Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Exemplar-Based Voice Conversion Using Sparse Representation in Noisy Environments

This paper presents a voice conversion (VC) technique for noisy environments, where parallel exemplars are introduced to encode the source speech signal and synthesize the target speech signal. The parallel exemplars (dictionary) consist of the source exemplars and target exemplars, having the same texts uttered by the source and target speakers. The input source signal is decomposed into the source exemplars, noise exemplars and their weights (activities). Then, by using the weights of the source exemplars, the converted signal is constructed from the target exemplars. We carried out speaker conversion tasks using clean speech data and noise-added speech data. The effectiveness of this method was confirmed by comparing its effectiveness with that of a conventional Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM)-based method. key words: voice conversion, exemplar-based, sparse coding, non-negative matrix factorization, noise robustness
The XMM Cluster Survey: predicted overlap with the Planck Cluster Catalogue

We present a list of 15 clusters of galaxies, serendipitously detected by the XMM Cluster Survey (XCS), that have a high probability of detection by the Planck satellite. Three of them already appear in the Planck Early Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (ESZ) catalogue. The estimation of the Planck detection probability assumes the flat Lambda cold dark matter (ΛCDM) cosmology most compatible with 7-year Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP7) data. It takes into account the XCS selection function and Planck sensitivity, as well as the covariance of the cluster X-ray luminosity, temperature and integrated Comptonization parameter, as a function of cluster mass and redshift, determined by the Millennium gas simulations. We also characterize the properties of the galaxy clusters in the final data release of the XCS that we expect Planck will have detected by the end of its extended mission. Finally, we briefly discuss possible joint applications of the XCS and Planck data.
Sources and production of organic aerosol in Mexico City: insights from the combination of a chemical transport model (PMCAMx-2008) and measurements during MILAGRO

Urban areas are large sources of organic aerosols and their precursors. Nevertheless, the contributions of pri- mary (POA) and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) to the ob- served particulate matter levels have been difficult to quan- tify. In this study the three-dimensional chemical transport model PMCAMx-2008 is used to investigate the temporal and geographic variability of organic aerosol in the Mex- ico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA) during the MILAGRO campaign that took place in the spring of 2006. The or- ganic module of PMCAMx-2008 includes the recently de- veloped volatility basis-set framework in which both primary and secondary organic components are assumed to be semi- volatile and photochemically reactive and are distributed in logarithmically spaced volatility bins. The MCMA emis- sion inventory is modified and the POA emissions are dis- tributed by volatility based on dilution experiments. The model predictions are compared with observations from four different types of sites, an urban (T0), a suburban (T1), a rural (T2), and an elevated site in Pico de Tres Padres (PTP). The performance of the model in reproducing or- ganic mass concentrations in these sites is encouraging. The average predicted PM1 organic aerosol (OA) concen- tration in T0, T1, and T2 is 18 µg m 3 , 11.7 µg m 3 , and 10.5 µg m 3 respectively, while the corresponding measured values are 17.2 µg m 3 , 11 µg m 3 , and 9 µg m 3 . The av- erage predicted locally-emitted primary OA concentrations, 4.4 µg m 3 at T0, 1.2 µg m 3 at T1 and 1.7 µg m 3 at PTP, are in reasonably good agreement with the corresponding PMF analysis estimates based on the Aerosol Mass Spec- trometer (AMS) observations of 4.5, 1.3, and 2.9 µg m 3 re- spectively. The model reproduces reasonably well the av- erage oxygenated OA (OOA) levels in T0 (7.5 µg m 3 pre- dicted versus 7.5 µg m 3 measured), in T1 (6.3 µg m 3 pre- dicted versus 4.6 µg m 3 measured) and in PTP (6.6 µg m 3 predicted versus 5.9 µg m 3 measured). The rest of the OA mass (6.1 µg m 3 and 4.2 µg m 3 in T0 and T1 respectively) is assumed to originate from biomass burning activities and is introduced to the model as part of the boundary condi- tions. Inside Mexico City (at T0), the locally-produced OA is predicted to be on average 60 % locally-emitted primary (POA), 6 % semi-volatile (S-SOA) and intermediate volatile (I-SOA) organic aerosol, and 34 % traditional SOA from the oxidation of VOCs (V-SOA). The average contributions of the OA components to the locally-produced OA for the en- tire modelling domain are predicted to be 32 % POA, 10 % S- SOA and I-SOA, and 58 % V-SOA. The long range transport from biomass burning activities and other sources in Mexico is predicted to contribute on average almost as much as the local sources during the MILAGRO period.
Hormonal causes of recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL)

