Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Attention Forcing for Speech Synthesis

Auto-regressive sequence-to-sequence models with attention mechanisms have achieved state-of-the-art performance in various tasks including speech synthesis. Training these models can be difﬁcult. The standard approach guides a model with the reference output history during training. However during synthesis the generated output history must be used. This mismatch can impact performance. Several approaches have been proposed to handle this, normally by selectively using the generated output history. To make training stable, these approaches often require a heuristic schedule or an auxiliary classiﬁer. This paper introduces attention forcing, which guides the model with the generated output history and reference attention. This approach reduces the training-evaluation mismatch without the need for a schedule or a classiﬁer. Additionally, for standard training approaches, the frame rate is often reduced to prevent models from copying the output history. As attention forcing does not feed the reference output history to the model, it allows using a higher frame rate, which improves the speech quality. Finally, attention forcing allows the model to generate output sequences aligned with the references, which is important for some down-stream tasks such as training neural vocoders. Experiments show that attention forcing allows doubling the frame rate, and yields signiﬁcant gain in speech quality.
A case study of phytoplankton used as a biological index for water quality assessment of Nhu Y river, Thua Thien - Hue

Studies of the composition and density of phytoplankton and the water quality of Nhu Y river were conducted over six months (March to August 2011). Phytoplankton samples were collected by filtration and immediately preserved in Lugol’s solution. The phytoplankton species composition recorded 117 species belonging to six divisions: Cyanobacteria (24 taxa), Bacillariophyta (14 taxa), Chlorophyta (45 taxa), Euglenophyta (31 taxa), Cryptophyta (2 taxa), and Dinophyta (1 taxa), of which Chlorophyta and Euglenophyta were dominant in terms of species numbers. The total phytoplankton density fluctuated from 110,146 to 5,964x103individuals/litre and Cyanophyta were dominant in terms of individual density. The algal genus pollution index (Palmer index) ranged from 30 to 41, indicating that the water was highly organically polluted, and the Shannon-Weiner index results of 0.66-2.92 showed moderately to heavily polluted water. With values for the Diatomeae index of more than 0.2, the quality of the eight sites during the period of the study showed that the aquatic environment was eutrophic. Phytoplankton and their indexes are useful tools for assessing water environment quality.
Examination of multiple working hypotheses to address reproductive failure in reintroduced Whooping Cranes

ABSTRACT Understanding multiple challenges that restrict conservation success is a central task of applied ecology, especially when resources are limited and actions are expensive, such as with reintroduction programs. Simultaneous consideration of multiple hypotheses can expedite identification of factors that most limit conservation success. Since 2001, reintroduction of a migratory population of Whooping Cranes (Grus americana) has been under way in eastern North America. Hatching success, however, has been extremely low. In our study area, in and near Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in central Wisconsin, USA, we simultaneously tested 3 hypotheses explaining poor hatching success: harassment of incubating birds by black flies (Simuliidae), effects of captivity, and inexperience of breeders. When black flies were experimentally suppressed, hatching probability doubled. Daily nest survival for Whooping Cranes was strongly and negatively related to an index of black fly abundance, particularly of Simulium annulus. Daily nest survival was negatively but only weakly related to the number of generations that ancestors of breeding Whooping Cranes had been in captivity and was not related to nesting experience. We also examined whether Whooping Cranes were nesting later to avoid stress from black flies. Phenology shifted earlier with more growing degree days and greater nesting experience and was only weakly related to year. Overall, improved hatching success did not lead to better reproductive success. Although effects of black flies on hatching success can be mitigated through management, such actions would not be adequate to generate satisfactory population growth. Recognition of this limitation was hastened through experimentation.
Effect of crocin and naringenin supplementation in cryopreservation medium on post-thaw rooster sperm quality and expression of apoptosis associated genes

The aim of our study was to examine the effects of crocin (0.5 (C0.5), 1 (C1) and 1.5 (C1.5) mM) and naringenin (50 (N50), 100 (N100) and 150 (N150) μM) in cryopreservation extender for freezing rooster semen. Sperm motility, viability, abnormalities, membrane functionality, active mitochondria, apoptosis status, lipid peroxidation (LP), GPX, SOD, TAC, the mRNA expression of pro-apoptotic (CASPASE 3) and anti-apoptotic (Bcl-2) genes, fertile eggs, hatched eggs and hatching rate were investigated following freeze-thawing. C1 and N100 resulted in higher (P < 0.05) total motility and progressive motility in comparison to the control group. The C1 and N100 groups improved viability, membrane functionality and reduced lipid peroxidation. We found higher values for active mitochondria with C1 and N100 compared to control group. The C1 and N100 groups showed lower percentages of early apoptosis when compared with control group. Also, C1 and N100 had higher TAC, compared to the control group. The mRNA expressions of BCL-2 in the C1 and N100 groups were significantly higher than that of other treatments. The expression of CASPASES 3 was significantly reduced in C1 and N100 group (P < 0.05) when compared to control group. Significantly higher percentages of fertile eggs, hatched eggs and hatching rate were observed in C1 and N100 compared to the control group. In conclusion, crocin at 1 mM and naringenin at 100 μM seem to improve the post-thawing rooster semen quality, fertility and could protect the sperm by reducing the pro-apoptotic (CASPASE 3) and increasing anti-apoptotic (Bcl-2) genes.
Multi-Lingual Multi-Speaker Text-to-Speech Synthesis for Voice Cloning with Online Speaker Enrollment

