Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Domain Adaptation and Autoencoder-Based Unsupervised Speech Enhancement

As a category of transfer learning, domain adaptation plays an important role in generalizing the model trained in one task and applying it to other similar tasks or settings. In speech enhancement, a well-trained acoustic model can be exploited to obtain the speech signal in the context of other languages, speakers, and environments. Recent domain-adaptation research was developed more effectively with various neural networks and high-level abstract features. However, the related studies are more likely to transfer the well-trained model from a rich and more diverse domain to a limited and similar domain. Therefore, in this article, the domain-adaptation method is proposed in unsupervised speech enhancement for the opposite circumstance, that is, transferring to a larger and richer domain. On the one hand, the importance-weighting (IW) approach is exploited with a variance-constrained autoencoder to reduce the shift of shared weights between the source and target domains. On the other hand, in order to train the classifier with the worst-case weights and minimize the risk, the minimax method is proposed. Both the proposed IW and minimax methods are evaluated from the VOICE BANK and IEEE datasets to the TIMIT dataset. The experimental results show that the proposed methods outperform the state-of-the-art approaches.
Small-size printed coupled-fed antenna for eight-band LTE/GSM/UMTS wireless wide area network operation in an internal mobile handset

A simple small-size printed antenna for eight-band long-term evolution (LTE)/GSM/UMTS wireless wide area network operation in an internal mobile handset application is proposed. Occupying a compact size of 15 × 40 mm2 on the ungrounded region of the system circuit board and a low profile of 4 mm, the presented antenna is a coupled-fed configuration. With the longer branch of the feeding strip, a λ/4 resonant mode at around 2.7 GHz can be obtained to cover the desired LTE2500 operation. A fundamental λ/4 resonant mode over the desired lower band of LTE700/GSM850/900 can also be generated at 750 MHz by the long meandered coupling strip (length of about 113 mm). Moreover, two additional higher-order resonant modes at around 1.75 and 2.25 GHz can also be obtained by the coupling strip. By including a chip inductor L at the feeding point, the impedance matching over the lower and upper bands can be improved in order to achieve the two wide operating bands of 698–960 and 1710–2690 MHz. With the following properties of small size, ease of fabrication and good radiation characteristics, the proposed antenna is a good candidate for the fourth LTE mobile phone applications.
Resolving the Paradox of Asymmetry in the Gallop Gait

In an earlier paper (2) an analysis of the complete stride cycle in both transverse and rotary gallops resulted in a solution that required that the durations of the two flight phases should be equal, in both cases. Several possible explanations have been speculatively advanced to resolve the paradox this presents in light of the common observation that the flight phases are quite different with the gathered flight phase always being much the longer in duration. In this paper these explanations are examined, and found to be inadequate to resolve the paradox. A new hypothesis based on pelvic rotation is proposed, but not tested.
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to reduce symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder in adolescent victims of incest

Threats of sexual violence can occur anywhere, including in the family environment. The subject of this study was a fifteen-year-old adolescent girl diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder following an act of incest by her stepfather. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy to reduce symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder in the subject. The study used the single case-single subject A-B-A design. The intervention was trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy administered over 12 sessions. Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder were measured using the Child Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptom Scale (CPSS). Changes in the CPSS scores in the intervention and post-intervention processes showed that the post-traumatic stress disorder score changed from the moderate to the mild category. The decrease in the score was also evidenced by the results of the different pre-intervention, intervention, and post-intervention CPSS scores using Mann-Whitney nonparametric analysis. The study has implications for applying trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy to reduce symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder in adolescent girls who have been victims of incest.
Detection and localisation of magnetic objects

Detection and localisation of hidden magnetic objects is studied. The concomitant disturbance of the earth magnetic field is exploited. Magnetic fields and or gradients are measured with a number of sensors. Two point models for magnetic fields are selected for the analysis: the magnetic dipole and its quadrupole extension. It is shown how to apply least squares analysis of the data in order to detect and localise magnetised objects. The theoretical framework is tested in simulations, including noise. Two methods to do the minimisation are chosen. The formalism performs well in the simulations. Detection and localisation of the model objects is successful. No decisive differences in performance of the two minimisation methods are found. Results for the position parameters are reliable in any case. We have evaluated the goodness of fit in our simulations. Theoretical and simulated chi-square distributions are compared for different fit models and noise distributions with satisfactory results. The obtained parameter distributions are Gaussian. Measurements are performed to test the algorithms on real data collected for three ferromagnetic objects: a magnet, pipe and block. The magnet is easily localised, the pipe reasonably well. The block cannot be localised: its field variations cannot be distinguished from background field variations. Subsequent simulations show that using gradiometers improves the performances of the algorithms. The effects of a number of controllable parameters are evaluated. © The Institution of Engineering and Technology 2007.
A circuit model of probes in dual-mode cavities

