Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
CENATAV Voice-Group Systems for Albayzin 2018 Speaker Diarization Evaluation Campaign

Usually, the environment to record a voice signal is not ideal and, in order to improve the representation of the speaker characteristic space, it is necessary to use a robust algorithm, thus making the representation more stable in the presence of noise. A Diarization system that focuses on the use of robust feature extraction techniques is proposed in this paper. The presented features ( such as Mean Hilbert Envelope Coefﬁcients, Medium Duration Modulation Coefﬁcients and Power Normalization Cepstral Coefﬁcients ) were not used in other Albayzin Challenges. These robust techniques have a common characteristic, which is the use of a Gammatone ﬁlter-bank for dividing the voice signal in sub-bands as an alternative option to the classical Triangular ﬁlter-bank used in Mel Frequency Cepstral Coefﬁcients. The experiment results show a more stable Di-arization Error Rate in robust features than in classic features.
Incipient speciation within the Namalycastis abiuma (Annelida: Nereididae) species group from southern India revealed by combined morphological and molecular data

Magesh, M. , Kvist S. and Glasby, C.J. 2014. Incipient speciation within the Namalycastis abiuma (Annelida: Nereididae) species group from southern India revealed by combined morphological and molecular data. Memoirs of Museum Victoria 71: 169–176. Namalycastis abiuma (Grube, 1872), originally described from Brazil, comprises a species complex of morphologically similar forms occurring circumtropically, including India. Apart from the Namalycastis abiuma species group, four other Namalycastis species are presently known from India: N. indica Southern, 1921, N. fauveli Nageswara Rao, 1981, N. glasbyi Fernando & Rajasekaran, 2007, and N. jaya Magesh, Kvist & Glasby, 2012. Recent sampling along the southern Indian coast has uncovered new specimens of the N. abiuma species group. The present study uses combined morphological and molecular data (DNA barcoding) to explore species boundaries within the complex in southwest India and thereby resolve existing taxonomic confusion. In order to evaluate morphological variability within the N. abiuma species group, a total of 50 specimens were sampled from different geographical regions in southern India, and assessed using traditional methods. For 18 of the specimens, a 509 bp fragment of COI, the proposed DNA barcoding gene, was sequenced and subjected to tree reconstruction using both distance methods and maximum parsimony. Based on similarity alone, six different haplotypes were recognized within the dataset and these were also subsequently recovered as six distinct clades in the parsimony analysis. There is significant concordance between the morphotypes and the genetic haplotypes, suggesting that significant structural forces are acting on the specimens at a population level, and that these specimens may even be in an early stage of speciation.
Novel approach to analytical modelling of steady-state heat transfer from the exterior of TEFC induction motors

The purpose of this paper is to propose a novel approach to analytical modelling of steady-state heat transfer from the exterior of totally enclosed fan-cooled induction motors. The proposed approach is based on the geometry simplification methods, energy balance equation, modified correlations for forced convection, the Stefan-Boltzmann law, air-flow velocity profiles, and turbulence factor models. To apply modified correlations for forced convection, the motor exterior is presented with surfaces of elementary 3-D shapes as well as the air-flow velocity profiles and turbulence factor models are introduced. The existing correlations for forced convection from a short horizontal cylinder and correlations for heat transfer from straight fins (as well as inter-fin surfaces) in axial air-flows are modified by introducing the Prandtl number to the appropriate power. The correlations for forced convection from straight fins and inter-fin surfaces are derived from the existing ones for combined heat transfer (due to forced convection and radiation) by using the forced-convection correlations for a single flat plate. Employing the proposed analytical approach, satisfactory agreement is obtained with experimental data from other studies.
Exposure of cattle to Mycobacterium bovis excreted by deer in southwest England : a quantitative risk assessment

