Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Connecting stimulus-driven attention to the properties of infant-directed speech - Is exaggerated intonation also more surprising?

The exaggerated intonation and special rhythmic properties of infant-directed speech (IDS) have been hypothesized to attract infant’s attention to the speech stream. However, studies investigating IDS in the context of models of attention are few. A number of such models suggest that surprising or novel perceptual inputs attract attention, where novelty can be operationalized as the statistical predictability of the stimulus in a context. Since prosodic patterns such as F0 contours are accessible to young infants who are also adept statistical learners, the present paper investigates a hypothesis that pitch contours in IDS are less predictable than those in adultdirected speech (ADS), thereby efficiently tapping into the basic attentional mechanisms of the listeners. Results from analyses with naturalistic IDS and ADS speech show that IDS has lower overall predictability of intonation across neighboring syllables even when the F0 contours in both speaking styles are normalized to the same frequency range.
Influence of timing and dose of thyroid hormone replacement on development in infants with congenital hypothyroidism.

OBJECTIVES To test whether early treatment with a high initial dose of levothyroxine can prevent suboptimal mental development in all neonates with congenital hypothyroidism (CH). STUDY DESIGN Sixty-one patients, 27 with severe CH and 34 with mild CH, were treated either early (<13 days) or late (> or =13 days) with either a high initial dose of levothyroxine (> or =9.5 microg/kg/d) or a low initial dose (<9.5 microg/kg/d). With these criteria, 4 treatment groups were formed. The results of the Bayley test, performed at the age of 10 to 30 months and expressed as mental developmental index (MDI) and psychomotor developmental index (PDI), were related to socioeconomic status, treatment group, initial free thyroxine (FT(4)) concentration, and mean FT(4) concentration during the first 3 months of treatment (FT(4)-A) and the ensuing 9 months (FT(4)-B). RESULTS Mean (+/- SD) MDI was 113 +/- 14, and mean PDI was 114 +/- 12. In the severe CH group, only the patients treated early with a high initial dose had normal MDI scores (124 +/- 16), whereas the scores of the other groups ranged from 97 to 103. In contrast, all patients in the mild CH group had normal scores (range, 122-125), except those in the group treated late with a low initial dose, whose score was 110 +/- 10. Forty-three percent of the variance in MDI and PDI scores was explained by treatment factors, such as the treatment group, initial FT(4) concentration, FT(4)-A, and FT(4)-B. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that optimal treatment includes achievement of euthyroidism before the third week of life by initiation of therapy before 13 days with a levothyroxine dose above 9.5 microg/kg/d and maintenance of FT(4) concentrations in the upper normal range during the first year. Thus treated, patients with CH can achieve normal psychomotor development at 10 to 30 months, irrespective of the severity of the disease.
Low Group Delay 3.1–10.6 GHz CMOS Power Amplifier for UWB Applications

This letter proposes the design of a low group delay ultra-wideband (UWB) power amplifier (PA) in CMOS technology. The PA design employs a three-stage cascade common source topology that has a different design concept from other multi-stage topology to provide a broad bandwidth characteristic, gain flatness of , and low group delay variation of . A resistive shunt feedback technique is adopted at the first stage of the amplifier to achieve good input matching, which controls the upper frequency of the UWB system. The third stage realizes the gain at the lower corner frequency and the second stage is used to smooth the flatness of the gain curve. By using this method, the proposed design has the lowest group delay variation among the recently reported CMOS PAs for 3.1 to 10.6 GHz applications.
The effect of fuel age on the spread of fire in sclerophyll forest in the Sydney region of Australia