An accurate model of coaxial probes used as input and output ports in dual-mode cavities (either air-filled or dielectric-loaded) is presented. The model precisely predicts such empirically observed phenomena as limited out-of-band isolation, generation of extra transmission zeros, and asymmetric responses. The model parameters can be determined from simple measured data. It is shown how the model can be used in the analysis and synthesis of canonical dual-mode filters. Experimental verification of the model for several configurations showed excellent agreement with theory. >
Environmentally Friendly Hybrid Power System for Cultivators

Purpose: In this study, a hybrid power system was developed for agricultural machines with a 20-KW output capacity, and it was attached to a multi-purpose cultivator to improve the performance of the cultivator, which was evaluated using output tests. Methods: The hybrid system combined heterogeneous sources: an internal-combustion engine and an electric power motor. In addition, a power splitter was developed to simplify the power transmission structure. The cultivator using the hybrid system was designed to have increased fuel efficiency and output power and reduced exhaust gas emissions, while maintaining the functions of existing cultivators. Results: The fuel consumption for driving the cultivator in the hybrid engine vehicle (HEV) mode was 341 g/KWh, which was 36% less than the consumption in the engine (ENG) mode for the same load. The maximum power take off output of the hybrid power system was 12.7 KW, which was 38% more than the output of the internal-combustion engine. In the HEV mode, harmful exhaust gas emissions were reduced; i.e., CO emissions were reduced by 36~41% and NOx emissions were reduced by 27~51% compared to the corresponding emissions in the ENG mode. Conclusions: The hybrid power system improved the fuel efficiency and reduced exhaust gas emissions in agricultural machinery. Lower exhaust gas emissions of the hybr id system have considerable advantages in closed work environments such as crop production facilities; therefore, agricultural machinery with less exhaust gas emissions should be commercialized. However, the high manufacturing cost and complexity of the proposed system are challenges which need to be solved in the future.
O'Map: An assistive solution for identifying and localizing objects in a semi-structured environment

A system capable of detection and localization of objects of interest (OI) in a semi-structured environment will enhance the quality of life of people who are blind or visually impaired. Towards building such a system, this paper presents a personalized real-time system called O'Map that runs on Android devices. Main feature of the system is to locate misplaced/moved personal items in a familiar setting. The system provides auditory feedback about the presence and relative position of the query item with respect to known landmarks. First, we adopted participatory design approach to identify users need, functionalities of the system and personalization (i.e., user profile and object map of the environment) in collaboration with representative users. Second, we used the concept from system thinking to develop a real-time object recognition engine that was optimized to run on low form factor devices. Finally, concepts from design thinking were adopted to implement the feedback and user interface to interact with the system. Quantitative evaluation demonstrates that O'Map identifies object of interest with an average F-measure of 0.9650.
Experimental and theoretical studies on kW class polarized fiber lasers for cw operation

High power fiber lasers deliver multiple kW laser power with a diffraction limited beam quality. A drawback for some applications is the arbitrary polarization. We report on experimental and theoretical results of kW class cw fiber lasers with linear polarization. A comparison of different concepts for generation of polarized high power output will be presented. The most feasible design for kW class power scaling will be selected. In order to find an empirical formula for calculating bend loss, additional measurements are carried out and are then compared to the theoretical results.
A critical assessment of task allocation methods and their applicability

This paper reports a project examining task allocation methods. The methods available in the literature and those used in practice by system designers, working on naval systems, are reviewed. The authors describe the characteristics of a naval environment as an example of an application area for which a task allocation method is required, and specify a set of requirements for methods in this area. The applicability of the methods in the literature and those in practice are then evaluated against these pre-specified requirements. This is followed by a discussion of the discrepancies between the methods in the literature and the requirements; the methods used in practice and the requirements; and the methods in the literature and those used in practice. The paper concludes with a set of recommendations for further work in the task allocation domain, as indicated by the findings of this study.
Enterprise resource planning: analysing the impact

Describes a study that set out to evaluate the performance impact of a SAP R3 implementation. The SAP system was implemented by a major multinational business in four of its European plants. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected over a two‐year period, through surveys and interviews with systems users and by accessing company records. While users were able to identify the operational benefits of SAP, they were still doubtful at the end of the evaluation process whether the system had resulted in any significant positive financial benefits for the business. Two themes related to this observation are explored. First the time lag between operational improvements and subsequent financial impact. Second the importance of learning as a means of reducing the time lag. Learning in this context is a multi‐dimensional concept and covers learning how to use the system, learning how to improve the system and learning how to improve the implementation process.
Examining Diaspora Journalists’ Digital Networks and Role Perceptions: A Case Study of Syrian Post-Conflict Advocacy Journalism

