Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Towards Artificial Speech Therapy: A Neural System for Impaired Speech Segmentation

This paper presents a neural system-based technique for segmenting short impaired speech utterances into silent, unvoiced, and voiced sections. Moreover, the proposed technique identifies those points of the (voiced) speech where the spectrum becomes steady. The resulting technique thus aims at detecting that limited section of the speech which contains the information about the potential impairment of the speech. This section is of interest to the speech therapist as it corresponds to the possibly incorrect movements of speech organs (lower lip and tongue with respect to the vocal tract). Two segmentation models to detect and identify the various sections of the disordered (impaired) speech signals have been developed and compared. The first makes use of a combination of four artificial neural networks. The second is based on a support vector machine (SVM). The SVM has been trained by means of an ad hoc nested algorithm whose outer layer is a metaheuristic while the inner layer is a convex optimization algorithm. Several metaheuristics have been tested and compared leading to the conclusion that some variants of the compact differential evolution (CDE) algorithm appears to be well-suited to address this problem. Numerical results show that the SVM model with a radial basis function is capable of effective detection of the portion of speech that is of interest to a therapist. The best performance has been achieved when the system is trained by the nested algorithm whose outer layer is hybrid-population-based/CDE. A population-based approach displays the best performance for the isolation of silence/noise sections, and the detection of unvoiced sections. On the other hand, a compact approach appears to be clearly well-suited to detect the beginning of the steady state of the voiced signal. Both the proposed segmentation models display outperformed two modern segmentation techniques based on Gaussian mixture model and deep learning.
EpiList II: Closing the Loop in the Development of Generic Cognitive Skills

The importance of cognitive skills in human learning and reasoning has become well established in recent years. This motivates the search for a knowledge representation that supports the development of a computational algorithm that performs, as well as instructs such cognitive skills. Cognitive skills can be broadly divided into two types: specific and generic cognitive skills. Intelligent tutoring systems (ITSs) that develop generic cognitive skills are essential for developing classification, generalization, and comparison processes. However, these current systems are inherently open loop and do not utilize feedback, based on the student's competence level, to adapt the learning process. This is a major drawback when attempting to provide a dynamic learner-focused approach for effective instruction. In this paper, we present EpiList II, an ITS that closes the loop and is hence able to monitor and dynamically assess the student's cognitive-skill competence. The results show a significant improvement in positive- and negative-reasoning skills, with 51% of students (up from an average of 8% of students when using an open-loop ITS) acquiring/developing these skills.
Improving Restaurant Recommendations on Yelp

Yelp reviews, while useful as a general measure for a given business suffer from a common fate of most review systems; they are not segmented and as such review value of a business for any given individual is heavily diluted by other users with differing preferences. Furthermore, while star ratings are generally useful, there is an abundance of information available in the textual content of the rating itself and the sentiment information available therein.
The inhibitory effect of 3-methylcholanthrene on nucleolar alterations induced in rat liver cells by 3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene.

3′-Methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene (3′-Me-DAB) fed to male Wistar rats caused morphologic changes in the nucleolar apparatus of hepatic parenchymal cells. The pattern of these morphologic alterations took various forms, but basically it consisted of a separation and redistribution of nucleolar components. A consistent feature in affected cells was the separation of the nucleolus from the associated chromatin by an apparently structureless, electron translucent zone. 3-Methylcholanthrene, fed simultaneously with the azo dye, afforded significant protection against the induction of these changes. The possible significance of the nucleolar alterations in the carcinogenic process induced by the azo dye is discussed.
Functional glucocorticoid receptor expression is required for cAMP-mediated apoptosis in a human leukemic T cell line.

The involvement of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) in cAMP-induced apoptosis in a GR-deficient derivative of the CEM.C7 human T-ALL line was investigated. Incubation of the parental CEM.C7 cells with agents that elevate cAMP levels (dibutyryl cAMP and forskolin) resulted in DNA fragmentation characteristic of apoptotic cell death, whereas the GR-deficient ICR.27 cells were insensitive to the cytolytic effects of cAMP. Reconstitution of GR expression by transfection not only restored glucocorticoid sensitivity to the ICR.27 cells, but also promoted sensitivity to induction of apoptosis by cAMP. Thus, cAMP-induced apoptosis in T cells appears to occur via ligand-independent stimulation of at least some aspects of glucocorticoid receptor function.
Complex micromovement dynamics associated with visual feedback alteration

Ten healthy subjects were asked to maintain a constant position of the finger (Experiment #1) or the eyes (Experiment #2) on a stationary target using visual feedback. Both the gain and the delay in the visual feedback loop were systematically manipulated. Here we discuss some of the questions raised by the generation of these complex signals.
Rubber jaw in a Weimaraner dog due to juvenile nephropathy