s, Ecology and Management of Wildlife Diseases Conference, Central Science Laboratory, York. Hill, J. A. (2005). Wildlife-cattle interactions in northern Michigan: implications for the transmission of bovine tuberculosis. MS thesis. Utah Sate University, Logan, USA. Hounsome, T.D. , Young, R. P., Davison, J., Yarnell, R. W. , Trewby, I.D. , Garnett, B. T. , Delahay, R. J., Wilson, G. J. (2005) An evaluation of distance sampling to estimate badger (Meles meles) abundance. Journal of Zoology 266: 81-87. Hutchings, M. R. & Harris, S. (1999). Quantifying the risks of TB infection to cattle posed by badger excreta. Epidemiology and Infection 122: 167-174. Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB (2007) Bovine TB: the scientific evidence. A science base for a sustainable policy to control TB in cattle. An epidemiological investigation into bovine tuberculosis. Report to the Rt Hon David Miliband. London, Defra. Johnson, L. K. , L. Liebana, A. Nunez, Y. Spencer, R. Clifton-Hadley, K. Jahans, A. Ward, A. Barlow, and R. Delahay. (2008). Histological observations of bovine tuberculosis in lung and lymph node tissues from British deer. The Veterinary Journal 175: 409-412. Langbein, J. (1997). The ranging behaviour, habitat-use and impact of deer in oak woods and heather moors of Exmoor and the Quantock hills. British Deer Society, Fordingbridge. Langbein, J. (2008) Management cull, not mass slaughter. Deer 14 (7): 22-23. Lloyd-Smith, J. O. , Cross, P. C. , Briggs, C. J., Daugherty, M. , Getz, M. W. , Latto, J., Sanchez, M. S. , Smith, A. B. & Swei, A. (2005). Should we expect population thresholds for wildlife disease? Trends in Ecology and Evolution 20: 465-473 Lugton, I. W. , Wilson, P. R. , Morris, R. S. & Nugent, G. (1998) Epidemiology and pathogenesis of Mycobacterium bovis infection in red deer (Cervus elaphus) in New Zealand. New Zealand Veterinary Journal 46: 147-156. May, R. M. & Anderson, R. M. (1978). Regulation and stability of host-parasite population interactions. II. Destabilising processes. Journal of Animal Ecology 47: 249-267. McCallum, H. , Barlow, N. & Hone, J. (2001) How should pathogen transmission be modelled? Trends in Ecology and Evolution 16:295-300. Miller, R. , Kaneene, J. B. , Fitzgerald, S. D. & Schmitt, S. M. (2003). Evaluation of the influence of supplemental feeding of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) on the prevalence of bovine tuberculosis in the Michigan wild deer population. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 39: 84-95.
Media Ownership, Concentration and Corruption in Bank Lending

Building on the pioneering study by Beck, Demirguc-Kunt, and Levine (2006), this study examines the effects of media ownership and concentration on corruption in bank lending using a unique World Bank data set covering more than 5,000 firms across 59 countries. We find strong evidence that state ownership of media is associated with higher levels of bank corruption. We also find that media concentration increases corruption both directly and indirectly through its interaction with media state ownership. In addition, we find that media state ownership and media concentration both accentuate the positive link between official supervisory power and lending corruption and attenuate the negative link between the regulations that empower private monitoring and corruption in lending. Media state ownership or media concentration also accentuates the positive link between banking concentration and corruption in lending. Furthermore, the links between media structure and corruption are more pronounced when the borrowing firm is privately owned.
Modular and Reconfigurable Transient Modeling and Simulation Design Support Tool for MEE/MEA Power Systems

There is a well-recognised need for robust simulation tools to support the design and evaluation of future More-Electric Engine and Aircraft (MEE/MEA) design concepts. Design options for these systems are increasingly complex, and normally include multiple power electronics converter topologies and machine drive units. In order to identify the most promising set of system configurations, a large number of technology variants need to be rapidly evaluated. This paper will describe a method of MEE/MEA system design with the use of a newly developed transient modeling, simulation and testing tool aimed at accelerating the identification process of optimal components, testing novel technologies and finding key solutions at an early development stage. The developed tool is a Matlab/Simulink library consisting of functional sub-system units, which can be rapidly integrated to build complex system architecture models.
Crosstalk between SUMO and Ubiquitin Systems: The STUbL Subunit Slx5 Interacts with the SUMO E3 Ligase Siz1

