Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Normalization of ASR confidence classifier scores via confidence mapping

Speech recognition conﬁdence classiﬁer (CC) score quantitatively represents the correctness of decoded utterances in a [0,1] range. We associate an operating threshold with the classiﬁer and accept recognitions with scores greater than the threshold. Speech developers may set their own threshold but often an acoustic model (AM) or CC update alters the correct-accept (CA) vs. false-accept (FA) proﬁle, necessitating a threshold re-selection. This is speciﬁcally a problem when, (a) threshold is hardcoded with a shipped hardware or software, (b) developers may not have expertise for threshold tuning, (c) tuning isn’t cost-effective and may need to be done often. To our knowledge, our work is the ﬁrst to present this practical and interesting problem of avoiding threshold reselection and proposes novel conﬁdence-mapping-based techniques to improve or retain both CA and FA at previously set thresholds. We propose and evaluate, (a) histogram-based mapping, (b) polynomial-ﬁtting, (c) tanh-ﬁtting, based methods to map conﬁdences associated with false-recognitions and discuss their issues and beneﬁts. In our tests, all of the above mapping methods ﬁx the mean regression in CA of 21% to a gain to 1-2%, with tanh-mapping providing the best CA and FA tradeoff in our tests.
Pavement Crack Distress Detection Based on Image Analysis

A detecting approach has been developed in view of the properties of cracks in the pavement image. Because of the uneven illumination, threshold causes difficulties in applications of pavement image segmentation. By analyzing the signal model, we can use bilinear interpolation to obtain the correction image based on the background subset which is extracted from original pavement image. Then, the segmentation threshold could be calculated by the histogram of the correction image based on statistical criterion. After the operation of binary segmentation, final crack distress can be achieved by sequential operation of spreading cracks and eliminating isolated noises. Experimental results show that the approach is also applicable for detecting blocky distress.
Discovery of Scalable Association Rules from Large Set of Multidimensional Quantitative Datasets

In proposed approach, we introduce the problem of mining association rules in large relational tables containing both quantitative and categorical attributes. We have proposed an algorithm for Discovery of Scalable Association Rules from large set of multidimensional quantitative datasets using k-means clustering method based on the range of the attributes in the rules and Equi- depth partitioning using scale k-means for obtaining better association rules with high support and confidence. The discretization process is used to create intervals of values for every one of the attributes in order to generate the association rules. The result of the proposed algorithm discover association rules with high confidence and support in representing relevant patterns between project attributes using the scalable k-means . The experimental studies of proposed algorithm have been done and obtain results are quite encouraging.
AKRs expression in peripheral blood lymphocytes from smokers

Aldo-keto reductases (AKRs) metabolize a wide range of substrates, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), generating metabolites (o-quinones) and reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are capable of initiating and promoting carcinogenesis. Exposure to PAHs, their metabolites, and ROS further increase AKRs isoform expression that may amplify oxidative damage. Human AKR enzymes are highly polymorphic, and allelic variants may contribute to different AKRs expression in individuals. Despite the importance of AKRs in PAHs metabolism, there are no studies that evaluate, in general human populations, the effect of PAHs on AKRs expression in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs). The aim of this study was to determine the effect of tobacco smoke exposure, and AKR1A1*2 and AKR1C3*2 polymorphisms, on AKR1A1 and AKR1C1–AKR1C3 messenger RNA (mRNA) levels in PBLs from smokers. In the smoker group, there is a statistically significant positive association between AKR1A1, AKR1C1, and AKR1C3 mRNA induction and urine cotinine levels in individuals with a body mass index (BMI) less than 25. However, AKR1A1*2 and AKR1C3*2 alleles did not influence AKR1A1 and AKR1C1–AKR1C3 mRNA levels. These results suggest that AKRs induction by PAHs in smokers’ PBLs is associated with BMI; therefore, the role of adipose tissue accumulation in PAHs’ effects needs further investigation.
Precentral sulcal complex of the human brain: Morphology and statistical probability maps

The morphology of the precentral sulcus was examined via 3D visualization in 40 structural magnetic resonance images of the human brain to define its common features and their variability. The precentral sulcus is composed of two distinct sulcal configurations: 1) the inferior precentral sulcus (IP), situated caudal to the inferior frontal sulcus, and 2) the superior precentral sulcus (SP), caudal to the superior frontal sulcus. The SP was usually a single connected structure, and only in 24% of cases studied did it consist of two separate folds. The caudal end of the superior frontal sulcus and the SP merge on the surface of the brain. However, a clear separation can be established in 72% of cases by analyzing the morphology of the depth of this region in serial sections. Two or three small sulci can be identified in the area between the SP and the midline: the medial precentral sulcus, the marginal precentral sulcus, and a paramidline sulcus. The IP is composed of three different parts: a dorsal and a ventral branch, both oriented vertically, and a short horizontal extension. The ventral branch forms the caudal border of the inferior frontal gyrus, the dorsal branch forms the caudal border of the ventral portion of the middle frontal gyrus, and the horizontal extension runs in a rostrodorsal direction into the middle frontal gyrus. These three structures are closely related to each other but can, in most cases, be separated in the depth of the inferior precentral sulcal complex. J. Comp. Neurol. 493:334–356, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Two-photon resonance induced by the dipole-dipole interaction.

