Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Localized and propagating surface plasmon resonance based fiber optic sensor for the detection of tetracycline using molecular imprinting

In the present study we report a novel approach for the fabrication of localized and propagating surface plasmon resonance based fiber optic sensor for the detection of tetracycline using molecular imprinting (MIP) technique. The sensor is fabricated by coating layers of silver film, silver nanoparticles and MIP film prepared using tetracycline molecule as template over an unclad core of the multimode optical fiber. Nanoparticles of sizes in the range 10–30 nm are synthesized by hydrothermal process. A polychromatic light source is used to launch the light from one end of the fiber and the absorption spectrum for a given concentration of the tetracycline solution around the probe is measured at the other end of the fiber using a spectrometer interfaced with a computer. The absorption spectra are recorded for the concentration range of tetracycline from 10−8 M to 10−5 M. A shift of 102 nm in peak absorbance wavelength is obtained for this concentration range. The sensor works in the promising concentration range of tetracycline found in foods etc. The sensor has various advantages such as high sensitivity, low cost, fast response and capability of online monitoring and remote sensing. Further, the sensitivity of the sensor is about double the sensor based on localized surface plasmon resonance and molecular imprinting.
Generalizing prosodic prediction of speech recognition errors

Since users of spoken dialogue systems have difficulty correcting system misconceptions, it is important for automatic speech recognition (ASR) systems to know when their best hypothesis is incorrect. We compare results of previous experiments which showed that prosody improves the detection of ASR errors to experiments with a new system and new domain, the W99 conference registration system. Our new results again show that prosodic features can improve prediction of ASR misrecognitions over the use of other standard techniques for ASR rejection.
DNN-based Speech Synthesis for Indian Languages from ASCII text

Text-to-Speech synthesis in Indian languages has a seen lot of progress over the decade partly due to the annual Blizzard challenges. These systems assume the text to be written in Devanagari or Dravidian scripts which are nearly phonemic orthography scripts. However, the most common form of computer interaction among Indians is ASCII written transliterated text. Such text is generally noisy with many variations in spelling for the same word. In this paper we evaluate three approaches to synthesize speech from such noisy ASCII text: a naive Uni-Grapheme approach, a Multi-Grapheme approach, and a supervised Grapheme-to-Phoneme (G2P) approach. These methods first convert the ASCII text to a phonetic script, and then learn a Deep Neural Network to synthesize speech from that. We train and test our models on Blizzard Challenge datasets that were transliterated to ASCII using crowdsourcing. Our experiments on Hindi, Tamil and Telugu demonstrate that our models generate speech of competetive quality from ASCII text compared to the speech synthesized from the native scripts. All the accompanying transliterated datasets are released for public access.
Flagellar Morphogenesis: Protein Targeting and Assembly in the Paraflagellar Rod of Trypanosomes

ABSTRACT The paraflagellar rod (PFR) of the African trypanosomeTrypanosoma brucei represents an excellent model to study flagellum assembly. The PFR is an intraflagellar structure present alongside the axoneme and is composed of two major proteins, PFRA and PFRC. By inducible expression of a functional epitope-tagged PFRA protein, we have been able to monitor PFR assembly in vivo. As T. brucei cells progress through their cell cycle, they possess both an old and a new flagellum. The induction of expression of tagged PFRA in trypanosomes growing a new flagellum provided an excellent marker of newly synthesized subunits. This procedure showed two different sites of addition: a major, polar site at the distal tip of the flagellum and a minor, nonpolar site along the length of the partially assembled PFR. Moreover, we have observed turnover of epitope-tagged PFRA in old flagella that takes place throughout the length of the PFR structure. Expression of truncated PFRA mutant proteins identified a sequence necessary for flagellum localization by import or binding. This sequence was not sufficient to confer full flagellum localization to a green fluorescent protein reporter. A second sequence, necessary for the addition of PFRA protein to the distal tip, was also identified. In the absence of this sequence, the mutant PFRA proteins were localized both in the cytosol and in the flagellum where they could still be added along the length of the PFR. This seven-amino-acid sequence is conserved in all PFRA and PFRC proteins and shows homology to a sequence in the flagellar dynein heavy chain of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.
Spatial Differencing Method for Mixed Far-Field and Near-Field Sources Localization

In this letter, we present a covariance difference algorithm to cope with the mixed far-field and near-field sources localization problem. By exploiting the eigenstructure differences between the far-field covariance matrix and the near-field one, the spatial differencing technique can be adopted to classify the signals types. Based on the symmetric property of the uniform linear array geometry, a near-field estimator without any spectral search or parameter-pairing is performed. Compared to the previous works, the resultant algorithm can realize a more reasonable classification of the signals types, as well as provide the improved estimation accuracy. Computer simulations are carried out to evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithm.
Lateral manipulation of single atoms at semiconductor surfaces using atomic force microscopy