SUMO-targeted ubiquitin ligases (STUbLs) are a newly defined class of enzymes that attach ubiquitin to sumoylated substrates. STUbLs are conserved from yeast to humans and have been implicated in DNA repair, transcriptional regulation, and genome stability. Importantly, studies on STUbLs provide insight into the crosstalk between the SUMO and ubiquitin conjugation pathways. The budding yeast STUbL Slx5-Slx8 has few confirmed ubiquitylation substrates, but many more are believed to exist. For example, Slx5-Slx8 ubiquitylates the DNA damage repair protein Rad52 in vitro; in vivo, the transcriptional regulator Mot1 and the transcription factor MAT? 2 appear to be promising substrates. Recently, we observed a novel colocalization between Slx5 and a septin protein, Cdc3, as well as a two-hybrid interaction between Slx5 and the SUMO E3 ligase Siz1. The goals of this study, therefore, were to determine whether Slx5-Slx8 can ubiquitylate these substrates in vitro and to investigate the role that sumoylation plays in STUbL targeting. Here, we report that Slx5 interacts with the SUMO E3 ligase Siz1 in in vitro ubiquitylation and pulldown assays and that SUMO2 chains are required for the ubiquitylation of a substrate by the human STUbL RNF4.
Culture conditions for the production of a tannase of Aspergillus tamarii IMI388810 (B)

Aspergillus tamarii IMI388810 (B) a tannic acid degrading fungus was isolated from soil inundated by effluent of a tannery at Oji River local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigeria. It was identified by CABI Bioscience, United Kingdom as A. tamarii with accession number of IMI 388810 (B). This fungus produced tannase in a fermentation medium M containing tannic acid as the only carbon source. Time course of enzyme synthesis by the fungus showed that the enzyme production followed logarithmic growth phase with maximum enzyme yield being obtained after 6 days corresponding to the culture pH of 3.8.
Robust Determinants of Income Growth in the Philippines

This paper studies the relationship between population dynamics and income growth in the Philippines using data from 74 provinces for the period 1985-2003. Simulation techniques were used to quantify the effect of population dynamics on the differences in income of the provinces. It also examines the robustness of the explanatory variables to determine "deep" determinants of income growth. The study shows that population variable is robustly related with growth and while it is not the sole culprit for the dismal growth performance over the years, it shows that the opportunities associated with the demographic transition are real and can provide the stimulus needed by the country.
Coordinated Control of Multi-Robot Systems: A Survey

Recently, significant gains have been made in our understanding of multi-robot systems, and such systems have been deployed in domains as diverse as precision agriculture, flexible manufacturing, environmental monitoring, search-and-rescue operations, and even swarming robotic toys. What has enabled these developments is a combination of technological advances in performance, price, and scale of the platforms themselves, and a new understanding of how the robots should be organized algorithmically. In this paper, we focus on the latter of these advances, with particular emphasis on decentralized control and coordination strategies as they pertain to multi-robot systems. The paper discusses a class of problems related to the assembly of preferable geometric shapes in a decentralized manner through the formulation of descent-based algorithms defined with respect to team-level performance costs.
Multidisciplinary Design of a micro-USV for Re-entry Operations

Unmanned Space Vehicles (USV) are seen as a test-bed for enabling technologies and as a carrier to deliver and return experiments to and from low-Earth orbit. USV's are a potentially interesting solution also for the exploration of other planets or as long-range recognisance vehicles. As test bed, USV's are seen as a stepping stone for the development of future generation re-usable launchers but also as way to test key technologies for re-entry operations. Examples of recent developments are the PRORA-USV, designed by the Italian Aerospace Research Center (CIRA) in collaboration with Gavazzi Space, or the Boeing X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV), that is foreseen as an alternative to the space shuttle to deliver experiments into Earth orbit. Among the technologies to be demonstrated with the X-37 are improved thermal protection systems, avionics, the autonomous guidance system, and an advanced airframe
Gold nanorods/siRNA complex administration for knockdown of PARP-1: a potential treatment for perinatal asphyxia

