Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Improving Automatic Emotion Recognition from Speech via Gender Differentiaion

Feature extraction is still a disputed issue for the recognition of emotions from speech. Differences in features for male and female speakers are a well-known problem and it is established that gender-dependent emotion recognizers perform better than gender-independent ones. We propose a way to improve the discriminative quality of gender-dependent features: The emotion recognition system is preceded by an automatic gender detection that decides upon which of two gender-dependent emotion classifiers is used to classify an utterance. This framework was tested on two different databases, one with emotional speech produced by actors and one with spontaneous emotional speech from a Wizard-of-Oz setting. Gender detection achieved an accuracy of about 90 % and the combined gender and emotion recognition system improved the overall recognition rate of a gender-independent emotion recognition system by 2-4 %.
Large-scale Ultrasound Simulations Using the Hybrid OpenMP/MPI Decomposition

The simulation of ultrasound wave propagation through biological tissue has a wide range of practical applications including planning therapeutic ultrasound treatments of various brain disorders such as brain tumours, essential tremor, and Parkinson's disease. The major challenge is to ensure the ultrasound focus is accurately placed at the desired target within the brain because the skull can significantly distort it. Performing accurate ultrasound simulations, however, requires the simulation code to be able to exploit several thousands of processor cores and work with datasets on the order of tens of TB.We have recently developed an efficient full-wave ultrasound model based on the pseudospectral method using pure-MPI with 1D slab domain decomposition that allows simulations to be performed using up to 1024 compute cores. However, the slab decomposition limits the number of compute cores to be less or equal to the size of the longest dimension, which is usually below 1024. This paper presents an improved implementation that exploits 2D hybrid OpenMP/MPI decomposition. The 3D grid is first decomposed by MPI processes into slabs. The slabs are further partitioned into pencils assigned to threads on demand. This allows 8 to 16 times more compute cores to be employed compared to the pure-MPI code, while also reducing the amount of communication among processes due to the efficient use of shared memory within compute nodes. The hybrid code was tested on the Anselm Supercomputer (IT4-Innovations, Czech Republic) with up to 2048 compute cores and the SuperMUC supercomputer (LRZ, Germany) with up to 8192 compute cores. The simulation domain sizes ranged from 2563 to 10243 grid points. The experimental results show that the hybrid decomposition can significantly outperform the pure-MPI one for large simulation domains and high core counts, where the efficiency remains slightly below 50%. For a domain size of 10243, the hybrid code using 8192 cores enables the simulations to be accelerated by a factor of 4 compared to the pure-MPI code. Deployment of the hybrid code has the potential to eventually bring the simulation times within clinically meaningful timespans, and allow detailed patient specific treatment plans to be created.
Effects of noradrenalin and albumin in patients with type I hepatorenal syndrome: A pilot study

Treatment of hepatorenal syndromes (HRSs) is currently based on vasopressin analogs. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of noradrenalin (NA) in the treatment of type 1 HRS. Between 1998 and 2000, 12 consecutive patients with type 1 HRS (7 men, 5 women; mean age, 54 ± 11 years; mean Child‐Pugh score, 11.3 ± 1.7) were treated with intravenous NA (0.5‐3 mg/h), in combination with intravenous albumin and furosemide. NA was given for 10 ± 3 days, at a mean dose of 0.8 ± 0.3 mg/h. Reversal of HRS was observed in 10 of 12 patients (83%; 95% confidence interval, 52%‐98%) after a median of 7 days (range, 5‐10 days). Serum creatinine levels fell from 358 ± 161 to 145 ± 78 μmol/L (P < .001), creatinine clearance rose from 13 ± 9 to 40 ± 15 mL/min (P = .003), and urinary sodium output increased from 8 ± 14 to 52 ± 72 mEq/d (P = .002). Changes in renal function under NA treatment were associated with an increase in mean arterial pressure (MAP; 65 ± 7 to 73 ± 9 mm Hg, P = .01) and a marked reduction in active renin (565 ± 989 to 164 ± 196 ng/L, P = .001) and aldosterone plasma concentrations (1,945 ± 1,931 to 924 ± 730 ng/mL, P = .02). There was one episode of reversible myocardial hypokinesia (in a patient on 1.5 mg/h NA) that did not recur after a dose reduction. In conclusion, NA combined with albumin and furosemide appears effective and safe for the treatment of type 1 HRS.
A Survey of Music Recommendation Systems and Future Perspectives

