Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Implementation of an extended recognition network for mispronunciation detection and diagnosis in computer-assisted pronunciation training

This paper presents recent extensions to our ongoing effort in developing speech recognition for automatic mispronunciation detection and diagnosis in the interlanguage of Chinese learners of English. We have developed a set of context-sensitive phonological rules based on cross-language (Cantonese versus English) analysis which has also been validated against common mispronunciations observed from the learners interlanguage. These rules are represented as finite state transducers which can generate an extended recognition network (ERN) based on arbitrary canonical pronunciations. The ERN includes not only standard English pronunciations but also common mispronunciations of learners. Recognition with the ERN enables the speech recognizer to phonetically transcribe the learner’s input speech. This transcription can be compared with the canonical pronunciations to identify the location(s) and type(s) of phonetic differences, thus facilitating mispronunciation detection and diagnoses. We have developed a prototype implementation known as the CHELSEA system and have validated the approach based on a new, annotated test set of 600 utterances recorded from 100 Cantonese learners of English. The approach achieves a false rejection rate (i.e. system identifies a phone as incorrect when it is actually correctly pronounced) of 13.6%; as well as a false acceptance rate (i.e. system identifies a phone as correct when it is actually mispronounced) of 44.7%. Among the detected errors, the system can correctly diagnose 54.8% of the mispronunciations.
YHR150w and YDR479c encode peroxisomal integral membrane proteins involved in the regulation of peroxisome number, size, and distribution in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The peroxin Pex24p of the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica exhibits high sequence similarity to two hypothetical proteins, Yhr150p and Ydr479p, encoded by the Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome. Like YlPex24p, both Yhr150p and Ydr479p have been shown to be integral to the peroxisomal membrane, but unlike YlPex24p, their levels of synthesis are not increased upon a shift of cells from glucose- to oleic acid–containing medium. Peroxisomes of cells deleted for either or both of the YHR150w and YDR479c genes are increased in number, exhibit extensive clustering, are smaller in area than peroxisomes of wild-type cells, and often exhibit membrane thickening between adjacent peroxisomes in a cluster. Peroxisomes isolated from cells deleted for both genes have a decreased buoyant density compared with peroxisomes isolated from wild-type cells and still exhibit clustering and peroxisomal membrane thickening. Overexpression of the genes PEX25 or VPS1, but not the gene PEX11, restored the wild-type phenotype to cells deleted for one or both of the YHR150w and YDR479c genes. Together, our data suggest a role for Yhr150p and Ydr479p, together with Pex25p and Vps1p, in regulating peroxisome number, size, and distribution in S. cerevisiae. Because of their role in peroxisome dynamics, YHR150w and YDR479c have been designated as PEX28 and PEX29, respectively, and their encoded peroxins as Pex28p and Pex29p.
Using DNA to Design Plasmonic Metamaterials with Tunable Optical Properties

Abstract : Due to their potential for creating designer materials, the 3D assembly of nanoparticle building blocks into macroscopic structures with well-defined order and symmetry remains one of the most important challenges in materials science. [ 1 5 ] Furthermore, superlattices consisting of noble-metal nanoparticles have emerged as a new platform for the bottom-up design of plasmonic metamaterials. [ 6 8 ] The allure of optical metamaterials is that they provide a means for altering the temporal and spatial propagation of electromagnetic fields, resulting in materials that exhibit many properties that do not exist in nature. [ 9 13 ] With the vast array of nanostructures now synthetically realizable, computational methods play a crucial role in identifying the assemblies that exhibit the most exciting properties. [ 14 ] Once target assemblies are identified, the synthesis of nanometer-scale structures for use at optical and IR wavelengths must be taken into account. Many of the current methods to fabricate metamaterials in the optical range use serial lithographic-based approaches. [ 6 ] The challenge of controlled assembly into well-defined architectures has kept bottom-up methods that rely on the self-organization of colloidal metal nanoparticles from being fully explored for metamaterial applications. [ 8 ] DNA-mediated assembly of nanoparticles has the potential to help overcome this challenge. The predictability and programmability of DNA makes it a powerful tool for the rational assembly of plasmonic nanoparticles with tunable nearest-neighbor distances and symmetries. [ 1,15 18 ] Herein, we combine theory and experiment to study a new class of plasmonic superlattices first using electrodynamics simulations to identify that superlattices of spherical silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) have the potential to exhibit emergent metamaterial properties, including epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) behavior, [ 13 ] and a region with an optically metallic response.
Handling Irregularities of 3D Building Data During Surface Computation

