Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Improving genericity for task-independent speech recognition

Although there have been regular improvements in speech recognition technology over the past decade, speech recognition is far from being a solved problem. Recognition systems are usually tuned to a particular task and porting the system to a new task (or language) is both time-consuming and expensive. In this paper, issues in speech recognizer portability are addressed through the development of generic core speech recognition technology. First, the genericity of wide domain models is assessed by evaluating performance on several tasks. Then, the use of transparent methods for adapting generic models to a speciﬁc task is explored. Finally, further techniquesare evaluatedaiming at enhancing the genericity of the wide domain models. We show that unsupervised acoustic model adaptation and multi-source training can reduce the performance gap between task-independent and task-dependent acoustic models, and for some tasks even out-perform task-dependent acoustic models.
An Analysis of the Relative Hardness of Reuters-21578 Subsets

The existence, public availability, and widespread acceptance of a standard benchmark for a given information retrieval (IR) task are beneficial to research on this task, since they allow different researchers to experimentally compare their own systems by comparing the results they have obtained on this benchmark. The Reuters-21578 test collection, together with its earlier variants, has been such a standard benchmark for the text categorization (TC) task throughout the last ten years. However, the benefits that this has brought about have somehow been limited by the fact that different researchers have “carved” different subsets out of this collection, and tested their systems on one of these subsets only; systems that have been tested on different Reuters-21578 subsets are thus not readily comparable. In this paper we present a systematic, comparative experimental study of the three subsets of Reuters-21578 that have been most popular among TC researchers. The results we obtain allow us to determine the relative hardness of these subsets, thus establishing an indirect means for comparing TC systems that have, or will be, tested on these different subsets.
The glycosynapse

MICROBIOLOGY. For the article ‘‘Subcellular localization of acetylCoA carboxylase in the apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii,’’ by J. Jelenska, M. J. Crawford, O. S. Harb, E. Zuther, R. Haselkorn, D. S. Roos, and P. Gornicki, which appeared in number 5, February 27, 2001, of Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA (98, 2723–2728; First Published February 13, 2001; 10.1073 pnas.051629998), the authors note that the acknowledgments should read: ‘‘This project was supported by a gift from Monsanto, a grant from Merck Co., and a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation. ’’
Characteristics of effective ball carries in Super 12 rugby

This study examined the determinants of effective ball carries in rugby union. Forty-eight games from the 2003 Super 12 season were analysed involving 6 teams including 90 players. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were undertaken on both individual skills and the combination of skills involved in each ball carry. Results indicated that players received the ball most often at cruising speed (41.7%) and ran the ball with moderate intensity (75.8%). The most common Running Pattern was Oblique (63.8%), while the most used Evasion Pattern was a forward step (24.7%). Pearson Chi Square (χ2) analyses showed that players who received the ball at higher speeds, ran with greater intensity, and used either Oblique Running Patterns or a forward step Evasion Pattern, were likely to be successful in the tackle and record positive phase outcomes (p <.001). Mann-Whitney U analyses showed that high ranked teams had higher reception speeds (U = 2584197.5, p =.001) and greater running intensities than low ranked teams (U = 2567508, p <.001). It was concluded that the maintenance of forward momentum, while avoiding contact through effective Running and Evasion Patterns was crucial in determining the effectiveness of ball carries.
Sketching in adversarial environments

We formalize a realistic model for computations over massive data sets. The model, referred to as the {\em adversarial sketch model}, unifies the well-studied sketch and data stream models together with a cryptographic flavor that considers the execution of protocols in "hostile environments", and provides a framework for studying the complexity of many tasks involving massive data sets. The adversarial sketch model consists of several participating parties: honest parties, whose goal is to compute a pre-determined function of their inputs, and an adversarial party. Computation in this model proceeds in two phases. In the first phase, the adversarial party chooses the inputs of the honest parties. These inputs are sets of elements taken from a large universe, and provided to the honest parties in an on-line manner in the form of a sequence of insert and delete operations. Once an operation from the sequence has been processed it is discarded and cannot be retrieved unless explicitly stored. During this phase the honest parties are not allowed to communicate. Moreover, they do not share any secret information and any public information they share is known to the adversary in advance. In the second phase, the honest parties engage in a protocol in order to compute a pre-determined function of their inputs. In this paper we settle the complexity (up to logarithmic factors) of two fundamental problems in this model: testing whether two massive data sets are equal, and approximating the size of their symmetric difference. We construct explicit and efficient protocols with sublinear sketches of essentially optimal size, poly-logarithmic update time during the first phase, and poly-logarithmic communication and computation during the second phase. Our main technical contribution is an explicit and deterministic encoding scheme that enjoys two seemingly conflicting properties: incrementality and high distance, which may be of independent interest.
Increased heat shock protein-70 in unilateral ureteral obstruction in rats.

