Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Attentional Demands Influence Vocal Compensations to Pitch Errors Heard in Auditory Feedback

Auditory feedback is required to maintain fluent speech. At present, it is unclear how attention modulates auditory feedback processing during ongoing speech. In this event-related potential (ERP) study, participants vocalized/a/, while they heard their vocal pitch suddenly shifted downward a ½ semitone in both single and dual-task conditions. During the single-task condition participants passively viewed a visual stream for cues to start and stop vocalizing. In the dual-task condition, participants vocalized while they identified target stimuli in a visual stream of letters. The presentation rate of the visual stimuli was manipulated in the dual-task condition in order to produce a low, intermediate, and high attentional load. Visual target identification accuracy was lowest in the high attentional load condition, indicating that attentional load was successfully manipulated. Results further showed that participants who were exposed to the single-task condition, prior to the dual-task condition, produced larger vocal compensations during the single-task condition. Thus, when participants’ attention was divided, less attention was available for the monitoring of their auditory feedback, resulting in smaller compensatory vocal responses. However, P1-N1-P2 ERP responses were not affected by divided attention, suggesting that the effect of attentional load was not on the auditory processing of pitch altered feedback, but instead it interfered with the integration of auditory and motor information, or motor control itself.
On the exact distribution of the scaled largest eigenvalue

In this paper we study the distribution of the scaled largest eigenvalue of complex Wishart matrices, which has diverse applications both in statistics and wireless communications. Exact expressions, valid for any matrix dimensions, have been derived for the probability density function and the cumulative distribution function. The derived results involve only finite sums of polynomials. These results are obtained by taking advantage of properties of the Mellin transform for products of independent random variables.
Punching shear strength of reinforced concrete slabs strengthened with glass fiber-reinforced polymer laminates

Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) is mainly used to improve the flexural capacity as well as to provide the confinement for concrete members because of its superior tensile strength. This article reports on a study undertaken to determine the punching shear strength of concrete slabs strengthened with glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) laminates, and to study the effects of concrete compressive strength, steel reinforcement ratio, and GFRP laminates on punching shear strength. The parameters of the 18 specimens studied are concrete compressive strength, steel reinforcement ratio, and the number of GFRP laminate layers. The behavior of the concrete slabs reinforced with GFRP laminates in addition to steel reinforcement is compared to that of slabs with steel reinforcement alone. The results show that applying GFRP laminates markedly increases the punching shear capacity of slab-column connections. The GFRP laminates' enhancement of the ultimate punching shear capacity is more effective for the slabs with low concrete compressive strength and reinforcement ratio. Based on these results, the authors present a design procedure to calculate the ultimate punching shear strength of slab-column connections strengthened by the GFRP laminates. The authors conclude that good correlations between predicted and experimental results have been achieved.
Nebulizer use in inner-city children with asthma: morbidity, medication use, and asthma management practices.

OBJECTIVE To assess the frequency of nebulizer use, describe morbidity and patterns of medication administration, and examine the potential relationships between inhaled anti-inflammatory medication administration, asthma morbidity, and asthma management practices in children with asthma using a nebulizer compared with children with asthma not using a nebulizer. RESEARCH DESIGN A cross-sectional, descriptive survey of previous events. SETTING Elementary schools and participants' homes in Baltimore, Md, and Washington, DC. PARTICIPANTS Six hundred eighty-six families of children aged 5 to 12 years with a diagnosis of at least mild, persistent asthma. INTERVENTIONS None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Asthma morbidity, health care utilization, pattern of asthma medication administration, nebulizer use, and asthma management data were collected by telephone survey administered to caregivers. Nebulizer use was defined as use at least 1 or more days per month during the last 6 months. Of 686 children identified, 231 (33%) reported current nebulizer use. Nebulizer users had significantly increased lifetime hospital admissions, hospitalizations, and emergency department visits in the last 6 months compared with nonnebulizer users. Inhaled corticosteroid administration was low for both groups (nonnebulizer users, 8%; nebulizer users, 15%). In the nebulizer users group, administration of inhaled anti-inflammatory medications was associated with increased asthma morbidity (increased hospitalizations, days and nights with symptoms, and oral steroid use). CONCLUSIONS Nebulizer use by inner-city children with asthma is higher than anticipated but is not associated with reduced asthma morbidity. This group of high-risk children was undertreated with inhaled corticosteroids for long-term control of asthma despite reports of adequate monitoring by a primary care physician.
High plasma exposure to pemetrexed leads to severe hyponatremia in patients with advanced non small cell lung cancer receiving pemetrexed-platinum doublet chemotherapy