Endocrine disorders play a major role in approximately 8% to 12% of recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). Indeed, the local hormonal milieu is crucial in both embryo attachment and early pregnancy. Endocrine abnormalities, including thyroid disorders, luteal phase defects, polycystic ovary syndrome, hyperprolactinaemia and diabetes have to be evaluated in any case of RPL. Moreover, elevated androgen levels and some endocrinological aspects of endometriosis are also factors contributing to RPL. In the present article, we review the significance of endocrine disease on RPL.
Concept-based Web Search using Domain Prediction and Parallel Query Expansion

We address the problem of irrelevant results for short queries on Web search engines using latent semantic indexing in the WordSpace model and query expansion. First, we predict the potential concept topics, which are the domains for the search terms. Next, we expand the search terms in each of the predicted domains in parallel. We then submit separate queries, specialized for each domain, to a general-purpose search engine. The user is presented with categorized search results under the predicted domains. We prepared a categorized text collection (corpus) using Web directory listing to build word association models. We compare the results obtained using this corpus with those using Reuters corpus. User evaluations indicate that our approach helps the users avoid having to examine irrelevant Web search results, especially with short queries
Factors associated with use of the female condom in Zimbabwe.

CONTEXT Because women can initiate use of the female condom, the method is believed to make it easier for women to protect themselves against sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV infection. Evidence is lacking about factors associated with trying the female condom and using it consistently. METHODS A sample of 1,740 sexually active consumers visiting retail outlets in urban Zimbabwe that sell male or female condoms were surveyed in 1998, one year after a social marketing campaign had begun. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess factors associated with ever-use of the female condom and consistent use (always or often) with marital and regular non-marital partners. RESULTS Perceived ease of use and affordability of the product and prior use of the male condom were associated with men's and women's ever-use. Consistent use with marital partners was negatively associated with reporting multiple partners in the past year (odds ratio, 0.3) and positively associated with using the device for pregnancy prevention (5.4) and previously using the male condom (8.0). Consistent use with regular non-marital partners was associated with numerous variables, including perceived ease of use (1.9) and effectiveness for STI prevention (3.8), low HIV risk perception (2.4), and use for pregnancy (2.9) and STI (2.3) prevention. CONCLUSIONS Perceived affordability and ease of use may encourage couples to try the female condom but may not lead to consistent use. Because the reasons for use can vary between marital and non-marital relationships, the female condom may need to be positioned differently for different target populations.
Corpus callosum analysis using MDL-based sequential models of shape and appearance

This paper describes a method for automatically analysing and segmenting the corpus callosum from magnetic resonance images of the brain based on the widely used Active Appearance Models (AAMs) by Cootes et al. Extensions of the original method, which are designed to improve this specific case are proposed, but all remain applicable to other domain problems. The well-known multi-resolution AAM optimisation is extended to include sequential relaxations on texture resolution, model coverage and model parameter constraints. Fully unsupervised analysis is obtained by exploiting model parameter convergence limits and a maximum likelihood estimate of shape and pose. Further, the important problem of modelling object neighbourhood is addressed. Finally, we describe how correspondence across images is achieved by selecting the minimum description length (MDL) landmarks from a set of training boundaries using the recently proposed method of Davies et al. This MDL-approach ensures a unique parameterisation of corpus callosum contour variation, which is crucial for neurological studies that compare reference areas such as rostrum, splenium, et cetera. We present quantitative and qualitative results that show that the method produces accurate, robust and rapid segmentations in a cross sectional study of 17 subjects, establishing its feasibility as a fully automated clinical tool for analysis and segmentation.
Comparison Between Spectral-Domain and Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography Angiographic Imaging of Choroidal Neovascularization

Purpose The purpose of this study was to compare imaging of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) using swept-source (SS) and spectral-domain (SD) optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). Methods Optical coherence tomography angiography was performed using a 100-kHz SS-OCT instrument and a 68-kHz SD-OCTA instrument (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc.). Both 3 × 3- and 6 × 6-mm2 scans were obtained on both instruments. The 3 × 3-mm2 SS-OCTA scans consisted of 300 A-scans per B-scan at 300 B-scan positions, and the SD-OCTA scans consisted of 245 A-scans at 245 B-scan positions. The 6 × 6-mm2 SS-OCTA scans consisted of 420 A-scans per B-scan at 420 B-scan positions, and the SD-OCTA scans consisted of 350 A-scans and 350 B-scan positions. B-scans were repeated four times at each position in the 3 × 3-mm2 scans and twice in the 6 × 6-mm2 scans. Choroidal neovascularization was excluded if not fully contained within the 3 × 3-mm2 scans. The same algorithm was used to detect CNV on both instruments. Two graders outlined the CNV, and the lesion areas were compared between instruments. Results Twenty-seven consecutive eyes from 23 patients were analyzed. For the 3 × 3-mm2 scans, the mean lesion areas for the SS-OCTA and SD-OCTA instruments were 1.17 and 1.01 mm2, respectively (P = 0.047). For the 6 × 6-mm2 scans, the mean lesion areas for the SS-OCTA and SD-OCTA instruments were 1.24 and 0.74 mm2 (P = 0.003). Conclusions The areas of CNV tended to be larger when imaged with SS-OCTA than with SD-OCTA, and this difference was greater for the 6 × 6-mm2 scans.
Patterns of Participation in Higher Education in England: A Statistical Summary and Commentary

