Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Differentiable Wavetable Synthesis

Differentiable Wavetable Synthesis (DWTS) is a technique for neural audio synthesis which learns a dictionary of one-period waveforms i.e. wavetables, through end-to-end training. We achieve high-fidelity audio synthesis with as little as 10 to 20 wavetables and demonstrate how a data-driven dictionary of waveforms opens up unprecedented one-shot learning paradigms on short audio clips. Notably, we show audio manipulations, such as high quality pitch-shifting, using only a few seconds of input audio. Lastly, we investigate performance gains from using learned wavetables for realtime and interactive audio synthesis.
Fast encryption of RGB color digital images based on elementary cellular automata using three processors

Image encryption is an important aspect of security in digital world. One of the main challenges in image encryption is speed of encryption. In this paper we propose a new color image encryption scheme based on elementary cellular automata (ECA). The proposed scheme is a parallel encryption of the color image that makes increased the encryption speed. Obtained results from different experiments on a color image show that performance and security of the proposed scheme is better than previous works.
Peyer's Patch M Cells Derived from Lgr5+ Stem Cells Require SpiB and Are Induced by RankL in Cultured “Miniguts”

ABSTRACT Peyer's patches consist of domains of specialized intestinal epithelium overlying gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT). Luminal antigens reach the GALT by translocation through epithelial gatekeeper cells, the so-called M cells. We recently demonstrated that all epithelial cells required for the digestive functions of the intestine are generated from Lgr5-expressing stem cells. Here, we show that M cells also derive from these crypt-based Lgr5 stem cells. The Ets family transcription factor SpiB, known to control effector functions of bone marrow-derived immune cells, is specifically expressed in M cells. In SpiB−/− mice, M cells are entirely absent, which occurs in a cell-autonomous fashion. It has been shown that Tnfsf11 (RankL) can induce M cell development in vivo. We show that in intestinal organoid (“minigut”) cultures, stimulation with RankL induces SpiB expression within 24 h and expression of other M cell markers subsequently. We conclude that RankL-induced expression of SpiB is essential for Lgr5 stem cell-derived epithelial precursors to develop into M cells.
Factors associated with hospital admissions and repeat emergency department visits for adults with asthma

BACKGROUND A small proportion of patients with asthma account for a disproportionate number of acute health service events. To identify whether factors other than severity and low socioeconomic status were associated with this disproportionate use, a prospective study was undertaken to examine management and psychosocial factors associated with increased risk for admission to hospital with asthma and repeat visits to the emergency department over a 12 month period. METHODS A total of 293 patients with moderate or severe asthma managed at least in part at two teaching hospitals completed surveys of clinical status, acute events, sociodemographic, and psychological variables. RESULTS Twenty three percent had a single admission to hospital and 16% had two or more hospital admissions. Twenty six percent had one emergency department visit and 32% had two or more visits to the emergency department. In a multiple logistic regression model, adjusted for age, sex, education and income, odds ratios (95% CI) for baseline factors associated with hospital admissions over the next 12 months were: moderate severity compared with severe asthma 0.6 (0.2 to 0.9); no hospital admissions in the past 12 months 0.1 (0.01 to 0.2); not possessing a written asthma action plan 4.0 (1.5 to 10.7); less use of an avoidance coping style 0.4 (0.3 to 0.7); lower preferences for autonomy in asthma management decisions 1.4 (0.96 to 2.0). Adjusted odds ratios (95% CI) for repeat emergency department visits were: moderate asthma severity 0.3 (0.1 to 0.8); current regular use of oral corticosteroids 10.0 (3.1 to 32.4); a hospital admission in the past 12 months 2.9 (1.8 to 4.8); not possessing a written asthma action plan 2.2 (1.1 to 5.6); less dislike of asthma medications 0.7 (0.5 to 0.9). CONCLUSIONS In addition to factors relating to severity, not possessing a written asthma action plan, avoidance coping, and attitudes to self-management were related to acute use of health services in this at risk group. Interventions need to address or take these factors into account to reduce asthma morbidity.
Affordable access to multimedia by exploiting collateral data