Summary The case of a 5-month-old male Weimaraner dog with severe osteodystrophia fibrosa (rubber jaw) and renal insufficiency is presented. Kidneys were smaller than normal with a granular cortical surface and a histopathological end-stage diagnosis consistent with juvenile nephropathy. Analysis of four described genetic mutations associated with Alport syndrome in dogs revealed no evidence for familiar inheritance in this dog.
The Importance of Contact Resistance in High-Mobility Organic Field-Effect Transistors Studied by Scanning Kelvin Probe Microscopy

Contact resistance effect is a major issue in organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) because it can severely limit or even dominate the overall performance of OFETs. This is especially true for recently developed high-mobility OFETs. Here, we present a systematic study of the contact resistance and its effect on mobility in high-mobility 2,7-dioctyl[1]benzothieno[3,2-b][1]benzothiophene (C8-BTBT) OFETs by scanning Kelvin probe microscopy. We find that the contact resistance effect can lower the mobility by a factor of four at some temperatures. More interestingly, it is seen that the contact resistance has significant influence on the temperature dependent mobility behavior. The contact resistance-corrected mobility demonstrates stronger band-like transport than the uncorrected mobility in the same temperature range, which has not been reported before.
Natural enemies of the maize cob borer, Mussidia nigrivenella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in Benin, West Africa

Abstract Mussidia nigrivenella Ragonot is a pest of maize cobs in West Africa. It significantly reduces maize yields and grain quality, with quantitative losses of 2–25% at harvest, and up to 10–15% indirect losses due to an increase in storage pest infestation levels. Infestation by M. nigrivenella also significantly increased the susceptibility of maize to Aspergillus flavus infection and subsequent aflatoxin contamination. Surveys conducted in different agro-ecological zones of Benin on cultivated and wild host plants during 1994–1997 revealed one egg parasitoid, three larval parasitoids and one pupal parasitoid attacking M. nigrivenella. Egg parasitism was scarce on all host plants sampled and in all four agro-ecological zones. Parasitism by larval and pupal parasitoids was usually less than 10%, and varied with host plant species. Both larval and pupal parasitoids were rare or absent in cultivated maize fields. The solitary chalcidid pupal parasitoid, Antrocephalus crassipes Masi, was the predominant species, contributing approximately 53% of the observed mortality. Logistic regression analysis indicated that this parasitoid was more prevalent on fruits of Gardenia spp. (Rubiaceae) than on the other host plant species including maize used by M. nigrivenella, and was most abundant between February and September. The differences in parasitoid diversity and parasitism between Benin and other regions suggest that there are opportunities for biological control through introduction of exotic parasitoids or using the ‘new association’ approach, which uses natural enemies of closely related host species that occupy similar ecological niches to the target pest.
Inhibition of infection of the rice blast fungus by halisulfate 1, an isocitrate lyase inhibitor.

Halisulfate 1, a sesterterpene sulfate and an isocitrate lyase (ICL) inhibitor that is isolated from tropical sponge Hippospongia spp. , reduces both appressorium formation and infection of rice plants by the fungus Magnaporthe grisea. Rice plants infected with wild-type M. grisea Guy 11 exhibited significantly lower disease severity after halisulfate 1 treatment than without, and the treatment effect was comparable to the behavior of the Delta icl knockout mutant I-10. The protection observed upon applying halisulfate 1 to rice plants suggests that the ICL inhibitor may be a promising candidate for crop protection, particularly to protect rice plants against M. grisea.
MPC-Based Approach to Active Steering for Autonomous Vehicle Systems

In this paper a novel approach to autonomous steering systems is presented. A model predictive control (MPC) scheme is designed in order to stabilize a vehicle along a desired path while fulfilling its physical constraints. Simulation results show the benefits of the systematic control methodology used. In particular we show how very effective steering manoeuvres are obtained as a result of the MPC feedback policy. Moreover, we highlight the trade off between the vehicle speed and the required preview on the desired path in order to stabilize the vehicle. The paper concludes with highlights on future research and on the necessary steps for experimental validation of the approach.
Scheduling patients at the outpatient clinic An approximate dynamic programming approach