Background Pemetrexed-platinum doublet therapy is a standard treatment for stage IIIb/IV nonsquamous non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). While the regimen is associated with several grade ≥3 toxicities, hyponatremia is not a commonly reported adverse effect. Here we report an unusually high incidence of grade ≥3 hyponatremia in Indian patients receiving pemetrexed-platinum doublet, and the pharmacological basis for this phenomenon. Methods Forty-six patients with advanced NSCLC were enrolled for a bioequivalence study of two pemetrexed formulations. All patients received the pemetrexed-platinum doublet for six cycles followed by single-agent pemetrexed maintenance until progression. Pharmacokinetic blood samples were collected at predefined time points during the first cycle and the concentration-time profile of pemetrexed was investigated by noncompartmental analysis. Hyponatremic episodes were investigated with serum electrolytes, serum osmolality, urinary sodium, and urine osmolality. Results Sixteen of 46 patients (35%) had at least one episode of grade ≥3 hyponatremia. Twenty-four episodes of grade ≥3 hyponatremia were observed in 200 cycles of doublet chemotherapy. Plasma exposure to pemetrexed was significantly higher in patients with high-grade hyponatremia than in those with low-grade or no hyponatremia (P=0.063 and P=0.001, respectively). Pemetrexed clearance in high-grade hyponatremia was quite low compared with normal and low-grade hyponatremia (P=0.001 and P=0.055, respectively). Median pemetrexed exposure in this cohort was much higher than that reported in the literature from Western studies. Conclusion Higher exposure to pemetrexed is associated with grade ≥3 hyponatremia. The pharmacogenetic basis for higher exposure to pemetrexed in Indian patients needs further investigation.
Flow and heat transfer in the boundary layer of a micropolar fluid on a continuous moving surface

A boundary layer analysis is presented for the fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics of an incompressible micropolar fluid flowing over a plane moving surface in parallel or in reverse to the free stream. The isothermal boundary condition has been treated in this paper. The resulting system of non‐linear ordinary differential equations is solved by the multi‐stage continuous Runge‐Kutta method with shooting techniques. Numerical results are obtained for the velocity, angular velocity and temperature distributions. The results indicate that micropolar fluids display drag reduction and heat transfer reduction characteristics.
Efficient Techniques for Publicly Verifiable Delegation of Computation

With the advent of cloud computing, individuals and companies alike are looking for opportunities to leverage cloud resources not only for storage but also for computation. Nevertheless, the reliance on the cloud to perform computation raises the unavoidable challenge of how to assure the correctness of the delegated computation. In this regard, we introduce two cryptographic protocols for publicly verifiable computation that allow a lightweight client to securely outsource to a cloud server the evaluation of high-degree univariate polynomials and the multiplication of large matrices. Similarly to existing work, our protocols follow the amortized verifiable computation approach. Furthermore, by exploiting the mathematical properties of polynomials and matrices, they are more efficient and give way to public delegatability. Finally, besides their efficiency, our protocols are provably secure under well-studied assumptions.
Superpositions of time evolutions of a quantum system and a quantum time-translation machine.