Experimental results on the lateral manipulation of single atoms at semiconductor surfaces using non-contact atomic force microscopy (NC-AFM) are presented. These experiments prove that deposited adsorbates on top of a surface, as well as intrinsic adatoms of semiconductor surfaces, are suitable for being manipulated using the short-range interaction force acting between the outermost atoms of a semiconductor tip and the atoms at the surface. The analysis of the data from some of the experiments presented here indicates a pulling process of the tip on the manipulated atoms. The atom-by-atom creation, at room temperature, of patterns composed by a few inherent atoms of a heterogeneous surface is also presented.
The relationship between physical activity and executive function performance in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) consistently perform worse on executive function (EF) tasks relative to those without AD/HD. Physical activity has a small effect on cognition in children and may be particularly beneficial for children with AD/HD by impacting fundamental EF deficiencies that characterize this disorder. The purpose of this study was to explore the extent to which physical activity is associated with EF in children with AD/HD. Eighteen boys (M age = 10.61, SD = 1.50) with AD/HD were recruited to complete four EF tasks. Physical activity was measured with an accelerometer that provided daily minutes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity; this measure was a significant predictor of performance on the Tower of London planning task, adjusted R² = . 28, F(1, 16) = 7.61, p < . 05, and was positively associated with other EF measures. These results suggest that higher physical activity is associated with better EF performance in AD/HD children.
AspectJML: modular specification and runtime checking for crosscutting contracts

Aspect-oriented programming (AOP) is a popular technique for modularizing crosscutting concerns. In this context, researchers have found that the realization of design by contract (DbC) is crosscutting and fares better when modularized by AOP. However, previous efforts aimed at supporting crosscutting contract modularity might actually compromise the main DbC principles. For example, in AspectJ-style, reasoning about the correctness of a method call may require a whole-program analysis to determine what advice applies and what that advice does relative to DbC implementation and checking. Also, when contracts are separated from classes a programmer may not know about them and may break them inadvertently. In this paper we solve these problems with AspectJML, a new specification language that supports crosscutting contracts for Java code. We also show how AspectJML supports the main DbC principles of modular reasoning and contracts as documentation.
A Theory of Liquid-Solid Hydrodynamic Film Lubrication

This investigation was undertaken for tile purpose of extending the design theories for hydrodynamic bearings to include the effects of solid particles in a liquid base lubricant. A set of nonlinear, coupled partial differential equations is developed to include the effects of the solid particles. Solutions of the mathematical model by numerical analysis are compared to the results obtained in actual bearing tests with a universal bearing test machine. Increased friction from the solids is shown to be limited to a certain range of operation such that at Sommerfeld numbers above or below this range there is only a slight increase in the friction above that obtained with the liquid alone. Good agreement between the theoretical solutions and experimental values was obtained by using experimentally determined particle shear strengths. Contributed by the ASLE Committee on Lubricant Fundamentals and presented at the Annual Meeting of American Society of Lubrication Engineers, held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, M.
RFCMOS SOI technology for 4G reconfigurable RF solutions

In order to provide increasing data rates demanded by the consumer market, the 4G RF cellular front-end is becoming increasingly complex with numerous transmit and receive bands, the possibility of multiple antennae and new architectures which involves Uplink and Downlink carrier aggregation. Such new architectures present extreme challenges for conventional fixed band systems composed of PA's, switches and filters. Tunable technologies using RFCMOS SOI technology are already being deployed in increasing number in today's advanced RF cellular handsets. The talk will present a chronology of the RFSOI technology development in the industry through the last decade and highlight novel uses of its capabilities in 4G systems as well as the critical specifications needed in this application space.
Factors Associated with Hypertrophy of the Lingual Tonsils

Objective To identify factors that may be associated with lingual tonsil hypertrophy (LTH). Study Design Case series with chart review. Setting Tertiary academic center. Subjects and Methods Retrospective chart review identified 380 patients from August 2013 to April 2014 with graded lingual tonsils, documented during routine flexible laryngoscopy. Lingual tonsils were graded using a 0 to 4 scale: 0 = complete absence of lymphoid tissue, 1 = lymphoid tissue scattered over tongue base, 2 = lymphoid tissue covers entirety of tongue base with limited thickness, 3 = lymphoid tissue 5 to 10 mm in thickness, 4 = lymphoid tissue >1 cm in thickness (rising above the tip of epiglottis). Reflux symptom index (RSI collected during patient intake), presence of obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS; confirmed by polysomnogram), smoking habits, and basic demographics were gathered. Chi-square and linear multivariate regression analyses were used to identify significant relationships with LTH levels. Results Overall, 59.8% were male with a mean age of 50.2 ± 16.5 years and BMI of 30.1 ± 18.0. Chi-square analysis revealed no significant relationship between OSAHS and LTH (P = .059). When RSI was stratified to ≥10 or <10, a Cochran-Armitage test supported the trend hypothesis that as RSI increases, lingual tonsil grading increases. Significant univariate correlates included younger age (r = −0.307, P < .001) and smoking (r = 0.186, P = .002). Multivariate regression revealed the combination of younger age, increasing RSI, and smoking (r = −0.297, P < .001) to be a significant correlate. Conclusion LTH does not seem to be associated with OSAHS or BMI in this group of patients. High RSI, younger age, and gender may be factors associated with increased lingual tonsil thickness.
Preparation of submicron‐scale, electrospun cellulose fibers via direct dissolution

