Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Real-time Monaural Speech Enhancement With Short-time Discrete Cosine Transform

Speech enhancement algorithms based on deep learning have been improved in terms of speech intelligibility and perceptual quality greatly. Many methods focus on enhancing the amplitude spectrum while reconstructing speech using the mixture phase. Since the clean phase is very important and difficult to predict, the performance of these methods will be limited. Some researchers attempted to estimate the phase spectrum directly or indirectly, but the effect is not ideal. Recently, some studies proposed the complex-valued model and achieved state-of-the-art performance, such as deep complex convolution recurrent network (DCCRN). However, the computation of the model is huge. To reduce the complexity and further improve the performance, we propose a novel method using discrete cosine transform as the input in this paper, called deep cosine transform convolutional recurrent network (DCTCRN). Experimental results show that DCTCRN achieves state-of-the-art performance both on objective and subjective metrics. Compared with noisy mixtures, the mean opinion score (MOS) increased by 0.46 (2.86 to 3.32) absolute processed by the proposed model with only 2.86M parameters.
SLAPS: Self-Supervision Improves Structure Learning for Graph Neural Networks

Graph neural networks (GNNs) work well when the graph structure is provided. However, this structure may not always be available in real-world applications. One solution to this problem is to infer a task-specific latent structure and then apply a GNN to the inferred graph. Unfortunately, the space of possible graph structures grows super-exponentially with the number of nodes and so the task-specific supervision may be insufficient for learning both the structure and the GNN parameters. In this work, we propose the Simultaneous Learning of Adjacency and GNN Parameters with Self-supervision, or SLAPS, a method that provides more supervision for inferring a graph structure through self-supervision. A comprehensive experimental study demonstrates that SLAPS scales to large graphs with hundreds of thousands of nodes and outperforms several models that have been proposed to learn a task-specific graph structure on established benchmarks.
Tracking e-cigarette warning label compliance on Instagram with deep learning

The proportion of the U.S. high school students who report using e-cigarettes (aka vaping devices) declined in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, 19.6% of high school students (3.02 million) reported current e-cigarette use, compared to 27.5% (4.11 million) of high students who reported using e-cigarettes in 2019 (Wang, Neff, et al. 2020). However, despite this recent decline, during 2019 2020, the use of youth-appealing, low-priced disposable e-cigarette devices increased approximately 1,000% (from 2.4% to 26.5%) among high school current e-cigarette users (ibid.). In addition, more than eight in 10 teenage e-cigarette users reported consuming flavored e-cigarettes (ibid.). E-cigarettes can harm the adolescent brain and increase susceptibility to tobacco addiction (Health et al. 2016; Fraga 2019; Wang, Gentzke, et al. 2019). As a result, youth who use e-cigarettes are more likely to subsequently try combustible cigarettes (The U.S. Food and Drug Administration 2018). Beyond addiction, e-cigarettes pose a risk of breathing difficulties, inflammatory reactions, lowered defense against pathogens and lung diseases (Redfield 2019; The U.S. Food and Drug Administration 2019). Exposure to visual posts featuring e-cigarette products on social media, including promotional images and videos, has been associated with increased e-cigarette use among U.S. adolescents (Wang, Gentzke, et al. 2019; King et al. 2016; Maloney et al. 2016; Pokhrel et al. 2018; Kim et al. 2019). Instagram, one of the most popular social media platforms among adolescents, is considered the largest source of e-cigarette social media advertisements (cite). E-cigarette stores, distributors and social media influencers users with large followings who post vaping content on behalf of e-cigarette brands promote ENDS (Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems) products on Instagram and other social media (Vassey et al. 2020).
Radar-to-Lidar: Heterogeneous Place Recognition via Joint Learning

Place recognition is critical for both offline mapping and online localization. However, current single-sensor based place recognition still remains challenging in adverse conditions. In this paper, a heterogeneous measurement based framework is proposed for long-term place recognition, which retrieves the query radar scans from the existing lidar (Light Detection and Ranging) maps. To achieve this, a deep neural network is built with joint training in the learning stage, and then in the testing stage, shared embeddings of radar and lidar are extracted for heterogeneous place recognition. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed method, we conducted tests and generalization experiments on the multi-session public datasets and compared them to other competitive methods. The experimental results indicate that our model is able to perform multiple place recognitions: lidar-to-lidar (L2L), radar-to-radar (R2R), and radar-to-lidar (R2L), while the learned model is trained only once. We also release the source code publicly: https://github.com/ZJUYH/radar-to-lidar-place-recognition.
Multi-Objective Learning to Predict Pareto Fronts Using Hypervolume Maximization

