Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Low-Variance Multitaper MFCC Features: A Case Study in Robust Speaker Verification

In speech and audio applications, short-term signal spectrum is often represented using mel-frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCCs) computed from a windowed discrete Fourier transform (DFT). Windowing reduces spectral leakage but variance of the spectrum estimate remains high. An elegant extension to windowed DFT is the so-called multitaper method which uses multiple time-domain windows (tapers) with frequency-domain averaging. Multitapers have received little attention in speech processing even though they produce low-variance features. In this paper, we propose the multitaper method for MFCC extraction with a practical focus. We provide, first, detailed statistical analysis of MFCC bias and variance using autoregressive process simulations on the TIMIT corpus. For speaker verification experiments on the NIST 2002 and 2008 SRE corpora, we consider three Gaussian mixture model based classifiers with universal background model (GMM-UBM), support vector machine (GMM-SVM) and joint factor analysis (GMM-JFA). Multitapers improve MinDCF over the baseline windowed DFT by relative 20.4% (GMM-SVM) and 13.7% (GMM-JFA) on the interview-interview condition in NIST 2008. The GMM-JFA system further reduces MinDCF by 18.7% on the telephone data. With these improvements and generally noncritical parameter selection, multitaper MFCCs are a viable candidate for replacing the conventional MFCCs.
THREE-DIMENSIONAL CONTAINER LOADING USING A COOPERATIVE CO-EVOLUTIONARYGENETIC ALGORITHM

This paper presents the use of a cooperative co-evolutionary genetic algorithm (CCGA) in conjunction with a heuristic rule for solving a 3D container loading or bin packing problem. Unlike previous works, which concentrate on using either a heuristic rule or an optimization technique to find an optimal sequence of packages which must be loaded into the containers, the proposed heuristic rule is used to partition the entire loading sequence into a number of shorter sequences. Each partitioned sequence is then represented by a species member in the CCGA search. The simulation results indicate that the use of the heuristic rule and the CCGA is highly efficient in terms of the compactness of packages in comparison to the results given by a standard genetic algorithm search. In addition, this helps to confirm that the CCGA is also suitable for use in a sequence-based optimization problem.
Statistical Precoding With Decision Feedback Equalization Over a Correlated MIMO Channel

The decision feedback (DF) transceiver, combining linear precoding and DF equalization, can establish point-to-point communication over a wireless multiple-input multiple-output channel. Matching the DF-transceiver design parameters to the channel characteristics can improve system performance, but requires channel knowledge. We consider the fast-fading channel scenario, with a receiver capable of tracking the channel-state variations accurately, while the transmitter only has long-term, channel-distribution information. The receiver design problem given channel-state information is well studied in the literature. We focus on transmitter optimization, which amounts to designing a statistical precoder to assist the channel-tailored DF equalizer. We develop a design framework that encompasses a wide range of performance metrics. Common cost functions for precoder optimization are analyzed, thereby identifying a structure of typical cost functions. Transmitter design is approached for typical cost functions in general, and we derive a precoder design formulation as a convex optimization problem. Two important subclasses of cost functions are considered in more detail. First, we explore a symmetry of DF transceivers with a uniform subchannel rate allocation, and derive a simplified convex optimization problem, which can be efficiently solved even as system dimensions grow. Second, we explore the tractability of a certain class of mean square error based cost functions, and solve the transmitter design problem with a simple algorithm that identifies the convex hull of a set of points in R2. The behavior of DF transceivers with optimal precoders is investigated by numerical means.
Claudin peptidomimetics modulate tissue barriers for enhanced drug delivery