Along with the rapid expansion of digital music formats, managing and searching for songs has become significant. Though music information retrieval (MIR) techniques have been made successfully in last ten years, the development of music recommender systems is still at a very early stage. Therefore, this paper surveys a general framework and state-of-art approaches in recommending music. Two popular algorithms: collaborative filtering (CF) and content-based model (CBM), have been found to perform well. Due to the relatively poor experience in finding songs in long tail and the powerful emotional meanings in music, two user-centric approaches: context-based model and emotion-based model, have been paid increasing attention. In this paper, three key compo- nents in music recommender - user modelling, item profiling, and match algorithms are discussed. Six recommendation models and four potential issues towards user experience, are explained. However, subjective music recommendation system has not been fully investigated. To this end, we propose a motivation-based model using the empirical studies of human behaviour, sports education, music psychology.
Direct construction method for conservation laws of partial differential equations Part II: General treatment

This paper gives a general treatment and proof of the direct conservation law method presented in Part I (see Anco & Bluman [3]). In particular, the treatment here applies to finding the local conservation laws of any system of one or more partial differential equations expressed in a standard Cauchy-Kovalevskaya form. A summary of the general method and its effective computational implementation is also given.
The Economic Activity of Private Farms in Romania During Transition: Just How Competitive are They?

In this paper we attempt to avoid the usually legalistic approach to surveys of farm reform and the development of a viable private farming sector in transition economies. Instead, we argue that a better understanding of the Romanian private farming sector and its interaction with the rural financial market is gained where broader economic, demographic, sociological and political factors are incorporated in the analysis. Therefore this paper discusses the main characteristics of private farming in Romania in the context of the aforementioned factors. Finally, we evaluate the financial performance and competitiveness of private farms and the severity of the economic problems they face in Romanian agriculture.
On the widths and ratios of Mg X 609.79 and 624.94 Å lines in polar off-limb regions

Using measurements of Mg  609.78 and 624.94 A lines from the Coronal Diagnostic Spectrometer (CDS) on board SOHO, we seek to examine the variation of line width and line ratio in regions far off-limb at the Northern pole of the Sun. It is found that above ≈1150 �� the ratio of the two coronal Mg  resonance lines reduces to values that might be expected for a more radiatively dominant excitation mode. A comparison of the line widths with these ratios indicates that the line widths start to show a decrease in their values at the location where the dominant excitation changes from being collisionally to radiatively dominant, that is, at ≈1150 �� . We suggest that the decrease in the line widths above ≈1150 �� is likely to be due to a reduction in the non-thermal component of the line widths caused by a damping of upwardly propagating Alfven waves.
Emerging volunteerism for Indonesian millennial generation: Volunteer participation and responsibility

ABSTRACT Voluntary activities have been a part of Indonesian society since the pre-independence era until now. Volunteerism began implemented effectively in many countries after the Second World War, including in Indonesia. Currently, voluntary activities have grown in the community social life, especially volunteer involvement in the festival event. This article explores the involvement of young volunteers in the Krakatau Festival. The data were collected from the volunteers who were involved in the festivals. An ethnographic approach implemented to reveal the engagement of the individual during the event conducted. This article identifies the festival as a medium for young volunteers to strengthen self-civic virtue in the life of the millennial generation participation in the community. The result shows that young millennial generation’s activities cannot be separated from engagement with information technology, which can be used to strengthen social integration, active participation, and responsibility.
Lost in Space: Population Dynamics in the American Hinterlands and Small Cities

