Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Type-2 Fuzzy GMM-UBM for Text-Independent Speaker Verification

This paper proposes the use of a type-2 fuzzy framework in the standard GMM-UBM based text-independent speaker verification systems. Based on type-2 fuzzy sets, the framework provides pertinence intervals for the models. The decision process is obtained using a Support Vectors Machine (SVM) that processes the interval likelihoods. A Voice Activity Detection (VAD) algorithm was also used to discard the parts of the speech signal without voice. The proposed method was tested on the MIT Device Speaker Verification Corpus which contains several different mobile devices used in different environments. The result shows the robustness of the system and the improvements in the verification ratios of the T2F-GMM-UBM compared to the classical GMM-UBM based systems.
Metastatic pulmonary adenocarcinoma 6 years after curative resection for ampullary adenocarcinoma. Metastatic disease from initial primary or metachronous tumour?

CONTEXT With patients surviving longer after pancreatic resection, the challenges now is the management of the unresolved longer-term issues. CASE REPORT A 53-year-old woman with painless obstructive jaundice, underwent a pylorous preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy for a pT3N0M0 ampullary adenocarcinoma in 2001 (patchy chronic pancreatitis with mucinous metaplasia of background pancreatic duct epithelium and acinar atrophy were noted). Despite adjuvant chemotherapy, at month 54 she required a pulmonary wedge resection for metastatic adenocarcinoma, followed by a pulmonary relapse at 76 months when she underwent 6 neoadjuvant cycles of gemcitabine/capecitabine and a left pneumonectomy. Finally 7 years after the initial Whipple's, a single 18F fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) avid pancreatic tail lesion led to completion pancreatectomy for a well-differentiated ductal adenocarcinoma with clear resection margins albeit peripancreatic adipose tissue infiltration. On review all resected tumour cells had identical immunophenotype (CK7+/CK20-/MUC1+/MUC2-) as that of the primary. She is currently asymptomatic on follow-up. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that in selected cases even in the presence of pulmonary metastasis, repeat resections could result in long-term survival of patients with metachronous ampullary cancer. Second, even ampullary tumours maybe should be regarded as index tumors in the presence of ductal precursor lesions in the resection specimen. Three distant metastases, particularly if long after the initial tumour, should instigate a search for metachronous tumour, especially in the presence of field change in the initial specimen. Risk-adapted follow-up protocols with recognition of such factors could result in cost-effective surveillance and potentially improved outcomes.
The full degree spanning tree problem

In this paper we study the problem of computing a spanning tree T in a connected graph G = (V, E) so as to maximize the number of vertices of full degree (FDST). These are vertices whose degree in the tree T is the same as their degree in the graph G. First mentioned by Lewinter [5], this problem is central in the work of Pothof and Schut [7], which has to do with water distribution networks. By placing water pressure meters at every vertex of a cotree (set of edges that are the complement of a tree), one can infer the water pressure in every pipe in the network. Thus we are looking for a cotree that is incident on as few vertices as possible (to minimize cost). The savings is exactly the number of full degree vertices in a spanning tree, since these vertices have zero degree in the corresponding cotree and we do not have to install pressure meters at these vertices. Hence we would like to maximize the number of vertices of full degree. Previous Work: Pothof and Schut [7] suggest the following heuristic to maximize the number of full degree vertices. Define the weight of each edge to be the sum of the degrees of the incident vertices, and compute a minimum weight spanning tree. As discussed in their paper, there are cases when their algorithm does very poorly. Consider a wheel graph (a cycle with an additional central vertex with edges to all.vertices on the cycle), then their algorithm may find no vertices of full degree! In fact, for this particular graph our full degree spanning tree algorithm (for arbitrary graphs) finds a spanning tree with f vertices of full degree. Our Results: We provide a brief summary of our results [I] in this extended abstract. This problem is NP-hard even when restricted to planar graphs by a reduction from the MaximumIndependent Set problem, which is known to be NP-complete for planar graphs [3].
A source-controlled data center network model

The construction of data center network by applying SDN technology has become a hot research topic. The SDN architecture has innovatively separated the control plane from the data plane which makes the network more software-oriented and agile. Moreover, it provides virtual multi-tenancy, effective scheduling resources and centralized control strategies to meet the demand for cloud computing data center. However, the explosion of network information is facing severe challenges for SDN controller. The flow storage and lookup mechanisms based on TCAM device have led to the restriction of scalability, high cost and energy consumption. In view of this, a source-controlled data center network (SCDCN) model is proposed herein. The SCDCN model applies a new type of source routing address named the vector address (VA) as the packet-switching label. The VA completely defines the communication path and the data forwarding process can be finished solely relying on VA. There are four advantages in the SCDCN architecture. 1) The model adopts hierarchical multi-controllers and abstracts large-scale data center network into some small network domains that has solved the restriction for the processing ability of single controller and reduced the computational complexity. 2) Vector switches (VS) developed in the core network no longer apply TCAM for table storage and lookup that has significantly cut down the cost and complexity for switches. Meanwhile, the problem of scalability can be solved effectively. 3) The SCDCN model simplifies the establishment process for new flows and there is no need to download flow tables to VS. The amount of control signaling consumed when establishing new flows can be significantly decreased. 4) We design the VS on the NetFPGA platform. The statistical results show that the hardware resource consumption in a VS is about 27% of that in an OFS.
Stop! border ahead: Automatic detection of subthalamic exit during deep brain stimulation surgery