Real-world data, esp. three-dimensional measurements of buildings, contain various irregularities, e.g. common vertices of building parts. These irregularities cause large problems in data conversion from CSG to B-rep. We will present an approach which can tackle these irregularities using geometrical properties of buildings and extensions of basic operations from the field of analytic geometry. An extensive 3D scene will be described and converted.
A Preliminary Investigation on the Identification of Peer to Peer Network Applications

Identification of P2P (peer to peer) applications inside network traffic plays an important role for route provisioning, traffic policing, flow prioritization, network service pricing, network capacity planning and network resource management. Inspecting and identifying the P2P applications is one of the most important tasks to have a network that runs efficiently. In this paper, we focus on identification of different P2P applications. To this end, we explore four commonly used supervised machine learning algorithms as C4.5, Ripper, SVM(Support Vector Machines), Naïve Bayesian and well known unsupervised machine learning algorithm K-Means on four different datasets. We evaluate their performances to identify the P2P applications that each traffic flow belongs to. Evaluations show that, Ripper algorithm gives better results than the others.
Leukoaraiosis Is a Chronic Atherosclerotic Disease

Background and Purpose. White matter changes (WMCs), or leukoaraiosis (LA), are associated with increased age, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and history of stroke. Although several lines of evidence suggest a role of atherosclerosis in atherothrombotic vascular events, their involvement in LA remains to be determined. Our study examines this association in ischemic stroke patients. Methods. One hundred and seventy consecutive ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) patients were included. All patients underwent brain computed tomography (CT) with assessment of the extension and severity of WMCs, carotid arteries duplex scan with measurements of intima-media thickness (IMT) and plaques. Results. Seventy-two patients (42.4%) were found to have white matter lesions, of whom 28.8% had advanced LA. Mean IMT was significantly higher in patients with LA and with advanced LA (P = 0.002, P = 0.003, resp.). In addition, LA and LA severity were associated with existence of carotid plaque (P = 0.007, P = 0.004, resp.). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, including all vascular risk factors, LA was found to be associated with age and IMT. Conclusion. This study reinforces the tight association between LA and carotid atherosclerosis in ischemic stroke patients. We conclude that a chronic atherosclerotic disease underlies the pathophysiology of leukoaraiosis and its progression.
Evidence from In Vivo Imaging That Synaptogenesis Guides the Growth and Branching of Axonal Arbors by Two Distinct Mechanisms

To explore the relationship between axon arbor growth and synaptogenesis, developing retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axon arbors in zebrafish optic tectum were imaged in vivo at high temporal and spatial resolution using two-photon microscopy. Individual RGC axons were dually labeled by expression of a cytosolic red fluorescent protein (DsRed Express) to mark arbor structure and a fusion of the synaptic vesicle protein synaptophysin with green fluorescent protein (Syp:GFP) to mark presynaptic vesicles. Analysis of time-lapse sequences acquired at 10 min intervals revealed unexpectedly rapid kinetics of both axon branch and vesicle cluster turnover. Nascent axonal branches exhibited short average lifetimes of 19 min, and only 17% of newly extended axonal processes persisted for periods exceeding 3 h. The majority (70%) of Syp:GFP puncta formed on newly extended axonal processes. Syp:GFP puncta also exhibited short average lifetimes of 30 min, and only 34% of puncta were stabilized for periods exceeding 3 h. Moreover, strongly correlated dynamics of Syp:GFP puncta and branch structure suggest that synaptogenesis exerts strong influences on both the extension and the selective stabilization of nascent branches. First, new branches form almost exclusively at newly formed Syp:GFP puncta. Second, stabilized nascent branches invariably bear Syp:GFP puncta, and the detailed dynamics of branch retraction suggest strongly that nascent synapses can act at branch tips to arrest retraction. These observations thus provide evidence that synaptogenesis guides axon arbor growth by first promoting initial branch extension and second by selective branch stabilization.
Health, lifestyle, and quality of life for young adults born very preterm