The two-photon absorption by a pair of two-level atoms interacting with an incident field is examined. If the laser field is weak, then the existence of the dipole-dipole interaction-induced two-photon resonance follows from the higher-order Fermi golden rule. The effects of spontaneous emission and intense fields on the dipole-dipole interaction-induced two-photon resonance is studied using density-matrix methods. The presence of an intense field is shown to result in a significant enhancement of the two-photon resonance. Numerical results for the probability of simultaneous excitation of two atoms, for the atomic correlations, and for the radiated field intensity are presented.
The changing treatment paradigm in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma: implications for nursing.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES To review the changing treatment paradigm for newly diagnosed multiple myeloma and its implications for nursing. DATA SOURCES Journal articles, textbooks, published research data. DATA SYNTHESIS The treatment approaches to newly diagnosed multiple myeloma are varied, and no consensus exists about the best choice of induction therapy prior to high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation. Novel therapies that have shown strong clinical activity in patients with relapsed or refractory myeloma currently are being explored as first-line therapy with associated higher incidence of serious complications. CONCLUSIONS Novel approaches in the treatment of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma may lead to better overall patient survival. Research is ongoing to find ways to improve progression-free and overall survival in patients with multiple myeloma. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING Oncology nurses play vital roles in the assessment and monitoring of serious complications associated with various therapies for patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. Key responsibilities include safe and effective administration of complex chemotherapeutic regimens, management of side effects, patient and family education, and coordination of a multidisciplinary approach.
Course of glycaemia in poorly controlled type 2 diabetes patients 2.5 years after optimizing oral treatment in general practice

In general practice, glycaemic control in poorly controlled type 2 diabetes patients (DM2) can be improved without insulin therapy by optimizing oral treatment (1,2). It is not well known, however, how long normoglycaemia can be maintained without exogenous insulin (3). It is also uncertain whether tight glycaemic control can be maintained in the long run with insulin therapy (4 6). The aim of this prospective study was to investigate whether poorly controlled DM2 patients in general practice, both those who were optimized with only oral hypoglycaemic agents (OHA) treatment and those who were switched immediately to insulin therapy, had acceptable glycaemic control 2.5 y after optimization.
Adaptive differentiation in floral traits in the presence of high gene flow in scarlet gilia (Ipomopsis aggregata)

Plant–pollinator interactions are thought to be major drivers of floral trait diversity. However, the relative importance of divergent pollinator‐mediated selection vs. neutral processes in floral character evolution has rarely been explored. We tested for adaptive floral trait evolution by comparing differentiation at neutral genetic loci to differentiation at quantitative floral traits in a putative Ipomopsis aggregata hybrid zone. Typical I. aggregata subsp. candida displays slender white tubular flowers that are typical of flowers pollinated by hawkmoths, and subsp. collina displays robust red tubular flowers typical of flowers pollinated by hummingbirds; yet, hybrid flower morphs are abundant across the East Slope of the Colorado Rockies. We estimated genetic differentiation (FST) for nuclear and chloroplast microsatellite loci and used a half‐sib design to calculate quantitative trait divergence (QST) from collection sites across the morphological hybrid zone. We found little evidence for population structure and estimated mean FST to be 0.032. QST values for several floral traits including corolla tube length and width, colour, and nectar volume were large and significantly greater than mean FST. We performed multivariate comparisons of neutral loci to genetic correlations within and between populations and found a strong signal for divergent selection, suggesting that specific combinations of floral display and reward traits may be the targets of selection. Our results show little support for historical subspecies categories, yet floral traits are more diverged than expected due to drift alone. Non‐neutral divergence for multivariate quantitative traits suggests that selection by pollinators is maintaining a correlation between display and reward traits.
Rapid induction of nuclear transcripts and inhibition of intron decay in response to the polymerase II inhibitor DRB.

