Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Acoustical analysis of the underlying voice differences between two groups of professional singers: opera and country and western

An acoustical analysis of the speaking and singing voices of two types of professional singers was conducted. The vowels /i/, /a/, and /o/ were spoken and sung ten times each by seven opera and seven country and western singers. Vowel spectra were derived by computer software techniques allowing quantitative assessment of formant structure (F1‐F4), relative amplitude of resonance peaks (F1‐F4), fundamental frequency, and harmonic high frequency energy. Formant analysis was the most effective parameter differentiating the two groups. Only opera singers lowered their fourth formant creating a wide‐band resonance area (approximately 2,800 Hz) corresponding to the well‐known “singing formnnt. ” Country and western singers revealed similar resonatory voice characteristics for both spoken and sung output. These results implicate faulty vocal technique in country and western singers as a contributory reason for vocal abuse/fatigue.
Get Out of My Lab: Large-scale, Real-Time Visual-Inertial Localization

Accurately estimating a robot's pose relative to a global scene model and precisely tracking the pose in real-time is a fundamental problem for navigation and obstacle avoidance tasks. Due to the computational complexity of localization against a large map and the memory consumed by the model, state-of-the-art approaches are either limited to small workspaces or rely on a server-side system to query the global model while tracking the pose locally. The latter approaches face the problem of smoothly integrating the server's pose estimates into the trajectory computed locally to avoid temporal discontinuities. In this paper, we demonstrate that large-scale, real-time pose estimation and tracking can be performed on mobile platforms with limited resources without the use of an external server. This is achieved by employing map and descriptor compression schemes as well as efficient search algorithms from computer vision. We derive a formulation for integrating the global pose information into a local state estimator that produces much smoother trajectories than current approaches. Through detailed experiments, we evaluate each of our design choices individually and document its impact on the overall system performance, demonstrating that our approach outperforms state-of-the-art algorithms for localization at scale.
Minimal Resources for Fixed and Variable Job Schedules

We treat the following problem: There are n jobs with given processing times and an interval for each job's starting time. Each job must be processed, without interruption, on any one of an unlimited set of identical machines. A machine may process any job, but no more than one job at any point in time. We want to find the starting time of each job such that the number of machines required to process all jobs is minimal. In addition, the assignment of jobs to each machine must be found. If every job has a fixed starting time the interval is a point, the problem is well-known as a special case of Dilworth's problem. We term it the fixed job schedule problem FSP. When the job starting times are variable, the problem is referred to as the variable job schedule problem VSP, for which no known exact solution procedure exists. We introduce the problems by reviewing previous solution methods to Dilworth's problem. We offer an approximate solution procedure for solving VSP based on the entropy principle of informational smoothing. We then formulate VSP as a pure integer programming problem and provide an exact algorithm. This algorithm examines a sequence of feasibility capacitated transportation problems with job splitting elimination side constraints. Our computational experience demonstrates the utility of the entropy approach.
Detection of human papillomaviruses and eccrine ducts in palmoplantar epidermoid cysts

Summary Although epidermoid cysts of the palms and soles have long been assumed to develop following implantation of an epidermal fragment as a result of a penetrating injury, the pathogenic mechanism is still controversial, and the discovery of a more common aetiological agent is awaited. Clinical, histological, immunohistochemical and molecular biological studies were performed on 119 epidermoid cysts of palmoplatitur location, in order to examine the rote of the eccrine ducts, and human papillomavirus (HPV), in the pathogenesis of this disorder.
The 2002 Outburst of the Black Hole X-Ray Binary 4U 1543–47: Optical and Infrared Light Curves

We obtained simultaneous optical and near-infrared observations of 4U 1543-47 during its 2002 outburst. The most striking feature of the outburst light curve is the secondary maximum, which appears after the object transitions into the low-hard state. This secondary maximum is much stronger in the infrared bands than in the optical. We suggest that the origin of the secondary maximum flux may be synchrotron radiation associated with a jet. Close infrared monitoring may lead to reliable triggers for simultaneous multiwavelength campaigns to study jet formation processes.
Pembelajaran yang Mendidik: Artikulasi Konseptual, Terapan Kontekstual, dan Verifikasi Empirik

The dismal academic performance of the great majority of Indonesian primary and secondary school students has been everyones concern. Two reasons are usually presented to explain the phenomenon and these are teacher welfare that is closely related to teacher competence as well sharp disparity of deployment at the primay level that is also coupled with mismatch assignment at the secondary level. Obviously this observation on the two detrimental conditions are valid, and thefore needs to be expeditiously addressed. However, there has been another crucial factor which could not be rectified only through managerial measures. This crucial reason is the pervasive belief that views instruction as mere content transmision. Therefore, in order to strive for quality student performance, we have to dismantle this petrified view inadvertently sowed through PPSI that employed pre-test post-test scheme for each class session, thereby reducing student achievement to mere memorization of facts. In other words, this infertile view of instruction should be replaced with one that views the endeavor as instruction that educates.
An analysis of individual and departmental geographical stories, and their role in sustaining teachers

