Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Listening effort at signal-to-noise ratios that are typical of the school classroom

Abstract Objective: The aim of the study was to measure listening effort at typical classroom signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs). Design: Listening effort was measured using a dual task paradigm. Participants repeated monosyllabic words presented in a background of children's chatter (primary task) at SNRs that are considered typical of the school classroom environment (quiet, +4, 0, −4 dB) while simultaneously rehearsing sets of five digits for recall (secondary task). High listening effort requires greater cognitive resources and is associated with reduced performance on the secondary task. Study sample: Thirty one normal-hearing children (9-12 years). Results: Performance was generally maintained on the listening task when multitasking; however, performance decreased on the secondary recall task, especially at the more negative SNRs. Conclusions: This demonstrates that considerable listening effort is required when listening at SNRs that are typical of the school classroom. Sumario Objetivo: El propósito de este estudio fue medir el esfuerzo para escuchar en un salón de clases con un nivel señal/ruido típico Diseño: Se midió el esfuerzo para escuchar utilizando un paradigma de doble tarea. Los participantes repitieron palabras monosilábicas presentadas sobre un ruido de fondo de niños hablando (tarea primaria) con una tasa señal/ruido considerada como típica del ambiente en un salón de clases (silencio, +4, 0, −4 dB) mientras que simultáneamente se ejercitaba la memorización de grupos de cinco dígitos (tarea secundaria). El esfuerzo elevado requiere grandes habilidades cognitivas y se asocia con un desempeño pobre en la tarea secundaria. Muestra: Treinta y un niños normoyentes (9 a 11 años de edad) Resultados: El desempeño generalmente se mantuvo en la tarea de escuchar durante la realización de varias tareas; sin embargo, el desempeño disminuyó en la tarea de recordar, especialmente en el extremo negativo de SNR. Conclusiones: Esto demuestra que se requiere un esfuerzo considerable para escuchar cuando hay un SNR típico del salón de clases.
Clinical Grade Treg: GMP Isolation, Improvement of Purity by CD127pos Depletion, Treg Expansion, and Treg Cryopreservation

Background Treg based immunotherapy is of great interest to facilitate tolerance in autoimmunity and transplantation. For clinical trials, it is essential to have a clinical grade Treg isolation protocol in accordance with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) guidelines. To obtain sufficient Treg for immunotherapy, subsequent ex vivo expansion might be needed. Methodology/Principal Findings Treg were isolated from leukapheresis products by CliniMACS based GMP isolation strategies, using anti-CD25, anti-CD8 and anti-CD19 coated microbeads. CliniMACS isolation procedures led to 40–60% pure CD4posCD25highFoxP3pos Treg populations that were anergic and had moderate suppressive activity. Such CliniMACS isolated Treg populations could be expanded with maintenance of suppressive function. Alloantigen stimulated expansion caused an enrichment of alloantigen-specific Treg. Depletion of unwanted CD19pos cells during CliniMACS Treg isolation proved necessary to prevent B-cell outgrowth during expansion. CD4posCD127pos conventional T cells were the major contaminating cell type in CliniMACS isolated Treg populations. Depletion of CD127pos cells improved the purity of CD4posCD25highFoxP3pos Treg in CliniMACS isolated cell populations to approximately 90%. Expanded CD127neg CliniMACS isolated Treg populations showed very potent suppressive capacity and high FoxP3 expression. Furthermore, our data show that cryopreservation of CliniMACS isolated Treg is feasible, but that activation after thawing is necessary to restore suppressive potential. Conclusions/Significance The feasibility of Treg based therapy is widely accepted, provided that tailor-made clinical grade procedures for isolation and ex vivo cell handling are available. We here provide further support for this approach by showing that a high Treg purity can be reached, and that isolated cells can be cryopreserved and expanded successfully.
Differential expression of a virulence factor in pathogenic and non-pathogenic mycobacteria