Microelectrode recordings along preplanned trajectories are often used for accurate definition of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) borders during deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery for Parkinson's disease. Usually, the demarcation of the STN borders is performed manually by a neurophysiologist. The exact detection of the borders is difficult, especially detecting the transition between the STN and the substantia nigra pars reticulata. Consequently, demarcation may be inaccurate, leading to suboptimal location of the DBS lead and inadequate clinical outcomes.
An argumentation-based Semantics for Agent Communication Languages

In recent years, the importance of defining a standard framework for agent communication language (ACL) has been widely recognized. However, classical proposals (mentalistic semantics and social semantics) fail to meet the objectives of verifiability and flexibility required in complex interactions involving heterogenous agents possibly designed by different programmers. In this paper we propose an ACL which allows heterogenous agents to engage flexibly in the different kinds of dialogues identified by Walton and Krabbe in [14]. To this end, we propose a two-layered semantics which includes a commitment level and a reasoning level based on argumentation.
The Phonological Basis of Foreign Accent: A Hypothesis.

Foreign accent is often thought to be the result of an age-related diminution in the ability to learn to pronounce languages. Existing studies of L2 pronunciation, however, do not seem to support the claim that there is some fundamental difference between children and adults in phonetic learning ability. The continued presence of foreign accent may instead be a consequence of the establishment of stable phonological representations for sounds and words in the native language. Language learners who perceive sounds in the target language to be phonologically identical to native-language sounds (despite possible phonetic differences between the two languages) may base whatever phonetic learning that does occur during the acquisition process on an acoustic model provided by pairs of similar sounds in two languages, rather than on a single language-specific acoustic model as in first-language acquisition. Thus an adult or child learner of a foreign language may retain the same kind of phonetic learning ability evident in early childhood and yet still speak with an accent because phonological translation provides a two-language source of phonetic input that may ultimately limit progress in learning to pronounce a foreign language.
Learning pronunciation and formulation variants in continuous speech applications

Most voice driven applications are based on recognition grammars. In complex applications it is difficult to exactly predict how the users will formulate their requests even if a careful study of the user's behavior has been performed. Moreover, it is possible that a speaker's word pronunciation does not match the phonetic transcription of the system, mainly in the case of foreign words. Loquendo has developed a tool that collects field data, detects the most significant weaknesses of the application due to pronunciation of formulation mismatches, and filters the collected field corpora. This permits the application designers to perform their analysis only on a reasonable amount of preprocessed and automatically labeled data. This paper presents the approaches that have been devised to detect pronunciation variants of vocabulary words and linguistic formulations not covered by the recognition grammar. Results showing the improvements that have been obtained including automatically detected formulations in three grammars for two languages are also detailed.
6-dof haptic rendering using contact levels of detail and haptic textures

Humans use tactile and force cues to explore the environment around them and to identify and manipulate objects. An ideal human-machine interface for virtual environments should empower the user to feel and orient objects by providing force feedback. The synthesis of force and torque feedback arising from object-object interaction, commonly referred to as six-degree-of-freedom (6-DoF) haptic rendering, can greatly benefit many applications involving dexterous manipulation and complex maneuvering of virtual objects. Examples of such applications include assembly and disassembly operations in rapid prototyping, endoscopic surgical training, and virtual exploration with limited visual feedback. However, existing techniques for 6-DoF haptic rendering are applicable only to relatively simple contact configurations or low-complexity models. In this dissertation, I propose a novel approach for 6-DoF haptic rendering that combines multiresolution representations, hierarchical collision detection algorithms, and perception-based force models. This approach enables 6-DoF haptic rendering of interaction between two polygonal models of high combinatorial complexity. I introduce contact levels of detail, a collision detection algorithm based on multiresolution hierarchies for performing contact queries between complex models at force update rates, by adaptively selecting the appropriate contact resolutions. I also present a new algorithm for 6-DoF haptic rendering of intricate interaction between textured surfaces, based on a perceptually inspired force model and the representation of the objects as low-resolution models with haptic textures. Finally, I derive a novel implicit formulation for computing rigid body dynamics with haptic interaction, and I integrate all these techniques together, thereby achieving stable and responsive 6-DoF haptic rendering.
Direct Examination of Histone Acetylation on Myc Target Genes Using Chromatin Immunoprecipitation*

