Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
SII-based speech preprocessing for intelligibility improvement in noise

A linear time-invariant filter is designed in order to improve speech understanding when the speech is played back in a noisy environment. To accomplish this, the speech intelligibility index (SII) is maximized under the constraint that the speech energy is held constant. A nonlinear approximation is used for the SII such that a closed-form solution exists to the constrained optimization problem. The resulting filter is dependent both on the long-term average noise and speech spectrum and the global SNR and, in general, has a high-pass characteristic. In contrast to existing methods, the proposed filter sets certain frequency bands to zero when they do not contribute to intelligibility anymore. Experiments show large intelligibility improvements with the proposed method when used in stationary speech-shaped noise. However, it was also found that the method does not perform well for speech corrupted by a competing speaker. This is due to the fact that the SII is not a reliable intelligibility predictor for fluctuating noise sources. MATLAB code is provided. Index Terms: Speech intelligibility, speech enhancement, nearend enhancement, speech intelligibility index
Hybrid-based Arabic single-document text summarization approach using genatic algorithm

Text summarization is one of the most paramount applications of the field of natural language processing. This paper presents a Hybrid-based Single-document Extractive Arabic Text Summarization approach based on Genetic Algorithm. The proposed summarization approach was evaluated using EASC corpus, and ROUGE evaluation method to determine the accuracy of the proposed approach. The result showed that our method outperformed many state-of-the art methods.
Chronic NaHS Treatment Is Vasoprotective in High-Fat-Fed ApoE−/− Mice

Hydrogen sulfide is emerging as an important mediator of vascular function that has antioxidant and cytoprotective effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of endogenous H2S and the effect of chronic exogenous H2S treatment on vascular function during the progression of atherosclerotic disease. ApoE−/− mice were fed a high-fat diet for 16 weeks and treated with the H2S donor NaHS or the cystathionine-γ-lyase (CSE) inhibitor D,L-propargylglycine (PPG), to inhibit endogenous H2S production for the final 4 weeks. Fat-fed ApoE−/− mice displayed significant aortic atherosclerotic lesions and significantly impaired endothelial function compared to wild-type mice. Importantly, 4 weeks of NaHS treatment significantly reduced vascular dysfunction and inhibited vascular superoxide generation. NaHS treatment significantly reduced the area of aortic atherosclerotic lesions and attenuated systolic blood pressure. Interestingly, inhibiting endogenous, CSE-dependent H2S production with PPG did not exacerbate the deleterious vascular changes seen in the untreated fat-fed ApoE−/− mice. The results indicate NaHS can improve vascular function by reducing vascular superoxide generation and impairing atherosclerotic lesion development. Endogenous H2S production via CSE is insufficient to counter the atherogenic effects seen in this model; however exogenous H2S treatment has a significant vasoprotective effect.
DMD # 35824 1 COMPARATIVE USE OF ISOLATED HEPATOCYTES AND HEPATIC MICROSOMES FOR P 450 INHIBITION STUDIES : TRANSPORTER-ENZYME INTERPLAY

Accurate assignment of the concentration of victim drug/inhibitor available at the enzyme active site, both in vivo and within an in vitro incubation is an essential requirement in rationalizing and predicting drug-drug interactions. Inhibitor accumulation within the liver, whether as a result of active transport processes or intracellular binding, may best be accounted for using hepatocytes rather than hepatic microsomes to estimate in vitro inhibitory potency. The aims of this study were to compare K i values determined in rat liver microsomes and freshly isolated rat hepatocytes of four P450 inhibitors (clarithromycin, enoxacin, nelfinavir and saquinavir) with known hepatic transporter involvement and a range of uptake (cell-to-medium concentration ratios 20-3000) and clearance (10–1200 µL/min/10 6 cells) properties. Inhibition studies were performed using two well-established P450 probe substrates (theophylline and midazolam). Comparison of unbound K i values showed marked differences between the two in vitro systems for inhibition of metabolism. In two cases, (clarithromycin and enoxacin – both low clearance drugs) inhibitory potency in hepatocytes markedly exceeded microsomes (10 to 20-fold) and this was consistent with their high cell-to-medium concentration ratios. For nelfinavir and saquinavir (high clearance, extensively metabolised drugs) the opposite trend was seen in the K i values, despite very high cell-to-medium concentration ratios; stronger inhibition was evident within microsomal preparations. Hence the consequences of hepatic accumulation resulting from uptake transporters vary according to the clearance of the inhibitor. This study demonstrates that transporter-enzyme interplay can result in differences in inhibitory potency between microsomes and hepatocytes, and hence drug-drug interaction predictions, that are not always intuitive. This article has not been copyedited and formatted. The final version may differ from this version.
Intramuscular Neurotrophin-3 normalizes low threshold spinal reflexes, reduces spasms and improves mobility after bilateral corticospinal tract injury in rats

