Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Noise and Channel Distortion Robust ASR System for DARPA SPINE2 Task

This paper presents the ATR speech recognition system designed for the DARPA SPINE2 evaluation task. The system is capable of dealing with speech from highly variable, real-world noisy conditions and communication channels. A number of robust techniques are implemented, such as differential spectrum mel-scale cepstrum features, on-line MLLR adaptation, and word-level hypothesis combination, which led to a significant reduction in the word error rate. key words: noise robustness, online adaptation, hypothesis combination, robust features
Dynamic analysis of functional Magnetic Resonance Images time series based on wavelet decomposition

In the research of brain and cognitive science, the key problem of analyzing functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging(fMRI) data is not only to detect and locate the functional active signal accurately but also to obtain the dynamic changes of activated areas. This paper represents a novel approach to decompose the time series data in activated areas based on wavelet analysis for fMRI data processing; the general tendency and the periodic active components during fMRI experiments can be extracted with analyzing the wavelet coefficients through the multi-scale wavelet transforms. However, with utilizing the different wavelet function, the corresponding results can be obtained. In this paper, we propose an adaptive referenced wave function to fit the periodic active components best in a least-squares sense. The results of experiment indicate our method has better validity and reliability.
A tool for optimizing the use of a large design space for gesture guiding systems

We present a tool to help practitioners to characterize, compare and design gesture guiding systems. The tool can be used to find an example system meeting specific requirements or to start exploring an original research area based on unexplored design options. The motivation for the online tool is the large underlying design space including 35 design axes: the tool therefore helps explore and combine the various design options. Moreover the tool currently includes the description of 46 gesture guiding systems: the tool is thus also a repository of existing gesture guiding systems.
Phase-only predistortion for LINC amplifiers with Chireix-outphasing combiners

Nonlinearities in linear amplification with nonlinear components (LINC) amplifiers using Chireix-outphasing combiners are studied and their sources are identified. A generalized analytical approach for finding phase-only predistortion functions to linearize these amplifiers is presented. Two distinct analytical solutions are found and are applied for phase-only linearization. The first solution consists of a static constant phase predistortion, which is introduced in one of the two RF amplifier branches. This constant phase is determined analytically as function of the value of the reactance of the stub used in the Chireix combiner. The second solution is a variable phase-distortion function, which is derived in explicit form. The two predistortion functions preserve constant envelope operation of the amplifiers. The impact of the two predistortion functions on the combiner efficiency is also investigated. It is found, through simulation with a code-division multiple-access signal and an experimental measurement with a 16 quadrature-amplifier-modulation signal that the two predistortion functions perfectly linearize the amplifier. It also shown analytically that, with perfect linearity, the efficiency of Chireix-outphasing amplifier is reduced and is, at best, equal to that of the LINC amplifier with a resistive combiner.
Multi-user Hypertextual Didactic Glossaries

In this paper we present a multi-user hypertextual glossary prototype which can improve the learning of a group (classroom) of university students in a multimedia environment. The glossary prototype has been designed to solve the typical problems encountered when using traditional electronic and printed glossaries: the authoring problem, the loss of reading context, the fact that glossaries are traditionally closed literary works and the difficulties encountered by students trying to use them for learning foreign languages such as Italian. These problems have been minimised or solved in the glossary prototype presented in this work. A dynamic word-stemming algorithm has been implemented in the glossary to improve the handling of foreign languages. The glossary has been designed as an object- oriented application.
Nutrient Acquisition and Metabolism by Campylobacter jejuni