Background: Children born very preterm and able to attend mainstream schools have been shown to have a high prevalence of behavioural, minor motor, and learning difficulties. It is not clear whether these problems persist into adulthood, impacting on lifestyle and quality of life. Methods: A previously studied cohort of very low birth weight infants born between 1980 and 1983, together with term classmate controls, were assessed at age 19–22 years using a postal questionnaire. The questionnaire included the SF-36 to assess quality of life, a social activities scale, a lifestyle questionnaire, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and questions on current height, weight, health, family structure, and education and occupation. Results: Of the 138 preterm and 163 term controls in the cohort, 79 preterm and 71 term returned questionnaires. Quality of life was assessed as similar on six of eight domains of the SF-36. Social activities were also similar. Preterms drank less alcohol, used fewer illicit drugs, but smoked as often. Rates for sexual intercourse were similar, although preterms had more children. Preterms were shorter than controls and were less satisfied with their appearance. They were more likely to use a regular prescription medicine. Fewer were or had been in higher education, and some remained unemployed. Conclusion: The problems experienced by very preterm infants at school appear to influence lifestyle and health, but not perceived quality of life in early adulthood.
Release of the Repressive Activity of Rice DELLA Protein SLR1 by Gibberellin Does Not Require SLR1 Degradation in the gid2 Mutant[W]

The rice (Oryza sativa) DELLA protein SLR1 acts as a repressor of gibberellin (GA) signaling. GA perception by GID1 causes SLR1 protein degradation involving the F-box protein GID2; this triggers GA-associated responses such as shoot elongation and seed germination. In GA-insensitive and GA biosynthesis mutants, SLENDER RICE1 (SLR1) accumulates to high levels, and the severity of dwarfism is usually correlated with the level of SLR1 accumulation. An exception is the GA-insensitive F-box mutant gid2, which shows milder dwarfism than mutants such as gid1 and cps even though it accumulates higher levels of SLR1. The level of SLR1 protein in gid2 was decreased by loss of GID1 function or treatment with a GA biosynthesis inhibitor, and dwarfism was enhanced. Conversely, overproduction of GID1 or treatment with GA3 increased the SLR1 level in gid2 and reduced dwarfism. These results indicate that derepression of SLR1 repressive activity can be accomplished by GA and GID1 alone and does not require F-box (GID2) function. Evidence for GA signaling without GID2 was also provided by the expression behavior of GA-regulated genes such as GA-20oxidase1, GID1, and SLR1 in the gid2 mutant. Based on these observations, we propose a model for the release of GA suppression that does not require DELLA protein degradation.
Contribution des réseaux d’innovation au développement des organisations : une interprétation en termes de capital sociotechnique

La recherche questionne le role d’un reseau d’innovation dans le developpement de ses adherents. Le capital social a ete choisi comme cle de lecture des ressources inscrites au sein d’un reseau d’innovateurs. Le terrain de recherche, QualiREG, est un reseau d’innovation reunissant des acteurs disperses sur plusieurs territoires de l’Ocean Indien. Une etude quantitative a ete realisee en collaboration avec les managers du reseau. Les parties prenantes de QualiREG ont ete interrogees dans le cadre d’une enquete en ligne. Les donnees des 97 reponses obtenues ont ete traitees par les Methodes d’Equations Structurelles (PLS) expliquant les effets du reseau sur ses adherents. Les resultats montrent que deux dimensions, la reputation et le support a l’innovation, sont significativement liees et ont un effet sur la contribution du reseau au developpement de ses membres. Le role des technologies est double. Elles permettent de mobiliser des actifs favorisant l’innovation dans le reseau et d’ameliorer la visibilite des acteurs au sein du reseau. La recherche est source de contributions manageriales et theoriques. Sur le plan managerial, les managers de reseaux d’innovation sont invites a placer le Systeme d’Information au cœur de leurs demarches de management. D’un point de vue theorique, une discussion est ouverte sur deux points. D’une part, le reseau d’innovation apparait comme un espace d’apprentissage relationnel au sein duquel la reputation, en tant que ressource, joue un role determinant. D’autre part, l’intervention des Technologies de l’Information et de la Communication (TIC) dans la constitution de capital social invite a developper l’idee d’un capital sociotechnique.
Researching the student experience in the Humanities and Social Sciences: the implications of difference

