gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Analysis of statistical parametric and unit selection speech synthesis systems applied to emotional speech (2009)

We have applied two state-of-the-art speech synthesis techniques (unit selection and HMM-based synthesis) to the synthesis of emotional speech. A series of carefully designed perceptual tests to evaluate speech quality, emotion identification rates and emotional strength were used for the six emotions which we recorded – happiness, sadness, anger, surprise, fear, disgust. For the HMM-based method, we evaluated spectral and source components separately and identified which components contribute to which emotion. Our analysis shows that, although the HMM method produces significantly better neutral speech, the two methods produce emotional speech of similar quality, except for emotions having context-dependent prosodic patterns. Whilst synthetic speech produced using the unit selection method has better emotional strength scores than the HMM-based method, the HMM-based method has the ability to manipulate the emotional strength. For emotions that are characterized by both spectral and prosodic components, synthetic speech using unit selection methods was more accurately identified by listeners. For emotions mainly characterized by prosodic components, HMM-based synthetic speech was more accurately identified. This finding differs from previous results regarding listener judgements of speaker similarity for neutral speech. We conclude that unit selection methods require improvements to prosodic modeling and that HMM-based methods require improvements to spectral modeling for emotional speech. Certain emotions cannot be reproduced well by either method.
Statistics corner: A guide to appropriate use of correlation coefficient in medical research. (2012)

Correlation is a statistical method used to assess a possible linear association between two continuous variables. It is simple both to calculate and to interpret. However, misuse of correlation is so common among researchers that some statisticians have wished that the method had never been devised at all. The aim of this article is to provide a guide to appropriate use of correlation in medical research and to highlight some misuse. Examples of the applications of the correlation coefficient have been provided using data from statistical simulations as well as real data. Rule of thumb for interpreting size of a correlation coefficient has been provided.
Sentinel lymph node mapping for carcinoma of the colon: a pilot study. (2000)

Sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping has evolved into the standard of care for melanoma and may replace routine node dissection in the treatment of breast cancer. There are few data evaluating sentinel node mapping in patients with cancer of the colon. This trial represents our initial experience with SLN mapping for carcinoma of the colon. SLN mapping was performed in 22 patients most of whom had biopsy-proven adenocarcinoma of the colon. One milliliter of isosulfan blue was injected with a 25-gauge needle into the subserosa at four sites around the edge of the palpable tumor. The SLN was identified visually and excised. A standard lymphadenectomy was then performed. The SLN was analyzed with standard hematoxylin and eosin evaluation. Immunohistochemical techniques for carcinoembryonic antigen and cytokeratin (Imm) were performed if the H&E was negative. The mapping added approximately 5 minutes to the total operative time and no adverse reactions to the dye occurred. A SLN was identified in 20 of 22 cases. In cases with negative lymph nodes the SLN was predictive of all the regional nodes by both H&E and Imm (14 of 14). In patients with positive lymph nodes the SLN was predictive in all cases (six of six). In one case the only node with disease was the SLN, and in this case the diease was identified by only Imm; thus this patient was upstaged. SLN mapping is feasible and safe and can readily be performed in patients with colonic cancer. In conjunction with SLN mapping, Imm techniques may upstage a subset of patients likely to be at increased risk for metastatic disease. Consequently SLN mapping of colon cancer should be evaluated in large prospective trials.
Generation and Characterization of Human Heme Oxygenase-1 Transgenic Pigs (2012)

Xenotransplantation using transgenic pigs as an organ source is a promising strategy to overcome shortage of human organ for transplantation. Various genetic modifications have been tried to ameliorate xenograft rejection. In the present study we assessed effect of transgenic expression of human heme oxygenase-1 (hHO-1), an inducible protein capable of cytoprotection by scavenging reactive oxygen species and preventing apoptosis caused by cellular stress during inflammatory processes, in neonatal porcine islet-like cluster cells (NPCCs). Transduction of NPCCs with adenovirus containing hHO-1 gene significantly reduced apoptosis compared with the GFP-expressing adenovirus control after treatment with either hydrogen peroxide or hTNF-α and cycloheximide. These protective effects were diminished by co-treatment of hHO-1 antagonist, Zinc protoporphyrin IX. We also generated transgenic pigs expressing hHO-1 and analyzed expression and function of the transgene. Human HO-1 was expressed in most tissues, including the heart, kidney, lung, pancreas, spleen and skin, however, expression levels and patterns of the hHO-1 gene are not consistent in each organ. We isolate fibroblast from transgenic pigs to analyze protective effect of the hHO-1. As expected, fibroblasts derived from the hHO-1 transgenic pigs were significantly resistant to both hydrogen peroxide damage and hTNF-α and cycloheximide-mediated apoptosis when compared with wild-type fibroblasts. Furthermore, induction of RANTES in response to hTNF-α or LPS was significantly decreased in fibroblasts obtained from the hHO-1 transgenic pigs. These findings suggest that transgenic expression of hHO-1 can protect xenografts when exposed to oxidative stresses, especially from ischemia/reperfusion injury, and/or acute rejection mediated by cytokines. Accordingly, hHO-1 could be an important candidate molecule in a multi-transgenic pig strategy for xenotransplantation.
Antiferromagnetism and Spin Reorientation in “PbCrO3” (2009)

