Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
[Formant structures of vowels produced in stutterers' speech in normal and fast speech rates].

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to analyse the steady-state portion of the first two formants (F1 and F2) in the production of [CVp] sequences, containing vowels [i, a, u] pronounced in two speech rates (normal and fast), by groups of untreated and treated stutterers, and control subjects. MATERIAL AND METHOD We recorded 15 speakers (5 control speakers, 5 non-treated stutterers and 5 treated stutterers) who had to repeat sentences containing [CV] sequences ten times, in normal and fast speech rates, where [C] was [p], [t] or [k] and [V], [i], [a] or [u]. RESULTS Comparing data between the three groups of speakers, a vowel space reduction is observed for stutterers at a normal speaking rate, compared with control speakers and treated stutterers. When speech rate increases, no reduction of vowel space is noticeable for non-treated stutterers, contrary to treated stutterers and controls. CONCLUSION Results for stutterers could be interpreted in terms of lack of articulatory flexibility.
Learner immersion engagement in the 3D virtual world: principles emerging from the DELVE project

Abstract This paper investigates the issues surrounding the use of 3D virtual worlds to enhance learner immersion through improved learner engagement. It is based on findings from the JISC-funded DEsign of Learning spaces in 3D Virtual Environments (DELVE) project at the University of Nottingham and the Open University. Given continued confusion about the term immersion, what it means for a learner to be immersed, and the relationship between immersion, presence and engagement, notions of immersion and engagement in 3D virtual environments are explored in the context of previous published studies ranging from virtual reality to psychology. The resultant improved understanding of the terminology is then used as the basis for coding results from a qualitative, inductive analysis of 20 students that undertook a substantive learning task in the virtual environment Second Life. Emergent themes from the analysis identify key factors that act to both enhance and restrict learner engagement in 3D virtual worlds and a set of principles for practitioners who wish to use 3D virtual environments to enhance learner engagement is presented.
Nicotianamine Functions in the Phloem-Based Transport of Iron to Sink Organs, in Pollen Development and Pollen Tube Growth in Arabidopsis[C][W]

This work analyzes the effect of the metal chelator nicotianamine on plant growth and development. It reveals that the transport of Fe from phloem to sink organs depends on nicotianamine and that this chelator has a role in pollen germination and transfer through the style. The metal chelator nicotianamine promotes the bioavailability of Fe and reduces cellular Fe toxicity. For breeding Fe-efficient crops, we need to explore the fundamental impact of nicotianamine on plant development and physiology. The quadruple nas4x-2 mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana cannot synthesize any nicotianamine, shows strong leaf chlorosis, and is sterile. To date, these phenotypes have not been fully explained. Here, we show that sink organs of this mutant were Fe deficient, while aged leaves were Fe sufficient. Upper organs were also Zn deficient. We demonstrate that transport of Fe to aged leaves relied on citrate, which partially complemented the loss of nicotianamine. In the absence of nicotianamine, Fe accumulated in the phloem. Our results show that rather than enabling the long-distance movement of Fe in the phloem (as is the case for Zn), nicotianamine facilitates the transport of Fe from the phloem to sink organs. We delimit nicotianamine function in plant reproductive biology and demonstrate that nicotianamine acts in pollen development in anthers and pollen tube passage in the carpels. Since Fe and Zn both enhance pollen germination, a lack of either metal may contribute to the reproductive defect. Our study sheds light on the physiological functions of nicotianamine.
Cord blood as an alternative source of haemopoietic stem cells.

