Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Phonetic Error Analysis Beyond Phone Error Rate

In this article, we analyse the performance of the TIMIT-based phone recognition systems beyond the overall phone error rate (PER) metric. We consider three broad phonetic classes (BPCs): {affricate, diphthong, fricative, nasal, plosive, semi-vowel, vowel, silence}, {consonant, vowel, silence} and {voiced, unvoiced, silence} and, calculate the contribution of each phonetic class in terms of the substitution, deletion, insertion and PER. Furthermore, for each BPC we investigate the following: evolution of PER during training, effect of noise (NTIMIT), importance of different spectral subbands (1, 2, 4, and 8 kHz), usefulness of bidirectional vs unidirectional sequential modelling, transfer learning from WSJ and regularisation via monophones. In addition, we construct a confusion matrix for each BPC and analyse the confusions via dimensionality reduction to 2D at the input (acoustic features) and output (logits) levels of the acoustic model. We also compare the performance and confusion matrices of the BLSTM-based hybrid baseline system with those of the GMM-HMM based hybrid, Conformer and wav2vec 2.0 based end-to-end phone recognisers. Finally, the relationship of the unweighted and weighted PERs with the broad phonetic class priors is studied for both the hybrid and end-to-end systems.
From infrastructure to service: mapping long-distance passenger transport in Italy†

ABSTRACT In order to promote an effective level of coordination between physical investments, technology and soft policies in transport planning, a deep knowledge of supply and demand is desirable, if not necessary. Unlike other countries, the national scale of supply and demand for the Italian transport systems as a whole is barely known and in the case of long-distance mobility, there is not a unique quantitative and geographical description available. In this paper, we present a map regarding the Italian long-distance transport supply and generalised cost simulations, for the period 2013–2014. The information shown in the map comes from a multimodal transport model, which presents the peculiarity of using real public service timetables to simulate the entirety of the Italian long-distance transport industry. This tool enables one to map the entire transport supply and to estimate the generalised costs among any route: this also allows one to identify which transport mode is better suited to make a specific trip.
Morphological and lipid metabolism alterations in macrophages exposed to model environmental nanoplastics traced by high-resolution synchrotron techniques

The release of nanoplastics (NPs) in the environment is a significant health concern for long-term exposed humans. Although their usage has certainly revolutionized several application fields, at nanometer size, NPs can easily interact at the cellular level, resulting in potential harmful effects. Micro/Nanoplastics (M/NPs) have a demonstrated impact on mammalian endocrine components, such as the thyroid, adrenal gland, testes, and ovaries, while more investigations on prenatal and postnatal exposure are urgently required. The number of literature studies on the NPs’ presence in biological samples is increasing. However, only a few offer a close study on the model environmental NP–immune system interaction exploited by advanced microscopy techniques. The present study highlights substantial morphological and lipid metabolism alterations in human M1 macrophages exposed to labeled polypropylene and polyvinyl chloride nanoparticles (PP and PVC NPs) (20 μg/ml). The results are interpreted by advanced microscopy techniques combined with standard laboratory tests and fluorescence microscopy. We report the accurate detection of polymeric nanoparticles doped with cadmium selenide quantum dots (CdSe-QDs NPs) by following the Se (L line) X-ray fluorescence emission peak at higher sub-cellular resolution, compared to the supportive light fluorescence microscopy. In addition, scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) imaging successfully revealed morphological changes in NP-exposed macrophages, providing input for Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analyses, which underlined the chemical modifications in macromolecular components, specifically in lipid response. The present evidence was confirmed by quantifying the lipid droplet (LD) contents in PP and PVC NPs-exposed macrophages (0–100 μg/ml) by Oil Red O staining. Hence, even at experimental NPs' concentrations and incubation time, they do not significantly affect cell viability; they cause an evident lipid metabolism impairment, a hallmark of phagocytosis and oxidative stress.
Développement d'un modèle numérique de dispersion atmosphérique de particules à l'échelle d'un paysage hétérogène