A method to obtain a superposition of time evolutions of a quantum system which correspond to different Hamiltonians as well as to different periods of time is derived. Its application to amplification of an effect due to the action of weak forces is considered. A quantum time-translation machine based on the same principle, utilizing the gravitational field, is also considered.
Photoionization, Numerical Resolution, and Galaxy Formation

Using cosmological simulations that incorporate gasdynamics and gravitational forces, we investigate the influence of photoionization by an ultraviolet radiation background on the formation of galaxies. In our highest resolution simulations, we find that photoionization has essentially no effect on the baryonic mass function of galaxies at z = 2, down to our resolution limit of ~5 × 109 M☉. We do, however, find a strong interplay between the mass resolution of a simulation and the microphysics included in the computation of heating and cooling rates. At low resolution, a photoionizing background can appear to suppress the formation of even relatively massive galaxies. However, when the same initial conditions are evolved with a factor of 8 improvement in mass resolution, this effect disappears. Our results demonstrate the need for care in interpreting the results of cosmological simulations that incorporate hydrodynamics and radiation physics. For example, we conclude that a simulation with limited resolution may yield more accurate results if it ignores some relevant physical processes, such as photoionization. At higher resolution, the simulated population of massive galaxies is insensitive to the treatment of photoionization or the inclusion of star formation in the simulations, but it does depend significantly on the amplitude of the initial density fluctuations. By z = 2, an Ω = 1 cold dark matter model normalized to produce the observed masses of present-day clusters has already formed galaxies with baryon masses exceeding 1011 M☉.
Admission criteria to Saudi medical schools. Which is the best predictor for successful achievement?

OBJECTIVE To assess the relationship between current pre-admission criteria and medical student's grade point average (GPA) at the end of year 6 in 3 medical schools in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. METHODS We conducted this observational analytical study at 3 government medical schools in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between January 2011 and February 2012. High school grades, achievement test (Tahsili test) scores, aptitude test (Qudraat tests) scores, Mathematics, and English grades in the high school were used to predict medical student's GPA at the end of year 6. The criterion variable was student's cumulative GPA at the end of year 6. Correlation between pre-admission variables and GPA was calculated using Pearson's correlation, and multiple regression analyses. The Institutional review board and ethical committee at Taif Medical College approved the study. RESULTS We included 727 students in this study from the chosen medical schools. A significant positive correlation was observed among all pre-admission variables and GPA. Inclusion of all 5 sets in multiple regression analyses revealed that the achievement test, English grade in the high school, high school grade and aptitude test (Qudraat tests) were statistically predictive of GPA. A 20.8% variance in the GPA can be accounted for by the pre-admission criteria. CONCLUSION Multiple pre-admission factors predict medical students GPA. Achievement test is the most important predictor. High school grades in English emerged as an independent predictor. Medical schools should give more attention to these predictors during admissions.
Genetic Programming with One-Point Crossover and Point Mutation

In recent theoretical and experimental work on schemata in genetic programming we have proposed a new simpler form of crossover in which the same crossover point is selected in both parent programs. We call this operator one-point crossover because of its similarity with the corresponding operator in genetic algorithms. One point crossover presents very interesting properties from the theory point of view. In this paper we describe this form of crossover as well as a new variant called strict one-point crossover highlighting their useful theoretical and practical features. We also present experimental evidence which shows that one-point crossover compares favourably with standard crossover.
Effects of Temperature on the Bearing Strength of CF/Epoxy Pinned Joints

