Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Combined Procedure Based on Gaussian Process Regression for the Traveling Salesman Problem

This study aims to propose a new method of estimating the optimal tour given the arbitrary sample tours. In this study, a probabilistic approach, namely Gaussian process regression (GPR), is employed to solve the symmetric traveling salesman problem (TSP) with a single salesman. The problem is formulated as GPR model. In addition, our proposed algorithm is to combine procedure based on GPR in which the first sample tour is constructed by greedy search (GS) algorithm and other sample tours are created by using 2-exchange strategy. They are treated as independent variable and their lengths are the dependent variable in GPR model. Moreover, GPR solutions are improved for the better solutions by using iterated 2-opt. In the experiments, our proposed method is executed on several widely-used instances with different number of cities, and it is compared the performance in terms of optimal solutions and computer run time with genetic algorithm (GA) and simulated annealing algorithm (SA). As a result, our proposed approach can be applied to solve TSP and it achieves a reasonable trade-off between solution quality and run time, comparing with GA and SA.
EFFECTS OF PROSODIC STRUCTURE VERSUS DURATIONAL CONTEXT ON THE PERCEPTION OF SEGMENTAL CATEGORIES: THE CASE OF FOCUS REALIZATION

The present study investigates the role prosodic context plays in the perception of durational contrasts. A “coat”~“code” vowel duration continuum was placed in two frames, one in which it received a nuclear accent (as a control condition), and another in which it followed a focused word. We tested two competing hypotheses: (1)Based on durational context alone, listeners might require longer vowel duration for a “code” response when following a focused (lengthened) word, compared with the control condition, normalizing for proximal duration. (2)Alternatively, listeners may expect shorter vowel durations for a post-focus target, because vowels are compressed post-focus. Two experiments, using different length continua, find that listeners in fact show both patterns of categorization. When target vowel duration is short, categorization shifts in line with expectations about prosodic structure, negating proximal duration effects. Results thus suggest that under the right circumstances, sensitivity to prosodic patterns mediates the perception of durational cues.
Building a Mathematical Model of the Merkel Cell

Merkel cells are cells located in the skin that are responsible for transducing a light touch into an electrical signal used to communicate with the nervous system. Merkel cells generate action potentials through the inand outflow of positively charged ions through protein channels. As experimental data on these cells and their ion channels is relatively recent, the Merkel cell’s electrophysiological behavior has yet to be modeled. This project aims to build a mathematical model that will capture action potentials in response to an applied current or indentation. The model’s results are compared to experimental measurements of a Merkel cell’s response to electrical and physical stimuli. We find that our model can capture the qualitative behavior of a Merkel cell in response to stimulus.
GENERATIONAL DIFFERENCES IN PRODUCTION OF A TONAL CONTRAST IN HONG KONG CANTONESE

Hong Kong (HK) Cantonese contains rich tonal contrasts with some having been reported merging, which calls for empirical investigation across social dimensions. This study examines production of a contrast between two rising tones (the high rising tone T2 vs. the low rising tone T5) in HK Cantonese by native speakers in various age groups. We analysed tonal correlates of syllables contrasting the two tones in an utterance produced by 50 speakers. A change is observed in production of T2 but not T5, which appears affected significantly by age. Our youngest group has distinct ranges of pitch offsets of T2 compared with tones produced by speakers in their 50s and up, while the middle group’s production shows an intermediate pattern. Moreover, gender seems to modulate the age factor to some extent.
Variational Attention Using Articulatory Priors for Generating Code Mixed Speech Using Monolingual Corpora