The blood–brain barrier (BBB) formed by the microvascular endothelium limits cerebral drug delivery. The paraendothelial cleft is sealed by tight junctions (TJs) with a major contribution from claudin‐5, which we selected as a target to modulate BBB permeability. For this purpose, drug‐enhancer peptides were designed based on the first extracellular loop (ECL) of claudin‐5 to allow transient BBB permeabilization. Peptidomimetics (C5C2 and derivatives, nanomolar affinity to claudin‐5) size‐selectively (≤40 kDa) and reversibly (12–48 h) increased the permeability of brain endothelial and claudin‐5–transfected epithelial cell monolayers. Upon peptide uptake, the number of TJ strand particles diminished, claudin‐5 was downregulated and redistributed from cell–cell contacts to the cytosol, and the cell shape was altered. Cellular permeability of doxorubicin (cytostatic drug, 580 Da) was enhanced after peptide administration. Mouse studies (3.5 μmol/kg i.v.) confirmed that, for both C5C2 and a d‐amino acid derivative, brain uptake of Gd–diethylene‐triamine penta‐acetic acid (547 Da) was enhanced within 4 h of treatment. On the basis of our functional data, circular dichroism measurements, molecular modeling, and docking experiments, we suggest an association model between β‐sheets flanked by α‐helices, formed by claudin‐5 ECLs, and the peptides. In conclusion, we identified claudin‐5 peptidomimetics that improve drug delivery through endothelial and epithelial barriers expressing claudin‐5.
The Influence of Approach and Avoidance Behavior on Visual Selective Attention

ABSTRACT Recent findings indicate that enactment of approach behavior broadens the focus of perceptual attention. The aim of the present study was to examine how approach and avoidance behavior influence visual selective attention. To achieve this, the authors combined approach and avoidance manipulations with a visual precueing task (local vs. global cues preceding either local or global targets). The authors hypothesized that participants with an enactment of approach behavior would show faster attentional orienting with compatible cue-target-relations than in incompatible trials. The results support that enactment of approach behavior leads to faster attentional orienting in compatible trials compared with incompatible trials. Although participants showed significant attentional learning effects across blocks, learning was not enhanced by approach and avoidance manipulations.
A new change detection algorithm for SAR images

This article addresses the problem of SAR (synthetic aperture radar) images non-coherent change detection. Here, we use a multi-scale registration technique based on mutual information and we introduce a novel preprocessing algorithm to get rid of the corruptive multiplicative noise (also called speckle) on SAR images. The change detection is then easily and accurately performed with a local comparison between pixels.
Temperature-Compensated Clock Skew Adjustment

This work analyzes several drift compensation mechanisms in wireless sensor networks (WSN). Temperature is an environmental factor that greatly affects oscillators shipped in every WSN mote. This behavior creates the need of improving drift compensation mechanisms in synchronization protocols. Using the Flooding Time Synchronization Protocol (FTSP), this work demonstrates that crystal oscillators are affected by temperature variations. Thus, the influence of temperature provokes a low performance of FTSP in changing conditions of temperature. This article proposes an innovative correction factor that minimizes the impact of temperature in the clock skew. By means of this factor, two new mechanisms are proposed in this paper: the Adjusted Temperature (AT) and the Advanced Adjusted Temperature (A2T). These mechanisms have been combined with FTSP to produce AT-FTSP and A2T-FTSP Both have been tested in a network of TelosB motes running TinyOS. Results show that both AT-FTSP and A2T-FTSP improve the average synchronization errors compared to FTSP and other temperature-compensated protocols (Environment-Aware Clock Skew Estimation and Synchronization for WSN (EACS) and Temperature Compensated Time Synchronization (TCTS)).
Wireless LAN packet concatenation algorithm

The general frame size in an IEEE 802.11 wireless LAN environment is often much smaller than the specified MTU size. The small size of the frames increases the MAC layer traffic and can cause degradation in network performance. In this paper, we propose new IP packet concatenation methods that are able to merge two or more IP packets with same destination addresses into a MPDU. Our method provides a continuous monitoring of the channel state. If there are IP packets that can be concatenated, the concatenation is carried out at the same time as the channels are allocated to other nodes. At the receiving end, the data size of the received MPDU and the total length field in the IP header are compared to determine whether the received frame is concatenated or not. Our proposed method avoids any packet concatenation delay. When MAC layer traffic is low, our method provides a similar performance to existing wireless LANs. Our method can also improve the transmission performance as an increase in MAC layer traffic results in a decrease in the total traffic.
RFSIM: Reduced Fault Simulator