Recent studies in multi-lingual and multi-speaker text-to-speech synthesis proposed approaches that use proprietary corpora of performing artists and require ﬁne-tuning to enroll new voices. To reduce these costs, we investigate a novel approach for generating high-quality speeches in multiple languages of speakers enrolled in their native language. In our proposed system, we introduce tone/stress embeddings which extend the language embedding to represent tone and stress information. By manipulating the tone/stress embedding input, our system can synthesize speeches in native accent or foreign accent. To support online enrollment of new speakers, we condition the Tacotron-based synthesizer on speaker embeddings derived from a pre-trained x-vector speaker encoder by transfer learning. We introduce a shared phoneme set to encourage more phoneme sharing compared with the IPA. Our MOS results demonstrate that the native speech in all languages is highly intelligible and natural. We also ﬁnd L2-norm normalization and ZCA-whitening on x-vectors are helpful to improve the system stability and audio quality. We also ﬁnd that the WaveNet performance is seemingly language-independent: the WaveNet model trained with any of the three supported languages in our system can be used to generate speeches in the other two languages very well.
On Parameter Adaptation in Softmax-Based Cross-Entropy Loss for Improved Convergence Speed and Accuracy in DNN-Based Speaker Recognition

In various classiﬁcation tasks the major challenge is in generating discriminative representation of classes. By proper selection of deep neural network (DNN) loss function we can encourage it to produce embeddings with increased inter-class separation and smaller intra-class distances. In this paper, we develop softmax-based cross-entropy loss function which adapts its parameters to the current training phase. The proposed solu-tion improves accuracy up to 24% in terms of Equal Error Rate (EER) and minimum Detection Cost Function (minDCF). In addition, our proposal also accelerates network convergence compared with other state-of-the-art softmax-based losses. As an additional contribution of this paper, we adopt and subsequently modify the ResNet DNN structure for the speaker recognition task. The proposed ResNet network achieves relative gains of up to 32% and 15% in terms of EER and minDCF respectively, compared with the well-established Time Delay Neural Network (TDNN) architecture for x-vector extraction.
Safe use of the EHR by medical scribes: a qualitative study

Abstract Objective Hiring medical scribes to document in the electronic health record (EHR) on behalf of providers could pose patient safety risks because scribes often have no clinical training. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of scribes on patient safety. This included identification of best practices to assure that scribe use of the EHR is not a patient safety risk. Materials and Methods Using a sociotechnical framework and the Rapid Assessment Process, we conducted ethnographic data gathering at 5 purposively selected sites. Data were analyzed using a grounded inductive/hermeneutic approach. Results We conducted site visits at 12 clinics and emergency departments within 5 organizations in the US between 2017 and 2019. We did 76 interviews with 81 people and spent 80 person-hours observing scribes working with providers. Interviewees believe and observations indicate that scribes decrease patient safety risks. Analysis of the data yielded 12 themes within a 4-dimension sociotechnical framework. Results about the “technical” dimension indicated that the EHR is not considered overly problematic by either scribes or providers. The “environmental” dimension included the changing scribe industry and need for standards. Within the “personal” dimension, themes included the need for provider diligence and training when using scribes. Finally, the “organizational” dimension highlighted the positive effect scribes have on documentation efficiency, quality, and safety. Conclusion Participants perceived risks related to the EHR can be less with scribes. If healthcare organizations and scribe companies follow best practices and if providers as well as scribes receive training, safety can actually improve.
A sulfur-aromatic gate latch is essential for opening of the Orai1 channel pore

Sulfur-aromatic interactions occur in the majority of protein structures, yet little is known about their functional roles in ion channels. Here, we describe a novel molecular motif, the M101 gate latch, which is essential for gating of human Orai1 channels via its sulfur-aromatic interactions with the F99 hydrophobic gate. Molecular dynamics simulations of different Orai variants reveal that the gate latch is mostly engaged in open but not closed channels. In experimental studies, we use metal-ion bridges to show that promoting an M101-F99 bond directly activates Orai1, whereas disrupting this interaction triggers channel closure. Mutational analysis demonstrates that the methionine residue at this position has a unique combination of length, flexibility, and chemistry to act as an effective latch for the phenylalanine gate. Because sulfur-aromatic interactions provide additional stabilization compared to purely hydrophobic interactions, we infer that the six M101-F99 pairs in the hexameric channel provide a substantial energetic contribution to Orai1 activation.
Characteristics of US adults who would be recommended for lifestyle modification without antihypertensive medication to manage blood pressure.

