Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
VoShield: Voice Liveness Detection with Sound Field Dynamics

Voice assistants are widely integrated into a variety of smart devices, enabling users to easily complete daily tasks and even critical operations like online transactions with voice commands. Thus, once attackers replay a secretly-recorded voice command by loudspeakers to compromise users’ voice assistants, this operation will cause serious consequences, such as information leakage and property loss. Unfortunately, most voice liveness detection approaches against replay attacks mainly rely on detecting lip motions or subtle physiological features in speech, which are limited within a very short range. In this paper, we propose VoShield to check whether a voice command is from a genuine user or a loudspeaker imposter. VoShield measures sound field dynamics, a feature that changes fast as the human mouths dynamically open and close. In contrast, it would remain rather stable for loudspeakers due to the fixed size. This feature enables VoShield to largely extend the working distance and remain resilient to user locations. Besides, sound field dynamics are extracted from the difference between multiple microphone channels, making this feature robust to voice volume. To evaluate VoShield, we conducted comprehensive experiments with various settings in different working scenarios. The results show that VoShield can achieve a detection accuracy of 98.2% and an Equal Error Rate of 2.0%, which serves as a promising complement to current voice authentication systems for smart devices.
Studi pengaruh penuaan minyak trafo terhadap karakteristik dielektrik

Trafo adalah peralatan penting dalam transmisi tenaga listrik. Berbagai jenis bahan insulasi yang digunakan dalam transformator diantaranya minyak mineral atau minyak transformator digunakan untuk insulasi. Dalam upaya mengurangi persentase kegagalan transformator, perlu untuk menjaga kemurnian minyak. Pada penelitian ini menyelidiki karakteristik dielektrik minyak transformator yang telah menglami penuaan dan minyak transformator murni. Sampel minyak trafo yang mengalami penuaan dibuat dengan menggunakan minyak transformator murni yang dipanaskan pada suhu tertentu dan dalam siklus yang telah ditentukan. Electric field intensity minyak trafo diidentifikasi untuk melihat dielectric strength dari minyak trafo yang mengalami penuaan. Dalam mengidentifikasi electric field intensity, analisis FEM dilakukan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa dielectric strength minyak trafo baik pada tipe Shell Diala maupun Triapar mengalami degradasi sekitar 20% dan 40% pada suhu penuaan 130 °C dan 150 °C secara berurutan pada penerapan tegangan AC. Dengan begitu, pemberian tekanan thermal memengaruhi sifat dielektrik dari minyak trafo.
Four Novel Disease-Causing Variants in the NOTCH3 Gene in Russian Patients with CADASIL

Background: Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) is an inherited disease with unknown mechanisms and a broad phenotypic spectrum. It is caused by pathogenic variants in the NOTCH3 gene. The symptoms of the disease mainly include recurrent strokes with vascular risk factors, migraine with aura, dementia, and mood disturbances. Case presentation: Peripheral blood samples were collected from five patients from four unrelated families to extract genomic DNA. In four patients, analysis of exons 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and adjacent intronic regions of the NOTCH3 gene was made via Sanger sequencing. Two previously undescribed nucleotide variants were identified in two patients: missense variant c.208G>T, (p.Gly70Cys) in exon 1 and splice-site variant c.341-1G>C in intron 3. Further DNA of two other patients were analyzed using a next-generation sequencing-based custom AmpliSeq™ panel for 59 genes associated with leukodystrophies. Two novel missense variants in the NOTCH3 gene were identified, c.1136G>A, (p.Cys379Tyr) in exon 7 and c.1547G>A, (p.Cys516Tyr) in exon 10. The pathogenic variant c.1547G>A, (p.Cys516Tyr) was confirmed in the fifth patient (family case) by Sanger sequencing. All patients had a history of headaches, transient ischemic attacks, memory impairment, and characteristics of MRI results. Three patients had strokes and two patients had psychiatric symptoms. Conclusion: We found four previously undescribed pathogenic variants in the NOTCH3 gene in five patients with CADASIL and described their clinical and genetic characteristics. These results expand the mutational spectrum of CADASIL.
Simulation multi-agent pour la gestion de la ressource en eau d'un bassin versant