In addition to multimedia collections and their metadata, there often is a variety of collateral data sources available on (parts of) a collection. Collateral data - secondary information objects that relate to the primary multimedia documents - can be very useful in the process of automated generation of annotations for multimedia archives in that they reduce both costs and effort in annotation and access. Furthermore, they can be used to enhance result presentation in retrieval engines. To optimally exploit collateral data, methods for automatic indexing as well as changes in the current archiving workflow are proposed.
The Diusion of Technology, Education and Income Inequality: Evidence from Developed and Developing Countries

This paper provides empirical evidence that the interaction between technological change and the quality of education explains both the growth of inequality during the 1980s and 1990s, and also the diverse patterns of inequality dynamics observed in developing countries. In order to quantify the change in the arrival rate of new technologies for a broad spectrum of developed and developing countries, I isolate the high skill factor content of imports. This measure captures the new technologies embodied within imports. To do so, I employ a Poisson gravity model of bilateral trade with importer and exporter fixed eects, which generates a proxy for technological change for over one hundred countries. Using cross-country regressions, I find that: (1) a higher skilled factor content of imports significantly increases the change in inequality, reflecting the skill-biased nature of technological change; (2) a higher quality of education reduces the change in inequality, reflecting a greater ability of the work force in adapting to new technologies; and (3) the interaction of these terms is negatively related to the change in inequality. Taken together, the results imply that a faster rate of technological progress increases inequality more so if the quality of education is low. The evidence explains why inequality remained constant or even fell in East Asian countries with a high quality of education, while inequality grew within Latin America with a relatively lower quality of education.
An Algorithm for Determining Mobile Station Location Based on Space Segmentation

An algorithm to determine mobile station location using segmentation of space, taking the set of nearest base stations as the segmentation criterion, is proposed. According to the set of nearest base stations observed by the mobile station, the algorithm selects a precalculated segment where the mobile station is located. By assuming uniform probability density for the mobile station location within the segment, the expectation for the mobile station coordinates is computed. Application of the algorithm is illustrated by simulation of a real GSM network. The algorithm is characterized by low computational cost and traffic burden.
Association of apolipoprotein B, apolipoprotein A, and the its ratio with body fat distribution

Background: To evaluate the association of apolipoprotein B (apoB), apolipoprotein A (apoA), and apoB/apoA ratio with the body fat indicators in patients with stable angina pectoris (SA). Materials and Methods: One hundred and twenty two participants aged 40-60 years old, with a mean age of 52.1 ± 7.2 years and SA, were recruited for the present study. Body weight, height, and waist circumference (WC) were measured, and waist to height ratio (WHtR) was calculated. After 12 hours of fasting, a blood sample was obtained and serum levels of apoB and apoA were measured and the apoB/apoA ratio was calculated. These patients underwent an abdominal computerized tomography scan (CTS) to assess visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue (VAT, SAT). Linear regressions were computed to assess the relation of apoB, apoA, and their ratio with various measurements of adiposity (VAT, SAT, WC, and WHtR), with adjustment for age, sex, and BMI ≥ 25, WC ≥ 80 in women and WC ≥ 90 in men and WHtR ≥ 0.59. Results: From totally 123 patients with SA with a mean age of 52.1 ± 7.2 years, 44.7% male and 55.3% women were entered. Significant positive associations were found between visceral fat area and the apoB/apoA ratio (P = 0.02, β = 0.2), and significant negative correlations were observed between visceral fat area and apoA concentrations (P = 0.04, β = −0.2). Conclusion: As abdominal fat accumulation is associated with other risk factors such as apolipoproteins in ischemic patients, then we most focus on control of these factors.
Determinants of low loan repayment on cotton inputs in Bariadi district, Tanzania