In this research we develop a model that prescribes the (near) optimal appointment date for a patient at the moment this patient makes his request at the outpatient clinic. In order to differentiate between different types of patients, such as new patients, control patients and several grades of priorities, we distinguish two categories of patients. One category is characterised by a maximum recommended waiting time. Since the actual scheduled appointment time is reflected in costs, the sooner these patients are scheduled the lower the costs and when the maximum recommended waiting time is exceeded extra costs are incurred. The other category is characterised by a specific appointment time. The closer the scheduled appointment time is to the specific appointment time the lower the costs. The objective is to minimise the long-run expected average cost. We model the scheduling process as a Markov Decision Process (MDP) and we solve this MDP to optimality using value iteration. However, due to the curse of dimensionality, it is computationally infeasible to solve our MDP to optimality for the scheduling process over more than three working days and a reasonable available capacity on a day. To overcome the problem of the curse of dimensionality we apply the Bellman Error Minimisation (BEM) method as an Approximate Dynamic Programming technique in order to derive an estimate of the optimal value function of our MDP of which the near optimal policy (appointment date) can be derived. To determine the set of representative states, which is an element of the BEM method, we use the Hartigan and Wong k-means algorithm. We test several approximation functions and find an approximation function that outperforms all other functions in the scheduling process over three, five, ten and twenty working days. In general it holds that the higher the arrival rate of patients at the outpatient clinic, the better our BEM method performs. But if the arrival rate reaches a certain value the load of the system becomes that high that it does not matter what policy is applied, since many patients have to be rejected.
Engineering Model for the Development of Adaptation Rules and its Application in a Hinting Adaptive E-learning System

The number of information systems using adaptation rules is increasing quickly. These systems are usually focused on implement nice and complex functionality for adaptation of contents, links or presentation, so software engineering methodologies for the description of rules are required. In addition, the distributed service oriented Internet philosophy presents the challenge of combining different rules from independent Internet sources. Moreover, easy authoring, rule reuse and collaborative design should be enabled. This paper presents the AR (Adaptation Rules) model, a new software engineering model for the description of rules for adaptation. These rules can be composed as a set of smaller atomic, reusable, parametric, interchangeable and interoperable rules, with clear restrictions in their combinations. Our model enables the distribution of rules as well as rule reuse and collaboration among rule creators. We illustrate our approach with the application of this model to a hinting adaptive e-learning system that generates exercises with hints, which can be adapted based on defined rules. Advantages of the AR model are confirmed with an evaluation that has been done with teachers and learning analytics experts for adaptive e-learning.
Model-Based Simulation of an Intelligent Microprocessor- Based Standalone Solar Tracking System

Renewable energy resources will be an increasingly important part of power generation in the new millennium. Besides assisting in the reduction of the emission of greenhouse gases, they add the muchneeded flexibility to the energy resource mix by decreasing the dependence on fossil fuels [1]. Among the renewable-energy resources, solar energy is the most essential and prerequisite resource of sustainable energy because of its ubiquity, abundance, and sustainability. Regardless of the intermittency of sunlight, solar energy is widely available and completely free of cost. Recently, photovoltaic (PV) system is well recognized and widely utilized to convert the solar energy for electric power applications. It can generate direct current (DC) electricity without environmental impact and emission by way of solar radiation. The DC power is converted to AC power with an inverter, to power local loads or fed back to the utility [2]. Being a semiconductor device, the PV systems are suitable for most operation at lower maintenance costs.
Pulsating torque minimization techniques for permanent magnet AC motor drives-a review

Permanent magnet AC (PMAC) motor drives are finding expanded use in high-performance applications where torque smoothness is essential. This paper reviews a wide range of motor- and controller-based design techniques that have been described in the literature for minimizing the generation of cogging and ripple torques in both sinusoidal and trapezoidal PMAC motor drives. Sinusoidal PMAC drives generally show the greatest potential for pulsating torque minimization using well-known motor design techniques such as skewing and fractional slot pitch windings. In contrast, trapezoidal PMAC drives pose more difficult trade-offs in both the motor and controller design which may require compromises in drive simplicity: and cost to improve torque smoothness. Controller-based techniques for minimizing pulsating torque typically involve the use of active cancellation algorithms which depend on either accurate tuning or adaptive control schemes for effectiveness. In the end, successful suppression of pulsating torque ultimately relies on an orchestrated systems approach to all aspects of the PMAC machine and controller design which often requires a carefully selected combination of minimization techniques.
A probabilistic neural network based approach for predicting the output power of wind turbines

