Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Development of Audiovisual Comprehension Skills in Prelingually Deaf Children With Cochlear Implants

Objective: The present study investigated the development of audiovisual comprehension skills in prelingually deaf children who received cochlear implants. Design: We analyzed results obtained with the Common Phrases (Robbins et al., 1995) test of sentence comprehension from 80 prelingually deaf children with cochlear implants who were enrolled in a longitudinal study, from pre-implantation to 5 years after implantation. Results: The results revealed that prelingually deaf children with cochlear implants performed better under audiovisual (AV) presentation compared with auditory-alone (A-alone) or visual-alone (V-alone) conditions. AV sentence comprehension skills were found to be strongly correlated with several clinical outcome measures of speech perception, speech intelligibility, and language. Finally, pre-implantation V-alone performance on the Common Phrases test was strongly correlated with 3-year postimplantation performance on clinical outcome measures of speech perception, speech intelligibility, and language skills. Conclusions: The results suggest that lipreading skills and AV speech perception reflect a common source of variance associated with the development of phonological processing skills that is shared among a wide range of speech and language outcome measures.
Comparison of screening methods for detection of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases and their prevalence among blood isolates of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. in a Belgian teaching hospital

Using a set of 33 well-defined extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing strains of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, we compared three screening methods for ESBL detection: (i) a double-disk synergy test, (ii) a three-dimensional test (both the double-disk synergy test and the three-dimensional test were performed with ceftriaxone, ceftazidime, aztreonam, and cefepime), and (iii) the Etest ESBL screen (AB Biodisk, Solna, Sweden), based on the recognition of a reduction in the ceftazidime MIC in the presence of clavulanic acid. In the double-disk test, all four indicator antibiotics scored equally and 31 of the 33 reference strains were recognized. In the three-dimensional test, ceftriaxone was the only satisfactory indicator and 30 ESBL-positive strains were detected by this antibiotic. Both systems produced two false-positive results with cefepime. With the Etest ESBL screen, 15 of 16 TEM-related and 11 of 16 SHV-related ESBL-producing strains scored positive. In 10 cases the clavulanic acid on one end of the strip interfered with the MIC determination for ceftazidime, which was read on the opposite end. This MIC had to be determined with an extra ceftazidime-only strip. No false-positive results were noted. Eighty-six blood isolates of E. coli and Klebsiella species were screened for ESBL expression by the double-disk and three-dimensional tests, both with ceftriaxone. Six strains with suspicious antibiogram phenotypes also gave positive results by the double-disk test. One E. coli strain remained undetected by the three-dimensional test. Identification of the enzymes suspected of being ESBLs by isoelectric focusing (all strains) and DNA sequencing (1 strain) confirmed the screening test results except for one Klebsiella oxytoca strain, which proved to be a hyperproducer of its chromosomal enzyme and which also had a negative Etest score. The five true ESBL producers were all confirmed by the Etest ESBL screen. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis proved that the E. coli strains were unrelated, but that two of the three K. pneumoniae strains were closely related.
Utilizing speed-accuracy trade-off models for human-robot coadaptation during cooperative groove fitting task

What are the benefits of performing a task with other partners in a physically interactive manipulation task setups? By utilizing a novel human motor learning paradigm, where two individuals are aware of each other and their hands are physically connected through an object, we investigated how each partner adapts his/her motor behavior. We first analyzed performance of twenty subjects on a task where a long object, i.e. a pipe, needs to be manipulated into a groove with different tolerances. We tested efficiency and accuracy of performing the task in two different scenarios: a) one human alone — twenty subjects; b) two humans cooperating — ten pairs. We observed that the task performance during cooperative manipulation of an object does not follow any rules, i.e. either both partners get worse, or both get better, or one partner get and one get worse. By exploiting this properties, we propose a novel control algorithm for robots in physically interactive and cooperative human-robot setups, where the robot adapts to the performance of his/hers partner. This way, it allows the human partner to improve his/hers task performance. The results show that the proposed approach can successfully adapt and match motion of the human partner, and thereby enable the human partner to improve his/her motor skills. After adaption, the human coupled with a robotic partner, can perform the task faster.
Novel Microcontrollers With Direct Access to Flash Memory Benefit Implementation of Multi-Optimal Space Vector Modulation