The purpose of this paper is to identify features of participation in higher education which are distinctive to the situation in England and which have exercised an important influence on the shift to mass forms of higher education in that country. Statistical comparisons are made with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which indicate considerable variations in the levels, patterns and profiles of participation in each territory. At the same time, some limitations and cautions are voiced about the use of official statistics for this purpose, especially where data collection has been the responsibility of separate departments and different agencies.
Echoplanar chemical shift imaging

A novel method of chemical shift imaging utilizing echoplanar imaging (EPI) has been developed for the purpose of improving the spatial resolution of metabolite images for the specific goal of high spatial resolution mapping of neuronal content. An EPI sequence was modified to allow temporal offsets of the 180° refocusing pulse that encode the chemical shift information into the phase of the signal. Implementation of this method on 1.5 and 3 T human imagers has resulted in images of N‐acetyl aspartate in humans with spatial resolution of 360μl and signal‐to‐noise ratio ∼7:1 in less than 13 min. Magn Reson Med 41:877–882, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Depressive Symptoms and Attitudes Toward Counseling as Predictors of Biracial College Women's Psychological Help-Seeking Behavior

Abstract This study explored the extent to which biracial college women's attitudes toward counseling and reported depressive symptoms would predict their psychological help-seeking behavior. Results of a logistic regression analysis revealed that biracial college women with more favorable attitudes toward counseling were more likely to seek professional psychological help. In addition, biracial women with higher depression scores were more likely to seek professional mental health treatment. Implications of the findings for counseling center personnel are discussed.
Communication in a community theater group: Managing multiple group roles

A bona fide group perspective emphasizes that group members are simultaneously members of multiple groups that compete for their time and commitment. Previous research has focused on group membership in work and home settings to the exclusion of membership in “third place”; or “life enrichment”; groups such as religious, community and social groups. This ethnographic study examines how members of a community theater group communicate to construct, maintain, and negotiate their roles in order to produce a theatrical performance while managing potential conflicts with their roles in other work, social, and family groups. The most significant findings suggest that members of this community theater group make a strong temporary commitment that prioritizes membership in the theater group over other group memberships for a short period of time until the production ends and commitments to other groups resume normal levels. Members manage to make this commitment and minimize potential conflicts resulting from roles in multiple groups by auditioning for the production only if they think conflicts will be minimal, by negotiating conflicts that exist prior to committing to the group, and by informing members of other groups of their temporary commitments. This allows them to focus on their group role in order to produce a successful theatrical production.
Scalable variable and data type detection in a binary rewriter

We present scalable static analyses to recover variables, data types, and function prototypes from stripped x86 executables (without symbol or debug information) and obtain a functional intermediate representation (IR) for analysis and rewriting purposes. Our techniques on average run 352X faster than current techniques and still have the same precision. This enables analyzing executables as large as millions of instructions in minutes which is not possible using existing techniques. Our techniques can recover variables allocated to the floating point stack unlike current techniques. We have integrated our techniques to obtain a compiler level IR that works correctly if recompiled and produces the same output as the input executable. We demonstrate scalability, precision and correctness of our proposed techniques by evaluating them on the complete SPEC2006 benchmarks suite.
Second Semester Mini Project A study on weblogs and weblog communities

The weblogging phenomenon has increased in size exponentially during the past couple of years. Blogs, in contrast to normal webpages, are representations of their authors covering their various interests and enabling them to interact with other bloggers. This interaction leads to conversations of very large scale emerging in the blogspace (the space of all blogs). Such conversations are thought to be densely interconnected through hyper-linking and temporal communities are formed as a result. It is this social aspect of this new medium that attracts scientific interest. In this report we analyse the theoretical background of social network analysis and its applicability, in web-pages in general and weblogs in particular. Web communities are examined and indicative algorithms for their identification are reviewed. A critical review of current research with respect to the blogspace is then conducted.
An Assessment of the Scientific Merits of Action Research.