We investigated the effect of fuel age on the truncation of spread of unplanned fires using a set of 1473 patches in the Sydney region of Australia. Twenty-two percent of patches derived from prescribed fire experienced a subsequent unplanned fire within 5 years, compared with 42% of patches derived from unplanned fires. Among those encounters, the subsequent unplanned fire stopped at the leading edge of 18% of prescribed patches and 11% of unplanned patches. In comparison, the subsequent fire stopped somewhere in the patch for 44% of both prescribed and unplanned fires. Overall, there was a 10% chance that a prescribed burn patch would experience an unplanned fire that stops within the patch. Statistical modelling revealed that the presence of a road barrier was the best predictor of the likelihood of stopping on the leading edge, but fuel age and weather also had an influence. Stopping on the trailing edge was less influenced by the variables analysed. In extreme weather, even 1-year-old patches have a low likelihood of stopping unplanned fires. Fuel age had little influence on the spread of unplanned fires. Consequently, prescribed fires will be most effective when sited at the urban interface where resultant reduced unplanned fire intensity will be a benefit.
Impaired Myocardial Sympathetic Innervation Is Associated with Diastolic Dysfunction in Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction: 11C-Hydroxyephedrine PET Study

Diastolic dysfunction is important in the pathophysiology of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Sympathetic nervous hyperactivity may contribute to the development of diastolic dysfunction. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between myocardial sympathetic innervation quantified by 11C-hydroxyephedrine PET and diastolic dysfunction in HFpEF patients. Methods: Forty-one HFpEF patients having an echocardiographic left ventricular ejection fraction of 40% or greater and 12 age-matched volunteers without heart failure underwent the echocardiographic examination and 11C-hydroxyephedrine PET. Diastolic dysfunction was classified into grades 0–3 by Doppler echocardiography. Myocardial sympathetic innervation was quantified using the 11C-hydroxyephedrine retention index (RI). The coefficient of variation of 17-segment RIs was derived as a measure of heterogeneity in myocardial 11C-hydroxyephedrine uptake. Results: Grade 2–3 diastolic dysfunction (DD2–3) was found in 19 HFpEF patients (46%). They had a significantly lower global RI (0.075 ± 0.018 min−1) than volunteers (0.123 ± 0.028 min−1, P < 0.001) and HFpEF patients with grade 0–1 diastolic dysfunction (DD0–1) (0.092 ± 0.024 min−1, P = 0.046). HFpEF patients with DD2–3 had the largest coefficient of variation of 17-segment RIs of the 3 groups (18.4% ± 7.7% vs. 14.1% ± 4.7% in HFpEF patients with DD0–1, P = 0.042 for post hoc tests). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, a lower global RI (odds ratio, 0.66 per 0.01 min−1; 95% confidence interval, 0.38–0.99; P = 0.044) was independently associated with the presence of DD2–3 in HFpEF patients. Conclusion: Myocardial sympathetic innervation was impaired in HFpEF patients and was associated with the presence of advanced diastolic dysfunction in HFpEF.
Research on quantitative analysis model of MANET survivability

Mobile Ad hoc network (MANET) is a multi-hops wireless network without fixed infrastructure. Now how to evaluate network survivability performance is the key work of the research of MNAET. According to the requirement of the survivability of MANET, a more comprehensive hierarchical model for quantitative evaluation of survivability is proposed. The model was constructed based on continuous time Markov chain and M/M/1/K queue theory, which could analysis the steady-state availability and transient packet loss rate, delay of the network in the case of fault. Analysis and simulation results show that this quantitative modeling and analysis are rational and useful evaluation approach to MANET survivability performance and the model could be applied in quantitative analysis of MANET survivability.
Mutations in cognate genes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae hsp70 result in reduced growth rates at low temperatures