The transcriptional inhibitor 5, 6-dichloro-1-beta-d-ribofuranosylbenzimidazole (DRB) is an adenosine analog that has been shown to cause premature transcriptional termination and thus has been a useful tool to identify factors important for transcriptional elongation. Here, we establish an efficient system for studying DRB-sensitive steps of transcriptional elongation. In addition, we establish two novel effects of DRB not previously reported: intron stabilization and the induction of long transcripts by a mechanism other than premature termination. We found that DRB had a biphasic effect on T-cell receptor-beta (TCRbeta) transcripts driven by a tetracycline (tet)-responsive promoter in transfected HeLa cells. In the first phase, DRB caused a rapid decrease (within five minutes) of pre-mRNA and its spliced intron (IVS1(Cbeta1)), consistent with the known ability of DRB to inhibit transcription. In the second phase (which began ten minutes to two hours after treatment, depending on the dose), DRB dramatically increased the levels of IVS1(Cbeta1)-containing transcripts by a mechanism requiring de novo RNA synthesis. DRB induced the appearance of short 0.4 to 0.8 kb TCRbeta transcripts in vivo, indicating DRB enhances premature transcriptional termination. A approximately 475 nt prematurely terminated transcript (PT) was characterized that terminated at an internal poly(A) tract in the intron IVS1(Cbeta1). We identified three other effects of DRB. First, we observed that DRB induced the appearance of heterodisperse TCRbeta transcripts that were too long ( approximately 1 kb to >8 kb) to result from the type of premature termination events previously described. Their production was not promoter-specific, as we found that long transcripts were induced by DRB from both the tet-responsive and beta-actin promoters. Second, DRB upregulated full-length normal-sized c-myc mRNA, which provided further evidence that DRB has effects besides regulation of premature termination. Third, DRB stabilized lariat forms of the intron IVS1(Cbeta1), indicating that DRB exerts post-transcriptional actions. We propose that our model system will be useful for elucidating the factors that regulate RNA decay and transcriptional elongation in vivo.
Social Organization and Confucian Thought in Vietnam

To analyze Vietnamese social organization, we must put aside ourimage of it as similar to that of China, with its patrilineal clans. Writings on Vietnam have portrayed a country molded by its northern neighbour in the “thousand years of Chinese domination” of the first millennium A.D. to such an extent that all things Vietnamese must needs be seen in a Chinese and indeed a Confucian light. Socially, this means domination by the male and the father, patrilineal succession, and clan organization, that is, a certain rigidity in social organization.
Imaging by Modification: Numerical Reconstruction of Local Conductivities from Corresponding Power Density Measurements

We discuss the reconstruction of the impedance from the local power density. This study is motivated by a new imaging principle which allows us to recover interior measurements of the energy density by a noninvasive method. We discuss the theoretical feasibility in two dimensions, and propose numerical algorithms to recover the conductivity in two and three dimensions. The efficiency of this approach is documented by several numerical simulations.
Apoptosis and necrosis occurring in excitotoxic cell death in isolated chick embryo retina

Excitotoxic studies using isolated chick embryo retina indicated that such an in vitro model provides a valid tool to characterize the effect of different agonists for subtypes of glutamate ionotropic receptors. In retinas maintained for 24 h in a Krebs medium, after a brief exposure (30 min) to glutamate agonists, we compared the effects produced by NMDA and non‐NMDA‐agonists, such as kainic acid (KA) or α‐amino‐3‐hydroxy‐5‐methyl‐4‐isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA). Delayed retinal damage was assessed by measuring lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) present in the medium after exposure to the previously named agonists. Although at high concentrations, both KA and AMPA produced more relevant release than NMDA, 7–8% of total retinal LDH was released after exposure to a 50 µm concentration of non‐NMDA agonists. These values were similar to those obtained after 100 µm NMDA. In this regard, retinal tissue appeared to be less sensitive to excitotoxicity based on the activation of NMDA receptor subtype. All three agents produced histopathological lesions typical for excitotoxic damage. A delayed form of excitotoxicity observed in retina segments was predominated by necrotic features. However, the activation of apoptotic machinery early during the incubation period subsequent to brief exposure to NMDA (100 µm) was also present. The activation of caspase enzymes was studied by a fluorometric protease activity assay as well as by western blot analysis. Caspase‐3‐like activity reached the highest value within 3 h of incubation after exposure to excitotoxin, then the level of enzyme activity declined to lower values. As confirmed by a time‐related appearance of TUNEL‐positive nuclei, apoptotic features appeared to be specific for retina response to NMDA. In contrast, the exposure to a 50 µm concentration of KA or AMPA induced necrotic cell damage which was evident through the incubation, leading to a delayed mechanism of excitotoxicity. These observations provide evidence that in the retinal model, with regard to agonist concentrations and subtype of glutamate receptors, the cascade of events leading to excitotoxicity may result in either apoptotic or necrotic neuronal cell damage.
RISKOF ANENCEPHALYINMIGRANT AND NON-MIGRANT WOMEN INTHE OXFORD AREA