The pathogenicity of mycobacterial infections depends on virulence factors that mediate survival inside host macrophages. These virulence factors are generally believed to be specific for pathogenic species and absent or mutated in non‐pathogenic strains. The serine/threonine protein kinase G (PknG) mediates survival of mycobacteria within macrophages by blocking lysosomal delivery. Here we describe a gene of the non‐pathogenic species Mycobacterium smegmatis that is 78% identical with pknG of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and M. bovis bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG). When cloned into expression vectors, the M. smegmatis pknG orthologue produced an active kinase and performed the same function as its M. bovis BCG counterpart in intracellular survival. In addition, similar levels of pknG transcripts were found in M. bovis BCG and M. smegmatis. However, virtually no translation product of chromosomal pknG could be detected in M. smegmatis both after in vitro growth and after macrophage infection. This lack of efficient translation was shown to be caused by regulatory elements in the upstream region of the M. smegmatis gene. The data reveal dramatically increased translational efficiency of a virulence gene in a pathogenic mycobacterium compared with a non‐pathogenic mycobacterium suggesting that changes in expression levels may underlie evolution of pknG and other pathogenicity genes in mycobacterium.
Preclinical Support for Combination Therapy in the Treatment of Autoimmunity with Atacicept

Atacicept, a fully human recombinant fusion protein that blocks the activity of BLyS (B-Lymphocyte Stimulator) and APRIL (a proliferation-inducing ligand), is undergoing clinical evaluation in B-cell-mediated diseases, including autoimmune disorders. Nonclinical studies in mice and cynomolgus monkeys demonstrate dose-dependent, reversible decreases in circulating Ig concentrations and reductions in mature B cells in the peripheral blood and lymphoid tissues. However, the combination of atacicept with purine synthesis inhibitors (e.g., mycophenolate mofetil [MMF]) and anti-B-cell monoclonal therapy (e.g., rituximab) has not been evaluated. Atacicept does not augment hematological toxicities associated with MMF, including anemia or thrombocytopenia. Combination of atacicept with MMF or rituximab reduced B cells in the periphery (MMF) or tissues (MMF and rituximab) further than did monotherapy, as was the case with atacicept—MMF combination therapy and serum Ig concentrations. Overall, atacicept appears to augment the pharmacologic activity toward B cells of current immunosuppressive therapies without increasing the hematological toxicities associated with MMF. Enhanced reduction in B cells and Ig concentrations associated with atacicept combination therapy may increase therapeutic activity or allow dose reduction in autoimmune patients. Findings from nonclinical safety studies support clinical evaluation of atacicept combination therapies.
Effects of Varying Filter Kernel Sizes on the Image Quality of Interstitial Lung Diseases

Purpose: The aim of the study was to optimize the postprocessing of digital luminescence radiographs of interstitial infiltrates of the lung. Material and Methods: Ninety-seven patients with established diseases of the lung parenchyma were examined: 514 pathological details were investigated, using a 200-speed screen-film system and a storage phosphor plate. In digital postprocessing, the size of the filter kernel (S) varied between S 5 and S 70. Based upon 32896 individual evaluations, the image quality was evaluated in multifactorial variance analyses. Results: The digital standards were significantly inferior to the tested screen-film system. The large filter kernel S 70 and the small filter kernels S 5 and S 10, as well as an algorithm for edge enhancement, showed selective advantages in the depiction of nodular or small linear structures. For micronodular and linear structures, kernel sizes of S 20 and S 40 produced equally good results (p>0.05). Conclusion: Whenever optimized postprocessing is involved, storage phosphor radiography is equal to a modern screen-film system and can be substituted for the latter without any loss of image quality; this is especially valid for the imaging of interstitial infiltrates of the lung.
Comparative genome‐wide analysis of small RNAs of major Gram‐positive pathogens: from identification to application

