Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Interactive Music Generation with Positional Constraints using Anticipation-RNNs

Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNS) are now widely used on sequence generation tasks due to their ability to learn long-range dependencies and to generate sequences of arbitrary length. However, their left-to-right generation procedure only allows a limited control from a potential user which makes them unsuitable for interactive and creative usages such as interactive music generation. This paper introduces a novel architecture called Anticipation-RNN which possesses the assets of the RNN-based generative models while allowing to enforce user-defined positional constraints. We demonstrate its efficiency on the task of generating melodies satisfying positional constraints in the style of the soprano parts of the J.S. Bach chorale harmonizations. Sampling using the Anticipation-RNN is of the same order of complexity than sampling from the traditional RNN model. This fast and interactive generation of musical sequences opens ways to devise real-time systems that could be used for creative purposes.
Why Do Poor Households Not Apply For Welfare Benefits?: Evidence from Jamaica’s Path Program

Estimates show only 56 percent of poor households who are eligible for benefits under the Program of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH) in Jamaica actually applied to the program. Also, application rate among urban households is approximately half the rate that exists among poor rural households. This study investigates potential reasons for the relatively low application rate. Using data compiled by the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN), we conclude that single male household heads are two to four times less likely to apply for benefits compared to households headed by females and married couples. Problems regarding information about PATH and the complexity of the application process have the greatest impact on the decision not to apply.
A novel iterative method for lesion delineation and volumetric quantification with FDG PET

ObjectivesThe determination of lesion boundaries on FDG PET is difficult due to the point-spread blurring and unknown uptake of activity within a lesion. Standard threshold-based methods for volumetric quantification on PET usually neglect any size dependence and are biased by dependence on the signal-to-background ratio (SBR). A novel, model-based method is hypothesized to provide threshold levels independent f the SBR and to allow accurate measurement of volumes down to the resolution of the PET scanner. MethodsA background-subtracted relative-threshold level (RTL) method was derived, based on a convolution of the point-spread function and a sphere with diameter D. Validation of the RTL method was performed using PET imaging of a Jaszczak phantom with seven hollow spheres (D=10–60 mm). Activity concentrations for the background and spheres (signal) were varied to obtain SBRs of 1.5–10. An iterative procedure was introduced for volumetric quantification, as the optimal RTL depends on a priori knowledge of the volume. The feasibility of the RTL method was tested in two patients with liver metastases and compared to a standard method using a fixed percentage of the signal. ResultsPhantom data validated that the theoretically optimal RTL depends on the sphere size, but not on the SBR. Typically, RTL=40% (D=15–60 mm), and RTL>50% for small spheres (D<12 mm). The RTL method is better applicable to patient data than the standard method. ConclusionsBased on an iterative procedure, the RTL method has been shown to provide optimal threshold levels independent of the SBR and to be applicable in phantom and in patient studies. It is a promising tool for lesion delineation and volumetric quantification of PET lesions.
A single-period auction game model for modeling oligopolistic competition in pool-based electricity markets

A single-period auction game model in a pool-based electricity market is introduced in the paper. The authors study the Nash equilibrium in pure strategy sense. First equilibrium characterization under tight capacity constraints is provided. Then it is demonstrated that the auction game does not possess a pure strategy Nash equilibrium under a wide range of market conditions. To enhance the prediction power of the auction game model, a weaker form of equilibrium, quasi-equilibrium is introduced. The paper provides a characterization of quasi-equilibrium under weak capacity constraints.
Manufacturing Industries in the UK: Was There Convergence during the 1968-1992 Period?

This paper uses detailed industry level time-series data for the UK regions which suggests that convergence (at least in terms of output-per-employee) was not occurring during the period 1968-92. Based on testing for unit roots, it is found that in a majority of industries and regions growth was divergent, and consequently there is little empirical support for the neoclassical "long-run catch up" model. Copyright 1999 by Scottish Economic Society.
Automated fault diagnosis in nonlinear multivariable systems using a learning methodology

The paper presents a robust fault diagnosis scheme for detecting and approximating state and output faults occurring in a class of nonlinear multiinput-multioutput dynamical systems. Changes in the system dynamics due to a fault are modeled as nonlinear functions of the control input and measured output variables. Both state and output faults can be modeled as slowly developing (incipient) or abrupt, with each component of the state/output fault vector being represented by a separate time profile. The robust fault diagnosis scheme utilizes on-line approximators and adaptive nonlinear filtering techniques to obtain estimates of the fault functions. Robustness with respect to modeling uncertainties, fault sensitivity and stability properties of the learning scheme are rigorously derived and the theoretical results are illustrated by a simulation example of a fourth-order satellite model.
THE GLOBALIZATION OF PUBLIC OPINION RESEARCH