Our previous studies noted the oxidative stress of unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO). Now, we seek to explore whether UUO affects the intrinsic cellular antioxidants and triggers heat shock protein (HSP-70) and whether these are still highly expressed after reversal of the UUO (R-UUO). In addition, we designed the experiment to determine whether this expression of HSP-70 is a localized or a generalized response. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (125-150 g) were randomly assigned to sham operation, left UUO, or R-UUO procedures at six rats per group. The sham, UUO, and R-UUO animals were studied 10 days after UUO or 7 days after R-UUO. A clear increase in the left (obstructed) kidney's malondialdehyde (MDA), a marker of lipid peroxidation, was observed: a significant 2.6-fold of sham during UUO and a 1.7-fold of sham in R-UUO. The contralateral (unobstructed) right kidney showed a significant rise in MDA during UUO, but during R-UUO the MDA had fallen back to sham values. It is possibly the result of a systemic effect from the free radicals produced by the oxidative stress of the UUO. The antioxidant enzyme, manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) of the left, obstructed kidney showed a significant reduction in UUO compared to that of the sham. Upon reversal of UUO (R-UUO), MnSOD was lower than that of the sham. The left kidney's HSP-70 increased during UUO and was 3.7-fold that of sham (P < 0.05) but, during R-UUO, was not different from sham (P, ns). The contralateral (intact) right kidneys' HSP-70 showed no change between sham, UUO, and R-UUO states. We conclude that UUO gives rise to oxidative stress which is generalized in both the obstructed and the contralateral unobstructed kidney, as indicated by the elevation in kidney MDA content in both kidneys. The intrinsic cellular antioxidant enzyme, manganese superoxide dismutase, showed a significant and generalized reduction in both UUO and R-UUO. In contrast, the HSP-70 was markedly elevated only in the obstructed kidney and not in the R-UUO or in the contralateral kidney, suggesting that the elevation of HSP-70 is a specific and localized response to oxidative injury of UUO.
Evolving weighted networks with edge weight dynamical growth

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study some evolving mechanisms for producing weighted networks, as well as to analyze the statistical properties of the networks.Design/methodology/approach – A simple one‐parameter evolution model of weighted networks is proposed, in which the topological growth combines with the variation of weights. Based on weight‐driven dynamics, the model can generate scale‐free distributions of the degree, node strength and edge weight, as confirmed in many real networks.Findings – The exponent of the edge weight can be widely tuned. The unique parameter p controls the edge weight dynamical growth. The authors also obtain the non‐trivial weighted clustering coefficient and the weighted average to the nearest neighbors' degree.Research limitations/implications – Accessibility and availability of data are the main limitations which apply to the figures.Practical implications – The new evolving networks method may be beneficial for understanding real networks.Originality/value.
Building an example application with the Unstructured Information Management Architecture

IBM's Unstrutured Information Management Architecture (UIMA) is a software architecture for developing and deploying unstructured information management (UIM) applications. In this paper we provide a high-level overview of the architecture, introduce its basic components, and describe the set of tools that constitute a UIMA development framework. Then we take the reader through the setps involved in building a simple UIM application, thus highlighting the major UIMA concepts and techniques.
A Magnetized Jet from a Massive Protostar

Stellar Jets Supersonic jets of energized charged particles are a common phenomenon in astrophysics, emanating from sources that range widely in mass: from brown dwarfs to super massive black holes in the centers of galaxies. Carrasco-González et al. (p. 1209; see the Perspective by Ray) present observations, of a jet emanating from a young stellar object, which show that the jet is magnetized and has characteristics that are similar to those of jets found in much larger and more massive systems. The results support the idea that all astrophysical jets are launched and collimated through the same basic mechanism, involving launching of material along magnetic field lines. Observations reveal polarized synchrotron emission from the jet of a young stellar object. Synchrotron emission is commonly found in relativistic jets from active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and microquasars, but so far its presence in jets from young stellar objects (YSOs) has not been proved. Here, we present evidence of polarized synchrotron emission arising from the jet of a YSO. The apparent magnetic field, with strength of ~0.2 milligauss, is parallel to the jet axis, and the polarization degree increases toward the jet edges, as expected for a confining helical magnetic field configuration. These characteristics are similar to those found in AGN jets, hinting at a common origin of all astrophysical jets.
Interaction of nuclear factor EF-1A with the polyomavirus enhancer region

