Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Probabilistic trainable segmenter for call center audio using multiple features

An important component of customer call experience analysis is to distinguish different segments of a call including interactive voice response (IVR), waiting in queue, and interaction with an agent. Because segment information from telephone switches is not always available, or may be difficult to obtain, we sought a method that could perform such segmentation solely from the recorded audio. In this paper, we present a probabilistic framework for segmenting call center audio into IVR, Queue, and Agent using a suite of rich features based on both speech and non-speech content. We study different statistical classifiers such as Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) and Conditional Random Field (CRF). We present experimental results on real-world call center data and demonstrate that the probabilistic approach achieves superior segmentation performance, and outperforms a rule-based approach, while significantly reducing the time needed to deploy the segmenter for a new call center.
Field characterisation of an aircraft sized TEM cell

DSTO conducts research into novel approaches for aircraft HIRF (High Intensity Radiated Fields) testing with recent work focused on testing at frequencies below 30 MHz. A 30 m × 11 m × 6 m reverberation chamber, developed as part of our research program, has been modified to incorporate a TEM (Transverse electromagnetic) mode of operation, with a 20 m × 6 m septum as the major component. The ultimate aim is to provide continuity in the available testing frequencies between the TEM and reverberation modes of operation. A validated computational model of the system has been used to investigate the uniformity of the electric field and the power requirements as a function of frequency. Results indicate that below 15 MHz, where pure TEM modes of operation are achievable, field variations of no more than 6 dB are observed over the volume occupied by a representative EUT (equipment under test). In addition, the power required to achieve a field strength of 200 V/m is of the order of 20 kW. Also discussed in this paper, is that at resonant frequencies within the chamber, the situation becomes uncertain and requires further investigation.
Enhanced CO 2 / N 2 separation performance by using dopamine / polyethyleneimine-grafted TiO 2 nanoparticles fi lled PEBA mixed-matrix membranes

Mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) were fabricated by incorporating synthesized titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles into polyether block amide (PEBA) matrix to fabricate TiO2/PBEA MMMs for CO2/N2 separation. The mesoporous channels of TiO2 increased the density of active sites with high accessibility and also facilitate the diffusion of CO2 in the gas separation process. Furthermore, amine groups are grafted onto the TiO2 fillers via one step reaction with dopamine (DA) and polyethyleneimine (PEI). The modified TiO2 fillers with abundant amine groups are conductive to transfer CO2 owing to the reversible reaction occurred between CO2 and amine groups. The effects of TiO2 loading, DA/PEI modification on the morphology and CO2/N2 separation performance of the resulting TiO2/PBEA MMMs were systematically studied. The results showed that the MMMs filled with 3 wt% DA-PEI-TiO2 synthesized with DA/PEI mass ratio of 1/1 and PEI molecular weight of 1800 exhibited optimal separation performance with CO2 permeability of 67 Barrer and CO2/N2 selectivity of 101, surpassing the 2008 Robeson upper-bound.
Persistent pre-allocation and back link based write back journaling technique

The Journaling file system keeps track of the changes in a circular log in a dedicated storage area. The file system modifications are stored as a journal transaction before writing them into the actual file system location or home location. On file system crash or system failure, the file system mounts back immediately and the awaiting journal transactions are written into the home location. Predominantly, file systems use meta-data journaling than data journaling because the latter is costly operation as it involves a double write for every data write. In our proposed persistent pre-allocation with back link technique, the file system writes are optimized and file consistency is assured. Essentially, this new technique produces write back journaling with reduced number of metadata writes with no data corruption for growing file write operations. File system modifications often create random writes, when the random writes is reduced, the SSD performance is enhanced through reduced write amplification. We implemented the proposed technique the Ext4 file system and the results on various workloads show improved write performance on the SSD block device. Also the reliability results show no data corruption after the system recovery.
A Study of Working Conditions Based on Cluster Analysis

Working conditions are essential to the economy and security of power plant. This paper proposes a new method, based on the actual operation data of a power plant and a improved k-means algorithm, for conditions analysis and optimizing operation. The research result demonstrates that this method may effectively find the valuable and potential knowledge among massive data and provide guidance to the operators. Keywords—cluster analysis; working conditions; improved kmeans; power plant
Strategic security protection for industrial control systems

Even though serious accidents such as explosion or leakage of poisonous substances have not occurred yet, several cyber-attacks, e.g. Stuxnet, Havex and etc. have been developed to attack industrial control systems (ICS) and succeeded to hinder the operation of industries for long term. These mal wares utilized zero-day exploits and concealment. Although countermeasures against them have been developed, new kinds of cyber-attacks will be developed. It looks a vicious spiral. Especially for ICS, safety should be maintained even if the cyber-attacks utilize unknown vulnerability. In this paper, a systematic approach to design protection systems against cyber-attacks for ICS is proposed. Not only the vulnerabilities of the control network but also properties of the process safety are considered to design and evaluate them. The investment for cyber-security should be proposed according to the seriousness of possible hazards, required security level and budgets. The proposed approach enables the strategic decision making. Moreover, the scenarios of incident responses to care safety and security are discussed.
A Gm-C Continuous-time Analog Filter for IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n Wireless LANs

