Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Continuous Audio Object Recognition Diploma Thesis

The detection of sound events is a key technology for a various set of audio applications. Sounds are able to transport information through vision borders. Therefore, a humanoid robot assigned with kitchen tasks improves its interactive behavior with the environment a lot when using acoustics. While audio scene analysis employs a lot of subjects, this thesis deals with the recognition of presegmented as well as continuous audio objects using single channel microphone input. Further prior knowledge on scenes with single and multiple sources was not used. This means that recognition is performed without information on the audio context like source positions and statistical information on typical event sequences. The three explored feature sets consisted of MFCCs with first and second order temporal derivatives, PCA-ICA features without using temporal context and PCA-ICA features on several context window sizes. In a first batch of experiments those features were evaluated for GMMs, forward and ergodic HMMs on predefined segments for single source data, which was recorded in different kitchens. The results show that for single source data MFCC features perform worse than ICA features, independent of the classifier. Further, ICA features covering temporal context gave even better results. The comparison of forward and ergodic models for different number of states revealed that the kitchen task class set generally favors ergodic HMMs instead of left-right models. Another experiment confirmed the superiority of ICA to MFCCs with respect to the number of gaussian parameters. While the ICA features for an architecture, which cover shared global interclass properties, appeared to be superior on single source data, this benefit could not be shown under continuous real world cooking conditions with background noise. Scarce class occurrences in realworld conditioned data in combination with low recognition performance showed that source separation, confidence measures and multi track hypothesis output need to be considered in future research directions. Furthermore, the mapping of acoustic entities to semantics during labeling and training has to be performed carefully.
Optimal Dynamic Pricing of Perishable Items by a Monopolist Facing Strategic Consumers

We introduce a dynamic pricing model for a monopolistic company selling a perishable product to a finite population of strategic consumers (customers who are aware that pricing is dynamic and may time their purchases strategically). This problem is modeled as a stochastic dynamic game in which the company's objective is to maximize total expected revenues, and each customer maximizes the expected present value of utility. We prove the existence of a unique subgame‐perfect equilibrium pricing policy, provide equilibrium optimality conditions for both customer and seller, and prove monotonicity results for special cases. We demonstrate through numerical examples that a company that ignores strategic consumer behavior may receive much lower total revenues than one that uses the strategic equilibrium pricing policy. We also show that, when the initial capacity is a decision variable, it can be used together with the appropriate pricing policy to effectively reduce the impact of strategic consumer behavior. The proposed model is computationally tractable for problems of realistic size.
Prevalence, Risk Factors and Social Context of Active Pulmonary Tuberculosis among Prison Inmates in Tajikistan

Setting Tuberculosis (TB) is highly prevalent in prisons of the former Soviet Union. Objective To understand the behavioral, demographic and biological factors placing inmates in Tajikistan at risk for active TB. Design We administered a behavioral and demographic survey to 1317 inmates in two prison facilities in Sughd province, Tajikistan along with radiographic screening for pulmonary TB. Suspected cases were confirmed bacteriologically. Inmates undergoing TB treatment were also surveyed. In-depth interviews were conducted with former prisoners to elicit relevant social and behavioral characteristics. Results We identified 59 cases of active pulmonary TB (prevalence 4.5%). Factors independently associated with increased prevalence of active TB were: HIV-infection by self-report (PR 7.88; 95%CI 3.40–18.28), history of previous TB (PR 10.21; 95%CI 6.27–16.63) and infrequent supplemental nutrition beyond scheduled meals (PR 3.00; 95%CI 1.67–5.62). Access to supplemental nutrition was associated with frequency of visits from friends and family and ability to rely on other inmates for help. Conclusion In prison facilities of Tajikistan, HIV-infection, injection drug use and low access to supplemental nutrition were associated with prevalent cases of active pulmonary TB. Policies that reduce HIV transmission among injection drug users and improve the nutritional status of socially isolated inmates may alleviate the TB burden in Tajikistan’s prisons.
Truth, control, and value motivations: the “what,” “how,” and “why” of approach and avoidance

