Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Statistical approaches to enhancement of body-conducted speech detected with non-audible murmur microphone

In this paper, we review our recent research on technologies for enhancing body-conducted speech detected with nonaudible murmur (NAM) microphone. NAM microphone has been developed to detect an extremely soft whispered voice, which is useful for silent speech communication. Moreover, it is also capable of detecting other voices such as a soft voice and a normal voice while effectively reducing external noise owing to its noise-proof structure. On the other hand, speech quality of the detected voices severely degrades by the body-conductive recording. To address this issue, we have developed technologies for statistically converting body-conducted speech into normal speech. This paper gives an overview of these technologies and a further attempt to make it possible to use them for human-to-human speech communication.
Institutional Logics in Action: a Slow-Motion Analysis of the Accreditation Process of Italian Museums

Theoretical Background: Neo-institutionalism and Institutional Logics. Essay 1. Time After Time: The Slow Motion Analysis of Institutional Logics Influence. Field of Study: Institutional Logics and the Evolution of Italian Museums. Essay 2. Institutional Logics Influence in the Accreditation of Italian Museums. Essay 3. Bridging Logics: The Role Of Educational Logic in Museum.
Velocity of Money Function for India: Analysis and Interpretations

Velocity of Money, i.e. the ratio of nominal income to the stock of money, is the spread at which the money changes hand in a given financial year. Keynesian and Quantity theories are two competing explanations of the aggregate money demand. The monetarists think that the stability of income velocity of money (V) is important, whereas Keynesian have criticized the notion of stability of velocity of money. Monetarists believe that velocity of money is relatively stable and changes therein are highly predictable. Neo-Keynesians are less confident and argue that either contention is an exaggeration. In this paper the velocity of money function was estimated using annual data for broad money velocity (V3) for the Indian economy covering time period from 1972-2004. Various combinations of the explanatory variables were tried, each with and without the lagged dependent variables. It was found that (i) velocity of broad money [V3] in India turns out to be highly predictable, which corroborates monetarist proposition. Prior knowledge of a set of explanatory variables such as real income, interest rate, the spread of commercial bank branch-network, and past monetary expansions together can explain more than 98 percent of the variation in velocity of broad money (ii) a comparison of the estimated velocity functions, with and without the 'institutional' variables suggests that inclusion of the 'institutional' variables improves the statistical properties of the fit i.e. 2 and Durbin Watson [DW] statistic. This implies that the long run real income elasticity of money demand is significantly reduced when 'institutional' variables are added to the array of the conventional explanatory variables such as real income and interest rate. However, out of the two institutional variables considered, 'population per bank office' is found to be highly significant in all the cases, while the other institutional variable measuring the 'degree of monetization' is not found to be significant.
Survival and coexistence for a multitype contact process

We study the ergodic theory of a multitype contact process with equal death rates and unequal birth rates on the d-dimensional integer lattice and regular trees. We prove that for birth rates in a certain interval there is coexistence on the tree, which by a result of Neuhauser is not possible on the lattice. We also prove a complete convergence result when the larger birth rate falls outside of this interval.
HYAFF 11-based autologous dermal and epidermal grafts in the treatment of noninfected diabetic plantar and dorsal foot ulcers: a prospective, multicenter, controlled, randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of HYAFF 11-based autologous dermal and epidermal grafts in the management of diabetic foot ulcers. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS A total of 79 patients with diabetic dorsal (n = 37) or plantar (n = 42) ulcers were randomized to either the control group with nonadherent paraffin gauze (n = 36) or the treatment group with autologous tissue-engineered grafts (n = 43). Weekly assessment, aggressive debridement, wound infection control, and adequate pressure relief (fiberglass off-loading cast for plantar ulcers) were provided in both groups. Complete wound healing was assessed within 11 weeks. Safety was monitored by adverse events. RESULTS Complete ulcer healing was achieved in 65.3% of the treatment group and 49.6% of the control group (P = 0.191). The Kaplan-Meier mean time to closure was 57 and 77 days, respectively, for the treatment versus control groups. Plantar foot ulcer healing was 55% and 50% in the treatment and control groups, respectively. Dorsal foot ulcer healing was significantly different, with 67% in the treatment group and 31% in the control group (P = 0.049). The mean healing time in the dorsal treatment group was 63 days, and the odds ratio for dorsal ulcer healing compared with the control group was 4.44 (P = 0.037). Adverse events were equally distributed between the two groups, and none were related to the treatments. CONCLUSIONS The autologous tissue-engineered treatment exhibited improved healing in dorsal ulcers when compared with the current standard dressing. For plantar ulcers, the off-loading cast was presumably paramount and masked or nullified the effects of the autologous wound treatment. This treatment, however, may be useful in patients for whom the total off-loading cast is not recommended and only a less effective off-loading device can be applied.
Transcriptome Profiling and Molecular Pathway Analysis of Genes in Association with Salinity Adaptation in Nile Tilapia Oreochromis niloticus

Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus is a freshwater fish but can tolerate a wide range of salinities. The mechanism of salinity adaptation at the molecular level was studied using RNA-Seq to explore the molecular pathways in fish exposed to 0, 8, or 16 (practical salinity unit, psu). Based on the change of gene expressions, the differential genes unions from freshwater to saline water were classified into three categories. In the constant change category (1), steroid biosynthesis, steroid hormone biosynthesis, fat digestion and absorption, complement and coagulation cascades were significantly affected by salinity indicating the pivotal roles of sterol-related pathways in response to salinity stress. In the change-then-stable category (2), ribosomes, oxidative phosphorylation, signaling pathways for peroxisome proliferator activated receptors, and fat digestion and absorption changed significantly with increasing salinity, showing sensitivity to salinity variation in the environment and a responding threshold to salinity change. In the stable-then-change category (3), protein export, protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum, tight junction, thyroid hormone synthesis, antigen processing and presentation, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis and glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis—keratan sulfate were the significantly changed pathways, suggesting that these pathways were less sensitive to salinity variation. This study reveals fundamental mechanism of the molecular response to salinity adaptation in O. niloticus, and provides a general guidance to understand saline acclimation in O. niloticus.
Analysis of the Tolerance to DNA Alkylating Damage in MEC1 and RAD53 Checkpoint Mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Checkpoint response, tolerance and repair are three major pathways that eukaryotic cells evolved independently to maintain genome stability and integrity. Here, we studied the sensitivity to DNA damage in checkpoint-deficient budding yeast cells and found that checkpoint kinases Mec1 and Rad53 may modulate the balance between error-free and error-prone branches of the tolerance pathway. We have consistently observed that mutation of the RAD53 counterbalances error-free and error-prone branches upon exposure of cells to DNA damage induced either by MMS alkylation or by UV-radiation. We have also found that the potential Mec1/Rad53 balance modulation is independent from Rad6/Rad18-mediated PCNA ubiquitylation, as mec1Δ or rad53Δ mutants show no defects in the modification of the sliding clamp, therefore, we infer that it is likely exerted by acting on TLS polymerases and/or template switching targets.
Commodity Specification and the Framing of Contingent-Valuation Questions

Contingent-valuation studies comprise a process of information transfer. A researcher, through a survey instrument, conveys information about the item being valued and repondents, in turn, provide information about the value they place on this item. Considering contingent valuation from this perspective, nearly all of the research evaluating the validity of this valuation method is, in a general sense, focused on examining the effects of information structures on value estimates. A comparison of various questioning techniques represents such an examination (Boyle and Bishop 1988; Randall, Hoehn, and Tolley 1981; Smith, Desvousges, and Fisher 1986). On a more specific level, the selection of a payment vehicle also forms part of the information set and may affect statements of value (Greenley, Walsh, and Young 1982, 1985; Mitchell and Carson 1985). These examples suggest that the validity of estimated contingent values relies heavily on the information conveyed to survey respondents since varying information structures can affect the magnitude of estimated values.
Identification of Drought-Responsive MicroRNAs from Roots and Leaves of Alfalfa by High-Throughput Sequencing

Alfalfa, an important forage legume, is an ideal crop for sustainable agriculture and a potential crop for bioenergy resources. Drought, one of the most common environmental stresses, substantially affects plant growth, development, and productivity. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are newly discovered gene expression regulators that have been linked to several plant stress responses. To elucidate the role of miRNAs in drought stress regulation of alfalfa, a high-throughput sequencing approach was used to analyze 12 small RNA libraries comprising of four samples, each with three biological replicates. From the 12 libraries, we identified 348 known miRNAs belonging to 80 miRNA families, and 281 novel miRNAs, using Mireap software. Eighteen known miRNAs in roots and 12 known miRNAs in leaves were screened as drought-responsive miRNAs. With the exception of miR319d and miR157a which were upregulated under drought stress, the expression pattern of drought-responsive miRNAs was different between roots and leaves in alfalfa. This is the first study that has identified miR3512, miR3630, miR5213, miR5294, miR5368 and miR6173 as drought-responsive miRNAs. Target transcripts of drought-responsive miRNAs were computationally predicted. All 447 target genes for the known miRNAs were predicted using an online tool. This study provides a significant insight on understanding drought-responsive mechanisms of alfalfa.
Register files constraint satisfaction during scheduling of DSP code

