Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An 8-kb/s conjugate structure CELP (CS-CELP) speech coder

This paper describes a high-quality 8-kb/s speech coder called conjugate structure code-excited linear prediction (CS-CELP) with a 10-ms frame length. To provide a short delay and high quality under both error-free and channel error conditions, it uses three new schemes: line spectrum pair (LSP) quantization using interframe prediction, preselection in the codebook search, and gain vector quantization (VQ) with backward prediction. The LSP parameters are quantized by using multistage VQ with moving-average (MA) prediction. This scheme can operate efficiently with various frequency responses of speech. The preselection of the codebook reduces the computational complexity and improves the robustness to channel errors. The gain VQ with backward prediction can provide a high quality and robustness without transmission of input speech power information. A conjugate structure for both random codebook and gain codebook is introduced to improve the ability to handle random bit errors and to reduce codebook storage memory requirements. Subjective testing indicates that the quality of this coder is equivalent to that of 32-kb/s adaptive differential pulse code modulation (ADPCM) under error-free conditions. Testing has further demonstrated that the coder is robust against random bit errors.
Activation and Inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus Group 2 AgrC by synthetic AIP and its derivatives

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the main significant pathogens that are wide spread in human environment. It is responsible for several diseases some of which are considered as life threatening. Although many antibiotics are available, there is the possibility that the organism may develop a new mechanism to evade the effect of those drugs. Many bacteria have been recognised as multiple antibiotic resistant which increase the need to invent a new techniques that can be used to control the spread of those infectious organism. In fact, using quorum sensing (QS) to dominate virulence factors has been shown to have good results. In this project, a group 2 agr bio-reporter was constructed after identifying the correct start codon of the AgrC gene. Then several synthetic AIPs were used in order to activate or inhibit the bio-reporter. There was an obvious inhibition by using AIP-I and Ala5 (AIP-I), while using AIPI-IV presented no inhibition against AgrC-2 activation. A new AIP molecule (CpgAIP73) was used in this study which showed very little inhibition by using the highest concentration (100nM). It is becoming increasingly important to create potent antibacterial agents; inhibition of QS is an excellent mechanism to potentially reduce the virulence of these bacteria
Dispatching Stochastic Heterogeneous Resources Accounting for Grid and Battery Losses

We compute an optimal day-ahead dispatch plan for distribution networks with stochastic resources and batteries, while accounting for grid and battery losses. We formulate and solve a scenario-based AC Optimal Power Flow (OPF), which is by construction non-convex. We explain why the existing relaxation methods do not apply and we propose a novel iterative scheme, corrected DistFlow (CoDistFlow), to solve the scenario-based AC OPF problem in radial networks. It uses a modified branch flow model for radial networks with angle relaxation that accounts for line shunt capacitances. At each step, it solves a convex problem based on a modified DistFlow OPF with correction terms for line losses and node voltages. Then, it updates the correction terms using the results of a full load flow. We prove that under a mild condition, a fixed point of CoDistFlow provides an exact solution to the full AC power flow equations. We propose treating battery losses similarly to grid losses by using a single-port electrical equivalent instead of battery efficiencies. We evaluate the performance of the proposed scheme in a simple and real electrical networks. We conclude that grid and battery losses affect the feasibility of the day-ahead dispatch plan and show how CoDistFlow can handle them correctly.
CELF1, a Multifunctional Regulator of Posttranscriptional Networks