Background Perinatal asphyxia interferes with neonatal development, resulting in long-term deficits associated with systemic and neurological diseases. Despite the important role of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP-1) in the regulation of gene expression and DNA repair, overactivation of PARP-1 in asphyxia-exposed animals worsens the ATP-dependent energetic crisis. Inhibition of PARP-1 offers a therapeutic strategy for diminishing the effects of perinatal asphyxia. Methods We designed a nanosystem that incorporates a specific siRNA for PARP-1 knockdown. The siRNA was complexed with gold nanorods (AuNR) conjugated to the peptide CLPFFD for brain targeting. Results The siRNA was efficiently delivered into PC12 cells, resulting in gene silencing. The complex was administered intraperitoneally in vivo to asphyxia-exposed rat pups, and the ability of the AuNR-CLPFFD/siRNA complex to reach the brain was demonstrated. Conclusion The combination of a nanosystem for delivery and a specific siRNA for gene silencing resulted in effective inhibition of PARP-1 in vivo.
Effects of Common Disturbances on Composition and Succession in Coppice Plant Communities on Eleuthera, the Bahamas: Conservation Implications

EFFECTS OF COMMON DISTURBANCES ON COMPOSITION AND SUCCESSION IN COPPICE PLANT COMMUNITIES ON ELEUTHERA, THE BAHAMAS: CONSERVATION IMPLICATIONS by Claire Cecilia Larkin Different disturbances in similar habitats should produce unique successional assemblages of plants. Plant species cover data was collected to investigate the effects of three common disturbances–fire, bulldozing, and bulldozing followed by goat grazing–on early-successional coppice communities on Eleuthera, The Bahamas. For each disturbance type, both the ground layer ( 0.5 m) were sampled in eight patches (> 1 ha) of varying age (1-28 yr) since disturbance. Results suggest that goats accelerate succession by quickly removing non-woody ground cover, and increase the representation of woody ground cover; these results also suggest that managed goat grazing delays plant succession by inhibiting growth of tree species and maintaining early-successional shrubs. These effects may lead to different coppice successional trajectories, and may have important conservation implications for the threatened Kirtland’s warbler (Dendroica kirtlandii), who’s wintering habitat consists of early-successional coppice rich in Lantana fruits. EFFECTS OF COMMON DISTURBANCES ON COMPOSITION AND SUCCESSION IN COPPICE PLANT COMMUNITIES ON ELEUTHERA, THE BAHAMAS: CONSERVATION
Nanospecific Guidance in REACH: A Comparative Physical-Chemical Characterization of 15 Materials with Methodical Correlations

The REACH legislation deals with the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemical substances in Europe. Here we provide a comparative physical-chemical characterization with standardized methods that adhere to the recent REACH guidance for nanomaterials. The suite of materials comprises two pigment-size reference materials, and 13 engineered nanomaterials, thereof four from the OECD sponsorship program. We report for each material on 20 endpoints for physical-chemical properties. Since toxicological effects and occupational exposures have already been reported for several of these materials, our results provide the basis for the exploration of grouping approaches. On the methodical level, our results provide a cross-validation where several methods report the same endpoint. This comparison reveals redundancies in the guidance and allows us to identify the most effective methods.
Mass estimates for visual binaries with incomplete orbits

The problem of estimating the total mass of a visual binary when its orbit is incomplete is treated with Bayesian methods. The posterior mean of a mass estimator is approximated by a triple integral over orbital period, orbital eccentricity and time of periastron. This reduction to 3D from the 7D space defined by the conventional Campbell parameters is achieved by adopting the Thiele-Innes elements and exploiting the linearity with respect to the four Thiele-Innes constants. The formalism istested on synthetic observational data covering a variable fraction of a model binary’s orbit. The posterior mean of the mass estimator is numerically found to be unbiased when the data cover >40% of the orbit.
Households transport-home energy conservation strategies in response to energy price policies: A stated adaptation experiment based on portfolio choices and cross effects designs