The ultimate value of human umbilical cord blood (CB) for clinical transplantation will mainly depend on whether single donations can reliably engraft adult recipients. Certain inherent advantages of CB over adult marrow donations are potentially attractive. Cord blood collected from healthy full term cord and placenta is likely to be virus free, to have a naive immunophenotype [1], and a low level of mature cytotoxic T-cells [2]. The immunophenotype and functional naivety of CB may allow HLA partially mismatched transplants without inducing life-threatening graftver5U5-host-disease (GvHD). In addition, CB may be conveniently banked after collection [3] and in the future banks may be networked world-wide. Cord blood banking could dramatically reduce the 'search to transplant interval' for patients who lack a family donor and at present rely on volunteer marrow donors. In recent years there has been some improvement in the probability of finding HLA matched unrelated marrow donors from volunteer donor registries [4]. However, one prospective study indicated that 400 days after search requests the probability of finding a volunteer marrow donor was only 10% [5]. Furthermore, in a prospective cohort controlled study, survival after unrelated bone marrow transplantation (UD-BMT) was significantly inferior with HLA identical sibling BMT [6]. To date, experience of successful family and unrelated donor CB transplantation has been confined to recipients weighing less than 40 kg [7, 8]. Our main aim has been to evaluate the potential of CB donations for adults who constitute 85% of all marrow allograft recipients. This work has covered two main areas; firstly, optimisation of processing CB donations for banking and secondly, attempts to expand the CD34 fraction of CB to facilitate engraftment in adult recipients after allogeneic transplantation. Optimal collection procedures
Prognostic role of long non-coding RNA TUG1 expression in various cancers: a meta-analysis

Several studies were conducted to explore the prognostic role of long non-coding RNA taurine upregulated gene 1 (lncRNA TUG1) expression in various cancers, with contradictory. This study aims to summarize the prognostic role of lncRNA TUG1 expression in various cancers. Embase, PubMed and Cochrane Library were completely retrieved. The cohort studies focusing on the prognostic role of lncRNA TUG1 expression in various cancers were eligible. The endpoints were overall survival (OS) and clinicopathological parameters. 9 studies involving a total of 1,078 patients were identified. The results showed that high lncRNA TUG1 expression was obviously associated with worse OS when compared to the low lncRNA TUG1 expression (HR = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.07–1.76, P = 0.01; I2 = 85%). However, No distinct relationship was observed between the lncRNA TUG1 expression and age (OR = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.76–1.28, P = 0.92; I2 = 4%), gender (OR = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.70–1.22, P = 0.57; I2 = 0%), diameter (OR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.34–2.01, P = 0.67; I2 = 85%), smoking (OR = 1.09, 95% CI = 0.37–3.21, P = 0.87; I2 = 73%), TNM stage (OR = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.25–1.43, P = 0.25; I2 = 86%) and lymph node metastasis (OR = 1.07, 95% CI = 0.47–2.45, P = 0.87; I2 = 86%). In conclusion, it was revealed that high lncRNA TUG1 expression is an unfavorable predictor of OS in patients with cancers, and lncRNA TUG1 expression is a promising prognostic biomarker for various cancers.
Cocreating IT Value: New Capabilities and Metrics for Multifirm Environments

Most research on IT value has been from the vantage point of a single firm. Multifirm studies have largely been dyadic and emphasize transaction costs over cocreation of value. Contemporary environments involve IT investments being made by multiple companies in cooperative, platform-based, and relational arrangements where the objective is to cocreate value. If IT serves as a tool, an output, or is instrumental in generating this cocreated value, then it falls within the cocreation domain of this special issue. In this introductory article, we frame the discussion of cocreating IT value through four layers of relational arrangement between firms, describe the papers in the special issue with respect to this framework, and briefly describe an agenda for research in this important area.
Rapid Decline of a Grassland System and Its Ecological and Conservation Implications

One of the most important conservation issues in ecology is the imperiled state of grassland ecosystems worldwide due to land conversion, desertification, and the loss of native populations and species. The Janos region of northwestern Mexico maintains one of the largest remaining black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) colony complexes in North America and supports a high diversity of threatened and endangered species. Yet, cattle grazing, agriculture, and drought have greatly impacted the region. We evaluated the impact of human activities on the Janos grasslands, comparing changes in the vertebrate community over the last two decades. Our results reveal profound, rapid changes in the Janos grassland community, demonstrating large declines in vertebrate abundance across all taxonomic groups. We also found that the 55,000 ha prairie dog colony complex has declined by 73% since 1988. The prairie dog complex has become increasingly fragmented, and their densities have shown a precipitous decline over the years, from an average density of 25 per ha in 1988 to 2 per ha in 2004. We demonstrated that prairie dogs strongly suppressed woody plant encroachment as well as created open grassland habitat by clearing woody vegetation, and found rapid invasion of shrubland once the prairie dogs disappeared from the grasslands. Comparison of grasslands and shrublands showed markedly different species compositions, with species richness being greatest when both habitats were considered together. Our data demonstrate the rapid decline of a grassland ecosystem, and documents the dramatic loss in biodiversity over a very short time period concomitant with anthropogenic grassland degradation and the decline of a keystone species.
Immunoregulatory circuits among T-cell sets. Identification of a subpopulation of T-helper cells that induces feedback inhibition