Input loan plays a vital role on economic transformations to cotton farming households. However, their acquisition and repayment are characterized by numerous challenges, including high defaults among beneficiaries. This study intended to examine factors contributing to low loan repayment on cotton inputs; and sought to improve its supply to farmers in Bariadi district. Primary and secondary data were collected from farmers and ginners respectively. A purposive and two stage stratified sampling was used to select four wards which received input loans and get a total of 112 respondents, with 70 defaulter and 42 non-defaulter farmers depending on proportions of default for 2011/12 cropping season. Descriptive tand chi-square statistics were used to describe demographic, farming, socioeconomic, inputs credit requisition, use and repayment characteristics. Results showed significant differences between defaulters and nondefaulters with respect to age, marital status, education, family size, experience in farming, land area under cotton, access to extension, input supplier company, sufficiency of inputs, other sources of loan, perception, training and conditions imposed on loan repayment. Probit model was adopted to determine confounding factors to low input loan repayment among cotton farmers. Results showed that seed cotton harvested (-), type of input (+), input supplier company (+), timeliness delivery of inputs (+), perception on input loan (-), training on loan repayment (-), interval on loan collection (-) and conditions on input loan repayment (-) were statistically significant at p<0.001, p<0.01 and p<0.1. To enhance loan recovery among cotton farmers’; policies efficient on increasing productivity, reviewing beneficiary groups, effective training, close monitoring and development of risk mitigation strategies on repayment conditions should be advocated. However, further disbursement of loan should be targeted to farmers who are
First-line chemotherapy with 5-FU and platinum for advanced and recurrent cancer of the cervix: a Phase II study

This study was designed to assess the role of first-line chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and platinum in the treatment of advanced or recurrent cervical cancer. Ten patients with advanced or recurrent cancer of the cervix with no prior chemotherapy were entered in a phase II trial from October 2000 to November 2001. Eight patients were treated with Cis-platinum (50 mg/m2 over 60 minutes on the first day) followed by 5-FU (1 g/m2 over 24 hours for 4 days) and two patients with impaired renal function were treated with carboplatin (300 mg/m2 over 15 minutes on the first day) followed by 5-FU (1 g/m2 over 24 hours for 4 days) every 3 weeks until progression of disease or prohibitive toxicity had been observed. Median age was 52 years (range 28–70 years). Ten patients received a total of 42 cycles of chemotherapy. The mean number of chemotherapy cycles was 4.2 (median 4, range 3–7). Three patients had a partial response (30%, 95% CI, 1.7–58.5%). Mean duration of response was 198 days (range 122–273 days). Four patients required red blood cell transfusions; three of them had Grade II and one of the Grade III nausea and vomiting. Two had fever and neutropenia (one developed acute renal insufficiency), and there were no treatment related mortalities. First-line chemotherapy with platinum and 5-FU for advanced and recurrent cervical cancer is promising and deserves consideration for a larger phase III trial.
PREVALENCE OF CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE IN SURGICAL POPULATIONS

Recent findings Recent developments in defining chronic kidney disease have coincided with an increased recognition of the prognostic importance of even mild preoperative renal dysfunction and the incorporation of more refined estimates of renal function into one of the most widely used risk prediction scores for cardiac surgery. In addition, several novel markers appear to hold promise as better predictors of perioperative outcome in general and acute kidney injury in particular.
Ten(HL)-test results and psychophysical tuning curves for subjects with auditory neuropathy

Auditory neuropathy is a hearing disorder characterized by abnormal or absent auditory brainstem responses, and the presence of otoacoustic emissions and/or cochlear microphonics, indicating normal functioning of the outer hair cells. Here, subjects with auditory neuropathy, with near-normal hearing to moderate hearing loss, were tested using the TEN(HL) test for diagnosis of dead regions and also using psychophysical tuning curves (PTCs). Results for the majority of subjects met the TEN(HL)-test criteria at one or more frequencies (often at several or all frequencies). However, the PTCs did not show shifted tips. Hence, the positive results of the TEN(HL) test should not be interpreted as indicating the presence of dead regions. Rather, it appears that high thresholds in noise are caused by poor processing efficiency, perhaps associated with loss of neural synchrony.
Bioconversion potential of Trichoderma viride HN1 cellulase for a lignocellulosic biomass Saccharum spontaneum