This paper discusses a new architecture for the PWM generation in digital control hardware intended for control of three-phase power converters. The novelty of the proposed architecture is based on the use of emerging flash memory devices. An infinite number of state combinations and sequences is therefore available during a sampling interval. Three optimization criteria are herein simultaneously employed, dealing with optimal sharing of the zero sequence states, variation of the pulse frequency, and over-modulation through an optimal pattern. Performance is measured with the harmonic current factor and this is demonstrated to surpass the results of conventional implementation. The proposed architecture is versatile because it can be used at different sampling and fundamental frequencies, different operation modes, and without jeopardizing transient performance. While the current products allow implementation on external 64-MB flash memory, this architecture can be adopted in the future within the next-generation microcontrollers.
Source (or Part of the following Source): Type Article Title Age-related Change in Executive Function: Developmental Trends and a Latent Variable Analysis Author(s) Age-related Change in Executive Function: Developmental Trends and a Latent Variable Analysis

Copyright It is not permitted to download or to forward/distribute the text or part of it without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), other than for strictly personal, individual use, unless the work is under an open content licence (like Creative Commons). UvA-DARE is a service provided by the library of the University of Amsterdam (http://dare.uva.nl) Abstract This study examined the developmental trajectories of three frequently postulated executive function (EF) components, Working Memory, Shifting, and Inhibition of responses, and their relation to performance on standard, but complex, neuropsychological EF tasks, the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task (WCST), and the Tower of London (ToL). Participants in four age groups (7-, 11-, 15-, and 21-year olds) carried out nine basic experimental tasks (three tasks for each EF), the WCST, and the ToL. Analyses were done in two steps: (1) analyses of (co)variance to examine developmental trends in individual EF tasks while correcting for basic processing speed, (2) confirmatory factor analysis to extract latent variables from the nine basic EF tasks, and to explain variance in the performance on WCST and ToL, using these latent variables. Analyses of (co)variance revealed a continuation of EF development into adolescence. Confirmatory factor analysis yielded two common factors: Working Memory and Shifting. However, the variables assumed to tap Inhibition proved unrelated. At a latent level, again correcting for basic processing speed, the development of Shifting was seen to continue into adolescence, while Working Memory continued to develop into young-adulthood. Regression analyses revealed that Working Memory contributed most strongly to WCST performance in all age groups. These results suggest that EF component processes develop at different rates, and that it is important to recognize both the unity and diversity of EF component processes in studying the development of EF.
The —1019 C/G polymorphism of the 5-HT1A receptor gene is associated with negative symptom response to risperidone treatment in schizophrenia patients

The application of pharmacogenetics is currently one of the most promising developments in anti-psychotic treatment and is attracting more and more attention. Although risperidone belongs to the first-line atypical anti-psychotics, there have been relatively few risperidone pharmacogenetic studies, especially in Asian populations. We investigated the relationship between the C825T polymorphism of GBN3 (rs5443) and the —1019 C/G polymorphism of 5-HT1A (rs6295) and response to risperidone treatment. One-hundred and thirty schizophrenia patients were recruited. They were treated with risperidone monotherapy for eight weeks. Clinical response was assessed on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) on the day of admission and was subsequently assessed after eight weeks following the treatment. Patients were genotyped for two functional polymorphisms: C825T of GBN3 (rs5443) and —1019 C/G of HT1A (rs6295). Association tests between genotypes and percentage improvement in total PANSS scores, as well as positive symptom scores and negative symptom scores, were performed using analyses of variance (ANOVA). The —1019 C/G polymorphism of HT1A (rs6295) was associated with negative symptom response to treatment. Patients with the CC genotype showed substantial improvement as regards negative symptom response (F = 4.177, df = 2, P = 0.019), compared with the patients with the CG and GG genotypes. No association was observed between C825T of GBN3 (rs5443) and changes in PANSS scores. The results suggest that the —1019 C/G polymorphism (rs6295) in the 5-HT1A gene may be a useful predictor of reduction in negative symptoms in schizophrenic patients treated with risperidone.
On Optimum Parameter Modulation–Estimation From a Large Deviations Perspective

We consider the problem of jointly optimum modulation and estimation of a real-valued random parameter, conveyed over an additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channel, where the performance metric is the large deviations behavior of the estimator, namely the exponential decay rate (as a function of the observation time) of the probability that the estimation error would exceed a certain threshold. Our basic result is in providing an exact characterization of the fastest achievable exponential decay rate, among all possible modulator-estimator (transmitter-receiver) pairs, where the modulator is limited only in the signal power, but not in bandwidth. This exponential rate turns out to be given by the reliability function of the AWGN channel. We also discuss several ways to achieve this optimum performance, and one of them is based on quantization of the parameter, followed by optimum channel coding and modulation, which gives rise to a separation-based transmitter, if one views this setting from the perspective of joint source-channel coding. This is in spite of the fact that, in general, when error exponents are considered, the source-channel separation theorem does not hold true. We also discuss several observations, modifications, and extensions of this result in several directions, including other channels, and the case of multidimensional parameter vectors. One of our findings concerning the latter is that there is an abrupt threshold effect in the dimensionality of the parameter vector: below a certain critical dimension, the probability of excess estimation error may still decay exponentially, but beyond this value, it must converge to unity.
Towards a Mathematical Understanding of the Difficulty in Learning with Feedforward Neural Networks