En France, l'utilisation de la ressource en eau est soumise au respect de directives europeennes et de textes reglementaires nationaux. L'application de ces textes fait l'objet de delegations aupres d'instances regionales et locales au niveau d'un bassin hydrologique. Ces regles plus ou moins explicites resultent de negociations entre les differents acteurs concernes dont les interets sont par essence divergents. Or, ces negociations s'operent bien souvent sans vision des consequences de l'adoption de ces regles tant au niveau global qu'individuel. Privilegiant la dimension agricole du probleme, l'objectif du simulateur presente ici est de fournir un moyen de tester des regles de partage de ressources en eau dans le cadre concret d'une association syndicale autorisee (ASA) coresponsable de la gestion d'un bassin. En nous appuyant sur le cas concret de la gestion de la Lere, nous avons teste l'adequation du formalisme agent BDI (Beliefs, Desires, Intentions) a la representation des acteurs concernes. / In France, the use of the water resource is governed by European directives and national regulations. The application of these regulations is delegated to regional and local authorities for each catchment area. These fairly explicit rules result from negotiations between the different participants concerned, whose interests are essentially divergent. These negotiations very often take place without consideration of the consequences of the adoption of the rules, either at the global or individual level. Emphasising the agricultural dimension of the problem, the objective of the simulator presented here is to provide a way of testing the rules for sharing the water resources for the concrete case of an Authorised Syndicated Association (ASA) partly responsible for the management of the basin. By studying the concrete case of the management of the river Lere, we have tested the adequacy of the BDI (Beliefs, Desires, Inten¬tions) formalism for representing the players concerned.
The CRAVE and ARGE scales for motivation states for physical activity and sedentarism: Brazilian Portuguese translation and single-item versions

Motivation states for physical activity and sedentarism potentially vary from moment to moment. The CRAVE scale (Cravings for Rest and Volitional Energy Expenditure) was developed to assess transient wants and desires to move. Three studies were conducted with the aims of: (1) translating and validating the scale in Brazilian Portuguese, (2) examining changes with exercise, and (3) determining the best single-item for Move and Rest subscales for English and Portuguese. In Study 1, six bilingual speakers translated the scale into Brazilian Portuguese [named Anseios por Repouso e Gastos com Energia (ARGE)]. The ARGE had good content validity coefficients across three dimensions (0.89–0.91), as determined by three independent, bilingual referees. 1,168 participants (mean age = 30.6, SD = 12.2) from across Brazil completed an online version of the ARGE. An Exploratory Factor Analysis found two clear, oblique, and inversely related factors (Move and Rest; GFI = 1.00, RMSR = 0.03). Reliability was good (Cronbach α’s: 0.93 and 0.92). Two models of the scale (10 vs. 13 items) were compared with Confirmatory Factor Analysis. The previously validated version using 10 scored items (GFI = 1.00, RMSEA = 0.07, RMSR = 0.02) outperformed the version scored with 13 items. State anxiety and exercise behavior had small associations with Move and Rest (−0.20 to 0.26). In Study 2, ARGE Move scores had high correspondence post-session (ICC = 0.83) for 9 women performing short Sprint Interval Training (sSIT; 6 sessions). Large, but non-significant, effects were detected for changes in motivation states with sSIT. In Study 3, IRT analyses found that for the United States sample, “be physically active” and “be still” were the most representative items for Move and Rest, respectively, while for the Brazil sample they were “exert my muscles” and “be a couch potato. ” Overall, it was found that: (A) the ARGE scale demonstrated good psychometric properties, (B) the original scoring (with 10 items) resulted in the best model, (C) it had small associations with exercise behavior, and (D) the subscales were reduced to single items that varied by country, indicating potential cultural differences in the concept of motivation states for physical activity.
SPECTRAL DENSITY ESTIMATION OF STOCHASTIC PROCESSES UNDER MISSING DATA AND UNCERTAINTY QUANTIFICATION WITH BAYESIAN DEEP LEARNING