▪ Abstract As globalization has opened up channels of communication between different countries and increased interest in cross-national analysis, public opinion survey research has expanded its reach in the world. This article examines both the breadth and the depth of the globalization of public opinion research. First, we discuss the growth of cross-national surveys such as the World Values Survey, the International Social Survey Program, the European Social Survey, and the various Global Barometers. We then turn to the issues of data quality and comparability. Has the globalization of survey research meant the spread of a standard “product” of known and equivalent quality to diverse countries? Can survey research in diverse countries and contexts deliver meaningful comparisons of public opinion? Has globalization led to the dominance of an intellectual framework and set of assumptions that may not be quite appropriate outside their original homes? Finally, the article suggests a new standard for “grad.
Multiple target tracking by appearance-based condensation tracker using structure information

Multiple target tracking is a challenging problem, especially when targets are frequently crossing each other. It becomes very difficult and confusing when some targets are often occluded by other targets. This paper proposes a novel tracking method for the problem using an appearance-based condensation tracker. In order to overcome difficulties in the occlusion problem, a target object is regarded as a set of parts that constrains each other in the target structure. While each part is tracked basically in the condensation method, all the parts cooperate in the drift step of the condensation. Experimental results show the effectiveness of the proposed method for multiple person tracking and human face tracking.
Propagation of Rabies Virus in Pig Kidney Cell Culture.

SUCCESS in propagating rabies virus in cells of non-neural origin had eluded workers until Kissling reported in 1958 (3) the growth of this virus in tissue cultures of hamster kidney. Subsequently (1960) Kaplan, Forsek and Koprowski (2) and Fenje (1) reported the growth of rabies virus also in hamster cell cultures. Rabies vaccines produced in nerve tissue and egg embryo have a high protein content and, when used for prophylaxis, have certain disadvantages. With this in mind, and the realization that it is impractical to produce large amounts of vaccine in cultures of hamster kidney cells, study was undertaken using pig kidney cells.
Vertical Contracts between Airports and Airlines: is there a Trade-off between Welfare and Competitiveness?

Airports and airlines have been increasingly establishing vertical contracts, with important implications for policy issues, namely for regulation and price discrimination legislation. In this paper, we develop a model that analyses the effects of three types of vertical contract, regarding welfare, pro-competitiveness and the scope for regulation. We find that two types of contract are anti-competitive, and that in all of them consumers are better off, though within some conditions. We also conclude that regulation may improve welfare, depending on the type of contract, and that price capping has different effects according to the facility which has its price capped. © 2011 LSE and the University of Bath
Slowdown in China: what risks for the world economy?

June 2014 43 A nalysts are suggesting more and more frequently that there is a risk that imbalances in the Chinese economy will result in a crisis. The Chinese economy, as measured in the national accounts, has unquestionably slowed considerably since the beginning of 2012. Growth settled at around 7.7% in 2012 and 2013, against 10% per year on average between 1999 and 2011. Although this slowdown may have been magnified by short-term economic factors (backlash from stimulus plans, monetary tightening, crisis in the Eurozone), it is mainly structural. Demographic changes, natural and ecological constraints, especially regarding hydrocarbon resources, and above all the loss of momentum in the recovery process all lend weight to the idea that growth in the longer term will be less than 10%. On the one hand, cost competitiveness seems to be eroded and investment in capital goods is slowing markedly. On the other hand, China is approaching the level of GDP per capita at which countries in catch-up mode generally start to slow. The experiences of other Asian countries (especially Singapore and South Korea) which have gone through an intense catch-up period show similarities, especially in the turning-point of the construction sector, which always happens just at the moment when the economy slows.
On exploiting spatial correlation for energy harvesting wireless sensor networks

Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) is a set of inexpensive densely deployed sensor nodes with limited functionalities and scarcity in energies. The observations of sensors are forwarded directly to the Base Station (BS). In densely deployed sensors, sensing data are likely to be highly correlated in space domain, which produces unfavorable redundant readings and wasting in energy. In this paper, we propose an Event Distortion-Based Node Selection (EDNS) algorithm which exploits spatial correlation for reducing inessential sensor nodes that have correlated readings for improving Energy-Efficiency (EE) with acceptable distortion level. Furthermore, we derive a theoretical framework of distortion function for single-hop communication model to observe the advantages from energy harvesting to the accuracy level. Furthermore, the trade-off between energy consumption and distortion level is investigated.
Elements of Concern in Pre-Service Art Teaching

This case study identifies key elements of concern in pre-service art teaching by exploring the experiences of pre-service teachers and cooperating teachers engaged in an 18-week pre-service art teaching experience. Three pre-service art teachers and six cooperating art teachers participated in the study. Data collection included interviews with pre-service art teachers and their cooperating teachers, class observations, lesson plans, teaching resources, videos, and the weekly journals of pre-service art teachers. The content analysis of the data reveals key elements of concern in pre-service art teaching: classroom management, balancing and integrating art curriculum content areas, and transfer of art content into pre-service art teaching. The findings have implications for the enhancement of art education programs and pre-service art teaching experiences.
The UK Consumption Boom of the Late 1980s: Aggregate Implications of Microeconomic Evidence