Code Mixing phenomenon where lexical items from one language are embedded in the utterance of another is relatively frequent in multilingual communities and therefore speech systems should be able to process such content. However, building a voice capable of synthesizing such content typically requires bilingual recordings from the speaker which might not always be easy to obtain. In this work, we present an approach for building mixed lingual systems using only monolingual corpora. Specifically we present a way to train multi speaker text to speech system by incorporating stochastic latent variables into the attention mechanism with the objective of synthesizing code mixed content. We subject the prior distribution for such latent variables to match articulatory constraints. Subjective evaluation shows that our systems are capable of generating high quality synthesis in code mixed scenarios.
GROWTH PERFORMANCE, NUTRIENT DIGESTIBILITY AND BLOOD INDICES OF FINISHING BROILER CHICKENS FED VARYING LEVELS OF PRE-GELATINIZED CASSAVA GRITS AS A REPLACEMENT FOR MAIZE

Pre gelatinized cassava grit (PGCG) is a new cassava product produced mechanically and commercially for poultry feeding. Five dietary treatments were formulated with PGCG replacing maize at 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 % in broiler starter (0-4 weeks) and finisher (4-8 weeks) diets. Two hundred (200) day-old broiler chickens were allotted to the five dietary treatments in a completely random design. Each treatment was replicated four times with 10 birds per replicate and 40 birds per treatment. At the end of week 4 and 8 of the experiment, data were collected on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, haematological and serum biochemical indices. Final weight and weight gain were significantly (P < 0.05) highest in broilers fed 25 % PGCG diet, followed by those fed control diet. While, (P < 0.05) similar and lower values were obtained from broilers fed other PGCG diets. Feed intake decreased (P < 0.05) with PGCG in the diets at the starting and finishing phases. Dry matter and crude protein digestibility was (P < 0.05) highest in starting broilers fed 25 % PGCG diet, while digestibility (P < 0.05) declined with higher levels of PGCG. At the finishing phase, digestibility of all nutrients was similar (P < 0.05). Apparent metabolizable energy was (P < 0.05) higher in birds fed PGCG diets in the starting and finishing phases. Haematological and serum biochemical indices showed no significant (P>0.05) difference in the broiler chickens fed varying levels of PGCG in the diets. Broiler chickens fed PGCG above 25% in the diet had significantly (P < 0.05) higher proventriculus values when compared with those fed the control diet and 25% PGCG diet. The study revealed that substituting maize with 25 % PGCG in broiler diets improved growth and nutrient digestibility. Reduction in weight gain and non significant increased thiocyanate at higher PGCG inclusion should be improved for effective utilization of pre gelatinized cassava grit in broiler diets.
The effect of audit quality and degree of international Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) convergence on the accrual earnings management in ASEAN countries

The purpose of this research is to analyze the effect of the degree of convergence of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and Audit Quality on company’s accrual earnings management. In addition, this research also aims to investigate the moderation role of the degree of convergence of IFRS on the relationship between audit quality and company’s accrual earnings management. This research covers several Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, consists of Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. The methodology used in this research is the multiple regressions by using Least Square method. This study finds that the higher the degree of convergence of IFRS, the lower discretionary accruals, which means the higher quality of earnings. Meanwhile, the size and specialization of the auditor are not significantly effecting accrual earnings management which is described by the value of discretionary accruals. The results imply that being audited by Big-4 or specialized accounting firm, does not guarantee the lower discretionary accruals, which means do not guarantee that the accrual earnings management will be better. On the other hand, the degree of convergence of IFRS did not have a moderating role that influence the effect of audit quality on the accrual earnings management.
The Dynamics of Closing Diphthong Formant Trajectories in Te Reo Māori

Te reo Māori, an Eastern Polynesian language, is one of the official languages of Aotearoa/New Zealand and is spoken by approximately 148,400 people, 84.5% of whom identify asMāori. Two pairs of closing diphthongs are usually described as merging phonetically in the speech of modern language speakers. Some diphthong pairs can be confused for second language learners, although they occur in grammatically and semantically distinct words. The current study examines recordings of 18 elder speakers (9M, 9F) of te reo Māori, collected as part of the MAONZE project, an ongoing investigation of sound change within the language. The aim is to describe these diphthongs in terms of trajectory, duration and overall prominence, using measurements of averaged trajectories of formants (F1 and F2) and duration. Results show that there are differences in duration as well as the formant trajectories within diphthong pairs /ai/, /ae/ and /au/, /ou/, suggesting contrasts beyond formant dynamics.
Incorporation of music in a food service food safety curriculum for high school students.

