most recent approval: 01/14/00
IRB approval number: ANL-00/001
Number of human subjects who participated in this project/protocol/subproject in the last reporting period: 33
Reporting period for number of human subjects:
Fiscal Year 2000 (10/1/99-9/30/2000)
Type(s) of Human Subjects Involvement:
Objectives and Methodology
The objective of the funded research, (speaker recognition through neural-linguistic programming and continuous wavelet modeling), is to develop a method for automatically analyzing voice patterns which could potentially be used in the development of advanced voice recognition systems.
The current technology does not take into account key voice characteristics (e.g., tempo, tone, pitch, etc.) of a person's speech pattern. Thus, the hypothesis proposed in this research is the following: Since individuals have an internal preference for processing information--either visually (by sight), auditorily (by sound) or kinestheitcally (through emotions, tactile sensations, smells or tastes)--we can utilize this to categorize individuals and compare physiological characteristics of the speech patterns within each category. For example, it is proposed that individuals who prefer to internalize information visually (by sight) will have similar physiological characteristics in their speech patterns, and consequently, the same for those individuals whose preference is auditor or kinesthetic.
It is the intent of this study to establish a baseline from a control group consisting of different individuals (20-40 subjects) whose primary representation system (visual, auditory or kinesthetic) can be established using non-verbal cues and verbal predicates. Once all subjects have been categorized, then distinguishing similarities in their speech patterns will be recorded. Results of the data will be mathematically modeled for software coding and tested for feasibility using the TIMIT AND NTIMIT databases. (The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) generated the databases that consist of 630 speakers uttering 10 phrases each. The databases are accessible for public use.)
Involvement of Human Subjects
Each individual who volunteered to participate in the research project is interviewed and videotaped to determine how they process information (visually, auditorily, or kinesthetically) based on the parameters of the methodology, Neuro-Linguistic Programming. Following the interview, each subject's voice is recorded while (a) reading a prewritten script, (b) saying (or repeating) a sentence, phrase(s), or a string of characters without a prewritten script, (c) saying a few sentences on a topic of their choice. The subjects are not asked to say or read anything vulgar or obscene, or that in anyway may make them uncomfortable.
The risk factors to the subjects are minimal. The risk for physical injury is similar to that presented by day-to-day activities in an office environment.
An informed consent form is read and signed by each participant, and a copy of the form is provided to the individual. In addition, the research study is verbally described to each subject before and if necessary, during the study. The subjects are allowed to ask questions at any time during the research study, and to refuse to participate or end participation at any time. They also have the right to ask that any data involving them be erased, even after the testing was complete. All material regarding human subjects is stored in a locked area when not in use. The material cannot be analyzed by anyone other than the stated investigator in the consent form without the written permission of the subject.