Expression of two Saccharomyces cerevisiae genes (YG101 and YG103) that are related to the gene encoding inducible 70K protein (hsp70) is repressed upon heat shock. Mutations of the two genes were constructed in vitro and substituted into the yeast genome in place of the wild-type alleles. No phenotypic effect of single mutations of either gene was detected. However, cells containing both YG101 and YG103 mutations showed altered growth properties; double-mutation cells possess an optimal growth temperature of 37 degrees C rather than 30 degrees C and grow increasingly poorly as the temperature is lowered. Mutations of two other members of this hsp70-related multigene family, YG100 and YG102, have been analyzed (E. A. Craig and K. Jacobsen, Cell 38:841-849, 1984). Cells containing both YG100 and YG102 mutations cannot form colonies at 37 degrees C. Fusions between the YG101 and YG102 promoter regions and the YG100 and YG101 structural genes, respectively, were constructed. The YG101 promoter-YG100 structural gene fusion was not able to restore normal growth properties to the yg101- yg103- mutant. Also, yg100- yg102- cells containing the YG102 promoter-YG101 structural gene fusion were unable to grow at 37 degrees C. Failure of the protein products of related genes to rescue the relative cold sensitivity of growth suggests that members of the hsp70 multigene family are functionally distinct.
CHASE: character animation scripting environment

This paper presents the three scripting commands and main functionalities of a novel character animation environment called CHASE. CHASE was developed for enabling inexperienced programmers, animators, artists, and students to animate in meaningful ways virtual reality characters. This is achieved by scripting simple commands within CHASE. The commands identified, which are associated with simple parameters, are responsible for generating a number of predefined motions and actions of a character. Hence, the virtual character is able to animate within a virtual environment and to interact with tasks located within it. An additional functionality of CHASE is supplied. It provides the ability to generate multiple tasks of a character, such as providing the user the ability to generate scenario-related animated sequences. However, since multiple characters may require simultaneous animation, the ability to script actions of different characters at the same time is also provided.
Plasma levels of oxytetracycline, doxycycline, and minocycline in pigs after oral administration in feed.

Steady-state plasma levels were determined for oxytetracycline (OTC), doxycycline (DC), and minocycline (MC) after medication with different in-feed concentrations. Each concentration of the three tetracyclines was examined in six pigs. The animals were housed in individual pens and fed twice daily with an interval of 12 h. All pigs consumed their feed within 1 h after it was provided. Concentrations of 400, 800, 1,600, and 2,400 mg of OTC per kilogram of feed induced steady-state plasma levels ranging from . 13 to . 22, . 19 to . 50, . 39 to 1.43, and 1.41 to 2.14 micrograms/ml, respectively. On a feed intake basis, pigs received 13, 26, 54 to 81, and 108 mg of OTC per kilogram of BW per day, respectively. Steady-state plasma levels after medication with 200, 400, and 800 mg of DC or MC per kilogram of feed ranged from . 37 to . 89, . 71 to 1.14, and 1.62 to 3.18 micrograms/ml for DC and from . 21 to . 60, . 43 to 1.05, and 1.19 to 2.62 micrograms/ml for MC. Pigs consumed 7, 13, and 26 mg of DC and 9, 18, and 36 mg of MC per kilogram of BW per day, respectively. For all three tetracyclines there was an increase in steady-state plasma levels when concentrations in feed or per kilogram of BW increased. Plasma levels were determined with both a HPLC method and a microbiological method. A good correlation existed between the results obtained by both methods. It was concluded that based on plasma levels and known in vitro activity DC and MC could be good alternatives for OTC to treat respiratory tract infections in pigs.
Circuit Configuration and Control of a Grid-Tie Small-Scale Wind Generation System for Expanded Wind Speed Range

In this paper, a grid-tie small-scale wind generation system is proposed with innovations in both of the topology and the controller. A novel high step-up zero-current turning-on soft-switching rectifier and a storage branch are employed to improve the low-wind-speed (LWS) and high-wind-speed (HWS) performances. The optimized LWS operation is guaranteed by the rectifier, the battery pack, and film capacitors. The enhanced HWS performance is fulfilled by parallel operation of the inverter and the battery charge converter. Furthermore, the control strategy aiming at improving overall system efficiency and extending battery lifespan and exploitable wind speed range is adopted. A state-of-charge (SOC) control method is used and ensures SOC is most frequently within a range of 20–80%. The proposed method not only slows down the battery capacity fading by SOC scope limitation and by charge/discharge current restriction, but also provides safety capacity margin in case of extreme HWS condition. Also, a simple but reliable dead-zone controller is applied on the battery charge/discharge converter to control the dc-link voltage. Finally, the theoretical analysis and the control method are verified by simulations, experiments, and are tested in the real wind field.
From bytes to insights with modelling as a service a new paradigm for computational modelling illustrated with PyRhO

