Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Superdirective Beamforming Robust Against Microphone Mismatch

Fixed superdirective beamformers using small-sized microphone arrays are known to be highly sensitive to errors in the assumed microphone array characteristics (gain, phase, position). This paper discusses the design of robust superdirective beamformers by taking into account the statistics of the microphone characteristics. Different design procedures are considered: applying a white noise gain constraint, trading off the mean noise and distortion energy, minimizing the mean deviation from the desired superdirective directivity pattern, and maximizing the mean or the worst case directivity factor. When computational complexity is not an issue, maximizing the mean or the worst case directivity factor is the preferred design procedure. In addition, it is shown how to determine a suitable parameter range for the other design procedures such that both a high directivity and a high level of robustness are obtained
Early Vocabulary in Relation to Gender, Bilingualism, Type, and Duration of Childcare

This study investigates the predictive value of child-related and environmental characteristics for early lexical development. The German productive vocabulary of 51 2-year-olds (27 girls), assessed via parental report, was analyzed taking children’s gender, the type of early care they experienced, and their mono- versus bilingual language composition into consideration. The children were from an educationally homogeneous group of families and state-regulated daycare facilities with high structural quality. All investigated subgroups exhibited German vocabulary size within the expected normative range. Gender differences in vocabulary composition, but not in size, were observed. There were no general differences in vocabulary size or composition between the 2 care groups. An interaction between the predictors gender and care arrangement showed that girls without regular daycare experience before the age of 2 years had a somewhat larger vocabulary than all other investigated subgroups of children. The vocabulary size of the 2-year-old children in daycare correlated positively with the duration of their daycare experience prior to testing. The small subgroup of bilingual children investigated exhibited slightly lower but still normative German expressive vocabulary size and a different vocabulary composition compared to the monolingual children. This study expands current knowledge about relevant predictors of early vocabulary. It shows that in the absence of educational disadvantages the duration of early daycare experience of high structural quality is positively associated with vocabulary size but also points to the fact that environmental characteristics, such as type of care, might affect boys’ and girls’ early vocabulary in different ways.
Wireless non-contact cardiac and neural monitoring

Ubiquitous physiological monitoring will be a key driving force in the upcoming wireless health revolution. Cardiac and brain signals in the form of ECG and EEG are two critical health indicators that directly benefit from long-term monitoring. Despite advancements in wireless technology and electronics miniaturization, however, the use of wireless home ECG/EEG monitoring is still limited by the inconvenience and discomfort of wet adhesive electrodes. We have developed a wireless biopotential instrumentation system using non-contact capacitive electrodes that operate without skin contact. The sensors can be embedded within comfortable layers of fabric for unobtrusive use. All of the issues relating to the design of low noise, high performance capacitive sensors are discussed along with full technical details, circuit schematics and construction techniques. The non-contact electrode has been integrated into both a wearable ECG chest harness as well a EEG headband. We have also designed a compact, battery-powered, wireless data acquisition system to interface with multiple electrodes and monitor patient cardiac and neural signals in real time. Experimental data shows that the non-contact capacitive electrode perform comparable to Ag/AgCl electrodes using our special chest harness and head bands to ensure tight, movement-free electrode positioning.
Activity Level and Balance in Subjects with Mild Alzheimer’s Disease

To clarify if Alzheimer’s disease has an impact on activity level and postural control, we examined 17 elderly diagnosed with mild Alzheimer’s disease (MMSE scores 21–29) and 18 age- and gender-matched healthy controls (MMSE scores 27–30) using the Frenchay Activities Index, Bergs Balance Scale, Timed Up & Go and Walking in a Figure of Eight. Mild AD subjects were less active and had lower scores on Bergs Balance Scale, performed Timed Up & Go in longer time and took more steps outside the Figure of Eight, as compared to healthy elderly. This study shows that motor performance is affected already at mild stages of Alzheimer’s disease and also that functional performance other than gait may also be impaired.
The impact of different supervised exercise regimens on endothelial function in patients with intermittent claudication

