Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multimodal speaker identification with audio-video processing

In this paper we present a multimodal audio-visual speaker identification system. The objective is to improve the recognition performance over conventional unimodal schemes. The proposed system decomposes the information existing in a video stream into three components: speech, face texture and lip motion. Lip motion between successive frames is first computed in terms of optical flow vectors and then encoded as a feature vector in a magnitude direction histogram domain. The feature vectors obtained along the whole stream are then interpolated to match the rate of the speech signal and fused with mel frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCC) of the corresponding speech signal. The resulting joint feature vectors are used to train and test a Hidden Markov Model (HMM) based identification system. Face texture images are treated separately in eigenface domain and integrated to the system through decision-fusion. Experimental results are also included for demonstration of the system performance.
Region of interest coding of volumetric medical images

Three-dimensional wavelet coding of volumetric medical images provides better coding performance compared to corresponding 2D methods by exploiting the inter-slice correlation that exists in such data. It introduces however latencies when it comes to transmitting specific parts of the volume. This paper presents an extension to 3D-SPlHT which allows 3D region of interest (ROI) coding. ROl coding enables faster reconstruction of diagnostically useful regions in volumetric datasets by assigning higher priority to them in the bitstream. It also introduces the possibility for increased compression performance, by allowing certain parts of the volume to be coded in a lossy manner while others are coded losslessly. The necessary modifications to 3D-SPIHT for ROI coding are described and methods for specifying a 3D ROI without adding a significant overhead are suggested. Results are presented highlighting the benefits of the ROl extension.
An improvement of rotation invariant 3D-shape based on functions on concentric spheres

In this paper, we consider 3D-shape descriptors generated by using functions on a sphere. The descriptors are engaged for retrieving polygonal mesh models. Invariance of descriptors with respect to rotation of a model can be achieved either by using the principle component analysis (PCA) or defining features in which the invariance exists. The contribution of the paper is twofold: firstly, we define a new rotation invariant feature vector based on functions on concentric spheres, which outperforms a recently proposed descriptor; secondly, we compare the two approaches for achieving rotation invariance as well as options to use a single function or several functions on concentric spheres to generate feature vectors. We conclude that descriptors, which use the PCA, outperform others, while capturing the internal structure of a 3D-model with functions on concentric spheres can improve retrieval effectiveness.
Azacytidine Treatment Inhibits the Progression of Herpes Stromal Keratitis by Enhancing Regulatory T Cell Function

ABSTRACT Ocular infection with herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) sets off an inflammatory reaction in the cornea which leads to both virus clearance and chronic lesions that are orchestrated by CD4 T cells. Approaches that enhance the function of regulatory T cells (Treg) and dampen effector T cells can be effective to limit stromal keratitis (SK) lesion severity. In this report, we explore the novel approach of inhibiting DNA methyltransferase activity using 5-azacytidine (Aza; a cytosine analog) to limit HSV-1-induced ocular lesions. We show that therapy begun after infection when virus was no longer actively replicating resulted in a pronounced reduction in lesion severity, with markedly diminished numbers of T cells and nonlymphoid inflammatory cells, along with reduced cytokine mediators. The remaining inflammatory reactions had a change in the ratio of CD4 Foxp3+ Treg to effector Th1 CD4 T cells in ocular lesions and lymphoid tissues, with Treg becoming predominant over the effectors. In addition, compared to those from control mice, Treg from Aza-treated mice showed more suppressor activity in vitro and expressed higher levels of activation molecules. Additionally, cells induced in vitro in the presence of Aza showed epigenetic differences in the Treg-specific demethylated region (TSDR) of Foxp3 and were more stable when exposed to inflammatory cytokines. Our results show that therapy with Aza is an effective means of controlling a virus-induced inflammatory reaction and may act mainly by the effects on Treg. IMPORTANCE HSV-1 infection has been shown to initiate an inflammatory reaction in the cornea that leads to tissue damage and loss of vision. The inflammatory reaction is orchestrated by gamma interferon (IFN-γ)-secreting Th1 cells, and regulatory T cells play a protective role. Hence, novel therapeutics that can rebalance the ratio of regulatory T cells to effectors are a relevant issue. This study opens up a new avenue in treating HSV-induced SK lesions by increasing the stability and function of regulatory T cells using the DNA methyltransferase inhibitor 5-azacytidine (Aza). Aza increased the function of regulatory T cells, leading to enhanced suppressive activity and diminished lesions. Hence, therapy with Aza, which acts mainly by its effects on Treg, can be an effective means to control virus-induced inflammatory lesions.
Variable metric for binary vector ouantization

