gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Non-Intrusive Estimation of Speech Signal Parameters using a Frame-based Machine Learning Approach (2020)

We present a novel, non-intrusive method that jointly estimates acoustic signal properties associated with the perceptual speech quality, level of reverberation and noise in a speech signal. We explore various machine learning frameworks, consisting of popular feature extraction front-ends and two types of regression models and show the trade-off in performance that must be considered with each combination. We show that a short-time framework consisting of an 80-dimension log-Mel filter bank feature front-end employing spectral augmentation, followed by a 3 layer LSTM recurrent neural network model achieves a mean absolute error of 3.3 dB for C50, 2.3 dB for segmental SNR and 0.3 for PESQ estimation on the Libri Augmented (LA) database. The internal VAD for this system achieves an F1 score of 0.93 on this data. The proposed system also achieves a 2.4 dB mean absolute error for C50 estimation on the ACE test set. Furthermore, we show how each type of acoustic parameter correlates with ASR performance in terms of ground truth labels and additionally show that the estimated C50, SNR and PESQ from our proposed method have a high correlation (greater than 0.92) with WER on the LA test set.
Evaluation of two staging systems for HIV infection for use in developing countries (1993)

The WHO clinical staging system or a modified version of this system using lymphocytes stratification may be a good alternative in developing countries to the CD4 lymphocyte count-based HIV staging system used in the developed world. Cohort studies in developing countries are needed to assess their prognostic value.
ChemInform Abstract: Nucleic Acid Structural Engineering Using Pyrene‐Functionalized 2′‐Amino‐α‐L‐LNA Monomers and Abasic Sites. (2008)

Abstract ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.
Intelligibility improvement of bandlimited synthesized speech by superposing high frequency component of input signal on baseband signal (2014)

We propose a new speech intelligibility improvement method for bandlimited synthesized speech, which is based on superposing high-frequency component on lower frequency signal (i.e., baseband signal), where the high-frequency component is compressed in the frequency direction to be fitted on the superposing zone of the baseband signal. We applied the proposed method to Text to speech and conducted a subjective evaluation of synthesized speech. According to the result, the synthesized speech by the proposed method is preferred to that by a simple high frequency emphasis of baseband.
Groovy Drops:  Effect of Groove Curvature on Spontaneous Capillary Flow (2007)

Spontaneous capillary flow (SCF) of a drop in a groove with an ideally sharp corner is possible when the Concus-Fin (CF) condition is fulfilled. However, since ideally sharp corners do not exist in reality, it is important to understand the effect of finite corner curvature on SCF. This effect is analytically studied for long drops in a V-shaped groove with a curved corner, leading to a generalization of the CF condition for such drops. The generalized condition implies that SCF depends on the geometry of the corner as well as on the dimensionless length of the drop, in addition to its dependence on the opening angle and contact angle that is covered by the CF condition. Specific calculations are presented for rounded corners. In addition, this effect is numerically calculated for short drops in V-shaped grooves with rounded corners, using the Surface Evolver software. The results of both types of calculations show that even a relatively small corner radius strongly affects the possibility of SCF: when the corner is not ideally sharp, SCF requires conditions that are more difficult to achieve than predicted by the CF condition; also, the spreading of the drop stops at a finite length and does not proceed indefinitely.
Bayesian Bellman Operators (2021)

We introduce a novel perspective on Bayesian reinforcement learning (RL); whereas existing approaches infer a posterior over the transition distribution or Q-function, we characterise the uncertainty in the Bellman operator. Our Bayesian Bellman operator (BBO) framework is motivated by the insight that when bootstrapping is introduced, model-free approaches actually infer a posterior over Bellman operators, not value functions. In this paper, we use BBO to provide a rigorous theoretical analysis of model-free Bayesian RL to better understand its relationshipto established frequentist RL methodologies. We prove that Bayesian solutions are consistent with frequentist RL solutions, even when approximate inference isused, and derive conditions for which convergence properties hold. Empirically, we demonstrate that algorithms derived from the BBO framework have sophisticated deep exploration properties that enable them to solve continuous control tasks at which state-of-the-art regularised actor-critic algorithms fail catastrophically
Functional Genomic Analysis of the HY2 Family of Ferredoxin-Dependent Bilin Reductases from Oxygenic Photosynthetic Organisms (2001)

