Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Privacy-Oriented Approach for Depression Signs Detection Based on Speech Analysis

Currently, AI-based assistive technologies, particularly those involving sensitive data, such as systems for detecting mental illness and emotional disorders, are full of confidentiality, integrity, and security compromises. In the aforesaid context, this work proposes an algorithm for detecting depressive states based on only three never utilized speech markers. This reduced number of markers offers a valuable protection of personal (sensitive) data by not allowing for the retrieval of the speaker’s identity. The proposed speech markers are derived from the analysis of pitch variations measured in speech data obtained through a tale reading task performed by typical and depressed subjects. A sample of 22 subjects (11 depressed and 11 healthy, according to both psychiatric diagnosis and BDI classification) were involved. The reading wave files were listened to and split into a sequence of intervals, each lasting two seconds. For each subject’s reading and each reading interval, the average pitch, the pitch variation (T), the average pitch variation (A), and the inversion percentage (also called the oscillation percentage O) were automatically computed. The values of the triplet (Ti, Ai, Oi) for the i-th subject provide, all together, a 100% correct discrimination between the speech produced by typical and depressed individuals, while requiring a very low computational cost and offering a valuable protection of personal data.
Entrepreneurial Orientation, Economic Factors and Performance of Selected Quoted Consumer Goods Manufacturing Companies in Nigeria: A Combined Effect

Performance does take central position in terms of business considering its role in assisting organisations to accomplishing goals and achieving successes. Consumer goods manufacturing industry in Nigeria are experiencing decline in performance these days due to poor entrepreneurial orientation and poor management of economic policies. This study examined entrepreneurial orientation, economic factors and performance of selected quoted consumer goods companies in Nigeria. Cross sectional survey design was employed and the population of the study was 1,551 of twelve (12) quoted consumer goods manufacturing companies in Nigeria. A structured questionnaire was used for data collection. The Cronbach’s alpha ranges between 0.721 and 0.892. The response rate was 90.5%. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results revealed that entrepreneurial orientation (β = 0.420, t = 7.288, p = 0.000) and economic factors (β = 0.671, t = 11.098, p = 0.000) have positive and significant effects on performance of the selected quoted consumer goods companies in Nigeria. This implies that entrepreneurial orientation and economic factor are significant predictors of performance of selected quoted consumer goods companies in the study area. The study concluded that entrepreneurial orientation and economic factors had significant effects on performance of selected consumer goods companies in Nigeria and recommended that managers of selected consumer goods companies should be strategic and proactive enough to improve on performance of consumer goods manufacturing companies in Nigeria.
Comparison of RBF Neural Network and Support Vector Machine on Aero-Engine Vibration Fault Diagnosis

RBF neural network and support vector machine (SVM), two Artificial Intelligent (AI) methods, have been extensively applied on machinery fault diagnosis. Aero-engine, as one kind of rotating machine with complex structure and high rotating speed, has complicated vibration faults. As one kind of AI methods, RBF neural network has the advantages of fast learning, high accuracy and strong self-adapting ability. Support vector machine, another AI method, only needs a small quantity of fault data samples to train the classifier and does not need to extract signal features. In this paper, the applications of two AI methods on aero-engine vibration fault diagnosis are introduced. Firstly, the principles and algorithm of both two methods are presented. Secondly the fundamentals of two-shaft aero-engine vibration fault diagnosis are described and gotten the standard fault samples (training samples) and simulation samples (testing samples). Third, two AI methods are applied to the vibration fault diagnosis and obtained the diagnostic results. Finally, the advantages and disadvantages of the two methods are compared such as the computing speed, accuracy of diagnosis and complexity of algorithm, and given a suggestion of selecting the diagnostic methods.
A Novel Single-Step-Labeled 212Pb-CaCO3 Microparticle for Internal Alpha Therapy: Preparation, Stability, and Preclinical Data from Mice

Lead-212 is recognized as a promising radionuclide for targeted alpha therapy for tumors. Many studies of 212Pb-labeling of various biomolecules through bifunctional chelators have been conducted. Another approach to exploiting the cytotoxic effect is coupling the radionuclide to a microparticle acting as a carrier vehicle, which could be used for treating disseminated cancers in body cavities. Calcium carbonate may represent a suitable material, as it is biocompatible, biodegradable, and easy to synthesize. In this work, we explored 212Pb-labeling of various CaCO3 microparticles and developed a protocol that can be straightforwardly implemented by clinicians. Vaterite microparticles stabilized by pamidronate were effective as 212Pb carriers; labeling yields of ≥98% were achieved, and 212Pb was strongly retained by the particles in an in vitro stability assessment. Moreover, the amounts of 212Pb reaching the kidneys, liver, spleen, and skeleton of mice following intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration were very low compared to i.p. injection of unbound 212Pb2+, indicating that CaCO3-bound 212Pb exhibited stability when administered intraperitoneally. Therapeutic efficacy was observed in a model of i.p. ovarian cancer for all the tested doses, ranging from 63 to 430 kBq per mouse. Lead-212-labeled CaCO3 microparticles represent a promising candidate for treating intracavitary cancers.
A 9000 km 5 Gb/s and 21,000 km 2.4 Gb/s Feasibility Demonstration of Transoceanic EDFA Systems Using a Circulating Loop