Brain and spinal injury reduce mobility and often impair sensorimotor processing in the spinal cord leading to spasticity. Here, we establish that complete transection of corticospinal pathways in the pyramids impairs locomotion and leads to increased spasms and excessive mono- and polysynaptic low threshold spinal reflexes in rats. Treatment of affected forelimb muscles with an adeno-associated viral vector (AAV) encoding human Neurotrophin-3 at a clinically-feasible time-point after injury reduced spasticity. Neurotrophin-3 normalized the short latency Hoffmann reflex to a treated hand muscle as well as low threshold polysynaptic spinal reflexes involving afferents from other treated muscles. Neurotrophin-3 also enhanced locomotor recovery. Furthermore, the balance of inhibitory and excitatory boutons in the spinal cord and the level of an ion co-transporter in motor neuron membranes required for normal reflexes were normalized. Our findings pave the way for Neurotrophin-3 as a therapy that treats the underlying causes of spasticity and not only its symptoms. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.7554/eLife.18146. 001
An energy efficient cluster-routing protocol for wireless sensor networks

Wireless sensor networks have serious energy constrain, since external power sources are typically unavailable. Typical wireless sensor nodes use batteries or fuel cells as the power source. The primary design goal of routing protocols is to efficiently use the energy of sensor nodes and prolong the survival time of the network. This paper analyzes the classical clustering routing protocol LEACH and improved it. The new algorithm balanced energy depletion of node by two methods. One is considering the current energy of nodes when selecting cluster-heads, another is limited number of nodes in each cluster. Simulation results show that the effectiveness of the improved algorithm and prove the improved algorithm is much better than LEACH in energy consumption and lifetime of network.
Online discussion group sustainability: Investigating the interplay between structural dynamics and social dynamics over time

Special Issue Online discussion group sustainability: Investigating the interplay between structural dynamics and social dynamics over time Catherine Ridings Lehigh University ridings@lehigh.edu Molly Wasko Florida State University mwasko@cob.fsu. edu Online discussion groups have become an increasingly popular way to create social networks where individuals congregate electronically to share advice and ideas. In order to better understand sustainability, we propose that research needs to go beyond examining quantitative changes in the structural dynamics of online discussion groups (such as membership size and message volume) and include investigation of the social dynamics characterizing the underlying qualities of the interactions among members. We take a mixed-methods approach to provide qualitative and empirical support for our theory by investigating the dynamics of one successful online discussion group over a five-year period. Our data set includes all 150,267 messages posted to 27,743 threads by 9,042 unique individuals over a five year period in a group that is focused on sharing advice about a medical topic (back pain). We find support for our hypotheses that 1) shifts in the structural and social dynamics underlying resource availability lead to changes in communication activities, but in unexpected ways: Fewer members contributed significantly more message volume. In turn, 2) shifts in the structural and social dynamics underlying communication activities lead to changes in coping strategies: As message volume increased and became more social, members increased their efforts and were less likely to defect. Finally, 3) shifts in the structural and social dynamics underlying coping strategies lead to changes in attraction and retention: as individual efforts increased, more individuals were retained; however, fewer new members were attracted to join the group. Our main thesis is that each online discussion group is a product of its structural and social dynamics in combination, and the influence of these factors on sustainability is best understood when they are examined in relation to each other over time.
Spatial occurrence and colonisations in patch‐tracking metapopulations: local conditions versus dispersal

