Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Unified Framework of Feature Based Adaptation for Statistical Speech Synthesis and Recognition

Keywords: Vocal tract length normalization ; Mel-generalized cepstral features ; All-pass filter based bilinear transformations ; Rapid feature adaptation ; HMM-based statistical parametric speech synthesis (HTS) ; HMM-based automatic speech recognition (ASR) ; Unified modeling and adaptation of ASR and TTS ; Expectation maximization ; Model transformations ; Constrained structural maximum a posteriori linear regression ; Constrained likelihood linear regression These Ecole polytechnique federale de Lausanne EPFL, n° 5612 (2013)Programme doctoral Genie electriqueFaculte des sciences et techniques de l'ingenieurInstitut de genie electrique et electroniqueLaboratoire de l'IDIAPJury: J.-M. Vesin (president), A.W. Black, R. Schluter, J.-Ph. Thiran Public defense: 2013-4-4 Reference doi:10.5075/epfl-thesis-5612Print copy in library catalog Record created on 2013-03-18, modified on 2016-08-09
Near Optimal algorithms for constrained submodular programs with discounted cooperative costs

In this paper, we investigate two problems, namely (a) minimizing a submodular cost function under combinatorial constraints, which include cuts, matchings, paths, etc., and (b) optimizing a submodular function under submodular cover and submodular knapsack constraints. While both problems have hardness factors of Ω( √ n) for general submodular cost functions, we show how we can achieve constant approximation factors (in certain cases, even fully polynomial time approximation schemes), when we restrict the cost functions to low rank sums of concave over modular functions. A wide variety of machine learning applications are very naturally modeled via this subclass of submodular functions. Our work therefore provides a tighter connection between theory and practice by enabling theoretically satisfying guarantees for a rich class of expressible, natural, and useful submodular cost models. We empirically demonstrate the utility of our models on a real world problem of cooperative image matching.
Improved Convergence Rates for Lasserre-Type Hierarchies of Upper Bounds for Box-Constrained Polynomial Optimization

We consider the problem of minimizing a given $n$-variate polynomial $f$ over the hypercube $[-1,1]^n$. An idea introduced by Lasserre, is to find a probability distribution on $[-1,1]^n$ with polynomial density function $h$ (of given degree $r$) that minimizes the expectation $\int_{[-1,1]^n} f(x)h(x)d\mu(x)$, where $d\mu(x)$ is a fixed, finite Borel measure supported on $[-1,1]^n$. It is known that, for the Lebesgue measure $d\mu(x) = dx$, one may show an error bound $O(1/\sqrt{r})$ if $h$ is a sum-of-squares density, and an $O(1/r)$ error bound if $h$ is the density of a beta distribution. In this paper, we show an error bound of $O(1/r^2)$, if $d\mu(x) = \left( \prod_{i=1}^n \sqrt{1-x_i^2} \right)^{-1}$ (the well-known measure in the study of orthogonal polynomials), and $h$ has a Schmudgen-type representation with respect to $[-1,1]^n$, which is a more general condition than a sum of squares. The convergence rate analysis relies on the theory of polynomial kernels and, in particular, on Jackson kerne.
Dynamic partial reconfigurable adaptive transceiver for OFDM based cognitive radio

In this paper, we present the implementation and benefits of using dynamic partial reconfigurable adaptive transceiver built for OFDM based Cognitive radio. Determining the appropriate radio communication parameter for a given dynamic channel environment is the primary feature of cognitive radio systems and they are further challenged due to the peak power effect that results from the vectorial addition of the voltage waveforms of each individual carrier. So, we have to select the optimum modulation scheme to get low value of PAPR and to minimize the bit error rate. This paper has undertaken a simulation of a basic transmitter-receiver in a cognitive radio system, and the configuration controller is a look up table based , will learn about the channel environment and be able to provide the appropriate modulation which should be used for the current scenario by taking the expected signal-to-noise ratio (in dB) as input of the transmission.
Optimal Size and Number of Propagules: Allowance for Discrete Stages and Effects of Maternal Size on Reproductive Output and Offspring Fitness