Research into the student experience of learning in higher education tantalises teachers and researchers with the disturbing information that a very large number of students appear to take a ‘surface’ approach to their learning. Students taking this approach are strategic, focus on reproducing information, and seem to be trying to cut corners. In other words, they are engaging with learning in ways which are precisely the opposite to those which their tutors are trying to encourage. And despite decades of trying to change this type of engagement by using new forms of teaching and assessment practices, teachers seem to be complaining more, not less, about students engaging in this way.
Over-Expression of hNGF in Adult Human Olfactory Bulb Neural Stem Cells Promotes Cell Growth and Oligodendrocytic Differentiation

The adult human olfactory bulb neural stem/progenitor cells (OBNC/PC) are promising candidate for cell-based therapy for traumatic and neurodegenerative insults. Exogenous application of NGF was suggested as a promising therapeutic strategy for traumatic and neurodegenerative diseases, however effective delivery of NGF into the CNS parenchyma is still challenging due mainly to its limited ability to cross the blood–brain barrier, and intolerable side effects if administered into the brain ventricular system. An effective method to ensure delivery of NGF into the parenchyma of CNS is the genetic modification of NSC to overexpress NGF gene. Overexpression of NGF in adult human OBNSC is expected to alter their proliferation and differentiation nature, and thus might enhance their therapeutic potential. In this study, we genetically modified adult human OBNS/PC to overexpress human NGF (hNGF) and green fluorescent protein (GFP) genes to provide insight about the effects of hNGF and GFP genes overexpression in adult human OBNS/PC on their in vitro multipotentiality using DNA microarray, immunophenotyping, and Western blot (WB) protocols. Our analysis revealed that OBNS/PC-GFP and OBNS/PC-GFP-hNGF differentiation is a multifaceted process involving changes in major biological processes as reflected in alteration of the gene expression levels of crucial markers such as cell cycle and survival markers, stemness markers, and differentiation markers. The differentiation of both cell classes was also associated with modulations of key signaling pathways such MAPK signaling pathway, ErbB signaling pathway, and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction pathway for OBNS/PC-GFP, and axon guidance, calcium channel, voltage-dependent, gamma subunit 7 for OBNS/PC-GFP-hNGF as revealed by GO and KEGG. Differentiated OBNS/PC-GFP-hNGF displayed extensively branched cytoplasmic processes, a significant faster growth rate and up modulated the expression of oligodendroglia precursor cells markers (PDGFRα, NG2 and CNPase) respect to OBNS/PC-GFP counterparts. These findings suggest an enhanced proliferation and oligodendrocytic differentiation potential for OBNS/PC-GFP-hNGF as compared to OBNS/PC-GFP.
The Truth of Wikipedia

Que significa l'afirmacio que la Viquipedia te una relacio amb la veritat? Que la Viquipedia conte, malgrat que sovint es digui el contrari, tot un dispositiu de la veritat? En aquest article vull mostrar que, en realitat, la Viquipedia te dues relacions diferents amb la veritat: una de ben coneguda i que constitueix la base dels comentaris populars i academics, i una altra que es refereix a aspectes tambe ben coneguts de la Viquipedia, pero que no s'ha entes en termes de la veritat. Demostro aqui la doble relacio de la Viquipedia amb la veritat a traves d'una detallada analisi d'una de les principals normes que regeixen a la Viquipedia, el 'punt de vista neutral' (que alhora es un dels 'cinc pilars' del projecte). Finalitzo l'article demostrant el que es posa en questio quan diem que la Viquipedia te un 'regim de la veritat' i com aixo repercuteix en els comentaris existents.
D-OSyRIS: A Self-Healing Distributed Workflow Engine