BACKGROUND The 2017 American College of Cardiology / American Heart Association Guideline for blood pressure (BP) management newly classifies millions of Americans with elevated blood pressure or stage 1 hypertension for recommended lifestyle modification alone (without pharmacotherapy). This study characterized these adults, including their CVD risk factors, barriers to lifestyle modification, and healthcare access. METHODS This cross-sectional study examined nationally representative National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data, 2013-2016, on 10,205 US adults aged ≥18, among whom 2,081 had elevated blood pressure or stage 1 hypertension and met 2017 ACC/AHA BP Guideline criteria for lifestyle modification alone. RESULTS An estimated 22% of US adults (52 million) would be recommended for lifestyle modification alone. Among these, 58% were men, 43% had obesity, 52% had low quality diet, 95% consumed excess sodium, 43% were physically inactive, and 8% consumed excess alcohol. Many reported attempting lifestyle changes (range: 39%-60%). Those who reported receiving health professional advice to lose weight (adjusted prevalence ratio 1.21, 95% confidence interval 1.06-1.38), reduce sodium intake (2.33, 2.00-2.72), or exercise more (1.60, 1.32-1.95) were significantly more likely to report attempting changes. However, potential barriers to lifestyle modification included 28% of adults reporting disability, asthma, or arthritis. Additionally, 20% had no health insurance and 22% had no healthcare visits in the last year. CONCLUSIONS One fifth of US adults met 2017 ACC/AHA BP Guideline criteria for lifestyle modification alone, and many reported attempting behavior change. However, barriers exist such as insurance gaps, limited access to care, and physical impairment.
Refractive enhancements for residual refractive error after cataract surgery

Purpose of review Advances in cataract surgery have allowed surgeons to achieve superior refractive outcomes but have also led to higher patient expectations. Despite ever-evolving technology, residual refractive errors still occur. Postcataract refractive enhancements may be required to deliver satisfactory visual outcomes. This review aims to discuss the potential causes of residual refractive errors and the various enhancement modalities to correct them. Recent findings A thorough preoperative workup to detect and address underlying pathologic causes of impaired vision should be performed prior to enhancement or corrective procedures. Corneal-based procedures are the safest and most accurate methods of correcting mild cases of residual refractive error. Hyperopic, high myopic, and high astigmatic errors are best managed with lens-based enhancements. Piggyback intraocular lenses (IOLs) are safer and more effective compared with IOL exchange. Toric IOL rotation and IOL exchange are ideally performed in the early postoperative period. Summary A multitude of options exist for effective correction of residual refractive errors. The choice on how to best manage these patients depends on many factors such as the cause of refractive error, type of IOL used, ocular comorbidities, and patient preference.
Genetic Analysis of Zoonotic Gastrointestinal Protozoa and Microsporidia in Shelter Cats in South Korea

Feral cats that are roaming outside can serve as reservoirs for zoonotic pathogens, negatively impacting public health. They may experience high levels of parasitic infection. Some gastrointestinal protozoa and microsporidia possessing zoonotic potential in cats include Cryptosporidium spp. , Giardia duodenalis, Blastocystis sp. , Enterocytozoon bieneusi, and Toxoplasma gondii. Here, we show the infection rates and risk factors of intestinal protozoa and microsporidia detected from shelter cats on Jeju Island in South Korea in 2020. Among 158 cats, we detected genes for five internal protozoa and microsporidia, namely, Cryptosporidium felis (0.6%), G. duodenalis (3.8%), Blastocystis sp. (0.6%), E. bieneusi (3.8%), and T. gondii (1.3%). Furthermore, 16 cats (10.1%) were PCR-positive for at least one protozoan or microsporidium. To our knowledge, this study is the first to describe the existence of C. felis, G. duodenalis assemblage F, Blastocystis sp. ST4 subtype, and E. bieneusi genotype Peru11 in cats in South Korea. Despite the small number of positive samples, this study expands our understanding of the incidence of zoonotic gastrointestinal protozoa and microsporidia in shelter cats and genetically characterizes the isolates found in the infected animals. Moreover, these findings emphasize the need for a better control strategy on protozoa and microsporidia in cats, tailored to their individual needs, to protect animal and public health.
Anti-Racism in Nursing Education: Recommendations for Racial Justice Praxis.

