Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An Enroll-to-Verify Approach for Cross-Task Unseen Emotion Class Recognition

Most speech emotion recognition studies often focus on recognizing pre-set emotion classes. However, the task definition may change due to a shift in focus to a previously unseen class in real-world applications. This cross-task modeling has not been addressed previously. Lengthy data re-collection, model retraining, and the traditional adaptation and transfer learning approaches are not applicable to this cross-task setting. This study proposes an enroll-to-verify framework to avoid model retraining and rapidly perform a new task prediction using only a handful of enrolled samples. Specifically, we use negative angular margin prototypical loss in a pretrained multiclass network as an emotion encoder. Then, we enroll a few samples corresponding to emotion classes in the new task definition and simply compare the encoded embedding distance to perform recognition. In the experiments on the IEMOCAP dataset, given a four-class pretrained emotion encoder, we achieved a 71.9% unweighted average recall in the frustration (unseen) recognition task. The MELD dataset was used where the unseen class was surprise, fear, or disgust. The results revealed that enrolling only 20 samples without retraining was comparable to supervised training using the complete dataset. Further analyses were conducted to demonstrate the working mechanism of our proposed enroll-to-verify approach.
Molecular Hydrogen Neuroprotection in Post-Ischemic Neurodegeneration in the Form of Alzheimer’s Disease Proteinopathy: Underlying Mechanisms and Potential for Clinical Implementation—Fantasy or Reality?

Currently, there is a lot of public interest in naturally occurring substances with medicinal properties that are minimally toxic, readily available and have an impact on health. Over the past decade, molecular hydrogen has gained the attention of both preclinical and clinical researchers. The death of pyramidal neurons in especially the CA1 area of the hippocampus, increased permeability of the blood-brain barrier, neuroinflammation, amyloid accumulation, tau protein dysfunction, brain atrophy, cognitive deficits and dementia are considered an integral part of the phenomena occurring during brain neurodegeneration after ischemia. This review focuses on assessing the current state of knowledge about the neuroprotective effects of molecular hydrogen following ischemic brain injury. Recent studies in animal models of focal or global cerebral ischemia and cerebral ischemia in humans suggest that hydrogen has pleiotropic neuroprotective properties. One potential mechanism explaining some of the general health benefits of using hydrogen is that it may prevent aging-related changes in cellular proteins such as amyloid and tau protein. We also present evidence that, following ischemia, hydrogen improves cognitive and neurological deficits and prevents or delays the onset of neurodegenerative changes in the brain. The available evidence suggests that molecular hydrogen has neuroprotective properties and may be a new therapeutic agent in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as neurodegeneration following cerebral ischemia with progressive dementia. We also present the experimental and clinical evidence for the efficacy and safety of hydrogen use after cerebral ischemia. The therapeutic benefits of gas therapy open up new promising directions in breaking the translational barrier in the treatment of ischemic stroke.
The Sport Training Process of Para-Athletes: A Systematic Review

The aim of this systematic review was to identify the main factors affecting the training process of para-athletes, as well as the barriers they encounter. For this purpose, a systematic review was carried out in accordance with the PRISMA declaration guidelines, in which six databases were analysed (Web of Science, Scopus, SportDiscus, Pubmed, Eric, and PsycInfo). A total of 19 articles were selected for analysis after applying the inclusion criteria. The results show that the figures of the coach and families in the sporting and social contexts, respectively, had a relevant influence on the training process of para-athletes. Furthermore, in terms of psychological aspects, stress reduction, the importance of self-esteem, and motivation were highlighted. On the other hand, there are some barriers hindering the training and performance of athletes, which are related to the lack of financial support, lack of visibility in the media, and dependence on other people. These considerations can be of great help to coaches and competent institutions in the field (Paralympic committees, federations, etc.) in order to improve the training process and performance of para-athletes and to eliminate the barriers encountered by this group, promoting policies which facilitate access to sports for people with disabilities.
Kernel triplet loss for image‐text retrieval