Existing optimality models of propagule size and number are not appropriate for many organisms. First, existing models assume a monotonically increasing offspring fitness/propagule size relationship. However, offspring survival during certain stages may decrease with increasing propagule size, generating a peaked offspring fitness/propagule size function (e.g., egg size in oxygen‐limited aquatic environments). Second, existing models typically do not consider maternal effects on total reproductive output and the expression of offspring survival/propagule size relationships. However, larger females often have greater total egg production and may provide better habitats for their offspring. We develop a specific optimality model that incorporates these effects and test its predictions using data from salmonid fishes. We then outline a general model without assuming specific functional forms and test its predictions using data from freshwater fishes. Our theoretical and empirical results illustrate that, when offspring survival is negatively correlated with propagule size, optimal propagule size is larger in better habitats. When larger females provide better habitats, their optimal propagule size is larger. Nevertheless, propagule number should increase more rapidly than propagule size for a given increase in maternal size. In the absence of density dependence, females with greater relative reproductive output (i.e., for a given body size) should produce more but not larger propagules.
A Primer Survey of Chinese Mobile Games

This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of the following article: Barry Ip and Xianhui Che, ‘A Primer Survey of Chinese Mobile Games’, Asiascape, Vol 3(1-2): 17-37, 2016, doi: 10.1163/22142312-12340046. Published by Brill.
A Quasi-Infinite Horizon Nonlinear Model Predictive Control Scheme with Guaranteed Stability *

--We present in this paper a novel nonlinear model predictive control scheme that guarantees asymptotic c1osedloop stability. The scheme can be applied to both stable and unstable systems with input constraints. The objective functional to be minimized consists of an integral square error (ISE) part over a finite time horizon plus a quadratic terminal cost. The terminal state penalty matrix of the terminal cost term has to be chosen as the solution of an appropriate Lyapunov equation. Furthermore, the setup includes a terminal inequality constraint that forces the states at the end of the finite prediction horizon to lie within a prescribed terminal region. If the Jacobian linearization of the nonlinear system to be controlled is stabilizable, we prove that feasibility of the open-loop optimal control problem at time t = 0 implies asymptotic stability of the closed-loop system. The size of the region of attraction is only restricted by the requirement for feasibility of the optimization problem due to the input and terminal inequality constraints and is thus maximal in some sense. ~) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Predicting Ethnic Boundaries

It is increasingly accepted within the social sciences that ethnic boundaries are not fixed, but contingent and socially constructed. As a result, predicting the location of ethnic boundaries across time and space has become a crucial but unresolved issue, with some scholars arguing that the study of ethnic boundaries and predictive social science are fundamentally incompatible. This paper attempts to show otherwise, presenting perhaps the first general, predictive theory of ethnic boundary formation, one that combines a coherence-based model of identity with a rational choice model of action. It then tests the the-ory's predictions, focusing in particular on the size of populations generated by alternative boundary criteria. Analysis is performed using multiple datasets containing information about ethnic groups around the world, as well as the countries in which they reside.
Human Aided Text Summarizer "SAAR" Using Reinforcement Learning

Due to information revolution, huge amount of data is available over internet but retrieving correct and relevant data is not an easy task. The information retrieval from search engines is still far greater than that a user can handle and manage. Thus there is need of presenting the information in an abstract way so that one can easily infer the meaning without reading the whole document. In this paper, Human aided text summarizer "SAAR" is being proposed for single document. From the document, a term-sentence matrix is generated. The entries in the matrix are weight from Reinforcement Learning. Thus generated summary is shown to the user and if the user approve it then it is the final summary, otherwise new summary is generated as per the user feedback in form of keywords. Results of experiments on DUC2006 documents indicate that the performance of the proposed approach compares very favorably with other approaches in terms of precision, recall, and F-score.
Modulation of lysine methylation in myocyte enhancer factor 2 during skeletal muscle cell differentiation