Overexpression of c-Myc can lead to altered transcriptional regulation of cellular genes and to neoplastic transformation. Although DNA binding is clearly required, the mechanism by which recruitment of c-Myc to target promoters results in transcriptional activation is highly debated. Much of this controversy comes from the difficulty in clearly defining a true Myc target gene. We have previously determined that cad is a bona fide Myc target gene and thus now use the cadpromoter as a model to study Myc function. Others have shown that Myc can interact indirectly with histone acetylases and have suggested that Myc mediates transcriptional activation by causing an increase in the levels of acetylated histones on target promoters. To directly test this model, we employed a chromatin immunoprecipitation assay to examine the levels of acetylated histones on the cadpromoter. Although Myc was bound to the cad promoter in S phase but not in G0 phase, we found high levels of acetylated histones on the promoter in both stages. We also examined acetylated histones on the cad promoter before and after differentiation of U937 cells. Although the levels of c-Myc bound to the cad promoter were greatly reduced after differentiation, we saw high levels of acetylated histones on thecad promoter both before and after differentiation. Finally, we found that a 30-fold change in binding of N-Myc to the telomerase promoter did not result in a concomitant change in histone acetylation. Thus, recruitment of a Myc family member to a target promoter does not necessarily influence the amount of acetylated histones at that promoter. Further investigations are in progress to define the role of Myc in transcriptional activation.
Sample dependence of the Casimir force

We have analysed available optical data for Au in the mid-infrared range which is important for a precise prediction of the Casimir force. Significant variation of the data demonstrates genuine sample dependence of the dielectric function. We demonstrate that the Casimir force is largely determined by the material properties in the low frequency domain and argue that therefore the precise values of the Drude parameters are crucial for an accurate evaluation of the force. These parameters can be estimated by two different methods, either by fitting real and imaginary parts of the dielectric function at low frequencies, or via a Kramers–Kronig analysis based on the imaginary part of the dielectric function in the extended frequency range. Both methods lead to very similar results. We show that the variation of the Casimir force calculated with the use of different optical data can be as large as 5% and at any rate cannot be ignored. To have a reliable prediction of the force with a precision of 1%, one has to measure the optical properties of metallic films used for the force measurement.
Physicochemical and sorption characteristics of poplar seed fiber as a natural oil sorbent

Oil spills have become a global concern due to their environmental and economic impact. Various methods, including the use of fibers as sorbents, have been developed for oil spill concern. Poplar seed fiber is a plant biomass that has the potential of being used as low-cost sorbent. In this study, the physicochemical and sorption characteristics of poplar seed fiber as an oil sorbent was evaluated. Fourier transform infrared and scanning electron microscopy analyses showed that poplar seed fiber was a lignocellulosic material with smooth surface and hollow lumen. Oil sorption tests showed that loose poplar seed fibers could absorb 53.74 g/g of diesel oil, 65.85 g/g of motor oil and 67.97 g/g of vegetable oil, which were higher than that of kapok and cotton fiber. The availability of void fraction inside the fiber assembly coupled with hollow fiber structure and hydrophobicity/oleophilicity of poplar seed fiber were the main contributing factors. Moreover, the oil sorption kinetics of poplar seed fiber, including the effect of packing density of fiber assembly, oil types on sorption capacity and rate, was analyzed by a wicking method. Results illustrated that the oil sorption capacity was closely related to the packing density of fiber assembly, with an apparent decrease when the packing density changed from 0.05 g/cm3 to 0.09 g/cm3. For sorption rate, the highest oil sorption coefficients were observed for diesel oil, of 0.36 g2/s, 0.32 g2/s and 0.30 g2/s at the packing densities of 0.05 g/cm3, 0.07 g/cm3 and 0.09 g/cm3, respectively, which were about 10 times higher than that of vegetable oil and 70 times higher than that of motor oil.
Network meta‐analysis of the effect of preoperative carbohydrate loading on recovery after elective surgery

Three meta‐analyses have summarized the effects of preoperative carbohydrate administration on postoperative outcomes in adult patients undergoing elective surgery. However, these studies could not account for the different doses of carbohydrate administered and the different controls used. Multiple‐treatments meta‐analysis allows robust synthesis of all available evidence in these situations.
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A significant portion of a user's digital past is recorded in textual form, for example, in email messages, SMS texts, tweets, status updates and blog posts. We view this text archive as a personal informatics system that captures deep and meaningful information for the user. However, it is a challenge to efficiently browse and extract useful information from an unstructured text corpus spanning thousands of entries accumulated over many years. We propose the use of sentiment analysis techniques on users' personal text archives to aid in the task of personal reflection and analysis. We have built and publicly released a system called Muse that processes an email archive, and slices it across different sentiment facets, such as those expressing various emotions, congratula-tory messages, and messages related to family matters, religion, and health. These slices are used for visualizing the archive and as an entry point into browsing the actual messages. We describe some early experiences with this system.
Comparing Estimation Procedures for Stochastic Volatility Models of Short-Term Interest Rates