BACKGROUND Studies link racism to higher mortality rates, earlier onset of more severe diseases, and higher comorbidity and impairment. This article explores nursing education as an upstream intervention to addressing racial inequities. METHOD Six recommendations were created to guide the praxis of anti-racism in nursing education. The recommendations were based on examination of nursing literature and draw on experiences of the author. RESULTS These recommendations include the following: adopt an explicitly anti-racist position, include everyone, institute a power and privilege course for all incoming students, implement intersectionality as a core competency, foster community-academic partnership, and utilize transdisciplinary resources. CONCLUSION There are no quick fixes to health inequities; they are rooted in racism and discrimination that have been woven into the fabric of American society. However, by implementing the outlined recommendations, schools of nursing, and their nurse educators, can prepare the future workforce to be change agents. [J Nurs Educ. 2020;59(11):642-645. ].
Commentary: Contact lens sensor-measured circadian intraocular pressure and glaucoma progression

Primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) is a multifactorial disease characterized by chronic optic neuropathy involving several risk factors. Intraocular pressure (IOP)[1] and alterations in ocular blood flow[2] contribute significantly to the onset and progression of glaucomatous optic nerve damage. Peak IOP and fluctuation[3] are also potential risk factors for glaucoma progression. Association between IOP peaks[4] and visual field deterioration in POAG has been documented in several studies, though role of IOP fluctuation continues to be debated. IOP measurements during routine office hours failed to detect peaks in a significant proportion of patients and detection of both IOP peak values as well as fluctuations was more accurate when 24 h IOP measurements[5] were made. More than 70% of IOP peaks are observed during the night and early morning hours. Repeated tonometry at regular time interval remains the clinically most practiced procedure to measure IOP fluctuation during day and night. However, such repeated IOP measurements to estimate 24 h diurnal variations is both impractical and an insufficient tool in clinical practice. Continued IOP monitoring, though critical in monitoring progression of disease, remains an unfulfilled need in glaucoma practices.
Association for combined exposure to job strain, shift work on mental health among Chinese railway workers: a cross-sectional study

Objectives The aim of this study was to assess the effects of coexposure to job strain and shift work on mental health in railway workers. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting One Railway Bureau Group in China. Participants A total of 1270 front-line railway workers. Outcome measures The Symptom Checklist-90-Revised questionnaire was used to measure general mental health. Job strain variables were derived from the Job Content Questionnaire. Based on the records of the work schedule 3 months prior to the survey, the following three shift types were identified: fixed day, fixed night and rotating night shifts. Risks associated with mental health were assessed by carrying out logistic regression analysis which was adjusted for age, job tenure, smoking and exercise. Additionally, a crossover analysis was employed for the combined effects. Results High levels of job strain were linked to a higher risk of poor mental health (OR=1.53, 95% CI: 1.10 to 2.11). After adjusting for confounding factors, night shifts and rotating night shifts were significant risk factors for mental health (OR=2.21, 95% CI: 1.60 to 3.07; OR=2.36, 95% CI: 1.73 to 3.22). Compared with participants who experienced a low level of job strain and day shifts, those with a high level of job strain and who worked rotating shifts were at the highest risk of poor mental health (OR=4.68, 95% CI: 2.91 to 8.04), whereas the influence of a low level of job strain and rotating night shifts was not statistically significant. Conclusion Job strain and night shifts among workers were associated, both independently and in combination, with an increased risk of poor mental health. Our data suggest that job strain contributes to the risk of poor mental health by means of a combined effect with shift work.
Examining the effects of social anxiety and other individual differences on gaze-directed attentional shifts

Gaze direction is a powerful social cue, and there is considerable evidence that we preferentially direct our attentional resources to gaze-congruent locations. While a number of individual differences have been claimed to modulate gaze-cueing effects (e.g., trait anxiety), the modulation of gaze cueing for different emotional expressions of the cue has not been investigated in social anxiety, which is characterised by a range of attentional biases for stimuli perceived to be socially threatening. Therefore, in this study, we examined whether social anxiety modulates gaze-cueing effects for angry, fearful, and neutral expressions, while controlling for other individual-differences variables that may modulate gaze cueing: trait anxiety, depression, and autistic-like traits. In a sample of 100 female participants, we obtained large and reliable gaze-cueing effects; however, these effects were not modulated by social anxiety, or by any of the other individual-differences variables. These findings attest to the social importance of gaze cueing, and also call into question the replicability of individual differences in the effect.