Stochastic processes are widely adopted in many domains to deal with problems which are stochastic in nature and involve strong nonlinearity, nonstationarity and uncertain system parameters. However, the uncertainties of spectral representation of the underlying stochastic processes have not been adequately acknowledged due to the data problems in practice, for instance, missing data. Therefore, this paper proposes a novel method for uncertainty quantification of spectral representation in the presence of missing data using Bayesian deep learning models. A range of missing levels are tested. An example in stochastic dynamics is employed for illustration.
COPD in primary care: a time of opportunity.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has come to the fore at last in this new millenium in the thinking of health services and clinicians. But its late recognition is badly timed as the world struggles with the aftermath of a recession that will challenge all healthcare spending. In the UK the government's Consultation on a Strategy for Services for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in England 1 has recently been completed after a prolonged gestation of 5 years. The consultation document is 177 pages and makes 24 recommendations. Since its publication, the political guard has changed at the UK Department of Health and a new government has to decide how to proceed in a time of austerity. Will there be new funding to address the recommendations in the COPD strategy document? The recommendations come with 35 actions, most of which will require the investment of funding and will be subject to its availability. COPD has come out of a prolonged spell in the healthcare doldrums. Nihilism about its treatment was matched by an undeserved disinterest in sufferers by their clinical attendants, many of whom saw the condition as a self-inflicted dirty disease. This disregard by current doctors and nurses whose predecessors had been the social leaders of the smoking addiction is sadly ironic. The new dawn for COPD has come on the back of significant developments in its treatment. Prominent among these has been pulmonary …
POLA KUMAN BERDASARKAN SPESIMEN DAN SENSITIVITAS ANTIBIOTIK PADA PENDERITA COMMUNITY-ACQUIRED PNEUMONIA (CAP) DI RSUP DOKTER KARIADI SEMARANG

Latar Belakang: Community-Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) merupakan pneumonia yang didapat di masyarakat. Penyebab pasti CAP sulit ditentukan karena spesimen yang diperoleh dari saluran nafas atas atau dahak tidak akurat mencerminkan penyebab infeksi saluran nafas bawah. Pemberian antibiotik yang tidak sesuai dengan agen etiologi dapat mengakibatkan masalah seperti multidrug-resistance. Data mengenai etiologi CAP di Indonesia khususnya di RSUP dokter Kariadi Semarang masih sedikit. Tujuan: Mengetahui dan mengevaluasi pola kuman berdasarkan spesimen dan sensitivitasnya terhadap antibiotik pada penderita CAP di RSUP dokter Kariadi Semarang. Metode: Jenis penelitian deskriptif retrospektif dengan rancangan penelitian cross sectional-study. Delapan puluh sembilan pasien CAP di RSUP dokter Kariadi Semarang dipilih sesuai kriteria inklusi dan eksklusi, kemudian data dari catatan medik pasien dikumpulkan lalu diolah dengan analisis univariat dan hasilnya bersifat distribusi frekuensi. Hasil: Dari 62 spesimen darah yang dikultur, hanya 10 (16.1%) diantaranya yang positif. Staphylococcus haemolyticus merupakan kuman terbanyak yang teridentifikasi dari darah sebanyak 4 isolat (40%) yang sebagian besar tidak sensitif terhadap antibiotik yang diujikan. Sedangkan dari 38 spesimen sputum yang dikultur, 35 (92.1%) diantaranya positif. Mikroorganisme terbanyak yang teridentifikasi adalah Candida sp. sebanyak 12 isolat (26.1%). Simpulan: Ada perbedaan antara organisme terbanyak yang teridentifikasi dari pemeriksaan kultur pada pasien CAP yang dirawat di RSUP dokter Kariadi Semarang. Organisme terbanyak pada pemeriksaan kultur darah adalah Staphylococcus haemolyticus yang bersifat multi-drug resistance, sedangkan pada pemeriksaan kultur sputum adalah Candida sp.
Global hypermethylation of the N6-methyladenosine RNA modification associated with apple heterografting