Enhancer factor 1A (EF-1A) is a mammalian nuclear protein that previously was shown to bind cooperatively to the repeated core enhancer element I sequence in the adenovirus E1A enhancer region. We now have characterized three binding sites for EF-1A in the polyomavirus A2 (Py) enhancer region. Site 1 resides in the Py A enhancer domain, and sites 2 and 3 reside in the Py B enhancer domain. EF-1A binding to Py site 1 is independent of cooperation with other EF-1A sites or the adjacent binding sites for PEA-1 and PEA-2, two murine nuclear factors that bind in the Py A enhancer domain. EF-1A binding to Py sites 2 and 3, in contrast, is cooperative, similar to the situation previously observed with binding sites in the adenovirus E1A enhancer region. In a transient replication assay, EF-1A site 1 functions synergistically with the PEA-1 and PEA-2 sites in the A enhancer domain to enhance Py replication. The functional cooperativity observed with the EF-1A, PEA-1, and PEA-2 sites in vivo does not reflect cooperative DNA binding interactions, as detected in vitro. Py EF-1A site 1 alone is capable of weakly stimulating Py replication. EF-1A site 1 overlaps with the binding sites for the murine nuclear protein PEA-3 and the ets family of oncoproteins.
An examination of the factor structure of the role ambiguity scale.

The purpose of this study was to examine the factor structure of the Role Ambiguity Scale (Beauchamp, Bray, Eys, & Carron, 2002) by comparing three alternative models of role ambiguity: a four-factor model with correlated latent factors developed by Beauchamp et al. (2002), a single-factor model, and the hierarchical model proposed by Eys et al (2003b). The instrument was administered to 179 team handball players, and 125 basketballplayers in two studies. Confirmatory factor analyses were used to test the three competing measurement models. Results indicated that the four-factor model with correlated latent factors of role ambiguity best represents the responses of Greek players of team handball and basketball to the Role Ambiguity Scale.
Design and optimization of distributed sensing coverage in wireless sensor networks

For many sensor network applications, such as military surveillance, it is necessary to provide full sensing coverage to a security-sensitive area while, at the same time, minimizing energy consumption and extending system lifetime by leveraging the redundant deployment of sensor nodes. In this paper, we propose a surveillance service for sensor networks based on a distributed energy-efficient sensing coverage protocol. In the protocol, each node is able to dynamically decide a schedule for itself to guarantee a certain degree-of-coverage (DOC) with average energy consumption inversely proportional to the node density. Several optimizations and extensions are proposed to enhance the basic design with a better load-balance feature and a longer network lifetime. We consider and address the impact of the target size and the unbalanced initial energy capacity of individual nodes to the network lifetime. Several practical issues such as the localization error, irregular sensing range, and unreliable communication links are addressed as well. Simulation shows that our protocol extends system lift-time significantly with low energy consumption. It outperforms other state-of-the-art schemes by as much as 50% reduction in energy consumption and as much as 130% increase in the half-life of the network.
How Efficient are Agitators in Biogas Digesters? Determination of the Efficiency of Submersible Motor Mixers and Incline Agitators by Measuring Nutrient Distribution in Full-Scale Agricultural Biogas Digesters

The goal of this work was to evaluate the efficiency of two different agitation systems by measuring the nutrient distribution in a digester fed with renewable energy crops and animal manure. The study was carried out at the practical research biogas plant of Hohenheim University. A unique probe sampling system has been developed that allows probe sampling from the top of the concrete roof into different parts and heights of the digester. The samples were then analyzed in the laboratory for natural fatty acids concentrations. Three different agitation setups were chosen for evaluation at continuous stirring and feeding procedures. The results showed that the analysis approach for agitator optimization through direct measurement of the nutrients distribution in the digester is promising. The type of the agitators and the agitation regime showed significant differences on local concentrations of organic acids, which are not correlated to the dry matter content. Simultaneous measurements on electric energy consumption of the different agitator types verify that by using the slow-moving incline agitator with large propeller diameters in favor of the fast-moving submersible mixer with smaller propeller diameters, the savings potential rises up to 70% by maintaining the mixing quality.
Synthetic aperture radar simulations from an idealized tidal channel

To gain insight into the effects of currents in tidal channels on SAR imaging, a series of hydrodynamic and SAR simulations were conducted using an idealized tidal channel. Preliminary results from the hydrodynamic and SAR modeling reveal the following: (1) peak modulations lie over mid-channel during flood and over the channel banks during ebb, (2) there is little, if any, change in these positions during respective tidal phases; only during transition is peak migration evident, and (3) there are distinct relationships between NRCS and along-channel current velocity and between NRCS and tide height.
Feasibility and acceptability of training community health workers in ear and hearing care in Malawi: a cluster randomised controlled trial