ABSTRACT Teaching can be a hard job, and sustaining teachers throughout their career can be a challenge, facing pressure from performativity, increasing accountability, and increases in teacher workload. Geographical stories offer an important source of inspiration, helping to sustain teachers. Findings are presented from an ethnographic study of secondary school geography departments in England. Every teacher in these departments told compelling stories about their personal histories that have led them to being a geography teacher. The areas of subject specialism they claim are not arbitrary, but are often described through narratives in which events from childhood, schooling, and university are re-told, emphasising their long-standing acquaintance with, and passion for certain geographical issues. Departmental organisational types are discussed, and significant differences between departments are highlighted. Within departments, teachers’ individual geographical stories may be re-told to construct collective narratives. These departmental, collective stories position teachers in relation to one another, and offer a further dimension of support for teachers’ identity and status. Further research – particularly longitudinal studies – is suggested as one way of developing understandings about the ways in which teachers' individual stories might be re-told in dialogue with the collective stories told by their departments. Implications for initial teacher education include increasing beginning teachers’ awareness of the distinctiveness of departments, and tailoring developmental work with them to take more explicit account of the specific contexts in which they are learning to teach.
Evidence for two immune inhibitors from Bacillus thuringiensis interfering with the humoral defense system of saturniid pupae

Mutants of Bacillus thuringiensis lacking either beta-exotoxin or gamma-endotoxin were compared for their virulence using pupae of a giant silk moth. Known doses of viable log-phase bacteria were injected, and the response was followed as the number of viable bacteria in the hemolymph. The results obtained imply that, in the system used, neither the beta-exotoxin nor the gamma-endotoxin and the sporeforming ability are of importance for virulence. Results with sterile culture filtrate from B. thuringiensis have given evidence for the production of two inhibitors, A and B, which interfere with the humoral defense system in pupae of Hyalophora cecropia. Inhibitor A, which blocked the lysis of Escherichia coli,was precipitated by trichloroacetic acid and sensitive to heating. Inhibitor B, which blocked the killing of Bacillus cereus, was soluble in trichloroacetic acid and resistant to 90 degrees C for 5 min. Both inhibitors are believed to contribute to the insecticidal nature of B. thuringiensis.
Obinutuzumab-mediated high-affinity ligation of FcγRIIIA/CD16 primes NK cells for IFNγ production

ABSTRACT Natural killer (NK) cell-mediated antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), based on the recognition of IgG-opsonized targets by the low-affinity receptor for IgG FcγRIIIA/CD16, represents one of the main mechanisms by which therapeutic antibodies (mAbs) mediate their antitumor effects. Besides ADCC, CD16 ligation also results in cytokine production, in particular, NK-derived IFNγ is endowed with a well-recognized role in the shaping of adaptive immune responses. Obinutuzumab is a glycoengineered anti-CD20 mAb with a modified crystallizable fragment (Fc) domain designed to increase the affinity for CD16 and consequently the killing of mAb-opsonized targets. However, the impact of CD16 ligation in optimized affinity conditions on NK functional program is not completely understood. Herein, we demonstrate that the interaction of NK cells with obinutuzumab-opsonized cells results in enhanced IFNγ production as compared with parental non-glycoengineered mAb or the reference molecule rituximab. We observed that affinity ligation conditions strictly correlate with the ability to induce CD16 down-modulation and lysosomal targeting of receptor-associated signaling elements. Indeed, a preferential degradation of FcϵRIγ chain and Syk kinase was observed upon obinutuzumab stimulation independently from CD16-V158F polymorphism. Although the downregulation of FcϵRIγ/Syk module leads to the impairment of cytotoxic function induced by NKp46 and NKp30 receptors, obinutuzumab-experienced cells exhibit an increased ability to produce IFNγ in response to different stimuli. These data highlight a relationship between CD16 aggregation conditions and the ability to promote a degradative pathway of CD16-coupled signaling elements associated to the shift of NK functional program.
Sexual Violence Against Adolescent Girls

This study investigates associations between immigration and acculturation with sexual assault among a large, representative sample of high school girls. The analysis utilized data from the Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Surveys conducted in 1999, 2001, and 2003 (N = 5,919). Adjusted logistic regression analyses were conducted among the full sample and a sexually active subsample. Being an immigrant was associated with recurring sexual assault victimization; this effect was not consistent across age and racial/ethnic groups. Immigrant status conferred risk among adolescent girls aged 15 and younger, Black adolescent girls, and sexually active Hispanic girls. No differences were detected in sexual assault victimization based on acculturation.
Challenging monolingual teaching practices : the roots and fruits of teachers' tolerance towards multilingualism