Background and objectives The impact of supervised exercise training on endothelial function in patients with intermittent claudication is unclear. This study assesses the impact of treadmill-based supervised exercise training alone or in combination with resistance training on pain free walking distance, flow-mediated dilatation, reactive hyperaemia index, nitric oxide and asymmetric dimethylarginine. Methods Thirty-five patients with intermittent claudication were randomised to 12 weeks of treadmill-only supervised exercise training (Group 1) or a combination of treadmill and lower-limb resistance supervised exercise training (Group 2). Pain free walking distance was assessed by six-minute walk test. Endothelial function was assessed by brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation, reactive hyperaemia index and serum analysis of asymmetric dimethylarginine and nitric oxide. Results Pain free walking distance improved within Group 1 (160 m to 204 m, p = 0.03) but not Group 2 (181 m to 188 m, p = 0.82), no between group difference. No significant change in flow-mediated dilatation or reactive hyperaemia index in either group. Nitric oxide decreased in Group 1 (15.0 µmol/L to 8.3 µmol/L, p = 0.003) but not Group 2 (11.2 µmol/L to 9.1 µmol/L, p = 0.14), p = 0.07 between groups. Asymmetric dimethylarginine decreased in Group 2 (0.61 µmol/L to 0.56 µmol/L, p = 0.03) but not Group 1 (0.58 µmol/l to 0.58 µmol/L, p = 0.776), no between group difference. Conclusion Supervised exercise training does not improve endothelial function as measured by flow-mediated dilatation, reactive hyperaemia index and nitric oxide bioavailability.
Reduction of Healthcare-Associated Infections by Exceeding High Compliance with Hand Hygiene Practices

Improving hand hygiene from high to very high compliance has not been documented to decrease healthcare-associated infections. We conducted longitudinal analyses during 2013–2015 in an 853-bed hospital and observed a significantly increased hand hygiene compliance rate (p<0.001) and a significantly decreased healthcare-associated infection rate (p = 0.0066).
Group discussions and test-enhanced learning: individual learning outcomes and personality characteristics

ABSTRACT This paper focuses on the factors that are likely to play a role in individual learning outcomes from group discussions, and it includes a comparison featuring test-enhanced learning. A between-groups design (N = 98) was used to examine the learning effects of feedback if provided to discussion groups, and to examine whether group discussions benefit learning when compared to test-enhanced learning over time. The results showed that feedback does not seem to have any effect if provided to a discussion group, and that test-enhanced learning leads to better learning than the discussion groups, independent of retention interval. Moreover, we examined whether memory and learning might be influenced by the participants’ need for cognition (NFC). The results showed that those scoring high on NFC remembered more than those who scored low. To conclude, testing trumps discussion groups from a learning perspective, and the discussion groups were also the least beneficial learning context for those scoring low on NFC.
Newborn infants learn during sleep

Newborn infants must rapidly adjust their physiology and behavior to the specific demands of the novel postnatal environment. This adaptation depends, at least in part, on the infant's ability to learn from experiences. We report here that infants exhibit learning even while asleep. Bioelectrical activity from face and scalp electrodes was recorded from neonates during an eye movement conditioning procedure in which a tone was followed by a puff of air to the eye. Sleeping newborns rapidly learned the predictive relationship between the tone and the puff. Additionally, in the latter part of training, these infants exhibited a frontally maximum positive EEG slow wave possibly reflecting memory updating. As newborns spend most of their time sleeping, the ability to learn about external stimuli in the postnatal environment during nonawake states may be crucial for rapid adaptation and infant survival. Furthermore, because eyelid conditioning reflects functional cerebellar circuitry, this method potentially offers a unique approach for early identification of infants at risk for a range of developmental disorders including autism and dyslexia.
Is there any Clear Idea of a University?

There has been much recent debate, both in the media and in academic journals, as to the meaning of the term university. This article explores the legal meaning of the term, and the historical contingencies which have surrounded various understandings of the term. It compares the structure of the Eleemosynary Corporation—the individual colleges in Oxford and Cambridge in the United Kingdom, from which many of our conceptions of a “real” university arise—with the realities of the statutory university in the United Kingdom and Australia. It concludes that the term, although with a loaded legal and institutional meaning, is bereft of any inherent meaning conveying function, and that a debate on the role and independence of the university must be policy‐oriented but not reliant on the historical meaning of the word.
Polarity and energetics of inner core lightning in three intense North Atlantic hurricanes