Ce travail de these a pour objet le developpement d'un modele numerique de dispersion de particules biotiques, base sur la resolution des equations de la couche limite atmospherique. L'accent est porte sur l'elaboration d'un code capable de simuler des ecoulements pour des configurations de paysages heterogenes, car la dispersion des particules est fortement influencee par la structure meme du paysage. Le modele dynamique utilise les equations de Reynolds simplifiees dans le cadre des hypotheses de Boussinesq et la turbulence est traitee par une approche statistique (modeles k-l et k-s). Le systeme d'equations mis en place permet de modeliser les principaux processus physiques a deux echelles differentes : la modelisation a grande echelle s'appuie sur la theorie de similitude de Monin et Obukhov, qui permet d'elaborer des lois de paroi pour simuler les transferts turbulents entre la surface apparente et la basse atmosphere ; la modelisation a l'echelle du couvert amene a resoudre explicitement l'ecoulement dans la sous-couche rugueuse, definie par une canopee vegetale, jusqu'a la surface du sol. La dispersion des particules est traitee par une approche eulerienne, qui considere l'ensemble des particules dans l'ecoulement comme un champ de concentration continu, dont l'evolution est decrite par une equation de convection-diffusion. Le code de calcul est d'abord valide a partir de donnees experimentales acquises dans diverses configurations, en soufflerie comme in situ : transition de rugosite de surface, turbulence en couvert homogene, alternances couvert-clairiere-couvert, diffusion de spores en couvert homogene, diffusion de pollen en paysage discontinu. Une serie de simulations est ensuite menee pour analyser l'influence de la structure de divers paysages complexes sur la dispersion de particules.
Personality Traits and Internet Consumption of College Students Based on Moderating Test and LASSO Regression

With the burgeoning population of internet users, the prevalence of online shopping in China is also on the rise, encompassing college students as well. However, the progression of online shopping faces numerous challenges, one of which pertains to the impact of individual personality traits. To address this issue, this study aims to establish a comprehensive framework elucidating the connection between college students' personality traits and online consumption behavior, incorporating social support as a crucial regulatory and controlling variable. Moreover, employing the LASSO regression model, a multiple regression equation is derived, utilizing personality traits and social support as independent variables and internet consumption level as the dependent variable (Formula 9). The outcomes reveal that social support exhibits a substantial moderating effect on neuroticism, extraversion, openness, and conscientiousness, and the degree of social support significantly influences the extent of online consumption. However, it is important to note that social support does not manifest a significant moderating effect on agreeableness. This research endeavors to offer valuable insights to college students, enabling them to manage their consumption behavior effectively and rationally in accordance with their unique circumstances.
Analysing Crimes And Economic Misery In Pakistan: Ardl Bound Testing Approach

The present study explains economic discomfort, financial shocks, and rapid urbanization increase crime in a country. Furthermore, this research work highlights the extent to which economic misery and an increase in urbanization create countless socioeconomic problems in society. The study used annual time series secondary data for the period 1990 to 2021 collected from different sources. Researchers have found very limited evidence of economic misery and crime in the existing literature on Pakistan. Thus, carrying out research work on the subject was the need of the day. The foremost objective of the research work was to examine crime rates in the presence of economic misery, as denoted by Hanke's Annual Misery Index (HAMI) and urbanization in Pakistan. The stationarity of the data has been checked by correlogram and Ljung-Box (LB) statistics. The study used an Autoregressive Distributed Lags approach to investigate how economic misery and urbanization affect criminal activity in Pakistan. The crime model produced substantial results, and the outcomes are consistent with the expectations. The findings revealed that the HAMI and urbanization coefficients are significant with a positive sign, implying that economic hardship and an increase in urban population have exacerbated Pakistan's crime rate. To control crimes, the government might have to adopt new strategies that may decrease economic misery, i.e., keep inflation at a desirable level, reduce unemployment, improve economic growth, and discourage urbanization.
The Role of Hypoxia on the Trimethylation of H3K27 in Podocytes

Epigenetic alterations contribute to the pathogenesis of chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus. Previous studies of our group showed that diabetic conditions reduce the trimethylation of H3K27 in podocytes in a NIPP1- (nuclear inhibitor of protein phosphatase 1) and EZH2- (enhancer of zeste homolog 2) dependent manner. It has been previously reported that in differentiated podocytes, hypoxia decreases the expression of slit diaphragm proteins and promotes foot process effacement, thereby contributing to the progression of renal disease. The exact mechanisms are, however, not completely understood. The aim of this study was to analyze the role of hypoxia and HIFs (hypoxia-inducible factor) on epigenetic changes in podocytes affecting NIPP1, EZH2 and H3K27me3, in vitro and in vivo. In vivo studies were performed with mice exposed to 10% systemic hypoxia for 3 days or injected with 3,4-DHB (dihydroxybenzoate), a PHD (prolyl hydroxylase) inhibitor, 24 h prior analyses. Immunodetection of H3K27me3, NIPP1 and EZH2 in glomerular podocytes revealed, to the best of our knowledge for the first time, that hypoxic conditions and pharmacological HIFs activation significantly reduce the expression of NIPP1 and EZH2 and diminish H3K27 trimethylation. These findings are also supported by in vitro studies using murine-differentiated podocytes.
Recent Advances in the Biosynthesis of Natural Sugar Substitutes in Yeast