Phytobilins are linear tetrapyrrole precursors of the light-harvesting prosthetic groups of the phytochrome photoreceptors of plants and the phycobiliprotein photosynthetic antennae of cyanobacteria, red algae, and cryptomonads. Previous biochemical studies have established that phytobilins are synthesized from heme via the intermediacy of biliverdin IX alpha (BV), which is reduced subsequently by ferredoxin-dependent bilin reductases with different double-bond specificities. By exploiting the sequence of phytochromobilin synthase (HY2) of Arabidopsis, an enzyme that catalyzes the ferredoxin-dependent conversion of BV to the phytochrome chromophore precursor phytochromobilin, genes encoding putative bilin reductases were identified in the genomes of various cyanobacteria, oxyphotobacteria, and plants. Phylogenetic analyses resolved four classes of HY2-related genes, one of which encodes red chlorophyll catabolite reductases, which are bilin reductases involved in chlorophyll catabolism in plants. To test the catalytic activities of these putative enzymes, representative HY2-related genes from each class were amplified by the polymerase chain reaction and expressed in Escherichia coli. Using a coupled apophytochrome assembly assay and HPLC analysis, we examined the ability of the recombinant proteins to catalyze the ferredoxin-dependent reduction of BV to phytobilins. These investigations defined three new classes of bilin reductases with distinct substrate/product specificities that are involved in the biosynthesis of the phycobiliprotein chromophore precursors phycoerythrobilin and phycocyanobilin. Implications of these results are discussed with regard to the pathways of phytobilin biosynthesis and their evolution.
High-sensitivity, single-beam n_2 measurements (1989)

We present a simple yet highly sensitive single-beam experimental technique for the determination of both the sign and magnitude of n(2). The sample is moved along the z direction of a focused Gaussian beam while the repetitively pulsed laser energy is held fixed. The resultant plot of transmittance through an aperture in the far field yields a dispersion-shaped curve from which n(2) is easily calculated. A transmittance change of 1% corresponds to a phase distortion of approximately lambda/250. We demonstrate this method on several materials using both CO(2) and Nd:YAG laser pulses.
A Case Study of a Collaborative Digital Workflow in the Design and Production of Formwork for ‘Non-Standard’ Concrete Structures (2011)

This paper presents an overview of ongoing research from within the Tailorcrete research project into the development of CAD tools for the design and realization of ‘non-standard’ concrete structures. The focus is on concrete formwork, a significant factor affecting cost, logistics and aesthetics. With a process spanning a broad range of expertise, collaboration through an effective digital workflow is vital to the successful execution of such structures. As a concept for this workflow, a working model of a Design System is described and its development discussed. This focuses on three aspects: (1) the identification of key Use-Cases; (2) the definition of Formwork Systems; and (3) the definition of communication between software elements to provide relevant means of collaboration for expert users. An implementation as a package of software prototypes is also briefly presented. This includes a Base Framework, tools targeting Use-Cases and components relating to specific formwork systems.
Design and Development of Novel Composites Containing Nickel Ferrites Supported on Activated Carbon Derived from Agricultural Wastes and Its Application in Water Remediation (2023)

Recently, efficient decontamination of water and wastewater have attracted global attention due to the deficiency in the world's water sources. Herein, activated carbon (AC) derived from willow catkins (WCs) was successfully synthesized using chemical modification techniques and then loaded with different weight percentages of nickel ferrite nanocomposites (10, 25, 45, and 65 wt.%) via a one-step hydrothermal method. The morphology, chemical structure, and surface composition of the nickel ferrite supported on AC (NFAC) were analyzed by XRD, TEM, SEM, EDX, and FTIR spectroscopy. Textural properties (surface area) of the nanocomposites (NC) were investigated by using Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis. The prepared nanocomposites were tested on different dyes to form a system for water remediation and make this photocatalyst convenient to recycle. The photodegradation of rhodamine B dye was investigated by adjusting a variety of factors such as the amount of nickel in nanocomposites, the weight of photocatalyst, reaction time, and photocatalyst reusability. The 45NFAC photocatalyst exhibits excellent degradation efficiency toward rhodamine B dye, reaching 99.7% in 90 min under a simulated source of sunlight. To summarize, NFAC nanocomposites are potential photocatalysts for water environmental remediation because they are effective, reliable, and reusable.
Catalytic partial oxidation of hydrocarbon fuels: Structural characterization of Ni-substituted hexaaluminate catalysts (2007)

Transition metals dispersed in barium hexaaluminate have been shown to be promising new partial oxidation catalysts. In this investigation, a series of BaNi Al O catalysts with varying Ni content were prepared by co-precipitation followed by calcination at high temperature at 1400°C. The partial oxidation of CH and n-tetradecane was carried out in separate experiments to examine the relationship between Ni substitution and (a) activity/selectivity toward CO + H and (b) the structure of the hexaaluminate. EXAFS analysis of three samples (y = 0.2, 0.6, and 1.0 in BaNi Al O ) showed no clear trend in the average Ni coordination number and bond distance with Ni loading. However, the substitution of nickel into the hexaaluminate (increasing y values) significantly reduced the carbon formed onto the surface of the catalyst. y 12-y 19-σ 4 2 y 12-y 19-σ
Improved multiple-pass Raman spectrometer (2011)

