Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An analysis of the effect of larynx-synchronous averaging on dereverberation of voiced speech

The SMERSH algorithm is a physiologically-motivated approach to low-complexity speech dereverberation. It employs multichannel linear prediction to obtain a reverberant residual signal and subsequent larynx-synchronous temporal averaging to attenuate the reverberation during voiced speech. Experimental results suggest the method is successful but, to date, no detailed analysis of the theoretical basis of the larynx-synchronous averaging has been undertaken. In this paper the SMERSH algorithmis reviewed before focussing on the theoretical basis of its approach. We showthat the amount of dereverberation that can be achieved depends on the coherence of reverberation between frames. Simulations show that the extent of dereverberation increases with reverberation time and give an insight into the tradeoff between dereverberation and speech distortion.
Global registration of multiple 3D point sets via optimization-on-a-manifold

We propose a novel algorithm to register multiple 3D point sets within a common reference frame using a manifold optimization approach. The point sets are obtained with multiple laser scanners or a mobile scanner. Unlike most prior algorithms, our approach performs an explicit optimization on the manifold of rotations, allowing us to formulate the registration problem as an unconstrained minimization on a constrained manifold. This approach exploits the Lie group structure of SO3 and the simple representation of its associated Lie algebra so3 in terms of R3. Our contributions are threefold. We present a new analytic method based on singular value decompositions that yields a closed-form solution for simultaneous multiview registration in the noise-free scenario. Secondly, we use this method to derive a good initial estimate of a solution in the noise-free case. This initialization step may be of use in any general iterative scheme. Finally, we present an iterative scheme based on Newton's method on SO3 that has locally quadratic convergence. We demonstrate the efficacy of our scheme on scan data taken both from the Digital Michelangelo project and from scans extracted from models, and compare it to some of the other well known schemes for multiview registration. In all cases, our algorithm converges much faster than the other approaches, (in some cases orders of magnitude faster), and generates consistently higher quality registrations.
Large-Scale Biometric Identification: Challenges and Solutions

In addition to law enforcement applications, many civil applications will require biometrics-based identification systems and a large percentage is predicted to rely on fingerprints as an identifer. Even though fingerprint as a biometric has been used in many identification applications, mostly these applications have been semi-automatic. The results of such systems often require to be validated by human experts. With the increased use of biometric identification systems in many realtime applications, the challenges for large-scale biometric identification are significant both in terms of improving accuracy and response time. In this paper, we briey review the tools, terminology and methods used in large-scale biometrics identification applications. The performance of the identification algorithms need to be significantly improved to successfully handle millions of persons in the biometrics database matching thousands of transactions per day.
Genome-Wide Transposon Mutagenesis Reveals a Role for pO157 Genes in Biofilm Development in Escherichia coli O157:H7 EDL933

ABSTRACT Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7, a world-wide human food-borne pathogen, causes mild to severe diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis, and hemolytic uremic syndrome. The ability of this pathogen to persist in the environment contributes to its dissemination to a wide range of foods and food processing surfaces. Biofilms are thought to be involved in persistence, but the process of biofilm formation is complex and poorly understood in E. coli O157:H7. To better understand the genetics of this process, a mini-Tn5 transposon insertion library was constructed in strain EDL933 and screened for biofilm-negative mutants using a microtiter plate assay. Ninety-five of 11,000 independent insertions (0.86%) were biofilm negative, and transposon insertions were located in 51 distinct genes/intergenic regions that must be involved either directly or indirectly in biofilm formation. All of the 51 biofilm-negative mutants showed reduced biofilm formation on both hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces. Thirty-six genes were unique to this study, including genes on the virulence plasmid pO157. The type V secreted autotransporter serine protease EspP and the enterohemolysin translocator EhxD were found to be directly involved in biofilm formation. In addition, EhxD and EspP were also important for adherence to T84 intestinal epithelial cells, suggesting a role for these genes in tissue interactions in vivo.
Hyperglycemia attenuates erythromycin-induced acceleration of solid-phase gastric emptying in healthy subjects

