Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Reconstruction of continuous voiced speech from whispers

Whispers are an important secondary vocal communications mechanism, that can be necessary for communicating private information and which are an integral aspect of natural human- to-human dialogue. Furthermore, they may be the primary com- munications method of those suffering from certain forms of aphonia, such as laryngectomees. This paper considers the con- version of continuous whispers to natural-sounding speech, and proposes a new reconstruction method based upon the synthesis of individual formants as excitation source, followed by artifi- cial glottal modulation. Early results show that the proposed method can improve quality and intelligibility over the original whispers when evaluated using continuous speech. It requires neither apriori nor speaker-dependent information, is of rela- tively low-complexity and suitable for real-time processing.
Relation between MicroRNA Expression in Peritoneal Dialysis Effluent and Peritoneal Transport Characteristics

Background: The role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in peritoneal transport is uncertain. Methods: We studied 82 new peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients, 22 prevalent patients without ultrafiltration problem, and 6 patients with documented ultrafiltration problem. Peritoneal transport was determined by standard peritoneal equilibration test (PET). RNA was extracted from the PD effluent after PET, and intra-peritoneal expression of miRNA targets were quantified. Results: There were significant difference in the PDE expressions of miR-15a and miR-21. There were modest inverse correlations between ultrafiltration volume and PDE expression of miR-17 (r = −0.198, p = 0.041) and miR-377 (r = −0.201, p = 0.041). There was an inverse correlations between dialysate-to-plasma creatinine concentration at 4 hours and PDE expression of miR-192 (r = −0.199, p = 0.040); while mass transfer area coefficient of creatinine correlated with PDE expression of miR-192 (r = −0.191, p = 0.049) and miR-377 (r = 0.201, p = 0.041). Amongst 7 randomly selected patients who had repeat PET after one year, there was a significant correlation between baseline PDE expression of miR-377 and change in ultrafiltration volume (r = −0.852, p = 0.015). Conclusion: The miRNA expression in PDE, including miR-15a, miR-17, miR-21, miR-30, miR-192, and miR-377, correlated with peritoneal transport characteristics. Our result suggests that miRNA may play a role in the regulation of peritoneal membrane function.
Influence of Motivation on Control Hierarchy in the Human Frontal Cortex

The frontal cortex mediates cognitive control and motivation to shape human behavior. It is generally observed that medial frontal areas are involved in motivational aspects of behavior, whereas lateral frontal regions are involved in cognitive control. Recent models of cognitive control suggest a rostro-caudal gradient in lateral frontal regions, such that progressively more rostral (anterior) regions process more complex aspects of cognitive control. How motivation influences such a control hierarchy is still under debate. Although some researchers argue that both systems work in parallel, others argue in favor of an interaction between motivation and cognitive control. In the latter case it is yet unclear how motivation would affect the different levels of the control hierarchy. This was investigated in the present functional MRI study applying different levels of cognitive control under different motivational states (low vs high reward anticipation). Three levels of cognitive control were tested by varying rule complexity: stimulus-response mapping (low-level), flexible task updating (mid-level), and sustained cue-task associations (high-level). We found an interaction between levels of cognitive control and motivation in medial and lateral frontal subregions. Specifically, flexible updating (mid-level of control) showed the strongest beneficial effect of reward and only this level exhibited functional coupling between dopamine-rich midbrain regions and the lateral frontal cortex. These findings suggest that motivation differentially affects the levels of a control hierarchy, influencing recruitment of frontal cortical control regions depending on specific task demands.
Tourism diversification process around trail running in the Pays of Allevard (Isère)

ABSTRACT The objective of this paper is to analyze the actors’ interactions around this tourism diversification process based on outdoor sports, and in particular trail running, in the Pays of Allevard. To understand the tourism diversification process, it is necessary to analyze the way the local actors use the sport, take ownership of it, and transform it according to their interests, in particular to make it a tourism resource. The results show that the actors supporting the diversification project all practice the sport in question, and therefore have an interest in its development. Thus, trail running was considered as a godsend by certain economic actors, enabling them to offer new services. Sport therefore becomes an economic resource, but also a communication and territorial marketing tool when the objective is to rejuvenate the image of the territory. However, certain local elected officials question the relevance of this diversification project, whose economic impacts remain difficult to quantify. Moreover, this opposition to the development of a new sports activity within the destination illustrates the resonance of traditionalism with respect to the management of a territory. And disagreements concerning the positioning to be adopted make it difficult to construct a tourist identity for the destination.
Physical and chemical quality characteristics of warthog (Phacochoerus africanus) meat