An improved Raman gain spectrometer for flame measurements of gas temperature and species concentrations is described. This instrument uses a multiple-pass optical cell to enhance the incident light intensity in the measurement volume. The Raman signal is 83 times larger than from a single pass, and the Raman signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in room-temperature air of 153 is an improvement over that from a single-pass cell by a factor of 9.3 when the cell is operated with 100 passes and the signal is integrated over 20 laser shots. The SNR improvement with the multipass cell is even higher for flame measurements at atmospheric pressure, because detector readout noise is more significant for single-pass measurements when the gas density is lower. Raman scattering is collected and dispersed in a spectrograph with a transmission grating and recorded with a fast gated CCD array detector to help eliminate flame interferences. The instrument is used to record spontaneous Raman spectra from N(2), CO(2), O(2), and CO in a methane-air flame. Curve fits of the recorded Raman spectra to detailed simulations of nitrogen spectra are used to determine the flame temperature from the shapes of the spectral signatures and from the ratio of the total intensities of the Stokes and anti-Stokes signals. The temperatures measured are in good agreement with radiation-corrected thermocouple measurements for a range of equivalence ratios.
Alumina Nanoparticle Interfacial Buffer Layer for Low‐Bandgap Lead‐Tin Perovskite Solar Cells (2023)

Abstract Mixed lead‐tin (Pb:Sn) halide perovskites are promising absorbers with narrow‐bandgaps (1.25–1.4 eV) suitable for high‐efficiency all‐perovskite tandem solar cells. However, solution processing of optimally thick Pb:Sn perovskite films is notoriously difficult in comparison with their neat‐Pb counterparts. This is partly due to the rapid crystallization of Sn‐based perovskites, resulting in films that have a high degree of roughness. Rougher films are harder to coat conformally with subsequent layers using solution‐based processing techniques leading to contact between the absorber and the top metal electrode in completed devices, resulting in a loss of V OC , fill factor, efficiency, and stability. Herein, this study employs a non‐continuous layer of alumina nanoparticles distributed on the surface of rough Pb:Sn perovskite films. Using this approach, the conformality of the subsequent electron‐transport layer, which is only tens of nanometres in thickness is improved. The overall maximum‐power‐point‐tracked efficiency improves by 65% and the steady‐state V OC improves by 28%. Application of the alumina nanoparticles as an interfacial buffer layer also results in highly reproducible Pb:Sn solar cell devices while simultaneously improving device stability at 65 °C under full spectrum simulated solar irradiance. Aged devices show a six‐fold improvement in stability over pristine Pb:Sn devices, increasing their lifetime to 120 h.
Iatrogenic Risk Factors for Alzheimer's Disease: Surgery and Anesthesia (2010)

Increasing evidence indicates that patients develop post-operative cognitive decline (POCD) following surgery. POCD is characterized by transient short-term decline in cognitive ability evident in the early post-operative period. This initial decline might be associated with increased risk of a delayed cognitive decline associated with dementia 3 to 5 years post-surgery. In some studies, the conversion rates to dementia are up to 70% in patients who are 65 years or older. The factors responsible for the increased risk of dementia are unclear; however, clinical studies investigating the prevalence of POCD and dementia following surgery do not show an association with the type of anesthesia or duration of surgery. Epidemiological studies from our group support this observation. The adjusted Hazard Ratios for developing dementia (or AD specifically) after prostate or hernia surgery were 0.65 (95% CI, 0.51 to 0.83, prostate) and 0.65 (95% CI, 0.49 to 0.85, hernia) for cohorts of subjects exposed to general anesthesia compared to those exposed only to local anesthesia. Animal studies suggest that prolonged exposure to some volatile-inhalational anesthetics increase production of amyloid-β and vulnerability to neurodegeneration, but these results are weakened by the absence of clinical support. Inflammation and a maladaptive stress response might also contribute to the pathophysiology of this disorder. Future research needs to identify predisposing factors, and then strategies to protect against POCD and subsequent dementia. The field also needs to adopt a more rigorous approach to codifying the frequency and extent of early and delayed post-operative cognitive decline.
ChemInform Abstract: A Novel Series of Selective, Non‐Peptide Inhibitors of Angiotensin II Binding to the AT2 Site. (1994)

Abstract ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 100 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.
4‐Alkyl and 4,4′‐Dialkyl 1,2‐Bis(4‐chlorophenyl)pyrazolidine‐3,5‐dione Derivatives as New Inhibitors of Bacterial Cell Wall Biosynthesis. (2005)