The gastrointestinal pathogen Campylobacter jejuni is able to colonize numerous different hosts and compete against the gut microbiota. To do this, it must be able to efficiently acquire sufficient nutrients from its environment to support its survival and rapid growth in the intestine. However, despite almost 50 years of research, many aspects as to how C. jejuni accomplishes this feat remain poorly understood. C. jejuni lacks many of the common metabolic pathways necessary for the use of glucose, galactose, or other carbohydrates upon which most other microbes thrive. It does however make efficient use of citric acid cycle intermediates and various amino acids. C. jejuni readily uses the amino acids aspartate, glutamate, serine, and proline, with certain strains also possessing additional pathways allowing for the use of glutamine and asparagine. More recent work has revealed that some C. jejuni strains can metabolize the sugar l-fucose. This finding has upset years of dogma that C. jejuni is an asaccharolytic organism. C. jejuni also possesses diverse mechanisms for the acquisition of various transition metals that are required for metabolic activities. In particular, iron acquisition is critical for the formation of iron–sulfur complexes. C. jejuni is also unique in possessing both molybdate and tungsten cofactored proteins and thus has an unusual regulatory scheme for these metals. Together these various metabolic and acquisition pathways help C. jejuni to compete and thrive in wide variety of hosts and environments.
Developmental Expression of Inositol 1, 4, 5-trisphosphate Receptor in the Post-Natal Rat Cochlea

Inositol 1, 4, 5-trisphosphate receptor (IP3R) has been established to be essential for hearing. However, the expression of IP3R in the cochlea in the period of auditory development remains unknown. We investigated the expression of IP3R in the developing rat cochlea using immunohistochemistry and real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). We observed its presence in the developing rat cochlea, and changes in IP3R protein expressions from the early post-natal period to adult. At birth (postnatal day 0, P0), IP3R expression was only found in Hensen’s cell. IP3R immunoreactivity first appeared in the sensory hair cells in the organ of Corti at P2. This localization was confirmed by means of double-labeling experiments with Myosin VIIA, a marker for cochlear hair cells. Colocalization of IP3R and Myosin VIIA from P2 to the second post-natal week suggested early expression of IP3R in developing inner and outer hair cells. Claudius’ cells near the spiral ligament were labelled for IP3R from P8 onwards. Transient IP3R expression was observed in the stria vascularis in early post-natal rat from P4 to P8. Spiral ganglion neurons also exhibited weaker IP3R fluorescence signals during post-natal development. The results of RT-PCR demonstrated that all three IP3R isoforms (IP3R1, IP3R2, and IP3R3) were present in rat cochlea during four different developmental stages of cochlea, from P0 to P28. Present immunohistochemical evidence for both change and maintenance of expression of IP3R during post-natal development of the rat cochlea indicated the possible involvement of IP3R-mediated calcium signaling in cochlear development.
Humoral-mediated clustering

This paper describes a novel clustering algorithm inspired by the humoral-mediated response triggered by the adaptive immune system. The key humoral-mediated features of the algorithm include B-cell antibodies produced through plasma cells and memory B-cell antibodies. Affinity threshold, network threshold, death threshold and negative clonal selection threshold are also used to derive intra-cluster and inter-cluster distance metrics that result in the merging of similar clusters and removal/identification of less significant clusters (outlier detection). The performance of the clustering algorithm is tested on both synthetic and real world datasets and compared with other clustering methods.
The Duress of Stress: On Dutch Clippings

1 I wish to thank Geert Booij, Caroline Fery, Jan Kooi, Micheal Redford, Anthi Revithiadou and an anonymous reviewer for useful comments on an earlier version. Furthermore I want to thank everyone whose name I have (ab)used. The data come from spontaneously spoken Dutch gathered by the author. None of the above mentioned are responsible for errors of fact or interpretation. 2 In this paper Dutch orthograpy is followed. Tense vowels /a, e, o, y/ are written with two vowels symbols if only one consonant follows. For example, kaas /kas/ 'cheese', vrees /vres/ 'fear', Koos /kos/ 'name', Truus /trys/ 'name'. Except for /e/, word-final tense vowels are written with a single symbol: spa /spa/ 'spade', alpino (capitals denote lax vowels in this footnote) /Alpino/ 'baret', paraplu /paraply/ 'umbrella'. Word-final tense Id is written with two symbols while schwa is written with one symbol: zee 'sea' versus ze 'she, they'. Word-internally, tense vowels are written with a single letter and followed by a single consonant-letter. For example baden /bade/ 'to bathe, baths', vrede /vrede/ 'peace', molen /mole/ 'mill' and buren /byre/ 'neighbors'. Tense /i, u, øl are written ie, oe and eu always: bier 'beer', boer 'farmer' and beuk 'beech'. Lax vowels are spelled with a single letter. For example, bak /bAk/ 'bake', bek /bEk/ 'bill', bok /bOk/ '(he)goat' and buk /bUk/ 'stoop'. Diphthongs are spelled ei or ij, ui and au or ou.
EuroHeart Failure Survey II (EHFS II): a survey on hospitalized acute heart failure patients: description of population.

