Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
On the EM algorithm for the estimation of speech AR parameters in noise

In this paper, the estimation of speech AR parameters under noisy conditions is revisited. The EM algorithm serving this purpose was first proposed by Gannot et al. We present an extensive experimental study along with a new approach to implement the E-step of the algorithm. The new realization of the E-step uses matrix computations instead of a Kalman filter. By appropriate rearrangement of the E-step, the complexity O(P(p +q)3)of the Kalman filter approach has been reduced to O(P log P), where P is the frame length, p is the speech order and q is the noise order. In practice, a speed up of the E-step of at least two orders of magnitude has been achieved. An extensive evaluation of the algorithm shows that EM algorithm in its base form is unable to improve over a recent speech enhancement method proposed by Heusdens et al. and over an established Spectral Subtraction with Minimum Statistics method, as measured by various quality measures. However, with some modification it was possible to improve over these methods in terms of spectral distortion.
Influence of the device layout on the performance of 20A 1.2kV clustered insulated gate bipolar transistor (CIGBT) in PT technology

In this paper, the experimental performance of a 20 A 1.2 kV punch through CIGBT fabricated under manufacturing environment is presented for the first time. On state and switching performance of the device is analysed at room and elevated temperatures. Influence of the device layout in terms of number of the cathode cells per single cluster upon device performance is investigated experimentally
Unsupervised Latent Aspect Discovery for Diverse Event Summarization

Recently, the fast growth of social media communities and mobile devices encourages more people to share their media data online than ever before. Analyzing data and summarizing data into useful information have become increasingly popular and important for modern society. Given a set of event keywords and a dataset, this paper performs event summarization, aiming to discover and summarize what people may concern for each event from the given dataset. More specifically, this paper extracts latent sub-events with diverse and representative attributes for each given event. This paper proposes effective methods on detecting events with (1) human attribute discovery, such as human pose and clothes, (2) scene analysis, (3) image aspect discovery, and (4) temporal and semantic analysis, to provide people different perspectives for the events they are interested in. For practical implementation, this paper studied and conducted experiments on YFCC100M, which is a dataset with 100 million of photos and videos, provided by Yahoo! Finally, a comprehensive and complete system is created accordingly to support diverse event summarization.
Methodological learning-by-doing: Challenges, lessons learned and rewards

The experience of minus mentoring in learning classic grounded theory (CGT) is shared by many people over the world. The aim of this article is to share experiences of learning and using CGT. Data for the article included methodological discussions in the authors thesis and articles, as well as memos. Consequences of learning grounded theory by doing are presented in the form of challenges and lessons learned but also some rewards. Challenges and lessons learned include sampling-confusion, delimiting- disregarding, judging saturation and conceptual language-struggling. Rewards include trusting the method, insider-researcher and expert- resourcing. Presented rewards could be seen as advice and inspiration for novice GT researchers.
Image Metrics for Predicting Subjective Image Quality

Purpose. Despite the proliferation of wavefront sensors to characterize the optical quality of individual eyes, there is not yet an accurate way to determine from a wave aberration how severely it will impact the patient's vision. Some of the most commonly used metrics, such as RMS wavefront error and the Strehl ratio, predict subjective image quality poorly. Our goal is to establish a better metric to predict subjective image quality from the wave aberration. Methods. We describe three kinds of experiments designed to compare the effectiveness of different metrics in determining the subjective impact of the wave aberration. Subjects viewed a visual stimulus through a deformable mirror in an adaptive optics system that compensated for the subject's wave aberration. In the first experiment, we show that some Zernike modes such as spherical aberration and defocus interact strongly in determining subjective image quality. In the second experiment, the subject's wave aberration was replaced by the wave aberration corresponding to an individual Zernike mode. The subject then adjusted the coefficient of the Zernike mode to match the blur of a standard stimulus. In the third experiment, the subject viewed the same stimulus through the wave aberration of one of 59 different postoperative patients who had undergone LASIK and matched the blur by adjusting defocus. We then determined which among many image quality metrics best predicted these matching data. Results. RMS wavefront error was a poor predictor of the data, as was the Strehl ratio. Conclusions. The neural sharpness metric best described the subjective sharpness of images viewed through the wave aberrations of real eyes. This metric can provide a single number that describes the subjective impact of each patient's wave aberration and will also increase the accuracy of refraction estimates from wavefront-based autorefractors and phoropters.
Adaptive generalized synchronization of two nonidentical hyperchaotic systems with unknown parameters