The industrialisation of lignocellulose conversion is impeded by expensive cellulase enzymes required for saccharification in bioethanol production. Current research undertakes cellulase production from pretreated Saccharum spontaneum through Trichoderma viride HN1 under submerged fermentation conditions. Pretreatment of substrate with 2% NaOH resulted in 88% delignification. Maximum cellulase production (2603 ± 16.39 U/mL/min carboxymethyl cellulase and 1393 ± 25.55 U/mL/min FPase) was achieved at 6% substrate at pH 5.0, with 5% inoculum, incubated at 35°C for 120 h of fermentation period. Addition of surfactant, Tween 80 and metal ion Mn+2, significantly enhanced cellulase yield. This study accounts proficient cellulase yield through process optimisation by exploiting cheaper substrate to escalate their commercial endeavour.
Natalizumab-associated progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy.

intestinal peptide loss leads to impaired CNS parenchymal T-cell infiltration and resistance to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. can sustain CNS microglia maintenance and function throughout adult life. signals control microglia.positive T cell-mediated neuroprotection requires dual compartment antigen presentation. origin of pathological grooming in Hoxb8 mutant mice.
Verification of Intermediate Hosts in the Life Cycles of Microsporidia by Small Subunit rDNA Sequencing

Small subunit rDNA sequences were obtained from field‐collected Amblyospora connections (Microsporida: Amblyosporidae) spores isolated from the mosquito, Aedes cantator (Diptera: Culicidae), and from field collected spores isolated from the putative intermediate host, Acanthocyclops vernalis (Copepoda: Cyclopidae). The ribosomal DNA sequences of the spores isolated from the two hosts were identical. These findings corroborate previous laboratory transmission studies and validate the intermediary role of A. vernalis in the life cycle of this microsporidium. These data represent the first comparative sequence analysis of a microsporidium isolated from its definitive and intermediate hosts. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of using rDNA sequence data for screening potential intermediate hosts. Unlike laboratory transmission tests, which can take months or years to complete, this technique can be completed in days and can be performed on a single infected organism.
Parallel Irregular Fusion Estimation Based on Nonlinear Filter for Indoor RFID Tracking System

In practical RFID tracking systems, usually it is impossible that the readers are placed right with a “grid” structure, so effective estimation method is required to obtain the accurate trajectory. Due to the data-driven mechanism, measurement of RFID system is sampled irregularly; therefore the traditional recursive estimation may fail from K to K + 1 sampling point. Moreover, because the distribution density of the readers is nonuniform and multiple measurements might be implemented simultaneously, fusion of estimations also needs to be considered. In this paper, an irregular estimation strategy with parallel structure was developed, where the dynamic model update and states fusion estimation were processed synchronously to achieve real-time indoor RFID tracking. Two nonlinear estimation methods were proposed based on the extended Kalman filter (EKF) and unscented Kalman filter (UKF), respectively. The tracking performances were compared, and the simulation results show that the developed UKF method got lower covariance in indoor RFID tracking while the EKF one cost less calculating time.
Advanced Knowledge of Three Important Classes of Grape Phenolics: Anthocyanins, Stilbenes and Flavonols