The hedonic principle—the desire to approach pleasure and avoid pain—is frequently presumed to be the fundamental principle upon which motivation is built. In the past few decades, researchers have enriched our understanding of how approaching pleasure and avoiding pain differ from each other. However, more recent empirical and theoretical work delineating the principles of motivation in humans and non-human animals has shown that not only can approach/avoidance motivations themselves be further distinguished into promotion approach/avoidance and prevention approach/avoidance, but that approaching pleasure and avoiding pain requires the functioning of additional distinct motivations—the motivation to establish what is real (truth) and the motivation to manage what happens (control). Considering these additional motivations in the context of moral psychology and animal welfare science suggests that these less-examined motives may themselves be fundamental to a comprehensive understanding of motivation, with major implications for the study of the “what,” “how,” and “why” of human and non-human approach and avoidance behavior.
Novel Approach for High-Throughput Metabolic Screening of Whole Plants by Stable Isotopes

Stable isotopic labeling combined with combustion isotope ratio mass spectrometry elucidates metabolic properties of whole plants under strictly controlled physiological conditions. Here, we demonstrate whole-plant metabolic profiling by stable isotope labeling and combustion isotope-ratio mass spectrometry for precise quantification of assimilation, translocation, and molecular reallocation of 13CO2 and 15NH4NO3. The technology was applied to rice (Oryza sativa) plants at different growth stages. For adult plants, 13CO2 labeling revealed enhanced carbon assimilation of the flag leaf from flowering to late grain-filling stage, linked to efficient translocation into the panicle. Simultaneous 13CO2 and 15NH4NO3 labeling with hydroponically grown seedlings was used to quantify the relative distribution of carbon and nitrogen. Two hours after labeling, assimilated carbon was mainly retained in the shoot (69%), whereas 7% entered the root and 24% was respired. Nitrogen, taken up via the root, was largely translocated into the shoot (85%). Salt-stressed seedlings showed decreased uptake and translocation of nitrogen (69%), whereas carbon metabolism was unaffected. Coupled to a gas chromatograph, labeling analysis provided enrichment of proteinogenic amino acids. This revealed significant protein synthesis in the panicle of adult plants, whereas protein biosynthesis in adult leaves was 8-fold lower than that in seedling shoots. Generally, amino acid enrichment was similar among biosynthetic families and allowed us to infer labeling dynamics of their precursors. On this basis, early and strong 13C enrichment of Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas pathway and pentose phosphate pathway intermediates indicated high activity of these routes. Applied to mode-of-action analysis of herbicides, the approach showed severe disturbance in the synthesis of branched-chain amino acids upon treatment with imazapyr. The established technology displays a breakthrough for quantitative high-throughput plant metabolic phenotyping.
Evaluation of the ICT Malaria P.f/P.v and the OptiMal Rapid Diagnostic Tests for Malaria in Febrile Returned Travellers

ABSTRACT Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are less reliant on expert microscopy and have the potential to reduce errors in malaria diagnosis but have not been extensively evaluated in nonimmune persons or in countries where infection is not endemic. We evaluated the ICT P.f/P.v (ICT-Amrad, Sydney, Australia) and OptiMal (Flow Inc., Portland, Oreg.) assays prospectively for the diagnosis of malaria in 158 specimens from 144 febrile returned travellers in Australia by using expert microscopy and PCR as reference standards. Malaria was diagnosed in 93 specimens from 87 patients by expert microscopy, with 3 additional specimens from recently treated patients testing positive for Plasmodium falciparum by PCR. For the diagnosis of asexual-stage P. falciparum malaria, the sensitivity and specificity of the ICT P.f/P.v assay were 97 and 90%, respectively, and those of the OptiMal assay were 85 and 96%, respectively. The ICT P.f/P.v assay missed one infection with a density of 45 parasites/μl, whereas the OptiMal assay missed infections up to 2,500/μl; below 1,000/μl, its sensitivity was only 43%. For the diagnosis of P. vivax malaria, the sensitivity and specificity of the ICT P.f/P.v assay were 44 and 100%, respectively, and those of the OptiMal assay were 80 and 97%, respectively. Both assays missed infections with parasite densities over 5,000/μl: up to 10,000/μl with the former and 5,300/μl with the latter. Despite the high sensitivity of the ICT P.f/P.v assay for P. falciparum malaria, caution is warranted before RDTs are widely adopted for the diagnosis of malaria in nonimmune patients or in countries where malaria is not endemic.
Manufacturing of Human Extracellular Vesicle-Based Therapeutics for Clinical Use

