Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Learning Representative Deep Features for Image Set Analysis

This paper proposes to learn features from sets of labeled raw images. With this method, the problem of over-fitting can be effectively suppressed, so that deep CNNs can be trained from scratch with a small number of training data, i.e., 420 labeled albums with about 30 000 photos. This method can effectively deal with sets of images, no matter if the sets bear temporal structures. A typical approach to sequential image analysis usually leverages motions between adjacent frames, while the proposed method focuses on capturing the co-occurrences and frequencies of features. Nevertheless, our method outperforms previous best performers in terms of album classification, and achieves comparable or even better performances in terms of gait based human identification. These results demonstrate its effectiveness and good adaptivity to different kinds of set data.
Mechanism and specificity of bacterial two-component signaling systems

Bacterial two component signaling (TCS) systems are the predominant means by which bacteria sense and respond to external signals. These systems represent a large family of paralogous proteins; often hundreds of the histidine kinase (HK) and response regulator (RR) pairs that make up a TCS system can be found in a single cell. How do these systems maintain faithful signal transmission and avoid cross-talk? To understand how specificity is determined, we examined co-evolving residues between HKs and RRs, and guided by this, aimed to rewire specificity of several activities of TCS systems. Previous work in the lab has successfully rewired specificity of histidine kinases for response regulators in the phosphotransfer reaction. By mutating different subsets of these co-evolving residues, we were able to rewire specificity of RRs in the phosphotransfer reaction, and partially rewire specificity of HKs and RRs in the phosphatase reaction. Additionally, we identified residues that may dictate specificity between two domains of the histidine kinase, and found that mutating them altered the rate of autophosphorylation. These analyses will allow rational rewiring of two component systems in vivo, and permit us to examine the fitness consequences of this altered specificity, providing insight into the evolutionary pressures on TCS systems. Thesis advisor: Michael T. Laub, Assistant Professor of Biology
Optimizing Fingernail Imaging Calibration for 3D Force Magnitude Prediction

This paper discusses the optimization of a fingernail imaging system for predicting fingerpad force. The effects of lighting coloration, calibration grid, and force prediction model on the registration process and force prediction accuracy of fingernail imaging are investigated. White and green LEDs are found to produce statistically similar effects on registration error and force prediction results across all three directions of force. Two calibration grids are implemented, with no statistically significant difference in either registration or force prediction between the Cartesian and cylindrical grid designs. Of the five force prediction models investigated, a principal component regression model based on the pixel intensity eigenvectors estimates the force with the greatest accuracy. This EigenNail Magnitude Model simultaneously estimates force in all three directions with RMS error with 95 percent confidence interval of 0.55 ± 0.02 N (7.6 percent of the full force range). These results indicate a set of optimal parameter choices for the calibration of a fingernail imaging system.
Antiviral activity of telaprevir (VX‐950) and peginterferon alfa‐2a in patients with hepatitis C

Telaprevir (VX‐950), an inhibitor of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3/4A protease, substantially decreased plasma HCV RNA levels in a prior clinical study. The present study evaluated viral kinetics and safety during dosing with telaprevir alone and in combination with peginterferon alfa‐2a for 14 days. Previously untreated patients with genotype 1 hepatitis C were randomized to receive placebo and peginterferon alfa‐2a (n = 4); telaprevir (n = 8); or telaprevir and peginterferon alfa‐2a (n = 8). Telaprevir was given as 750 mg oral doses every 8 hours; peginterferon alfa‐2a was given as weekly 180 μg subcutaneous injections. The median change in HCV RNA from baseline to day 15 was −1.09 log10 (range, −2.08 to −0.46) in the placebo and peginterferon alfa‐2a group; −3.99 log10 (range, −5.28 to −1.26) in the telaprevir group, and −5.49 log10 (range, −6.54 to −4.30) in the telaprevir and peginterferon alfa‐2a group. Day 15 HCV RNA levels were undetectable in 4 patients who received telaprevir and peginterferon alfa‐2a and in 1 patient who received telaprevir alone. No viral breakthrough occurred in patients who received telaprevir and peginterferon alfa‐2a. The majority of adverse events were mild. There were no serious adverse events or premature discontinuations. Twelve weeks after starting off‐study standard therapy, HCV RNA was undetectable in all 8 patients in the telaprevir and peginterferon alfa‐2a group, 5 patients in the telaprevir group, and 1 patient in the placebo and peginterferon alfa‐2a group. Conclusion: This study confirmed the substantial antiviral effects of telaprevir and showed an increased antiviral effect of telaprevir combined with peginterferon alfa‐2a. (HEPATOLOGY 2007;46:640–648.)
Are audio or textual training data more important for ASR in less-represented languages?

