Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The concept of narrow sound channel using binary time frequency masking for speech recognition of intelligent service robots

In this paper, we propose a speech recognition system with a narrow sound channel for intelligent service robots in noisy environments. The narrow sound channel is obtained by using time delay between two array microphone inputs used in the Degenerate Unmixing Estimation Technique (DUET). In the proposed system, the voice from a specific direction only passes through the sound channel, while unwanted voices from any other direction are removed. The recognition results showed that the performance of the proposed system, using a stereo microphone is higher than the normal voice recognizer, using a single ultra directional microphone, without this method.
Assessing the Cervical Range of Motion in Infants With Positional Plagiocephaly

Purpose:To determine if infants with positional plagiocephaly have limitations of active and passive cervical range of motion measured with simple and reliable methods. Methods:The examiners assessed bilateral active and passive cervical rotations and passive cervical lateral flexion. Cervical assessment was performed twice by 2 different physicians to assess intertester reliability. To assess intratester reliability the first investigator performed a second examination 48 hours after the first one. Results:One-hundred nine subjects were analyzed; 70.7% of the sample had head positional preference on the right, while 29.3% had head positional preference on the left (&khgr;2 35.52, P <0.001). Cervical rotations and lateral flexion showed reliable levels of agreement for intra and intertester reliability. Conclusions:The most limited range of motion in infants with positional plagiocephaly was cervical active rotation which affected more than 90% of patients. Passive cervical rotations and lateral flexion were limited in more than 60% of patients.
Creating a living culture: the challenges for business leaders

One of the leadership responsibilities of the board of directors is to establish a statement of values and to ensure that these guiding principles become a basis for action throughout the organization. Where companies do not have a statement of values, or where the values are not accepted, there is a real danger that company staff will act in their own interests, not in the interests of the stakeholders they are meant to serve. At this point they may put at risk the reputation of the whole organization. But how can the board of a large diversified international company hope to establish a culture with common values which will guide the behavior of employees around the world? In this article Jan Thornbury presents the theory and practice which she helped to develop when a number of professional partnerships came together to form KPMG, and which she now uses in working with other organizations. She explains how values are connected with basic beliefs, how they can affect behavior and how they need to be supported by management systems. Then she outlines a process for changing a company culture by analyzing the present values and behaviors, defining the desired culture, implementing an action plan, and measuring the results. Finally she examines the crucial role of the executive team in leading the change program.
Positive Economics, Welfare Economics, and Political Economy

EcoNoMIC theory, as we know it, was developed largely by utilitarians. Admitting the measurability and interpersonal comparability of utility and accepting the maximization of utility as an ethically desirable social goal, neoclassical economists were able to combine an instinctively human zeal for social reform with subjectively satisfactory scientific integrity. The positivist revolution has sharply disturbed this scholarly equilibrium. If utility is neither cardinally measurable nor comparable among persons, the economist who seeks to remain "pure" must proceed with caution in discussing social policy. The "positive" economist becomes an inventor of testable hypotheses, and his professional place in policy formation bec'omes wholly indirect. Milton Friedman has provided the clearest statement of the positivist position,' and he has called for a distinct separation between the scientific and the non-scientific behavior of individuals calling themselves economists. But economics, as a discipline, will probably continue to attract precisely those scholars who desire to assist in policy formation and to do so professionally. The social role of the economist remains that of securing more intelligent legislation, and the incremental additions to the state of knowledge which "positive" economics may make seems to shut off too large an area of discussion from his professional competence. Does there exist a role for the political economist as such? This essay will examine this question and suggest an
Regulation of herpes simplex virus-specific cell-mediated immunity by a specific suppressor factor