Triplet loss is widely used as the objective function in image‐text retrieval tasks. However, as all the triplets are treated equally, triplet loss has a bottleneck problem of slow convergence and other unsatisfactory performances. In this article, we propose solutions by appropriately weighting triplets according to the relative similarities among the training samples. Specifically, we present three weighting functions to assign an appropriate weight for the selected informative triplets to accelerate the convergence. We evaluate our approach on two widely used benchmark datasets: Flickr30k and MSCOCO, with results outperforming the previous methods, which demonstrates its superiority.
Development of 80-kW High-Voltage Power Supply for X-ray Generator

This article describes the development of an 80-kW high-voltage power supply (HVPS) to drive an X-ray tube. Since the developed HVPS is based on an LCC resonant converter with a symmetrical bipolar voltage multiplier (SBVM), it shows many superior features such as soft switching capability and low voltage imbalance among stages. In addition, the proposed circuit has high power density because a series resonant capacitor is removed by using a method converting the SBVM into capacitors and the full-wave rectifier. Furthermore, a suggested transformer achieves high insulation performance and effective winding area utilization by applying half of the output voltage to the core. The detailed design based on the fundamental harmonic approximation is presented for the practical use of the LCC resonant converter with the SBVM in high voltage and high power applications. Also, some significant issues in the implementation are addressed. The performance of the developed HVPS is verified by simulations and experimental results.
FGD5 (Faciogenital Dysplasia-5) Regulates VEGF (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-A) Receptor-2 Coupling to PI3 (Phosphoinositide-3) Kinase and Receptor Recycling

Objective— VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor-A) signaling to the endothelial cell (EC) through VEGFR2 (VEGF receptor-2) is the principal cue driving new blood vessel formation. FGD5 (faciogenital dysplasia-5)—a Rho-family guanine nucleotide exchange factor—is selectively expressed in EC. Deficiency of FGD5 is embryonically lethal in mice and perturbs angiogenesis and VEGF signal transduction. However, the mechanism of FGD5 regulation of VEGF signaling is poorly understood. Approach and Results— Angiogenic sprouting and EC cytoskeletal remodeling were evaluated in a 3-dimensional (3D) in vitro model. We examined the subcellular localization of FGD5 and VEGFR2 in EC by immunofluorescent staining and studied the association by immunoprecipitation. FGD5 deficiency reduced the number of angiogenic sprouts and tip cell filopodia by ≈80% and ≈70%, respectively. These defects were accompanied by downregulation of the expression of tip cell-specific markers. FGD5 inactivation led to a decrease in EC migration and early protrusion (lamellipodia) formation. In resting and VEGF-stimulated EC, FGD5 forms a complex with VEGFR2 and was enriched at the leading edge of the cell and among endosomes. FGD5 loss reduced mammalian target of rapamycin complex-2 (mTORC2)/Akt-dependent cortactin activation downstream of VEGFR2 but did not alter VEGFR2 plasma membrane expression, Y1175 phosphorylation, or endocytosis. However, FGD5 loss decreased endosomal VEGFR2 coupling to phosphoinositide-3 kinase and diverted VEGFR2 to lysosomal degradation. Conclusions— FGD5 regulates VEGFR2 retention in recycling endosomes and coupling to PI3 (phosphoinositide-3) kinase/mTORC2-dependent cytoskeletal remodeling.
The Interactions of a Circular Synthetic Jet with a Turbulent Crossflow

The three-dimensional flow of a circular synthetic jet interacting with a turbulent crossflow is investigated with unsteady Reynold-Averaged Navier-Stokes. The effects of jet momentum are examined using three blowing ratios ( C_B=0.32, 0.67 and 1.10) at constant actuation frequency ( f=300 Hz) and approach crossflow Reynolds number, Re_theta=900, boundary layer thickness, delta/d=7.25 where d is the jet diameter. The results showed that the expelled jet is accompanied by a reverse flow region on the downstream side which undergoes alternating expansion and contraction during the jet cycle. The size of the reverse flow region and depth of penetration increased with increasing jet momentum. For the low momentum jet, the expelled flow structure evolved into a hairpin vortex which significantly enhanced the wall shear stress in the spanwise direction and near the jet exit. The higher momentum jets, on the other hand, exhibited strong vortex loops around the expelled jet column that transitioned into trailing vortex pairs and a tilted vortex ring further downstream. Along the wall, both horseshoe vortex upstream of the jet exit and tertiary vortices downstream were found attached to the wall. The strong tertiary vortices promoted downwash of fluid which significantly enhanced the wall shear stress along the symmetry plane for the medium and high momentum jets. The impact of the tertiary vortices increased with the jet momentum, offering greater potential for flow separation control.
The Overlooked Role of the Stratosphere Under a Solar Constant Reduction