[1] We use the World Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN), low-frequency magnetic fields measured at Duke University, and storm intensity data (winds and central pressure) to examine the polarity and energetics of lightning within 100 km of the centers (inner core regions) of North Atlantic hurricanes Emily, Katrina, and Rita (2005). WWLLN provides the lightning locations. Polarities, peak currents, and vertical impulse charge moment changes are derived from the Duke magnetic field measurements. In agreement with past studies, we find episodic inner core lightning outbreaks prior to and during most changes in storm intensity. A new result of our analysis indicates an increase in the relative number of positive cloud-to-ground lightning in the inner core prior to and during periods of storm weakening, which is potentially important for hurricane intensity change forecasting. Additionally, we find that the majority of inner core lightning located by WWLLN had peak currents that surpassed the threshold needed to produce optical emissions (elves) and drive electron density perturbations in the lower ionosphere (80–105 km). Since these high peak current lightning occurred in short-duration outbreaks, they had an accumulated effect on the ionospheric electron density, as shown by recent modeling studies. Our results suggest that the inner core lightning in intense hurricanes might be significant drivers of perturbations in the lower ionosphere during these inner core lightning outbreaks.
Bisphenol A Increases Atherosclerosis in Pregnane X Receptor‐Humanized ApoE Deficient Mice

Background Bisphenol A (BPA) is a base chemical used extensively in many consumer products. BPA has recently been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in multiple large‐scale human population studies, but the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. We previously reported that BPA activates the pregnane X receptor (PXR), which acts as a xenobiotic sensor to regulate xenobiotic metabolism and has pro‐atherogenic effects in animal models upon activation. Interestingly, BPA is a potent agonist of human PXR but does not activate mouse or rat PXR signaling, which confounds the use of rodent models to evaluate mechanisms of BPA‐mediated CVD risk. This study aimed to investigate the atherogenic mechanism of BPA using a PXR‐humanized mouse model. Methods and Results A PXR‐humanized ApoE deficient (huPXR•ApoE−/−) mouse line was generated that respond to human PXR ligands and feeding studies were performed to determine the effects of BPA exposure on atherosclerosis development. Exposure to BPA significantly increased atherosclerotic lesion area in the aortic root and brachiocephalic artery of huPXR•ApoE−/− mice by 104% (P<0.001) and 120% (P<0.05), respectively. By contrast, BPA did not affect atherosclerosis development in the control littermates without human PXR. BPA exposure did not affect plasma lipid levels but increased CD36 expression and lipid accumulation in macrophages of huPXR•ApoE−/− mice. Conclusion These findings identify a molecular mechanism that could link BPA exposure to increased risk of CVD in exposed individuals. PXR is therefore a relevant target for future risk assessment of BPA and related environmental chemicals in humans.
Social Influences and the Theory of Planned Behaviour: Evidence for a Direct Relationship Between Prototypes and Young People's Exercise Behaviour

This study employed a prospective questionnaire design to assess the predictive validity of prototypes and descriptive norms in relation to young people's exercise behaviour after variables from the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and past behaviour had been controlled. Findings supported the utility of the TPB, descriptive norms, prototype similarity, and past behaviour in predicting intentions and behaviour. Importantly, prototype similarity was directly associated with behaviour, both on its own and through its relationship with descriptive norms, even after controlling for the TPB and past behaviour. Findings are discussed in relation to; (1) the role of social identification in motivating health-related decisions and behaviour, (2) the current conceptualisation of social influences in the TPB, and (3) recent research on the "perception-behaviour expressway".
The scope of discourse connectives: implications for discourse organization

The main aim of this paper is to discuss the claim that discourse connectives are best treated as indicators of coherence relations between hierarchically organized discourse units. It will be argued that coherence relations cannot be seen as cognitively real entities. Furthermore, there is no evidence for hierarchical organization in discourse. The intuitions underlying the notion of hierarchical discourse structure are instead explained in terms of consequences of processing a text in the search for optimal relevance. This account draws attention to a hitherto not widely discussed set of data.
A healthy scepticism towards water in South Australia

Purpose – This paper examines citizen trust at both a rational and affect level in the water utility provider, SA Water.Design/methodology/approach – The study draws on data from a CATI of approximately 500 residents in two urban and rural locations.Findings – Citizens have a healthy scepticism toward the utility provider suggesting they make a distinction between the capacity of SA Water to provide safe drinking water, and the political willingness of the government to plan for long‐term sustainability.Research limitations/implications – The conduct of research on topics of a political nature may be viewed by respondents as a political act although it is possible to see the views expressed as representative. Research conducted during times of heightened awareness, such as during a drought when water restrictions are in place, may generate strong feelings of anger in government, but may not be a true measure of citizen trust in the provider.Practical implications – The paper shows that trust in utility pr.
Type Systems for Distributed Programs: Components and Sessions