Purified Ly1 cells induce other T-cell sets to exert potent feedback inhibitory activity and this T-T interaction has been shown to play an important role in regulating in vivo immune responses. Approximately 2/3 of Ly1 cells also express the Qa1 surface phenotype (Ly1:Qa1+ cells). The experiments reported here indicate that Ly1:Qal+ cells are responsible for induction of feedback inhibition and that signals from both Ly1:Qal+ cells and Ly1:Qal- cells are required for optimal formation of antibody by B cells.
STUDIES OF MOUSE POLYOMA VIRUS INFECTION

The relationship of polyoma (parotid tumor) virus infection to spontaneous and x-ray induced lymphocytic neoplasms (leukemia) in mice has been studied in two sublines of the high leukemic AKR strain, in the high leukemic C58 strain and in the x-ray responsive C3Hf/Bi strain. There was found to be no correlation of hemagglutination-inhibiting (HI) antibody with leukemia appearing at various times throughout life, and there was no evidence of increased risk of developing leukemia in mice with prior antibody to polyoma virus. Virus isolation experiments accomplished with AKR leukemic mice showed that HI antibody status of these mice had the same significance with regard to presence or absence of detectable virus as was previously observed for non-leukemic mice from infected colonies. The results of this study were interpreted as supporting the concept that the repeated association of polyoma virus and experimental transmission of leukemia is fortuitous.
Valve replacement in octogenarians: arguments for an earlier surgical intervention.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY In octogenarians with symptomatic aortic valve stenosis (AS), aortic valve replacement (AVR) is frequently not performed in due time, because the prognostic benefit is underestimated, while perioperative morbidity and mortality are overestimated. The severely impaired prognosis and quality of life after myocardial decompensation then urges AVR with a significantly increased perioperative risk. METHODS Between 2003 and 2006, all octogenarians with isolated symptomatic AS (indexed aortic valve opening area <0.5 cm2/m2) referred to the authors' unit were prospectively included in the survey. Among the 83 patients enrolled (51 women, 32 men; mean age 84 +/- 5.1 years), 38 patients (26 women, 12 men; mean age 84 +/- 2.3 years) had signs of chronic myocardial decompensation (dilated left ventricle and/or reduced left ventricular function; left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) 43 +/- 18% (range: 25-53%). These patients comprised group A. All other patients (group B) had normal left ventricular dimensions, a normal LVEF (>55%), and no clinical episodes of myocardial decompensation. All patients underwent AVR, while 23 (28%) underwent simultaneous coronary revascularization. RESULTS In group A, the 30-day mortality rate was 5.3% (n = 2). Octogenarians without chronic myocardial decompensation had a lower 30-day mortality (1/45; 2.2%). The incidences of major postoperative complications (reversible acute renal failure, stroke, mechanical circulatory support) were significantly higher in group A (26.3% versus 8.9%, p < 0.05). During late follow up (mean 24.2 +/- 12.8 months), another four patients in group A (11.1%) and five in group B (11.4%) died. Octogenarians in group B had a significantly (p < 0.01) more favorable cumulative survival rate (87% versus 78% after 24 months; 81% versus 68% after 46 months). CONCLUSION AVR can be performed in octogenarians with a low mortality and morbidity, but should not be postponed. The decision to perform for AVR may take into consideration any life-limiting comorbidities, but should be made independent of the patient's age.
Regional variation in use of complementary health approaches by U.S. adults.