Food safety music parodies were incorporated into a nine-lesson foodservice food safety curriculum for high school students. Nine song parodies were chosen from those developed by Dr. Carl Winter (available at the University of California Food Safety Music webpage, http://foodsafe. ucdavis.edu/) and were inserted into nine lessons to reinforce the subject matter. The curriculum was taught both with the addition of music (Music-added, 9 classes) and without it (Control, 8 classes) in 17 high school family and consumer sciences foods classes in Idaho. Student response was measured. Students in the Music-added group, who were also in classes taught by teachers with more experience with this curriculum or who were also in classes with fewer students, had a significantly higher food safety knowledge score than students in the Control group. Students in the Music-added group who were males or students who were also in classes taught by the teachers with more experience with the curriculum scored significantly higher on one of the food safety attitude instruments used in the study. Teachers using the Music-added curriculum were positive about the addition of the songs and reported that it increased the enjoyment of teaching the subject for both themselves and students. Incorporation of Music in a Food Service Food Safety Curriculum for High School Students
Contrast-enhanced ultrasound-assisted lauromacrogol sclerosing therapy as a novel method for treatment of cesarean scar pregnancy

Cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) is a rare form of ectopic pregnancy taking place at the site of a previous uterine scar, with the increased rate. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) has been shown to improve the sensitivity of plain ultrasonography, and further developments of CEUS technique have significantly increased its clinical utility. Lauromacrogol is widely recognized as the international ideal sclerosing agent. This study investigated the clinical efficacy and safety of CEUS-assisted lauromacrogol sclerosing therapy for the treatment of CSP. 37 patients with CSP were enrolled. Under the CEUS, the lauromacrogol sclerosing therapy was performed, followed by embryo forceps curettage under the guidance of ultrasound. The overall treatment outcome, complications, CEUS findings before and after lauromacrogol sclerosing therapy, changes of β-HCG level and follow-up results were observed. Results showed that, all patients successfully received the CEUS-assisted lauromacrogol sclerosing therapy and embryo forceps curettage. The success rate of treatment was 100%. There was no severe complication such as massive hemorrhage during and after treatment. CEUS findings showed that, after lauromacrogol sclerosing, 94.6% (33/37) scar defects were present as patchy inhomogeneous enhancement, and 5.4% (2/37) as ring enhancement at CEUS, with significant difference compared with before (P < 0.01). The β-HCG level was obviously decreased after lauromacrogol sclerosing therapy and after embryo forceps curettage. β-HCG became normal 7-28 days (mean 14.2 ± 2.1 days) after embryo forceps curettage. CEUS-assisted lauromacrogol sclerosing therapy is a safe and effective technique for the treatment of CSP.
A Preliminary Introduction to the Phylogeny of Opiine Parasitoids ( Braconidae : Opiinae ) with Larvae of Fruit flies , Bactrocera spp . ( Tephritidae : Dacinae ) Based on Four Molecular Data

Bactrocera Macquart is a fruit fly genus, infesting many fruits and vegetables species. It is parasitized by the braconid wasps, Opiinae, the potential parasitoid species for controlling the infestation of the fruit flies in the agricultural fields. In this paper, the relationships of the opiine species and the Bactrocera were illustrated in the tree phylogeny using of combined data four molecular markers (COI, 16S, 12S and Cytb) by implementing Maximum parsimony (MP) and Bayesian Inference (BI) analyses. The Bactrocera species also extracted and amplified using COI marker for confirming the identity molecularly. As preliminary data, resolved phylogenies were obtained from the analyses. Three genera viz. Diachasmimorpha, Fopius and Psyttalia formed 3 monophyletic clades and supported with high value of bootstraps and posterior probabilities. Besides that, each species belongs to every genus also clustered together and supported with moderately to highly support values. The interaction between species was proven molecularly and seems there is no strict coevolution among them. It is because the Bactrocera and opiines species are polyphagus and switch many times their hosts.
Storm : Supporting data mobility through location-independent identifiers