State-of-the-Art speech recognizers are typically trained on very large amounts of data, both transcribed speech and texts. With the recent growing interest in developing speech technologies for languages for which only small amounts of data are accessible, collecting appropriate data is a key issue in building new speech recognition systems. This article reports on an experimental study assessing the performance of a speech recognizer for a less-represented language, as a function of the quantity of texts and transcribed speech data available for model training. The experimental results show that for supervised training with only 2 hours of manually transcribed data, the acoustic models are the weak point. With 10 hours or more of transcribed audio data, the quantity of texts has a larger affect on the error rate than the quantity of speech.
Sertoli cell processes have axoplasmic features: an ordered microtubule distribution and an abundant high molecular weight microtubule- associated protein (cytoplasmic dynein)

Microtubules in the cytoplasm of rat Sertoli cell stage VI-VIII testicular seminiferous epithelium were studied morphometrically by electron microscopy. The Sertoli cell microtubules demonstrated axonal features, being largely parallel in orientation and predominantly spaced one to two microtubule diameters apart, suggesting the presence of microtubule-bound spacer molecules. Testis microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) were isolated by a taxol, salt elution procedure. Testis MAPs promoted microtubule assembly, but to a lesser degree than brain MAPs. High molecular weight MAPs, similar in electrophoretic mobilities to brain MAP-1 and MAP-2, were prominent components of total testis MAPs, though no shared immunoreactivity was detected between testis and brain high molecular weight MAPs using both polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies. Unlike brain high molecular weight MAPs, testis high molecular weight MAPs were not heat stable. Testis MAP composition, studied on postnatal days 5, 10, 15, and 24 and in the adult, changed dramatically during ontogeny. However, the expression of the major testis high molecular weight MAP, called HMW-2, was constitutive and independent of the development of mature germ cells. The Sertoli cell origin of HMW-2 was confirmed by identifying this protein as the major MAP found in an enriched Sertoli cell preparation and in two rat models of testicular injury characterized by germ cell depletion. HMW-2 was selectively released from testis microtubules by ATP and co-purified by sucrose density gradient centrifugation with MAP- 1C, a neuronal cytoplasmic dynein. The inhibition of the microtubule- activated ATPase activity of HMW-2 by vanadate and erythro-(2-hydroxy-3- nonyl)adenine and its proteolytic breakdown by vanadate-dependent UV photocleavage confirmed the dynein-like nature of HMW-2. As demonstrated by this study, the neuronal and Sertoli cell cytoskeletons share morphological, structural and functional properties.
University of Birmingham Development of a detailed chemical mechanism (MCMv3.1) for the atmospheric oxidation of aromatic hydrocarbons

The Master Chemical Mechanism has been updated from MCMv3 to MCMv3.1 in order to take into account recent improvements in the understanding of aromatic photo-oxidation. Newly available kinetic and product data from the literature have been incorporated into the mechanism. In particular, the degradation mechanisms for hydroxyarenes have been revised following the observation of high yields of ring-retained products, and product studies of aromatic oxidation under relatively low NO x conditions have provided new information on the branching ratios to ﬁrst generation products. Experiments have been carried out at the European Photoreactor (EUPHORE) to investigate key subsets of the toluene system. These results have been used to test our understanding of toluene oxidation, and, where possible, reﬁne the degradation mechanisms. The evaluation of MCMv3 and MCMv3.1 using data on benzene, toluene, p -xylene and 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene photosmog systems is described in a companion paper, and signiﬁcant model shortcomings are identiﬁed. Ideas for additional modiﬁcations to the mechanisms, and for future experiments to further our knowledge of the details of aromatic photo-oxidation are discussed.
Two messenger RNA isoforms of the gonadotrophin‐releasing hormone receptor, generated by alternative splicing and/or promoter usage, are differentially expressed in rainbow trout gonads during gametogenesis

The recent cloning of a gonadotrophin‐releasing hormone receptor (GnRH‐R) cDNA from rainbow trout showed that it contains several in‐frame ATG codons, one of which, ATG2, corresponds to that found in other species. However, an upstream codon, ATG1, could give rise to a protein with a larger extracellular domain. Using S1 nuclease assay and a method combining primer extension and RACE‐PCR, we characterized a second population of mRNA, termed mRNA‐2, with a distinct 5′untranslated region and lacking ATG1. The genomic origin of the two mRNAs was determined by establishing the complete gene structure, which shows, for the first time in a vertebrate species that an alternative splicing and promoter usage generate two GnRH‐R mRNA variants whose 5′ extremities are encoded by two different exons. The analysis of the tissue distribution indicated that mRNA‐2 presents a broader pattern of expression and is detected at higher levels than mRNA‐1. Interestingly, it was found that those two mRNAs are differentially expressed in male and female gonads during gametogenesis. In particular, the variations of mRNA‐1 levels parallel those of sGnRH expression during spermatogenesis, indicating that tissue‐specific processing of the GnRH‐R mRNA may underlie the effects of GnRH as a paracrine/autocrine regulator of gonadal functions Mol. Reprod. Dev. 63: 151–160, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Initiative for Policy Dialogue Working Paper Series May 2009 Measuring Poverty in a Growing World ( Or Measuring Growth in a Poor World )