Real-world problems are often multi-objective with decision-makers unable to specify a priori which trade-off between the conflicting objectives is preferable. Intuitively, building machine learning solutions in such cases would entail providing multiple predictions that span and uniformly cover the Pareto front of all optimal trade-off solutions. We propose a novel approach for multi-objective training of neural networks to approximate the Pareto front during inference. In our approach, the neural networks are trained multi-objectively using a dynamic loss function, wherein each network's losses (corresponding to multiple objectives) are weighted by their hypervolume maximizing gradients. We discuss and illustrate why training processes to approximate Pareto fronts need to optimize on fronts of individual training samples instead of on only the front of average losses. Experiments on three multi-objective problems show that our approach returns outputs that are well-spread across different trade-offs on the approximated Pareto front without requiring the trade-off vectors to be specified a priori. Further, results of comparisons with the state-of-the-art approaches highlight the added value of our proposed approach, especially in asymmetric Pareto fronts.
A Lagrangian perspective on nonautonomous advection-diffusion processes in the low-diffusivity limit

We study mass preserving transport of passive tracers in the lowdiffusivity limit using Lagrangian coordinates. Over finite-time intervals, the solution-operator of the nonautonomous diffusion equation is approximated by that of a time-averaged diffusion equation. We show that leading order asymptotics that hold for functions [Krol, 1991] extend to the dominant nontrivial singular value. This answers questions raised in [Karrasch & Keller, 2020]. The generator of the time-averaged diffusion/heat semigroup is a Laplace operator associated to a weighted manifold structure on the material manifold. We show how geometrical properties of this weighted manifold directly lead to physical transport quantities of the nonautonomous equation in the low-diffusivity limit. MSC: 35P15, 53B50, 47D07, 76R99 karrasch@ma.tum. de schillna@ma.tum. de
Effects of guar gum and arabic gum on the physicochemical, sensory and flow behaviour characteristics of frozen yoghurt

This study investigated the effect of guar gum and arabic gum on physicochemical, sensory and flow behaviour properties of frozen yoghurt. The results indicated that gums significantly affected the viscosity, overrun and melting rate of frozen yoghurt. The highest overrun value was observed in sample containing 0.5% arabic gum. Frozen yoghurt containing 0.3% guar gum had the highest viscosity. The longest first dripping time was observed in sample containing 0.5% arabic gum. Flow behaviour of samples showed that all frozen yoghurts exhibited shear thinning behaviour. Guar gum at a concentration of 0.2% and arabic gum at a concentration of 0.5% presented the best total acceptability. The results of this study revealed that the frozen yoghurt produced with arabic gum had the better overall sensory and physicochemical characteristics.
Characterization of Artificial Pneumothorax-Unrelated Pyothorax-Associated Lymphoma

Pyothorax-associated lymphoma (PAL) is a rare disease developing from a long-term pleural cavity inflammation. Most reported PAL cases have a history of artificial pneumothorax. However, the clinical features of artificial pneumothorax-unrelated PAL remain largely unknown. Here, we reported two PAL cases diagnosed from our center in the past ten years. One case developed from asymptomatic pyothorax after pneumonectomy with a latency of 28 years, while the other case showed a relatively short latency of one year. Then we reviewed the literature of artificial pneumothorax-unrelated PAL by searching PubMed and Google Scholar from 2007. In total, nine artificial pneumothorax-unrelated PAL cases were found, predominantly in old male with median age of 76 years (ranging from 51 to 88). Most cases were diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) (n = 8, 88.9%) and had evidence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection (n = 6, 66.7%) or tuberculous pleurisy (n = 5, 55.6%). Notably, four cases (44.4%) had short intervals (no more than two years) between pleuritis and PAL. Regarding the overall survival, one-third cases survived more than 5 years after the diagnosis of PAL. In conclusion, the features of artificial pneumothorax-unrelated PAL are comparable with the classic type of PAL, except for some patients with short duration of pleuritis, and need to be identified. Treatment guideline of DLBCL is recommended for the management of PAL.
Clinical and Radiological Dissociation in Massive Barium Aspiration

Barium studies are commonly used to rule out gastrointestinal (GI) pathologies and sometimes they are associated with complications such as barium aspiration with heterogeneity in clinical features ranging from mild to severe symptoms. We present a case of large volume barium aspiration in a 73-year-old male with past medical history of dysphagia diagnosed with diffuse esophageal spasm. Barium is an inert material commonly used for GI tract study. Although complications associated with barium studies are rare, aspiration of barium can have dramatic findings resulting in mild to severe symptoms. Clinically patient had very minimal symptoms but radiographic studies appeared dramatic. Therefore, a clinical and radiographic paradox must be kept in mind when evaluating patients and reviewing large volume barium aspiration imaging. Our case remained asymptomatic and had no respiratory complaints, nor did he develop any respiratory distress post barium aspiration.
Effects of organic matter addition on phosphorus availability to flooded and nonflooded rice in a P‐deficient tropical soil: a greenhouse study