abstract This article explores consumer investment choice in long-term energy conservation technology and assesses trade-offs in energy saving behaviour between the housing and transportation domains. The long-term energy conservation choice problem is conceptualized as a portfolio choice problem. Consequently, to measure trade-offs between investments in housing and transport options, a cross effects choice design is developed in which respondents were shown one or more alternate ways to reduce their current energy consumption: (1) investing in new technology in the house, such as solar panels; (2) exchanging the current car for a more energy efficient car; (3) buying a new energy-efficient car, such as EV or solar car; (4) moving house to reduce current travel distances. To help respondents linking these options to their current energy consumption, a new Web-based survey system (SINA) to implement and administer stated adaptation experiments was developed. The system was used to collect two sets of data. First, data about out-of-home and in-home energy consumption, together with detailed time use data, was collected. Second, using a cross effects design, respondents were asked to select a portfolio of energy-saving strategies in response to different energy pricing policy scenarios. Results reported in this paper are based on 572 respondents who completed the survey and responded to seven adaptation questions based on their current energy expenditures. A random parameters logit model is estimated to predict the probability of choosing a particular portfolio of energy-saving options. Estimation results indicate that individuals from different socio-demographic groups exhibit varied preferences. The saving option characteristics, especially cost related characteristics have significant effects on individuals' preferences. Moreover, the results also showed significant effects of choice set composition on energy saving options. Further, the energy pricing policies had showed mixed effects on individual's preferences.
Molecular Control by Non-coding RNAs During Fruit Development: From Gynoecium Patterning to Fruit Ripening

Fruits are originated from the transition of a quiescent ovary to a fast-growing young fruit. The evolution of reproductive structures such as ovary and fruit has made seed dispersal easier, which is a key process for reproductive success in flowering plants. The complete fruit development and ripening are characterized by a remarkable phenotypic plasticity which is orchestrated by a myriad of genetic factors. In this context, transcriptional regulation by non-coding small (i.e., microRNAs) and long (lncRNAs) RNAs underlies important mechanisms controlling reproductive organ development. These mechanisms may act together and interact with other pathways (i.e., phytohormones) to regulate cell fate and coordinate reproductive organ development. Functional genomics has shown that non-coding RNAs regulate a diversity of developmental reproductive stages, from carpel formation and ovary development to the softening of the ripe/ripened fruit. This layer of transcriptional control has been associated with ovule, seed, and fruit development as well as fruit ripening, which are crucial developmental processes in breeding programs because of their relevance for crop production. The final ripe fruit is the result of a process under multiple levels of regulation, including mechanisms orchestrated by microRNAs and lncRNAs. Most of the studies we discuss involve work on tomato and Arabidopsis. In this review, we summarize non-coding RNA-controlled mechanisms described in the current literature that act coordinating the main steps of gynoecium development/patterning and fruit ripening.
Qualified “in shelter” dogs’ evaluation and training to promote successful dog-human relationships

The phenomenon of dogs’ relinquishment in Italy has become a social evil, although many laws exist to regulate animal protection and lately, the act of abandonment has become criminalised (law n.189/2004, enforced by law n.201/2010). Adoption from shelters seems to be the only way to have a controlled, microchipped population of dogs, as well as limiting confinement and euthanasia. After being asked to simplify the previous Ethotest © version [13] by many shelter operators and veterinarians, the authors aimed at analyzing the effectiveness of an improved model to test dogs’ behavioral aptitude matching the expectations of a hypothetical adopter. The new version improves the test feasibility by the elimination of a previous computer-based program, and by the introduction of new items such as hierarchical behavior towards food. In this study dogs housed in the sanitary shelter of L’Aquila (Abruzzo, Italy), of different age and sex, either sterilized or not, and belonging to different breeds or crossbreeds, were tested. All the dogs adopted from the shelter were monitored for one year after the adoption by both phone interviews and home visit. The study aimed at analyzing if the shelter dogs showed a good and consistent behavior after adoption in the new environment. The results demonstrated that apart from a predictable relinquishment and an unfortunate case of abuse, none of the dogs adopted showed any unwanted behaviors such as house soiling, jumping up, separation-related and aggressive behaviors; this made their stay in the family a desirable, exciting experience independently of the dog sex, age, and the family composition. The authors stress the necessity of every shelter, together with the veterinary cares, for a professional expert at dogs’ behavior who can efficaciously prevent behavioral problems, eventually train the dogs and afford the pairing with humans in a competent, qualified manner.