Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Steady-state analysis of continuous adaptation systems for hearing aids with a delayed cancellation path

Acoustic feedback is a phenomenon that is both annoying to hearing-aid users and reduces the maximum usable gain of hearing-aid devices. To avoid acoustic feedback, continuous adaptation systems have been proposed in the past. This paper studies analytically, for the first time the steady-state convergence behavior of adaptive algorithms when operating in continuous adaptation to reduce acoustic feedback when delays are used in the cancellation path. It is shown that an improvement in the adaptive filter estimate is possible depending on the type of feedback path and on the number of delays used in the cancellation path.
THE EFFECT OF FERTILITY LIMITATION ON INTERGENERATIONAL SOCIAL MOBILITY: THE QUALITY–QUANTITY TRADE-OFF DURING THE DEMOGRAPHIC TRANSITION

The hypothesis that family size limitation by parents enhances the upward mobility chances of their children in (post)industrial populations has a long-standing record in many disciplines, including sociology and economics, as well as evolutionary anthropology and social biology. Yet the empirical record supporting or contradicting the theory is surprisingly limited. The aim of this contribution is to develop a test of the effect of family size limitation on children’s intergenerational mobility. This test is applied to an urban population in Belgium that was in the process of experiencing its demographic transition, including the decline of fertility, at the end of the 19th century. The results indicate that the effect of family size was strong, even after controlling for parental social status as well as birth order. Surprisingly, the effects of birth order and family size appear to be largely independent.
Prospective Clinical Utility Study of the Use of the 21-Gene Assay in Adjuvant Clinical Decision Making in Women With Estrogen Receptor-Positive Early Invasive Breast Cancer: Results From the SWITCH Study.

BACKGROUND The 21-gene Oncotype DX Recurrence Score assay is a validated assay to help decide the appropriate treatment for estrogen receptor-positive (ER+), early-stage breast cancer (EBC) in the adjuvant setting. The choice of adjuvant treatments might vary considerably in different countries according to various treatment guidelines. This prospective multicenter study is the first to assess the impact of the Oncotype DX assay in the French clinical setting. METHODS A total of 100 patients with ER+, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative EBC, and node-negative (pN0) disease or micrometastases in up to 3 lymph nodes (pN1mi) were enrolled. Treatment recommendations, physicians' confidence before and after knowing the Recurrence Score value, and physicians' perception of the assay were recorded. RESULTS Of the 100 patients, 95 were evaluable (83 pN0, 12 pN1mi). Treatment recommendations changed in 37% of patients, predominantly from chemoendocrine to endocrine treatment alone. The proportion of patients recommended chemotherapy decreased from 52% pretest to 25% post-test. Of patients originally recommended chemotherapy, 61% were recommended endocrine treatment alone after receiving the Recurrence Score result. For both pN0 and pN1mi patients, post-test recommendations appeared to follow the Recurrence Score result for low and high values. Physicians' confidence improved significantly. CONCLUSION These are the first prospective data on the impact of the Oncotype DX assay on adjuvant treatment decisions in France. Using the assay was associated with a significant change in treatment decisions and an overall reduction in chemotherapy use. These data are consistent with those presented from European and non-European studies.
Perception and Painting: A Search for Effective, Engaging Visualizations

Scientific visualization represents information as images that let us explore, discover, analyze and validate large collections of data. Much research in this area is dedicated to designing effective visualizations that support specific analysis needs. Recently, though, we've considered visualizations from another angle. We've started asking, "Are visualizations beautiful? Can we consider visualizations works of art? " You might expect answers to these questions to vary widely depending on an individual's interpretation what it means to be artistic. We believe that the issues of effectiveness and aesthetics may not be as independent as they seem initially. We can learn much from studying two related disciplines - human psychophysics and art theory and history. Human psychophysics teaches us how we see the world around us. Art history shows us how artistic masters capture our attention by designing works that evoke an emotional response. The common interest in visual attention provides an important bridge between these domains. We're using this bridge to produce effective and engaging visualizations, and in this article, we share some of the lessons we've learned along the way.
Pattern of presentation and management of typhoid intestinal perforation in Sagamu, South-West Nigeria: a 15 year study.