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from stem and progenitor cells may have therapeutic effects comparable to their parental cells and are considered promising agents for the treatment of a variety of diseases. To this end, strategies must be designed to successfully translate EV research and to develop safe and efficacious therapies, whilst taking into account the applicable regulations. Here, we discuss the requirements for manufacturing, safety, and efficacy testing of EVs along their path from the laboratory to the patient. Development of EV-therapeutics is influenced by the source cell types and the target diseases. In this article, we express our view based on our experience in manufacturing biological therapeutics for routine use or clinical testing, and focus on strategies for advancing mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC)-derived EV-based therapies. We also discuss the rationale for testing MSC-EVs in selected diseases with an unmet clinical need such as critical size bone defects, epidermolysis bullosa and spinal cord injury. While the scientific community, pharmaceutical companies and clinicians are at the point of entering into clinical trials for testing the therapeutic potential of various EV-based products, the identification of the mode of action underlying the suggested potency in each therapeutic approach remains a major challenge to the translational path.
Testing demographic models of effective population size

Due to practical difficulties in obtaining direct genetic estimates of effective sizes, conservation biologists have to rely on so–called ‘demographic models’ which combine life–history and mating–system parameters with F–statistics in order to produce indirect estimates of effective sizes. However, for the same practical reasons that prevent direct genetic estimates, the accuracy of demographic models is difficult to evaluate. Here we use individual–based, genetically explicit computer simulations in order to investigate the accuracy of two such demographic models aimed at investigating the hierarchical structure of populations. We show that, by and large, these models provide good estimates under a wide range of mating systems and dispersal patterns. However, one of the models should be avoided whenever the focal species' breeding system approaches monogamy with no sex bias in dispersal or when a substructure within social groups is suspected because effective sizes may then be strongly overestimated. The timing during the life cycle at which F–statistics are evaluated is also of crucial importance and attention should be paid to it when designing field sampling since different demographic models assume different timings. Our study shows that individual–based, genetically explicit models provide a promising way of evaluating the accuracy of demographic models of effective size and delineate their field of applicability.
Self-Control, Social Preferences and the Effect of Delayed Payments

We extend the dual-self model to include altruistic preferences. This explains (1) why people may have preferences for equality in the laboratory but not in the field, (2) why intermediate donations may occur in dictator games, (3) why cognitive load and time pressure may increase giving, and (4) why people often "avoid the ask" from solicitors when they would have donated if avoiding was impossible. Also, our model predicts that (5) delaying payments to both parties in the dictator game decreases giving. We verify this prediction in two large-scale experiments: people give less when payoffs are delayed.
An LLL-reduction algorithm with quasi-linear time complexity: extended abstract