We studied the relative importance of local variables and dispersal for the occurrence and colonisation of the epiphytic bryophytes Orthotricum speciosum (spore dispersed), and O. obtusifolium (spore and asexual gemmae) on aspen trees (‘patches’) in two forest landscapes (one old-growth and one fragmented) using multiple logistic regression. The relative importance of dispersal was quantified as the reduction of residual deviance for a connectivity variable. In modelling dispersal, we assumed that trees with low local abundance were recent colonisations, and that trees with high local abundance were diaspore sources for colonisation. The occurrence of O. speciosum in the fragmented landscape was most affected by shading, but also by connectivity, aspen diameter and vitality. In the old-growth landscape, connectivity was the single most important variable for recent colonisations, but its effect was lower than the sum of the effects of all local environmental variables. The occurrence of O. obtusifolium in the fragmented landscape was related to similar variables but the relative importance of these variables was different, and connectivity did not affect the probability of a recent colonisation in this species. We describe the epiphyte-tree system in the patch-tracking metapopulation model. In this model colonisations are distance dependent, but in contrast to the classical metapopulation model local extinctions are caused by deterministic patch destruction – once the epiphyte has colonised the tree it remains until the tree dies.
The microsporidian parasite Vavraia culicis as a potential late life–acting control agent of malaria

Microsporidian parasites are being considered as alternatives to conventional insecticides for malaria control. They should reduce malaria transmission by shortening the lifespan of female mosquitoes and thus killing them before they transmit malaria. As the parasite replicates throughout the mosquito’s life, it should have little detrimental effects on young mosquitoes, thus putting less selection pressure on the hosts to evolve resistance. Here, we examined these expectations for the microsporidian Vavraia culicis on Anopheles gambiae Giles sensu stricto mosquitoes under varying environmental conditions. Infection by the microsporidian delayed pupation by 10%, decreased fecundity by 23% and reduced adult lifespan by 27%, with higher infectious doses causing greater effects. The decrease of lifespan was mostly because of an increase of the mortality rate with age. Similarly, the parasite’s effect on mosquito fecundity increased with the mosquitoes’ age. Neither infection nor food availability affected juvenile survival. Thus, as V. culicis reduced the longevity of A. gambiae (s.s.), yet affected mortality and fecundity of the young mosquitoes only slightly, the microsporidian is a promising alternative to insecticides for effective malaria control that will impose little evolutionary pressure for resistance.
2 Discounting by abstinent smokers to maintain other health-related behaviors

than 70% of current smokers want to quit, but only a very small minority stop smoking. Given the public knowledge about the health consequences of cigarette smoking, individuals who continue to smoke are failing to delay the immediate gratification of smoking (rush of smoking and removal of withdrawal) for the delayed gratification of not smoking (improved health and quality of life). And one possible explanation for why smokers have difficulty delaying gratification is intolerance to delay (Allen, Moeller, Rhoades, & Cherek, 1998) as measured by temporal discounting. Temporal discounting refers to the decrease in the subjective value of an outcome as delay to the outcome increases; a sum of money delayed by 1 year is subjectively less valuable than the same sum of money available immediately. Temporal discounting has received much recent attention in the area of addiction because drug use and abuse is a classic manifestation of a behavioral pattern that overweighs present outcomes in comparison to delayed ones. And research has confirmed that this relative preference for immediacy of outcomes does not appear to be restricted to the drug of choice but applies for other rewards (e.g., money rewards) even when relevant variables (e.g., age, income) are methodologically or statistically controlled. This important distinction suggests that a higher rate of temporal discounting is indicative of a generalized deficit in intertemporal decision making, where present outcomes are globally preferred to delayed outcomes independent of the reward domain (i.e., other than the drug of dependence). Elevated temporal discounting is particularly problematic because it is associated with higher probabilities of smoking Abstract Introduction: Given the lack of consensus regarding changes in temporal and probability discounting as a function of smoking abstinence in cigarette smokers, the present study comprehensively examined possible changes in these processes following a period of acute smoking abstinence consistent with elevated withdrawal symptoms and craving.
Homotopy-Initial Algebras in Type Theory