Modeling experiments reducing surface temperatures via an idealized reduction of the solar constant have often been used as analogs for Stratospheric Aerosol Injection (SAI), thereby implicitly assuming that solar dimming captures the essential physical mechanism through which SAI influences surface climate. While the omission of some important processes that otherwise operate under SAI was identified before, here we demonstrate that the imposed reduction in the incoming solar radiation also induces a different stratospheric dynamical response, manifested through a weakening of the polar vortex, that propagates from the upper stratosphere down to the troposphere. The coupled stratospheric‐tropospheric response exerts a previously overlooked first‐order influence on southern hemispheric surface climate in the solar dimming experiments, including on the position of the tropospheric jet and Hadley Circulation and thus, ultimately, precipitation patterns. This perturbation, opposite to that expected under SAI, highlights the need for caution when attributing responses in idealized experiments.
Decoration of modified self‐assembly membrane by magnesium oxide and yttrium oxide nanoparticles for biosensors, supercapacitors, and water treatment

This work targets the design of a novel composite nanomaterial (NCM) based on the exchange of electro current between magnesium oxide and yttrium oxide on the surface of the synthetic self‐assembly (graphene oxide/carboxymethyl cellulose) for supercapacitors, biosensors, and photocatalytic. The different techniques utilize for the characteristic synthesized NCM such as morphology, optical properties, and structural evidence. The electrochemical behaviors and the optical properties perform emphasize the improvement of the electron transfer via the incorporation of the two metal oxides on the surface of the self‐assemble. The photocatalytic efficiency records at 85% after 80 min, and the rate constant documents at 4 × 10−3 min−1 due to the ease of the oxygen reactive species generation for removing the pollutants. The impedance spectroscopy data emphasize the development of the surface and electron transfer that enable it to be a promising candidate for supercapacitors applications. The capacitance value of CNM has been documented at 58.81 nF/cm2, also the biosensor applications for glucose and D‐galactose are detected by UV–Vis spectroscopy and the electrochemical method. From the results, the CNM is a promising candidate for water treatment membrane, supercapacitors manufacture, and biosensors applications.
The rademacher complexity of coregularized kernel classes

In the multi-view approach to semisupervised learning, we choose one predictor from each of multiple hypothesis classes, and we co-regularize our choices by penalizing disagreement among the predictors on the unlabeled data. We examine the co-regularization method used in the co-regularized least squares (CoRLS) algorithm, in which the views are reproducing kernel Hilbert spaces (RKHS's), and the disagreement penalty is the average squared difference in predictions. The final predictor is the pointwise average of the predictors from each view. We call the set of predictors that can result from this procedure the co-regularized hypothesis class. Our main result is a tight bound on the Rademacher complexity of the co-regularized hypothesis class in terms of the kernel matrices of each RKHS. We find that the co-regularization reduces the Rademacher complexity by an amount that depends on the distance between the two views, as measured by a data dependent metric. We then use standard techniques to bound the gap between training error and test error for the CoRLS algorithm. Experimentally, we find that the amount of reduction in complexity introduced by co regularization correlates with the amount of improvement that co-regularization gives in the CoRLS algorithm.
Variability of Practice in Motor Skill Acquisition: A Task Dynamics Perspective.