AbstractBackground: Acute hyperglycemia has been associated with delayed gastric emptying of solid foods in healthy control subjects. Erythromycin has been found to be a gastrointestinal prokinetic agent in humans. We examined whether acute steady-state hyperglycemia reduces the erythromycin-induced acceleration of gastric emptying of a solid meal after a fasted state in healthy subjects. Methods: Twelve healthy subjects ate standard solid meals that had been radiolabeled. Gastric emptying was measured by scintigraphy during normoglycemia (5–8.9 mmol/L glucose) and hyperglycemia induced by intravenous glucose (16–19 mmol/L glucose) after administration of placebo or 200 mg of erythromycin intravenously. Emptying was measured randomly on 4 different days. Results: Administration of erythromycin during normoglycemia or induced hyperglycemia compared with placebo accelerated the gastric emptying of the solid meal but did not completely normalize the delay caused by hyperglycemia versus normoglycemia (p < 0.001). In both conditions, erythromycin versus placebo significantly reduced the lag-phase duration (9.7 ± 2.3 min and 22.0 ± 3.9 min vs. 38.3 ± 5.7 min and 49.5 ± 6.0 min, respectively; p < 0.001), gastric emptying of the half meal (39.2 ± 4.0 min and 52.0 ± 7.1 min vs. 75.7 ± 11.8 min and 94.0 ± 13.4 min, respectively; p < 0.001), and the percentage of meal retained in the stomach 120 min postprandially (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The erythromycin-induced acceleration effect on gastric emptying was related to the plasma glucose level. Hyperglycemia might have chosen a cholinergic antagonist pathway that delayed gastric emptying of solids. Even though induced hyperglycemia inhibited gastric emptying, erythromycin accelerated the gastric emptying rate through two distinct pathways: cholinergic and noncholinergic.
A Perspective on the Rise of Optofluidics and the Future

In the recent past, the field of optofluidics has thrived from the immense efforts of researchers from diverse communities. The concept of optofluidics combines optics and microfluidics to exploit novel properties and functionalities. In the very beginning, the unique properties of liquid, such as mobility, fungibility and deformability, initiated the motivation to develop optical elements or functions using fluid interfaces. Later on, the advancements of microelectromechanical system (MEMS) and microfluidic technologies enabled the realization of optofluidic components through the precise manipulation of fluids at microscale thus making it possible to streamline complex fabrication processes. The optofluidic system aims to fully integrate optical functions on a single chip instead of using external bulky optics, which can consequently lower the cost of system, downsize the system and make it promising for point-of-care diagnosis. This perspective gives an overview of the recent developments in the field of optofluidics. Firstly, the fundamental optofluidic components will be discussed and are categorized according to their basic working mechanisms, followed by the discussions on the functional instrumentations of the optofluidic components, as well as the current commercialization aspects of optofluidics. The paper concludes with the critical challenges that might hamper the transformation of optofluidic technologies from lab-based procedures to practical usages and commercialization.
Troponin T release in hemodialysis patients.

To the Editor: We read with interest the recent article by Diris et al1 investigating the reason for elevated serum concentrations of cardiac troponin T (cTnT) in hemodialysis patients. The authors found variable amounts of different cTnT fragments in the blood of hemodialysis patients, ranging in size from 8 to 25 kDa. In contrast, intact cTnT (39 kDa) was found only in the cTnT-spiked, pooled serum from healthy subjects. Median concentrations of cTnT increased significantly with longer duration of hemodialysis. From these findings, the authors speculated that in vivo fragmentation of cTnT occurs only in hemodialysis patients and that impaired renal function causes the unexplained accumulation of these fragments in blood. The authors further hypothesized that elevated cTnT is not the result of a cardiac troponin T release due to impaired hemodynamics or underlying cardiac disease but is rather the result of accumulating cTnT fragments from small amounts of troponin released continuously from physiological cardiomyocyte decay. We believe that these conclusions are not justified for several reasons, as follows. First, Western blot is extremely sensitive to accumulation and nonspecific binding of antibodies on the electrophoresis gel. However, information on the specificity of the monoclonal mouse antibody prepared from clone 4C5 (Fortron) has not been provided. Thus, it …
Force-Velocity-Power Assessment in Semiprofessional Rugby Union Players

Abstract McMaster, DT, Gill, N, Cronin, J, and McGuigan, M. Force-velocity-power assessment in semiprofessional rugby union players. J Strength Cond Res 30(4): 1118–1126, 2016—There is a constant and necessary evolution of training and assessment methods in the elite contact sports; as is required to continually improve the physical qualities of these respective athletes to match the growing sport and position-specific performance demands. Our aim was to examine the differences between ballistic upper body performance profiles and maximum upper body strength of elite rugby union forwards and backs. Twenty semiprofessional male rugby union players (age = 21.1 ± 3.0 years; mass = 94.9 ± 9.7 kg) were assessed for maximum bench press strength (1RM bench press = 121.3 ± 21.8 kg) and maximum throw power (Pmax), force (Fmax), and velocity (V[Combining Dot Above]max) from an incremental relative load testing protocol (15, 30, 45, 60, and 75% 1RM). Player rankings were also included to identify individual strength and weaknesses. The forwards were moderately stronger (effect size [ES] = 0.96; p = 0.01), produced significantly greater Fmax (ES = 1.17–1.41; p = 0.01) and were more powerful (ES = 0.57–0.64; p < 0.43) than the backs. V[Combining Dot Above]max differences were trivial to small (ES = −0.32 to −0.65; p > 0.15). There were inherent differences in strength and Fmax between the forwards and backs most likely because of the physical demands of these respective positions. Improvements in upper body strength may in turn improve ballistic force and power production, but not necessarily velocity capabilities. From the Fmax and V[Combining Dot Above]max observations, the forwards seem to be more force dominant and the backs more velocity dominant. Pmax, Fmax, and V[Combining Dot Above]max may be used to highlight proficient and deficient areas in ballistic upper body performance; the individual rankings could be further used to identify and possibly rectify individual deficiencies.
Using Multi-Scale Histograms to Answer Pattern Existence and Shape Match Queries