In this paper, we define data mobility as a collective term for the movement of documents between computers, different locations on one computer and movement of content between documents. We identify dangling links and alternative versions as major obstacles for the free movement of data. This paper presents the Storm (STORage Module) design as one possible solution to these problems. Storm uses locationindependent globally unique identifiers, append-and-delete-only storage and peer-to-peer networking to resolve problems raised by data mobility. Moreover, we discuss some specific use scenarios related to ad hoc networks, unreliable network connections and mobile computing, in which the need for data mobility is obvious. Our current prototype implementation works on a single system; peer-to-peer networking is in an early prototype stage. H.5. 4Information Interfaces and PresentationHypertext/Hypermedia[architectures] H.3. 4Information Storage and RetrievalSystems and Software[distributed systems, information networks] Design, Reliability, Performance versioned hypermedia, dangling links, xanalogical storage, peer-topeer, location-independent identifiers
Borderline personality disorder, trauma, and the hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal axis

Abstract Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a complex psychiatric illness for which treatment poses a significant challenge due to limited effective pharmacologic treatments, and under-resourced psychological interventions. BPD is one of the most stigmatized conditions in psychiatry today, but can be understood as a modifiable, neurodevelopmental disorder that arises from maladaptive responses to trauma and stress. Stress susceptibility and reactivity in BPD is thought to mediate both the development and maintenance of BPD symptomatology, with trauma exposure considered an early life risk factor of development, and acute stress moderating symptom trajectory. An altered stress response has been characterized in BPD at the structural, neural, and neurobiological level, and is believed to underlie the maladaptive behavioral and cognitive symptomatology presented in BPD. The endocrine hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis represents a key stress response system, and growing evidence suggests it is dysfunctional in the BPD patient population. This theoretical review examines BPD in the context of a neurodevelopmental stress-related disorder, providing an overview of measurements of stress with a focus on HPA-axis measurement. Potential confounding factors associated with measurement of the HPA system are discussed, including sex and sex hormones, genetic factors, and the influence of sample collection methods. HPA-axis dysfunction in BPD largely mirrors findings demonstrated in post-traumatic stress disorder and may represent a valuable neuroendocrine target for diagnostic or treatment response biomarkers, or for which novel treatments can be investigated.
Analysis of germline mutations induced by chemicals

The high abundance of chemical pollutants in the environment represents a genetic risk to humans. The development of reliable and sensitive tests for the analysis of the genetic effects of exposure to chemical mutagens is required. Previous work has shown that expanded simple tandem repeat (ESTR) loci provide a sensitive system for monitoring radiation-induced mutation in the mouse germline. Here, the results of the first systematic study on germline mutation induction at mouse ESTR loci by chemical mutagens are presented. Mutation rates at two ESTR loci were studied in the germline of male mice exposed to two monofunctional alkylating agents, ethyl-nitrosourea (ENU) and isopropyl methanesulfonate (iPMS), as well as to the topoisomerase-II inhibitor, etoposide (ET). Pre-meiotic exposure to alkylating agents resulted in a highly significant increase in ESTR mutation rate, but did not alter post-meiotically exposed cells. Pre-meiotic mutation induction by ENU and iPMS was linear within the interval of doses from 12.5 mg/kg to 25 mg/kg and reached a plateau at higher concentrations. Paternal exposure to etoposide resulted in ESTR mutation induction at meiotic stages but did not affect postor pre-meiotic cells. The pattern of ESTR mutation induction after pre-meiotic and meiotic exposure to chemical mutagens was similar to that previously obtained by various traditional approaches for monitoring germline mutation in mice. Using microarrays, the analysis of the pattern of changes in gene expression in the testis of male mice exposed to ENU was studied. This analysis revealed that exposure to this chemical mutagen does not result in detectable changes in gene expression. The results of this study show that ESTR loci provide a new and efficient biomonitoring system for assessing the genetic effects of chemical mutagens, capable of detecting increases in mutation rates at very low doses and in small sample sizes.
bspc-and T-wave delineation in ECG signals using parametric mixture aussian and dynamic programming