Addition of organic matter (OM) to flooded soils stimulates reductive dissolution of Fe(III) minerals, thereby mobilizing associated phosphate (P). Hence, OM management has the potential to overcome P deficiency. This study assessed if OM applications increases soil or mineral fertilizer P availability to rice under anaerobic (flooded) condition and if that effect is different relative to that in aerobic (nonflooded) soils. Rice was grown in P‐deficient soil treated with combinations of addition of mineral P (0, 26 mg P/kg), OM (0, ~9 g OM/kg as rice straw + cattle manure) and water treatments (flooded vs nonflooded) in a factorial pot experiment. The OM was either freshly added just before flooding or incubated moist in soil for 6 months prior to flooding; blanket N and K was added in all treatments. Fresh addition of OM promoted reductive dissolution of Fe(III) minerals in flooded soils, whereas no such effect was found when OM had been incubated for 6 months before flooding. Yield and shoot P uptake largely increased with mineral P addition in all soils, whereas OM addition increased yield and P uptake only in flooded soils following fresh OM addition. The combination of mineral P and OM gave the largest yield and P uptake. Addition of OM just prior to soil flooding increased P uptake but was insufficient to overcome P deficiency in the absence of mineral P. Larger applications of OM are unlikely to be more successful in flooded soils due to side effects, such as Fe toxicity.
A Rare Case of Acute Pericarditis Due to SARS-CoV-2 Managed With Aspirin and Colchicine

SARS-CoV-2 infection presents with predominant respiratory illness. Cardiac injury has been reported in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. The spectrum of cardiac involvement ranges from pericarditis to myocarditis. Acute pericarditis attributed to SARS-CoV-2 is rare. A 68-year-old male with co-morbid condition of hypertension and arthritis presented with chest tightness, cough and exertional shortness of breath for five days. He was tachycardic at the time of presentation and cardiac auscultation was positive for pericardial rub. His room air oxygen saturation was 95%. Chest imaging studies revealed bilateral infiltrate. His electrocardiogram showed ST elevation with diffusely elevated J point in lead II, III, aVF and V4-V6. Echocardiogram was unrevealing for pericardial effusion and left ventricular ejection fraction was normal. Serial troponin level did not reveal a rising trend. The nasopharyngeal swab was positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) use in SARS-CoV-2 positive patient is debatable. The patient had acute pericarditis due to SARS-CoV-2 and it was treated with high dose aspirin with colchicine. Acute pericarditis is a rare complication of SARS-CoV-2 infection and can be managed with aspirin and colchicine.
Rocks of different mineralogy show different temperature characteristics: implications for biodiversity on rocky seashores

As some intertidal biota presently live near their upper tolerable thermal limits when emersed, predicted hotter temperatures and an increased frequency of extreme-heat events associated with global climate change may challenge the survival and persistence of such species. To predict the biological ramifications of climate change on rocky seashores, ecologists have collected baseline rock temperature data, which has shown substrate temperature is heterogenous in the rocky intertidal zone. A multitude of factors may affect rock temperature, although the potential roles of boulder surface (upper versus lower), lithology (rock type) and minerology have been largely neglected to date. Consequently, a common-garden experiment using intertidal boulders of six rock types tested whether temperature characteristics differed among rock types, boulder surfaces, and whether temperature characteristics were associated with rock mineralogy. The temperature of the upper and lower surfaces of all six rock types was heterogeneous at the millimetre to centimetre scale. Three qualitative patterns of temperature difference were identified on boulder surfaces: gradients; mosaics; and limited heterogeneity. The frequency of occurrence of these temperature patterns was heavily influenced by cloud cover. Upper surfaces were generally hotter than lower surfaces, plus purple siltstone and grey siltstone consistently had the hottest temperatures and white limestone and quartzite the coolest. Each rock type had unique mineralogy, with maximum temperatures correlated with the highest metallic oxide and trace metal content of rocks. These baseline data show that rock type, boulder surface and mineralogy all contribute to patterns of heterogenous substrate temperature, with the geological history of rocky seashores potentially influencing the future fate of species and populations under various climate change scenarios.
ACE2 Is a Prognostic Biomarker and Associated with Immune Infiltration in Kidney Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma: Implication for COVID-19

