Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Speech quality and the gating paradigm

The correct recognition of a word from speech can often take place when only part of the spoken word form has been heard (e.g. Marslen-tson, 1980). In such a case the remainder of the word is, in some sense, redundant information. Of course, redundant does not mean superfluous. Redundancy serves to make speech communication less vulnerable to all kinds otdegradation of the ‘ideal‘ speech signal, caused for example by sloppy art1culatron, external distortion, or a hearing deficit in the listener. _ In the present experiment we have set out to measure the effect of “diffe. rences in speech quality, caused by differences in degree of data reductton m LPC vocoder speech, on the relative number of speech sounds needed for correct recognition of polysyllabic words. For this purpose we used an adaptation of the ‘gating paradigm’ introduced by Grospan (1980). Our aim was twofold. We wanted to find out whether we could obtam a reliable and relative easily applied measure of speech qual1ty. \_V_e also Wanted to see whether the course of the probability of correct recogmtron, as controlled by the successively added speech sounds, has any dtagnostxc value with respect to the type of degmdation of the speech signal.
Moving towards in situ tracheal regeneration: the bionic tissue engineered transplantation approach

• Introduction • Rationales for tracheal transplantation • Historical background • Regenerative approach to tracheal replacement • Human tissue engineering tracheal replacement ‐ Detergent enzymatic method ‐ Autologous cells • ‐ Mesenchymal stem cell derived chondrocytes • ‐ Epithelial respiratory cells ‐ Bioreactor • Ongoing progress ‐ Bionic airway tissue‐engineered replacement • Conclusions
The Significance of Subclinical Rejection and the Value of Protocol Biopsies

Subclinical rejection (SCR) is diagnosed by protocol histology with a maximal prevalence occurring early after transplantation, falling to low levels by 1 year. Needle‐core biopsy is safe, and the histology obtained fairly reflects subclinical immune activity. Several studies have consistently shown that SCR is associated with chronic tubulointerstitial damage, subsequent renal dysfunction and reduced graft survival. SCR is effectively treated by pulse corticosteroid therapy, although increased baseline immunosuppression may be necessary. A single randomized clinical trial of biopsy and corticosteroid therapy demonstrated significantly improved early structural and functional outcomes, and a (nonsignificant) 17% risk reduction in 4‐year graft survival. Three possible approaches include: no protocol biopsies (usually accompanied by powerful immunosuppression); biopsies only in high‐risk recipients (who may be difficult to reliably predict) or universal screening protocol biopsy (comprehensive but limited by cost and resource utilization). The appropriate screening methodology for a transplant unit is both a clinical and an economic decision; influenced by the SCR prevalence and potential gains of treatment, against costs and resource utilization. Further trials to quantify the cost‐benefit balance in a typical, heterogeneous recipient population using modern immunosuppression are required.
Pulmonary aspergillosis: an alternative diagnosis to lung cancer after positive [18F]FDG positron emission tomography

[18F]Fluorodexyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) scans have significantly improved the diagnosis and staging of lung cancer, but false-positive scans are known to occur due to inflammatory and infectious diseases. Recognition of the conditions leading to false-positive scans is important. Single or multiple pulmonary nodules, with or without cavitation, are classical findings in acute and chronic pulmonary aspergillosis. Clinical features of pulmonary aspergillosis are very similar to those of lung cancer. This report highlights pulmonary aspergillosis as an alternative diagnosis to lung cancer in patients with positive [18F]FDG PET scans and the need to strive for presurgical histological diagnosis.
Effects of Antiprogestins on the Uterus

Progesterone-receptor modulators (PRMs) are progesterone-receptor ligands that can exert agonistic, antagonistic or mixed agonist-antagonist effects depending on the cellular context. The mechanisms of action of these compounds are still incompletely understood. PRMs already have several applications in women's health such as emergency contraception, pregnancy termination, management of early fetal demise and cervical maturation. The main indications that will be developed in the future include dysfunctional bleeding and preoperative treatment of uterine myomas. Other future indications may include estrogen-free contraception, treatment of endometriosis and prevention and treatment of breast cancer. However, the available data from mid- to long-term continuous administration studies has raised the issue of endometrial safety. For this reason, long-term applications of PRMs are currently postponed, although windows of treatment with a short course of progestin therapy, or even by a short interruption of treatment, could improve endometrial aspects if needed.
The primacy of age and sex in the structure of person categories

A nonverbal person judgment task was used to address two general questions regarding the structure of implicit person schemas: (1) Does the pattern of perceived similarity among individuals differ depending on whether traits or person types are the basis of categorization? (2) Is the structure of person types hierarchically ordered by age and sex? Subjects sorted a set of 140 facial photographs under one of three different instructional conditions that encouraged sorting by similarity of traits, character type, or physical features. Resulting co-occurrence matrices differed substantially between the trait sorting and type sorting conditions, whereas type sortings and physical feature sorts were highly similar. Individual sortings in the character type instructional condition were partitioned by age and sex of photos, although subjects did not seem to be explicitly aware of the role of age and sex in their category structure. Further, sex and perceived age of persons in photos were the primary predictors .
Using Bayesian networks theory for aggregated search to XML retrieval