This paper considers the generalized synchronization problems of two different hyperchaotic systems with unknown parameters. By denoting the synchronization error signals as the difference between the state variables of the drive system and the state variables of the response system, the hyperchaotic synchronization problem is transformed into the stabilization control problem of the origin of the synchronization error system. Based on the Lyapunov stability, a new adaptive synchronization controller is designed and the asymptotic stability of the origin of the synchronization error system is proved. simulation results illustrate the correctness of the proposed generalized synchronization method.
Encryption-Compression of still images using the FMT transformation and the DES algorithm

The development of the applications related to several fields of image processing requires the use of telecommunication and information technologies which evolved very quickly these last years. The compression and the encoding of data are two techniques whose importance believes in an exponential way in a myriad of applications. The use of the data-processing networks, for the transmission and the transfer of the data, must satisfy two objectives which are: the reduction of the volume of information to free, the maximum possible, the public networks of communication, and the protection in order to guarantee a level of optimum safety. For this we have proposed a new hybrid approach of encryption-compression, which is based on the DES encryption algorithm of the dominant coefficients, in a mixed-scale representation, of compression by the multi-scale transformation of FaberSchauder. The comparison of this approach with other methods of encryptioncompression, such as DCT-RSA and DCT-Partial-encryption, showed its good performance.
Research on SRAM-based FPGA SEE sensitive parameters fast estimation method

Sensitive parameters (function error rate and mean time to failure (MTTF)) estimation for SRAM-based FPGA Single Event Effect (SEE) has been a very active area of research for recent years. Since the existed methods are time-consuming and costly, a fast estimation method based on fault injection has been proposed to reduce the estimation time. By compressing the fault set, reducing fault injection time and estimating fault response time, the sensitive parameters estimation time has been decreased effectively. The results of the method analysis show that the method this paper proposed can solved the issue of time explosion commendably and obtain accurate target parameters. At present, this method has been applied to the design of a digital signal processing platform in satellite.
Web Page segmentation Using Block Function Tree

For modern Web sites currently available web page segmentation algorithms are not yet of practical use. This is what is observed from recent studies. In this paper, a Web page Segmenter Using Block Function Tree has been described as a new approach for web page segmentation. It uses the fact that every block in the Web page plays a specific function that Web designer designs the block for this function. The Segmentation process is divided into two phases: The first one is building the Block Function Tree and the second one is analyzing the resulting Block Function Tree. To support our claim, an evaluation is conducted. We found that our approach works well even with visually complex Web pages.
Optimal Data Scheduling for Uniform Multidimensional Applications

Uniform nested loops are broadly used in scientific and multidimensional digital signal processing applications. Due to the amount of data handled by such applications, on-chip memory is required to improve the data access and overall system performance. In this study a static data scheduling method, carrot-hole data scheduling, is proposed for multidimensional applications, in order to control the data traffic between different levels of memory. Based on this data schedule, optimal partitioning and scheduling are selected. Experiments show that by using this technique, on-chip memory misses are significantly reduced as compared to results obtained from traditional methods. The carrot-hole data scheduling method is proven to obtain smallest on-chip memory misses compared with other linear scheduling and partitioning schemes.
Cattle Manure Enhances Methanogens Diversity and Methane Emissions Compared to Swine Manure under Rice Paddy

Livestock manures are broadly used in agriculture to improve soil quality. However, manure application can increase the availability of organic carbon, thereby facilitating methane (CH4) production. Cattle and swine manures are expected to have different CH4 emission characteristics in rice paddy soil due to the inherent differences in composition as a result of contrasting diets and digestive physiology between the two livestock types. To compare the effect of ruminant and non-ruminant animal manure applications on CH4 emissions and methanogenic archaeal diversity during rice cultivation (June to September, 2009), fresh cattle and swine manures were applied into experimental pots at 0, 20 and 40 Mg fresh weight (FW) ha−1 in a greenhouse. Applications of manures significantly enhanced total CH4 emissions as compared to chemical fertilization, with cattle manure leading to higher emissions than swine manure. Total organic C contents in cattle (466 g kg−1) and swine (460 g kg−1) manures were of comparable results. Soil organic C (SOC) contents were also similar between the two manure treatments, but dissolved organic C (DOC) was significantly higher in cattle than swine manure. The mcrA gene copy numbers were significantly higher in cattle than swine manure. Diverse groups of methanogens which belong to Methanomicrobiaceae were detected only in cattle-manured but not in swine-manured soil. Methanogens were transferred from cattle manure to rice paddy soils through fresh excrement. In conclusion, cattle manure application can significantly increase CH4 emissions in rice paddy soil during cultivation, and its pretreatment to suppress methanogenic activity without decreasing rice productivity should be considered.
TIME EXTENDED STRUCTURE TENSORS FOR MULTIPLE DIRECTIONALITY ESTIMATION