Natural sugar substitutes are safe, stable, and nearly calorie-free. Thus, they are gradually replacing the traditional high-calorie and artificial sweeteners in the food industry. Currently, the majority of natural sugar substitutes are extracted from plants, which often requires high levels of energy and causes environmental pollution. Recently, biosynthesis via engineered microbial cell factories has emerged as a green alternative for producing natural sugar substitutes. In this review, recent advances in the biosynthesis of natural sugar substitutes in yeasts are summarized. The metabolic engineering approaches reported for the biosynthesis of oligosaccharides, sugar alcohols, glycosides, and rare monosaccharides in various yeast strains are described. Meanwhile, some unresolved challenges in the bioproduction of natural sugar substitutes in yeast are discussed to offer guidance for future engineering.
Sub-Annual Scale LandTrendr: Sub-Annual Scale Deforestation Detection Algorithm Using Multi-Source Time Series Data

In cloudy and rainy regions, frequent cloud cover limits clear data obtained using a single optical sensor, posing a substantial challenge for detecting deforestation events on subannual scale. In this article, a subannual scale deforestation detection algorithm, namely, the subannual scale LandTrendr (SSLT) change detection algorithm, was developed using synergies from multiple data sources. First, a combined time series was constructed by combining Landsat and Sentinel-2 data. Second, a sliding window was applied to spatially normalize the normalized burn ratio and eliminate the effects of forest phenological changes and sensor differences. Finally, an integrated time series was created to fit the SSLT trajectory, and the root-mean-square error (RMSE) of the fitted trajectory was calculated to determine the segmentation threshold. Pixels with a magnitude of change greater than the RMSE for three consecutive times were marked as deforestation pixels. Application of the algorithm to a subtropical forest with low density of clear observations resulted in spatial and temporal accuracies of 88% and 92.8%, respectively. Conclusively, this method provides accurate and timely identification of deforestation events on a subannual scale.
Effect of high-starch or high-fibre diets on the energy metabolism and physical performance of horses during an 8-week training period

Large amounts of high-starch concentrates are traditionally fed to horses in training. However, this has been associated with digestive or muscle diseases and behavioural modifications. In parallel, it has been demonstrated that horses fed high-fibre, low-starch diets achieve the same performance over an exercise test as the ones fed high-starch diets. However, whether the same performance level can be maintained over a longer training cycle is still being determined. This study aimed to compare the evolution in physical performance and cardiorespiratory responses of two groups of French Trotters fed either a control high-starch (15.0 g dry matter hay/kg body mass/day + 6.6 g dry matter oats/kg body mass/day) or a high-fibre diet (75% of oats replaced by dehydrated alfalfa) over an 8-week training period. The horses that entered the trial were untrained for ≥4 months and previously fed hay only. Track training with speed monitoring included interval training sessions and 2400 m performance tests from week 1 to week 8 (W8). Before (week 0, W0) and after (week 9, W9) the training period, horses performed an incremental continuous exercise test during which cardiorespiratory parameters were measured. Both groups progressed to the same extent regarding physical performance measured during interval training sessions (acceleration: 0.16 m.s−2 at W0 and 0.40 m.s−2 at W8; p < 0.0001), the 2400 m performance test (average speed: 8.88 m.s−1 at W0 and 10.55 m.s−1 at W8; p < 0.0001), and the incremental continuous exercise test (speed during the fastest stage: 9.57 m.s−1 at W0 and 10.53 m.s−1 at W9; p = 0.030). Although oxygen consumption increased with training (p = 0.071), it was not influenced by the diet. On the contrary, carbon dioxide production increased in the high-starch group only (high-starch group: 84.0 vs. high-fibre group: 77.7 mL.kg−1.min−1 at W9; p = 0.031). The results illustrate that horses in both groups progressed similarly but did not use the same metabolic pathways during exercise. This hypothesis is supported by carbohydrate oxidation, which tended to increase in the high-starch group at W9 but decreased in the high-fibre group (p = 0.061). In conclusion, the substitution of high-starch by high-fibre diets enabled similar performance over an 8-week training period and altered energy metabolism in a way that could be beneficial during high-intensity exercise.
Decreased levels of interleukin-6 level in tears and clinical changes in subjects with moderate-to-severe infection corneal ulcers treated with platelet-rich fibrin lysate eye drops