Similarity-based querying of time series data can be categorized as pattern existence queries and shape match queries. Pattern existence queries find the time series data with certain patterns while shape match queries look for the time series data that have similar movement shapes. Existing proposals address one of these or the other. In this paper, we propose multi-scale time series histograms that can be used to answer both types of queries, thus offering users more flexibility. Multiple histogram levels allow querying at various precision levels. Most importantly, the distanc es of time series histograms at lower scale are lower bounds of the distances at higher scale, which guarantees that no false dismissals will be introduced when a multi-step filter ing process is used in answering shape match queries. We further propose to use averages of time series histograms to reduce the dimensionality and avoid computing the distances of full time series histograms. The experimental results show that multi-scale histograms can effectively find the patterns in time series data and answer shape match queries, even when the data contain noise, time shifting and scaling, or amplitude shifting and scaling.
Localization and Location Verification in Non-Homogeneous One-Dimensional Wireless Ad-Hoc Networks

In this paper, we study the hop-count properties of one-dimensional wireless ad-hoc networks, where the nodes are placed independently and identically according to a Poisson distribution with an arbitrary density function. We derive exact equations to calculate the probability mass function of two hop-count random variables: the number of hops needed for a node located at an arbitrary location in the network to receive a message from a node located at one end of the linear network, and the number of hops needed for a node located at one end of the network to receive a message from a node at an arbitrary location. Based on the derived formulas, we then propose localization and location verification methods. Through simulations, we show that our proposed localization method not only has a competitive performance for a range-free method, but also outperforms range-based methods with a local distance measurement error of 10% or more. Furthermore, the proposed location verification protocol is shown to have better results compared to the existing verification systems that also use the hop-count information. An important feature of our methods is that they are applicable to arbitrary densities. This is unlike the existing methods that are limited only to the case of uniform node densities. Using simulations, we also evaluate the proposed schemes in the presence of Rician fading and show that their performance is rather robust with respect to the change in the fading parameter. Moreover, the hop-count equations derived in this work can be used in analyzing other aspects of broadcasting protocols such as quality of service and delay.
Reverse-D-4F Increases the Number of Endothelial Progenitor Cells and Improves Endothelial Progenitor Cell Dysfunctions in High Fat Diet Mice

Although high density lipoprotein (HDL) improves the functions of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), the effect of HDL ApoAI mimetic peptide reverse-D-4F (Rev-D4F) on EPC mobilization and repair of EPC dysfunctions remains to be studied. In this study, we investigated the effects of Rev-D4F on peripheral blood cell subpopulations in C57 mice treated with a high fat diet and the mechanism of Rev-D4F in improving the function of EPCs impaired by tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). The high fat diet significantly decreased the number of EPCs, EPC migratory functions, and the percentage of lymphocytes in the white blood cells. However, it significantly increased the number of white blood cells, the percentage of monocytes in the white blood cells, and the level of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and TNF-α in the plasma. Rev-D4F clearly inhibited the effect of the high fat diet on the quantification of peripheral blood cell subpopulations and cytokine levels, and increased stromal cell derived factor 1α (SDF-1α) in the plasma. We provided in vitro evidence that TNF-α impaired EPC proliferation, migration, and tube formation through inactive AKT and eNOS, which was restored by Rev-D4F treatment. In contrast, both the PI3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor (LY294002) and AKT inhibitor (perifosine) obviously inhibited the restoration of Rev-4F on EPCs impaired by TNF-α. Our results suggested that Rev-D4F increases the quantity of endothelial progenitor cells through increasing the SDF-1α levels and decreasing the TNF-α level of peripheral blood in high fat diet-induced C57BL/6J mice, and restores TNF-α induced dysfunctions of EPCs partly through stimulating the PI3K/AKT signal pathway.
Re: Meta-analysis of efficacy of interventions elevated depressive symptoms in adults diagnosed with cancer.