December 1978, volume 23 This article describes the deficiencies of positivist science for generating knowledge for use in solving problems that members of organizations face. Action research is introduced as a method for correcting these deficiencies. When action research is tested against the criteria of positivist science, action research is found not to meet its critical tests. The appropriateness of positivist science is questioned as a basis for judging the scientific merits of action research. Action research can base its legitimacy as science in philosophical traditions that are different from those which legitimate positivist science. Criteria and methods of science appropriate to action research are offered.
LCS-Hist: taming massive high-dimensional data cube compression

The problem of efficiently compressing massive high-dimensional data cubes still waits for efficient solutions capable of overcoming well-recognized scalability limitations of state-of-the-art histogram-based techniques, which perform well on small-in-size low-dimensional data cubes, whereas their performance in both representing the input data domain and efficiently supporting approximate query answering against the generated compressed data structure decreases dramatically when data cubes grow in dimension number and size. To overcome this relevant research challenge, in this paper we propose LCS-Hist, an innovative multidimensional histogram devising a complex methodology that combines intelligent data modeling and processing techniques in order to tame the annoying problem of compressing massive high-dimensional data cubes. With respect to similar histogram-based proposals, our technique introduces (i) a surprising consumption of the storage space available to house the compressed representation of the input data cube, and (ii) a superior scalability on high-dimensional data cubes. Finally, several experimental results performed against various classes of data cubes confirm the advantages of LCS-Hist, even in comparison with those given by state-of-the-art similar techniques.
Specification of the IP Flow Information Export (IPFIX) Protocol for the Exchange of IP Traffic Flow Information

This document specifies the IP Flow Information Export (IPFIX) protocol that serves for transmitting IP Traffic Flow information over the network. In order to transmit IP Traffic Flow information from an Exporting Process to an information Collecting Process, a common representation of flow data and a standard means of communicating them is required. This document describes how the IPFIX Data and Template Records are carried over a number of transport protocols from an IPFIX Exporting Process to an IPFIX Collecting Process. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
Precoding for space-time block codes in (non-)Kronecker correlated MIMO channels

A memoryless linear precoder is designed for space-time block codes (STBC) for quasi static non-frequency selective correlated Rayleigh fading multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) channels. The precoder is designed to minimize a symbol error-based metric as function of the joint transmit-receiver channel correlation coefficients which are supposed to be fed back to the transmitter. The correlation may or may not follow the Kronecker structure. We demonstrate in particular the impact of the precoder on receive correlated channels when the Kronecker model does not hold. A numerical optimization method is proposed that can be used for invertible correlation matrices. Monte Carlo simulations show that the proposed precoder outperforms a system not having a precoder for highly correlated channels.
WebProcessPAIR: recommendation system for software process improvement

ProcessPAIR is a novel tool for helping software developers analyzing their personal performance. Based on a performance model calibrated from the anonymized performance data of many developers and the performance data submitted by an individual developer, it automatically identifies and ranks potential performance problems and their root causes for that developer. In this work we present WebProcessPAIR, which extends ProcessPAIR with the ability to recommend improvement actions to address the root causes identified, based on a crowdsourcing approach. A case study illustrates WebProcessPAIR usage.
Stepwise reassembly of the nuclear envelope at the end of mitosis

The nuclear envelope consists of three distinct membrane domains: the outer membrane with the bound ribosomes, the inner membrane with the bound lamina, and the pore membrane with the bound pore complexes. Using biochemical and morphological methods, we observed that the nuclear membranes of HeLa cells undergoing mitosis are disassembled in a domain-specific manner, i.e., integral membrane proteins representing the inner nuclear membrane (the lamin B receptor) and the nuclear pore membrane (gp210) are segregated into different populations of mitotic vesicles. At the completion of mitosis, the inner nuclear membrane- derived vesicles associate with chromatin first, beginning in anaphase, whereas the pore membranes and the lamina assemble later, during telophase and cytokinesis. Our data suggest that the ordered reassembly of the nuclear envelope is triggered by the early attachment of inner nuclear membrane-derived vesicles to the chromatin.
Cancer detection from pathological images using Higher-order Local Autocorrelation feature

Pathological diagnosis, plays a very crucial role in cancer examination. However, because of the shortage of pathologists, increasing working burden has been imposed on pathologists. Aiming to reduce pathologist's burden and improve the reliability of cancer diagnosis, an innovative cancer detection method for pathological images and its extended approach for advanced ability is presented in this paper. The experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method in cancer detection and cancer location estimation.
FPGA implementation of HOG based pedestrian detector

We present a FPGA implementation of a pedestrian detector that can process VGA video at a frame rate of 30-40 frames per second in real time. The architecture implements an offline trained boosted detector in an attentional cascade. The cascade evaluates each frame using histogram of gradient (HOG) features in the LUV color space. Pedestrian targets are identified at 27 scales. Feature aggregation allows the design to operate on fewer candidate windows that would normally be required for a 640×480 frame. The design is implemented on a Xilinx Zynq FPGA using a FMC for video input. Video frames are buffered in off-chip DRAM and then streamed through a processing pipeline. The pipeline performs color space conversion, frame rescaling, HOG feature extraction, and candidate evaluation in a sliding window. The candidate evaluation is parallelized to evaluate two windows at a time. The entire pipeline is parallelized to evaluate multiple scales per frame.