Cellulose nonwoven mats of submicron-sized fibers (150 nm–500 nm in diameter) were obtained by electrospinning cellulose solutions. A solvent system based on lithium chloride (LiCl) and N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc) was used, and the effects of (i) temperature of the collector, (ii) type of collector (aluminum mesh and cellulose filter media), and (iii) postspinning treatment, such as coagulation with water, on the morphology of electrospun fibers were investigated. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction studies of as-spun fibers at room temperature reveal that the morphology of cellulose fibers evolves with time due to moisture absorption and swelling caused by the residual salt and solvent. Although heating the collector greatly enhances the stability of the fiber morphology, the removal of salt by coagulation and DMAc by heating the collector was necessary for the fabrication of dry and stable cellulose fibers with limited moisture absorption and swelling. The presence and removal of the salt before and after coagulation have been identified by electron microprobe and X-ray diffraction studies. When cellulose filter media is used as a collector, dry and stable fibers were obtained without the coagulation step, and the resulting electrospun fibers exhibit good adhesion to the filter media. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 43: 1673–1683, 2005
withyou—An Experimental End-to-End Telepresence System Using Video-Based Reconstruction

Supporting a wide set of linked non-verbal resources remains an evergreen challenge for communication technology, limiting effectiveness in many applications. Interpersonal distance, gaze, posture and facial expression, are interpreted together to manage and add meaning to most conversations. Yet today's technologies favor some above others. This induces confusion in conversations, and is believed to limit both feelings of togetherness and trust, and growth of empathy and rapport. Solving this problem will allow technologies to support most rather than a few interactional scenarios. It is likely to benefit teamwork and team cohesion, distributed decision-making and health and wellbeing applications such as tele-therapy, tele-consultation, and isolation. We introduce withyou, our telepresence research platform. This paper describes the end-to-end system including the psychology of human interaction and how this drives requirements throughout the design and implementation. Our technology approach is to combine the winning characteristics of video conferencing and immersive collaborative virtual environments. This is to allow, for example, people walking past each other to exchange a glance and smile. A systematic explanation of the theory brings together the linked nature of non-verbal communication and how it is influenced by technology. This leads to functional requirements for telepresence, in terms of the balance of visual, spatial and temporal qualities. The first end-to-end description of withyou describes all major processes and the display and capture environment. An unprecedented characterization of our approach is given in terms of the above qualities and what influences them. This leads to non-functional requirements in terms of number and place of cameras and the avoidance of resultant bottlenecks. Proposals are given for improved distribution of processes across networks, computers, and multi-core CPU and GPU. Simple conservative estimation shows that both approaches should meet our requirements. One is implemented and shown to meet minimum and come close to desirable requirements.
The pressure–volume–temperature properties of three well‐characterized low‐density polyethylenes

Pressure–volume–temperature relationships of three low-density polyethylenes are reported in the temperature range of 30°–225°C and in the pressure range of 0–2000 kg/cm2. The same materials had previously been studied by the IUPAC Working Party on Structure and Properties of Commercial Polymers with regard to basic characterization, melt rheology, processing, and end use properties. They were found to be remarkably equal in basic parameters and in some of the melt rheology, but differences among the three samples were found in other rheological properties and in the processing and end use properties of blown film. We find the PVT relationships of these three samples to be practically identical. A numerical equation of state based on the Tait equation is established. It reproduces the measured specific volume data of the melts to better than 0.002 cm3/g.
Positive and negative selection using the tetA-sacB cassette: recombineering and P1 transduction in Escherichia coli

The two-step process of selection and counter-selection is a standard way to enable genetic modification and engineering of bacterial genomes using homologous recombination methods. The tetA and sacB genes are contained in a DNA cassette and confer a novel dual counter-selection system. Expression of tetA confers bacterial resistance to tetracycline (TcR) and also causes sensitivity to the lipophillic chelator fusaric acid; sacB causes sensitivity to sucrose. These two genes are introduced as a joint DNA cassette into Escherichia coli by selection for TcR. A medium containing both fusaric acid and sucrose has been developed, in which, coexpression of tetA-sacB is orders of magnitude more sensitive as a counter-selection agent than either gene alone. In conjunction with the homologous recombination methods of recombineering and P1 transduction, this powerful system has been used to select changes in the bacterial genome that cannot be directly detected by other counter-selection systems.
Fetal iron levels are regulated by maternal and fetal Hfe genotype and dietary iron