Despite the fundamental importance of the question of whether interventions can reduce depressive symptoms among can- cer patients, Hart and colleagues (1) had to contend with a literature that is limited in both quality and quantity of studies in their effort to establish basic effect sizes. With few studies to begin with, they had to eliminate four studies because of incom- plete data, and they eliminated another study as an extreme outlier in effect size. They were left with five studies they clas- sified as psychotherapeutic and four studies as pharmacologic. (5) contributed two effect sizes based on comparisons of 29 patients receiving cogni- tive behavior therapy and 23 receiving sup- portive therapy with the same 26-patient no-treatment control group, thus violating the assumption of independence of effect sizes. In sum, the authors identified only weak evidence for the efficacy of psycho- therapeutic interventions from two small studies with no control group for minimal attention and support. Of the four pharmacologic studies, one (6) substantially differed from the others in inadequacies in both its determination of depression and its medication management by mail, and reduction in depressive symp- toms was not its primary outcome. Of the 163 patients randomized to either treat- ment or control group, only 93 were avail- able at follow-up. The other three studies also involved substantial loss of patients to follow-up; one of these studies (7) began with a total of 35 patients randomized to active medication or placebo and retained only 21 at follow-up. Overall, effect sizes for psychothera- peutic and pharmacologic interventions generated by this meta-analysis are mis- leading as estimates of the efficacy of intervention for depressive symptoms among cancer patients. Any verdicts on the efficacy of interventions for depressive symptoms or calls for these interventions to be disseminated and implemented and integrated into routine care are prema- ture. What would seem most appropriate is acknowledgment of the weakness of available data and the need for more and better quality research with more appro- priate control groups.
Being a Man about it: The Marginalization of Men in Grief

American men tend to be marginalized in grief and loss. The commonly held view of effective grieving does a disservice to those mourners who engage in a more closed style of grieving. Conventional-style grievers are more willing to express their emotions related to loss and are therefore more apt to be recognized and supported by others. The masculine grief response, a style popularly portrayed by U.S. American males and endorsed as gender appropriate, leads to the marginalizing of such survivors. Strategies for supporting masculine-style grieving need to acknowledge the legitimacy and use the strengths of this mode of responding to loss.
If I didn’t have professional dreams maybe I wouldn’t think of leaving

In this qualitative multiple case study, I explored the identities of students in a Lengua Inglesa major in a northern Mexican university. By applying a theoretical framework of imagined communities (Anderson, 1991; Norton, 2000; Wenger, 1998), I examined the ways in which the identities of these students are negotiated as the students move within and across linguistic and cultural communities. I attempted to answer four main questions: What are the students' imagined communities at the beginning of the program? What are the students' imagined communities towards the end of the program? What may be the impact on students' identity/imagined communities of receiving instruction in a foreign language while surrounded by their native language and culture? The study took place at a Lengua Inglesa major that operates within the School of Humanities at a university located near the U.S.-Mexico border. Data collection took place from February through April 2006, and consisted in two rounds of semi-structured interviews with five first-year students, four fourth-year students, as well as four full-time professors and three sessional instructors. I used an open-ended interview guide to facilitate the interview process. Since all of the participants were fluent in both Spanish and English, as I was, they were given the choice of conducting the interview in either language. The interviews were digitally recorded and subsequently transcribed, coded, and analyzed thematically. The findings of this study suggest that students imagine a Lengua Inglesa degree will provide them with linguistic resources and knowledge necessary to access a wide range of imagined communities both within and beyond national boundaries. This vision seems to be reinforced by the futures that the Lengua Inglesa professors envision for
Land Use Law and the Environment

The emergence of the environment as a mainstream political issue in Britain during the 1980s cannot be understood without an appreciation of the role of the land-use planning system. This system best seen as the constantly evolving web of law, policy and convention which regulates and orders a range of land uses in the United Kingdom1 has been a powerful influence on the distinctive form in which environmental issues have emerged in a British context. This has been so not simply because of the regulatory constraints the system has provided, but also because of the 'cultural' framing created by the discourse and idioms of town and country planning law. These have helped shape certain of the forms in which environmental tensions have been conceptualized and have found public expression. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to throw light on how, in recent years, land use planning law and its institutional forms have been exploited as an arena, in the process helping to frame and shape elements of a distinctively British environmental agenda. Underlying this approach is the author's belief that in particular national cultures, environmental issues and, more generally, political agendas about the environment are not simply 'givens' to be found existing objectively in nature as, so to speak, a set of instantly recognisable physical issues. To be sure, they tend to be manifested in particular physical problems, but the issue of which issues emerge as environmentally significant in particular cultural contexts, why, and in what forms, is not explicable only in terms of objective physical observation. Rather, such questions are social and cultural. Indeed, notions of 'the environment' in particular contexts have been social constructions, the products of frequently turbulent processes of social 'negotiation' in complex cultural settings, rather than self-evident sets of unproblematically identified physical problems for which 'solutions' must then be sought.2 Legal commentaries on the relationship between law and the environment3 tend to take the range and nature of environmental problems as self-evident or given. The key questions then become whether, given these 'problems', legal