The extent to which growth reduces global poverty has been disputed for 30 years. Although there are better data than ever before, controversies are not resolved. A major problem is that consumption measured from household surveys, which is used to measure poverty, grows less rapidly than consumption measured in national accounts, in the world as a whole and in large countries, particularly India, China, and the United States. In consequence, measured poverty has fallen less rapidly than appears warranted by measured growth in poor countries. One plausible cause is that richer households are less likely to participate in surveys. But growth in the national accounts is also upward biased, and consumption in the national accounts contains large and rapidly growing items that are not consumed by the poor and not included in surveys. So it is possible for consumption of the poor to grow less rapidly than national consumption, without any increase in measured inequality. Current statistical procedures in poor countries understate the rate of global poverty reduction, and overstate growth in the world.
Quantized compute and forward: A low-complexity architecture for distributed antenna systems

We consider a low-complexity version of the Compute and Forward scheme that involves only scaling, offset (dithering removal) and scalar quantization at the relays. The proposed scheme is suited for the uplink of a distributed antenna system where the antenna elements must be very simple and are connected to a joint processor via orthogonal perfect links of given rate R0. We consider the design of non-binary LDPC codes naturally matched to the proposed scheme. Each antenna element performs individual (decentralized) Belief Propagation decoding of its own quantized signal, and sends a linear combination of the users' information messages via the noiseless link to the joint processor, which retrieves the users' messages by Gaussian elimination. The complexity of this scheme is linear in the coding block length and polynomial in the system size (number of relays).
Implementation Of Quadratic Rotation Decomposition Based Recursive Least Squares Algorithm

Quadratic Rotation decomposition (QRD) based recursive least squares (RLS) algorithm can be used in variety of communication applications and its low complexity implementation can be of interest. In this paper we have presented FPGA implementation of QRD based RLS algorithm using Coordinate Rotation by Digital Computer (CORDIC) operator. FPGA resource estimates along with actual implementation results illustrating the weight calculation delays have also been presented presented.
A model of supernova feedback in galaxy formation

ABSTRA C T A model of supernova feedback during disc galaxy formation is developed. The model incorporates infall of cooling gas from a halo, and outflow of hot gas from a multiphase interstellar medium (ISM). The star formation rate is determined by balancing the energy dissipated in collisions between cold gas clouds with that supplied by supernovae in a disc marginally unstable to axisymmetric instabilities. Hot gas is created by thermal evaporation of cold gas clouds in supernova remnants, and criteria are derived to estimate the characteristic temperature and density of the hot component and hence the net mass outflow rate. A number of refinements of the model are investigated, including a simple model of a galactic fountain, the response of the cold component to the pressure of the hot gas, pressure-induced star formation and chemical evolution. The main conclusion of this paper is that low rates of star formation can expel a large fraction of the gas from a dwarf galaxy. For example, a galaxy with circular speed ,50 km s 21 can expel ,60‐80 per cent of its gas over a time-scale of ,1 Gyr, with a star formation rate that never exceeds ,0.1 M( yr 21 . Effective feedback can therefore take place in a quiescent mode and does not require strong bursts of star formation. Even a large galaxy, such as the Milky Way, might have lost as much as 20 per cent of its mass in a supernova-driven wind. The models developed here suggest that dwarf galaxies at high redshifts will have low average star formation rates and may contain extended gaseous discs of largely unprocessed gas. Such extended gaseous discs might explain the numbers, metallicities and metallicity dispersions of damped Lyman a systems.
Hannah's ordeal of childlessness : interpreting 1 Samuel 1 through the prism of a childless African woman in a polygynous family

The practice of polygyny (polygamy) is attested to in many parts of Africa. One reason among many for consolidating this practice in some African cultures is the emphasis families place on having male progeny. For many polygamous men, it serves as a way-out of childlessness and "sonlessness. " But what becomes of the childless wives in such polygamous marriages? In those patriarchal African societies, where men are at the centre of the stage, the plight of childless or "sonless" wives in a polygamous marriage often goes unnoticed or ignored. By using the childless ordeal of Hannah (1 Sam 1) to mirror the plight of childless women in some polygamous African families, this article highlights the silent sufferings of such childless women and makes a clarion call for an informed and just response to their plight. In addition, it calls attention to the "silent" ordeal of Hannah in 1 Sam 1; an aspect of the text that until now has received very little attention.
An efficient feedback coding scheme with low error probability for discrete memoryless channels