BACKGROUND Mortality from typhoid intestinal perforation remains high in the West African sub-region. The aim of this retrospective analysis was to assess the presentation pattern, mode of therapy and outcome of cases diagnosed and treated as typhoid intestinal perforation at Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, between January 1990 and December 2004. METHODS Complete records of 105 adult patients were studied. RESULTS The male to female ratio was 2:1. The mean age was 27 years. Prior to arrival in our hospital, all the patients were on various combinations of antibiotics. Twenty-seven (26%) patients had been hospitalized elsewhere during the current illness. Chloramphenicol was the drug of first choice in the first ten years (phase 1). It was replaced with ciprofloxacin in the subsequent five years (phase 2). Blood culture was positive for salmonella organisms in 5(4%) patients. Resistance to chloramphenicol was found in three (60%) out of these five positive cultures. All patients had laparotomy after resuscitation. There were 112 perforations, mostly in the ileum and jejunum. Perforations were single in one hundred and one patients and multiple in four patients. Single perforations were treated by two-layered closure, multiple perforations by primary resection and anastomosis. Fifty-five (52.4%) patients developed complications. Fourteen (13.3%) patients died. There was a slight drop in mortality (8.8 %) in phase 2. Deaths were due to septicaemia in 8 (57%) patients. CONCLUSION The pattern of presentation and outcome of management of typhoid intestinal perforation are similar to what is observed in other centres in our local environment. However the drop in mortality rate in the last 5 years of the study and the finding of strains of salmonella typhi resistant to chloramphenicol require further evaluation.
Optimising the Scheduled Operation of Window Blinds to Enhance Occupant Comfort

Artificial lighting can increase a energy consumption. On the other hand, the availability of daylight in occupied spaces can reduce energy consumption while positively contributing to occupant wellbeing. However, daylight entering the space through windows needs to be reconciled with heat loss during winter and heat gain during summer, which may affect thermal comfort. In this research, a genetic algorithm is used to optimize the operation schedules of window blinds in a school classroom to enhance occupant visual comfort level. The objective of the optimization study was to reduce the energy consumption while maintaining the daylighting illuminance within the range of 100 lux to 2000 lux. EnergyPlus simulation software was employed as the daylighting and thermal performance calculation engine. The findings evidenced that the proposed genetic algorithm based schedule optimization reduced the HVAC and lighting energy consumption while giving preference to The results showed that the performance of the discussed method could also depend on different seasons. The genetic algorithm reduced the negative impact of solar gains on energy consumption in summer by closin
Toward the De-Subjugation of Racially Marked Knowledges in Communication

In this article, I offer some of my reflections on the concept of race in communication research. It is divided into three sections: (a) Racially Marked and Unmarked Knowledges in Communication, (b) Thick Intersectionalities, and (c) Without Guarantees: Some Reflective Practices.
Human IGF1 Regulates Midgut Oxidative Stress and Epithelial Homeostasis to Balance Lifespan and Plasmodium falciparum resistance in Anopheles stephensi

Insulin and insulin-like growth factor signaling (IIS) regulates cell death, repair, autophagy, and renewal in response to stress, damage, and pathogen challenge. Therefore, IIS is fundamental to lifespan and disease resistance. Previously, we showed that insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) within a physiologically relevant range (0.013–0.13 µM) in human blood reduced development of the human parasite Plasmodium falciparum in the Indian malaria mosquito Anopheles stephensi. Low IGF1 (0.013 µM) induced FOXO and p70S6K activation in the midgut and extended mosquito lifespan, whereas high IGF1 (0.13 µM) did not. In this study the physiological effects of low and high IGF1 were examined in detail to infer mechanisms for their dichotomous effects on mosquito resistance and lifespan. Following ingestion, low IGF1 induced phosphorylation of midgut c-Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK), a critical regulator of epithelial homeostasis, but high IGF1 did not. Low and high IGF1 induced midgut mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) synthesis and nitric oxide (NO) synthase gene expression, responses which were necessary and sufficient to mediate IGF1 inhibition of P. falciparum development. However, increased ROS and apoptosis-associated caspase-3 activity returned to baseline levels following low IGF1 treatment, but were sustained with high IGF1 treatment and accompanied by aberrant expression of biomarkers for mitophagy, stem cell division and proliferation. Low IGF1-induced ROS are likely moderated by JNK-induced epithelial cytoprotection as well as p70S6K-mediated growth and inhibition of apoptosis over the lifetime of A. stephensi to facilitate midgut homeostasis and enhanced survivorship. Hence, mitochondrial integrity and homeostasis in the midgut, a key signaling center for IIS, can be targeted to coordinately optimize mosquito fitness and anti-pathogen resistance for improved control strategies for malaria and other vector-borne diseases.
Effect of Copper on Plasma Ceruloplasmin and Antioxidant Ability in Broiler Chickens Challenged by Lipopolysaccharide