Increasingly large datasets are being made publically available yet the methods and modelling skills to analyze them are lagging behind. In an effort to overcome barriers to analyzing and modelling data we propose the paradigm of Modelling as a Service (MaaS). As a proof-of-concept, we present a case study of the MaaS paradigm with computational tools for optogenetics based upon PyRhO. We demonstrate the benefits it confers in terms of enhanced scope for collaboration, reproducibility and ease of use, especially for scientists with a limited computational background, and discuss directions for future growth. Eventually we aim to grow this project in scope to encompass other modelling and analysis tools, and migrate to JupyterHub for persistent individual user accounts and storage. In the meantime, we hope that this approach will serve to demonstrate how MaaS can substantially increase the appeal and accessibility of modelling.
High dimensional semiparametric latent graphical model for mixed data

We propose a semiparametric latent Gaussian copula model for modelling mixed multivariate data, which contain a combination of both continuous and binary variables. The model assumes that the observed binary variables are obtained by dichotomizing latent variables that satisfy the Gaussian copula distribution. The goal is to infer the conditional independence relationship between the latent random variables, based on the observed mixed data. Our work has two main contributions: we propose a unified rank‐based approach to estimate the correlation matrix of latent variables; we establish the concentration inequality of the proposed rank‐based estimator. Consequently, our methods achieve the same rates of convergence for precision matrix estimation and graph recovery, as if the latent variables were observed. The methods proposed are numerically assessed through extensive simulation studies, and real data analysis.
Rationalisation of Profiles of Abstract Argumentation Frameworks: Characterisation and Complexity

Different agents may have different points of view. Following a popular approach in the artificial intelligence literature, this can be modelled by means of different abstract argumentation frameworks, each consisting of a set of arguments the agent is contemplating and a binary attack-relation between them. A question arising in this context is whether the diversity of views observed in such a profile of argumentation frameworks is consistent with the assumption that every individual argumentation framework is induced by a combination of, first, some basic factual attack-relation between the arguments and, second, the personal preferences of the agent concerned regarding the moral or social values the arguments under scrutiny relate to. We treat this question of rationalisability of a profile as an algorithmic problem and identify tractable and intractable cases. In doing so, we distinguish different constraints on admissible rationalisations, e.g., concerning the types of preferences used or the number of distinct values involved. We also distinguish two different semantics for rationalisability, which differ in the assumptions made on how agents treat attacks between arguments they do not report. This research agenda, bringing together ideas from abstract argumentation and social choice, is useful for understanding what types of profiles can reasonably be expected to occur in a multiagent system.
Hardware Implementation of Pipeline Based Router Design for On-Chip Network

As the feature size is continuously decreasing and integration density is increasing, interconnections have become a dominating factor in determining the overall quality of a chip. Due to the limited scalability of system bus, it cannot meet the requirement of current System-onChip (SoC) implementations where only a limited number of functional units can be supported. Long global wires also cause many design problems, such as routing congestion, noise coupling, and difficult timing closure. Network-on-Chip (NoC) architectures have been proposed to be an alternative to solve the above problems by using a packet-based communication network. In this paper, the Circuit-Switched (CS) Router was designed and analysed the various parameters such as power, timing and area. The CS router has taken more number of cycles to transfer the data from source to destination. So the pipelining concept was implemented by adding registers in the CS router architecture. The proposed architecture increases the speed of operation and reduces the critical path of the circuit. The router has been implemented using Verilog HDL. The parameters area, power and timing were calculated in 130 nm CMOS technology using Synopsys tool with nominal operating voltage of 1V and packet size is 39 bits. Finally power, area and time of these two routers have been analysed and compared
Predictability of difficult laryngoscopy in patients with long‐term diabetes mellitus