In this paper, we are interested in aggregated search in structured XML documents. We present a structured information retrieval model based on the Bayesian networks theory. Query-terms and terms-elements relations are modeled through probability. In this model, the user's query starts a propagation process to recover the XML elements. Thus, instead of retrieving a whole document or a list of disjoint elements that are likely to answer partially the query, we attempt to built a virtual document that aggregates a set of elements, that are relevant all together. We evaluated our approach using the INEX 2009 collection and presented some empirical results for evaluating the impact of the aggregation approach.
Summary of AUV Yumeiruka sea trial results

This paper presents the trajectory data obtained from recent sea trials of the AUV Yumeiruka. Two sets of trajectory data were recorded for seven dives. One set of the data was recorded by the AUV's inertial navigation system, the other set was obtained from an SSBL system onboard the research vessel. Significant differences exist between the two sets of data, especially when the DVL on the AUV cannot achieve bottom lock.
Dysfunctional cognitions in personality pathology: the structure and validity of the Personality Belief Questionnaire

Background This study examines the structure of the Personality Belief Questionnaire (PBQ), a self-report instrument designed to assess dysfunctional beliefs associated with personality pathology, as proposed by the cognitive theory of personality dysfunction. Method The PBQ was examined using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with responses from 438 depressed out-patients, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with responses from 683 treatment-seeking psychiatric out-patients. All participants were assessed for personality disorder (PD) using a standard clinical interview. The validity of the resulting factor structure was assessed in the combined sample (n=1121) by examining PBQ scores for patients with and without PD diagnoses. Results Exploratory and confirmatory analyses converged to indicate that the PBQ is best described by seven empirically identified factors: six assess dysfunctional beliefs associated with forms of personality pathology recognized in DSM-IV. Validity analyses revealed that those diagnosed with a PD evidenced a higher average score on all factors, relative to those without these disorders. Subsets of patients diagnosed with specific DSM-IV PDs scored higher, on average, on the factor associated with their respective diagnosis, relative to all other factors. Conclusions The pattern of results has implications for the conceptualization of personality pathology. To our knowledge, no formal diagnostic or assessment system has yet systematically incorporated the role of dysfunctional beliefs into its description of personality pathology. The identification of dysfunctional beliefs may not only aid in case conceptualization but also may provide unique targets for psychological treatment. Recommendations for future personality pathology assessment systems are provided.
Esquema ontogenético del desarrollo del lenguaje y otras cuestiones del habla infantil

Puede afirmarse que la primera manifestación del lenguaje en el niño es el balbuceo (véase MONTES, Acerca de., pág. 4), pues la etapa de gritos (screaming time de JESPERSEN) está enteramente fuera de lo lingüístico y sólo tiene de común con la lengua el utilizar los mismos órganos y funciones fisiológicas que luego servirán para la producción del lenguaje. En el balbuceo el niño adquiere conciencia de sus posibilidades fónicas y se complace en utilizarlas sin ninguna función aparente distinta de la puramente expresiva o lúdica. Parece muy probable que el balbuceo se constituya sobre la imitación de la forma lingüística oída a los adultos (véase
‘Charlie Is So Cool Like’: Authenticity, Popularity and Inclusive Masculinity on YouTube

On the world’s most utilised video-sharing social networking site, YouTube, Charlie McDonnell (Charlieissocoollike), Dan Howell (Danisnotonfire) and Jack and Finn Harries (JacksGap) are Britain’s most popular video-bloggers (vloggers). With more than two million regular subscribers to each of their channels, along with millions of casual viewers, they represent a new form of authentic online celebrity. These young men, whose YouTube careers began as teenagers, do not espouse a traditional form of masculinity; they are not sporty, macho or even expressly concerned with being perceived as heterosexual. Instead, they present a softer masculinity, eschewing the homophobia, misogyny and aggression attributed to boys of previous generations. These behaviours are theorised using Anderson’s Inclusive Masculinity Theory. Drawing on analysis of 115 video-blogs (vlogs), along with an in-depth interview with Charlie McDonnell, this article examines how these young men developed and exhibit their inclusive masculinities and attitudes, which we postulate are a reflection of dominant youth culture.
Application of a Dynamic Model for Student Recognition Based on Graph Attention Neural Network in Education