We present a new method for performing vector quantization of binary vectors. The proposed method varies the distance metric and updates the centroids in an optimal manner regarding the current metric. The corresponding centroids change from "soft", allowing variables of codevectors to have values between zero and one, to hard, pure binary codevectors.
Comparing the Comprehensive Stroke Ward Versus Mixed Rehabilitation Ward—The Importance of the Team in the Acute Stroke Care in a Case–Control Study

Background and Purpose: Ischemic stroke is one of the most frequent causes of death in Brazil. Many measures have been taken to reduce this tragic outcome, and one of those is the implementation of stroke units in hospitals. The aim of the present study is to analyze the in-hospital complications for patients with ischemic stroke admitted in a comprehensive stroke ward (CSW) as compared to patients admitted in a mixed rehabilitation ward (MRW). Methods: A retrospective interventional study with historic controls of patients admitted to the Neurology Division between January 2010 and October 2013. Patients admitted between January 2010 and September 2012 were included in the MRW group, and patients admitted from October 2012 until October 2013 were included in the CSW group. Throughout the whole study period, the same team assisted all the patients. Both groups were paired in relation to age and gender. The rate of in-hospital complications, mortality, and independency on discharge were evaluated in both groups. Results: Each group was comprised of 91 patients. There were no statistically significant differences for any of the risk factors analyzed between the 2 groups nor for outcome measures—in-hospital complications, mortality, and independence on discharge. Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that in-hospital complications, independence on discharge, and mortality have similar rates in patients admitted to an MRW compared to patients admitted to a CSW, when the same staff provided them with specialized in-hospital care. Evidence Level: Case–control study—Evidence Level 3.
Mutations in the Amino Terminus of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 gL Can Reduce Cell-Cell Fusion without Affecting gH/gL Trafficking

ABSTRACT The gH/gL heterodimer represents two of the four herpes simplex virus glycoproteins necessary and sufficient for membrane fusion. We generated deletions and point mutations covering gL residues 24 to 43 to investigate that region's role in gH/gL intracellular trafficking and in membrane fusion. Multiple mutants displayed a 40 to 60% reduction in cell fusion with no effect on gH/gL trafficking. The amino terminus of gL plays an important role in the gH/gL contribution to membrane fusion.
West Nile Virus NS1 Antagonizes Interferon Beta Production by Targeting RIG-I and MDA5