ABSTRACT Using digital ethnography and in-depth interviews, this study offers a comprehensive understanding of how diaspora journalists maintain connections with their conflict-torn homeland and advocate for transnational human rights and political reforms after fleeing its repressive political sphere. To this end, the paper examines how Syrian diaspora journalists engage in transnational advocacy practices through building digital networks that blur boundaries between journalism, activism, human rights advocacy, social movements, and civil society work. The paper further investigates how these advocacy practices shape the diaspora journalists’ perceptions of their roles as well as their understanding of the different political, economic, procedural, organizational, and professional factors that influence how they perform them. Findings demonstrate that diaspora advocacy journalism poses various challenges to traditional journalism paradigms as journalists’ roles go beyond news gathering and publishing to include petitioning, creating transnational solidarity, collaborating with civil society organizations, and carrying out various institutional work. In so doing, the paper rethinks hybridity in journalistic role perceptions proposing two unique approaches for serving democracy from exile. A novel definition of diaspora advocacy journalism and comprehensive discussion of the various sources of influence on news reporting and advocacy networking in the unique transnational conflict context are further proposed.
Broadband High-Efficiency Ultrathin Metasurfaces With Simultaneous Independent Control of Transmission and Reflection Amplitudes and Phases

We demonstrate a broadband near-100%-efficiency ultrathin metasurface operating at microwave and millimeter-wave frequencies. We develop and employ two orthogonally polarized metallic gratings to form a Fabry–Perot cavity and incorporate a subwavelength metallic double-split-ring resonator at the center of each unit cell. It allows arbitrary amplitude-phase combinations with no coupling between amplitude and phase or between transmitted and reflected waves, leading to the design of an ultrathin but highly efficient broadband metasurface with multiple functionalities. Furthermore, the proposed metasurface can generate diffractive beams with different orders and vortex beams with different orbital angular momentum (OAM) modes in reflection and transmission spaces simultaneously. Both numerical and experimental results verify that the proposed metasurface has superior performance to its counterparts that are based solely on phase control. The proposed metasurface presents a lightweight, low-cost, and easily deployable flat device for microwave and millimeter-wave applications.
Study optimum ratio of major ingredients in Khaomak yogurt ice cream

The objective of this research was to study optimal ratio of yogurt ice cream mix, blended Khaomak and water in Khaomak yogurt ice cream. Mixture Design was used for formulating mixture of yogurt ice cream mix (60–80%), blended Khaomak (5–15%) and water (0–20%). The viscosity and %overrun of Khaomak yogurt ice cream, 80% yogurt ice cream mix, 5% blended Khaomak and 15% water (trt1) gave the highest values which were 174 cP and 11.35%, respectively. Khaomak yogurt ice cream at ratio of 65:15:20 (trt3) gave the highest melting rate. Total soluble solid from Khaomak yogurt ice cream at ratio of 80:15:5 (trt2) and trt1 gave the highest values which were 26.97oBrix and 25.83oBrix, respectively. Treatment with high amount of blended Khaomak caused decreasing in L* and increasing in a* and b* ( p ≤0.05). The acidity of Khaomak yogurt ice cream was mainly from yogurt ice cream mix, trt2 gave the highest acidity which was 0.45% total acid and pH 4.85. Total bacteria of all treatments were in range of 7.50–7.90 log cfu g -1 and lactic acid bacteria were in range of 7.40–7.80 log cfu g -1 , yeast and mold were less than 10 cfu g -1 . Microbiological analysis of all treatments met the requirement of fermented milk product standard issued by the Ministry of Public Health, Thailand. The ratio of yogurt ice cream mix, blended Khaomak and water at ratio of 80:5:15 (trt1) obtained the highest liking score in all attributes including overall liking (7.08) with just right higher than 50% in Just about right (JAR) test for all attributes.
An Approach to Obtain an Advisable Ratio between Stator and Rotor Tooth Widths in Switched Reluctance Motors for Higher Torque and Smoother Output Power Profile