AIMS The objective of the EuroHeart Failure Survey II (EHFS II) was to assess patient characteristics, aetiology, treatment, and outcome of acute heart failure (AHF) in Europe in relation to the guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of AHF published by the European Society of Cardiology. METHODS AND RESULTS Patients hospitalized for AHF were recruited by 133 centres in 30 European countries. Three thousand five hundred and eighty patients were entered into the database by the end of August 2005. Mean age was 70 years, and 61% of patients were male. New-onset AHF (de novo AHF) was diagnosed in 37%, of which 42% was due to acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Clinical classification according to the guidelines divided AHF patients into (i) decompensated HF (65%), (ii) pulmonary oedema (16%), (iii) HF and hypertension (11%), (iv) cardiogenic shock (4%), and (v) right HF (3%). Coronary heart disease, hypertension, and atrial fibrillation were the most common underlying conditions. Arrhythmias, valvular dysfunction, and ACS were each present as precipitating factor in one-third of cases. Preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (> or =45%) was observed in 34%. Valvular disorders were common, especially mitral regurgitation (MR) which was reported on echocardiography in 80% of patients. Median length of stay was 9 days, and in-hospital mortality 6.7%. At discharge, 80% of patients were on angiotensin-converting enzyme-inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers, whereas 61% were taking beta-blocker medication. CONCLUSION Decompensated HF is the most common clinical presentation of AHF patients. More than one-third of AHF patients do not have a previous history of HF, and new-onset HF is often caused by ACS. Preserved systolic function is found in a substantial proportion of the patients. The prevalence of valvular dysfunction is strikingly high and contributes to the clinical presentation. The EHFS II on AHF verified that the use of evidence-based HF medication was well adopted to clinical practice.
UvA-DARE ( Digital Academic Repository ) Investigating correlates of self-regulation in early childhood with a representative sample of English-speaking American families

Children who possess less self-regulatory skill are at a disadvantage when compared to children who demonstrate greater skill at regulating their emotions, cognitions and behavior. Children with these regulatory deficits have difficulty connecting with peers, generating relationships with teachers, negotiating their social world, and succeeding academically. By understanding the correlates of self-regulatory abilities, interventions can be developed to ensure that children at-risk for poor selfregulation receive the support necessary to enhance their regulatory skills. Using data from a nationally representative survey of English-speaking American parents with children between the ages of two and eight (n = 1,141), we evaluated a host of demographic and parenting variables to isolate the correlates of self-regulation. Older children were found to have fewer regulatory problems than younger children while children from low-income homes and male children were found to have greater problems with selfregulation. Minority status, household composition (single vs multi-parent), and parental education were not significant correlates of self-regulation. Findings also illustrate the powerful relationship between parenting style and selfregulation. Parents who rely on nurturing parenting practices that reinforce the child’s sense of autonomy while still maintaining a consistent parenting presence (i.e., authoritative parenting) have children who demonstrate stronger self-regulatory skills. Parents who exert an excess of parental control (i.e., authoritarian parents) have children with weaker self-regulatory skills. And lastly, parents who have notable absence of control (i.e., permissive parents) are more likely to have children with considerable regulatory deficits. Results offer implications for both practitioners and scholars.
Differential Expression of Chemokine Receptors and their Roles in Cancer Imaging