Training deep neural networks for solving machine learning problems is one great challenge in the field, mainly due to its associated optimisation problem being highly non-convex. Recent developments have suggested that many training algorithms do not suffer from undesired local minima under certain scenario, and consequently led to great efforts in pursuing mathematical explanations for such observations. This work provides an alternative mathematical understanding of the challenge from a smooth optimisation perspective. By assuming exact learning of finite samples, sufficient conditions are identified via a critical point analysis to ensure any local minimum to be globally minimal as well. Furthermore, a state of the art algorithm, known as the Generalised Gauss-Newton (GGN) algorithm, is rigorously revisited as an approximate Newton's algorithm, which shares the property of being locally quadratically convergent to a global minimum under the condition of exact learning.
LITTLEWOOD-TYPE PROBLEMS ON SUBARCS OF THE UNIT CIRCLE

The results of this paper show that many types of polynomials cannot be small on subarcs of the unit circle in the complex plane. A typical result of the paper is the following. Let Fn denote the set of polynomials of degree at most n with coefficients from {−1, 0, 1}. There are absolute constants c1 > 0, c2 > 0, and c3 > 0 such that exp (−c1/a) ≤ inf 06=p∈Fn ‖p‖L1(A) , inf 06=p∈Fn ‖p‖A ≤ exp (−c2/a) for every subarc A of the unit circle ∂D := {z ∈ C : |z| = 1} with length 0 < a < c3. The lower bound results extend to the class of f of the form
Protective Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Cancer-Related Complications

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are considered immunonutrients and are commonly used in the nutritional therapy of cancer patients due to their ample biological effects. Omega-3 PUFAs play essential roles in cell signaling and in the cell structure and fluidity of membranes. They participate in the resolution of inflammation and have anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects. Additionally, they can act as agonists of G protein-coupled receptors, namely, GPR40/FFA1 and GPR120/FFA4. Cancer patients undergo complications, such as anorexia-cachexia syndrome, pain, depression, and paraneoplastic syndromes. Interestingly, the 2017 European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) guidelines for cancer patients only discuss the use of omega-3 PUFAs for cancer-cachexia treatment, leaving aside other cancer-related complications that could potentially be managed by omega-3 PUFA supplementation. This critical review aimed to discuss the effects and the possible underlying mechanisms of omega-3 PUFA supplementation in cancer-related complications. Data compilation in this critical review indicates that further investigation is still required to assess the factual benefits of omega-3 PUFA supplementation in cancer-associated illnesses. Nevertheless, preclinical evidence reveals that omega-3 PUFAs and their metabolites might modulate pivotal pathways underlying complications secondary to cancer, indicating that this is a promising field of knowledge to be explored.
A General Relativistic Magnetohydrodynamic Simulation of Jet Formation

We have performed a fully three-dimensional general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (GRMHD) simulation of jet formation from a thin accretion disk around a Schwarzschild black hole with a free-falling corona. The initial simulation results show that a bipolar jet (velocity ~0.3c) is created, as shown by previous two-dimensional axisymmetric simulations with mirror symmetry at the equator. The three-dimensional simulation ran over 100 light crossing time units (τS = rS/c, where rS ≡ 2GM/c2), which is considerably longer than the previous simulations. We show that the jet is initially formed as predicted owing in part to magnetic pressure from the twisting of the initially uniform magnetic field and from gas pressure associated with shock formation in the region around r = 3rS. At later times, the accretion disk becomes thick and the jet fades resulting in a wind that is ejected from the surface of the thickened (torus-like) disk. It should be noted that no streaming matter from a donor is included at the outer boundary in the simulation (an isolated black hole not binary black hole). The wind flows outward with a wider angle than the initial jet. The widening of the jet is consistent with the outward-moving torsional Alfvén waves. This evolution of disk-jet coupling suggests that the jet fades with a thickened accretion disk because of the lack of streaming material from an accompanying star.
Pollenkitt of some monocotyledons: lipid composition and implications for pollen germination.