We devise an algorithm, L1, with the following specifications: It takes as input an arbitrary basis B=(bi)i ∈ Zd x d of a Euclidean lattice L; It computes a basis of L which is reduced for a mild modification of the Lenstra-Lenstra-Lovász reduction; It terminates in time O(d5+ε β + dω+1+ε β1+ε) where β = log max |bi| (for any ε>0 and ω is a valid exponent for matrix multiplication). This is the first LLL-reducing algorithm with a time complexity that is quasi-linear in β and polynomial in d. The backbone structure of L1 is able to mimic the Knuth-Schönhage fast gcd algorithm thanks to a combination of cutting-edge ingredients. First the bit-size of our lattice bases can be decreased via truncations whose validity are backed by recent numerical stability results on the QR matrix factorization. Also we establish a new framework for analyzing unimodular transformation matrices which reduce shifts of reduced bases, this includes bit-size control and new perturbation tools. We illustrate the power of this framework by generating a family of reduction algorithms.
Constructive Preference Elicitation by Setwise Max-Margin Learning

In this paper we propose an approach to preference elicitation that is suitable to large configuration spaces beyond the reach of existing state-of-the-art approaches. Our setwise max-margin method can be viewed as a generalization of max-margin learning to sets, and can produce a set of "diverse" items that can be used to ask informative queries to the user. Moreover, the approach can encourage sparsity in the parameter space, in order to favor the assessment of utility towards combinations of weights that concentrate on just few features. We present a mixed integer linear programming formulation and show how our approach compares favourably with Bayesian preference elicitation alternatives and easily scales to realistic datasets.
A Modified p 53 Overcomes mdm 2-mediated Oncogenic Transformation : A Potential Cancer Therapeutic Agent 1

The antiproliferative activities of wild-type (wt) p53 are inhibited by mdm2 (murine double minute2) oncogene product. We tested growth suppression activity of p53 14/19, an engineered p53 variant, which does not bind mdm2 and is completely resistant to the inhibition by mdm2. p53 14/19, unlike wt p53, suppressed the growth of cancer cells that contain amplified mdm2oncogene efficiently by direct DNA transfection or adenovirus-mediated gene transfer. In addition, p53 14/19 also inhibited the growth of several different cancer cell lines expressing low levels of mdm2 oncogene product as efficiently as wt p53. We further examined the antioncogenic potencies of p53 14/19 in the rat embryo fibroblast cotransformation assay. Addition of wt p53 failed to cause any significant decrease in ras plus mdm2 foci counts. In contrast, cotransfection of p53 14/19 with ras and mdm2 significantly reduced foci number. In similar experiments, cotransfection of wt p53 or 14/19 p53 resulted in significant inhibition of oncogenic transformation in rat embryo fibroblast mediated by an activatedras plus c-myc, adenovirusE1A, or human papillomavirus E7 oncogenes. Therefore, these results suggest that p53 14/19 modified tumor suppressor gene may be a promising therapeutic agent for human cancers that express abnormally high levels of mdm2 oncogene product.
Community-based Investigation of Rabies Antibody Profile of Dogs and Control in Ilorin , Kwara State , Nigeria

This survey is a community-based investigation of rabies antibody profile in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria. The aim is to examine how the dogs owners control this disease in the study area. This study employed survey research design. One hundred and ninety apparently healthy dogs of both sexes (106 males and 84 females) were selected for the study using stratified random sample technique. The study provides the rabies antibody profile of dogs in Ilorin, Nigeria using an ELISA technique. In addition, a structured questionnaire was administered to the dogs owners in the study area within three months to assess anti-rabies vaccination history and rabies history in the community. The study reveals a seroprevalence rate of 53.70%, 43.60% and 25% for Ilorin East, Ilorin West and Ilorin South respectively. The low prevalence of antibody against rabies observed in this study indicates lack of consistent vaccination programme and/or vaccination failure in some cases. Data analysis was done through student t-test. Based on the findings of this study, the control of rabies in dogs through vaccination remains the only cost effective way to control rabies in dogs and to sustainably protect human from contacting the disease.
The use of the peripheral leukocyte count and chest X-rays in early assessment of the severity of acute pancreatitis in comparison with the Ranson score system.