PURPOSE: To assess the change of interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in tears and ocular clinical parameters in corneal ulcer patients with moderate-to-severe infection after adjunctive therapy with platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) lysate-eyedrops compared with autologous serum eyedrops. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was a randomized double-blind controlled trial, which compared two groups of patients at Dr. Sardjito Hospital, Yogyakarta. A total of 42 patients (42 eyes) were divided into the control group (21 patients) and the intervention group (21 patients). All patients received antibacterial/antifungal therapy based on the etiology, and an adjunctive eyedrop therapy: autologous serum eyedrops for the control group and PRF lysate eyedrops for the intervention group. The IL-6 levels and clinical changes in patients, such as the area of corneal defects, pericorneal injection, and the level of blepharospasm were measured at the baseline, day 6, and day 13 after starting the treatment. RESULTS: Compared to baseline, the mean IL-6 level in day 13 decreased by 426.6 ± 665.4 pg/ml (P = 0.005) and 1283.7 ± 1569.1 pg/ml (P = 0.079) in the intervention and control groups, respectively. However, the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant (P = 0.164). In term of corneal defect area, there was a significant decrease at day 6 and day 13 in both groups but there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in all time points. Similarly, the proportion of blepharospasm and pericorneal injection severity appeared to improve especially on day 13 in both groups but were not statistically different between the two. CONCLUSION: There was a statistically significant decrease in IL-6 levels in the tears in patient using PRF lysate, but there was no significant difference when compared to those using autologous serum. The difference in defect area, degree of blepharospasm, and pericorneal injection was not statistically significant between the two treatment options.
Assessment of the Performance of Obesity Measures in the Screening of Hypertension in a South African Adolescent Population

Obesity is known to be one of the most significant risk factors for essential hypertension in childhood. However, whether obesity cut-offs may predict hypertension screening in adolescents remains controversial. This study investigated the performance of obesity cut-off values for the screening of hypertension in a South African adolescent population. In this cross-sectional study, 1144 adolescents aged between 11 and 17 years were recruited from the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Anthropometric and blood pressure (BP) parameters including diastolic blood pressure (DBP), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and heart rate (HR) were measured. Assessment of the sensitivity and specific of obesity cut-off values in predicting hypertension was performed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Obesity was positively associated (p < 0.01) with hypertension. Obese individuals, based on the predicted obesity using BMI percentile cut-off (pBMI85.2%), were more likely to develop hypertension (odds ratio: 2.070; p < 0.001) than their counterparts based on the observed obesity cut-off (pBMI95%) (Odd ratio: 1.748 p = 0.004). The area under the curve (AUC) of BMI percentile and WHtR for screening SBP percentile, and DBP percentile and HR as per ROC analysis, was low (<0.65). Equally, the sensitivity and specificity were low (<0.6) for all BP measures (SBP, DBP, and HR). Furthermore, the cut-off values for blood pressure measures, as established by ROC analysis using anthropometric measures, were far below the recommended cut-off values for hypertension screening. The obesity cut-offs for BMI percentile and WHtR established in this populations showed poor performance in diagnosing hypertension even though they were strong predictors of hypertension.
Managerial flexibility, capacity investment, and inventory levels

We study the effect of managerial time‐horizon on two key operations decisions: inventory levels and capacity investment. For identification, we exploit a quasi‐natural experiment provided by the staggered adoption of constituency statutes, which alleviate managerial short‐termism by providing legal protection to executives adopting a long‐term approach in their corporate decisions. Using a staggered difference‐in‐differences design, we find that, after the reforms, firms incorporated in constituency states (treated firms) increased inventory and capacity investment by 5.2% and 15.4%, respectively, relative to firms not incorporated in constituency states (control firms). We also find that these increases are gradual and persist over time, suggesting that they are structural in nature. We further show that the effect of constituency statutes on inventory levels and capacity investment are stronger for firms with ex‐ante higher level of managerial short‐termism, such as firms with low institutional ownership. Performance also increases relatively more for affected firms with higher ex‐ante managerial short‐termism. Our results pass a battery of robustness and validity tests. Interestingly, while constituency statutes are intended to protect executives from short‐term oriented shareholder sanctions, our findings suggest that these statutes ultimately benefited not only executives, but also potentially the long‐term interest of shareholders. Even in the absence of regulation, executives facing short‐term pressure could intensify communication efforts with shareholders on how specific operational decisions and investments would be beneficial to the company. Notably, executives could use various media channels to help shape retail investors’ attitude towards operational investments that may create future value.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved
Controlled attention, but not temporal storage of working memory correlates to math problem solving

Abstract The close relationship between working memory and maths problem solving is generally accepted, but the specifics of how working memory and its subcomponents contribute to maths problem solving remain poorly understood. Tests of working memory, maths problem problem solving, calculation, and intelligence were administered to 246 university students. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to examine the contributions of different components of working memory, including temporary storage and controlled attention. The results showed that (1) neither verbal nor spatial temporal storage made significant contributions to applied or geometric maths problem solving. (2) Verbal controlled attention significantly contributed to applied maths problem solving, but not to geometric maths problem solving, and spatial controlled attention significantly contributed to geometric maths problem solving, but not to apply maths problem solving. We concluded that the controlled attention component of working memory is a better predictor of maths problem solving ability than temporal storage.