Detection and tracking of the Pand T-waves are important issues in the analysis and interpretation of the ECG signals. This paper addresses the problem by using two mixture Gaussian function and the Dynamic programming. A key feature of the proposed algorithm is that it allows to incorporate the prior knowledge about the P/T wave location variations and robustness to errors in QRS detection. The proposed algorithm is evaluated on the annotated QT-database and compared against the algorithms based on differential evolution optimization strategy (DEOS) and generating blocks of interest (GBI). The experiments show CG T wave ynamic programming that the proposed method determines the Pand T-peak locations with a root mean square error of 0.085 s and 0.091 s respectively. Both these values are better than the corresponding values from DEOS and GBI. Similarly, the proposed algorithm achieves a sensitivity of 96.13% and predictivity of 97.70%. While the predictivity is higher than both DEOS and GBI, the sensitivity is on par with GBOI and higher than that of DEOS. © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Pain in Lebanese Children with Cancer

Pain is a significant health issue in the paediatric oncology population. No study to date exists documenting the experience and characteristics of pain in Lebanese children with cancer. The primary aim of this research study is to identify the characteristics of the painful experience of paediatric cancer pain in Lebanese children and how pain is managed from the child? s own perspectives. A secondary aim is to assess the cross-cultural context of the Adolescent Paediatric Pain Tool (APPT) and the Functional Disability Inventory (FDI). The specific objectives that will be addressed are:1. To describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of Lebanese children experiencing cancer pain at the CCCL including: type of cancer, time since diagnosis, metastasis, and current treatment in outpatients and inpatients.2. To describe the characteristics of pain including: intensity, frequency, duration, location, and quality in Lebanese children with cancer at the CCCL. 3. To identify the major sources of pain (cancer-related, treatment-related, or procedure-related) in Lebanese children with cancer at the CCCL.4. To examine the impact of pain on activities of daily living in Lebanese children with cancer at the CCCL. 5. To determine the factors associated with the intensity of pain in Lebanese children with cancer at the CCCL. 6. To determine how pain is managed in Lebanese children with cancer at the CCCL from their own perspective. To meet the above aims and objectives a cross-sectional correlational design was used. A consecutive sample (n=62) was recruited from the Children Cancer Centre of Lebanon at the American University of Beirut Medical Centre (CCCL-AUBMC). Data was collected through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. The mean age of participants was 12.3 (SD 2.9). The mother was the primary caregiver in the majority of cases (69.4%). The overall mean intensity rating was 5.06 (SD 1.87) on a 10 cm Word Graphic Rating Scale. The majority (57.4%) of children reported a frequency of ? sometimes? The median duration of pain was two hours per pain episode. The most frequent locations were: the forehead, the abdomen, and lower back. Sensory words were most often used to qualify pain. The functional disability levels were moderate as measured by the FDI. Factors associated with overall pain intensity were: frequency, duration, location, affective words, and treatment-related pain. Time since diagnosis, treatment, surgery in the past, radiotherapy, pain duration and frequency of pain predicted pain intensity in the sample. Children reported receiving pharmacological help from nurses, and non-pharmacological measures from their mothers. The main self-initiated coping strategies used by children were behavioural avoidance and behavioural distraction. The most suggested coping strategy was stressor modification. The majority (56/62) did not expect to experience that much pain from cancer and treatment modalities.Pain assessment and management in Lebanese children with cancer are of concern. Health care professionals, policy makers, and institution stakeholders are urged to take action.