The capacity of transoceanic undersea transmission systems can be greatly increased by using erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs) as undersea repeaters. Of the many transmission ‘experiments that have been performed using EDFAs,[1] [2] [3] the longest distance achieved to date transported a 2.4 Gb/s signal through a 2,200 km fiber that contained 25 EDFAs spaced every 80 km. [1] Extending the transmission length-of these experiments would require a large amount of hardware. Therefore, we have chosen to show feasibility of transoceanic EDFA systems by measuring the bit error rate (BER) after multi-thousand kilometer transmission using a circulating loop.
The Impact of a Mobile App on Participation in Cardiac Rehabilitation and Understanding Barriers to Success: Comparative Cohort Study

Background Poor patient uptake of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) remains a challenge for multiple reasons including geographic, time, cultural, cost, and psychological constraints. Objective We evaluated the impact on CR participation rates associated with the addition of the option of mobile app–based CR (Cardihab) for patients declining conventional CR. Methods A total of 204 consecutive patients were offered CR following angioplasty; of these, 99 were in cohort 1 (offered conventional CR only) and 105 were in cohort 2 (app-based CR offered to those declining conventional CR). Patients in each cohort were followed throughout a 6-week CR program and participation rates were compared for both groups. Patients in cohort 2 declining both forms of CR were interviewed to assess reasons for nonparticipation. Results CR participation improved from 21% (95% CI 14%-30%) to 63% (95% CI 53%-71%) with the addition of the app (P<.001). Approximately 25% (9/39) of the group declining the app-based program identified technology issues as the reason for nonparticipation. The remainder declined both CR programs or were ineligible due to frailty or comorbidities. Conclusions Providing patients with the additional option of an app-based CR program substantially improved CR participation. Technology and psychological barriers can limit CR participation. Further innovation in CR delivery systems is required to improve uptake.
The Influence of Sonication Processing Conditions on Electrical and Mechanical Properties of Single and Hybrid Epoxy Nanocomposites Filled with Carbon Nanoparticles

Graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) and carbon nanotubes (CNT) are used to enhance electrical and mechanical properties of epoxy-based nanocomposites. Despite the evidence of synergetic effects in the hybrid GNP-CNT-epoxy system, there is still a lack of studies that focus on the influence of different dispersion methods on the final properties of these ternary systems. In the present work, direct and indirect ultrasonication methods were used to prepare single- and hybrid-filled GNP-CNT-epoxy nanocomposites, varying the amplitude and time of sonication in order to investigate their effect on electrical and thermomechanical properties. Impedance spectroscopy was combined with rheology and electron microscopy to show that high-power direct sonication tends to degrade electrical conductivity in GNP-CNT-epoxy nanocomposites due to damage caused in the nanoparticles. CNT-filled samples were mostly benefitted by low-power direct sonication, achieving an electrical conductivity of 1.3 × 10−3 S·m−1 at 0.25 wt. % loading, while indirect sonication was not able to properly disperse the CNTs and led to a conductivity of 1.6 ± 1.3 × 10−5. Conversely, specimens filled with 2.5 wt. % of GNP and processed by indirect sonication displayed an electrical conductivity that is up to 4 orders of magnitude higher than when processed by direct sonication, achieving 5.6 × 10−7 S·m−1. The introduction of GNP flakes improved the dispersion state and conductivity in hybrid specimens processed by indirect sonication, but at the same time impaired these properties for high-power direct sonication. It is argued that this contradictory effect is caused by a selective localization of shorter CNTs onto GNPs due to strong π-π interactions when direct sonication is used. Dynamic mechanical analysis showed that the addition of nanofillers improved epoxy’s storage modulus by up to 84%, but this property is mostly insensitive to the different processing parameters. Decrease in crosslinking degree and presence of residual solvent confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, however, diminished the glass transition temperature of the nanocomposites by up to 40% when compared to the neat resin due to plasticization effects.
Nano-ecogel to maintain the physicochemical characteristics of fresh-cut mangosteen