Societies have become super-diverse due to migration and globalization. Many mainstream classroom teachers feel managing the linguistic variety children bring to school is challenging. This often leads to restrictive language policies. Research on multilingualism has given us insight into the multilingual realities of pupils, which allows us to focus on how the integration of these realities in school life might affect pupils’ academic results and well-being. This study examines how teachers’ tolerant practices toward multilingualism might mediate the relationship between schools’ linguistic diversity and pupils’ school belonging. The survey data come from 67 Flemish primary schools, in which 1255 teachers and 1761 pupils participated. Stepwise multilevel modeling showed that teachers’ tolerating practices towards multilingualism statistically compensate for the negative effects of linguistically diverse schools on school belonging. Multilingual school population 67 Figure 5: Aspects and relations in the operational model under focus in study 1
Between Europeanization and De-Europeanization: A Comparative Content Analysis of the Pre-election Presentation of the EU Agenda in the Czech Quality Press

Abstract The paper explores the process of the Czech journalists setting the EU agenda in the media during the ‘hot phase’ of the Czech national parliament election campaigns in 2002, 2006, and 2010. Unlike most studies that concentrated on the media agenda in the European Parliament election campaigns, we focused on periods that were neither strictly key events nor routine, but that were more intensively covered by the media and simultaneously generated more influential political representation defining national political attitudes towards the EU. Articles that referred to the EU during the ‘hot phase’ were content analyzed. The results suggest that in the Czech press, the EU agenda is less and less visible, and, moreover, that it is increasingly negatively framed and reduced to an economic agenda.
Exact field ionization rates in the barrier-suppression regime from numerical time-dependent Schrödinger-equation calculations

Numerically determined ionization rates for the field ionization of atomic hydrogen in strong and short laser pulses are presented. The laser pulse intensity reaches the so-called ``barrier-suppression ionization'' regime where field ionization occurs within a few half laser cycles. Comparison of our numerical results with analytical theories frequently used shows poor agreement. An empirical formula for the ``barrier-suppression ionization'' rate is presented. This rate reproduces very well the course of the numerically determined ground-state populations for laser pulses with different length, shape, amplitude, and frequency.
Value of intracochlear electrically evoked auditory brainstem response after cochlear implantation in patients with narrow internal auditory canal

Cochlear implantation in patients with narrow internal auditory canal (IAC) can result in variable outcomes; however, preoperative evaluations have limitations in accurately predicting outcomes. In this study, we analyzed the outcomes of cochlear implantation in patients with narrow IAC and correlated the intracochlear electrically evoked auditory brainstem response (EABR) findings to postoperative performance to determine the prognostic significance of intracochlear EABR.
Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Clinical Trial of Donepezil in Vascular Dementia: Differential Effects by Hippocampal Size

Background and Purpose— We sought to assess the efficacy and safety of donepezil in patients with vascular dementia (VaD) fulfilling National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke–Association Internationale pour la Recherche et l'Enseignement en Neurosciences criteria. Methods— This international, multicenter, 24-week trial was conducted from March 2003 to August 2005. Patients (N=974; mean age, 73.0 years) with probable or possible VaD were randomized 2:1 to receive donepezil 5 mg/d or placebo. Coprimary outcome measures were scores on the Vascular-Alzheimer Disease Assessment Scale–Cognitive Subscale and Clinician's Interview–Based Impression of Change, plus carer interview. Analyses were performed for the intent-to-treat population with the last-observation-carried-forward method. Results— Compared with placebo, donepezil-treated patients showed significant improvement from baseline to end point on the Vascular-Alzheimer Disease Assessment Scale–Cognitive Subscale (least-squares mean difference, −1.156; 95% CI, −1.98 to −0.33; P<0.01) but not on the Clinician's Interview–Based Impression of Change, plus carer interview. Patients with hippocampal atrophy who were treated with donepezil demonstrated stable cognition versus a decline in the placebo-treated group; in those without atrophy, cognition improved with donepezil versus relative stability with placebo. Results on secondary efficacy measures were inconsistent. The incidence of adverse events was similar across groups. Eleven deaths occurred in the donepezil group (1.7%), similar to rates previously reported for donepezil trials in VaD, whereas no deaths occurred in the placebo group. Conclusions— Patients treated with donepezil 5 mg/d demonstrated significant improvement in cognitive, but not global, function. Donepezil was relatively well tolerated; adverse events were consistent with current labeling. Mortality in the placebo group was unexpectedly low. The differential treatment response of VaD patients by hippocampal size suggests that hippocampal imaging warrants further investigation for understanding VaD.
Automatic analysis of requirements consistency with the B method