This paper describes the algorithm, implementation, and evaluation results of a new fault simulator called RFSIM, which is designed for combinational circuits. In order to accelerate fault simulation, two basic principles are introduced, a Detectable Fault Only (DFO) principle and a Candidate Gate Once (CGO) principle. The DFO principle is a dynamic reduction algorithm, which aims at drastically reducing computational complexity by utilizing blocking gate information. The CGO principle is an implementation technique which is utilized to implement the DFO principle effectively. Experimental results show that RFSIM is more than 10 times faster than a conventional concurrent fault simulator, and confirms that the DFO principle contributes to a drastic reduction in the number of faults to be simulated. A fault reduction ratio of around 25 to 1 was achieved in one of the benchmark circuits.
The origin of the epicardium and the embryonic myocardial circulation in the mouse

The origin of the epicardium and the formation of the early blood vessels of the heart prior to the opening of the coronary arteries from the aorta have been studied in the 9–13.5 day post coitum (dpc) mouse embryo heart. The epicardium begins to appear by 9 dpc. The majority of the epicardial cells derive from the somatopleural investment of the septum transversum, from where they migrate, associated to form vesicles, to the dorsal aspect of the ventricles and atria. The epicardial cells then migrate over the lateral surfaces and the AV sulcus to the ventral aspect of the heart. In the subepicardial space around the sulcuses, the proliferating epithelial tissue is found, also in vesicular form, for a time. The ventrally migrating primordial epicardial tissue ensheaths lastly the truncus arteriosus, while the sinus venosus is coated with epicardium ab initio, where (and also in the SA sulcus) the epicardial cells derive in part from the cuboidal cells of the pleuroperitoneal canal and in part from the somatopleural cells. The early blood vessel formation follows in space and time the development of the epicardium. The first blood vessels appear by 10 dpc by the invagination of the endocardium into the early sinus muscle, and at the same time in the ventricular chamber by the encasing of the endocardium, as the trabeculae become consolidated into the myocardial walls. By this process sinusoids are formed, some of which penetrate through the myocardium and which, by rapid proliferation, form an interconnected subepicardial plexus. These capillaries proliferate ventrally in the wide subepicardial space, reaching the septating truncus, in which the aorta and pulmonary artery are developing. The definitive coronary artery openings appear by 13 dpc, allowing the high pressure blood from the aorta to flow into a preexisting vascular bed.
Two-Dimensional Dam-Break Flood Analysis in Data-Scarce Regions: The Case Study of Chipembe Dam, Mozambique

This paper presents the results of a modeling study of the hypothetical dam break of Chipembe dam in Mozambique. The modeling approach is based on the software Iber, a freely available dam break and two-dimensional finite volume shallow water model. The shuttle radar topography mission (SRTM) online digital elevation model (DEM) is used as main source of topographic data. Two different DEMs are considered as input for the hydraulic model: a DEM based on the original SRTM data and a hydrologically-conditioned DEM. A sensitivity analysis on the Manning roughness coefficient is performed. The results demonstrate the relevant impact of the DEM used on the predicted flood wave propagation, and a lower influence of the roughness value. The low cost modeling approach proposed in this paper can be an attractive option for modeling exceptional flood caused by dam break, when limited data and resources are available, as in the presented case. The resulting flood-inundation and hazard maps will enable the Regional Water Management Administration of Mozambique (ARA) to develop early warning systems.
Astronomy and Astrophysics Xmm-newton Epic Observation of Smc Snr 0102−72.3