The sources of urban agglomeration and the urban hierarchy have been extensively studied. Despite the pivotal role of the hinterlands in theories of the development of the urban hierarchy, little attention has been paid to the effect of urban agglomeration on growth in the hinterlands, particularly in a developed, mature economy. Therefore, this study examines how proximity to urban agglomeration affects contemporary population growth in hinterland U.S. counties. Proximity to urban agglomeration is measured in terms of both distances to higher-tiered areas in the urban hierarchy and proximity to market potential. Particular attention is paid to whether periodic changes and trends in underlying conditions (e.g., technology or transport costs) have altered population dynamics in the hinterlands and small urban centers. Over the period 1950-2000, we find strong negative growth effects of distances to higher-tiered urban areas, with significant, but lesser, effects of distance to market potential. Further, the costs of distance, if anything, appear to be increasing over time, consistent with various recent theories stressing the importance of how new technology affects the spatial distribution of activity in a mature urban system, while factors associated with the New Economic Geography are of lesser importance.
Examining negative emotions as mediators between exposures to family violence and bullying: A gendered perspective

ABSTRACT As concerns about bullying in schools continue to grow worldwide, the topic has become a major focus of research. However, few studies have used a general strain theory framework to examine whether the exposure to family violence is associated with bullying perpetration. Using structural equation modeling, this study explores whether negative emotions serve as important mediators between the exposure to family violence and bullying perpetration and whether these effects are gendered. The results found mixed support for GST—more specifically, the analyses indicated that exposure to family violence increased bullying perpetration through anger. However, although exposure to family violence was strongly associated with depression, depression did not influence bullying perpetration and was not a mediator between the exposure to family violence and bullying perpetration. Further, this study found initial support that these effects are gendered.
Roles Of Metacognitive Strategies In Reading Comprehension Tasks In Special Education Pupils

Metacognitive Strategies (MS), and in particular Metacognitive Reading Strategies (MRS) refers to intentional and directed cognitive activities that readers can use to monitor, control and evaluate meaningin the reading process. There are studies indicating that students with a history of reading or learning deficits have difficulties using MRS. Despite the assumed importance of MRS as an intervention program, there is a lack of studies in this direction. We aimed to investigate the MRS used in Special Education programs for teaching reading comprehension, by examining the current literature. The objective of the study is to identify the aims and objectives related to the different types of programs described in the literature, as well as the outcomes and methods of assessment of MRS strategies. Most of the reviewed studies suggested a significant association between MS/MRS intervention programs and success or improvement in reading or reading comprehension. The results of this systematic review could be valued in designing MS/MRS intervention programs in schools, kindergartens and even higher education, since the investigated literature reveals an ongoing process of implementation of MS/MRS programs and its advantages. Methodological and conceptual issues relating MRS as intervention program were discussed © 2018 Published by Future Academy www.FutureAcademy. org.UK
Estimating horizontal gradients of tropospheric path delay with a single GPS receiver

We present evidence that modeling troposphere delay gradients in precise Global Positioning System (GPS) geodesy improves the accuracy and precision of the estimated quantities, and that the estimated gradients resemble real atmospheric moisture gradients observed with a water vapor radiometer (WVR). Using a low elevation angle cutoff, combined with a model of the atmospheric delay gradient as a random walk process leads to 19.5% and 15% average improvement in radial and horizontal site position repeatabilities, respectively, relative to a current state-of-the-art estimation strategy that does not model horizontal gradients and imposes high elevation angle cutoff. The agreement between estimated values of zenith wet delay from collocated GPS receivers and WVRs was improved by at least 25%. Merely lowering the elevation angle cutoff improves the repeatability of the radial component of the site's position vector but tends to degrade the repeatability of the horizontal components of the position vector if troposphere gradients are not properly modeled. The estimates of wet delay gradients from a collocated GPS receiver and a WVR at Onsala, Sweden, seem to be correlated over timescales as short as 15 min. The agreement in azimuth between the GPS-based and the WVR-based gradients was at the 10° level, for significant gradients. The GPS was found to under-estimate the magnitude of the gradients by about 60% relative to the WVR-based gradients. The ability to sense atmospheric moisture gradients from a single GPS receiver increases the useful information content from networks of GPS receivers by providing additional spatial information for weather forecasting applications.
Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation Hepatitis Virus Infection in Haemodialysis Patients from Moldavia