In order to assure the precise utilization of genetic information, gene expression is regulated at the level of transcription as well as multiple post-transcriptional levels including splicing, transport, localization, mRNA stability, and translation [1],[2],[3],[4],[5],[6],[7]. During evolution, cells developed precise mechanisms to ensure that each transcript is appropriately stored, modified, translated or degraded, depending on the need for the mRNA or encoded protein by the cell. Steady-state protein levels within a cell correlate poorly with steady-state levels of mRNA, leading scientists to hypothesize that the gene expression is regulated at post-transcriptional levels [8]. Work over the past quarter century has resulted in the identification of unifying concepts in post-transcriptional regulation. One unifying concept states is that post-transcriptional regulation is mediated by two major molecular components: cis-acting regulatory sequence elements and trans-acting factors. Cisacting regulatory sequence elements are sub-sequences contained in the 5’ untranslated region (UTR), coding region, and 3’UTR of mRNA that are selectively recognized by a complementary set of one or more trans-acting factors to regulate post-transcriptional gene expression. Trans-acting factors include RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) which are able to influence the fate of mRNA by controlling processes such as translation and mRNA degradation (reviewed in references [9],[10],[11],[12]). The combinatorial interplay between various miRNAs and RBPs binding to a given mRNA allows for the transcript specific regulation critical to many cellular decisions during development [13],[14],[15],[16] and in response to environmental stimuli (reviewed in references [17],[18],[19],[20],[21],[22]).
Status of long‐term asymptomatic HIV‐1 infection correlates with viral load but not with virus replication properties and cell tropism

Qualitative and quantitative virological parameters were investigated in 68 long‐term nonprogressor (LTNP) HIV‐1‐infected patients and 9 slow‐progressor controls. LTNP status was defined as an asymptomatic HIV infection for at least 8 years, a stability of CD4+ cell counts ≥600 cells/mm3 and no antiretroviral therapy. LTNP subjects exhibited a lower median plasma RNA load than controls (6,000 vs 40,000 RNA copies/ml) despite a wide range of values in both groups. When compared to the control group, LTNP subjects also exhibited a lower virus isolation rate (65% vs 100%) and cell‐associated viremia (0.75 vs. 56.8 number of infectious unit/million cells) when CD8‐depleted CD4+ cells were tested. By contrast, no major differences in virus replication properties or cell tropism were observed. After 1 year of follow‐up, no major overall changes in the virological parameters was observed in the 50 LTNP subjects evaluated at this time. However, nine patients had started antiretroviral therapy, and six others had increased viral loads. Despite the progression observed during the first year of follow‐up, the hypothesis that there is a specific subgroup of LTNP patients who will not develop disease cannot be ruled out as yet. J. Med. Virol. 58:256–263, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Isolation of Pathogenic Bacteria from Poultry Wastages at Chennai Suburban

India is one of the largest broiler producers in the world. Huge quantities of poultry wastages are generated and dumping of these wastes causes several environmental pollution problems. One of the serious problems is, it also serves as a nutritional source for the growth of several pathogenic bacteria and thereby causes disease outbreaks. This work addresses this environmental issue through enumeration, isolation and identification of microorganisms from the dumping sites of poultry wastages. Samples were collected from five different regions and bacterial isolates obtained were then purified into pure culture and identified based on their morphological, cultural and biochemical tests by standard microbiological procedures. The isolated pathogenic organisms were Vibrio choleare, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Salmonella typhi, Shigella dysenteriae, Shigella sonnei and Klebsiella pneumonia. The colonization of pathogenic bacteria in poultry waste dumping sites is highly hazardous to the environment and these poultry wastages need a prompt disposal system.
Cytokine-induced respiratory burst of human neutrophils: dependence on extracellular matrix proteins and CD11/CD18 integrins

Human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) released large quantities of hydrogen peroxide in response to tumor necrosis factor, but only when the cells were adherent to surfaces coated with extracellular matrix proteins. The PMN did not respond when exposed to cytokines and matrix proteins in suspension, or when exposed to cytokines while adherent to surfaces coated with stearic acid. PMN from children with genetic deficiency of the CD11/CD18 integrins underwent a normal respiratory burst upon adherence to uncoated polystyrene, but not in response to tumor necrosis factor when tested on polystyrene that was coated with serum, fibronectin, vitronectin, fibrinogen, thrombospondin, or laminin. Anti-CD18 antibodies, alone of sixteen antibodies tested, induced a similar defect in PMN from normal donors, when the PMN were tested on surfaces coated with serum, fibrinogen, thrombospondin, or laminin; no defect was induced by the anti-CD18 monoclonal antibody IB4 in normal PMN tested on surfaces coated with fibronectin or vitronectin. Thus, for cytokines to induce a respiratory burst in PMN, the cells must be able to use CD11/CD18 integrins and must interact with matrix proteins in the solid phase. CD11/CD18, which is already known to serve as a receptor for fibrinogen, may also be a receptor for thrombospondin and laminin. Finally, receptor(s) exist on PMN for fibronectin and vitronectin which are not blocked by the anti-CD18 antibody IB4 but which are nonetheless CD11/CD18 dependent.
The in£uence of fertilizer level and spore density on arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization of transgenic Bt11maize (Zeamays) in experimental microcosms