Two competing explanations of the UK consumer boom in the late 1980s are the financial liberalization-imperfect housing market hypothesis of Muellbauer and Murphy and the hypothesis of King. We use 15 years of Family Expenditure Surveys, and cohort analysis, to investigate to what extent these two hypotheses agree with observed changes in consumption patterns. We find that the housing markets explanation accounts for much of the increase by older cohorts, but cannot be reconciled with the marked rise in expenditure levels of younger households. A simple simulation exercise shows instead that the expectations hypothesis can generate increases of expenditure by young consumers of the magnitude observed in our data. Copyright 1994 by Royal Economic Society.
Human Papillomavirus Type 16 L1 Capsomeres Induce L1-Specific Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes and Tumor Regression in C57BL/6 Mice

ABSTRACT We analyzed capsomeres of human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16) consisting of the L1 major structural protein for their ability to trigger a cytotoxic T-cell (CTL) response. To this end, we immunized C57BL/6 mice and used the L1165-173 peptide for ex vivo restimulation of splenocytes prior to analysis (51Cr release assay and enzyme-linked immunospot assay [ELISPOT]). This peptide was identified in this study as a Db-restricted naturally processed CTL epitope by HPV16 L1 sequence analysis, major histocompatibility complex class I binding, and 51Cr release assays following immunization of C57BL/6 mice with HPV16 L1 virus-like particles (VLPs). HPV16 L1 capsomeres were obtained by purification of HPV16 L1 lacking 10 N-terminal amino acids after expression in Escherichia coli as a glutathione S-transferase fusion protein (GST-HPV16 L1ΔN10). Sedimentation analysis revealed that the majority of the purified protein consisted of pentameric capsomeres, and assembled particles were not observed in minor contaminating higher-molecular-weight material. Subcutaneous (s.c.) as well as intranasal immunization of C57BL/6 mice with HPV16 L1 capsomeres triggered an L1-specific CTL response in a dose-dependent manner as measured by ELISPOT and 51Cr release assay. Significant reduction of contaminating bacterial endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide) from the capsomere preparation did not diminish the immunogenicity. Antibody responses (serum and vaginal) were less robust under the experimental conditions employed. In addition, s.c. vaccination with HPV16 L1 capsomeres induced regression of established tumors expressing L1 determinants (C3 tumor cells). Our data demonstrate that capsomeres are potent inducers of CTL responses similar to completely assembled T=7 VLPs. This result is of potential relevance for the development of (combined prophylactic and therapeutic) HPV-specific vaccines, since capsomeres can be produced easily and also can be modified to incorporate heterologous sequences such as early HPV proteins.
Zinc Finger Protein, Multitype 1, Suppresses Human Th2 Development via Downregulation of IL-4

Background: Among several GATA family transcription factor-associating proteins, zinc finger protein, multitype 1 (ZFPM1), at least that of murine origin, has been shown to modulate the activity of GATA-3. However, the functional role of human ZFPM1 in the immune system has not been elucidated. Therefore, we here investigated the contribution of ZFPM1 to human Th1/Th2 differentiation. Methods: The cDNA of ZFPM1 was cloned and introduced into human cord blood CD4+ T cells by a lentiviral transduction system. Then, the expression of IL-4 and IFN-γ mRNA was determined by quantitative real-time RT-PCR. The effect of ZFPM1 on the promoter activity of IL-4 and IFN-γ in Jurkat cells was also investigated. Results: Stimulation-induced expression of IL-4 and IFN-γ in human CD4+ T cells was suppressed and enhanced, respectively, by the introduction of ZFPM1. The transcriptional activity of IL-4 was also diminished by ZFPM1, whereas that of IFN-γ was not affected. Conclusion: ZFPM1 that facilitates human Th1 differentiation via the downregulation of IL-4 is a potential target for the treatment of allergic diseases.
Study of fusion strategies and exploiting the combination of MFCC and PNCC features for robust biometric speaker identification

In this paper, a new combination of features and normalization methods is investigated for robust biometric speaker identification. Mel Frequency Cepstral Coefficients (MFCC) are efficient for speaker identification in clean speech while Power Normalized Cepstral Coefficients (PNCC) features are robust for noisy environments. Therefore, combining both features together is better than taking each one individually. In addition, Cepstral Mean and Variance Normalization (CMVN) and Feature Warping (FW) are used to mitigate possible channel effects and the handset mismatch in voice measurements. Speaker modelling is based on a Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) with a universal background model (UBM). Coupled parameter learning between the speaker models and UBM is utilized to improve performance. Finally, maximum, mean and weighted sum fusions of model scores are used to enhance the Speaker Identification Accuracy (SIA). Verifications conducted on the TIMIT database with and without noise confirm performance improvement.
Advancement in Computing: Implications for Tourism and Hospitality