The perovskite "PbCrO(3)" was synthesized at high pressure and high temperature. Its magnetic properties have been investigated by means of magnetization, specific heat, and resistivity measurements. Earlier workers had concluded it to have a G-type antiferromagnetic structure. However, our measurements suggest a rather more complex situation: first, a weak ferromagnetic transition of the Cr(IV) spins occurs at 245 K; this is followed by a temperature-driven spin reorientation starting at 185 K and ending at 62 K. Since zero-magnetic-field spin reorientation in the "PbCrO(3)" perovskite should not be expected, an intrinsic "magnetoelectric effect", associated with the lone-pair Pb electrons, seems to be responsible for the observed smooth rotation of the Cr-spins.
Estimation of the hysteresis value for handover decision algorithms using Bayes criterion (2002)

In mobile radio communications, inter-cell handover is the process whereby a call in progress is maintained while the mobile unit passes through different cells. Current handover decision algorithms compare the difference between the received signal strengths from different base-stations to a hysteresis value. The proposed paper is a contribution towards an optimal estimation of the hysteresis value using Bayes criterion. An expression of the threshold value h is derived in terms of the standard deviation a of the log-normal shadowing affecting the received signals and the ratio /spl eta/ between the a priori probability of handover and probability of no handover. The performance of the handover decision algorithm is evaluated in terms of the probability of false alarm, or probability of unnecessary handover, and probability of detection, or probability of successful handover.
Targeting the Brain’s Immune System: A Psychopharmacological Approach to Central Nervous System Infections (2006)

Antimicrobial therapy is urgently needed for many CNS infections. The search for new therapeutic agents will be guided by pharmacologic considerations, such as, penetrability of the blood-brain barrier. By their nature, psychoactive drugs fulfill this important pharmacologic feature. Our preliminary studies of the effects of opioids, benzodiazepines, thalidomide, and St. John’s wort on microglia suggest that drugs which target the brain’s immune system may be useful in treatment of certain types of viral infection of the brain. The work of other investigators24 suggests that this concept can be extended to cannabinoid derivatives and treatment of bacterial infection of the CNS, as well. Whether the brain is regarded as an immunologically “privileged” or “underprivileged” site, it is clear that the CNS and immune system are “connected,” i.e., these systems possess elegant but complex pathways of communication involving neuropeptide and cytokine mediators. The observation that neuropsychiatric symptoms are a common manifestation of many CNS infections and the proposed association of psychiatric illnesses, such as, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, with viral agents25 provide evidence of the linkage between infection and the neuroimmune axis. Within this conceptual framework, the search for new treatments of CNS infections properly includes testing 6f derivatives of psychoactive drugs that target the brain’s immune system.
Mapping and sensing microfluidic chemical reactions using a frequency domain terahertz system (2012)

We report a novel chemical and biological sensing metrology by combining both frequency-domain terahertz and microfluidic techniques through the quasi-optical approach. Using this sensing platform, a variety of chemicals have been examined over the frequency range of 0.57–0.63 THz. In addition, real-time monitoring and THz mapping of two-stream mixtures and diffusions in a microfluidic device are also successfully demonstrated. This strategy represents a versatile approach that may enable a wide range of chemical and biological applications.
Light Fluctuations in Corn1 (1973)

Abstract The fluctuations of photosynthetically active radiation within different corn ( Zea mays L.) varieties were studied in the frequency domain using spectral analysis. This approach which uses a single traversing sensor, provides a simple method for separating the temporal and spatial light fluctuations in a crop. It was found that the light spectra are influenced by the height of the light sensors within crop structure and by wind conditions. The most rapid fluctuations observed were about 10 cycles/second, which tends to discount their importance in the dark reaction of photosynthesis. Finally, these results give a better perspective on fluctuating light experiments.
A Nuclear Receptor Atlas: 3T3-L1 Adipogenesis (2005)