Our study was designed to investigate the nature of an antigen-specific suppressor factor generated by antigen-stimulated herpes simplex virus (HSV)-immune splenocytes. Factor SF-200, a 90,000- to 100,000-dalton fraction obtained after Sephacryl gel filtration, suppressed the generation of HSV-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocyte and lymphoproliferative responses. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blot analysis of SF-200 indicated that it contained an I-J+, anti-idiotypic protein. It was possible to adsorb the suppressor activity of SF-200 to an anti-I-J immunoaffinity column. The suppressor activity could be eluted from the immunoaffinity column with a low-pH buffer. The acid-eluted material was determined to be both I-J+ and reactive with anti-HSV antiserum by Western blot analysis. Both SF-200 and the I-J+ suppressor activity suppressed only HSV-specific cell-mediated immunity responses. However, it was possible to generate nonspecific suppressor activity by incubating the I-J+ suppressor factor with Lyt 1+ splenocytes from HSV-immune mice. The implication of these results with respect to the model for a suppressor cell circuit regulating HSV-specific cell-mediated immunity responses is discussed.
[Familial case of oral-facial-digital syndrome type 1 (OFD 1)].

UNLABELLED Ciliopathies are phenotypically and genetically heterogeneous disorders that share ciliary dysfunction as a common pathological mechanism. Ciliary dysfunction results in a broad range of malformations including renal, hepatic and pancreatic cysts, visceral abnormalities, retinal degeneration, anosmia, cerebellar or other brain anomalies, polydactyly, bronchiectasis and infertility. The paper presents a familial case of oral-facial-digital syndrome type 1 in 14 year old girl suspected to polycystic kidney disease. CONCLUSIONS Molecular testing in daughters of known OFD1 mutation carriers and mothers of affected daughters seems to be reasonable. Not each case of policystic kidney disease which looks like autosomal dominant policystic kiedney disease is actually the above disease. The insight into the pathogenesis of ciliopathies is mandatory for understanding these combined congenital anomaly syndromes of seemingly unrelated symptoms of hepatorenal and pancreatic fibrocystic disease. Close interdisciplinary approach is mandatory in terms of efficient and reliable diagnostic and therapeutic interventions in patients presenting with ciliopathies.
Firms and Innovative Conflict Management Systems in Ireland

This article examines the practices adopted by firms in the Republic of Ireland to manage conflict involving groups of employees, focusing in particular on the uptake of ‘alternative dispute resolution practices’. The article reveals that conflict management practices take the form of ‘systems’, and it estimates the incidence of innovative conflict management systems, incorporating alternative dispute resolution (ADR) practices, as involving about 30 per cent of firms. A series of influences are shown to be associated with innovative, ADR‐based conflict management systems, especially commitment‐oriented HRM practices and whether unions are recognized.
PRESIDENTIAL CONTROL VERSUS BUREAUCRATIC POWER: EXPLAINING THE REAGAN REVOLUTION IN ANTITRUST

This analysis assesses the impact of the Reagan presidency on the antitrust policy of the Department of Justice. Explanations of policy change generated by the principal-agent and bureaucratic politics perspectives are tested using an interrupted time series model. The analysis reveals that the enforcement record of the 1980s did not reflect presidential or congressional politics but was the product of changes within the bureaucracy initiated well before the advent of the 1980 elections.
Relationships between age at puberty and interval from weaning to estrus and between estrus signs at puberty and after the first weaning in pigs.

The study comprises observations in 464 Swedish Yorkshire pigs at puberty and after the first weaning. The aim was to study relationships between age at puberty and weaning to estrus interval and between estrus signs at puberty and after the first weaning. The estrus signs were checked, and blood samples for progesterone determination were drawn regularly around puberty and after the first weaning. Gilts expressing early puberty (youngest one-third) showed a greater ability to return to estrus and to ovulate within 10 d after weaning than gilts expressing late puberty (oldest one-third) (P = .01). A positive genetic correlation was found between age at puberty and the interval from weaning to the first detected estrus (WEI) (rg = .45). The genetic correlation between age at puberty and the ability to show the standing reflex and to ovulate within 10 d after weaning was negative (rg = -.50). The heritability of the ability to show the standing reflex and to ovulate within 10 d after weaning was . 31. Gilts not showing a standing reflex at puberty also had a higher incidence of ovulation without a standing reflex within 10 days after their first weaning (21.4 vs 6.2%, P = .001). There was a significant positive correlation between the total duration and the intensity of the reddening and swelling of the vulva at puberty and after the first weaning. This study demonstrates relationships both between age at puberty and WEI and between some estrus signs at puberty and after the first weaning.
Comparison of Crop Yield and Pollution Production Response to Nitrogen Fertilization Models, Accounting for Crop Rotation Effect