BACKGROUND To evaluate the efficacy of the peripheral leukocyte count and chest X-rays as an index which could be used in the early assessment of the severity of acute pancreatitis in an Emergency Room. METHODS We prospectively evaluated the peripheral leukocyte count and the findings of chest X-rays in 181 consecutive patients (102 males, 79 females, mean age 61 years, range 16-97) who were admitted to our Emergency Department with acute pancreatitis. One hundred twenty six patients had mild pancreatitis and 55 had severe pancreatitis. The peripheral leukocyte count and the chest X-rays were evaluated in all patients upon admission. The Ranson criteria were also assessed. RESULTS Using a cut off value of 13,000/mm3, 45% of the patients with severe pancreatitis and 17% of those with mild acute pancreatitis had a peripheral leukocyte count greater than 13,000/mm3. Pleural or pulmonary alterations observed on chest X-ray were found in 66% of patients with severe pancreatitis and in 2% of those with mild acute pancreatitis. A peripheral leukocyte count greater than 13,000/mm3 and/or pleural or pulmonary alterations present on chest X-ray were found in 78% of the patients with severe pancreatitis and in 19% of those with mild pancreatitis. The Ranson criteria greater than or equal to three were found in 45% of the patients with severe acute pancreatitis and in 16% of those with the mild form of the disease. The positive predictive value was 92% for the presence of alterations on the chest X-rays, 64% for the alteration of at least one of the abnormal findings on the chest X-ray and a peripheral leukocyte count greater than 13,000/mm3, 56% for a peripheral leukocyte count greater than 13,000/mm3, and 54% for the presence of Ranson criteria greater than or equal to three. The negative predictive values were similar. CONCLUSIONS The presence of pleural or pulmonary alterations on chest X-rays may be useful in the Emergency Room for the early identification of patients with severe acute pancreatitis.
Stripification of Free-Form Surfaces With Global Error Bounds for Developable Approximation

Developable surfaces have many desired properties in the manufacturing process. Since most existing CAD systems utilize tensor-product parametric surfaces including B-splines as design primitives, there is a great demand in industry to convert a general free-form parametric surface within a prescribed global error bound into developable patches. In this paper, we propose a practical and efficient solution to approximate a rectangular parametric surface with a small set of C 0 -joint developable strips. The key contribution of the proposed algorithm is that, several optimization problems are elegantly solved in a sequence that offers a controllable global error bound on the developable surface approximation. Experimental results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness and stability of the proposed algorithm.
Wave motion suppression in the presence of unknown parameters using recursively updated empirical basis functions

We focus on adaptive wave motion suppression of fluid flows in the presence of unknown parameters. The suppression problem is addressed by low-dimensional adaptive nonlinear output feedback controller synthesis. We employed adaptive proper orthogonal decomposition to recursively compute the set of empirical basis functions needed by the Galerkin projection to derive updated reduced order models that can be used as the basis for Lyapunov-based adaptive output feedback controller design. A static observer is applied to estimate the state modes of the system required by the adaptive controller. The effectiveness of the proposed adaptive wave motion suppression method is illustrated on a generalized form of the Korteweg-de Vries-Burgers (KdVB) equation which can adequately describe the wave motions in a wide range of fluid flow processes.
Discriminating between Auditory and Motor Cortical Responses to Speech and Nonspeech Mouth Sounds

Several perspectives on speech perception posit a central role for the representation of articulations in speech comprehension, supported by evidence for premotor activation when participants listen to speech. However, no experiments have directly tested whether motor responses mirror the profile of selective auditory cortical responses to native speech sounds or whether motor and auditory areas respond in different ways to sounds. We used fMRI to investigate cortical responses to speech and nonspeech mouth (ingressive click) sounds. Speech sounds activated bilateral superior temporal gyri more than other sounds, a profile not seen in motor and premotor cortices. These results suggest that there are qualitative differences in the ways that temporal and motor areas are activated by speech and click sounds: Anterior temporal lobe areas are sensitive to the acoustic or phonetic properties, whereas motor responses may show more generalized responses to the acoustic stimuli.