ABSTRACT West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that causes epidemics of encephalitis and viscerotropic disease worldwide. This virus has spread rapidly and has posed a significant public health threat since the outbreak in New York City in 1999. The interferon (IFN)-mediated antiviral response represents an important component of virus-host interactions and plays an essential role in regulating viral replication. Previous studies have suggested that multifunctional nonstructural proteins encoded by flaviviruses antagonize the host IFN response via various means in order to establish efficient viral replication. In this study, we demonstrated that the nonstructural protein 1 (NS1) of WNV antagonizes IFN-β production, most likely through suppression of retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I)-like receptor (RLR) activation. In a dual-luciferase reporter assay, WNV NS1 significantly inhibited the activation of the IFN-β promoter after Sendai virus infection or poly(I·C) treatment. NS1 also suppressed the activation of the IFN-β promoter when it was stimulated by interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3)/5D or its upstream molecules in the RLR signaling pathway. Furthermore, NS1 blocked the phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of IRF3 upon stimulation by various inducers. Mechanistically, WNV NS1 targets RIG-I and melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5) by interacting with them and subsequently causing their degradation by the proteasome. Furthermore, WNV NS1 inhibits the K63-linked polyubiquitination of RIG-I, thereby inhibiting the activation of downstream sensors in the RLR signaling pathway. Taken together, our results reveal a novel mechanism by which WNV NS1 interferes with the host antiviral response. IMPORTANCE WNV Nile virus (WNV) has received increased attention since its introduction to the United States. However, the pathogenesis of this virus is poorly understood. This study demonstrated that the nonstructural protein 1 (NS1) of WNV antagonizes the induction of interferon beta (IFN-β) by interacting with and degrading retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) and melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5), which are crucial viral sensors in the host innate immune system. Further experiments suggested that NS1-mediated inhibition of the RIG-I-like receptor (RLR) signaling pathway involves inhibition of RIG-I K63-linked polyubiquitination and that the proteasome plays a role in RIG-I degradation. This study provides new insights into the regulation of WNV NS1 in the RLR signaling pathway and reveals a novel mechanism by which WNV evades the host innate immune response. The novel findings may guide us to discover new therapeutic targets and develop effective vaccines for WNV infections.
Changes in the size and shape of fallow deer—evidence for the movement and management of a species

The European fallow deer (Dama dama dama) is native to the eastern Mediterranean and whilst it is clear that its dispersion from this region was the result of human transportation, the timing and circumstances of its post-glacial diffusion are still uncertain. Archaeological fallow deer remains offer perhaps the best opportunity to understand the deep history of the species, with measurements of ancient bones providing important information about an individual's sex and size. Unfortunately, the fragmentary nature of archaeological remains means that metrical samples are usually too small to draw any meaningful conclusions. Biometrical scaling techniques can increase the size of the sample available for comparison and in this paper log ratios are used in combination with traditional metrical analysis to provide new information about archaeological fallow deer populations, in particular highlighting the size variations across time and space and shifts in hunting and management practices. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Autographa californica Multiple Nucleopolyhedrovirus LEF-2 Is a Capsid Protein Required for Amplification but Not Initiation of Viral DNA Replication

ABSTRACT The late expression factor 2 gene (lef-2) of baculovirus Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) has been identified as one of the factors essential for origin-dependent DNA replication in transient expression assays and has been shown to be involved in late/very late gene expression. To study the function of lef-2 in the life cycle of AcMNPV, lef-2 knockout and repair bacmids were generated by homologous recombination in Escherichia coli. Growth curve analysis showed that lef-2 was essential for virus production. Interestingly, a DNA replication assay indicated that lef-2 is not required for the initiation of viral DNA replication and that, rather, it is required for the amplification of DNA replication. lef-2 is also required for the expression of late and very late genes, as the expression of these genes was abolished by lef-2 deletion. Temporal and spatial distributions of LEF-2 protein in infected cells were also analyzed, and the data showed that LEF-2 protein was localized to the virogenic stroma in the nuclei of the infected cells. Analysis of purified virus particles revealed that LEF-2 is a viral protein component of both budded and occlusion-derived virions, predominantly in the nucleocapsids of the virus particles. This observation suggests that LEF-2 may be required immediately after virus entry into host cells for efficient viral DNA replication.
The Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) HBx Protein Activates AKT To Simultaneously Regulate HBV Replication and Hepatocyte Survival