The differentiation of a preadipocyte into a mature adipocyte represents a fundamental process in biology that requires a scripted program of transcriptional events leading to changes in gene expression. As part of our contribution to the Nuclear Receptor Signaling Atlas (NURSA), we used quantitative real-time PCR to profile the temporal expression of all 49 members of the mouse nuclear receptor superfamily at selected time points during differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells into mature, lipid-bearing adipocytes using two differentiation inducers [DMI (a cocktail of dexamethasone, 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, and insulin) and rosiglitazone]. We also included a comparative analysis of nuclear receptor expression in mouse primary preadipocytes and mature adipocytes. In addition to confirming the expression of receptors known to be required for adipogenesis, this analysis revealed the existence of a tightly regulated transcriptional cascade that appeared in three distinct temporal phases. The first phase began within 4 h of adipogenic initiation with the transient, sequential expression of four previously uncharacterized receptors, followed by biphasic expression of a second subset, and ended with the sequential increase in a third receptor subset over a period of 2 wk after initiation. The discovery that these receptors may serve as adipogenic biomarkers and as potential therapeutic targets in adipose-related diseases highlights the utility of quantitative expression profiling as a method for directing mechanism-based approaches to study complex regulatory pathways.
Dielectric Relaxations in Reduced Rutile (TiO2−x) at Low Temperatures (1967)

The complex dielectric constant of reduced rutile, $\mathrm{Ti}{\mathrm{O}}_{2\ensuremath{-}x}$, has been measured at frequencies between ${10}^{2}$ and ${10}^{5}$ Hz at temperatures between 1.2 and 50\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. Three distinct relaxation processes have been observed: process I at temperatures around 4.0\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K with activation energy $Q=1.0\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$ eV and pre-exponential factor ${\ensuremath{\tau}}^{*}={10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}$ sec, process II at temperatures around 15\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K with $Q=2.0\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$ eV and ${\ensuremath{\tau}}^{*}={10}^{\ensuremath{-}7}\ensuremath{-}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}8}$ sec, and process III at temperatures around 11\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K with $Q=8.0\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$ eV and ${\ensuremath{\tau}}^{*}\ensuremath{\approx}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}7}$ sec. All three relaxation processes are ascribed to polaron hopping between normal cation lattice sites around complex ionic defect cores. By increasing the concentration of trivalent impurity, the most likely ionic core responsible for process I is found to be an oxygen vacancy associated with one trivalent substitutional impurity, while the core most likely responsible for process II is an interstitial ${\mathrm{Ti}}^{+3}$ ion in association with two trivalent substitutional impurity ions. An ion core consisting of a single pentavalent substitutional impurity accounts well for process III.
Collision Processes in Astrophysical Environments (1994)

Collisions of atoms, ions, electrons and molecules play an important role in the interpretation of astronomical observations and in our understanding of the physical characteristics and the history and evolution of astronomical objects. Two very different astrophysical environments are explored here. Collision processes leading to the formation of molecules in the early universe are discussed. Because of their unique cooling capabilities, molecules may have been significant in enabling the first objects to form from primordial clouds. Atomic collisions are central to the interpretation of emission lines in astrophysical plasmas. Recent work in predicting element abundances in planetary nebulae is highlighted.
Effect of Changes in Operating Variables on Stage-wise and Cumulative Separation in Binary Multistage Distillation (1985)

Abstract The progressive separation that occurs stage-wise within a multistage distillation column is characterized by the cumulative extent of separation, ζ N ; while the contribution of individual stages, δ N , to the overall separation is given by the difference between ζ N for successive stages. These indexes permit the “goodness” of separation for individual stages and for the entire column to be compared on an equivalent basis. This paper examines the effects of changing operating variables of reflux ratio, feed rate, feed composition, and feed stage location on the separation obtained in a distillation column containing a fixed number of ideal stages, and how the single-stage contribution changes when these variables are altered from the design value. The calculations show that the reflux ratio (R) is probably the most important variable in determining how well a column makes a separation. Separation declines rapidly as R is reduced below the design value, as the feed rate is increased at constant boil-up rate, and as the feed concentration drops below the design value. Changing the feed stage location of ±5 stages in a 50-stage column has a minimal effect on separation at all feed compositions. δ N clearly shows how the contribution of individual stages changes when operating variables are varied from the design values.
Fundamental transverse mode operation of a type‐II vertical‐external‐cavity surface‐emitting laser at 1.2 µm (2016)

The modal properties of a novel vertical‐external‐cavity surface‐emitting laser with (GaIn)As/Ga(AsSb)/(GaIn)As type‐II quantum wells are analysed. The device, emitting at a wavelength around 1175 nm, is operated in TEM 00 mode and optimised for a high beam quality. The M 2 factors are measured at various pump powers. An excellent beam quality is observed for up to 350 mW with an M 2 &lt; 1.2.
Balancing the Costs for Finished Goods Inventory and Production Capacity in a Make-to-Order Company (2015)