Abstract Finding the authentic predicting tools of eliminating the uncertainty of wind speed forecasts is highly required while wind power sources are strongly penetrating. Recently, traditional predicting models of generating point forecasts have no longer been trustee. Thus, the present paper aims at utilising the concept of prediction intervals (PIs) to assess the uncertainty of wind power generation in power systems. Besides, this paper uses a newly introduced non-parametric approach called lower upper bound estimation (LUBE) to build the PIs since the forecasting errors are unable to be modelled properly by applying distribution probability functions. In the present proposed LUBE method, a PI combination-based fuzzy framework is used to overcome the performance instability of neutral networks (NNs) used in LUBE. In comparison to other methods, this formulation more suitably has satisfied the PI coverage and PI normalised average width (PINAW). Since this non-linear problem has a high complexity, a new heuristic-based optimisation algorithm comprising a novel modification is introduced to solve the aforesaid problems. Based on data sets taken from a wind farm in Australia, the feasibility and satisfying performance of the suggested method have been investigated.
Effect of Doxazosin on C-Reactive Protein Plasma Levels and on Nitric Oxide in Patients With Hypertension

Inflammation has been hypothesized to play a role in the development of hypertension. The high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) is a well-studied marker of systemic inflammation that has a predictive power with regard to the development of hypertension. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that hs-CRP plasma levels are altered in hypertension. Moreover, the study was to assess whether chronic antihypertensive treatment with doxazosin would normalize hs-CRP and nitrites/nitrates. We measured plasma levels of hs-CRP and nitrites/nitrates in 44 normotensive subjects and in 44 patients with hypertension before and after doxazosin therapy for 4 months. hs-CRP plasma levels were significantly higher (P<0.007) in untreated hypertensive group compared to controls. Significant decrease was observed for hs-CRP (P<0.05) in hypertensive patients after antihypertensive treatment. Nitrites/nitrates were significantly lower (P<0.0001) in the untreated hypertensive group compared to controls. A significant increase was observed for nitrites/nitrates (P<0.05) in hypertensive patients after antihypertensive treatment. These results suggest that doxazosin treatment exerts anti-inflammatory effects in addition to its antihypertensive properties in hypertensive patients.
Measuring the spectral response with a set of interference filters

To measure the spectral response of digital cameras is usually a time-consuming and expensive task. One method to gain the spectral response data is the use of reflectance charts and estimation algorithms. To improve the quality of the measurement narrow-band light is necessary. Usually an expensive and complicated monochromator is used to generate the narrow-band light. This paper proposes the use of a set of narrow-band interference filters as an alternative to a monochromator. It describes the measurement setup and data processing. A detailed quality assessment of the measurement data shows, that the quality is comparable to a measurement with a monochromator. The interference filter equipment is more affordable, easier to use and faster. The characterization of one device takes less than 10 minutes. The pros and cons compared to other methods are also discussed. The setup consists of a set of 39 narrow-band interference filters, which are photographed one after another. A modified slide projector is used for illumination. Software was developed to read the camera's response to the filter and process the data.
Immunodot detection of Escherichia coli heat-stable enterotoxin b by using enhanced chemiluminescence reaction

An indirect immunodot assay with rabbit antibodies raised against purified heat-stable enterotoxin type b (STb) and with a Western blotting (immunoblotting) detection system (ECL; Amersham International plc, Amersham, United Kingdom) was developed for the detection of STb toxin. Culture supernatants of 62 Escherichia coli isolates from pigs with diarrhea were blotted onto nitrocellulose and incubated with anti-STb serum. The chemiluminescence produced by the action of horseradish peroxidase with luminol and H2O2 was recorded by exposure of X-ray film. Over 90% correlation was observed between the rat or pig intestinal ligated loop assay and a radioactive DNA probe and the ECL immunodot assay for the detection of STb. In addition, using this new and sensitive technique, we could detect STb in the feces of a newborn pig inoculated with an STb-producing E. coli strain. Detection of STb-producing E. coli in pigs with diarrhea will be greatly facilitated by the use of this convenient and rapid diagnostic assay.
Chronic hepatitis B and C: Exploring perceived stigma, disease information, and health-related quality of life.

Research indicates that chronic hepatitis C affects people's quality of life, but such reports are scarce about hepatitis B. This Australian study explored whether perceived stigma and satisfaction with received information and care were related to health-related quality of life in people with chronic hepatitis B or C. A questionnaire was constructed comprising demographic questions and existing scales to measure the variables. The 77 participants were recruited through various online channels. The median age was 48 years, 74% had hepatitis C, 60% were female, and 73% were Caucasian. Participants with Hepatitis B reported substantially less perceived stigma than those with Hepatitis C, but there was no significant difference between the two groups in health-related quality of life. Participants with Hepatitis C reported higher satisfaction with received information. The results highlight specific aspects to consider in the care of people with chronic hepatitis. For example, people with hepatitis B do not seem to enjoy better health-related quality of life despite lower perceived stigmatization. Therefore, these patients may require other improvements in service delivery such as the provision of more culturally appropriate information and education about chronic hepatitis B.