Crop plants genetically modiﬁed for the expression of Bacillus thuringiensis ( Bt ) insecticidal toxins have broad appeal for reducing insect damage in agricultural systems, yet questions remain about the impact of Bt plants on symbiotic soil organisms. Here, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) colonization of transgenic maize isoline Bt 11 (expressing Cry1Ab) and its non- Bt parental line (Providence) was evaluated under different fertilizer level and spore density scenarios. In a three-way factorial design, Bt 11 and non- Bt maize were inoculated with 0, 40, or 80 spores of Glomus mosseae and treated weekly with ‘No’ (0 g L (cid:2) 1 ), ‘Low’ (0.23 g L (cid:2) 1 ), or ‘High’ (1.87 g L (cid:2) 1 ) levels of a complete fertilizer and grown for 60 days in a greenhouse. While no difference in AMF colonization was detected between the Bt 11 and Providence maize cultivars in the lower spore/higher fertilizer treatments, microcosm experiments demonstrated a signiﬁcant reduction in AMF colonization in Bt 11 maize roots in the 80 spore treatments when fertilizer was limited. These results conﬁrm previous work indicating an altered relationship between this Bt 11 maize isoline and AMF and demonstrate that the magnitude of this response is strongly dependent on both nutrient supply and AMF spore inoculation level.
The complete mitochondrial genome of Ircinia sp. (Dictyoceratida: Irciniidae)

Abstract The mitochondrial genome of Ircinia sp. (Dictyoceratida: Irciniidae) is a circular molecule of 16,037 bp in length, containing 14 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes, 2 transfer RNA genes (trnW and trnM) and 13 non-coding segments. All genes are distributed in the same strand (H-strand). The overall base composition of the H-strand is as follows: T (37.84%), C (11.22%), A (24.81%), G (26.13%), with GC- and AT-skew of 0.399 and −0.208, respectively, reflecting unbalanced base composition between the two strands. The non-coding regions are 1190 bp in total length, with high AT content (76.31%). The current mitochondrial genome is identical to that of sibling species I. strobilina in gene order and contents, but differs from the latter in the presence of two kinds of repetitive sequences in the non-coding regions, of which one could form repetitive hairpin-forming elements.
Role of Innate Immunity in Neonatal Infection

Abstract Newborns are at increased risk of infection due to genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors. Herein we examine the roles of the neonatal innate immune system in host defense against bacterial and viral infections. Full-term newborns express a distinct innate immune system biased toward TH2-/TH17-polarizing and anti-inflammatory cytokine production with relative impairment in TH1-polarizing cytokine production that leaves them particularly vulnerable to infection with intracellular pathogens. In addition to these distinct features, preterm newborns also have fragile skin, impaired TH17-polarizing cytokine production, and deficient expression of complement and of antimicrobial proteins and peptides (APPs) that likely contribute to susceptibility to pyogenic bacteria. Ongoing research is identifying APPs, including bacterial/permeability-increasing protein and lactoferrin, as well as pattern recognition receptor agonists that may serve to enhance protective newborn and infant immune responses as stand-alone immune response modifiers or vaccine adjuvants.
Tibolone and the Promise of Ideal Hormone-Replacement Therapy