Grape is qualitatively and quantitatively very rich in polyphenols. In particular, anthocyanins, flavonols and stilbene derivatives play very important roles in plant metabolism, thanks to their peculiar characteristics. Anthocyanins are responsible for the color of red grapes and wines and confer organoleptic characteristics on the wine. They are used for chemotaxonomic studies and to evaluate the polyphenolic ripening stage of grape. They are natural colorants, have antioxidant, antimicrobial and anticarcinogenic activity, exert protective effects on the human cardiovascular system, and are used in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Stilbenes are vine phytoalexins present in grape berries and associated with the beneficial effects of drinking wine. The principal stilbene, resveratrol, is characterized by anticancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective activity. Resveratrol dimers and oligomers also occur in grape, and are synthetized by the vine as active defenses against exogenous attack, or produced by extracellular enzymes released from pathogens in an attempt to eliminate undesirable toxic compounds. Flavonols are a ubiquitous class of flavonoids with photo-protection and copigmentation (together with anthocyanins) functions. The lack of expression of the enzyme flavonoid 3′,5′-hydroxylase in white grapes restricts the presence of these compounds to quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin derivatives, whereas red grapes usually also contain myricetin, laricitrin and syringetin derivatives. In the last ten years, the technological development of analytical instrumentation, particularly mass spectrometry, has led to great improvements and further knowledge of the chemistry of these compounds. In this review, the biosynthesis and biological role of these grape polyphenols are briefly introduced, together with the latest knowledge of their chemistry.
Molecular basis of semaphorin-mediated axon guidance.

The semaphorin family of proteins constitute one of the major cues for axonal guidance. The prototypic member of this family is Sema3A, previously designated semD/III or collapsin-1. Sema3A acts as a diffusible, repulsive guidance cue in vivo for the peripheral projections of embryonic dorsal root ganglion neurons. Sema3A binds with high affinity to neuropilin-1 on growth cone filopodial tips. Although neuropilin-1 is required for Sema3A action, it is incapable of transmitting a Sema3A signal to the growth cone interior. Instead, the Sema3A/neuropilin-1 complex interacts with another transmembrane protein, plexin, on the surface of growth cones. Certain semaphorins, other than Sema3A, can bind directly to plexins. The intracellular domain of plexin is responsible for initiating the signal transduction cascade leading to growth cone collapse, axon repulsion, or growth cone turning. This intracellular cascade involves the monomeric G-protein, Rac1, and a family of neuronal proteins, the CRMPs. Rac1 is likely to be involved in semaphorin-induced rearrangements of the actin cytoskeleton, but how plexin controls Rac1 activity is not known. Vertebrate CRMPs are homologous to the Caenorhabditis elegans unc-33 protein, which is required for proper axon morphology in worms. CRMPs are essential for Sema3A-induced, neuropilin-plexin-mediated growth cone collapse, but the molecular interactions of growth cone CRMPs are not well defined. Mechanistic aspects of plexin-based signaling for semaphorin guidance cues may have implications for other axon guidance events and for the basis of growth cone motility.
Novel compact MIMO antenna for WLAN application

The present paper considers the design of a novel two port planar dipole-like antenna utilizing pattern diversity for MIMO wireless applications at WLAN. The envelope correlation coefficient calculated using simulated scattering parameters over the entire operating frequency band indicate low correlation and consequently good diversity/MIMO performance. The MIMO system has low mutual coupling, low envelope correlation, good diversity gain and high efficiency over the frequency band. The antenna design parameters and simulation results are discussed.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging is Superior to Cardiac Scintigraphy to Identify Nonresponders to Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy

Background: Left ventricular (LV) postero‐lateral scar and total scar burden are factors responsible for a poor response to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). Contrast‐enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) and 99mTc‐2‐methoxy isobutyl isonitrile single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) perfusion imaging are widely used to detect myocardial scar tissue; however, their ability to detect regional scars and predict a positive response to CRT has not been fully evaluated.
A study of radio network design strategies

The paper deals with the problem of performance of radio network design strategies for cellular systems under uncertain load conditions. As a first exploratory step, it examines the simplest possible case of a one-dimensional traffic region with homogeneous propagation conditions. Three strategies are defined in sufficient detail, among them two possible interpretations of the general cell splitting methodology. Our results indicate that the stable existence of networks composed of cells of different size is crucial to the efficiency of a radio network design strategy.