In student education, teaching students according to their aptitude is an important part of implementing the fundamental task of cultivating morality and talent. However, universities currently face problems such as single identification methods, late discovery, and single data objects when depicting different types of students. This article proposes a solution to these problems by constructing a student social network through course selection data, class information, dormitory information, one card consumption, and access control data. The student feature embeddings are constructed in databases such as school entry and exit information, and attention neural networks are trained using the results of heart-to-heart conversations as student labels. This approach effectively improves the recognition rate of different types of students, especially for special students, in a timely and accurate manner, to assist teachers in teaching students according to their aptitude.
DNA Alkylating Agent Protects Against Spontaneous Hepatocellular Carcinoma Regardless of O6-Methylguanine-DNA Methyltransferase Status

Hepatocellular carcinoma is increasingly important in the United States as the incidence rate rose over the last 30 years. C3HeB/FeJ mice serve as a unique model to study hepatocellular carcinoma tumorigenesis because they mimic human hepatocellular carcinoma with delayed onset, male gender bias, approximately 50% incidence, and susceptibility to tumorigenesis is mediated through multiple genetic loci. Because a human O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (hMGMT) transgene reduces spontaneous tumorigenesis in this model, we hypothesized that hMGMT would also protect from methylation-induced hepatocarcinogenesis. To test this hypothesis, wild-type and hMGMT transgenic C3HeB/FeJ male mice were treated with two monofunctional alkylating agents: diethylnitrosamine (DEN; 0.025 μmol/g body weight) on day 12 of life with evaluation for glucose-6-phosphatase-deficient (G6PD) foci at 16, 24, and 32 weeks or N-methyl-N-nitrosurea (MNU; 25 mg MNU/kg body weight) once monthly for 7 months starting at 3 months of age with evaluation for liver tumors at 12 to 15 months of age. No difference in abundance or size of G6PD foci was measured with DEN treatment. In contrast, it was unexpectedly found that MNU reduces liver tumor prevalence in wild-type and hMGMT transgenic mice despite increased tumor prevalence in other tissues. hMGMT and MNU protections were additive, suggesting that MNU protects through a different mechanism, perhaps through the cytotoxic N7-alkylguanine and N3-alkyladenine lesions which have low mutagenic potential compared with O6-alkylguanine lesions. Together, these results suggest that targeting the repair of cytotoxic lesions may be a good preventative for patients at high risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer Prev Res; 9(3); 245–52. ©2015 AACR.
Lithium stimulates human bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cell proliferation through GSK‐3β‐dependent β‐catenin/Wnt pathway activation

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent cells that have been widely used in cell based transplantation therapy. The use of MSCs requires in vitro expansion in order to fulfill their regenerative capacity. Therefore the proliferative ability of MSCs is one of the key factors which determine MSC therapeutic efficacy. In the present study, we showed for the first time that lithium, a well‐known antidepressant, reversibly promoted the proliferation of human bone marrow derived MSCs in vitro. MSCs treated with 5 mm lithium proliferated more rapidly than untreated cells without undergoing apoptosis. Lithium increased the proportion of cells in S phase as well as cyclin D1 expression. Mechanistic studies revealed that these effects were dependent upon the activation of the glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK‐3β) mediated canonical Wnt pathway. Lithium induced Ser9 phosphorylation, which results in the inhibition of GSK‐3β activity, β‐catenin accumulation and Wnt pathway activation. Utilizing a specific GSK‐3β inhibitor SB216763 or siRNA‐mediated inhibition of GSK‐3β produced effects similar to those induced by lithium. In contrast, either quercetin, an inhibitor of the β‐catenin/TCF pathway, or siRNA‐mediated knockdown of β‐catenin abolished the proliferative effect of lithium, suggesting that lithium stimulates MSC proliferation via the GSK‐3β‐dependent β‐catenin/Wnt pathway. Collectively, these studies elucidate a novel role of lithium, which may not only provide a simple and effective way to strengthen MSC transplantation therapy efficacy but also shed light on lithium's clinical application for the treatment of certain disorders resulting from β‐catenin/Wnt pathway suppression.
Using a Political Economy and Life Course Approach to Understand Gendered Pension Provision in the UK

The future sustainability of pensions has gained considerable international attention over recent years. These concerns have been fuelled by increasing longevity and rising pension deficits. In addition there has been further awareness of the extent of female pensioner poverty. In order to explore this situation a suitable analytical framework is required. As pensions received in retirement are dependent on earlier events in individuals’ lives, most notably their employment history, this paper explores the need for a life course approach to examine the gendered nature of pensions in the UK. Initially the life course approach, a key mode of analysis in political economy theory, is defined. It is then used to examine the notion of the changing ‘institution’ of retirement and its subsequent de-standardisation. Then, linked to the political economy approach, it is utilised to introduce ways in which employment experiences of men and women impact upon inequalities in retirement. Finally, the article concludes that by employing such an approach to understanding pensions it enables a better appreciation of savings behaviour and opportunities.
Design and Development of a Robotic Arm for an Assistive Robot using ROS