A CMOS transconductor for multi-mode wireless channel selection filter is presented. The linear transconductor is designed based on the flipped-voltage follower (FVF) circuit and an active resistor to achieve the transconductance tuning. The transconductance tuning can be obtained by changing the bias current of the active resistor. A third-order Butterworth low-pass filter implemented with the transconductors was designed by TSMC 0.18-mum CMOS process. The results show that the filter can operate with the cutoff frequency of 10 MHz to 20 MHz. The tuning range would be suitable for the specifications of IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n wireless LANs under the consideration of saving chip areas. In the design, the maximum power consumption is 13 mW with the cutoff frequency of 20 MHz under a 1.8-V supply voltage.
Quasars, Blazars, and Gamma Rays

Before the launch of the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO), the only source of >100-megaelectron volt (MeV) gamma radiation known outside our galaxy was the quasar 3C 273. After less than a year of observing, 13 other extragalactic sources have been discovered with the Energetic Gamma Ray Experiment Telescope (EGRET) on CGRO, and it is expected that many more will be found before the full sky survey is complete. All 14 sources show evidence of blazar properties at other wavelengths; these properties include high optical polarization, extreme optical variability, flat-spectrum radio emission associated with a compact core, and apparent superluminal motion. Such properties are thought to be produced by those few, rare extragalactic radio galaxies and quasars that are favorably aligned to permit us to look almost directly down a relativistically outflowing jet of matter expelled from a supermassive black hole. Although the origin of the gamma rays from radio jets is a subject of much controversy, the gamma-ray window probed by CGRO is providing a wealth of knowledge about the central engines of active galactic nuclei and the most energetic processes occurring in nature.
The Appearance Anxiety Inventory: validation of a process measure in the treatment of body dysmorphic disorder.

BACKGROUND At present there are no measures to identify the cognitive processes and behaviours that might mediate the outcome of treatment in people with Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). AIMS To develop and validate a process measure that can be used to assess the progress of patients throughout therapy and in research for BDD. METHOD The psychometric properties of the Appearance Anxiety Inventory (AAI) were explored in a clinical group of participants diagnosed with BDD (Study 1) and in a non-clinical community group with high appearance concerns (Study 2). Item characteristics, reliability, and factor structure were analysed. Convergent validity with measures of related symptoms was assessed. RESULTS The AAI was found to have good test-retest reliability and convergent validity in the measurement of appearance anxiety. It was also sensitive to change during treatment. The scale was found to have a two-factor structure in the clinical group, with one factor characterized by avoidance, and a second factor comprised of threat monitoring. However, in the community sample it appeared to have a one-factor structure. CONCLUSION The results suggest that the AAI has the psychometric properties to determine whether changes in cognitive processes and behaviours can mediate the outcome following treatment in patients with BDD. This supports its potential usefulness in clinical and research settings.
Revolute control techniques of USBM simplified model

Universal stretch and bending machine (USBM) is a combination of stretch machine and bending machine which are used in car door sash production. The main purpose of combining these two machines is to reduce the number of machines, space utilization and increase productivity. This paper presents the design and modeling for revolute control techniques of USBM simplified module. Conventional proportional-integral-derivative (PID), linear quadratic regulator (LQR), and proportional-derivative (PD)-type fuzzy logic controller (FLC) are proposed to control the angular position of the revolute model. Simulation is implemented in SIMULINK/MATLAB and the results of the response of the system with the controllers are presented in time domains. The performances of the control schemes are assessed in terms of input tracking capability and time response specifications. Finally, a comparative assessment of the control techniques is presented and discussed.
Backside-illumination 14µm-pixel QVGA time-of-flight CMOS imager

This paper presents a BSI(backside-illumination) 14μm-pixel QVGA CMOS image sensor SOC(System On a Chip) measuring TOF(Time-Of-Flight) by 20MHz-intensity modulation of 850nm-wavelength light. The 34% of overall QE(Quantum Efficiency) at 850nm-wavelength is acquired by BSI structure and optimized micro-lens. The DE(Depth Error) less than 1.5% within 6m is achieved with imaging lens of f/1.2 and LED array of which the optical intensity is 0.6W/m2 at 1m-distance. Additionally, the depth linearity is measured as that the coefficient of determination is equal to 0.9999. In order to operate under background light illumination on a scene, dual CG(Conversion Gain) scheme is implemented in each pixel.
Automated identification of plasma cell in bone marrow images