Chemokine/chemokine receptor interactions play diverse roles in cell migration and homeostasis. Emerging evidence suggests that cancer cells co-opt chemokine networks for survival, proliferation, immune evasion, and metastasis. Most of the chemokine receptors are reported to be involved in tumor progression. Given their extensive implication in cancer progression, several chemokine receptor/ligand axes are considered as potential therapeutic targets. This review provides a survey of chemokine receptor expression in cancer and evaluates the potential of chemokine receptor imaging as a tool for molecular characterization of cancer.
Design of string stable adaptive cruise controllers for highway and urban missions

In this paper, we focus on cooperative adaptive cruise control of ground vehicles and platoon stability in daily traffic. The general adaptive cruise control (ACC) structure and different cooperative adaptive cruise control (CACC) approaches are discussed for highway platooning, considering case studies for a Grand Cooperative Driving Challenge (GCDC) program the authors involved in. The hardware design and the low level control strategy for braking, throttle and gearshift actuators for these case studies are presented. Finally, the performance of a PD based CACC algorithm used in GCDC is analyzed.
Effect of Implementation of Simulation on Critical Thinking Skills in Undergraduate Baccalaureate Nursing Students

Effect of Implementation of Simulation on Critical Thinking Skills in Undergraduate Baccalaureate Nursing Students By Joanne M. Knoesel Advisor: Eleanor T. Campbell Human patient simulation (HPS) is a time and cost intensive teaching modality that is used widely in nursing education, and has been implemented with little evidence to support its efficacy (Jeffries & Rizzolo, 2006). Researchers note the lack of reliable tools to measure learning using this teaching modality, and consequentially there is a paucity of research linking critical thinking and simulation (Jeffries, 2007; Kneebone, 2003; Nehring, 2008). Nursing clinical decision making affects patient outcomes. Critical thinking is a key factor in clinical decision making. A review of the relevant literature is equivocal on the use of simulation in undergraduate nursing programs to increase critical thinking skills. The need for further research to develop evidence that simulation can enhance critical thinking is integral to continue and expand the use of simulation as a teaching-learning strategy in undergraduate nursing programs (Hayden, Smiley, Alexander, Kardong-Edgren, & Jeffries, 2014). The purpose of this quasiexperimental study was to evaluate the effect of simulation implementation on nursing students’ critical thinking skills, as measured by Health Education Systems Incorporated (HESI) exit exam critical thinking sub-scores from cohorts of baccalaureate nursing graduates, in an undergraduate nursing education program. Benner’s (1984), model From Novice to Expert, provides a theoretical framework for identifying knowledge acquisition and level of clinical expertise based on skill competency, knowledge, and experience, and underpins this study. The findings from this study may: (a) provide insight into the relationship between simulation and critical thinking; v Running head: EFFECT OF SIMULATION IMPLEMENTATION and (b) may strengthen current nursing programs to provide meaningful learning experiences in the education of nursing students that can impact learning outcomes and can affect patient safety in the future. Nursing education programs are challenged to ensure that nursing graduates have the knowledge and higher order critical thinking skills to make accurate clinical decisions, and to provide safe, high quality, cost effective care (National Council of State Boards of Nursing [NCSBN], 2013; National League of Nursing [NLN], 2003). Running head: EFFECT OF SIMULATION IMPLEMENTATION vi
The Role of Interphotoreceptor Retinoid-Binding Protein on the Translocation of Visual Retinoids and Function of Cone Photoreceptors