Results from observations of the young oxygen-rich supernova remnant SNR 0102−72.3 in the Small Magellanic Cloud during the calibration phase of the XMM-Newton Observatory are presented. Both EPIC-PN and MOS observations show a ringlike structure with a radius of ∼15 ′′ already known from Einstein, ROSAT and Chandra observations. Spectra of the entire SNR as well as parts in the eastern half were analyzed confirming shocked hot plasma in non-uniform ionization stages as the origin of the X-ray emission. The spectra differ in the northeastern and the southeastern part of the X-ray ring, showing emission line features of different strength. The temperature in the northeastern part is significantly higher than in the southeast, reflected by the lines of higher ionization stages and the harder continuum. Comparison to radio data shows the forward shock of the blast wave dominating in the northern part of the SNR, while the southern emission is most likely produced by the recently formed reverse shock in the ejecta. In the case of the overall spectrum of SNR 0102−72.3, the two-temperature non-equilibrium ionization model is more consistent with the data in comparison to the single plane-parallel shock model. The structure of SNR 0102−72.3 is complex due to variations in shock propagation leading to spatially differing X-ray spectra. A&A manuscript no. (will be inserted by hand later) Your thesaurus codes are: missing; you have not inserted them
CELL DEATH IN THE EMBRYONIC CHICK SPINAL CORD

The events which occur in the death of visceromotor neurons of the cervical region of the chick embryo's spinal cord have been analyzed by electron microscopy. These normal degenerative events are compared with those in the lumbosacral cord where nerve cell death was induced by removal of peripheral organs. The initial set of degenerative changes include a decrease in nuclear size, the clumping of chromatin beneath the nuclear envelope, an increase in electron opacity of the cells, the disappearance of Golgi bodies, and the disaggregation of polysomes. These events are followed by the loss of the nuclear envelope and most of the endoplasmic reticulum, the appearance of bundles of filaments, and the formation of many ribosome crystals. Ribosome crystals are seen only in the dying cells. Their abundance may indicate a drastic reduction in RNA synthesis as one of the initial events which lead to the death of these neurons. The neurons are finally subdivided and engulfed by cells of the normal glial population, and further breakdown of the cell fragments occurs in large phagocytic vesicles of the gliocytes.
False-positive result in Limulus test caused by Limulus amebocyte lysate-reactive material in immunoglobulin products

Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL)-reactive material other than endotoxin was detected in the plasma and urine of patients after intravenous immunoglobulin therapy. Thirty-seven vials of six different immunoglobulin products were analyzed for the LAL-reactive material by combined use of a conventional chromogenic Limulus test and a chromogenic endotoxin-specific test. The amount of LAL-reactive material in reconstituted immunoglobulin solutions ranged from a mean (standard deviation) of 10.2 (2.1) to 2,448.1 (988.9) pg/ml, and there were statistically significant differences among the six brands. The levels of LAL-reactive material in plasma increased in proportion to the amounts contained in the immunoglobulin products administered. The material accumulated in the blood with repeated administration. Urinary excretion of the material was less than 5% of the total amount administered. Such material seems to be derived from the cellulose-based membranes used during preparation of the blood products. Thus, interpretation of Limulus test results of patients receiving immunoglobulin therapy requires special consideration.
Space, time, and situational awareness in natural hazards: a case study of Hurricane Sandy with social media data

ABSTRACT Various methods have been developed to investigate the geospatial information, temporal component, and message content in disaster-related social media data to enrich human-centric information for situational awareness. However, few studies have simultaneously analyzed these three dimensions (i.e. space, time, and content). With an attempt to bring a space–time perspective into situational awareness, this study develops a novel approach to integrate space, time, and content dimensions in social media data and enable a space–time analysis of detailed social responses to a natural disaster. Using Markov transition probability matrix and location quotient, we analyzed the Hurricane Sandy tweets in New York City and explored how people’s conversational topics changed across space and over time. Our approach offers potential to facilitate efficient policy/decision-making and rapid response in mitigations of damages caused by natural disasters.
Fluorescent protein‐mediated colour polymorphism in reef corals: multicopy genes extend the adaptation/acclimatization potential to variable light environments