The composition of pollenkitt and its role in the progamic phase of reproduction are poorly understood. With the aim of extending knowledge on these topics, we chose to study two monocotyledons rich in pollenkitt, with bi-celled and long-lived pollen and dry-type stigma: Crocus vernus Hill subsp. vernus and Narcissus poeticus L. Fatty acids of pollenkitt were assayed with gas chromatography. Germination tests were performed in vivo by pollinating the stigmas with a beard hair under a stereomicroscope, and in vitro in liquid culture medium using pollen, either treated or not, with carbon disulphide to remove pollenkitt. The pollen tube percentages were evaluated using fluorescence microscopy techniques. Scanning electron microscopy was used to examine pollen and to follow the early post-pollination stages. Pollenkitt forms bridges between pollen grains but not between grains and stigma papillae. It consists of a mixture of 25 fatty acids, most with long and unsaturated chains, among which are some omega acids. The same acids with different percentages persist on the peritapetal membrane. After its removal, the pollen loses adhesiveness and dries quickly, but retains full capacity for germination on the papillae and can even trigger germination in contiguous pollen grains that do not touch the papillae. The results, while confirming the key role of pollenkitt in protecting pollen and favouring pollination, suggest secondary roles in the progamic phase, and highlight the interactive ability of the pollen regardless of lipid shell. The predominance of fatty acids with 18:3 and 16:0, as already noted in Brassica napus pollenkitt, suggests their hierarchy independent of plant species.
A semidefinite program for distillable entanglement

We show that the maximum fidelity obtained by a positive partial transpose (p.p.t.) distillation protocol is given by the solution to a certain semidefinite program. This gives a number of new lower and upper bounds on p.p.t. distillable entanglement (and thus new upper bounds on 2-locally distillable entanglement). In the presence of symmetry, the semidefinite program simplifies considerably, becoming a linear program in the case of isotropic and Werner states. Using these techniques, we determine the p.p.t. distillable entanglement of asymmetric Werner states and "maximally correlated" states. We conclude with a discussion of possible applications of semidefinite programming to quantum codes and 1-local distillation.
Bass Stogdill's Handbook Of Leadership

The Role of Leadership in the Organization and the Administration of Bass, B.M. and Stogdill, R.M. (1990) Bass & Stogdill's Handbook of Leadership: Theory. Stogdill handbook of leadership pdf. Bass Stogdills Handbook of Leadership: Theory, Research Managerial Applications Bernard M. Bass on Amazon.com. Bass and Stogdill wrote one of the most important leadership handbooks of our time. Bass, Bernard M. Bass & Stogdill's Handbook of Leadership: Theory.
Acinar Cell Carcinoma of the Pancreas: Overview of Clinicopathologic Features and Insights into the Molecular Pathology

Acinar cell carcinomas (ACCs) of the pancreas are rare pancreatic neoplasms accounting for about 1–2% of pancreatic tumors in adults and about 15% in pediatric subjects. They show different clinical symptoms at presentation, different morphological features, different outcomes, and different molecular alterations. This heterogeneous clinicopathological spectrum may give rise to difficulties in the clinical and pathological diagnosis with consequential therapeutic and prognostic implications. The molecular mechanisms involved in the onset and progression of ACCs are still not completely understood, although in recent years, several attempts have been made to clarify the molecular mechanisms involved in ACC biology. In this paper, we will review the main clinicopathological and molecular features of pancreatic ACCs of both adult and pediatric subjects to give the reader a comprehensive overview of this rare tumor type.
The Testicular Form of Hormone-sensitive Lipase HSLtes Confers Rescue of Male Infertility in HSL-deficient Mice*

Inactivation of the hormone-sensitive lipase gene (HSL) confers male sterility with a major defect in spermatogenesis. Several forms of HSL are expressed in testis. HSLtes mRNA and protein are found in early and elongated spermatids, respectively. The other forms are expressed in diploid germ cells and interstitial cells of the testis. To determine whether the absence of the testis-specific form of HSL, HSLtes, was responsible for the infertility in HSL-null mice, we generated transgenic mice expressing HSLtes under the control of its own promoter. The transgenic animals were crossed with HSL-null mice to produce mice deficient in HSL in nongonadal tissues but expressing HSLtes in haploid germ cells. Cholesteryl ester hydrolase activity was almost completely blunted in HSL-deficient testis. Mice with one allele of the transgene showed an increase in enzymatic activity and a small elevation in the production of spermatozoa. The few fertile hemizygous male mice produced litters of very small to small size. The presence of the two alleles led to a doubling in cholesteryl ester hydrolase activity, which represented 25% of the wild type values associated with a qualitatively normal spermatogenesis and a partial restoration of sperm reserves. The fertility of these mice was totally restored with normal litter sizes. In line with the importance of the esterase activity, HSLtes transgene expression reversed the cholesteryl ester accumulation observed in HSL-null mice. Therefore, expression of HSLtes and cognate cholesteryl ester hydrolase activity leads to a rescue of the infertility observed in HSL-deficient male mice.