A novel method for extending structure tensors by using the one way wave equation is proposed. This allows for the detection of two intersecting waves in the two dimensional case. In three dimensions both two and three intersecting waves can be detected. Moreover, a method for directionality filtering using the estimated directions is proposed. This method also relies on a particular usage of the one way wave equation.
Pain Relief Following Spinal Surgeries: A Challenging Task

By virtue of their nature involving extensive dissection of muscles, ligaments and bones, spinal surgery inherently produce a high severity of postoperative pain. The pronounced inflammatory response following tissue damage is the primary mechanism of generation of post spinal surgery pain. Additionally, patients subjected to spinal surgery may have suffered a significant degree of preexisting chronic pain treated previously with high doses of narcotics or other analgesics necessitating massive doses in the postoperative period. Higher baseline opioid requirements, high anxiety levels and the need for a conscious and cooperative patient facilitating frequent neurological examination complicates post spinal surgery pain management, for the treating anesthesiologist. In the face of these concerns, multi modal analgesia is often necessary to obtain adequate relief from pain. Mechanoreceptors or nociceptors and free nerve endings present in the different tissues (vertebrae, disc, ligaments, and nerve root sleeves) signal other neurons within the central nervous system which influences the appreciation of pain sensation. The pain sensations are carried by posterior rami of spinal nerves linked to sympathetic, parasympathetic, motor and somatic nerves [1]. This widespread interconnectivity increases the possibility of referred pain which surpasses local and diffuse pain following surgery [2]. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores tend to be higher in patients with continuing referred pain [1]. The neuropathic nature of referred pain makes it amenable to treatment with anticonvulsants and antidepressants [3,4]. The site of spinal surgery (cervical, thoracic or lumbar) does not have any bearing on the severity of postoperative pain [2,5]. However psychological profile, social profile and preoperative pain severity do influence the degree of postoperative pain as has been observed in our daily practice.
Modifying Route Map Visualizations For Walking Smartphone Use

This project explores visualizations for route maps that are displayed on a smartphone. Route finding and following is a multitasking situation that would benefit from better readability of the map, as it would decrease the cognitive effort required for the user to synthesize the information they need to follow the route. This can be done through various information visualization techniques, such as focus + context and highlighting. An initial implementation of such visualizations is created for an Android smartphone, and its strengths and weaknesses are discussed. Finally, conclusions are drawn about how the route map visualization could be improved and what areas of future research would be beneficial.
Swarm-based intelligent routing (SIR): a new approach for efficient routing in content centric delay tolerant networks

This paper introduces Swarm-based Intelligent Routing (SIR), a swarm intelligence based approach used for routing content in content centric Pocket Switched Networks. We first formalize the notion of optimal path in DTN, then introduce a swarm intelligence based routing protocol adapted to content centric DTN that use a publish/subscribe communication paradigm. The protocol works in a fully decentralized way in which nodes do not have any knowledge about the global topology. Nodes, via opportunistic contacts, update utility functions which synthesizes their spatio-temporal proximity from the content subscribers. This individual behavior applied by each node leads to the collective formation of gradient fields between content subscribers and content providers. Therefore, content routing simply sums up to follow the steepest slope along these gradient fields to reach subscribers who are located at the minima of the field. Via real traces analysis and simulation, we demonstrate the existence and relevance of such gradient field and show routing performance improvements when compared to classical routing protocols previously defined for information routing in DTN.
The Practice of Emergency Medicine/original Research Communication Patterns in a Uk Emergency Department

Study objective: Good communication is important in patient care and plays an essential part of teamwork and patient safety. Communication in the emergency department (ED) can be chaotic, with the potential for error resulting from communication overload and problems of communication. The nurse in charge of the ED plays a crucial role in maintaining communication flow. The aims of this study are to identify the features of the communication load on the nurse in charge of the ED. Methods: This was an observational, nonexperimental study, building on the methods of observation and analysis developed by Coiera. It was carried out in an inner-city hospital ED in London. The nurse in charge of the ED was observed. The following factors were studied: the level of communication, interruptions, and simultaneous events; the channel and purpose of communication; interaction types; unresolved communications and annoying aspects of the observed periods; and the effect of weekday, staffing, and patient levels on the level of communication. Results: Eleven nurses were observed during 18 observation periods during a total of 20 hours. Analysis revealed that there were 2,019 communication events in 20 hours and that 1,183 (59%) were initiated by the nurse in charge. Two hundred eighty-six (14%) simultaneous events/tasks were identified by the observer. One thousand five hundred twenty-eight (76%) communications involving the nurse in charge were face to face, 144 (7%) were by telephone, 107 (5%) concerned the use of the computer, and 104 (5%) concerned the use of the whiteboard. The largest purpose of communication events was related to patient management (48%). There was a slight relationship between junior medical staff and the level of communication and a moderate relationship between communication load and the number of patients in the ED. In addition, a greater number of nurses on duty were associated with fewer communication events with the nurse in charge. Conclusion: These findings are an important measure of communication load, which can disrupt memory and lead to mistakes. Improving communication between health care staff by reducing the levels of interruptions and minimizing the volume of irrelevant or unnecessary information exchange could therefore have important implications for patient safety.
Morphometrics of the Avian Small Intestine Compared with That of Nonflying Mammals: A Phylogenetic Approach