n engl j med 359;7 www.nejm. org august 14, 2008 753 Future PCI/stent use among stable angina patients could 2. depend on COURAGE: managed care first report. (Accessed July 25, 2008, at http://www.mccfirstreport.com/show_story. php? newsid=1172.) Weintraub WS, Spertus JA, Kolm P, et al. Effect of PCI on 3. quality of life in patients with stable coronary disease. N Engl J Med 2008;359:677-87. Spertus JA, Winder JA, Dewhurst TA, et al. Development and 4. evaluation of the Seattle Angina Questionnaire: a new functional status measure for coronary artery disease. J Am Coll Cardiol 1995;25:333-41. Hays RD, Morales LS. The RAND-36 measure of health5. related quality of life. Ann Med 2001;33:350-7. Shaw LJ, Berman DS, Maron DJ, et al. Optimal medical ther6. apy with or without percutaneous coronary intervention to reduce ischemic burden: results from the Clinical Outcomes Utilizing Revascularization and Aggressive Drug Evaluation (COURAGE) trial nuclear substudy. Circulation 2008;117: 1283-91. ACC NCDR data. Durham, NC: Duke Clinical Research Insti7. tute, 2008.
Domain architecture and the ICL 2900 series

The resilience of large operating systems has been of concern since their inception. Out of this concern has arisen a general approach to protection, here described as the Domain Concept. In this paper, after summarizing the concept and some interpretations of it, the architecture of the large operating system VME/B on the ICL 2900 series is described and examined to discover how near to that concept is its approach. The consequence of a domain architecture, that such a machine should be suitable for the implementation of subsystems, is investigated with emphasis on subsystems written by a user for his own private purposes.
Extremophilic Actinomycetes , Distributed in Various Types of Soils of Georgia and their Protease Activity

Protease activity of actinomycetes isolated from various soil types of Georgia has been studied. Protease activity strains have been identified among mesophilic and extremophilic actinomycetes. Some strains of mesophilic, alkaliphilic and halophilic actinomycetes are characterized by alkaline protease activity. Their pH optimum for enzyme activity is 10-11. Strains of mesophilic actinomycetes: Streptomyces glaucus 71MD, Streptomyces levoris 114D, Streptomyces coelicolor 774 are of great interest. Their enzymatic activity at pH-11 corresponded 2.5unit/ml, 1.3unit/ml, 2.3unit/ ml, respectively. Alkaliphilic actinomycetes strains Streptomyces streptomycini 204A and Nocardia paloris 206A with protease activity 0.85unit/ml and 1.1unit/ml respectively are also important strains. Optimum pH of enzyme activity is 10. Halophilic strain spp. 387H reveals maximum enzyme activity at pH-10 – 1.2unit/ml. © 2010 Bull. Georg. Natl. Acad. Sci.
Determining the gluten content of nonprescription drugs: information for patients with celiac disease.

OBJECTIVES To determine whether the information on the gluten content of nonprescription drugs is readily available from the manufacturer/supplier, to identify how patients are directed on the product labeling to obtain answers to questions that they have about the nonprescription medication, and to determine the time needed to obtain information about the gluten content of the product when contacting manufacturers/suppliers. DESIGN Descriptive, exploratory, nonexperimental study. SETTING United States during July 2010. PARTICIPANTS Manufacturers/suppliers of 41 nonprescription drug products. INTERVENTION The packaging of the products was reviewed for information on gluten content. The manufacturer/supplier listed on each product's packaging was contacted using the phone number provided and questioned about the gluten content of the product. A uniform script was used for the telephone inquiry. The responses provided and the duration of the phone calls were documented. The manufacturer's websites also were reviewed for pertinent information. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Gluten status of products, time spent on phone to determine gluten status, and availability of online information regarding gluten status. RESULTS Information concerning the gluten content was not included on any of the products' packaging. The mean time required to receive a response was 6.2 minutes (median 5 minutes). A total of 15 products were reported to be gluten free; 13 products were not tested, but the manufacturer/supplier stated that they did not add gluten to the products; 9 products did not have any gluten added by the manufacturer/ supplier, but no guarantee was made that the raw ingredients were gluten free; 2 products contained gluten; and 2 products had no available gluten status information. Gluten information was found on product websites for a total of six products. Four of those six websites indicated gluten status that was different from the information provided via the telephone call with the manufacturer. CONCLUSION Information concerning the gluten content of many nonprescription drugs is relatively easy for patients to obtain if the manufacturer/supplier is contacted. Although the time to obtain a response was quite short for many of the inquiries, it took a substantial amount of time to receive the requested information from some of the companies.
The WiggleZ Dark Energy Survey: improved distance measurements to z = 1 with reconstruction of the baryonic acoustic feature