This paper is carried out to find out an easy way to determine an advisable and acceptable ratio between stator and rotor tooth width in switched reluctance motors for smoother magnetic field energy, torque and output power profile. As known, different switched reluctance motors (SRMs) have different usage areas because of their different constructions causing different torque, current-voltage and power characteristics. Considering all these effects, eight different SRM designs were held. The designed motors only have different rotor tooth structure. In order to exhibit the most suitable stator/rotor tooth width ratio for an application, software called FEMM 4.2 and LUA scripting language utilizing finite element method (FEM) have been used. The comparison of dynamic output for each motor provides the basis for discussion on the relationship of performance of SRM relating to its physical size. In this study; the differences among the motors designed are explained and the selected and verified simulation results are presented. Key Words: Switched Reluctance Motor, Tooth Width Ratio, Finite Elements, Static Torque
Roles of forest disturbance and climate variability on streamflow components in snow‐dominated paired watersheds at multiple temporal scales

The paired watershed experimental (PWE) approach has long been used as an effective means to assess the impacts of forest change on hydrology in small watersheds (<100 km2). Yet, the effects of climate variability on streamflow are not often assessed in PWE design. In this study, two sets of paired watersheds, (1) Camp and Greata Creeks and (2) 240 and 241 Creeks located in the Southern Interior of British Columbia, Canada, were selected to explore relative roles of forest disturbance and climate variability on streamflow components (i.e., baseflow and surface runoff) at different time scales. Our analyses showed that forest disturbance is positively related to annual streamflow components. However, this relationship is statistically insignificant since forest disturbance can either increase or decrease seasonal streamflow components, which eventually limited the positive effect on streamflow at the annual scale. Interestingly, we found that forest disturbance consistently decreased summer streamflow components in the two PWEs as forest disturbance can augment earlier and quicker snow‐melt processes and hence reduce soil moisture to maintain summer streamflow components. More importantly, this study revealed that climate variability played a more significant role than forest disturbance in both annual and seasonal streamflow components, for instance, climate variability can account for as much as 90% of summer streamflow components variation in Camp, suggesting the role of climate variability on streamflow should be highlighted in the traditional PWE approach to truly advance our understanding of the interactions of forest change, climate variability and water for sustainable water resource management.
Provably Secure Client-Server Key Management Scheme in 5G Networks

The increasing demand for real-time data transmission in wireless mobile communication networks has promoted the maturity of mobile communication technology. Fifth-generation (5G) mobile communication technology is combined with cloud computing, high-frequency signal transmission, and other technologies and perfectly fits with the client-server architecture. 5G has been applied in many fields, such as the interconnection of smart devices, virtual reality, and cloud-based life. To provide the security and availability of the required services, we proposed a key management scheme based on the multiserver architecture of the client-server mode in 5G networks, which uses bilinear pairings and elliptic curve cryptography. Through informal security analysis and formal analysis (under the random oracle model and ProVerif tool), we demonstrated that the proposed scheme can complete mutual authentication and resist common network attacks. Furthermore, after the performance analysis of our scheme and other related schemes, it was found that this scheme has relatively low communication and computation costs and better security performance.
Frequency Stability Assessment of Multiple Virtual Synchronous Generators for Interconnected Power System

Virtual inertia (VI) control is a promising concept to ensure the frequency stability of systems dominated by high renewable energy. Supply of VI is established by an inverter-based energy storage system, which can emulate a necessary behavior of synchronous generation in terms of inertia and damping properties, enhancing the entire system stability. This work investigates the dynamic behavior of multiple-VI in an interconnected system. A frequency control model of a three-area interconnected system with multiple-VI control is presented. Then, contrastive test scenarios are conducted to evaluate the necessity of the VI control in both islanded and grid-connected modes. The obtained results show that the genuine dynamic behavior of a grid-connected mode can lead to critical frequency issues with damping insufficiency. The instability in a grid-connected mode can be resolved by the development of multiple-VI control. The promising results will be useful and essential for further research on an interconnected system in respect to a detailed model-based frequency and inertia power response.
Wavenumber domain reconstruction of SAR/SAS imagery using single transmitter and multiple-receiver geometry

As synthetic aperture sonar and radar systems are operated at higher platform velocities, spatial undersampling becomes an increasing problem. This is most often countered by using an array of spatially separated receivers. Here, a modified form of the standard wavenumber (range mitigation algorithm, /spl omega/-k, seismic migration) algorithm to account for the increased number of receiver channels is reported.
STATE ESTIMATION OVER THE LIMITED-BAND COMMUNICATION CHANNEL FOR PITCH MOTION CONTROL OF LAAS HELICOPTER BENCHMARK1

Abstract The problem of state estimation under information constraints is considered for control of the “LAAS Helicopter benchmark”. Parameter estimates of the “Helicopter” pitch dynamics model are obtained by means of the real-time identification algorithm. The adaptation law for tuning the coder range parameter is suggested. Experimental results for pitch motion control of the “Helicopter” are presented, showing efficiency of the proposed method.