Pinned joint bearing tests are conducted at room temperature (25°C) and at high (150°C) and low (-100°C) temperatures for CF/epoxy quasi-isotropic laminates cured at 180°C with two stacking sequences, namely, [0/45/-45/90]3S and [90/-45/45/0]3S. Then, the evolution of microscopic damage as a function of load is examined by using an optical microscope. This article presents an original set of experimental data on the bearing strength of CF/epoxy pinned joints at high and low temperatures, as well as room temperature, while the previous studies did not cover the wide range of temperatures. Moreover, a technique for dynamically monitoring the load is developed to obtain the damage at the maximum load. The critical damage has not been distinguished from the secondary ones in the previous literature. It is found that the bearing failure of a pinned joint is composed of various damages depending on environmental temperatures; further, the strength of the pinned joint is closely related to the compressive kinking failure of all the inner 0° layers. Other characteristic features of the damage evolution at each temperature are discussed in detail.
ROLE OF NUTRIENT FLUCTUATIONS AND DELAYED DEVELOPMENT IN GAMETOPHYTE REPRODUCTION BY MACROCYSTIS PYRIFERA (PHAEOPHYCEAE) IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 1

Organisms occurring in environments subject to severe disturbance and/or periods of poor environmental quality that result in severe adult mortality can survive these periods by relying on alternate life stages that delay their development in a resistant state until conditions improve. In the northeast Pacific, the forest‐forming giant kelp Macrocystis pyrifera (L.) C. Agardh periodically experiences widespread adult mortality during extended periods of extremely low nutrients and high temperatures, such as those associated with El Niño. Recovery following these periods is hypothesized to occur from microscopic life stages that delay their development until the return of favorable conditions. In the laboratory, we experimentally examined the environmental conditions responsible for regulating delayed development of the microscopic stages of M. pyrifera from Southern California, USA. Nutrients controlled the delay and resumption of gametophyte growth and reproduction, perhaps linked to the large fluctuations in nutrients occurring seasonally and interannually in this region. Although growth of gametophytes proceeded in the virtual absence of nitrate, both nitrate and other trace nutrients were necessary for gametogenesis. Upon exposure to elevated nutrients, delayed gametophytes produced sporophytes more quickly (5–20 d) and at smaller sizes (10–200 μm) than gametophytes that had never been delayed (18–80 d, 80–400 μm, respectively), reducing negative density‐dependent effects. This finding demonstrates that delayed gametophytes of M. pyrifera rapidly utilize increased resources to consistently produce sporophytes. Further work is needed to assess their potential role in population recovery following periods of poor environmental quality.
Memristor-based mono-stable oscillator

In this letter, a reactance-less mono-stable oscillator is introduced for the first time using memristors. By replacing bulky inductors and capacitors with memristors, the novel mono-stable oscillator can be an area-efficient solution for on-chip fully integrated systems. The proposed circuit is described, mathematically analysed and verified by circuit simulations.
Hematopoietic Stem Cells Regulate Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Induction into Osteoblasts Thereby Participating in the Formation of the Stem Cell Niche

Crosstalk between hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and the cells comprising the niche is critical for maintaining stem cell activities. Yet little evidence supports the concept that HSCs regulate development of the niche. Here, the ability of HSCs to directly regulate endosteal development was examined. Marrow was isolated 48 hours after “stressing” mice with a single acute bleed or from control nonstressed animals. “Stressed” and “nonstressed” HSCs were cocultured with bone marrow stromal cells to map mesenchymal fate. The data suggest that HSCs are able to guide mesenchymal differentiation toward the osteoblastic lineage under basal conditions. HSCs isolated from animals subjected to an acute stress were significantly better at inducing osteoblastic differentiation in vitro and in vivo than those from control animals. Importantly, HSC‐derived bone morphogenic protein 2 (BMP‐2) and BMP‐6 were responsible for these activities. Furthermore, significant differences in the ability of HSCs to generate a BMP response following stress were noted in aged and in osteoporotic animals. Together these data suggest a coupling between HSC functions and bone turnover as in aging and in osteoporosis. For the first time, these results demonstrate that HSCs do not rest passively in their niche. Instead, they directly participate in bone formation and niche activities.
A Circadian Rhythm-Regulated Tomato Gene Is Induced by Arachidonic Acid and Phythophthora infestans Infection1[W]