White Blood Cells (WBC) count and classification in microscopic images allow the assessment of a wide range of important hematology diseases such Myeloma. This article aims particularly at myeloma disease; this pathology is manifested by a proliferation of a type of cell called plasma cells. This paper presents a robust and accurate novel method for processing WBC(leukocyte) using a combination of ideas. The segmentation of cells is achieved in two phases, the first is to extract the nucleus from the green channel of the image using the otsu's thresholding method, and the second operates through a region growing on the nucleus in order to delimitate a cytoplasm. After that, a cell's characterization step is performed where desired features can be extracted in order to classify types of leukocytes and thus allow the counting of plasma cells. The proposed process have been successfully tested to a large number of images, showing promising results in terms of segmentation and classification of plasma cells, and also applied to different cell shape and image properties, encouraging future works.
Approach to Adolescent Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) in the Pediatric Endocrine Community in the USA

OBJECTIVE Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrinopathy in adult women, and is emerging as a common cause of menstrual disturbances in the adolescent population. Insulin resistance, which is considered one of its underlying causes, has increased substantially in the past decade, putting more adolescent girls at risk for PCOS and its complications. Our objective was to survey pediatric endocrinologists' approach to diagnosis and treatment of PCOS in the adolescent population, as there is presently no structured recommended approach to this emerging problem. DESIGN/METHODS A questionnaire survey was sent to 839 members of the Lawson Wilkins Pediatric Endocrine Society (LWPES). A total of 176 (21%) responses was received and analyzed. REDULTS: The majority of the participants would consider initiating work-up in an adolescent with oligomenorrhea or secondary amenorrhea 12-24 months after menarche. The following work-up was selected as a baseline for a teenager with oligomenorrhea or secondary amenorrhea by more than 50% of participants: LH and FSH, total and free testosterone, prolactin, 17-OH-progesterone, DHEAS and glucose/insulin measurements. For treatment of PCOS, the majority of surveyed endocrinologists suggested estrogen/progesterone combination. Metformin was considered appropriate treatment in the general adolescent population with PCOS by 30% and in obese teenagers with PCOS by 68% of surveyed endocrinologists. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate the trend among pediatric endocrinologists towards earlier work-up of menstrual irregularities in adolescents--unlike the traditional practice of waiting for 2 years after menarche. Most pediatric endocrinologists would consider evaluation for insulin resistance using glucose/insulin measurement, but only a small percentage considers performing OGTT in these patients. Even though using estrogen/progesterone combination is the preferred therapeutic approach, 30% of surveyed endocrinologists consider metformin therapy for the general adolescent population with PCOS, and 68% would consider using it in obese adolescents with PCOS.
Genotypic intraspecies heterogeneity of Enterococcus italicus: data from dairy environments

The diversity of a collection of 19 Enterococcus italicus strains isolated from different dairy sources was explored using a molecular polyphasic approach, comprising random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD‐PCR), repetitive element PCR (REP‐PCR), plasmid profiling and ribotyping. The data obtained showed a high‐level of biodiversity, not always correlated to the niche of isolation. Particularly, REP‐PCR with primer BOXA1R and plasmid profiling allowed the best discrimination at strain level. Exploiting the genome shotgun sequence of the type strain of the species, available in public database, genes related to insertion sequences present on enterococcal Pathogenic Islands (ISEf1, IS905), determinants related to virulence factors (codifying for hemolysin and cell wall surface proteins), exogenously DNA (conjugal transfer protein, replication plasmid protein, pheromone shutdown protein, phage integrase/recombinase) and penicillin binding proteins system were detected. The presence of most of these genes seemed a common genetic trait in the Enterococcus genus, sur gene (cell wall surface protein) was only detected in strains of E. italicus. To our knowledge, this is the first time that specific primers, with the expection of the species‐specific probe targeted to 16S rRNA gene, have been designed for this species.
New ‘marker swap’ plasmids for converting selectable markers on budding yeast gene disruptions and plasmids

Marker swap plasmids can be used to change markers for genes disrupted with nutritional markers in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We describe 18 new marker swap plasmids, and we also review other plasmids available for marker conversions. All of these plasmids have long regions of flanking sequence identity, and thus the efficiency of homologous recombination mediated by marker conversion is very high. Marker swaps allow one to easily perform crosses to construct double mutant strains even if each of the disrupted strains contains the same marker, as is the case with the KanMX marker used in the yeast knockout collection. Marker swaps can also be used to change the selectable marker on plasmids, eliminating the need for subcloning. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fast and modular regularized topic modelling