Objective To assess the feasibility and acceptability of training community health workers (CHWs) in ear and hearing care, and their ability to identify patients with ear and hearing disorders. Design Cluster randomised controlled trial (RCT). Setting Health centres in Thyolo district, Malawi. Participants Ten health centres participated, 5 intervention (29 CHWs) and 5 control (28 CHWs). Intervention Intervention CHWs received 3 days of training in primary ear and hearing care, while among control CHWs, training was delayed for 6 months. Both groups were given a pretest that assessed knowledge about ear and hearing care, only the intervention group was given the posttest on the third day of training. The intervention group was given 1 month to identify patients with ear and hearing disorders in their communities, and these people were screened for hearing disorders by ear, nose and throat clinical specialists. Outcome measures Primary outcome measure was improvement in knowledge of ear and hearing care among CHWs after the training. Secondary outcome measures were number of patients with ear or hearing disorders identified by CHWs and number recorded at health centres during routine activities, and the perceived feasibility and acceptability of the intervention. Results The average overall correct answers increased from 55% to 68% (95% CI 65 to 71) in the intervention group (p<0.001). A total of 1739 patients with potential ear and hearing disorders were identified by CHWs and 860 patients attended the screening camps, of whom 400 had hearing loss (73 patients determined through bilateral fail on otoacoustic emissions, 327 patients through audiometry). Where cause could be determined, the most common cause of ear and hearing disorders was chronic suppurative otitis media followed by impacted wax. The intervention was perceived as feasible and acceptable to implement. Conclusions Training was effective in improving the knowledge of CHW in ear and hearing care in Malawi and allowing them to identify patients with ear and hearing disorders. This intervention could be scaled up to other CHWs in low-income and middle-income countries. Trial registration number Pan African Clinical Trial Registry (201705002285194); Results.
Developmental trajectories of cigarette use and associations with multilayered risk factors among Chinese adolescents.

INTRODUCTION We aimed to identify developmental trajectories of cigarette use and risk factors associated with the distinct developmental courses of smoking in Chinese early adolescents from age 12 to 16 years. METHODS Analysis was conducted with secondary data from a longitudinal, prospective cohort of 3,521 Chinese adolescents randomly selected from 4 rural and 7 urban middle schools in Wuhan, China. A group-based growth mixture modeling approach was adopted to identify developmental trajectories of cigarette use. Multilayered intrapersonal (e.g., attitudes toward smoking) and interpersonal (e.g., parental smoking and perceived parental disapproval of smoking) risk factors selected from an ecological perspective were prospectively linked to the identified patterns of smoking trajectory. RESULTS Three trajectory patterns were identified from the whole cohort: nonsmokers (48.7%), stable light/occasional smokers (48.6%), and accelerating smokers (2.7%). After adjustments for gender, urban residence, and family socioeconomic status, adolescents with higher levels of problems in parent-child relationships and family disharmony, higher perceived norms of peer smoking, higher proportion of good friend smoking, having more troubles with teachers, poorer academic performance, and reporting more frequent depressive symptoms were significantly more likely to be in the trajectory group of either stable light/occasional smokers or accelerating smokers than in the group of nonsmokers. The probability of being in the accelerating smoking trajectory group was positively and significantly related to parental smoking and lack of school bonding. CONCLUSIONS Study findings help to advance knowledge of the distinct developmental courses of smoking behavior and their associations with multilayered risk factors among Chinese early adolescents.
Towards a renormalizable standard model without a fundamental Higgs scalar

We investigate the possibility of constructing a renormalizable standard model with purely fermionic matter content. The Higgs scalar is replaced by pointlike fermionic self-interactions with couplings growing large at the Fermi scale. An analysis of the UV behavior in the pointlike approximation reveals a variety of non-Gaussian fixed points for the fermion couplings. If real, such fixed points would imply nonperturbative renormalizability and avoid the triviality of the Higgs sector. For pointlike fermionic self-interactions and weak gauge couplings, one encounters a hierarchy problem similar to that for a fundamental Higgs scalar.
original article © The American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy Hyperactive Sleeping Beauty Transposase Enables Persistent Phenotypic Correction in Mice and a Canine Model for Hemophilia B

Sleeping Beauty (SB) transposase enables somatic integration of exogenous DNA in mammalian cells, but potency as a gene transfer vector especially in large mammals has been lacking. Herein, we show that hyper-active transposase system delivered by high-capacity adenoviral vectors (HC-AdVs) can result in somatic integration of a canine factor IX (cFIX) expression-cassette in canine liver, facilitating stabilized transgene expression and persistent haemostatic correction of canine hemo-philia B with negligible toxicity. We observed stabilized cFIX expression levels during rapid cell cycling in mice and phenotypic correction of the bleeding diathesis in hemophilia B dogs for up to 960 days. In contrast, sys-temic administration of an inactive transposase system resulted in rapid loss of transgene expression and transient phenotypic correction. Notably, in dogs a higher viral dose of the active SB transposase system resulted into transient phenotypic correction accompanied by transient increase of liver enzymes. Molecular analysis of liver samples revealed SB-mediated integration and provide evidence that transgene expression was derived mainly from integrated vector forms. Demonstrating that a viral vector system can deliver clinically relevant levels of a therapeutic protein in a large animal model of human disease paves a new path toward the possible cure of genetic diseases.