The first event in light perception is absorption of a photon by the retinaldehyde chromophore of an opsin pigment in a rod or cone photoreceptor cell. This induces isomerization of the chromophore, rendering the bleached pigment insensitive to light. Restoration of light sensitivity requires chemical reisomerization of retinaldehyde via a multistep enzyme pathway, called the visual cycle, in cells of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (IRBP) is present in the extracellular space between photoreceptors and the RPE. IRBP is known to bind visual retinoids. Previous studies on irbp −/− mice suggested that IRBP plays an insignificant role in opsin-pigment regeneration. However, the mice in these studies were uncontrolled for a severe mutation in the rpe65 gene. Rpe65 catalyzes the rate-limiting step in the visual cycle. Here, we examined the phenotype in irbp −/− mice homozygous for the wild-type (Leu450) rpe65 gene. We show that lack of IRBP causes delayed transfer of newly synthesized chromophore from RPE to photoreceptors. Removal of bleached chromophore from photoreceptors is also delayed in irbp −/− retinas after light exposure. It was previously shown that rods degenerate in irbp −/− mice. Here, we show that cones and rods degenerate at similar rates. However, cones are more affected functionally and show greater reductions in outer segment length than rods in irbp −/− mice. The disproportionate reductions in cone function and outer-segment length appear to result from mistrafficking of cone opsins due to impaired delivery of retinaldehyde chromophore, which functions as a chaperone for cone opsins but not rhodopsin.
An impaired alveolar-capillary barrier in vitro: effect of proinflammatory cytokines and consequences on nanocarrier interaction

The alveolar region of the lung is an important target for drug and gene delivery approaches. Treatment with drugs is often necessary under pathophysiological conditions, in which there is acute inflammation of the target organ. Therefore, in vitro models of the alveolar-capillary barrier, which mimic inflammatory conditions in the alveolar region, would be useful to analyse and predict effects of novel drugs on healthy or inflamed tissues. The epithelial cell line H441 was cultivated with primary isolated human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (HPMECs) or the endothelial cell line ISO-HAS-1 on opposite sides of a permeable filter support under physiological and inflammatory conditions. Both epithelial and endothelial cell types grew as polarized monolayers in bilayer coculture and were analysed in the presence and absence of the proinflammatory stimuli tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ). In addition, the nanocarrier polyethyleneimine (PEI) was chosen as a model compound to study cell uptake (Oregon Green (OG)-labelled PEI) and gene transfer (PEI–pDNA complex). Upon treatment with TNF-α and IFN-γ, both cocultures exhibited comparable effects on the trans-bilayer electrical resistance, the transport of sodium fluorescein and the increase in secondary cytokine release. Basolateral (endothelial side) exposure to TNF-α or simultaneous exposure to TNF-α and IFN-γ generated an alveolar-capillary barrier with inflammation-like characteristics, impaired barrier function and a local disruption of the continuous apical labelling of the tight junction plaque protein zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1). Although transfection rates of 8 per cent were obtained for H441 cells in non-polarized monocultures, apical–basolateral-differentiated (polarized) H441 in coculture could not be transfected. After basolateral cytokine exposure, uptake of fluorescently labelled PEI in polarized H441 was predominantly detected in those areas with a local disruption of ZO-1 expression. Accordingly, transfected cells were only sparsely found in coculture after basolateral costimulation with TNF-α and IFN-γ. We designed a coculture model that mimics both the structural architecture of the alveolar-capillary barrier and inflammatory mechanisms with consequences on barrier characteristics, cytokine production and nanoparticle interaction. Our model will be suitable to systematically study adsorption, uptake and trafficking of newly synthesized nanosized carriers under different physiological conditions.
Characterization of Affinity-Purified Isoforms of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus Y1 Glutathione Transferases

Glutathione transferases (GST) were purified from locally isolated bacteria, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus Y1, by glutathione-affinity chromatography and anion exchange, and their substrate specificities were investigated. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed that the purified GST resolved into a single band with a molecular weight (MW) of 23 kDa. 2-dimensional (2-D) gel electrophoresis showed the presence of two isoforms, GST1 (pI 4.5) and GST2 (pI 6.2) with identical MW. GST1 was reactive towards ethacrynic acid, hydrogen peroxide, 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene, and trans,trans-hepta-2,4-dienal while GST2 was active towards all substrates except hydrogen peroxide. This demonstrated that GST1 possessed peroxidase activity which was absent in GST2. This study also showed that only GST2 was able to conjugate GSH to isoproturon, a herbicide. GST1 and GST2 were suggested to be similar to F0KLY9 (putative glutathione S-transferase) and F0KKB0 (glutathione S-transferase III) of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus strain PHEA-2, respectively.