Modern software systems, in particular distributed ones, are everywhere around us and are at the basis of our everyday activities. Hence, guaranteeing their correctness, consistency and safety is of paramount importance. Their complexity makes the verification of such properties a very challenging task. It is natural to expect that these systems are reliable and above all usable. i) In order to be reliable, compositional models of software systems need to account for consistent dynamic reconfiguration, i.e., changing at runtime the communication patterns of a program. ii) In order to be useful, compositional models of software systems need to account for interaction, which can be seen as communication patterns among components which collaborate together to achieve a common task. The aim of the Ph.D. was to develop powerful techniques based on formal methods for the verification of correctness, consistency and safety properties related to dynamic reconfiguration and communication in complex distributed systems. In particular, static analysis techniques based on types and type systems appeared to be an adequate methodology, considering their success in guaranteeing not only basic safety properties, but also more sophisticated ones like, deadlock or livelock freedom in a concurrent setting. The main contributions of this dissertation are twofold. i) On the components side: we design types and a type system for a concurrent object-oriented calculus to statically ensure consistency of dynamic reconfigurations related to modifications of communication patterns in a program during execution time. ii) On the communication side: we study advanced safety properties related to communication in complex distributed systems like deadlock-freedom, livelock-freedom and progress. Most importantly, we exploit an encoding of types and terms of a typical distributed language, session π-calculus, into the standard typed π-calculus, in order to understand the expressive power of concurrent calculi with structured communication primitives and how they stand with respect to the standard typed concurrent calculi, namely (variants) of typed π-calculus. Then, we show how to derive in the session π-calculus basic properties, like type safety or complex ones, like progress, by encoding.
L2 and L3 ultimate attainment: an investigation of two parameters

This study considers the upper limit of ultimate attainment in the L2 French and L3 English of trilingual learners. The learners are native speakers of Moroccan Arabic who started learning L2 French at eight and L3 English at 16. They are advanced in both languages. Four constructions representing the verb movement and null subject parameter were tested using acceptability judgement and preference tasks. The results show that the advanced L3 learners performed comparably to the native speakers on both parameters while the advanced L2 learners were less accurate. We conclude that nativelikeness is possible in L3 ultimate attainment even if learning starts at post-puberty and takes place in a formal foreign language context. However, convergence with the native knowledge may not affect all the component structures of the parameters as the learners' ultimate attainment in L2 French shows.
Correlates of Domestic Violence against Women in Bahr Dar, Amhara Region, Ethiopia

In many developing countries, domestic violence has recently become not only human rights or public health concern but also a development issue. Studies suggest that Ethiopia has the highest prevalence of domestic violence against women. However, evidence from representative, population-based studies is limited and the factors that contribute to this high level of domestic violence are not well documented. This study, using data collected from a sample of married women aged 15-49, attempted to identify the correlates of domestic violence against women in Bahr Dar, the capital city of Amhara Region. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used in the data analysis. Findings show that a high proportion of the study population experienced recent threats or physical abuse (58%) and that more than 60% of these women reported three or more specific acts of violence over a period of 12 months. Respondents' age, duration of current marriage, number of children greater than four, household size, education, type of marriage arrangement, type of family, and husbands' alcohol drinking habit emerged as powerful risk factors for domestic violence against women. While age at marriage, work status, attitude towards gender roles and decision making in the conjugal household and respondents' experience of fathers beating mothers were found to be weak predictors of violence against women. Eliminating harmful practices such as arranged marriage or marriage by force, enhancing female education, and improving gender equity are suggested as possible interventions for reducing the prevalence of domestic violence against women. Keywords : intimate partner; women; risk factors; alcohol drinking; police Ethiopian Journal of Development Research Vol. 28 (2) 2006: pp. 31-62
Factors for Customer Information Satisfaction: User Approved and Empirically Evaluated

ABSTRACT Overall customer satisfaction with websites has been linked with many positive customer behaviors and attitudes. In the highly competitive e-markets, website designers are consistently searching for new ways to gain an edge. Customer information satisfaction (CIS) studies have demonstrated the positive impact that information content has on customer’s overall satisfaction. Additionally, content preparation (CP) studies have focused on developing models and content factor structures to illustrate customer information needs. Reviewing the literature, there is a lack of research in these areas that focus on U.S. Internet users and online customers. In addition, guidelines and tools are needed to support designers. Thus, the objectives of this study are to (1) empirically evaluate a theoretical CP model; (2) derive a content factor structure; and (3) interpret results as design guidelines for online CIS. Over 300 U.S. internet users and online customers completed a survey. From an exploratory factor analysis, six factors—general product description, product quality, product appearance, member transactions, customer service, and company—explaining 71% of the total variance resulted. This study illustrates a baseline of information needs for internet users and online U.S. customers helpful for researchers and designers.