Background Iron metabolism during pregnancy maintains fetal iron levels at the expense of the mother. The mechanism behind this regulation is still not clear despite recent advances. Here we examine the role of maternal and fetal Hfe, its downstream signaling molecule, hepcidin and dietary iron in the regulation of placental iron transfer. Design and Methods Hfe wild-type, knockout and heterozygote dams were fed iron deficient (12.5 ppm), adequate (50 ppm) and replete (150 ppm) iron diets and mated with heterozygote males to produce pups of all genotypes. Dams and pups were sacrificed at Day 18 of gestation; serum, placenta, body and liver iron parameters were measured. Protein and mRNA levels of various iron transporter genes were determined in duodenum, liver and placenta by Western blotting and real time PCR. Results Maternal liver iron levels were dependent on both dietary iron intake and Hfe genotype. Increasing iron levels in the maternal diet resulted in increased total iron in the fetus, primarily in the liver. However, fetuses of Hfe-knockout mothers showed further elevation of liver iron levels, concomitant with elevated expression of Tfr1, Dmt1 and Fpn in the placenta. Hfe-knockout fetuses that express low levels of liver hepcidin accumulated more iron in their liver than wild-type fetuses due to increased ferroportin levels in the placenta. Conclusions Maternal and fetal status, as well as dietary iron, is important in regulating iron transfer across placenta. Maternal Hfe regulates iron transfer by altering gene expression in the placenta. Fetal Hfe is important in regulating placental iron transfer by modulating fetal liver hepcidin expression.
Effects of insulin on intracellular magnesium of platelets.

MAGNESIUM (Mg2+), the second most abundant intracellular cation, is a critical cofactor in numerous enzymatic reactions and probably plays a role in cellular regulation [1]. The concentration of Mg2+ inside cells is precisely regulated in spite of wide changes in the extracellular Mg2+ concentration, which implies the existence of a specialized Mg2+ transport system. A variety of growth factors act on quiescent mammalian cells, leading to an increase in the fluxes of Nat, K+ and H+ across the
Scale Transform in Rhythmic Similarity of Music

As a special case of the Mellin transform, the scale transform has been applied in various signal processing areas, in order to get a signal description that is invariant to scale changes. In this paper, the scale transform is applied to autocorrelation sequences derived from music signals. It is shown that two such sequences, when derived from similar rhythms with different tempo, differ mainly by a scaling factor. By using the scale transform, the proposed descriptors are robust to tempo changes, and are specially suited for the comparison of pieces with different tempi but similar rhythm. As music with such characteristics is widely encountered in traditional forms of music, the performance of the descriptors in a classification task of Greek traditional dances and Turkish traditional songs is evaluated. On these datasets accuracies compared to non-tempo robust approaches are improved by more than 20%, while on a dataset of Western music the achieved accuracy improves compared to previously presented results.
Collaboration in the Flightdeck : Opportunities for Interaction Design

Computer applications are given increasingly complex functions to operate in multifaceted collaborative environments. The more capability and responsibility that is given to ‘computational agents’, the more we need to consider them as ‘collaborators’ in carrying out complex, shared tasks. In the aviation domain, for example, pilots are expected to monitor, anticipate and manage partially autonomous systems, which is increasingly problematic. Instead of designing such monitoring tasks, they should be considered as collaborative tasks and designed appropriately. We, as designers, are faced with the challenge of understanding and shaping such collaborative systems. This paper illustrates how the perspective of considering the interaction between the Flight Management System and the (pilot) user as a collaborative activity can uncover design opportunities – by conducting an analysis of interaction failures that contributed to the Cali air accident.
A preliminary application of principal components and cluster analysis to internal tongue deformation patterns

Complex patterns of muscle contractions create gross tongue motion during speech. It is of scientific and medical importance to better understand speech motor strategies and variations due to language or disorders. Dense patterns of tongue motion can be imaged using tagged magnetic resonance imaging, but characterisation of motion strategies is difficult using visualisation alone. This paper explores the use of principal component analysis for dimensionality reduction and cluster analysis for tongue motion categorisation. Velocity fields were acquired and analysed from midsagittal tongue slices during motion from /i/ to /u/ for eight datasets containing multiple languages and a glossectomy patient. The analyses were carried out on the tongue-only and tongue-plus-floor of the mouth regions. The results showed that both the analyses were sensitive to region size and that cluster analysis was harder to interpret. Both the analyses grouped the Japanese speaker with the glossectomy patient, which although explicable with biologically plausible reasons, highlights the limitations of extensive data reduction.