The objective of this paper is to shed some light on advancement in computing techniques and tools with respect to artificial neural networks (ANN) and knowledge discovery in database (KDD) as part of an eclectic portfolio of research tools and to provide some practical implications for research efforts. Although the orientation of this paper is more towards tourism research in general, some of the points and suggestions would also have applications in hospitality. The article argues that most of our research methods and tools are no longer separate entities. Thus, a major trend in research is the merging of research tools and approaches to conducting research. An eclectic method of analysis toward competing techniques and methods of generating and disseminating knowledge is needed. This eclectic approach is essential when selecting and designing the most effective research environment in which the researcher would generate relevant timely and cost effective information that would help understand the complexity of research issues in tourism and hospitality.
The Goodwin Oscillator: On the Importance of Degradation Reactions in the Circadian Clock

This article focuses on the Goodwin oscillator and related minimal models, which describe negative feedback schemes that are of relevance for the circadian rhythms in Neurospora, Drosophila, and probably also in mammals. The temperature behavior of clock mutants in Neurospora crassa and Drosophila melanogaster are well described by the Goodwin model, at least on a semi-quantitative level. A similar semi-quantitative description has been found for Neurospora crassa phase response curves with respect to moderate temperature pulses, heat shock pulses, and pulses of cycloheximide. A characteristic feature in the Goodwin and related models is that degradation of clock-mRNA and clock protein species plays an important role in the control of the oscillator's period. As predicted by this feature, recent experimental results from Neurospora crassa indicate that the clock (FRQ) protein of the long period mutant frq 7 is degraded approximately twice as slow as the corresponding wild-type protein. Quantitative RT-PCR indicates that experimental frq 7 -mRNA concentrations are significantly higher than wild-type levels. The latter findings cannot be modeled by the Goodwin oscillator.Therefore,athresholdinhibitionmechanismoftranscriptionis proposed.
Monsanto: Planting Local Seeds, Sprouting Global Effects

This paper examines the activities of Monsanto, spe cifically its role in the seed industry and the implications for the autonomy of f armers and food security. The study situates the role of Monsanto in the broader context of globalization. The paper argues that today’s globalized world has led to the creation of multinational monopolies, like Monsanto, who are tightening their grasp on the world seed market, striving for market supremacy to the detrim ent of farmers’ rights, food security in particular and the global environment a t large.
Activation of somatostatin 2 receptors in the brain and the periphery induces opposite changes in circulating ghrelin levels: functional implications

Somatostatin is an important modulator of neurotransmission in the central nervous system and acts as a potent inhibitor of hormone and exocrine secretion and regulator of cell proliferation in the periphery. These pleiotropic actions occur through interaction with five G protein-coupled somatostatin receptor subtypes (sst1-5) that are widely expressed in the brain and peripheral organs. The characterization of somatostatin’s effects can be investigated by pharmacological or genetic approaches using newly developed selective sst agonists and antagonists and mice lacking specific sst subtypes. Recent evidence points toward a divergent action of somatostatin in the brain and in the periphery to regulate circulating levels of ghrelin, an orexigenic hormone produced by the endocrine X/A-like cells in the rat gastric mucosa. Somatostatin interacts with the sst2 in the brain to induce an increase in basal ghrelin plasma levels and counteracts the visceral stress-related decrease in circulating ghrelin. By contrast, stimulation of peripheral somatostatin-sst2 signaling results in the inhibition of basal ghrelin release and mediates the postoperative decrease in circulating ghrelin. The peripheral sst2-mediated reduction of plasma ghrelin is likely to involve a paracrine action of D cell-derived somatostatin acting on sst2 bearing X/A-like ghrelin cells in the gastric mucosa. The other member of the somatostatin family, named cortistatin, in addition to binding to sst1-5 also directly interacts with the ghrelin receptor and therefore may simultaneously modulate ghrelin release and actions at target sites bearing ghrelin receptors representing a link between the ghrelin and somatostatin systems.
Classification of hyperspectral image based on principal component analysis and deep learning

Classification is an important way to explore the information in hyperspectral images (HSIs). Deep learning algorithm has been introduced into HSI processing and achieved some preliminary results. Deep belief network (DBN) is a typical deep learning model, which combines the advantages of unsupervised and supervised learning and has a good performance in big data classification. In this paper, taken into account both the spatial information and the spectral characteristics of HSI, a hybrid classification method combined DBN with principal component analysis (PCA) is proposed. Experimental results show that the PCA-DBN method has promising prospect in the HSI classification.