We investigate inductive types in type theory, using the insights provided by homotopy type theory and univalent foundations of mathematics. We do so by introducing the new notion of a homotopy-initial algebra. This notion is defined by a purely type-theoretic contractibility condition that replaces the standard, category-theoretic universal property involving the existence and uniqueness of appropriate morphisms. Our main result characterizes the types that are equivalent to W-types as homotopy-initial algebras.
A Reply to Perry D. Klein's "Multiplying the Problems of Intelligence by Eight"

Responding to a tough, tough-minded, and sarcastically titled critique poses a problem for the target of the piece. Adopting the Chomskian confrontational mode, he can reply back even more vociferously, showing that he can be even tougher and nastier than his critic. Adopting the Piagetian conciliatory tone, he can reply in muted points, conceding some errors and looking for points of agreement and for constructive compromises. By temperament, I locate myself somewhere between these two stances. I seldom start an argument, but I am unlikely to let criticism pass without comment. I take into account the tone of the critic. In the end, however, I am less interested in winning the debate than in advancing my own understanding and, one would hope, the understandings of those who listen carefully to both sides. The bulk of my response is a series of points, loosely coupled to the presentation in Perry Klein's article. However, it is important to set my response in context, and that involves clarifying two major areas.
Do Elite and Amateur Soccer Players Outperform Non-Athletes on Neurocognitive Functioning? A Study Among 8-12 Year Old Children

Aim Research suggested a positive association between physical fitness and neurocognitive functioning in children. Aim of the present study is to investigate possible dose-response relationships between diverse daily physical activities and a broad range of neurocognitive functions in preadolescent children. Furthermore, the relationship between several sedentary behaviours, including TV-watching, gaming and computer time, and neurocognitive functioning will be investigated in this group of children. Methods A total of 168 preadolescent boys, aged 8 to 12 years, were recruited from various locations, including primary schools, an amateur soccer club, and a professional soccer club, to increase variability in the amount of participation in sports. All children performed neurocognitive tasks measuring inhibition, short term memory, working memory, attention and information processing speed. Regression analyses examined the predictive power of a broad range of physical activities, including sports, active transport to school, physical education (PE), outdoor play, and sedentary behaviour such as TV-watching and gaming, for neurocognitive functioning. Results Time spent in sports significantly accounted for the variance in inhibition, short term memory, working memory and lapses of attention, where more time spent in sports was associated with better performance. Outdoor play was also positively associated with working memory. In contrast, time spent on the computer was negatively associated with inhibition. Conclusions Results of the current study suggest a positive relationship between participation in sports and several important neurocognitive functions. Interventions are recommended to increase sports participation and to reduce sedentary behaviour in preadolescent children.
Hardware Implementation of a Fast and Efficient Haze Removal Method

In this letter, a fast and efficient haze removal method is presented. We employ an extremum approximate method to extract the atmospheric light and propose a contour preserving estimation to obtain the transmission by using edge-preserving and mean filters alternately. Our method can efficiently avoid the halo artifact generated in the recovered image. To meet the requirement of real-time applications, an 11-stage pipelined hardware architecture for our haze removal method is presented. It can achieve 200 MHz with 12.8 K gate counts by using TSMC 0.13- μm technology. Simulation results indicate that our design can obtain comparable results with the least execution time compared to previous algorithms and is suitable for low-cost high-performance hardware implementation for haze removal.
Representing a Product System Representation as a Contractive Semigroup and Applications to Regular Isometric Dilations