The effects of dietary copper (Cu) supplementation in broiler chickens challenged with a single injection of Salmonella typhymurium lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on the antioxidant capacity and plasma levels of ceruloplasmin (Cp) were evaluated. The broiler chickens were provided with a basal diet or diets supplemented with 8 and 50 mg/kg Cu from 1d of age. At 25d of age, 48 chickens with similar body weight were selected from each diet. Half of the chickens in each dietary treatment were injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) with LPS (1 mg/kg body weight). The other half was injected with saline, serving as the control. Body weight gain and feed consumption were significantly suppressed by LPS challenge during the first 12-h after injection, regardless of dietary Cu levels. Feed efficiency was reduced by LPS injection during the 72-h experimental period. Dietary Cu levels had no significant effect (p>0.05) on the plasma ceruloplasmin concentrations in chickens injected with saline. In contrast, high dietary level of Cu elevated plasma Cp levels in chickens with LPS challenge. Short-term LPS challenge had no significant effect on the antioxidant ability of broilers, as indicated by superoxide dismutase, ferric reducing/antioxidant power and the thiobarbituric acid reacting substances in the plasma. The result suggests that high dietary Cu level (as much as 50 mg/kg supplementation) is favorable for coping with short-term LPS challenge through upregulating plasma Cp levels.
Can sex sell bread?

Despite the prominent use of sexual appeals in advertising, little is known about how consumers process messages that contain explicit versus implicit sexual appeals. This research presents the results of two studies that tested whether product type and individual consumer differences in sensation seeking moderated the effects of sexual appeal type. In Study 1, we conducted an experiment and found that an explicit sexual appeal was more effective in promoting a sexually related product, while an implicit sexual appeal was more effective in promoting a non-sexually related product. The above-mentioned results only held for high sensation-seeking participants, not for those who are low sensation seekers. In Study 2, we used a different manipulation of product type and replicated the results. The findings underscore how important it is for marketers to learn more about how different sexual appeals work. The findings also illuminate how practitioners can avoid negative consumer reactions to a sexual appeal. Advertising didn’t mix sex up with our daily lives. The great Marketeer in the sky did that.Barry Brooks
Who dies from what? Determining cause of death in South Africa's rural north‐east

Summary Information on cause of death is essential for rational public health planning, yet mortality data in South Africa is limited. In the Agincourt subdistrict, verbal autopsies (VA) have been used to determine cause of death. A VA is conducted on all deaths recorded during annual demographic and health surveillance. Trained lay fieldworkers interview a close caregiver to elicit signs and symptoms of the terminal illness. Each questionnaire is reviewed by three medical practitioners blind to each other's assessment, who assign a ‘probable cause of death’ where possible. Of 1001 deaths of adults and children identified between 1992 and 1995, 932 VAs were completed. The profile of deaths reflects a mixed picture: the ‘unfinished agenda’ of communicable disease and malnutrition (diarrhoea and kwashiorkor predominantly) are responsible for over half of deaths in under‐fives, accidents are prominent in the 5–14 age‐group, while the ‘emerging agenda’ of violence and chronic degenerative disease (particularly circulatory disease) is pronounced among the middle‐aged and elderly. This profile shows the social and demographic transition to be well underway within a rural, underdeveloped population. Validation of VA findings demonstrate that the cause of death profile derived from VA can be used with confidence for planning purposes. Findings of note include the high death rates from kwashiorkor and violence, emerging AIDS and pulmonary tuberculosis, and circulatory deaths in the middle‐aged and young elderly. A deeper understanding of the causal factors underlying these critical health problems is needed to strengthen policy and better target interventions.
Open sets of diffeomorphisms having two attractors, each with an everywhere dense basin

We announce the discovery of a diffeomorphism of a three-dimensional manifold with boundary which has two disjoint attractors. Each attractor attracts a set of positive $3$-dimensional Lebesgue measure whose points of Lebesgue density are dense in the whole manifold. This situation is stable under small perturbations.
Avoidance of Adverse Effects during Chronic Therapy with Theophylline

Recent definition of the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetic characteristics of theophylline and readily available, specific assays have increased the therapeutic benefits of this drug while decreasing the risk of toxicity. Once familiarity is achieved with the various factors that can alter clearance, such as age, smoking habits, physiological abnormalities, and concurrent drug therapy, an initial dosage can be appropriately individualized. Careful product selection, the slow progressive titration of dose over nine days, and the accurate measurement and interpretation of serum theophylline concentration can prevent adverse effects and interactions. However, long-term therapy with theophylline should probably be avoided when other drugs are available for patients with cor pulmonale, liver dysfunction, congestive heart failure, migraine headaches, and seizure disorders.
The relationship between organizational commitment and organizational climate in manufacturing