A consistent requirements specification is a fundamental success factor for quality software development projects. On the one hand, writing requirements in a natural language is not good for an automated conflict detection process. On the other hand, formal methods provide the basis for consistency checking of requirements specification automatically. In this paper, the potential of the B method for improving the requirements quality under the consistency dimension is discussed. We present an approach to use B specifications derived from a controlled natural language to identify requirements inconsistencies
Fluoride Uptake and Retention in vitro Following Topical Fluoride Applications

Fluoride uptake and retention on maxillary and mandibular incisors were compared using a conventional APF gel, a thixotropic gel, and a new pluronic-based fluoride gel. Based on the results of in vivo acid-etch biopsies, significant fluoride uptake was obtained with each of the three agents. The highly viscous pluronic gel may provide an alternative to conventional topical fluoride gels for subjects - e.g., handicapped persons - with whom a tray system is not feasible.
Differences in synthesis and absorption of cholesterol of two effective lipid-lowering therapies

Effective statin therapy is associated with a marked reduction of cardiovascular events. However, the explanation for full benefits obtained for LDL cholesterol targets by combined lipid-lowering therapy is controversial. Our study compared the effects of two equally effective lipid-lowering strategies on markers of cholesterol synthesis and absorption. A prospective, open label, randomized, parallel design study, with blinded endpoints, included 116 subjects. We compared the effects of a 12-week treatment with 40 mg rosuvastatin or the combination of 40 mg simvastatin/10 mg ezetimibe on markers of cholesterol absorption (campesterol and β-sitosterol), synthesis (desmosterol), and their ratios to cholesterol. Both therapies similarly decreased total and LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and apolipoprotein B, and increased apolipoprotein A1 (P < 0.05 vs baseline for all). Simvastatin/ezetimibe increased plasma desmosterol (P = 0.012 vs baseline), and decreased campesterol and β-sitosterol (P < 0.0001 vs baseline for both), with higher desmosterol (P = 0.007) and lower campesterol and β-sitosterol compared to rosuvastatin, (P < 0.0001, for both). In addition, rosuvastatin increased the ratios of these markers to cholesterol (P < 0.002 vs baseline for all), whereas simvastatin/ezetimibe significantly decreased the campesterol/cholesterol ratio (P = 0.008 vs baseline) and tripled the desmosterol/cholesterol ratio (P < 0.0001 vs baseline). The campesterol/cholesterol and β-sitosterol/cholesterol ratios were lower, whereas the desmosterol/cholesterol ratio was higher in patients receiving simvastatin/ezetimibe (P < 0.0001 vs rosuvastatin, for all). Pronounced differences in markers of cholesterol absorption and synthesis were observed between two equally effective lipid-lowering strategies.
Risk factors associated with death among influenza A (H1N1) patients, Tamil Nadu, India, 2010.

BACKGROUND Limited information is available about the risk factors associated with death among patients of influenza A (H1N1) in India. AIMS To describe the epidemiology of laboratory-confirmed influenza A (H1N1) patients and identify risk factors associated with death. SETTINGS AND DESIGN We reviewed the surveillance data of laboratory-confirmed patients in Tamil Nadu, India, for the year 2010. We conducted a case-control study by comparing 70 laboratory-confirmed A (H1N1) patients who died (cases) with 210 A (H1N1) patients who recovered (controls) to identify the risk factors for deaths. MATERIALS AND METHODS We interviewed the controls and immediate care-takers of the influenza patients who died to collect information about socio-demographic details and co-morbid conditions. We used an abstraction form to collect the information about the clinical details from the case records of the hospitals where the cases and controls received treatment. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS We analysed the surveillance data by time, place and person. We conducted univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis for identifying factors associated death. RESULTS During 2010, 1302 laboratory-confirmed cases were reported to the Tamil Nadu surveillance unit. Of these, 72 patients died (case fatality=5.5%). About 2/3 of the cases and 40% of the deaths were from three districts. On multivariate analysis, past history of diabetes, treatment in private hospitals, treatment with corticosteroids during illness, visit to >1 healthcare facility before laboratory confirmation and delay of >48 h in starting antivirals were found to be independently associated with the deaths. CONCLUSIONS Influenza patients with previous history of diabetes, who had treatment with corticosteroids during illness, and started with antivirals after 48 h of onset of symptoms, were at higher risk of adverse outcome. In order to reduce the risk of death during future waves of influenza in Tamil Nadu, the physicians need to be sensitised regarding (1) higher risk of adverse outcomes among A (H1N1) patients with diabetes; (2) adherence to the national protocol for categorisation of cases; (3) prompt initiation of antivirals for severe cases; and (4) avoidance of systemic corticosteroids during management.