Myocyte enhancer factor 2 (MEF2) is a family of transcription factors that regulates many processes, including muscle differentiation. Due to its many target genes, MEF2D requires tight regulation of transcription activity over time and by location. Epigenetic modifiers have been suggested to regulate MEF2-dependent transcription via modifications to histones and MEF2. However, the modulation of MEF2 activity by lysine methylation, an important posttranslational modification that alters the activities of transcription factors, has not been studied. We report the reversible lysine methylation of MEF2D by G9a and LSD1 as a regulatory mechanism of MEF2D activity and skeletal muscle differentiation. G9a methylates lysine-267 of MEF2D and represses its transcriptional activity, but LSD1 counteracts it. This residue is highly conserved between MEF2 members in mammals. During myogenic differentiation of C2C12 mouse skeletal muscle cells, the methylation of MEF2D by G9a decreased, on which MEF2D-dependent myogenic genes were upregulated. We have also identified lysine-267 as a methylation/demethylation site and demonstrate that the lysine methylation state of MEF2D regulates its transcriptional activity and skeletal muscle cell differentiation.
Functional interaction between p53, the TATA-binding protein (TBP), andTBP-associated factors in vivo

The transcriptional activator p53 is known to interact with components of the general transcription factor TFIID in vitro. To examine the relevance of these associations to transcriptional activation in vivo, plasmids expressing a p53-GAL4 chimera and Drosophila TATA-binding protein (dTBP) were transfected into Drosophila Schneider cells. p53-GAL4 and dTBP displayed a markedly synergistic effect on activated transcription from a GAL4 site-containing reporter that was at least 10-fold greater than observed with other activators tested. A mutant p53 previously shown to be defective in both transcriptional activation in vivo and in binding to TBP-associated factors (TAFs) in vitro, although still capable of binding dTBP, did not cooperate with dTBP, suggesting that TAFs may contribute to this synergy. Providing further support for this possibility, transfected dTBP assembled into rapidly sedimenting complexes and could be immunoprecipitated with anti-TAF antibodies. While overexpression of any of several TAFs did not affect basal transcription, in either the presence or the absence of cotransfected dTBP, overexpression of TAFII230 inhibited transcriptional activation mediated by p53-GAL4 as well as by GAL4-VP16 and Sp1. Overexpression of TAFII40 and TAFII60 also inhibited activation by p53-GAL4 but had negligible effects on activation by GAL4-VP16 and Sp1, while TAFII110 did not affect any of the activators. TAF-mediated inhibition of activated transcription could be rescued by high levels of exogenous dTBP, which also restored full synergy. These data demonstrate for the first time that functional interactions can occur in vivo between TBP, TAFs, and p53.
Effective Fuzzing Based on Dynamic Taint Analysis

In this paper we present a new vulnerability-targeted black box fuzzing approach to effectively detect errors in the program. Unlike the standard fuzzing techniques that randomly change bytes of the input file, our approach remarkably reduces the fuzzing range by utilizing an efficient dynamic taint analysis technique. It locates the regions of seed files that affect the values used at the hazardous points. Thus it enables to pay more attention to deep errors in the core of the program. Because our approach is directly targeted to the specific potential vulnerabilities, most of the detected errors are with vulnerability signatures. Besides, this approach does not need the information of the input file format in advance. So it is especially appropriate for testing applications with complex and highly structured input file formats. We design and implement a prototype, Taint Fuzz, to realize this approach. The experiments demonstrate that Taint Fuzz can effectively expose more errors with much lower time cost and much smaller number of input samples compared with the standard fuzzer.
Camera characterization for color research

In this article we introduce a new method for estimating camera sensitivity functions from spectral power input and camera response data. We also show how the procedure can be extended to deal with camera nonlinearities. Linearization is an important part of camera characterization, and we argue that it is best to jointly fit the linearization and the sensor response functions. We compare our method with a number of others, both on synthetic data and for the characterization of a real camera. All data used in this study is available online at www.cs. sfu.ca/∼colour/data. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 27, 152–163, 2002; Published online in Wiley Interscience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/col.10050
Three body bound state in noncommutative space