Alternative mathematical functional forms commonly applied in modelling crop and pollution production response to nitrogen (N) fertilizer use were investigated. Data were generated using soil and water assessment tool modeling, and explicitly accounted for rotation effects on regression parameters. The Mitscherlich–Baule model best represented potato, carrot, and alfalfa yield response, while the quadratic model best described corn, winter wheat, and barley yield response to N fertilization. The quadratic functional form also best represented nitrate-N leaching response to N fertilization for most crops. Maximum economic rates of N fertilization for crops were sensitive to residual N effects of previous crops.
Identifying Genomic Regulators of Set-Wise Co-Expression

The genetical genomics approach has been used to study the genetic basis of variation in gene expression, where putative transcriptional regulators of genes are identified via genetic quantitative trait mapping. The genetic regulators identified through such efforts can partially account for an individual gene's natural variation. However, genes in a molecular pathway often exhibit coordinated activities, the patterns and levels of which are also regulated. In an effort to understand these complicated mechanisms, we propose a method that searches for the genomic regulators of set-wise co-expression of related genes, based on current genetical genomics data. Using this method, we studied genomic regulators of 233 biological pathways for a BXD RI data set. For 15 pathways, we obtained significant regulatory loci after controlling for the false discovery rate. The results presented in this paper constitute important evidence of the heritability of mRNA co-expression between individuals. We have shown that, by defining new phenotypes using existing genetical genomics data, evidence on regulation of co-expression can be derived.
A prospective comparison of total protein/creatinine ratio versus 24-hour urine protein in women with suspected preeclampsia.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to determine the value of the protein/creatinine ratio in prediction of 24-hour urine total protein among women with suspected preeclampsia. STUDY DESIGN Women who were evaluated for suspected preeclampsia at >or=24 weeks of gestation were studied prospectively if there was no concurrent diagnosis of chronic hypertension, diabetes mellitus, or preexisting renal disease. A protein/creatinine ratio was obtained, which was followed by the initiation of a 24-hour urine evaluation. Positive and negative predictive values and sensitivity and specificity of the protein/creatinine ratio for significant (>or=300 mg) and severe proteinuria (>or=5000 mg) that were based on 24-hour urine total protein were calculated. RESULTS A total of 220 women were evaluated; 43.2% of the women were black, and 80% of the women had government insurance. Mean maternal and gestational ages were 26.1 years and 36.5 weeks, respectively. Significant and severe proteinuria on 24-hour urine evaluation were identified in 76.4% and 8.2% of cases, respectively. Regression analysis of protein/creatinine ratio and 24-hour urine total protein level showed a poor correlation (r(2)=0.41). Receiver operator characteristic analysis revealed an area under the curve of 0.80, but the shoulder value of 390 mg/g carried a high false-negative rate (45.2%). With a more conservative cutoff value, a protein/creatinine ratio of >or=300 mg/g had a poor negative predictive value (47.5%), a specificity for significant proteinuria (55.8%), with a positive predictive value of 85.5%, and a sensitivity of 81%. For severe proteinuria, a protein/creatinine ratio of >or=5000 mg/g had a poor positive predictive value (61.9%) and sensitivity (72.2%), with a negative predictive value of 97.5%, and a specificity of 96.0%. CONCLUSION Protein/creatinine ratio does not exclude adequately the presence of significant proteinuria or predict severe proteinuria and should not be used as an alternative to 24-hour total protein evaluation.
Policy Agendas in Australian Politics: The Governor-General's Speeches, 1945–2008