In most manufacturing companies, it is necessary to carry inventory to a greater or lesser extent in order to disconnect the activities in the supply chain that are not conducted at the same pace. This way, a smoother flow through the chain, from raw material extraction to arrival at the final customer of a finished product, is facilitated. However, different parts of a company often have conflicting goals when it comes to inventory decisions. From a financial point of view, for example, it is beneficial to have as little capital as possible tied up in inventory, while high stock levels can enable an even level of production and better customer service. However these different goals are prioritized, the benefits in one department will incur costs in another one. The purpose of this project is to investigate how these costs are connected to each other, and increase the understanding of how they affect the total cost of ownership in a make-to-order company. Moreover, a model that describes the relationship between the different costs and that calculates a near cost optimal production plan over a given planning horizon will be developed. An interview based, deductive case study with focus on finished goods inventory at Tetra Pak in Lund has been conducted to state an example of a typical make-to-order firm. Company specific cost factors have been identified and used for setting up an aggregate planning model and making calculations for a cost optimal production plan in an example case. Furthermore, the cost factors have been compared individually in order to establish an understanding of how they are interrelated in isolated decision situations. It can be concluded that while the costs for inventory and production are relatively easy to determine, due to their concrete nature, other costs related to inventory and production management are more difficult to estimate. One such cost is the one of insufficient customer service, as this parameter cannot be measured only in financial terms, but also have soft aspects that have to be taken into consideration. It is therefore recommended that companies that wish to use methods similar to the one exemplified in this study, bear in mind that their strategic priorities have to be taken into account when making decisions based on the suggested cost optimal production plan.
Monitoring functional ranges of upper-limb activity in a free-living environment (2004)

A novel activity-sensor was developed and used to assess upper-limb activity. The Strathclyde upper-limb activity monitor (SULAM) consists of an electro-hydraulic activity-sensor which measures the vertical displacement of the wrist in relation to the shoulder. The aim of this study was to determine the set of vertical ranges of movement that best reflect the functional upper-limb activity in a free-living environment. Ten nonimpaired subjects wore the SULAM while performing their everyday activities. Five distinct ranges of functional vertical movement were identified. There was a statistical difference in the use of both upper-limbs for four of the ranges. Data showed that subjects used their dominant upper-limb 19% more than the nondominant upper-limb. Subjects used their limbs in average 45% of the recording period and 56% of this time was in the waist to chest range.
Novel High-Performance Bondwire Chip-to-Chip Interconnections for Applications Up to 220 GHz (2018)

This letter presents a novel chip-to-chip interconnect technology for millimeter-wave and ultra-wideband applications. The technique relies on magnetic coupling between half-loop bondwires to transfer power over pads of semiconductor dies provided with crack stops. Conventional aluminum wires with a diameter of 17 μm are used to fabricate a set of low-cost half-loops, investigating the performance of the interface. The technique demonstrated minimum insertion loss of 1.9 dB over frequency bands wider than 40 GHz located in the band 140-220 GHz. Agreement with simulations is also shown. To the best of the author's knowledge, the presented solution is the first bondwire chip-to-chip interconnections for ultra-wideband operations up to 220 GHz and suitable to chips provided with crack stops.
EASE Vectors for Rapid Stable Expression of Recombinant Antibodies (2003)

Over the past 10 years, monoclonal antibodies and antibody fragments have become an increasingly important source of therapeutic molecules in the biotechnology industry. Drug development strategies rely on screening large numbers of candidate molecules in search of an optimized drug candidate. This strategy requires efficient production of ten to a few hundred milligrams of candidate molecules for screening in bioassays and animal models. Typically, this amount of recombinant protein expression involves large numbers of transient transfections or cloning of a recombinant cell line. Both of these approaches are time-consuming and labor-intensive. In this report, we describe the application of an EASE vector system that is capable of generating stable pools of transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells. These pooled populations of cells produce high quantities of antibody candidates without labor-intensive cloning in a 3-5 week time frame. When an optimal drug candidate has been selected, pools generated with EASE-containing vectors can also be used in subsequent cloning steps to make cell lines with improved expression levels. We demonstrate that EASE increases expression in nonamplified pools in addition to increasing amplification and viability of clonal cell lines generated with the EASE-containing vectors compared with pools and cell lines generated without EASE.
Power law of engagement: Transferring disengaged householders into retrofitting energy savers (2014)

How can we take householders from being disengaged passive energy consumers towards being highly motivated retrofitting energy saving masters? In this paper the "Power law of engagement model for energy saving" is introduced, which breaks down the process of engaging householders into 8 defined stages. The model is based on the householder's level of engagement and commitment, but applies Fogg's behaviour model at key stages to help evaluate the decision process of the householder. The focus of the model is both to build up the levels of commitment and engagement of the individual, and to allow them to provide feedback into the community to build a more widely spread culture of retrofitting. The paper then describes a set of tools which can be used to take the householder on an energy-saving journey and help them progress through the 8 stages. Throughout these descriptions key examples of where ICT can help are highlighted.