The Bethe-Salpeter equation in non-commutative QED (NCQED) is considered for three-body bound state. We study the non-relativistic limit of this equation in the instantaneous approximation and derive the corresponding Schr\"{o}dinger equation in non-commutative space. It is shown that the experimental data for Helium atom puts an upper bound on the magnitude of the parameter of non-commutativity, $\theta\sim10^{-9}\lambda_e^2$.
The Value of SPECT/CT in Monitoring Prefabricated Tissue-Engineered Bone and Orthotopic rhBMP-2 Implants for Mandibular Reconstruction

Bone tissue engineering shows good prospects for mandibular reconstruction. In recent studies, prefabricated tissue-engineered bone (PTEB) by recombinant human bone morphogenetic proteins (rhBMPs) applied in vivo has found to be an effective alternative for autologous bone grafts. However, the optimal time to transfer PTEB for mandibular reconstruction is still not elucidated. Thus, here in an animal experiment of rhesus monkey, the suitable transferring time for PTEB to reconstruct mandibular defects was evaluated by 99mTc-MDP SPECT/CT, and its value in monitoring orthotopic rhBMP-2 implants for mandibular reconstruction was also evaluated. The result of SPECT/CT showed higher 99mTc-MDP uptake, indicating osteoinductivity, in rhBMP-2 incorporated demineralized freeze-dried bone allograft (DFDBA) and coralline hydroxyapatite (CHA) implants than those without BMP stimulation. 99mTc-MDP uptake of rhBMP-2 implant peaked at 8 weeks following implantation while CT showed the density of these implants increased after 13 weeks’ prefabrication. Histology confirmed that mandibular defects were repaired successfully with PTEB or orthotopically rhBMP-2 incorporated CHA implants, in accordance with SPECT/CT findings. Collectively, data shows 99mTc-MDP SPECT/CT is a sensitive and noninvasive tool to monitor osteoinductivity and bone regeneration of PTEB and orthotopic implants. The PTEB achieved peak osteoinductivity and bone density at 8 to 13 weeks following ectopic implantation, which would serve as a recommendable time frame for its transfer to mandibular reconstruction.
Fuzzy Clustering Algorithm of Kernel for Gene Expression Data Analysis

Many clustering techniques have been proposed for the analysis of gene expression data obtained from microarray experiments. However, choice of suitable method(s) for a given experimental dataset is not straightforward. KFCM algorithm has been widely applied in gene expression data analysis, but it is sensitive to the class center migration. Therefore, the fuzzy kernel clustering algorithm based on the kernel function and a dynamic weighted is proposed. The algorithm for the kernel function marking the introduction of the effectiveness function, missing data be filtered from the data sets and the original data is mapped to the high-dimensional feature space in each category of each gene and the right to assign a dynamic value, so that in the clustering algorithm iterative process of adaptive adjustment of weights, after analysis of the value of the size of the right to identify outliers, finally, getting the more ideal clustering result. Experiments showed that the proposed methods achieve better clustering effect than the fuzzy kernel clustering algorithm and possibility clustering algorithm, and is fast in convergence
FPGA Based Sun Tracking System Using Fuzzy Logic.