The Policy Agendas Project collects and organises data from official documents to trace changes in the policy agenda and outputs of national, sub-national and supranational governments. In this paper we use the policy agendas method to analyse the changing contents of those Australian Governor-General's speeches delivered on behalf of incoming governments between 1945 and 2008. We suggest that these speeches provide an important insight into how the executive wishes to portray its policy agenda as it starts a new term of government. In mapping the changing agenda in this way we address four questions: which issues have risen or fallen in importance? When and in relation to what issues have there been policy ‘punctuations’? How stable is the Australian policy agenda? How fragmented is the policy agenda? We find evidence of a number of policy punctuations and one turning-point: the election of the Whitlam government.
Connection between recurrence-time statistics and anomalous transport.

For a model stationary flow with hexagonal symmetry, we study the recurrence-time statistics. This model flow has been shown elsewhere to provide a sharp transition from normal to anomalous transport. We show here that this transition from normal to anomalous transport is accompanied by a corresponding change of the recurrence-time statistics from normal'' to anomalous. '' In the anomalous case the distribution of recurrence times has a power tail. Recurrence-time statistics provide a local measurement to make evident the existence of anomalous transport.
ICU Pathogens: A Continuous Challenge.

OBJECTIVE To determine the frequency and antibiogram of pathogens in an intensive care unit (ICU). STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional, observational study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY Department of Microbiology, Army Medical College, National University of Science and Technology, Islamabad, from January 2013 to January 2014. METHODOLOGY Clinical samples, received from patients admitted in ICU, were inoculated on various medias like blood agar, chocolate agar, MacConkey agar and urine samples on CLED. These were then incubated at 37°C for 24 hours. Isolates were identified by colony morphology, Gram reaction, catalase test, oxidase test. Species identification in case of Gram Negative Rods was done by using API 20E (BioMérieux). Antibiotic susceptibility was done by using modified KirbyBauer disc diffusion technique. Bacterial isolates were prepared and inoculated on Mueller-Hinton agar plates followed by application of various antibiotic disc (Oxoid, UK) as per manufacturer's instructions. The plates were then incubated at 37°C aerobically for 18 - 24 hours. Zone diameters were measured and interpreted as sensitive and resistant, according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. RESULTS Out of the 367 positive cultures, 116 (31.08%) were Acinetobacter baumanniisusceptible to minocycline and tigecycline followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (n=71, 16%) susceptible to tigecycline and meropenem. Others were Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli,Coagulase Negative Staphylococcus, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus spp. , Streptococcus spp. , Klebsiella oxytoca, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia,and Candida spp. CONCLUSION Acinetobacter baumanniiwas the most frequently isolated pathogen. Most of the cultures yielding pathogens were from respiratory tract samples. Gram negative isolates were multidrug resistant but most were tigecycline and susceptible to meropenem.
Fractional cointegration: Monte Carlo estimates of critical values, with an application

A fractionally integrated series is mean-reverting, and may be covariance stationary. Recent interest in fractional integration has been extended to tests of whether series are fractionally cointegrated. This article provides simulated critical values for use in tests of fractional cointegration for up to six variables, over a number of sample sizes. An example illustrates the potential merits of tests for fractional cointegration.
Strategic Export Policy in Vertically Related Markets

This paper analyses how strategic export policies are affected by introducing an imperfectly competitive intermediate good into a Bertrand duopoly model with product differentiation, where a home and a foreign final-good firm export to a third-country market. It is shown that when the home and foreign markets for the intermediate good are segmented, the optimal export policy towards the final good is a tax. In contrast, under integrated markets, the optimal export intervention is a subsidy. Whether bilateral export intervention is welfare improving compared with free trade, depends on the degree of product differentiation between the home and foreign final goods.
An activated Q‐SNARE/SM protein complex as a possible intermediate in SNARE assembly