Existing feedback communication schemes are either specialized to particular channels (Schalkwijk-Kailath, Horstein), apply to general channels but have high coding complexity (block feedback schemes), or are difficult to analyze (posterior matching). This paper introduces a feedback coding scheme that achieves the capacity for all discrete memoryless channels with a bound on the error exponent that approaches the sphere packing bound as the rate approaches the capacity and coding complexity of only O(n log n). These benefits are attained by combining features from previous schemes with new randomization technique and decoding rule.
Performance of bandwidth efficient multilevel HARQ schemes over wireless channels

We propose several bandwidth efficient HARQ schemes based on multilevel coded modulation in this paper. These schemes combine the bandwidth efficiency of coded modulation with power efficiency of forward error control to provide a high efficient transmission. Simulations are carried out over the wireless channels. Both throughput and reliability are found to be improved by employing the HARQ schemes based on the multilevel coded modulation instead of the conventional trellis coded modulation. Simulation and performance analysis on code combining in multilevel HARQ is also presented. Code combining in the different multilevel HARQ schemes is found to influence the multistage decoding differently. Suggestion on scheme choosing for various requirements is presented at the end.
Strain-dependent differences in corticolimbic processing of aversive or rewarding stimuli

Aberrations in the elaboration of both aversive and rewarding stimuli characterize several psychopathologies including anxiety, depression and addiction. Several studies suggest that different neurotrasmitters, within the corticolimbic system, are critically involved in the processing of positive and negative stimuli. Individual differences in this system, depending on genotype, have been shown to act as a liability factor for different psychopathologies. Inbred mouse strains are commonly used in preclinical studies of normal and pathological behaviors. In particular, C57BL/6J (C57) and DBA/2J (DBA) strains have permitted to disclose the impact of different genetic backgrounds over the corticolimbic system functions. Here, we summarize the main findings collected over the years in our laboratory, showing how the genetic background plays a critical role in modulating amminergic and GABAergic neurotransmission in prefrontal-accumbal-amygdala system response to different rewarding and aversive experiences, as well as to stress response. Finally, we propose a top-down model for the response to rewarding and aversive stimuli in which amminergic transmission in prefrontal cortex (PFC) controls accumbal and amygdala neurotransmitter response.
The effectiveness of source code obfuscation: An experimental assessment

Source code obfuscation is a protection mechanism widely used to limit the possibility of malicious reverse engineering or attack activities on a software system. Although several code obfuscation techniques and tools are available, little knowledge is available about the capability of obfuscation to reduce attackers' efficiency, and the contexts in which such an efficiencymay vary.
Working Memory Impairments in Multiple Sclerosis: Evidence From a Dual-Task Paradigm

The aim of this study was to investigate working memory in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. To test the hypothesis that the central executive system (CES) of working memory is impaired, 36 MS patients were administered a dual-task paradigm in which a judgment of line orientation measure was performed concurrently with finger tapping, humming a melody, or reciting the alphabet. MS patients exhibited a significantly greater decrement in performance than controls during the more demanding dual-task conditions (concurrent humming or alphabet recitation) as compared with the single-task condition. Dual-task performance in MS patients correlated with performance on the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test but not with other cognitive or clinical measures. The authors conclude that MS patients have a working memory deficit reflecting an impaired central executive system. Moreover, impairments in speed of information processing in MS patients are associated with this CES deficit. Memory dysfunction is the most common cognitive impairment observed in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). A long-term memory deficit in these patients is well documented (Grafman, Rao, & Litvan, 1990), but most early studies of MS patients have concluded that short-term memory (STM) is intact. Support for this claim was derived from the observation of a normal digit span, as well as an intact recency effect on supraspan list learning, measures commonly used to assess STM (Caine, Bamford, Schiffer, Shoulson, & Levy, 1986; Rao, Hammeke, McQuillen, Khatri, & Lloyd, 1984). Although most studies continue to focus on the long-term memory impairments in MS patients (Rao, Leo, & Aubin-Faubert, 1989), evidence is accumulating that STM deficits may also exist (Grigsby, Ayarbe, Kravcism, & Busenbark, 1994; Rao et al., 1993). However, the nature of these deficits remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to further investigate STM processing in MS patients. Several experimental tasks have been useful for identifying impairment in various aspects of STM in MS patients. One experimental measure, the Brown-Peterson task (Peterson & Peterson, 1959), measures consolidation of information in STM and the effect of interference on temporarily stored information. With this task, two groups of investigators (Beatty, Goodkin, Monson, Beatty, & Hertsgaard, 1988; Grant,