: Sun tracker is the device that follows the position of the sun throughout the day to harness the output power. Sun tracking increases the output power production by keeping the panel parallel to the sun so that sun radiation makes 90  angle with panel. This paper presents sun tracking system implemented in real time. Sun tracking system composed of fuzzy logic controller implemented on FPGA, sensors, PV panel, stepper motor, input-output interface.
Vector Representation of Context Networks of Latent Topics

—Transforming of text documents to real vectors is an essential step for text mining tasks such as classification, clustering and information retrieval. The extracted vectors serve as inputs for data mining models. Large vocabularies of natural languages imply a high dimensionality of input vectors; hence a substantial dimensionality reduction has to be made. We propose a new approach to a vector representation of text documents. Our representation takes into account an order of latent topics that generate observed words; an extracted document vector includes information about the adjacency of words in a document. We experimentally proved that the proposed representation enables to build document classifiers of higher accuracy using shorter document vectors. Short but informative document vectors enable to save memory for storing data, to use simpler models that learn faster and to significantly reduce an overfit effect.
The Development of Hybrid Surge Protection Circuit with Effect of Adding a Filter

Surge protective device is a part of internal lightning protection and it crucially to divert the certain amount of surges to the ground before the protected load able to handle. Therefore, this paper studying the enhancement of SPD through the effect of adding a filter in hybrid surge protection circuit using simulation modeling. Ordinarily, filter is used as in eliminating noises in certain application such as electronic apparatus. Furthermore, an experiment testing is pursues in high voltage laboratory for comparison and to validate the simulation. The analysis involved the surge protector Class 3 according to IEC or Category A as referring to IEEE standards with a filter design involving the combination of inductor and capacitor. From this research is found that a significant improvement of about 38% obtain when filter is added in surge protective device.
Factors which affect the frequency of sporulation and tetrad formation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae baker's yeasts

To clarify the role that respiration, the mitochondrial genome, and interactions of mitochondria and nucleus play on sporulation and to improve the sporogenic ability of several baker's yeasts, an investigation of the effects of different media and culture conditions on baker's yeast sporulation was undertaken. When standard protocols were followed, the sporulation frequency varied between 20 and 60% and the frequency of four-spore asci varied between 1 and 6%. Different presporulation and sporulation media, the use of solid versus liquid media, and incubation at 22 versus 30 degrees C were checked, and the cells were collected from presporulation media in either exponential or stationary phase. Best results, yielding sporulation and four-spore ascus formation frequencies up to 97 and 60%, respectively, were obtained by collection of the cells in exponential phase from liquid presporulation medium with 10% glucose and transfer of them to sporulation medium with 0.5% potassium acetate at 22 degrees C. Under these conditions, the most important factor was the growth phase (exponential versus stationary) at which cells from presporulation medium were collected. Changes in sporulation frequencies were also measured after transfer of mitochondria from different sources to baker's yeasts. When mitochondria from laboratory, baker's, and wine yeasts were transferred to baker's and laboratory petite strains, sporulation and four-spore ascus formation frequencies dropped dramatically either to no sporulation at all or to less than 50% in both parameters. This transfer also resulted in an increase in the frequency of petite mutant formation but yielded similar growth and respiration rates in glycerol. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
How does the customer fit in relational coordination? An empirical study in multichannel retail banking

Although their importance in service operations is widely acknowledged in services marketing literature, the place and role of customers in organizational theories remain unclear. In particular, the way customers may influence the firm’s intra-organizational coordination has received little attention. By combining services marketing and intra-organizational coordination theories, this paper contends that customers may influence the coordination process among service employees, also called relational coordination. Relational coordination is a process that focuses on the interactions among the roles endorsed by employees who participate in this process, carried out through communication and a web of relationships among these participants. It is argued here that customers should be included among the set of participants in relational coordination; they might influence relational coordination among service employees through the way service employees perceive customer participation (CP) in service processes. This article proposes a conceptual framework of the potential influence of CP on relational coordination among frontline service employees, by reporting the findings of case studies carried out in two multichannel retail banks. The data analysis offers two main results. First, the way in which frontline employees perceive inputs (i.e., what customers bring to service processes) and the antecedents of CP (i.e., reasons customers participate in service processes) appears to influence relational coordination among employees. Second, this influence seems to be moderated by the nature and history of the customer–employee interaction. The data analysis also suggests mutual leniency as a potential new sub-dimension of the relationship dimension of relational coordination. Presented as five propositions, these results offer some limitations and further research directions discussed at the end of the paper.