In the recent years, the number of drug‐ and multi‐drug‐resistant microbial strains has increased rapidly. Therefore, the need to identify innovative approaches for development of novel anti‐infectives and new therapeutic targets is of high priority in global health care. The detection of small RNAs (sRNAs) in bacteria has attracted considerable attention as an emerging class of new gene expression regulators. Several experimental technologies to predict sRNA have been established for the Gram‐negative model organism Escherichia coli. In many respects, sRNA screens in this model system have set a blueprint for the global and functional identification of sRNAs for Gram‐positive microbes, but the functional role of sRNAs in colonization and pathogenicity for Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Enterococcus faecalis and Clostridium difficile is almost completely unknown. Here, we report the current knowledge about the sRNAs of these socioeconomically relevant Gram‐positive pathogens, overview the state‐of‐the‐art high‐throughput sRNA screening methods and summarize bioinformatics approaches for genome‐wide sRNA identification and target prediction. Finally, we discuss the use of modified peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) as a novel tool to inactivate potential sRNA and their applications in rapid and specific detection of pathogenic bacteria.
Rotation Capacity of Reinforced Concrete Slabs

Results of bending tests on three continuous reinforced concrete slab strips are compared with calculations according to linear, nonlinear, and limit analysis approaches, as well as with code provisions. It is demonstrated that the reduced ductility properties of cold-deformed and coiled small-diameter reinforcing bars and wires may result in dangerous strain localizations, impairing rotation capacity, permissible moment redistribution, and ultimate strength. A nonlinear analysis method for refined deformation investigations is presented, and minimum ductility requirements for reinforcing steel are suggested.
Longitudinal Predictors of Aided Speech Audibility in Infants and Children

Objectives: Amplification is a core component of early intervention for children who are hard of hearing, but hearing aids (HAs) have unique effects that may be independent from other components of the early intervention process, such as caregiver training or speech and language intervention. The specific effects of amplification are rarely described in studies of developmental outcomes. The primary purpose of this article is to quantify aided speech audibility during the early childhood years and examine the factors that influence audibility with amplification for children in the Outcomes of Children with Hearing Loss study. Design: Participants were 288 children with permanent hearing loss who were followed as part of the Outcomes of Children with Hearing Loss study. All of the children in this analysis had bilateral hearing loss and wore air-conduction behind-the-ear HAs. At every study visit, hearing thresholds were measured using developmentally appropriate behavioral methods. Data were obtained for a total of 1043 audiometric evaluations across all subjects for the first four study visits. In addition, the aided audibility of speech through the HA was assessed using probe microphone measures. Hearing thresholds and aided audibility were analyzed. Repeated-measures analyses of variance were conducted to determine whether patterns of thresholds and aided audibility were significantly different between ears (left versus right) or across the first four study visits. Furthermore, a cluster analysis was performed based on the aided audibility at entry into the study, aided audibility at the child’s final visit, and change in aided audibility between these two intervals to determine whether there were different patterns of longitudinal aided audibility within the sample. Results: Eighty-four percent of children in the study had stable audiometric thresholds during the study, defined as threshold changes <10 dB for any single study visit. There were no significant differences in hearing thresholds, aided audibility, or deviation of the HA fitting from prescriptive targets between ears or across test intervals for the first four visits. Approximately 35% of the children in the study had aided audibility that was below the average for the normative range for the Speech Intelligibility Index based on degree of hearing loss. The cluster analysis of longitudinal aided audibility revealed three distinct groups of children: a group with consistently high aided audibility throughout the study, a group with decreasing audibility during the study, and a group with consistently low aided audibility. Conclusions: The current results indicated that approximately 65% of children in the study had adequate aided audibility of speech and stable hearing during the study period. Limited audibility was associated with greater degrees of hearing loss and larger deviations from prescriptive targets. Studies of developmental outcomes will help to determine how aided audibility is necessary to affect developmental outcomes in children who are hard of hearing.
RESPONSES TO ELEVATED SEA WATER TEMPERATURE AND UV RADIATION IN THE CORAL PORITES LOBATA FROM UPWELLING AND NON-UPWELLING ENVIRONMENTS ON THE PACIFIC COAST OF PANAMA