While previous studies attribute the superior learning associated with random practice to cognitive-mediated factors (i.e., Shea & Zimny, 1983; Lee & Magi11, 1985), the extrinsic characteristics of the task and how subjects respond to them have not been considered. One view is that blocked and random practice conditions impose differential constraints on performance (Newell & McDonald, 1992). The two experiments reported here sought to test this view, with the assumption that differences in search strategies would be identified at the level of kinematic performance. In Experiment 1, a quantitative analysis of kinematic variability was used to assess the contextual interference effect. The task involved tapping a series of disks in a particular pattern with a hand-held stylus. These movements were recorded and analyzed using the Peak Performance Motion Analysis System. Subjects (28 females) were randomly assigned to blocked or random practice conditions. A double-transfer design resulted in four practice-retrieval conditions. Subjects received 36 practice trials on each of three different movement patterns during acquisition, followed by a 10-minute retention interval. Three trials of the practiced patterns and three trials of a novel pattern were performed during retention and transfer testing. Analysis of kinematic performance revealed that the practice schedule manipulation led to differences in kinematic
Dipole traps and optical lattices for quantum simulations

Research on Bose Einstein condensates has over the past few years developed into an interesting field of physics. Current research aims for the creation of working quantum simulators which may be able to help explain and understand condensed matter physics phenomena which as yet cannot be explained. The research leading up to the experiment outlined in this thesis is intended to contribute to the understanding of these phenomena particularly that of 2D quantum systems. In the course of this thesis trapping and manipulation schemes for dipole traps and optical lattices will be introduced. Numerical simulations have been conducted to assess the dependency of parameters leading to a stable, optimised dipole trap. The design of an aspherical dipole trap was used, set up and characterised. Numerical simulations of maximally localized Wannier functions were carried out to obtain and understand the interactions in optical lattices and to postulate further parameters for the experiment. A fast and stable computer control was devised using the latest field-programmable-gate-array (FPGA) technology. The robustness and versatility of this technology was proved by adapting the software to suit different hardware and using the control in four different experiments. The electronic systems for the hardware used have been developed to yield a timing of 25ns for the digital channels and 1μs for the analogue channels.
Body mass index and postoperative mortality in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery plus valve replacement: a retrospective cohort study

Background The relationship between body mass index (BMI) and postoperative mortality in patients who undergo coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery plus valve replacement is uncertain. We aimed to investigate the association between body mass index (BMI) and postoperative mortality among patients who simultaneously underwent both CABG surgery plus valve replacement. Methods We retrospectively analyzed 1976 patients who underwent CABG surgery at our hospital between January 2017 and April 2021, including 202 patients who underwent valve replacement surgery during the same period. We analyzed the relationship between BMI and postoperative mortality. The relationship between BMI and postoperative mortality was assessed using smooth curve fitting and a Multiple logistic regression model. Results The results of smoothing curve fitting showed that BMI and postoperative mortality had a non-linear relationship, and the resulting curve exhibited a two-stage change and a breakpoint. Postoperative mortality is higher in patients that have a body mass index above 25 kg/m2 compared to patients having a body mass index between 18 and 25 kg/m2. Conclusions Our study found a non-linear relationship between BMI and postoperative mortality in patients undergoing CABG plus valve replacement after adjusting for potential confounders. The causal relationship between BMI and postoperative mortality still requires further investigations.
Solar Flare Forecast Model Based on Resampling and Fusion Method

Predicting the activity of solar flares is of great significance for studying its physical mechanism and the impact on human production and life. Problems such as class imbalance, high time-series sensitivity, and over-localization of important features exist in the sample data used for flare forecasting. We design a solar flare fusion method based on resampling and the CNN-GRU algorithm to try to solve the above problems. In order to verify the effectiveness of this fusion method, first, we compared the forecast performance of different resampling methods by keeping the forecast model unchanged. Then, we used the resampling algorithm with high performance to combine some single forecast models and fusion forecast models respectively. We use the 2010–2017 sunspot data set to train and test the performance of the flare model in predicting flare events in the next 48 h. Through the conclusion of the above steps, we prove that the resampling method SMOTE and its variant SMOTE-ENN are more advantageous in class imbalance problem of flare samples. In addition, after the fusion of one-dimensional convolution and recurrent network with “forget-gate” , combined with the SMOTE-ENN to achieve TSS = 61%, HSS = 61%, TPRate = 77% and TNRate = 83%. This proves that the fusion model based on resampling and the CNN-GRU algorithm is more suitable for solar flare forecasting.
Antioxidant and DNA-Protective Potentials, Main Phenolic Compounds, and Microscopic Features of Koelreuteria paniculata Aerial Parts