Assembly of the SNARE proteins syntaxin1, SNAP25, and synaptobrevin into a SNARE complex is essential for exocytosis in neurons. For efficient assembly, SNAREs interact with additional proteins but neither the nature of the intermediates nor the sequence of protein assembly is known. Here, we have characterized a ternary complex between syntaxin1, SNAP25, and the SM protein Munc18‐1 as a possible acceptor complex for the R‐SNARE synaptobrevin. The ternary complex binds synaptobrevin with fast kinetics, resulting in the rapid formation of a fully zippered SNARE complex to which Munc18‐1 remains tethered by the N‐terminal domain of syntaxin1. Intriguingly, only one of the synaptobrevin truncation mutants (Syb1‐65) was able to bind to the syntaxin1:SNAP25:Munc18‐1 complex, suggesting either a cooperative zippering mechanism that proceeds bidirectionally or the progressive R‐SNARE binding via an SM template. Moreover, the complex is resistant to disassembly by NSF. Based on these findings, we consider the ternary complex as a strong candidate for a physiological intermediate in SNARE assembly.
Signaling by SHH rescues facial defects following blockade in the brain

Background: The Frontonasal Ectodermal Zone (FEZ) is a signaling center in the face that expresses Sonic hedgehog (Shh) and regulates patterned growth of the upper jaw. Blocking SHH in the forebrain blocks Shh expression in the FEZ and creates malformations resembling holoprosencephaly (HPE), while inhibition of BMP signaling in the mesenchyme blocks FEZ formation and causes similar dysmorphology. Thus, the brain could regulate FEZ formation by SHH or BMP signaling, and if so, activating one of these pathways in the face might alleviate the effects of repression of SHH in the brain. Results: We blocked SHH signaling in the brain while adding SHH or BMP between the neural and facial ectoderm of the frontonasal process. When applied early, SHH restored Shh expression in the FEZ and significantly improved shape outcomes, which contrasts with our previous experiments that showed later SHH treatments have no effect. BMP‐soaked beads introduced early and late caused apoptosis that exacerbated malformations. Finally, removal of Smoothened from neural crest cells did not inhibit Shh expression in the FEZ. Conclusions: Collectively, this work suggests that a direct, time‐sensitive SHH signal from the brain is required for the later induction of Shh in the FEZ. We propose a testable model of FEZ activation and discuss signaling mediators that may regulate these interactions. Developmental Dynamics 241:247–256, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Effects of silymarin on hepatitis C virus and haem oxygenase‐1 gene expression in human hepatoma cells

Background/Aims: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a global medical problem. The current standard treatment of chronic hepatitis C (CHC), pegylated interferon plus ribavirin, is prolonged, expensive, has serious side effects and, at best, is only 50% effective. Silymarin (SI) is a natural antioxidant often used by patients with CHC, although its efficacy for decreasing HCV levels or ameliorating CHC remains uncertain. HCV infection is associated with increased hepatic oxidative stress, and one of the antioxidant enzymes that protect cells against this stress is haem oxygenase‐1 (HO‐1).
A Field Experiment of Spatially-Stable Overviews for Document Navigation

Finding (and re-finding) locations in text documents is a common activity for most computer users -- but tools for document navigation are still limited in many ways. Previous research has shown that a spatially-stable overview of the entire document can be substantially faster than any other navigation technique -- particularly when revisiting previous locations. However, the overview technique has only been tested in a limited laboratory study, so little is known about whether it works in more realistic contexts. To answer this question, we developed a PDF viewer that incorporates several document-navigation techniques, and carried out two studies. First, we ran a field experiment in which users carried out search tasks using an overview and other techniques -- on their own computers in a non-laboratory environment. Second, we ran a smaller field study in which people used our viewer (with choice of navigation techniques) for their own PDF tasks. In the field experiment, the overview was significantly and substantially faster than other techniques, and in the field study, the technique was frequently used for a wide variety of documents. Our work provides confirmation of the value of spatially stable overviews as a basis for document navigation.