The massive coral species Porites lobata from upwelling and non-upwelling environments on the Pacific coast of Panama was exposed to experimentally elevated water temperature and ambient UV radiation to assess the response of the coral-zooxanthella symbiosis. Our experiment demonstrated that elevated water temperature in the range of 30 to 31°C caused bleaching in P. lobata, whereas no significant effect on the coral-zooxanthella symbiosis was observed from exposure to ambient UV radiation. Corals maintained under experimental conditions for 31 d showed a significant decrease in zooxanthellae density and chlorophyll concentration as a function of elevated water temperatures. Changes in the concentrations of chlorophylls a and c 2 per zooxanthella were observed only when corals from the upwelling environment were exposed to high water temperatures. Also, corals from the upwelling environment bleached earlier and more severely than those from the non-upwelling area. Corals returned to ambient conditions showed complete recovery in zooxanthellae density and chlorophyll concentration after 30 d. Bleaching and mortality responses of P. lobata indicate a lower threshold to sea warming conditions in coral populations from upwelling Gulf of Panama sites compared to those from the non-upwelling Gulf of Chiriqui. Coral bleaching during the 1997-98 ENSO occurred under similar temperature/time conditions as those examined experimentally in this study, namely 30-31°C per 30 d.
The Structure of Goal Systems Predicts Human Performance

Most psychological theories attribute people’s failure to achieve their goals exclusively to insufficient motivation or lack of skill. Here, we offer a complementary explanation that emphasizes the inherent complexity of the computational problems that arise from the structure of people’s goal systems. Concretely, we hypothesize that people’s capacity to achieve their goals can be predicted from combinatorial parameters of the structure of the network connecting their goals to the means available to pursue them. To test this hypothesis, we expressed the relationship between goals and means as a bipartite graph where edges between means and goals indicate which means can be used to achieve which goals. This allowed us to map two computational challenges that arise in goal achievement onto two classic NP-hard problems: Set Cover and Maximum Coverage. The connection between goal pursuit and NP-hard problems led us to predict that people should perform better with goal systems that are tree-like. Three behavioral experiments confirmed this prediction. Our results imply that network parameters that are instrumental to algorithm design could also be useful for understanding when and why people struggle in their goal pursuits.
Capital Reallocation and Liquidity

This paper studies the cyclical properties of capital reallocation and the frictions which inhibit such reallocation. We show that the amount of capital reallocation and the benefits to reallocation vary at the business cycle frequency. The amount of capital reallocation is procyclical. In contrast, the benefits to capital reallocation appear countercyclical. We measure the amount of reallocation using data on flows of capital across firms and the benefits to capital reallocation using several measures of the cross sectional dispersion of the productivity of capital. We then study a calibrated model of an economy where capital reallocation is costly and impute the cost of reallocation which is consistent with the amount of and benefits to reallocation in the data. We find that the cost of reallocation needs to be substantially countercyclical to be consistent with the observed joint cyclical properties of reallocation and productivity dispersion. The cyclical variation in this cost is interpreted as variation in the liquidity of capital, broadly defined, since physical costs are unlikely to vary countercyclically.
CT findings of sigmoid volvulus.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the features of sigmoid volvulus on CT scanograms and cross-sectional images. MATERIALS AND METHODS We retrospectively reviewed 21 cases of sigmoid volvulus in 15 men and six women. Three radiologists evaluated scanograms and cross-sectional images for several classic and two novel imaging signs of volvulus: crossing sigmoid transitions (called the X-marks-the-spot sign) and folding of the sigmoid wall by partial twisting (called the split-wall sign). A general impression was assigned to scanograms and cross-sectional images. CT findings suggesting bowel compromise were compared with pathologic and endoscopic findings. RESULTS The most sensitive scanogram findings were absence of rectal gas (19 of 21 cases, 90%) and an inverted-U-shaped distended sigmoid (18 of 21 cases, 86%) followed by the coffee bean sign and disproportionate sigmoid enlargement (both 16 of 21 cases, 76%). The most sensitive cross-sectional findings were one sigmoid colon transition point (20 of 21 cases, 95%) and disproportionate enlargement of the sigmoid (18 of 21 cases, 86%). The X-marks-the-spot and split-wall signs were present in nine of 21 (43%) and 11 of 21 (52%) patients, but one of the two signs was present in 18 of 21 patients (86%). Classic radiographic and definitive cross-sectional findings were seen in 11 of 21 (52%) and 16 of 21 (76%) patients. CT findings were definitive in five of seven patients (71%) with indeterminate scanogram findings. Imaging signs suggesting bowel compromise correlated poorly with clinical ischemia, but CT features were present in all three patients with frank necrosis. CONCLUSION Sigmoid volvulus has a spectrum of imaging findings. A classic appearance is absent on approximately one half of scanograms and one fourth of CT scans. Use of new signs that model the pathophysiologic characteristics of volvulus (X-marks-the-spot sign for more complete twisting and split-wall sign for less severe twisting) may improve diagnostic confidence.
Association of Increased Arterial Stiffness and P Wave Dispersion with Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction

Background: The association between increased arterial stiffness and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) may be influenced by left ventricular performance. P wave dispersion is not only a significant determinant of left ventricular performance, but is also correlated with LVDD. This study is designed to compare left ventricular diastolic function among patients divided by brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and corrected P wave dispersion (PWDC) and assess whether the combination of baPWV and PWDC can predict LVDD more accurately. Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled 270 patients and classified them into four groups according to the median values of baPWV and PWDC. LVDD was defined as impaired relaxation and pseudonormal/restrictive mitral inflow patterns. Results: The ratio of transmitral E wave velocity to early diastolic mitral annulus velocity (E/Ea) was higher in group with higher baPWV and PWDC than in the other groups (all p <0.001). The prevalence of LVDD was higher in group with higher baPWV and PWDC than in the two groups with lower baPWV (p ≤ 0.001). The baPWV and PWDC were correlated with E/Ea and LVDD in multivariate analysis (p ≤ 0.030). The addition of baPWV and PWDC to a clinical mode could significantly improve the R square in prediction of E/Ea and C statistic and integrated discrimination index in prediction of LVDD (p ≤ 0.010). Conclusions: This study showed increased baPWV and PWDC were correlated with high E/Ea and LVDD. The addition of baPWV and PWDC to a clinical model improved the prediction of high E/Ea and LVDD. Screening patients by means of baPWV and PWDC might help identify the high risk group of elevated left ventricular filling pressure and LVDD.
Design decisions in workflow management and quality of work

In this paper, the design and implementation of a workflow management (WFM) system in a large Dutch social insurance organisation is described. The effect of workflow design decisions on the quality of work is explored theoretically and empirically, using the model of Zur Muehlen as a frame of reference. It was found among a total sample of 66 employees that there was no change in the experience of work quality before and after the introduction of the WFM system. There are however, significant differences in the quality of work before and after the WFM adoption if different functions are distinguished.
Salience-based Content Characterisafion of Text Documents

Summarisation is poised to become a generally accepted solution to the larger problem of content analysis. We offer an alternative perspective on this problem, by tackling the complementary task of content characterisation; our motivation for doing so is to avoid some of the fundamental shortcomings of summarisation technologies today. Traditionally, the document summarisation task has been tackled either as a natural language processing problem, with an instantiated meaning template being rendered into coherent prose, or as a passage extraction problem, where certain fragments (typically sentences) of the source document are deemed to be highly representative of its content, and thus delivered as meaningful “approximations” of it. Balancing the conflicting requirements of depth and accuracy of a summary, on the one hand, and document and domain independence, on the other, has proven a very hard problem. This paper describes a novel approach to content characterisation of text documents. It is domain- and genre-independent, by virtue of not requiring an in-depth analysis of the full meaning. At the same time, it remains closer to the core meaning by choosing a different granularity of its representations (phrasal expressions rather than sentences or paragraphs), by exploiting a notion of discourse contiguity and coherence for the purposes of uniform coverage and context maintenance, and by utilising a strong linguistic notion of salience, as a more appropriate and representative measure of a document’s “aboutness”.