Interest in plant extracts as a natural source of antioxidants has grown significantly in recent years. The tree species Koelreuteria paniculata deserves attention due to its wide distribution, good adaptability, and growth to the degree of invasiveness in a number of European countries. The purpose of the present study was to analyze flavonoids and phenolic acids of the ethanol extracts from aerial parts of K. paniculata and to screen their antioxidant and DNA-protective activity. HPLC profiling revealed the presence of five flavonoids, with rutin (4.23 mg/g DW), hesperidin (2.97 mg/g DW), and quercetin (2.66 mg/g DW) as the major ones in the leaves, and (−)-epicatechin (2.69 mg/g DW) in the flower buds. Among the nine phenolic acids identified, rosmarinic, p-coumaric, salicylic, vanillic, and gallic acids were the best represented. All the extracts tested showed in vitro antioxidant activity that was determined by DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, and CUPRAC assays. The highest activity was recorded in the flower parts (in the range from 1133 to 4308 mmol TE/g DW). The DNA-protective capacity of the flower and stem bark extracts from the in vitro nicking assay performed, as well as the main diagnostic microscopic features of the plant substances, are given for the first time. According to the results obtained, the aerial parts of K. paniculata could be valuable sources of natural antioxidants.
Etude statistique de séquences biologiques et convergence de martingales

Le systeme dynamique Chaos Game Representation associe a une suite de lettres dans un alphabet fini, une mesure empirique sur un ensemble. Fournit-elle plus d'information que les methodes de comptage de mots classiques ? A partir d'une caracterisation basee sur la CGR, on propose une nouvelle famille de tests donnant l'ordre d'une chaine de Markov homogene. On definit ensuite une construction d'arbres digitaux de recherche, inspires par la CGR, en inserant successivement les prefixes retourne��s d'une chaine de Markov. On montre que les longueurs des branches critiques se comportent, au premier ordre, comme si les sequences inserees etaient independantes entre elles. La derniere partie est consacree a l'etude de la convergence presque sure des moments normalises de tout ordre de martingales vectorielles dans le theoreme de la limite centrale presque sur. Les resultats sont appliques aux erreurs d'estimation et de prediction dans les regressions lineaires et les processus de branchement.
Effect of kidney replacement therapy modality after first kidney graft failure on second kidney transplantation outcomes

ABSTRACT Background There is a lack of information regarding which is the best dialysis technique after kidney transplant (KT) failure. The aim of this study is to compare the effect of kidney replacement therapy modality-peritoneal dialysis (TX-PD-TX), haemodialysis (TX-HD-TX) and preemptive deceased donor retransplantation (TX-TX) on patient survival and second KT outcomes. Methods A retrospective observational study from the Catalan Renal Registry was carried out. We included adult patients with failing of their first KT from 2000 to 2018. Results Among 2045 patients, 1829 started on HD (89.4%), 168 on PD (8.2%) and 48 (2.4%) received a preemptive KT. Non-inclusion on the KT waiting list and HD were associated with worse patient survival. For patients included on the waiting list, the probability of human leucocyte antigens (HLA) sensitization and to receive a second KT was similar in HD and PD. A total of 776 patients received a second KT (38%), 656 in TX-HD-TX, 72 in TX-PD-TX and 48 in TX-TX groups. Adjusted mortality after second KT was higher in TX-HD-TX patients compared with TX-TX and TX-PD-TX groups, without differences between TX-TX and TX-PD-TX groups. Death-censored second graft survival was similar in all three groups. Conclusions Our results suggest that after first KT failure, PD is superior to HD in reducing mortality in candidates for a second KT without options for preemptive retransplantation.