The laryngoscopic conditions of 62 diabetic patients who underwent renal transplantation or vitrectomy were studied. Anaesthesia was induced with fentanyl and a sleep dose of thiopentone. Conditions for direct laryngoscopy after 0.1 mg/kg vecuronium were scored from 0 to 3 (easy‐very difficult). All patients gave their palm prints after operation which were scored: 0, phalangeal areas completely visible; 1, phalangeal areas partly visible; 2, phalangeal areas hardly visible; 3, only fingertips printed. The incidence of difficult laryngoscopy was 31%. The higher the scores in the palm test, the more difficult was the laryngoscopy. The correlation coefficient between these two factors was r = 0.6 (p < 0.001). Our study shows that joint rigidity possibly caused by tissue glycosylation may also involve laryngeal and cervical areas resulting in a strenuous laryngoscopy. A defective palm print is a warning sign for difficult laryngoscopy.
Support vector machine model based predictive pid control system for cement rotary kiln

The rotary kiln calcination is the most important part of cement production including complicated physical and chemical reaction processes with large inertia, pure hysteresis, nonlinearity and strong coupling characteristics. Considering the need of advanced process control in cement industry, this paper presents the application of support vector machine modeling and generalized predictive control PID control algorithm to the conventional cement production. The main control system structure includes three control loops as the pressure control loop, the burning zone control loop and the back-end of kiln temperature control loop. Based on the analysis of PID and generalized predictive control algorithm, the performance index of generalized predictive control algorithm is restructured into PID form. By analysis of the experimental data, the nonlinear regression model based on SVM is introduced. The control algorithm using SVM model is simulated in two cases to derive the responses of system compared with the ordinary PID control algorithm. The simulation results show the effectiveness of the control and modeling scheme with better response time and small temperature deviation.
Biochemical and genetic characterization of Yra1p in budding yeast

Yra1p and its vertebrate homologues bind to the mRNA export factor Mex67p/TAP and are thought to play a role in mRNA export in vivo. To further characterize Yra1p, we used immunoaffinity chromatography to purify endogenous Yra1p complexes. These experiments demonstrated that two importin β homologues (Kap123p and Pse1p) and the poly A tail‐binding proteins Pab1p and Nab2p associate with Yra1p. The other major proteins that associate with Yra1p include proteins involved in mRNA and rRNA processing and the Yra1p‐related protein Yra2p. Additional biochemical and genetic experiments suggest a close functional relationship between Yra1p and Yra2p. We generated a temperature‐sensitive allele of YRA1 and used it to demonstrate that cells which lack the function of both Yra1p and Yra2p are able to exit a G0 arrest and go through several rounds of cell division before arresting. We also identified high‐copy suppressors of the yra1‐2 temperature‐sensitive growth defect. These include SUB2, a splicing factor important in mRNA export, ULP1, a nuclear cysteine protease localized to the nuclear pore and involved in Smt3p/SUMO processing, and YRA2. Taken together, these results suggest that Yra1p has roles in diverse RNA processing events in addition to a role in mRNA export. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Chapter 19 Protein Secondary Structure Prediction

While the prediction of a native protein structure from sequence continues to remain a challenging problem, over the past decades computational methods have become quite successful in exploiting the mechanisms behind secondary structure formation. The great effort expended in this area has resulted in the development of a vast number of secondary structure prediction methods. Especially the combination of well-optimized/sensitive machine-learning algorithms and inclusion of homologous sequence information has led to increased prediction accuracies of up to 80%. In this chapter, we will first introduce some basic notions and provide a brief history of secondary structure prediction advances. Then a comprehensive overview of state-of-the-art prediction methods will be given. Finally, we will discuss open questions and challenges in this field and provide some practical recommendations for the user.