Abstract Grafting can facilitate better scion performance and is widely used in plants. Numerous studies have studied the involvement of mRNAs, small RNAs, and epigenetic regulations in the grafting process. However, it remains unclear whether the mRNA N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification participates in the apple (Malus x domestica Borkh.) grafting process. Here, we decoded the landscape of m6A modification profiles in ‘Golden delicious’ (a cultivar, Gd) and Malus prunifolia ‘Fupingqiuzi’ (a unique rootstock with resistance to environmental stresses, Mp), as well as their heterografted and self-grafted plants. Interestingly, global hypermethylation of m6A occurred in both heterografted scion and rootstock compared with their self-grafting controls. Gene Ontology (GO) term enrichment analysis showed that grafting-induced differentially m6A-modified genes were mainly involved in RNA processing, epigenetic regulation, stress response, and development. Differentially m6A-modified genes harboring expression alterations were mainly involved in various stress responses and fatty acid metabolism. Furthermore, grafting-induced mobile mRNAs with m6A and gene expression alterations mainly participated in ABA synthesis and transport (e.g. carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase 1 [CCD1] and ATP-binding cassette G22 [ABCG22]) and abiotic and biotic stress responses, which might contribute to the better performance of heterografted plants. Additionally, the DNA methylome analysis also demonstrated the DNA methylation alterations during grafting. Downregulated expression of m6A methyltransferase gene MdMTA (ortholog of METTL3) in apples induced the global m6A hypomethylation and distinctly activated the expression level of DNA demethylase gene MdROS1 (REPRESSOR OF SILENCING 1) showing the possible association between m6A and 5mC methylation in apples. Our results reveal the m6A modification profiles in the apple grafting process and enhance our understanding of the m6A regulatory mechanism in plant biological processes.
Social Cognition and Other Determinants of Perceived Social Support in Individuals With Serious Mental Illness

Abstract Social support provides protective effects for those with serious mental illness (SMI), but these effects may be attenuated by factors that hinder positive perceptions of support. Improved understanding of social support and its determinants may hold relevance for clinical interventions and provide avenues to promote recovery and improve functioning. The present study is a cross-sectional, correlational analysis investigating the relationships among social cognition (Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test–Managing Emotions subscale), social anxiety (Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale), negative symptoms (Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms), and perceived social support (Interpersonal Support Evaluation List) among individuals with SMI. Data were analyzed for 59 participants from a psychosocial rehabilitation treatment study at a public, urban academic-affiliated medical center in the Midwest. Bivariate Pearson correlations revealed statistically significant associations among perceived social support and social cognition (total perceived social support, p < 0.05; appraisal support, p < 0.01), negative symptoms (appraisal support, p < 0.05), and social anxiety (self-esteem support, p < 0.05). Further, multiple linear regression revealed social cognition remained a significant predictor of perceived social support (p < 0.05) when controlling for social anxiety and negative symptoms. Overall findings suggest a correlative relationship between social cognition and perceived social support. Conclusions, limitations, and future directions are discussed.
Vegetarian diets and diets which restrict animal-source foods during childhood in high-income countries

ABSTRACT Increasing numbers of populations in the West are restricting their intake of meat and other animal products for reasons relating to health or ethics; in many countries, these restrictions are already common for cultural, religious, or socio-economic reasons. By following their parent's diet, children are exposed in parallel. This narrative review aims at assessing current data regarding vegetarian diets in children from birth to 18 years of age, which include, by increasing degree of restriction, flexitarian, lacto-ovo-vegetarian, lacto-vegetarian, pescatarian, vegan and macrobiotic diets. The 202 references include 45 studies in children. The more restrictive the diet and the younger the child, the greater the risk of nutritional deficiency. Of particular concern are vitamin B12, iron, zinc, calcium, n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, and protein and energy intake, especially in pregnant and nursing women, infants and young children. Providing an adequate lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet is relatively easy, whereas the maintenance of more restrictive diets may be challenging. The benefits and risks of vegetarian diets in adults are relatively well documented, but data for children are scarce. Vegan and macrobiotic diets should be discouraged in pregnant and lactating mothers as well as in young children, who, otherwise, should pay careful attention to ensuring nutritional adequacy, blood testing and appropriate supplementation. The health consequences of a chosen diet should be discussed with parents and adolescents to ensure the best possible adherence to advice and prescriptions. There is a need for well conducted studies in children but also for better knowledge of nutrition in healthcare professionals. Abbreviations: ALA: α-linolenic acid; ARA: arachidonic acid; ASF: animal source foods; BMC: bone mineral content; BMD: bone mineral density; DHA: docosahexaenoic acid; DRV: dietary reference value; EPA: eicosapentaenoic acid; FLD: flexitarian diet; LA: linoleic acid; LC-PUFA: long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids; LOVD: lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet; LVD: lacto-vegetarian diet; MAD: macrobiotic diet; OMD: omnivorous diet; PSF: plant-source foods; SFA: saturated fatty acids; VGD: vegetarian diets; VND: vegan diet.
A Period-Reconfigurable Leaky-Wave Antenna With Fixed-Frequency and Wide-Angle Beam Scanning