Background KIRC is one of the most common cancers with a poor prognosis. ACE2 was involved in tumor angiogenesis and progression in many malignancies. The role of ACE2 in KIRC is still ambiguous. Methods Various bioinformatics analysis tools were investigated to evaluate the prognostic value of ACE2 and its association with immune infiltration in KIRC. Results ACE2 was shown to be downregulated in KIRC at the mRNA and protein level. Low expression of ACE2 protein in KIRC patients was observed in subgroup analyses based on gender, age, weight, tumor grade, and cancer stage. Upregulation of ACE2 in KIRC was associated with a favorable prognosis. ACE2 mRNA expression showed a positive correlation with the abundance of immune cells (B cells, CD8+ T cells, macrophages, neutrophils, and dendritic cells) and the level of immune markers of different immune cells in KIRC. ACE2 expression could affect, in part, the immune infiltration and the advanced cancer stage. Moreover, enrichment analysis revealed that ACE2 in KIRC were mainly involved in translation factor activity, immunoglobulin binding, metabolic pathways, transcriptional misregulation in cancerous cells, cell cycle, and ribosomal activity. Several ACE2-associated kinases, miRNA, and transcription factor targets in KIRC were also identified. Conclusion ACE2 was downregulated in KIRC and served as a prognostic biomarker. It was also shown to be associated with immune infiltration.
Multidisciplinary approach to patients with manifestations and pulmonary complications of cystic fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease, with autosomal recessive transmission, multisystemic, characterized by a remarkable clinical polymorphism and significant lethal prospective. Respiratory manifestations dominate the clinical picture, being present in all patients. The aim of the paper was to analyze the incidence of clinical manifestations, especially respiratory ones, as well as the contribution of interdisciplinary consultations to the positive diagnosis of CF, in a group of 16 patients who were hospitalized and treated in the IInd Pediatric Clinic and IInd Medical Clinic of the Emergency County Hospital, Craiova, Romania, in a period of 20 years. The 16 patients diagnosed with and treated of CF had all shown increased values of sweat chloride concentration of over 60 mmol/L. The main symptoms and clinical signs encountered in these patients were cough (75%), sputum (62.5%), dyspnea (50%), wheezing (50%), stature hypotrophy (100%), pallor (37.5%), cyanosis (25%). All 16 patients had an acute exacerbation of chronic pulmonary disease. Of the total hospitalizations, the death was recorded only in the case of one female patient. The association of some clinical aspects specific with a positive result of the sweat test or the presence of the two pathological alleles made room for determining a positive diagnosis. The multisystemic nature of this disease requires a multidisciplinary approach to these patients. Histopathologically, there was a correspondence between lung morphological lesions and the results of imaging investigations.
Improved Long-Term Reliability of a Silica-Encapsulated Perovskite Quantum-Dot Light-Emitting Device with an Optically Pumped Remote Film Package

In this study, inorganic perovskite (CsPbBr3) quantum dots are wrapped in SiO2 to provide better performance against external erosion. Long-term storage (250 days) is demonstrated with very little changes in the illumination capability of these quantum dots. While in the continuous aging procedure, different package architectures can achieve very different lifetimes. As long as 6000 h of lifetime can be expected from these quantum dots, but the blue shift of emission wavelength still needs more investigation.
Human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells induce tissue repair and regeneration in collagen-induced arthritis in rats

The immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory properties of mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) have prompted their therapeutic application in several autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA). MSCs derived from bone marrow and adipose tissue has earlier been tried with limited success. However, Wharton’s jelly present in human umbilical cord is discarded after delivery which makes a rich source of MSCs with least ethical issues. The immunomodulatory properties of human umbilical cord-derived MSCs (UC-MSCs) were evaluated in-vitro on the mononuclear cells from synovial fluid (SF) and peripheral blood of RA patients. The therapeutic potential of UC-MSCs was checked by transplanting the cells in rats with collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). MSCs isolated from Wharton’s Jelly significantly suppressed the proliferation and activation of lymphocytes from both peripheral blood as well as SF of RA patients, down-modulated the functions of activated CD4+, CD8+ T-cells, suppressed the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and induced the expansion of T-regulatory cells. Xenotransplantation of UC-MSCs in CIA rats clearly indicated a sustained impact in terms of slowing down the progression of disease activity and reversal of arthritic processes along with triggering of joint tissue repair mechanisms, which could be observed till 6 weeks post-transplantation. The results from the current study suggest that human umbilical cord is a rich source of MSCs for allotransplantation. The UC-MSCs may be used successfully as a cell-based therapeutic option either in isolation or in conjunction with existing therapeutic drugs not only to relieve the joint inflammation but also regenerate the damaged bone and cartilage tissues in arthritis. Relevance to Patients: The current study highlights the potential use of MSCs as a cell-based therapeutic option for the treatment of inflammatory RA.
The Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis: responses to climate change scenarios as a function of the original habitat

The responses of two very distinct populations of the same marine mussel species Mytilus galloprovincialis, and inhabiting the Atlantic and Mediterranean Seas, were evaluated facing climate change scenarios with regard to pCO2 and temperature drivers. The potential threats and resilient behaviour of individuals according to their original habitat were drawn and discussed.