Flying animals may experience a selective constraint on gut volume because the energetic cost of flight increases and maneuverability decreases with greater digesta load. The small intestine is the primary site of absorption of most nutrients (e.g., carbohydrates, proteins, fat) in both birds and mammals. Therefore, we used a phylogenetically informed approach to compare small intestine morphometric measurements of birds with those of nonflying mammals and to test for effects of diet within each clade. We also compared the fit of nonphylogenetic and phylogenetic models to test for phylogenetic signal after accounting for effects of body mass, clade, and/or diet. We provide a new MATLAB program (Regressionv2.m) that facilitates a flexible model‐fitting approach in comparative studies. As compared with nonflying mammals, birds had 51% less nominal small intestine surface area (area of a smooth bore tube) and 32% less volume. For animals <365 g in body mass, birds also had significantly shorter small intestines (20%–33% shorter, depending on body mass). Diet was also a significant factor explaining variation in small intestine nominal surface area of both birds and nonflying mammals, small intestine mass of mammals, and small intestine volume of both birds and nonflying mammals. On the basis of the phylogenetic trees used in our analyses, small intestine length and nominal surface area exhibited statistically significant phylogenetic signal in birds but not in mammals. Thus, for birds, related species tended to be similar in small intestine length and nominal surface area, even after accounting for relations with body mass and diet. A reduced small intestine in birds may decrease the capacity for breakdown and active absorption of nutrients. Birds do not seem to compensate for reduced digestive and absorptive capacity via a longer gut retention time of food, but we found some evidence that birds have an increased mucosal surface area via a greater villus area, although not enough to compensate for reduced nominal surface area. We predict that without increased rate of enzyme hydrolysis and/or mediated transport and without increased passive absorption of water‐soluble nutrients, birds may operate with a reduced digestive capacity, compared with that of nonflying mammals, to meet an increase in metabolic needs (i.e., a reduced spare capacity).
Real Time Temperature Control System Using PID Controller and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System (SCADA)

Well designed conventional PID controllers using Ziegler-Nichols method are having large overshoot and settling time. Significant research work has been carried out to improve the performance of closed loop response with PID controller so that it can be used for real time temperature control system using SCADA(HC- 900 Honeywell controller). Also performance of PID controller is investigated for different performance metrics such as Integral Square Error (ISE), Integral Absolute Error (IAE), Integral Time absolute Error (ITAE), and Integral Time square Error (ITSE) is presented and simulation is carried out. Work in this paper explores basic concepts, mathematics, and design aspect of PID controller. Furthermore, after meticulous analysis of the operation of the plant, PID based schemes are formulated to control the temperature of UT_321 laboratory system, which gives satisfactory performance for various dynamics like low-and high-order, small and large dead time, and monotonic, oscillatory responses.
Kynurenine Pathway Enzymes in Dendritic Cells Initiate Tolerogenesis in the Absence of Functional IDO1

Dendritic cell (DC) tryptophan catabolism has emerged in recent years as a major mechanism of peripheral tolerance. However, there are features of this mechanism, initiated by IDO, that are still unclear, including the role of enzymes that are downstream of IDO in the kynurenine pathway and the role of the associated production of kynurenines. In this study, we provide evidence that 1) murine DCs express all enzymes necessary for synthesis of the downstream product of tryptophan breakdown, quinolinate; 2) IFN-γ enhances transcriptional expression of all of these enzymes, although posttranslational inactivation of IDO may prevent metabolic steps that are subsequent and consequent to IDO; 3) overcoming the IDO-dependent blockade by provision of a downstream quinolinate precursor activates the pathway and leads to the onset of suppressive properties; and 4) tolerogenic DCs can confer suppressive ability on otherwise immunogenic DCs across a Transwell in an IDO-dependent fashion. Altogether, these data indicate that kynurenine pathway enzymes downstream of IDO can initiate tolerogenesis by DCs independently of tryptophan deprivation. The paracrine production of kynurenines might be one mechanism used by IDO-competent cells to convert DCs lacking functional IDO to a tolerogenic phenotype within an IFN-γ-rich environment.