KEY FINDINGS Data from the National Health Interview Survey, 2012 Use of nonvitamin, nonmineral dietary supplements (17.9%) was greater than any other complementary health approach used by U.S. adults in 2012. The use of practitioner-based chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation was nearly twice as high in the West North Central region as in the United States overall. Use of nonvitamin, nonmineral dietary supplements was highest in the Mountain, Pacific, and West North Central regions. Use of yoga with deep breathing or meditation was approximately 40% higher in the Pacific and Mountain regions than in the United States overall. Complementary health approaches are defined as "a group of diverse medical and health care interventions, practices, products, or disciplines that are not generally considered part of conventional medicine". They range from practitioner-based approaches, such as chiropractic manipulation and massage therapy, to predominantly self-care approaches, such as nonvitamin, nonmineral dietary supplements, meditation, and yoga. This report presents estimates of the four most commonly used complementary health approaches among adults aged 18 and over in nine geographic regions, using data from the 2012 National Health Interview Survey adult alternative medicine supplement.
Thermal Sanitizing Treatments for Eliminating Listeria Monocytogenes from Industrial Mushroom Disc Slicing Equipment

Listeria monocytogenes can colonize processing environments and transfer to food contact equipment. Current industrial mushroom slicers consist of successive cutting disks aligned and separated by spacers. The complex design makes frequent and complete disassembly for cleaning and sanitizing time-consuming and therefore, incompatible with continuous commercial mushroom slicing operations. Current industry practice is to submerse the detached slicer head in hot water at varying temperatures and times. However, this practice has not been validated for elimination of L. monocytogenes. A L. monocytogenes cocktail was prepared from selected heat tolerant strains isolated from mushrooms, mushroom production and processing environmental samples, and outbreaks. Planktonic cells heat treated immediately after inoculation were at least as heat tolerant as surface planktonic or surface attached cells incubated for up to 7 days. Thermal death time curves generated for L. monocytogenes and L. innocua at 50, 60, and 70°C confirmed that planktonic L. innocua was at least as heat tolerant as the pathogenic species. Heat penetration studies were performed by monitoring temperatures at the inner and outer circumference of spacers during submersion of the slicer head in a clean-out of-place (COP) wash tank filled with water at 55, 65, and 75°C. Similar studies were performed in moist air at 85°C. A pilot plant validation study was conducted by inoculating the inner spacer circumference with L. innocua and subjecting the assembled slicer head in heated water at 55, 65, and 75°C. Heating the inner circumference for 7D minutes demonstrated complete elimination of L. innocua, and therefore an expected elimination of L. monocytogenes.
Potassium Supplementation Prevents Sodium Chloride Cotransporter Stimulation During Angiotensin II Hypertension

Angiotensin II (AngII) hypertension increases distal tubule Na-Cl cotransporter (NCC) abundance and phosphorylation (NCCp), as well as epithelial Na+ channel abundance and activating cleavage. Acutely raising plasma [K+] by infusion or ingestion provokes a rapid decrease in NCCp that drives a compensatory kaliuresis. The first aim tested whether acutely raising plasma [K+] with a single 3-hour 2% potassium meal would lower NCCp in Sprague–Dawley rats after 14 days of AngII (400 ng/kg per minute). The potassium-rich meal neither decreased NCCp nor increased K+ excretion. AngII-infused rats exhibited lower plasma [K+] versus controls (3.6±0.2 versus 4.5±0.1 mmol/L; P<0.05), suggesting that AngII-mediated epithelial Na+ channel activation provokes K+ depletion. The second aim tested whether doubling dietary potassium intake from 1% (A1K) to 2% (A2K) would prevent K+ depletion during AngII infusion and, thus, prevent NCC accumulation. A2K-fed rats exhibited normal plasma [K+] and 2-fold higher K+ excretion and plasma [aldosterone] versus A1K. In A1K rats, NCC, NCCpS71, and NCCpT53 abundance increased 1.5- to 3-fold versus controls (P<0.05). The rise in NCC and NCCp abundance was prevented in the A2K rats, yet blood pressure did not significantly decrease. Epithelial Na+ channel subunit abundance and cleavage increased 1.5- to 3-fold in both A1K and A2K; ROMK (renal outer medulla K+ channel abundance) abundance was unaffected by AngII or dietary K+. In summary, the accumulation and phosphorylation of NCC seen during chronic AngII infusion hypertension is likely secondary to potassium deficiency driven by epithelial Na+ channel stimulation.
Contention-Aware Energy Management Scheme for NoC-Based Multicore Real-Time Systems