ABSTRACT Chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a risk factor for developing liver diseases such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HBx is a multifunctional protein encoded by the HBV genome; HBx stimulates HBV replication and is thought to play an important role in the development of HBV-associated HCC. HBx can activate the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT signaling pathway in some cell lines; however, whether HBx regulates PI3K/AKT signaling in normal hepatocytes has not been evaluated. In studies described here, we assessed HBx activation of PI3K/AKT signaling in an ex vivo model of cultured primary hepatocytes and determined how this HBx activity affects HBV replication. We report that HBx activates AKT in primary hepatocytes and that the activation of AKT decreases HBV replication and HBV mRNA and core protein levels. We show that the transcription factor hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α (HNF4α) is a target of HBx-regulated AKT, and we link HNF4α to HBx-regulated AKT modulation of HBV transcription and replication. Although we and others have shown that HBx stimulates and is likely required for HBV replication, we now report that HBx also activates signals that can diminish the overall level of HBV replication. While this may seem counterintuitive, we show that an important effect of HBx activation of AKT is inhibition of apoptosis. Consequently, our studies suggest that HBx balances HBV replication and cell survival by stimulating signaling pathways that enhance hepatocyte survival at the expense of higher levels of HBV replication. IMPORTANCE Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a common cause of the development of liver cancer. Regulation of cell signaling pathways by the HBV HBx protein is thought to influence the development of HBV-associated liver cancer. HBx stimulates, and may be essential for, HBV replication. We show that HBx activates AKT in hepatocytes to reduce HBV replication. While this seems contradictory to an essential role of HBx during HBV replication, HBx activation of AKT inhibits hepatocyte apoptosis, and this may facilitate persistent, noncytopathic HBV replication. AKT regulates HBV replication by reducing the activity of the transcription factor hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α (HNF4α). HBx activation of AKT may contribute to the development of liver cancer by facilitating persistent HBV replication, augmenting the dedifferentiation of hepatocytes by inhibiting HNF4α functions, and activating AKT-regulated oncogenic pathways. AKT-regulated factors may provide therapeutic targets for inhibiting HBV replication and the development of HBV-associated liver cancer.
Restriction of Human Cytomegalovirus Replication by ISG15, a Host Effector Regulated by cGAS-STING Double-Stranded-DNA Sensing

ABSTRACT Accumulation of the interferon-stimulated gene 15 (ISG15) protein product, which is reversibly conjugated to numerous polypeptide targets, impacts the proteome and physiology of uninfected and infected cells. While many viruses, including human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), blunt host antiviral defenses by limiting ISG expression, the overall abundance of ISG15 monomer and protein conjugates rises in HCMV-infected cells. However, the molecular signals underlying ISG15 accumulation and whether the ISG15 polypeptide itself influences HCMV infection biology remain unknown. Here, we establish that the ISG15 gene product itself directly regulates HCMV replication and that its accumulation restricts productive virus growth. Although ISG15 monomer and protein conjugate accumulation was induced in cells infected with UV-inactivated HCMV, it was subsequently reduced, but not eliminated, by an immediate-early (IE) or early (E) virus-encoded function(s). Instead, HCMV-induced ISG15 monomer and protein conjugate accumulation was dependent upon the double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) sensor cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS), the innate immune adaptor STING, and interferon signaling. Significantly, dsDNA itself was sufficient to induce cGAS-, STING-, and interferon signaling-dependent ISG15 monomer and conjugate protein accumulation in uninfected cells. Accumulation of ISGylated proteins in uninfected cells treated with dsDNA was prevented by expressing the HCMV multifunctional IE1 transactivator. This demonstrates that expression of a single host interferon-stimulated gene, ISG15, restricts HCMV replication, and that IE1 is sufficient to blunt ISGylation in response to dsDNA sensing in uninfected cells. Moreover, it establishes that ISGylation modifies the proteomes of virus-infected and uninfected normal cells in response to cell-intrinsic dsDNA sensing dependent upon cGAS-STING. IMPORTANCE By antagonizing type I interferon production and action, many viruses, including human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), evade host defenses. However, levels of the interferon-induced ISG15 protein, which is covalently conjugated to host and viral proteins, increase in HCMV-infected cells. How ISG15 accumulation is regulated and whether the ISG15 polypeptide influences HCMV replication remain unknown. This study establishes that ISG15 itself restricts HCMV replication and that HCMV-induced ISG15 accumulation is triggered by host defenses that detect cytoplasmic double-stranded DNA (dsDNA). Remarkably, dsDNA triggered ISG15 accumulation even in uninfected cells, and this was reduced by HCMV IE1 expression. This shows that ISG15 itself controls the replication of HCMV, which causes life-threatening disease among the immunocompromised and is a significant source of congenital morbidity and mortality among newborns. Moreover, it demonstrates that ISG15 modifies the uninfected cell proteome in response to dsDNA, potentially impacting responses to DNA vaccines, gene therapy, and autoimmune disease pathogenesis.
Perceptions of rural teenagers on teenage pregnancy