Fresh-cut mangosteen is a minimally processed product that is currently popular due to the requirement for fresh produce, quality, convenience, and minimal preparation. The process of skin removal causes fast deterioration in fresh-cut mangosteen. The nano edible coating of aloe vera gel or nano-ecogel can be applied to delay physicochemical changes in fresh-cut mangosteen. This study is intended to determine the effect of nano-ecogel concentration and immersion time to maintain the physicochemical characteristics of fresh-cut mangosteen. The effects of the concentration of nano-ecogel (100%, 75%, 50%, and 25%, v/v) and immersion time (1, 2, and 3 min) of fresh-cut mangosteen on acidity, vitamin C, water content, total dissolved solids, weight loss, texture and browning index were evaluated for nine days of cold storage. The concentration of nano-ecogel, immersion time, and interaction affected the acidity, water content, total dissolved solids, weight loss, and browning index of fresh-cut mangosteen. The best treatment was immersion in 50% nano-ecogel for 1 min.
Impact of increasing levels of NaSO4 in drinking water on the intake and utilization of low-quality forages by beef cattle hand-fed a protein supplement or protein supplement containing 25% salt

© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Society of Animal Science. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted reuse, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Transl. Anim. Sci. 2021.5:S106–S110 https://doi.org/10.1093/tas/txab146
Determining inductive sensor wear debris limits for rolling contact fatigue of bearings

A relatively recent development for the condition monitoring of oil-wetted machinery has been the in-line full-flow inductive wear debris sensor (hereafter referred to as inductive wear debris sensors). These sensors detect a disturbance to a magnetic field caused by metallic wear debris shed from deteriorating dynamic components that is entrained in the lubricant. Applications for these sensors currently include (but are not limited to) aviation machinery, wind-turbine generators, marine propulsion systems, and locomotives. Inductive wear debris sensors can distinguish between ferromagnetic and nonferromagnetic particles as well as providing size and other related information. One of the primary advantages of this sensor type is that the detectable size range is broad and may be used to track the progress of an incipient failure such as the rolling contact fatigue of a bearing or gear as it occurs. One aspect that has received little attention in the literature is the methodology for determining a suitable limit for a particular application. Limits are a critically important aspect of machinery condition monitoring and need to be established by a robust and reliable method otherwise unnecessary maintenance can occur or an incipient fault may be missed. This paper describes a generic method for determining a physically meaningful debris limit for a deteriorating rolling element bearing when utilizing an inductive wear debris sensor.
A Multiplier-less Transform Architecture with the Diagonal Data Mapping Transpose Memory for The AVS3 Standard

For improving the coding efficiency, the next-generation Audio Video coding Standard (AVS3) has contained several advanced compression tools, including the transformation operations. The new coding tool known as PBT (Position Based Transform) is introduced, which brings great coding gains at the expense of high computational circuit areas. To reduce the area of transform module and realize the high-performance hardware implementation, we propose a multiplier-less transform architecture supporting DCT-II and two additional types used in PBT, named DST-VII and DCT-VIII. Moreover, a transpose memory with unified diagonal data mapping is designed to reduce latency in data accessing. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed architecture achieves significant advantages both in the area reduction and in the throughput rate improvement for the transform module in AVS3.
SVM-based hysteresis current controller for three-phase PWM rectifier

A space vector modulation (SVM) based hysteresis current controller (HCC) for the pulse width modulated rectifier is proposed. The proposed technique utilises all the advantages of the HCC and SVM techniques. The controller determines a set of space vectors from a region detector and applies a space vector, selected according to the HCC. A set of space vectors, including the zero vector to reduce the number of switchings, is determined from the output signals of three comparators. A simple hardware implementation is proposed, and experimental results of the SVM-based HCC are shown.
Bioprospecting of microorganisms with lignocellulolytic enzyme activity for leaf litter degradation

This study aims to isolate cellulose and lignin degrading microorganisms which are capable of degrading lignocellulosic biomass in an ecofriendly nature. A total of 160 cultures were isolated and screened for their cellulolytic, ligninolytic activity. Those cultures were forwarded for lignocellulolytic enzyme assays. Among the bacterial isolate, TER3 showed the maximum number of enzyme activity in cellulase, PPO and laccase (6.024 U/ml, 0.963 U/ml and 0.215 U/ml respectively). E-PW1 isolates were observed, to the production of PPO (0.237 U/ml), MnP (0.007 U/ml) and LiP (0.242 U/ml). E-MUS1 isolate also showed good activity in cellulase (2.875 U/ml), LiP (0.240 U/ml) production. In the case of fungal isolates TER1 exhibited the highest activity in PPO (2.468 U/ml), laccase (0.053 U/ml) and LiP (0.244 U/ml) production, COM3 isolate recorded activity of 0.490 U/ml in PPO and 0.240 U/ml in LiP followed by E-PST3 (0.013U/ml in laccase, 0.203U/ml in LiP). In Actinobacterial culture CP4 showed higher activity in cellulase production (5.140 U/ml), laccase (0.124 U/ml) production, E-PST4 showed 0.008 U/ml in laccase, 0.149U/ml in LiP production and COM2 in cellulase (2.66U/ml). Selection of cultures were undertaken based on the number of enzymes produced. The selected 9 cultures were considered as the best lignocellulose degrading microorganism that could produce all the desired enzymes for effective degradation of lignocellulosic biomass.
Unsteady Wake Effect on Film Temperature and Effectiveness Distributions for a Gas Turbine Blade