Geographical variation intheincidence ofneural tubeabnormalities, particularly anencephalus, is welldocumented. Penrose(1957) reviewed the available European dataandfoundthatthehighest ratesforanencephalus werefoundinIreland, Wales, andwestemregions ofEngland andScotland, andthattheydecreased progressively towardsEasternEurope.Stevenson, Johnston, Stewart, andGolding (1966), intheir comparative studyofcongenital malformations, confirmed a widevariation intheincidence ofneural tube defects inthe24centres studied. Fromnational statistics (Fig. 1)itisapparent thatthehighest stillbirth ratesintheBritish Isles duetoneural tubeabnormalities intheyears 19611965occurred inNorthern Ireland, Scotland, and Walesanddecreased progressively towards the south andeastofEngland. Animportant question arising fromthese observations iswhether thegeographical variations in neural abnormalities notedabovearerelated to environmental factors operating during pregnancy, orwhether theymaybeduetootherlong-term influences, including thegenetic structure ofthe population. A possible methodofresolving this problem inpolytypic populations, asshownby Carter andWoolf(1961) ina study ofphenyl ketonuria, istoexamine theparental birthplaces of casestodetermine whether migrant groups share theexperience ofthehostpopulation orthepopulation fromwhichtheyoriginated. ThusCarter andWoolf, byexamining thebirthplaces ofparents andgrandparents ofchildren withphenyl ketonuria borninsouth-east England, wereable todemonstrate thatthegenefrequency forthis disorder isapproximately fourtimesgreater inthepopulation of Ireland andwestScotland thaninsouth-east England. Inthispapera studyismadeoftheriskof neural tubedefects occurring inbabies borninthe OxfordRecordLinkage StudyAreainthefive
Impact of the Garrett Lee Smith youth suicide prevention program on suicide mortality.

OBJECTIVES We examined whether a reduction in youth suicide mortality occurred between 2007 and 2010 that could reasonably be attributed to Garrett Lee Smith (GLS) program efforts. METHODS We compared youth mortality rates across time between counties that implemented GLS-funded gatekeeper training sessions (the most frequently implemented suicide prevention strategy among grantees) and a set of matched counties in which no GLS-funded training occurred. A rich set of background characteristics, including preintervention mortality rates, was accounted for with a combination of propensity score-based techniques. We also analyzed closely related outcomes that we did not expect to be affected by GLS as control outcomes. RESULTS Counties implementing GLS training had significantly lower suicide rates among the population aged 10 to 24 years the year after GLS training than similar counties that did not implement GLS training (1.33 fewer deaths per 100 000; P = .02). Simultaneously, we found no significant difference in terms of adult suicide mortality rates or nonsuicide youth mortality the year after the implementation. CONCLUSIONS These results support the existence of an important reduction in youth suicide rates resulting from the implementation of GLS suicide prevention programming.
Isolation and partial characterization of three pregnancy‐associated glycoproteins from the ewe placenta

Pregnancy‐associated glycoproteins (PAGs) are synthesized in the outer epithelial layer of the placenta in artiodactyls. In this work, three novel ovine PAGs were isolated from late‐pregnancy fetal cotyledons and characterized biochemically. The isolation procedure included acid and ammonium sulfate precipitations and anion and cation exchange chromatographies. The isolated PAGs have different NH2‐terminal amino acid sequences (RGSXLTILPLRNMRDIVY, ISRVSXLTIHPLRNIMDML, and RGSNLTIHPLRNIRD) and apparent molecular masses (55, 57, and 59 kDa). Each shows several isoforms with different pI values. The three proteins share high sequence identity with each other and with other ovine, bovine, and caprine PAGs. They have not been described previously. The ovPAG‐59 sequence differs from the previously identified ovPAG‐4 sequence (determined by DNA cloning and sequencing) at only one position among the 15 N‐terminal residues. The newly characterized ovPAGs and the procedure used to isolate them will be helpful in producing new antisera for investigating PAG secretion in pregnant ewes. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 64: 199–206, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Early immunization; its possible influence on Canadian mortality figures.

RECENTLY there has been a trend toward starting inoculations against diphtheria and whooping cough at an age earlier than 6 to 7 months. In reply to a questionnaire which was answered by 9 of 12 Medical Officers of Health of various cities in Canada, 6 indicated that they were recommending immunization against these two diseases starting at 3 to 4 months of age. Neither Montreal nor Toronto, Canada's two largest cities, endorse this view at the moment. One of the principal objectives of any immunization program is the reduction of mortality. Before any change in a program should be considered therefore, one must ask at least two questions. First of all, is the program that is now in use satisfactory? That is, is there really any necessity for changing it? Second, will the recommended change make any difference in mortality figures? Table 1 shows the total number of deaths from