Orchestrating composite applications inside distributed systems requires complex coordination. In this frame workflow orchestration engines provide a viable solution. Contrary to their centralized counterparts, decentralized workflow engines allow better scalability, autonomy and increased fault-tolerance. However, most of these systems lack a self-healing mechanism in order to cope with engine failures. This paper presents a distributed workflow engine enhanced with self-healing capabilities and message based communication. The engine is validated against two real case scenarios. Some results regarding transfer time between components and recovery times are also given.
Watchful waiting: role of disease progression on uncertainty and depressive symptoms in patients with chronic Hepatitis C

Background and Aims: New therapies for HCV are rapidly emerging and providers are advising select patients to defer treatment and elect ‘watchful waiting’. During the watchful waiting period, patients have been shown to have high rates of illness uncertainty and depression. We sought to answer the question of whether reassuring histological data (showing minimal fibrosis or no fibrosis progression over time) is associated with less illness uncertainty and depressive symptoms. Methods: This was a single‐centre outpatient prospective cohort study to determine whether stage of fibrosis, fibrosis progression and reasons for treatment deferral were related to illness uncertainty and depressive symptoms in patients following watchful waiting. Results: Illness uncertainty was significantly related to depressive symptoms (r = 0.49, P < 0.01). More than half of the participants (54%) had moderate levels of uncertainty. About 40% of the participants were at risk for clinical depression (21.7% at mild to moderate risk and 18.5% at high risk). Treatment naïve subjects had lower mean scores on both the CES‐D (depressive symptoms measure) and the MUIS‐A (illness uncertainty measure) total score, MUIS‐A Ambiguity subscale and MUIS‐A Inconsistency subscale than subjects who failed treatment or were interferon intolerant or ineligible. Surprisingly, liver fibrosis stage and progression were not significantly associated with overall illness uncertainty or depressive symptoms. Conclusion: Patients with chronic hepatitis C on watchful waiting are at high risk for significant illness uncertainty and depressive symptoms. Reassuring histological data does not seem to correlate with less uncertainty or depressive symptoms.
Efficacy and Safety of Endovascular Treatment versus Intravenous Thrombolysis for Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Background and Purpose Although endovascular therapy (ET) is increasingly used in patients with moderate to severe acute ischemic stroke, its efficacy and safety remains controversial. We performed a meta-analysis aiming to compare the benefits and safety of endovascular treatment and intravenous thrombolysis in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke. Methods We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, Science direct and Springer unitil July, 2013. The primary outcomes included good outcome (mRS ≤ 2) and excellent outcome (mRS ≤ 1) at 90 days or at trial end point. Secondary outcomes were occurrence of symptomatic hemorrhage and all-cause mortality. Results Using a prespecified search strategy, 5 RCTs with 1106 patients comparing ET and intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) were included in the meta-analysis. ET and IVT were associated with similar good (43.06% vs 41.78%; OR=1.14; 95% CI, 0.77 to 1.69; P=0.52;) and excellent (30.43% vs 30.42%; OR=1.05; 95% CI, 0.80 to 1.38; P=0.72;) outcome. For additional end points, ET was not associated with increased occurrence of symptomatic hemorrhage (6.25% vs. 6.22%; OR=1.03; 95% CI, 0.62 to 1.69; P=0.91;), or all-cause mortality (18.45% vs. 17.35%; OR=1.00; 95% CI, 0.73 to 1.39; P=0.99;). Conclusions Formal meta-analysis indicates that there are similar safety outcomes and functional independence with endovascular therapy and intravenous thrombolysis for acute ischemic stroke.