Network-on-Chip (NoC) has emerged as interconnect paradigm in state-of-the-art multi/many core architectures. Voltage and frequency island (VFI) was recently adopted as an effective energy management technique for large scale multicore chip designs. Focusing on NoCand VFI-based multi/many core real-time systems with Dynamic Voltage and Frequency Scaling (DVFS) capability, we study both static and dynamic contention-aware energy management schemes for task set with precedence relationships and a common deadline. First, our static schemes utilize two approaches with contention awareness to obtain the mapping of tasks to cores together with scheduling of communications on NoC for minimizing makespan, and thus can potentially lower uniform scaled frequency for cores and links while meeting the timeliness. Next, different from other existing schemes, by incorporating the latency due to network congestions into the analysis, our dynamic contention-aware energy management schemes perform the allocation of feasible slack to tasks and communications simultaneously for further energy savings, subject to common voltage and frequency limitations of VFI and timing constraints of task set. The results through extensive simulations and case studies show that, compared to heuristicbased and INLP-based task mapping solutions (with pessimistic estimation of communication contention), our static scheme can obtain better energy savings (e.g., 25 percent more). The results also show that our dynamic scheme can save up to 45 percent more energy compared to our static scheme under deadline guarantee, while the online scheme ignoring the traffic congestions in NoC can result in serious deadline violation and usually more energy consumption (e.g., 15 percent more).
Detection of forgery in paintings using supervised learning

This paper examines whether machine learning and image analysis tools can be used to assist art experts in the authentication of unknown or disputed paintings. Recent work on this topic has presented some promising initial results. Our reexamination of some of these recently successful experiments shows that variations in image clarity in the experimental datasets were correlated with authenticity, and may have acted as a confounding factor, artificially improving the results. To determine the extent of this factor's influence on previous results, we provide a new ¿ground truth¿ data set in which originals and copies are known and image acquisition conditions are uniform. Multiple previously-successful methods are found ineffective on this new confounding-factor-free dataset, but we demonstrate that supervised machine learning on features derived from hidden-Markov-tree-modeling of the paintings' wavelet coefficients has the potential to distinguish copies from originals in the new dataset.
Occurrence of l- and d-Crustacean Hyperglycemic Hormone Isoforms in the Eyestalk X-Organ/Sinus Gland Complex During the Ontogeny of the Crayfish Astacus leptodactylus

We studied the ontogeny of the eyestalk structure and of the l-CHH and d-Phe3-CHH synthesis in the X-organ/sinus gland (XO/SG) complex by light microscopy and immunocytochemistry in the freshwater crustacean Astacus leptodactylus. The optic ganglia start to differentiate in embryos at EI 190 μm (EI: eye index; close to 410 μm at hatching). At EI 270 μm, the three medullae (externa, interna, and terminalis) and the lamina ganglionaris are present and are organized as in the adult eyestalk. The l-CHH was localized in perikarya of neuroendocrine cells, in their tracts, and in SG from the metanauplius stage to the adult. The d-Phe3-CHH was visualized in XO perikarya, in their tracts and in SG of embryos from EI 350 μm and in all later studied stages. Co-localization of both CHH stereoisomers always occurred in the d-Phe3-CHH-producing cells. These results show that the synthesis of CHH enantiomers starts during the embryonic life in A. leptodactylus, and that the d-isomer is synthesized later than its l-counterpart. We discuss the post-translational isomerization as a way to generate hormonal diversity and the putative relation between d-Phe3-CHH synthesis and the ability to osmoregulate, occurring late during the embryonic life of Astacus leptodactylus.