Conclusions. HCV infection is endemic among dialysis centres in Moldavia. Apart from previously well-Background. Although the epidemiology of hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) now seems well established known risk factors for hepatitis infection, our study demonstrates the negative impact of socioeconomic for Western European countries, in Central and Eastern Europe <50% of all dialysis centres routinely underdevelopment. Simple measures such as enforced general asepsia rules, careful disinfection and equip-test for hepatitis C antibodies since testing is not available or is not applied to all patients. This study ment sterilization, routine testing of patients from economically disadvantaged areas and monthly, serial describes the prevalence, risk factors and clinical significance of HBV and HCV infection for the haemo-determination of hepatic enzymes should be the common practice in dialysis centres in Romania. dialysis population of the North Eastern region of Romania, Moldavia. Methods. The presence of HBV antigens was deter-Key words: epidemiology; haemodialysis; hepatitis B mined with an ELISA kit (Wellcome, Abbot) and and C prevalence; risk factors HCV antibodies with the ELISA-3 Ortho-HCV, third generation test. The following individual data were collected: gender, age, duration of dialysis, rural/urban domicile, actual and previous HBV status, actual HCV Introduction status, known acute, clinically evident hepatitis episodes in the last 3 years, monthly alanine aminotransfer-The epidemiology of hepatitis B and C now seems well ase (ALAT) and aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT) established for countries in Western Europe [1–9]; in levels, complete biochemical hepatic assessment at the Central and Eastern Europe, still <50% of dialysis time of the study, transfusions for the past 3 years and centres routinely test for hepatitis C antibodies, and family history. testing is not available or applied to all patients [10]. Results. HBV and HCV prevalences were 17% (stable Moldavia is one of the three historical Romanian over the last 3 years) and 75%, respectively; co-infection regions, with six counties, a surface area of 46 070 km2 was seen in 10% of the subjects. Hospitalization (noso-(similar to Belgium, 20% of Romania) and a population comial infection) for HBV, blood transfusions and of 4 million (17% of Romania). Due to the country's duration on dialysis for HCV, emerged as the main general dialysis conditions [11] and the region's eco-risk factors for hepatitis infection. Socioeconomic nomic conditions (mean personal income per month conditions appear to be equally important for HCV ~100 $US), only three dialysis centres ('C. I. Parhon' infection, since the prevalence …
Sequestering CO2 by Mineralization into Useful Nesquehonite-Based Products

The precipitation of magnesium hydroxy-carbonate hydrates has been suggested as a route to sequester CO2 into solids. We report the development of self-cementing compositions based on nesquehonite, MgCO3·3H2O, that are made from CO2-containing gas streams, the CO2 being separated from other gases by its high solubility in alkaline water, while magnesium is typically provided by waste desalination brines. Precipitation conditions are adjusted to optimize the formation of nesquehonite and the crystalline solid can readily be washed free of chloride. Products can be prepared to achieve self-cementation following two routes: (i) thermal activation of the nesquehonite then rehydration of the precursor or (ii) direct curing of a slurry of nesquehonite. The products thus obtained contain ~ 30 wt% CO2 and could form the basis for a new generation of lightweight, thermally insulating boards, blocks and panels, with sufficient strength for general construction.
European Union Foreign Direct Investment in China: Evidence from a Panel Study of EUManufacturing Firms, 1998-2007