The genomic framework that enables corals to adjust to unfavourable conditions is crucial for coral reef survival in a rapidly changing climate. We have explored the striking intraspecific variability in the expression of coral pigments from the green fluorescent protein (GFP) family to elucidate the genomic basis for the plasticity of stress responses among reef corals. We show that multicopy genes can greatly increase the dynamic range over which corals can modulate transcript levels in response to the light environment. Using the red fluorescent protein amilFP597 in the coral Acropora millepora as a model, we demonstrate that its expression increases with light intensity, but both the minimal and maximal gene transcript levels vary markedly among colour morphs. The pigment concentration in the tissue of different morphs is strongly correlated with the number of gene copies with a particular promoter type. These findings indicate that colour polymorphism in reef corals can be caused by the environmentally regulated expression of multicopy genes. High‐level expression of amilFP597 is correlated with reduced photodamage of zooxanthellae under acute light stress, supporting a photoprotective function of this pigment. The cluster of light‐regulated pigment genes can enable corals to invest either in expensive high‐level pigmentation, offering benefits under light stress, or to rely on low tissue pigment concentrations and use the conserved resources for other purposes, which is preferable in less light‐exposed environments. The genomic framework described here allows corals to pursue different strategies to succeed in habitats with highly variable light stress levels. In summary, our results suggest that the intraspecific plasticity of reef corals’ stress responses is larger than previously thought.
Finding High-Influence Leader Based on Local Metrics

Influence maximization is the problem of finding a small set of seed vertices in a social network, so that the accumulated influence under certain propagation models is maximized. The existing greedy methods can guarantee the optimal influence spread, however, the time complexity is still very high. In this paper, we devote to further reduce the time complexity, and maintain a maximized influence spread. We propose a new way for tackling the efficiency issue of influence maximization, referred to as greedy algorithm based on local metrics (GBLM). Specifically, the major advantages of GBLM are that: 1) GBLM proposes the local metrics of vertex, which provide the finer-grained evaluation criteria for every vertex; 2) GBLM constructs the candidate vertices set by its local metrics from every community, which reduce the search scope compared to the whole vertices; 3) Based on the candidate vertices set, GBLM adopts greedy method based on submodularity to find top-k seed vertices, which carry out global measure in the whole network to attain a maximized influence spread. We carry out experiment on the four realworld datasets, the results have verified that GBLM significantly reduce the running time, meanwhile maintain an approximate optimal influence spread. Keywordssocial network; influence maximization; local metrics; independent propagation model; greedy strategy
A Generic Method for Accelerating LSH-Based Similarity Join Processing (Extended Abstract)

Locality sensitive hashing (LSH) is an efficient method for solving the problem of approximate similarity search in high-dimensional spaces. Through LSH, a high-dimensional similarity join can be processed in the same way as hash join, making the cost of joining two large datasets linear. By judicially analyzing the properties of multiple LSH algorithms, we propose a generic method to accelerate the process of joining two large datasets using LSH. The crux of our method lies in the way we identify a set of representative points to reduce the number of LSH lookups. Theoretical analyses show that our proposed method can greatly reduce the number of lookup operations and retain the same result accuracy compared to executing LSH lookups for every query point. Furthermore, we demonstrate the generality of our method by showing that the same principle can be applied to LSH algorithms for three different metrics: the Euclidean distance (QALSH), Jaccard similarity measure (MinHash), and Hamming distance (sequence hashing). Results from experimental studies using real datasets confirm our error analyses and show significant improvements of our method over the state-of-the-art LSH method: to achieve over 0.95 recall, we only need to operate LSH lookups for at most 15% of the query points.