Abstract For Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text.
<title>Application of super-resolution techniques to passive millimeter-wave images</title> (1991)

We present a regularized pseudoinverse method which has successfully superresolved passive millimeter-wave images and that can be performed in the frame time of the imager.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Action Detection and Recognition in Continuous Action Streams by Deep Learning-Based Sensing Fusion (2018)

This paper presents a deep learning-based sensing fusion system to detect and recognize actions of interest from continuous action streams, which contain actions of interest occurring continuously and randomly among arbitrary actions of non-interest. The sensors used in the fusion system consist of a depth camera and a wearable inertial sensor. A convolutional neural network is utilized for depth images obtained from the depth sensor, and a combination of convolutional neural network and long short-term memory network is utilized for inertial signals obtained from the inertial sensor. Each sensing modality first performs segmentation of all actions and then detection of actions of interest for a particular application. A decision-level fusion of the two sensing modalities is carried out to achieve the recognition of the detected actions of interest. The developed fusion system is examined for two applications: one involving transition movements for home healthcare monitoring and the other involving smart TV hand gestures. The results obtained show the effectiveness of the developed fusion system in dealing with realistic continuous action streams.
Researching Deals and Markets (2017)

Abstract Mergers and acquisitions (M&amp;A), leveraged finance and capital markets are important markets for professional advisory firms such as investment banks, financial sector law firms and the ‘Big 4’ consultancies. While market totals are widely published in free sources, finding both sub-totals and lists of deals is more difficult and usually requires access to paid-for sources. In this article Ian Hunter considers the best paid-for and free sources and looks at the caveats in relying on them. In essence, he asks ‘why don't the sources agree?’ and provides a ‘jargon buster’ and a critique of sources in M&amp;A, leveraged finance and capital markets.
Optimizing Reaction Conditions of the NanoOrange® Protein Quantitation Method for Use With Microplate-based Automation (2001)

Because of the rapidly expanding need for higher sample throughput in drug discovery, automation of corresponding biochemical analyses is desirable. In particular, automation of protein quantitatio...
Pyrimidine dimer formation and repair in human skin. (1980)

Cyclobutyl pyrimidine dimers have been detected in the DNA of human skin following in vivo irradiation with suberythemal doses of ultraviolet (UV) radiation from FS-20 sun lamp fluorescent tubes. Dimers were assayed by treatment of extracted DNA with Micrococcus luteus UV-specific endonuclease, alkaline agarose electrophoresis, and ethidium bromide staining. This technique, in contrast to conventional dimer assays, can be used with nonradioactive DNA and is optimal at low UV light doses. M. luteus endonuclease-sensitive sites were determined after exposure of untanned skin in two volunteers to UV light (0.97, 1.94, or 3.88 X 10(3) J/sq m; lambda, 290 to 360 nm). At 20 min postirradiation (dose, 1.94 X 10(3) J/sq m), fewer M. luteus endonuclease-sensitive sites were found in the DNA than immediately after the irradiation. Even fewer endonuclease-sensitive sites were found at 20 min when the UV-irradiated skin was subsequently irradiated with visible light than when the area was kept in the dark. These data suggest that some dimer disappearance by excision repair occurs within 20 min of UV irradiation and that photoreactivation of dimers can make a contribution to the total repair process.
The C-terminal hydrophobic repeat ofSchizosaccharomyces pombe heat shock factor is not required for heat-induced DNA-binding (1998)

The C-terminal hydrophobic repeat (CTR) of heat shock transcription factor (HSF) has been proposed to regulate DNA binding by intramolecular interactions with the leucine zipper motifs present in the HSF trimerization domain. Schizosaccharomyces pombe provides a useful model organism for the study of the regulation of HSF DNA binding because, unlike Saccharomyces cerevisiae, S. pombe hsf is highly heat shock inducible for DNA binding and contains a clear homology to the CTR. We examined the role that the CTR plays in the regulation of S. pombe hsf by constructing isogenic strains bearing deletion and point mutations in the chromosomal copy of hsf. Surprisingly, we found that point mutation of key hydrophobic amino acids within the CTR, as well as full deletion of it, yielded factors that show normal binding at normal growth temperatures and full levels of heat-induced binding. Deletion of the CTR did, however, slightly lower the temperature required for maximal activation. In contrast, a large deletion of the C-terminus, which removes close to a third of the coding sequence, was deregulated and bound DNA at control temperature. Several of the deletion mutants were significantly reduced in their level of expression, yet they showed wild-type levels of DNA binding activity following heat shock. These experiments demonstrate that appropriate regulation of the DNA binding activity of S. pombe hsf is not solely dependent upon the CTR, and imply that a feedback mechanism exists that establishes proper levels of DNA binding following heat shock despite mutations that significantly alter levels of total hsf.