A cDNA clone of unknown function, DEA1, was isolated from arachidonic acid-treated tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) leaves by differential display PCR. The gene, DEA1, is expressed in response to the programmed cell death-inducing arachidonic acid within 8 h following treatment of a tomato leaflet, 16 h prior to the development of visible cell death. DEA1 transcript levels were also affected by the late blight pathogen, Phytophthora infestans. To gain further insight into the transcriptional regulation of DEA1, the promoter region was cloned by inverse PCR and was found to contain putative stress-, signaling-, and circadian-response elements. DEA1 is highly expressed in roots, stems, and leaves, but not in flowers. Leaf expression of DEA1 is regulated by circadian rhythms during long days with the peak occurring at midday and the low point midway through the dark period. During short days, the rhythm is lost and DEA1 expression becomes constitutive. The predicted DEA1 protein has a conserved domain shared by the eight-cysteine motif superfamily of protease inhibitors, α-amylase inhibitors, seed storage proteins, and lipid transfer proteins. A DEA1-green fluorescent protein fusion protein localized to the plasma membrane in protoplasts and plasmolysis experiments, suggesting that the native protein is associated with the plasmalemma in intact cells.
Robust stabilization of an airlaunch system after launching phase

A Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) controller based on the dynamic feedback linearization technique is designed for the robust global stabilization of a new satellite launching strategy called (unmanned) airlaunch. This strategy consists in using a two-stages launching system. The first stage is composed of an airplane (manned or unmanned) that carries a rocket launcher which constitute the subsequent stages. The control objective is to stabilize the aircraft in the launch phase. It is developed and is applied to the full multi-input multi-output model of the aircraft. The considered model is highly nonlinear, mostly as a consequence of possible large angle of attack, sideslip and roll angle. Finally, the present work illustrates through simulations the good performance of the proposed control algorithm.
Microwave‐induced devulcanization for poly(ethylene–propylene–diene) recycling

The production of high quantities of end-of-life rubbers is an environmental problem of growing importance. Because of their crosslinked nature, such rubbers cannot be easily reprocessed, and actually, they are mainly wasted or reused after a simple mechanical grinding. In this study, a microwave (MW)-induced thermal treatment at temperatures above 300°C was proposed to obtain partial devulcanization of a poly(ethylene–propylene–diene) (EPDM) rubber filled with carbon black. The use of MWs showed to be a very fast and simple technique, which allowed the production of a treated rubber with a relatively low degree of crosslinking, a slight revulcanization ability, and suitability for reuse in conjunction with virgin rubber. Preliminary mechanical characterization, performed on the revulcanized samples, indicated that the virgin and treated rubber were able to establish a good interface adhesion, which led to performances better than those of similar materials where the recycled part was made of ground untreated EPDM. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011
Decreasing patient identification band errors by standardizing processes.

OBJECTIVE Patient identification (ID) bands are an essential component in patient ID. Quality improvement methodology has been applied as a model to reduce ID band errors although previous studies have not addressed standardization of ID bands. Our specific aim was to decrease ID band errors by 50% in a 12-month period. METHODS The Six Sigma DMAIC (define, measure, analyze, improve, and control) quality improvement model was the framework for this study. ID bands at a tertiary care pediatric hospital were audited from January 2011 to January 2012 with continued audits to June 2012 to confirm the new process was in control. After analysis, the major improvement strategy implemented was standardization of styles of ID bands and labels. Additional interventions included educational initiatives regarding the new ID band processes and disseminating institutional and nursing unit data. RESULTS A total of 4556 ID bands were audited with a preimprovement ID band error average rate of 9.2%. Significant variation in the ID band process was observed, including styles of ID bands. Interventions were focused on standardization of the ID band and labels. The ID band error rate improved to 5.2% in 9 months (95% confidence interval: 2.5-5.5; P < .001) and was maintained for 8 months. CONCLUSIONS Standardization of ID bands and labels in conjunction with other interventions resulted in a statistical decrease in ID band error rates. This decrease in ID band error rates was maintained over the subsequent 8 months.