A novel fixed-frequency beam-scanning leaky-wave antenna (LWA) based on a period-reconfigurable structure is presented. Operating at 5 GHz, the antenna consists of a slotted substrate integrated waveguide and 54 electrically small patches. Each patch element is etched with two dumbbell-shaped slots, and its operating state can be flexibly controlled by the biasing of the p-i-n diode on a parasitic strip. An ideal array model employing isotropic point sources is used for the analysis on the scanning mechanism, based on which a new method for suppressing the higher order space harmonics is developed. Using this method, the monoharmonic radiation range can be dramatically extended, and a wide-angle beam scanning can be achieved by manipulating the period length of the LWA. An FPGA controlling platform is designed for the electronic control of the antenna. The measured results validate that the proposed antenna achieves good performance of wide-angle scanning (125°) with a peak gain of 11.8 dBi at a fixed frequency.
Mechanisms and treatment of opioid‐induced pruritus: Peripheral and central pathways

Pruritus (also known as itch) is defined as an unpleasant and irritating sensation of the skin that provokes an urge to scratch or rub. It is well known that opioid administration can cause pruritus, which is paradoxical as itch and pain share overlapping sensory pathways. Because opioids inhibit pain but can cause itching. Significant progress has been made to improve our understanding of the fundamental neurobiology of itch; however, much remains unknown about the mechanisms of opioid‐induced pruritus. The prevention and treatment of opioid‐induced pruritus remains a challenge in the field of pain management. The objective of this narrative review is to present and discuss the current body of literature and summarize the current understanding of the mechanisms underlying opioid‐induced pruritus, and its relationship to analgesia, and possible treatment options.
Churning the water after the wave: water components of housing reconstruction in post-tsunami south India

Approved: ____________________________________ Thesis Supervisor ____________________________________ Title and Department ____________________________________ Date 1 CHURNING THE WATER AFTER THE WAVE: WATER COMPONENTS OF HOUSING RECONSTRUCTION IN POST-TSUNAMI SOUTH INDIA by Luke Robert Juran A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Geography in the Graduate College of The University of Iowa
A lattice-ordered monoid on multilayer networks

In the present paper we introduce a lattice-ordered partial monoid structure on a suitable set of multilayer networks. We first study a kind of mappings that preserve the partial order and describe the order structure. After that we define the lattice-ordered monoid and deduce the main properties. lattice-ordered monoid, multilayer network, interior mapping, partial operation.
21cm signal sensitivity to dark matter decay

The redshifted 21cm signal from the Cosmic Dawn is expected to provide unprecedented insights into early Universe astrophysics and cosmology. Here we explore how dark matter can heat the intergalactic medium before the first galaxies, leaving a distinctive imprint in the 21cm power spectrum. We provide the first dedicated Fisher matrix forecasts on the sensitivity of the Hydrogen Epoch of Reionization Array (HERA) telescope to dark matter decays. We show that with 1000 hours of observation, HERA has the potential to improve current cosmological constraints on the dark matter decay lifetime by up to three orders of magnitude. Even in extreme scenarios with strong X-ray emission from early-forming, metal-free galaxies, the bounds on the decay lifetime would be improved by up to two orders of magnitude. Overall, HERA shall improve on existing limits for dark matter masses below 2 GeV/c 2 for decays into e+e- and below few MeV/c 2 for decays into photons.