The warthog (Phacochoerus aethiopicus), a game species from Africa, has been evaluated in this study as a potential meat source according to carcass and meat quality characteristics. Dressing percentage, calculated on the basis of cold carcass weight without skin and head, presents a value of 52 %. The contribution of the shoulder (37 %), loin (7 %), back (9 %), belly (14 %) and hind legs (32 %) to the cold carcass weight also differ substantially from that found for the domestic pig. However, pH (6.32), pH , (5.49), drip loss (2.76 %), cooking loss (16.79 %), shear force (3.36 kg), colour characteristics CIEL (46.37), CIEa* (5.06) and CIEb* (9.21), moisture (74.04 %), lipid (1.69 %), protein (22.14 %) and ash (1.29 %) compared well to literature values for meat from other pig species. The fatty acid profile of the meat differs substantially from other pig species, with unsaturated, mono-unsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acid contents of 35.75, 16.70 and 47.56 %, respectively, resulting in a polyunsaturated:saturated fatty acid ratio of 1.33. It has been concluded from this study that warthogs provide a meat source suitable for human consumption that can also be promoted on its health properties.
Dystrophin in a membrane skeletal network: localization and comparison to other proteins

We studied the location, relative abundance, and stability of dystrophin in clusters of ACh receptors (AChRs) isolated from primary cultures of neonatal rat myotubes. Although variable amounts of dystrophin were found at receptor clusters, dystrophin was always associated with organized, receptor-rich domains (AChR domains). Dystrophin was occasionally seen in focal contact domains, but never in clathrin-coated domains. Dystrophin was also present in a diffuse, punctate distribution in regions of myotube membrane that did not contain AChR clusters. Immunogold labeling at the ultrastructural level localized dystrophin in a spectrin-rich filamentous network closely applied to the cytoplasmic surface of the cell membrane at AChR domains. Dystrophin was not associated with overlying actin filaments. Semiquantitative immunofluorescence studies indicated that dystrophin was present in relatively small amounts in these preparations, with only one molecule of dystrophin for every approximately 5 AChR, 43 kDa and 58 kDa molecules, and for every approximately 20-35 beta-spectrin molecules. Clusters were disrupted, but the total amount of dystrophin was not significantly reduced, when myotubes were incubated with sodium azide or in Ca(2+)-free medium, and when isolated AChR clusters were extracted at low ionic strength, at high pH, or in 6 M urea. These treatments extract other peripheral membrane proteins from AChR clusters. Labeling for dystrophin was completely eliminated when clusters were incubated with chymotrypsin, however. Thus, dystrophin forms part of a membrane skeleton at AChR clusters, but it is more difficult to remove than other proteins in the network. This suggests that dystrophin attaches to cluster membrane in a unique way.
Quantitative, Multiplexed Assays for Low Abundance Proteins in Plasma by Targeted Mass Spectrometry and Stable Isotope Dilution*S

Biomarker discovery produces lists of candidate markers whose presence and level must be subsequently verified in serum or plasma. Verification represents a paradigm shift from unbiased discovery approaches to targeted, hypothesis-driven methods and relies upon specific, quantitative assays optimized for the selective detection of target proteins. Many protein biomarkers of clinical currency are present at or below the nanogram/milliliter range in plasma and have been inaccessible to date by MS-based methods. Using multiple reaction monitoring coupled with stable isotope dilution mass spectrometry, we describe here the development of quantitative, multiplexed assays for six proteins in plasma that achieve limits of quantitation in the 1–10 ng/ml range with percent coefficients of variation from 3 to 15% without immunoaffinity enrichment of either proteins or peptides. Sample processing methods with sufficient throughput, recovery, and reproducibility to enable robust detection and quantitation of candidate biomarker proteins were developed and optimized by addition of exogenous proteins to immunoaffinity depleted plasma from a healthy donor. Quantitative multiple reaction monitoring assays were designed and optimized for signature peptides derived from the test proteins. Based upon calibration curves using known concentrations of spiked protein in plasma, we determined that each target protein had at least one signature peptide with a limit of quantitation in the 1–10 ng/ml range and linearity typically over 2 orders of magnitude in the measurement range of interest. Limits of detection were frequently in the high picogram/milliliter range. These levels of assay performance represent up to a 1000-fold improvement compared with direct analysis of proteins in plasma by MS and were achieved by simple, robust sample processing involving abundant protein depletion and minimal fractionation by strong cation exchange chromatography at the peptide level prior to LC-multiple reaction monitoring/MS. The methods presented here provide a solid basis for developing quantitative MS-based assays of low level proteins in blood.
A fast computation of pairwise sequence alignment scores between a protein and a set of single-locus variants of another protein