It is important to seek an understanding of teenagers’ perceptions regarding teenage pregnancy. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the perceptions of teenagers in Bushbuckridge district in the Limpopo Province, South Africa, towards teenage pregnancy. An explorative qualitative research design was used with convenience sampling to select participants. Thirty-two teenagers participated; 10 boys and 22 girls. Face-to-face interviews were conducted to collect data. Tesch’s method of data analysis was used. Three main categories emerged from the analyses of the interviews: (1) teenagers’ attitudes and perceptions of teenage pregnancy, (2) teenagers’ level of knowledge of contraception, and also (3) their reasons for becoming pregnant. Teenage pregnancy poses significant social and health problems in the Bushbuckridge district and has implications for all health care professionals. Given the complexity of this problem, health care professionals working with this group should develop a wide range of practical and interpersonal skills.
On the Moment of the Maxima of Weibull Random Variables

It is pointed out that the formula given in IEEE Trans. Veh. Technol. , vol. 54, p. 2146, 2005 for the moment of the maximum of independent, but not identically distributed, Weibull random variables has been known before in a more general setting (see J. Comput. Appl. Math., vol. 117, p. 85, 2000). Some additional results from the general setting in J. Comput. Appl. Math., vol. 117, p. 85, 2000 are stated. In view of the fact that IEEE Trans. Veh. Technol. , vol. 54, p. 2146, 2005 use a different approach from that in J. Comput. Appl. Math., vol. 117, p. 85, 2000, a comparison is provided of the two approaches
A Betabaculovirus-Encoded gp64 Homolog Codes for a Functional Envelope Fusion Protein

ABSTRACT The GP64 envelope fusion protein is a hallmark of group I alphabaculoviruses. However, the Diatraea saccharalis granulovirus genome sequence revealed the first betabaculovirus species harboring a gp64 homolog (disa118). In this work, we have shown that this homolog encodes a functional envelope fusion protein and could enable the infection and fusogenic abilities of a gp64-null prototype baculovirus. Therefore, GP64 may complement or may be in the process of replacing F protein activity in this virus lineage.
Hidden-Node Removal and Its Application in Cellular WiFi Networks

This paper investigates the hidden-node phenomenon (HN) in IEEE 802.11 wireless networks. HN occurs when nodes outside the carrier-sensing range of each other are nevertheless close enough to interfere with each other. As a result, the carrier-sensing mechanism may fail to prevent packet collisions. HN can cause many performance problems, including throughput degradation, unfair throughput distribution among flows, and throughput instability. The contributions of this paper are threefold. 1) This is a first attempt to identify a set of conditions - which we called hidden-node-free design (HFD) - that completely remove HN in 802.11 wireless networks. 2) We derive variations of HFD for large-scale cellular WiFi networks consisting of many wireless LAN cells. These HFDs are not only HN-free, but they also reduce exposed nodes at the same time so that the network capacity is improved. 3) We investigate the problem of frequency-channel assignment to adjacent cells. We find that with HFD, careful assignment in which adjacent cells use different frequency channels does not improve the overall network capacity (in unit of bits per second per frequency channel). Indeed, given frequency channels, a simple scheme with overlaid cellular WiFi networks in which each cell uses all frequencies yields near-optimal performance.