This paper compares the performance of three maximum likelihood estimation procedures -quasi-maximum likelihood, Monte Carlo likelihood and the particle filter to estimate stochastic volatility models of short term interest rates. The procedures are compared in an empirical study of interest rate volatility where a number of diagnostic tests in- and out-of-sample are utilized to evaluate both model specification and estimation procedure. Empirically, the results suggest interest rates follow the Cox-Ingersoll-Ross model with stochastic volatility and that volatility increases after Federal Open Market Committee meetings. Overall, the Monte Carlo likelihood procedure provided the best results.
Genetic risk factors for orofacial clefts in Central Africans and Southeast Asians

Genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) for orofacial clefts have identified several susceptibility regions, but have largely focused on non‐Hispanic White populations in developed countries. We performed a targeted genome‐wide study of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in exons using the Illumina HumanExome+ array with custom fine mapping of 16 cleft susceptibility regions in three underserved populations: Congolese (87 case‐mother, 210 control‐mother pairs), Vietnamese (131 case‐parent trios), and Filipinos (42 case‐mother, 99 control‐mother pairs). All cases were children with cleft lip with or without cleft palate. Families were recruited from local hospitals and parental exposures were collected using interviewer‐administered questionnaires. We used logistic regression models for case‐control analyses, family‐based association tests for trios, and fixed‐effect meta‐analyses to determine individual SNP effects corrected for multiple testing. Of the 16 known susceptibility regions tested, SNPs in four regions reached statistical significance in one or more of these populations: 1q32.2 (IRF6), 10q25.3 (VAX1), and 17q22 (NOG). Due to different linkage disequilibrium patterns, significant SNPs in these regions differed between the Vietnamese and Filipino populations from the index SNP selected from previous GWAS studies. Among Africans, there were no significant associations identified for any of the susceptibility regions. rs10787738 near VAX1 (P = 4.98E−3) and rs7987165 (P = 6.1E−6) were significant in the meta‐analysis of all three populations combined. These results confirm several known susceptibility regions and identify novel risk alleles in understudied populations. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Psychodynamic and Psychophysiological Aspects of Pseudocyesis

H>. IPPOCRATES IN 300 B.C. described twelve women who appeared to be pregnant without being so—"who imagine they are pregnant seeing that the menses are suppressed and the matrices swollen. " In the mid-seventeenth century William Harvey discussed two patients with pseudocyesis and commented that in one case "no arguments of mine could divest her of this belief. " Harvey also observed that similar phenomena occur in lower animals and raised the question of a common etiology. In the nineteenth century such cases as those of Mary Tudor, Queen of England (1553— 1558), and Joanna Southcott in 1814 led to an increased medical interest in false pregnancy. Of 495 cases described in the literature, 256 (51.7 per cent) appeared from 1800 to 1900. Prior to that time only 9 cases (1.5 per cent) had been formally reported. In his System of Nosology (1823) John Mason Good introduced the term "pseudocyesis" to replace "spurious pregnancy. " Sir James Simpson defended the new
Defective endovascular trophoblast invasion in the first trimester is associated with increased maternal serum ischemia-modified albumin.

BACKGROUND Ischemia-modified albumin (IMA), a protein elevated in cardiac ischemia, is also increased to supra-physiological levels in early normal pregnancy. This finding supports the hypothesis that normal trophoblast development is stimulated by a hypoxic intrauterine environment. The aim of this study was to examine whether first trimester IMA levels are further elevated with defective trophoblast development. METHODS Prospective study of healthy women with singleton pregnancies undergoing nuchal translucency assessment at 11-14 weeks. First trimester maternal serum IMA concentrations in those subsequently developing pre-term pre-eclampsia (n = 19) were compared to randomly chosen controls with normal pregnancy outcome (n = 69). RESULTS Median first trimester serum IMA concentrations were significantly higher in women who subsequently developed pre-eclampsia (median 126.5 kU/L, interquartile range (IQR) 114.33-134.36 kU/L) when compared to those with normal pregnancy outcome (median 115.01 kU/L, IQR 102.29-124.81 kU/L, P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS Maternal serum IMA levels are elevated in the first trimester in women with pre-eclampsia, a clinical manifestation of defective endovascular trophoblast development. This suggests that abnormally high intrauterine hypoxia and subsequent reperfusion oxidative damage may be associated with defective trophoblast development. First trimester serum IMA may be a potential biomarker for abnormal placental development.