Recently we have developed a new algorithm, PROVEAN (Protein Variation Effect Analyzer), for predicting the functional effect of protein sequence variations, including single amino acid substitutions and small insertions and deletions [2]. The prediction is based on the change, caused by a given variation, in the similarity of the query sequence to a set of its related protein sequences. For this prediction, the algorithm is required to compute a semi-global pairwise sequence alignment score between the query sequence and each of the related sequences. Using dynamic programming, it takes O(n · m) time to compute alignment score between the query sequence Q of length n and a related sequence S of length m. Thus given l different variations in Q, in a naive way it would take O(l · n · m) time to compute the alignment scores between each of the variant query sequences and S. In this paper, we present a new approach to efficiently compute the pairwise alignment scores for l variations, which takes O((n + l) · m) time when the length of variations is bounded by a constant. In this approach, we further utilize the solutions of overlapping subproblems, which are already used by dynamic programming approach. Our algorithm has been used to build a new database for precomputed prediction scores for all possible single amino acid substitutions, single amino acid insertions, and up to 10 amino acids deletions in about 91K human proteins (including isoforms), where l becomes very large, that is, l = O(n). The PROVEAN source code and web server are available at http://provean.jcvi. org.
Systemic lupus erythematosus in Europe at the change of the millennium : Lessons from the b Euro-Lupus Project Q Ricard Cervera On behalf of the members of the b European Working Party on Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Q 1

The bEuro-Lupus CohortQ is composed by 1000 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) that have been followed prospectively since 1991. These patients have been gathered by a European consortium—the bEuro-Lupus Project GroupQ. This consortium was originated as part of the network promoted by the bEuropean Working Party on SLEQ, a working group created in 1990 in order to promote research in Europe on the different problems related to this disease. The bEuro-Lupus CohortQ provides an updated information on the SLE morbidity and mortality characteristics in the present decade as well as defines several clinical and immunological prognostic factors. D 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Biogenic Synthesis of Iron oxide Nanoparticles from Marine Algae

Green nanotechnology, deals with the use of biological systems such as bacteria, fungi, algae, plants, etc. for the synthesis of Nanoparticles (Nps). The aim of our study was to undertake Green synthesis of Iron oxide nanoparticles/magnetite (Fe3O4-Nps)from marine algae such as Chaetomorphaantennina(green algae), and Turbinariaturbinata (brown algae). Two types of Iron oxide Nps were synthesized and characterized– bare Iron Oxide Nps and citrate coated Iron Oxide Nps. This biogenic or green synthesis is actively pursued in recent years as an alternative, efficient, inexpensive, and environmentally safe method for producing nanoparticles with specified properties.
Arsehole aristocracy (or: Montesquieu on honour, revisited)

The 18th-century French political theorist the Baron de Montesquieu described honour as the ‘principle’ – or animating force – of a well-functioning monarchy, which he thought the appropriate regime type for an economically unequal society extended over a broad territory. Existing literature often presents this honour in terms of lofty ambition, the desire for preference and distinction, a spring for political agency or a spur to the most admirable kind of conduct in public life and the performance of great deeds. Perhaps so. But it also seems to involve quite a bit of what the contemporary philosopher Aaron James calls ‘being an asshole’, and the article will explore what happens to Montesquieu’s political theory of monarchy – which is foundational for an understanding of modern politics – when we reverse the usual perspective and consider it through the lens of the arsehole aristocracy.
In Vitro Blood-Brain Barrier Models Using Brain Capillary Endothelial Cells Isolated from Neonatal and Adult Rats Retain Age-Related Barrier Properties

The blood–brain barrier (BBB) restricts the entry of circulating drugs and xenobiotics into the brain, and thus its permeability to substances is a critical factor that determines their central effects. The infant brain is vulnerable to neurotoxic substances partly due to the immature BBB. The employment of in vitro BBB models to evaluate permeability of compounds provides higher throughput than that of in vivo animal experiments. However, existing in vitro BBB models have not been able to simulate the intrinsic neonatal BBB. To establish a neonatal BBB model that mimics age-related BBB properties, the neonatal and adult in vitro BBB models were constructed with brain endothelial cells isolated from 2- and 8-week-old rats, respectively. To evaluate BBB functions, transendothelial electrical resistance, permeability of sodium fluorescein and Evans blue-albumin, and transport of rhodamine123 were measured. Radiolabelled drugs were used for BBB permeability studies in the neonatal and adult BBB models (in vitro) and in age-matched rats (in vivo). The neonatal BBB model showed lower barrier and p-glycoprotein (P-gp) functions than the adult BBB model; these were well associated with lower expressions of the barrier-related proteins and P-gp, and a different distribution pattern of immunostained barrier-related proteins. Verapamil (a P-gp inhibitor) significantly increased the influx of rhodamine 123, supporting functional P-gp expression in the neonatal BBB model. Valproic acid, but not nicotine, showed higher BBB permeability in the neonatal BBB model, which was well in accordance with the in vivo BBB property. We established a neonatal BBB model in vitro. This could allow us to assess the age-dependent BBB permeability of drugs.
Reducing the number of parameters in 1D arterial blood flow modeling: less is more for patient-specific simulations