The film effectiveness and coolant jet temperature profile on the suction side of a gas turbine blade were measured using a transient liquid crystal and a cold-wire technique, respectively. The blade has only one row of film holes oear the gill hole portion on the suction side of the blade. Tests were performed on a five-blade linear cascade in a low-speed wind tunnel. The mainstream Reynolds number based on cascade exit velocity was 5.3×105. Upstream unsteady wakes were simulated using a spoke-wheel type wake generator. Coolant blowing ratio was varied from 0.6 to 1.2. Wake Strouhal number was kept at 0 and 0.1. Results show that unsteady wake reduces film cooling effectiveness. Results also show that film injection enhances local heat transfer coefficient while the unsteady wake promotes earlier boundary-layer transition. The development of coolant jet temperature profiles could be used to explain the film cooling performance.Copyright © 1999 by ASME
Five Houses by Giuseppe Terragni

This article addresses the research on the theme of single-family houses of the well-known Italian rationalist architect Giuseppe Terragni (1904–1943), author of Novocomum, Casa del Fascio, and Asilo Sant'Elia in Como, which are discussed in all of the major texts of modern architecture. The article is accompanied by computer reconstruction drawings of two houses. These drawings are important because one of these buildings—Casa sul lago per l'artista—has been demolished. The drawings for the second building—Villa sul lago—represent new three-dimensional views of an unbuilt, but crucial, project.
Baseline Stiffness Modulates the Non-Linear Response to Stretch of the Extracellular Matrix in Pulmonary Fibrosis

Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a progressive disease that disrupts the mechanical homeostasis of the lung extracellular matrix (ECM). These effects are particularly relevant in the lung context, given the dynamic nature of cyclic stretch that the ECM is continuously subjected to during breathing. This work uses an in vivo model of pulmonary fibrosis to characterize the macro- and micromechanical properties of lung ECM subjected to stretch. To that aim, we have compared the micromechanical properties of fibrotic ECM in baseline and under stretch conditions, using a novel combination of Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and a stretchable membrane-based chip. At the macroscale, fibrotic ECM displayed strain-hardening, with a stiffness one order of magnitude higher than its healthy counterpart. Conversely, at the microscale, we found a switch in the stretch-induced mechanical behaviour of the lung ECM from strain-hardening at physiological ECM stiffnesses to strain-softening at fibrotic ECM stiffnesses. Similarly, we observed solidification of healthy ECM versus fluidization of fibrotic ECM in response to stretch. Our results suggest that the mechanical behaviour of fibrotic ECM under stretch involves a potential built-in mechanotransduction mechanism that may slow down the progression of PF by steering resident fibroblasts away from a pro-fibrotic profile.
An atlas of the developing Tribolium castaneum brain reveals conserved anatomy and divergent timing to Drosophila melanogaster

Insect brains are formed by conserved sets of neural lineages whose fibres form cohesive bundles with characteristic projection patterns. Within the brain neuropil these bundles establish a system of fascicles constituting the macrocircuitry of the brain. The overall architecture of the neuropils and the macrocircuitry appear to be conserved. However, variation is observed e.g., in size and shape and timing of development. Unfortunately, the developmental and genetic basis of this variation is poorly understood although the rise of new genetically tractable model organisms such as the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum allows the possibility to gain mechanistic insights. To facilitate such work, we present an atlas of the developing brain of T. castaneum, covering the first larval instar, the prepupal stage and the adult, by combining wholemount immunohistochemical labelling of fibre bundles (acetylated tubulin) and neuropils (synapsin) with digital 3D reconstruction using the TrakEM2 software package. Upon comparing this anatomical dataset with the published work in D. melanogaster, we confirm an overall high degree of conservation. Fibre tracts and neuropil fascicles, which can be visualized by global neuronal antibodies like anti-acetylated tubulin in all invertebrate brains, create a rich anatomical framework to which individual neurons or other regions of interest can be referred to. The framework of a largely conserved pattern allowed us to describe differences between the two species with respect to parameters such as timing of neuron proliferation and maturation. These features likely reflect adaptive changes in developmental timing that govern the change from larval to adult brain.