We present significant improvements in cosmic distance measurements from the WiggleZ Dark Energy Survey, achieved by applying the reconstruction of the baryonic acoustic feature technique. We show using both data and simulations that the reconstruction technique can often be effective despite patchiness of the survey, significant edge effects and shot-noise. We investigate three redshift bins in the redshift range 0.2 < z < 1, and in all three find improvement after reconstruction in the detection of the baryonic acoustic feature and its usage as a standard ruler. We measure model-independent distance measures D_V(r_s^(fid)/r_s) of 1716 ± 83, 2221 ± 101, 2516 ± 86 Mpc (68 per cent CL) at effective redshifts z = 0.44, 0.6, 0.73, respectively, where D_V is the volume-averaged distance, and r_s is the sound horizon at the end of the baryon drag epoch. These significantly improved 4.8, 4.5 and 3.4 per cent accuracy measurements are equivalent to those expected from surveys with up to 2.5 times the volume of WiggleZ without reconstruction applied. These measurements are fully consistent with cosmologies allowed by the analyses of the Planck Collaboration and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. We provide the D_V(r_s^(fid)/r_s) posterior probability distributions and their covariances. When combining these measurements with temperature fluctuations measurements of Planck, the polarization of Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe 9, and the 6dF Galaxy Survey baryonic acoustic feature, we do not detect deviations from a flat Λ cold dark matter (ΛCDM) model. Assuming this model, we constrain the current expansion rate to H_0 = 67.15 ± 0.98 km s^(−1)Mpc^(−1). Allowing the equation of state of dark energy to vary, we obtain w_(DE) = −1.080 ± 0.135. When assuming a curved ΛCDM model we obtain a curvature value of Ω_K = −0.0043 ± 0.0047.
PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING AMONG SINGLE MOTHERS OF RURAL AND URBAN AREAS IN SELANGOR

This study explores whether differences in levels of psychological well-being exist between single mothers living in urban and rural areas in Selangor. Field studies were conducted on single mothers in both locations by using structured interviews. Psychological well-being questionnaires were modified by the researcher based on the Psychological well-being Scale (Ryff 1989). Psychological well-being was measured in terms of autonomy, control environment, personal development and positive relationship. This study involved 40 single mothers from Kota Damansara, Selangor and 40 single mothers from various villages in Sabak Bernam, Selangor. Data were analyzed with SPSS software using t-test. Result shows that the levels of psychological well-being between the two groups were not significantly different (t = 0.337, k>0.05). Future research can be improved by looking at single mothers from different state or district. Implications are also discussed.
Unsupervised image sequence segmentation based on hidden Markov tree model

This paper presents a novel unsupervised image sequence segmentation method using hierarchical wavelet domain hidden Markov tree model(WDHMT). The key idea is that with a priori information introduced into the segmentation framework, we can capture both local and global statistical information using WDHMT model. Firstly, each frame extracted from the image sequence is transformed through discrete wavelet transform(DWT) to obtain a compressive representation of the original one. Then we capture the context information of wavelet coefficients at each level through tree-structured probabilistic graph. After the model parameters are learned through up-down iterated expectation maximization(EM) algorithm, we deduced the maximum likelihood(ML) segmentation at the finest level. The boundary information is then fused with the a priori region information. Finally, we quantitatively evaluated the performance of this algorithm by using a sequence of tobacco leaf images polluted by Gaussian white noise. The simulation results show that the proposed algorithm can achieve high classification accuracy, preferable specificity and sensitivity properties.
3 Algebraic geometry of 2 × 2 contingency tables

Contingency tables represent the joint distribution of categorical variables. In this chapter we use modern algebraic geometry to update the geometric representation of 2 × 2 contingency tables first explored in (Fienberg 1968) and (Fienberg and Gilbert 1970). Then we use this geometry for a series of new ends including various characterizations of the joint distribution in terms of combinations of margins, conditionals, and odds ratios. We also consider incomplete characterisations of the joint distribution and the link to latent class models and to the phenomenon known as Simpson’s paradox. Many of the ideas explored here generalise rather naturally to I × J and higher-way tables. We end with a brief discussion of generalisations and open problems.