Patient-specific one-dimensional (1D) blood flow modeling requires estimating model parameters from available clinical data, ideally acquired noninvasively. The larger the number of arterial segments in a distributed 1D model, the greater the number of input parameters that need to be estimated. We investigated the effect of a reduction in the number of arterial segments in a given distributed 1D model on the shape of the simulated pressure and flow waveforms. This is achieved by systematically lumping peripheral 1D model branches into windkessel models that preserve the net resistance and total compliance of the original model. We applied our methodology to a model of the 55 larger systemic arteries in the human and to an extended 67-artery model that contains the digital arteries that perfuse the fingers. Results show good agreement in the shape of the aortic and digital waveforms between the original 55-artery (67-artery) and reduced 21-artery (37-artery) models. Reducing the number of segments also enables us to investigate the effect of arterial network topology (and hence reflection sites) on the shape of waveforms. Results show that wave reflections in the thoracic aorta and renal arteries play an important role in shaping the aortic pressure and flow waves and in generating the second peak of the digital pressure and flow waves. Our novel methodology is important to simplify the computational domain while maintaining the precision of the numerical predictions and to assess the effect of wave reflections.
Defending the Co-Branding Benefits of Sponsorship B2B Partnerships: The Case of Ambush Marketing

ABSTRACT This global study analyzes ambush marketing from the perspective of the sponsor and sport entity as partners in a business-to-business relationship. While it remains a real threat to the strategic co-branding objectives sought from the relationship, ambush is not necessarily as dangerous to sponsors as it has been in the past. Sponsors can use ambushers' attacks to their advantage by drawing attention to issues of legitimacy, by enhancing brand or corporate authenticity, and by appealing to consumers increasingly wary of disingenuous brands. Our findings confirm the potential to approach the sponsorship relationship as a co-marketing alliance to optimize co-branding objectives and to negate the effects of ambush.
Antenna array training and adaptation techniques in an unpredictable and uncontrolled interference environment

We investigate the performance of an array processing technique based on sample matrix inversion (SMI) and the effects of channel estimation (using various training schemes) to combat intermittent interference. Most current applications of broadband wireless communication systems use short data block lengths. Therefore, antenna weights estimation is usually done only once and these weights are used for the whole packet length. Through simulations, we show that, with an intermittent kind of interference, weights estimation based on a preamble or post-amble only scheme fails to track suddenly appearing interferers, resulting in a degradation to the output SINR. Two new, training-based, channel estimation techniques are presented which show superior performance over the training schemes in this type of environment. For simulating intermittent interference traffic streams, a batch Poisson traffic model is used.
Serum IL-1, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, and IFN-γ levels in drug-free, comorbidity-free obsessive-compulsive disorder patients

Objective: Increasing evidence suggests that certain inflammatory factors, especially cytokines, can lead to neurochemical and behavioral changes via their role in the brain signaling system. Studies investigating cytokine abnormalities in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have yielded conflicting results thus far. The aim of this study was to investigate the serum IL-1, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, and IFN-γ levels in drug-free, comorbidity-free patients with OCD. Methods: Forty comorbidity-free, drug-free OCD patients and 40 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers were included in the study. Clinical severity was assessed using the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Evaluation Scale (YBOCES). Results: IL-1 levels were significantly higher and IL-2, IL-6, and TNF-α levels were significantly lower in patients than in controls. No differences were observed in IL-4, IL-10, and IFN-γ levels. How-ever, a negative relationship was found between IL-1 levels and compulsive symptoms (YBOCES) in OCD patients. Conclusions: Our findings suggest the possible role of cytokines in the pathogenesis of OCD. It is important to continue investigating the role of cytokines and other immunological markers in both the etiology and treatment of OCD.
Capturing Preference Heterogeneity in Stated Choice Models: A Random Parameter Logit Model of the Demand for GM Food.

Analyses of data from random utility models of choice data have typically used fixed parameter representations, with consumer heterogeneity introduced by including factors such as the age, gender etc of the respondent. However, there is a class of models that assume that the underlying parameters of the estimated model (and hence preferences) are different for each individual within the sample, and that choices can be explained by identifying the parameters of the distribution from which they are drawn. Such a random parameter model is applied to stated choice data from the UK, and the results compared with standard fixed parameter models. The results provide new evidence of preferences for various aspects of the UK food system, particularly in relation to GM food but other environmental and technical aspects also. Indications of how random parameter models might be developed further are discussed on the basis of these results.