Algorithms in digital signal processing (DSP) impose tight timing constraints that the compiler has to respect while considering the limited capacity of the available register files in a target DSP processor. Traditional code generation methods that schedule spill code to satisfy storage capacity may take many iterations and are usually not capable of satisfying the timing constraints. In this paper we present a new method to handle register file capacity constraints during scheduling. The method identifies potential bottlenecks for register binding and subsequently serializes the lifetimes of values until it can be guaranteed that all capacity constraints will be satisfied after scheduling. Experiments show that we efficiently obtain high quality instruction schedules for DSP kernels.
The Association between Trunk Body Composition and Spinal Bone Mineral Density in Korean Males versus Females: a Farmers' Cohort for Agricultural Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (FARM) Study

The purpose of this study was proposed to identify the association of trunk body composition with spinal bone mineral density (BMD) in Korean male and female farmers. A total of 523 Korean farmers (259 males, 44 premenopausal females, and 220 postmenopausal females) were recruited. Computed tomography scans were acquired at the mid-L4 vertebral level, and total trunk muscle mass (TMM, cm3), back muscle mass (BMM), and abdominal wall muscle mass (AMM), total trunk fat mass (TFM), visceral fat mass (VFM), and subcutaneous fat mass (SFM) were assessed. Spinal BMD (g/cm2) was estimated from dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry at the L4 level. In terms of muscle mass, spinal BMD was significantly correlated with all the components of the trunk muscle mass (r = 0.171-0.360; P < 0.05, P < 0.001) in female farmers, while only with AMM (r = 0.181; P < 0.01) in male farmers. In terms of fat mass, spinal BMD was significantly correlated with all components of the trunk fat mass (r = 0.142-0.424; P < 0.05, P < 0.001) in male and premenopausal female farmers, while only with VFM (r = 0.132; P < 0.05) in postmenopausal females. Adjusted multivariate regression analysis showed that AMM in male and post-menopausal female farmers was closely associated with spinal BMD. There may be positive associations between trunk muscle and fat mass and spinal BMD with sexual dimorphism, and abdominal wall muscle mass was an explanatory variable closely related to spinal BMD in Korean farmers. Registered at the Clinical Research Information Service (CRIS, http://cris.nih.go.kr), number KCT0000829.
Time course of exhaled hydrogen peroxide and nitric oxide during chemotherapy

This study was designed to assess the effect of differential leukocyte depletion during chemotherapy by monitoring the levels of exhaled hydrogen peroxide H2O2 and nitric oxide (FeNO) present. In 39 patients with lung cancer (chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder up to stage II, median forced expiratory volume in one second 78% predicted), measurements were performed before a cycle of therapy (day 1), at least once during the cycle (day 8: n = 34; day 15: n = 19), and afterwards (days 21–29). There were significant changes in the level of H2O2, FeNO and peripheral blood cell differentials over the visits. The level of H2O2 was decreased only on day 15, with a median (difference between the upper and lower quartiles) fall of 31 (57)%, while FeNO was reduced only on day 8, by 22 (40)%. Neutrophil numbers were unchanged on day 8 and decreased by 59 (48)% on day 15, while monocyte numbers were decreased on day 8 by 87 (39)%. On days 21–29, values had returned to baseline. Taken together with previous findings, the parallel course of levels of exhaled hydrogen peroxide and neutrophil counts suggests that a major part of exhaled hydrogen peroxide is due to neutrophils via the conducting airways. In contrast, the production of exhaled nitric oxide seems to be primarily associated with monocytes.
Organizational Politics, Justice, and Support: Managing the Social Climate of the Workplace

Illustrations The Social Setting of Work Organizations: Politics, Justice, and Support by Russell Cropanzano, K. Michele Kacmar, and Dennis P. Bozeman Organizational Politics Political Fairness and Fair Politics: The Conceptual Integration of Divergent Constructs by Gerald R. Ferris, Dwight D. Frink, Terry A. Beehr, and David C. Gilmore Influences of Supervisor Behaviors on the Levels and Effects of Workplace Politics by L. Alan Witt How Politics Can Destructure Human Resources Management in the Interest of Empowerment, Support, and Justice by Robert L. Dipboye Organizational Justice Justice and Authority Relations in Organizations by E. Allan Lind Procedural Justice and Influence Tactics: Fairness, Frequency, and Effectiveness by Maureen L. Ambrose and Lynn K. Harland The Use and Abuse of Power: Justice as Social Control by Robert J. Bies and Thomas M. Tripp Organizational Support Perceived Organizational Support and Organizational Justice by Lynn McFarlane Shore and Ted H. Shore Total Quality Teams: How Organizational Politics and Support Impact the Effectiveness of Quality Improvement Teams by John C. Howes, Maryalice Citera, and Russell S. Cropanzano Procedural Justice and Perceived Organizational Support: Hypothesized Effects on Job Performance by Peter M. Fasolo References Index About the Contributors
Accuracy of Estimates and Statistical Power for Testing Meditation in Latent Growth Curve Modeling