Abstract In this paper we propose a new technical tool for analyzing representations of Hilbert ${{C}^{*}}$ - product systems. Using this tool, we give a new proof that every doubly commuting representation over ${{\mathbb{N}}^{k}}$ has a regular isometric dilation, and we also prove sufficient conditions for the existence of a regular isometric dilation of representations over more general subsemigroups of $\mathbb{R}_{+}^{k}$ .
Continuing professional development in the Greek early childhood education system

ABSTRACT Over the past years, Greece has been undergoing a severe financial crisis. The main purpose of this study was to examine how early childhood teachers perceive continuing professional development (CPD) under such societal turmoil. More specifically, this study examined the perceptions of 45 in-service kindergarten teachers attending the ‘Didaskaleio’ training institute. Results showed that although Greek early educators express a positive attitude towards CPD, there are certain contradictions in their views regarding the way they perceive CPD and their expectations regarding CPD activities. Results indirectly reflect the changing context, the systemic weaknesses and the antinomies of Greek early childhood education.
Understanding Information Security Culture: A Conceptual Framework

The importance of establishing an information security culture in an organization has become a well established idea. The aim of such a culture is to address the various human factors that can affect an organization’s overall information security efforts. However, understanding both the various elements of an information security culture, as well as the relationships between these elements, can still be problematic. Schein’s definition of a corporate culture is often used to aid understanding of an information security culture. This paper briefly introduces Schein’s model. It then incorporates the important role knowledge plays in information security into this definition. Finally, a conceptual framework to aid understanding of the interactions between the various elements of such a culture, is presented. This framework is explained by means of illustrative examples, and it is suggested that this conceptual framework can be a useful aid to understanding information security culture.
Analisis Kepuasan Pengunjung dan Pengembangan Fasilitas Wisata Agro (Studi Kasus di Kebun Wisata Pasirmukti, Bogor)

English Tourist’s preference to go back to nature makes ecotourism as a potential tourism market, including agricultural-based tourism (agrotourism). Kebun Wisata Pasirmukti is one of agrotourisms located in Citeureup, Bogor which has been opened for public in 2001. This paper presents visitor characteristics, decision process of visitation, visitors’ response and their satisfaction on attributes provided in the area, and the importance of additional facilities to increase performance of Kebun Wisata Pasirmukti. This study uses descriptive analysis, Importance Performance Analysis, and Friedman Test and Multiple Comparison for Friedman. This study shows that the management of Kebun Wisata Pasirmukti should improve performance of promotion, accessibility to reach interesting locations and objects in the area, and worship facilities. In addition, Kebun Wisata Pasirmukti has to maintain performance of education activity known as the strong point of this location compared to other similar recreational objects. Indonesian Kecenderungan wisatawan untuk kembali ke alam menyebabkan pengembangan daya tarik wisata yang berbasiskan alam menjadi potensial, tak terkecuali wisata yang berbasiskan alam pertanian (wisata agro). Kebun Wisata Pasir Mukti merupakan salah satu wisata agro yang terdapat di Citeureup, Bogor dan baru dibuka untuk umum pada tahun 2001. Artikel ini menyajikan hasil penelitian mengenai karakteristik pengunjung, proses keputusan kunjungan, respon pengunjung dan tingkat kepuasan pengunjung terhadap atribut yang ditawarkan oleh Kebun Wisata Pasirmukti, serta fasilitas yang perlu ditambahkan untuk menunjang kinerja Kebun Wisata Pasirmukti. Dalam penelitian ini digunakan beberapa alat analisis antara lain analisa deskriptif, Importance Performance Analysis, serta Uji Friedman dan Multiple Comparison untuk Uji Friedman. Berdasarkan penelitian ini dapat diketahui bahwa pihak manajemen Kebun Wisata Pasirmukti sebaiknya memperbaiki kinerja dari promosi, kemudahan mencapai lokasi serta sarana peribadatan. Selain itu, pihak Kebun Wisata Pasirmukti juga sebaiknya mempertahankan kinerja dari kegiatan edukatif yang merupakan keunggulan perusahaan di mata pengunjung dibandingkan dengan obyek wisata lain yang sejenis.