The paper examines determinants of the EU‘s FDI into the China by using a newly available Manufacturing firm-level data set for the period 1998-2007 from the State Statistical Bureau of China. The theoretical framework of the paper builds on Dunning's ownership–location–internalization (OLI) paradigm, incorporating the institutional determinants to test international production by EU firms in emerging market. The paper analyses recent trends and patterns of EU FDI and its firms‘ characteristics in China. This study applies both static and dynamic panel data approaches (fixed effects and GMM system estimators) to test the presence of agglomeration effect of past FDI. It finds that EU FDI in China is positively associated with export intensity and labour cost. However, technology and profitability of the firm show unexpected results, not lining with theory in the study. The results further suggest that locational factors with regard to macroeconomic and legal environment are also considered by EU firms when deciding on FDI in China. The findings have important implications for practitioners and policymaking.
Study of Piggyback Cache Validation for Proxy Caches in the World Wide Web

This paper presents work on piggyback cache validation (PCV), which addresses the problem of maintaining cache coherency for proxy caches. The novel aspect of our approach is to capitalize on requests sent from the proxy cache to the server to improve coherency. In the simplest case, whenever a proxy cache has a reason to communicate with a server it piggybacks a list of cached, but potentially stale, resources from that server for validation. Trace-driven simulation of this mechanism on two large, independent data sets shows that PCV both provides stronger cache coherency and reduces the request traffic in comparison to the time-to-live (TTL) based techniques currently used. Specifically, in comparison to the best TTL-based policy, the best PCV-based policy reduces the number of request messages from a proxy cache to a server by 16-17% and the average cost (considering response latency, request messages and bandwidth) by 6-8%. Moreover, the best PCV policy reduces the staleness ratio by 57-65% in comparison to the best TTL-based policy. Additionally, the PCV policies can easily be implemented within the HTTP 1.1 protocol.
UK anti-slavery policy at the border: Humanitarian opportunism and the challenge of victim consent to assistance

The UK’s Modern Slavery Strategy, launched in 2014, gives Border Force Officers a key role as anti-slavery first responders, identifying and supporting victims at the border. Yet, while an estimated 94 percent of victims identified in the UK cross UK borders, in 2016 less than 3 percent of victim referrals were made at the border. This article draws on a series of in-depth interviews with a specialized Safeguarding and Anti-Trafficking (SAT) team within the UK Border Force to shed light on this discrepancy. In doing so, it takes forward critical debates about the coherence of humanitarian anti-slavery policy and the consistency of its ambitions with a continued prioritization by governments of security policy and immigration control. The article furthers two key arguments: first, that current policy around anti-slavery first response at the border is grounded in a rationale of ‘humanitarian opportunism’, which states that borders are sites of unique opportunity to identify and assist victims of trafficking, and that Border Force Officers therefore have a humanitarian duty to identify and assist victims; second, that the humanitarian opportunity is in reality far more restricted in practice than the policy rhetoric suggests, a fact that goes some way to explaining the very small numbers of those identified as trafficked and assisted at UK borders. Two key challenges to successful identification and support are identified: the first is EU freedom of movement, which in effect exempts European citizens from vulnerability screening by Border Force Officers; the second is the requirement that Border Force Officers obtain written consent from those identified as trafficked to being labelled a victim of crime before they can be offered support. The article puts forward some suggestions for how these challenges could be addressed for the benefit of those trafficked.
Transformation of and similarity measures for diffusion tensor MRIs

This paper discusses registration of diffusion tensor (DT) MRIs (magnetic resonance images). An existing method for registration of 3D intensity images, the multi-resolution elastic matching algorithm, [1-3], is adapted to work with this new data type. A method is described for extracting the appropriate reorientation of DTs to accompany warps of the image from the local displacement field. Furthermore, the effectiveness of a number of similarity measures for matching DT images are tested. Preliminary results over a single pair of DT images of the human brain indicate that the best results are obtained by use of a tensor component difference measure.