The latent growth curve modeling (LGCM) approach has been increasingly utilized to investigate longitudinal mediation. However, little is known about the accuracy of the estimates and statistical power when mediation is evaluated in the LGCM framework. A simulation study was conducted to address these issues under various conditions including sample size, effect size of mediated effect, number of measurement occasions, and R 2 of measured variables. In general, the results showed that relatively large samples were needed to accurately estimate the mediated effects and to have adequate statistical power, when testing mediation in the LGCM framework. Guidelines for designing studies to examine longitudinal mediation and ways to improve the accuracy of the estimates and statistical power were discussed.
Shipboard identification of fish eggs and larvae by multiplex PCR, and description of fertilized eggs of blue marlin, shortbill spearfish, and wahoo

The study of the early life history of large, open-ocean pelagic fishes such as tunas and billfish, and the identification of spawning and nursery habitats, has been extremely difficult as these animals are intrinsically rare, highly migratory, and difficult to study in captivity. Traditional methods such as the assembling of a developmental series of life stages, or the culturing of unknown eggs and larvae to a point where they can be identified, has not been easy or fruitful for many pelagic species. The discovery of a putative spawning 'hot spot' off the Kona coast of Hawaii, coupled with the devel- opment of shipboard approaches to real time identification and adaptive sampling of eggs, may pro- vide new approaches and insights into the spawning ecology and reproductive biology of these highly valuable but poorly known species. Here we report the use of a shipboard PCR based assay to differentiate species of istiophorid billfish larvae and identify eggs of istiophorid and xiphiid billfish, coryphaenid dolphinfish, and wahoo. A species-specific multiplex PCR assay was designed to amplify a single, unique size fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene for all 6 species of Indo-Pacific billfish, both dolphinfish, and the monospecific wahoo. A boiling technique used to extract DNA from larval eye tissue or an individual egg, combined with a single-step PCR assay and agarose electrophoresis, allowed species identification within 3 h of sample acquisition. This nearly real-time identification method for morphologically indistinguishable eggs and larvae provides an opportunity to employ adaptive sampling methods to increase sampling efficiency and will help in determining the spatial and temporal dimensions of spawning and nursery habitats offshore. This study describes the occurrence of blue marlin, dolphinfish, shortbill spearfish, swordfish and wahoo off the Kona coast by molecular approaches, and it provides the first description of the eggs of blue marlin, shortbill spearfish and wahoo.
Effects of IL-3 and SCF on Histamine Production Kinetics and Cell Phenotype in Rat Bone Marrow-derived Mast Cells

Background Rat mast cells were regarded as a good model for mast cell function in immune response. Methods Rat bone marrow mast cells (BMMC) were prepared both by recombinant rat IL-3 (rrIL-3) and by recombinant mouse stem cell factor (rmSCF), and investigated for both proliferation and differentiation in time course. Rat BMMC was induced by culture of rat bone marrow cells (BMCs) in the presence of both rrIL-3 (5 ng/ml) and rmSCF (5 ng/ml). Culture media were changed 2 times per week with the cell number condition of 5×104/ml in 6 well plate. Proliferation was analyzed by cell number and cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and differentiation was by rat mast cell protease (RMCP) II and histamine. Results Cell proliferation rates reached a maximum at 8 or 11 days of culture and decreased thereafter. However, both RMCP II production and histamine synthesis peaked after 11 days of culture. By real time RT-PCR, the level of histidine decarboxylase mRNA was more than 500 times higher on culture day 11 than on culture day 5. By transmission electron microscopy, the cells were heterogeneous in size and contained cytoplasmic granules. Using gated flow cytometry, we showed that cultured BMCs expressed high levels of FcεRI and the mast cell antigen, ganglioside, on culture day 11. Conclusion These results indicate that rat BMMCs were generated by culturing BMCs in the presence of rrIL-3 and rmSCF and that the BMMCs have the characteristics of mucosal mast cells.
A holistic IoT-based management platform for smart environments

Internet of Things (IoT) is a vision towards Future Internet where “things” are provided with enough intelligence to communicate with each other without the human intervention. In the near future, the number of IoT-enabled nodes is expected to grow substantially, therefore the heterogeneous nature of implementations demands effective IoT deployments that ensure proper interoperability and reliability of network infrastructures. In this line, we present a holistic IoT-based platform to gather and analyze information, and propose concrete actions according to different goals in smart environments. This platform bases on the optimal integration and use of data collected from a plethora of different sources. It has been deployed in a real IoT context framed in the smart buildings field. For its validation and evaluation, a reference scenario for indoor energy efficiency and comfort has been considered, where a set of tests have been carried out to validate the building management techniques implemented to maintain user comfort while assuring a good energy balance.