Topic modelling is an area of text mining that has been actively developed in the last 15 years. A probabilistic topic model extracts a set of hidden topics from a collection of text documents. It defines each topic by a probability distribution over words and describes each document with a probability distribution over topics. In applications, there are often many requirements, such as, for example, problem-specific knowledge and additional data, to be taken into account. Therefore, it is natural for topic modelling to be considered a multiobjective optimization problem. However, historically, Bayesian learning became the most popular approach for topic modelling. In the Bayesian paradigm, all requirements are formalized in terms of a probabilistic generative process. This approach is not always convenient due to some limitations and technical difficulties. In this work, we develop a non-Bayesian multiobjective approach called the Additive Regularization of Topic Models (ARTM). It is based on regularized Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE), and we show that many of the well-known Bayesian topic models can be re-formulated in a much simpler way using the regularization point of view. We review some of the most important types of topic models: multimodal, multilingual, temporal, hierarchical, graph-based, and short-text. The ARTM framework enables easy combination of different types of models to create new models with the desired properties for applications. This modular “lego-style” technology for topic modelling is implemented in the open-source library BigARTM.
Value of echo-planar diffusion-weighted MRI in the detection of secondary and postoperative relapsing/residual cholesteatoma.

PURPOSE To assess the utility of echo-planar diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (EPI-DWI) in the diagnosis of secondary cholesteatoma of the middle ear and in the differential diagnosis between residual/relapsing cholesteatoma and non-cholesteatomatous tissues (scar, granulation and inflammatory tissue) after conservative mastoidectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty-four patients, who had previously undergone clinical and CT investigation, were prospectively examined by standard and EPI-DWI magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) after conservative mastoidectomy. Secondary cholesteatoma was suspected in 5 patients and residual/relapsing cholesteatoma in 19 patients. Two radiologists, blinded to patient's identity, clinical data and CT findings, reached consensus on the presence of tissue consistent with cholesteatoma in conventional CT and areas of altered signal in EPI-DWI in the petrous bone. All patients underwent mastoidectomy, second time of tympanoplasty or review surgery within 15 days from MR investigation. Sensitivity, specificity and negative and positive predictive values were evaluated separately for standard and EPI-DWI MRI. RESULTS In EPI-DWI sequences, 11/12 patients with cholesteatoma showed an area of hyperintense signal, whereas patients with non-cholesteatomatous tissue showed no pathologic signal in the petrous bone. In the single case of cholesteatoma undetected on EPI-DWI a cholesteatomatous pearl approx. 2 mm in diameter was visible in the surgical cavity. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were 92%, 100%, 100%, 92% for EPI-DWI MRI and 92%, 25%, 55%,75% for standard MRI, respectively. CONCLUSIONS EPI-DWI sequences are useful in the diagnosis of secondary cholesteatoma and in the differential diagnosis between residual/relapsing cholesteatoma and non-cholesteatomatous tissues after conservative mastoidectomy. However, the usefulness of EPI-DWI sequences as a screening test after conservative mastoidectomy requires further assessment.
Separation of organic dust from microorganism suspensions by partitioning in aqueous polymer two-phase systems

Conidia of Penicillium brevi-compactum and Aspergillus fumigatus, sporangiospores of Rhizopus rhizopodiformis, spores of Streptomyces griseus, and bacterial cells of Bacillus subtilis were partitioned in two-phase systems consisting of dextran, polyethylene glycol, substituted positively charged sulfonylpolyethylene glycol, and water. At a pH of 2.8 in the system, the microorganisms showed 60 to 90% affinity for the upper, polyethylene glycol-rich phase, except for cells of B. subtilis, which were entirely located in the lower, dextran-rich phase. This partition behavior was used to separate microorganisms in aqueous suspensions of peat, wood fuel chip, and straw samples from organic dust impurities prior to total count by acridine orange staining and epifluorescence microscopy. Only one extraction of the interphase and lower phase was needed to separate approximately 98% of the conidia of Penicillium chrysogenum from a suspension containing peat dust.
An energy efficient image communication framework for bandlimited wireless sensor networks

In this paper a revamped scheme for image communication over band-limited wireless sensor networks is presented which is efficient from energy consumption point of view. Large volume of data and high packet drop rates make the communication inefficient in terms of bandwidth and power. The challenges are tried to overcome by compressing the images using suitable processing scheme and then transmitting it through an energy efficient network. An image communication platform is developed for testing transmission of images over the wireless networks with the integration of low power, cost effective ZigBee as wireless trans-receiver module. Practical results show the effectiveness of these approaches to make the image communication feasible and efficient over wireless sensor networks.
Vehicle positioning in the absence of GNSS signals: Potential of visual-inertial odometry

Accurate positioning of moving vehicles in GNSS-deprived urban areas is important for autonomous vehicles and mobile mapping systems. In this paper, we discuss various approaches to vehicle positioning in the absence of GNSS signals. We explore the potential of visual-inertial odometry, and present experimental results that show visual-inertial odometry can provide positioning accuracies up to 0.9% of the trajectory length, which is promising for vehicle positioning in short periods of GNSS signal outage.