In this paper, we present the design and development of a 6-degree-of-freedom robot arm intended for an assistive robot, aimed at providing support to elderly and handicapped individuals by assisting with tasks such as grabbing and serving. We began by establishing clear functional requirements for the assistive robot arm, ensuring cost-effectiveness and easy upgradability. The arm system is controlled using the Robot Operating System (ROS). Through this study, we devised simulation arm trajectories and real-time applications, specifically pick and place tasks. Building upon these applications, we successfully created a functional prototype of the assistive robot arm, incorporating revolute joint mechanisms that resemble the flexibility of a human arm. Experiments were conducted, focusing on assistive tasks, indicating that the robot software can be integrate and become extremely useful to improve the grabbing/serving tasks or any other applications of robot arm system.
Porewater and Hydrothermal Vent Water Inputs to Yellowstone Lake, Wyoming

Geochemical inputs to Yellowstone Lake, Wyoming, come from a variety of sources, including hydrothermal vents, groundwater, rainwater, flux from sediments, and direct runoff. One-third of Yellowstone Lake is directly influenced by hydrothermal activity (hot-water vents and fumaroles). Geothermally heated water percolating through the chamber is highly enriched with carbonate, silicate, chloride, and methane, with some locations additionally rich in iron and sulfide. Vent waters in West Thumb typically contained sub-micromolar concentrations of Fe (iron), while those in Mary Bay and off Stevenson Island contained about 10 μM (micromolar). Water column concentrations of dissolved iron ranged from 250 to 450 nM (nanomolar) in Mary Bay, but were very low in the waters of Southeast Arm, West Thumb, and off Stevenson Island. Porewater and vent water chemistry provided evidence for lake water dilution of vents below the sediment–water interface. Significant fracturing of source water conduits was indicated by extreme differences in porewater profiles from cores less than 5 m apart in the geothermally vigorous West Thumb. Some samples approached theoretical reservoir composition for geothermally active areas of Mary Bay and West Thumb, showing chloride concentrations reaching several mM (millimolar), and, in the case of Mary Bay, extrapolate to the geothermal end member (~20 mM) at a depth of only 2–3 m. These steep concentration gradients support diffusive chloride fluxes across the sediment–water interface three orders of magnitude higher than those in non-venting depositional areas. Introduction Yellowstone Lake, Wyoming, is located in the caldera of the largest volcanic eruptions known, which occurred 1.2 million and 650,000 years ago at a midcontinental hot spot, rather than in the more widespread tectonic spreading centers. The Yellowstone hot spot has interacted with the North American plate for millions of years, causing widespread outpourings of basalt. Some of the basaltic melt, or magma, produced by the hot spot accumulates near the base of the plate, where its heat melts the rocks from the Earth’s lower crust. As a result, the underlying structure is composed primarily of granite overlain by volcanic silica as opposed to freshly upheaved basalts. Geothermally heated water percolating through the relic chamber is highly enriched in carbonate, silicate, chloride, and methane; some locations are also enriched with iron, manganese, and sulfide. Yellowstone National Park is well known for its steaming geysers, shimmering thermal pools, and bubbling painted mudpots. Some of the greatest characterisPorewater and Hydrothermal Vent Water Inputs to Yellowstone Lake, Wyoming
Parallel stochastic simulations of budding yeast cell cycle: load balancing strategies and theoretical analysis

The evolution of biochemical systems, where some chemical species are present with only a small numbers of molecules, is strongly influenced by discrete and stochastic effects. This evolution cannot be accurately captured by continuous and deterministic models, and special stochastic models are required. The budding yeast cell cycle provides an excellent example of the need for capturing stochastic effects in biochemical reactions. To obtain statistics of the cell evolution, a stochastic simulation algorithm must be run thousands of times with different initial conditions and parameter values. In order to manage the computational expense the large ensemble of runs needs to be executed in parallel. Each individual task is a stochastic simulation. The CPU time per task is unknown, and can vary considerably from one individual simulation to another. Because of this variability serious load imbalances appear and may considerably affect the efficiency of the parallel computation. This paper proposes two dynamic load balancing strategies for parallel runs of large ensembles of stochastic simulations of biological systems. A new probabilistic analysis framework is developed in order to quantify the performance of the load balancing algorithms when the CPU times per task are not known in advance. Simulation results with a stochastic budding yeast cell cycle model confirm the theoretical analysis. While this work is motivated by cell cycle modeling, the proposed analysis framework is general and can be directly applied to any ensemble simulation where many tasks are mapped onto each processor, and where the individual compute times vary considerably among tasks.
Cut‐off scores in MMSE: a moving target?

Background: Cognitive tests are known to be influenced by language, culture and education. In addition, there may be an impact of ‘epoch’ in cognition, because there is secular increase in scores of IQ tests in children. If we assume this is a long lasting process, then it should persist later in life.