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between organizational commitment and organizational climate. Subjects were chosen from three large Australian automotive component manufacturing companies. A questionnaire was administered to 1,413 employees from forty-two countries of origin. A 97.8 percent response rate yielded 1,382 usable questionnaires. A significant correlation (.66) between organizational commitment and organizational climate was discovered.
A STUDY OF SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE WITH GROUPS

This paper presents the second stage of a study on group use in social work in Quebec. The first stage had identified 72 practitioners working with 130 client groups, and 60 of these workers participated in the second stage interview. The interview explored characteristics of social work practice with groups, and studied personal and organizational factors which may influence group use. The findings suggest group use in social work is characterized by a diversity of group goals, client populations and service settings. Most groups are small units formed by the worker. and their membership is closed during the duration of the group which is usually from 8 to 15 meetings. Structure varies, but most groups base program on discussion or structured exercises, and most workers assume a facilitator or therapist role. Despite these commonalities, there appear to be several distinct styles of practice which vary according to type of group goal, role of worker, and theoretical influences on the worker. These styles.
Nostalgia, Identity and Tourism: Bollywood in the Indian Diaspora

In today's global world of movement our personal identities are changing. So, ‘where is my “home”? ’ and ‘what is my “identity”? ’ have become essential questions in one's life. In recent times, more and more diasporic communities visit their homelands, perhaps to reroot their identities. This study explored the influence of Bollywood movies in the Indian diaspora's identity construction and notions of home and tourism behaviour to India. Findings revealed that the Indian diaspora's imagination of India is strongly informed by Bollywood movies. Yet, different generations of the Indian diaspora have different reasons for travelling to India. The first generation's nostalgia arises from watching Bollywood movies, and as a result, creates a motivation to travel to India. The second generation's main to travel behaviour to India is to experience the new ‘modern’ country, portrayed in the affluent surroundings of contemporary Bollywood movies. And, for those first generations, who have never seen India before, Bollywood movies enable them to romanticise their homeland and create an urge to visit India. Thus, Bollywood movies have immense importance in the Indian diaspora's identity construction, promote diaspora tourism and constitute a huge opportunity for economic development.
Novel fibro-inflammation markers in assessing left atrial remodeling in non-valvular atrial fibrillation

Background Structural remodeling is associated with the fibroinflammatory process in the atrial extracellular matrix. In the present study we aimed to investigate whether serum levels of new circulating remodeling markers differ in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) compared to patients with sinus rhythm. Material/Methods The study population included 52 patients diagnosed with non-valvular AF and 33 age-matched patients with sinus rhythm. Serum levels of Galectin-3, matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), lipocalin-2 (Lcn2/NGAL), N-terminal propeptide of type III procollagen (PIIINP), Hs-Crp, and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were measured. The left atrial volume (LAV) was calculated by echocardiographic method and LAV index was calculated. Results Galectin-3, MMP-9, and PIIINP levels were significantly higher in AF patients except NGAL levels (1166 pg/ml (1126–1204) and 1204 pg/ml (1166–1362) p=0.001, 104 (81–179) pg/ml and 404 (162–564) pg/ml p<0.0001, and 1101 (500–1960) pg/ml and 6710 (2370–9950) pg/ml p<0.0001, respectively). The NLR and Hs-CRP levels were also higher in AF (2.1±1.0 and 2.7±1.1 p=0.02 and 4.2±1.9 mg/L and 6.0±4.7 mg/L p=0.04, respectively). In correlation analyses, NLR showed a strongly significant correlation with LAVi, but Hs-CRP did not (p=0.007 r=0.247, Pearson test and p=0.808 r=0.025, Pearson test, respectively). Moreover, Galectin-3, MMP-9, and PIIINP had a strong positive correlation with LAVi (p=0.021 r=640, Spearman test and p=0.004 r=0.319 Pearson test, and p=0.004 r=0.325 Pearson test, respectively). Conclusions Novel fibrosis and inflammation markers in AF are correlated with atrial remodeling. Several unexplained mechanisms of atrial remodeling remain, but the present study has taken the first step in elucidating the mechanisms involving fibrosis and inflammation markers.
Early Life Stress Inhibits Expression of Ribosomal RNA in the Developing Hippocampus

Children that are exposed to abuse or neglect show abnormal hippocampal function. However, the developmental mechanisms by which early life stress (ELS) impairs normal hippocampal development have not been elucidated. Here we propose that exposure to ELS blunts normal hippocampal growth by inhibiting the availability of ribosomal RNA (rRNA). In support of this hypothesis, we show that the normal mouse hippocampus undergoes a growth-spurt during the second week of life, followed by a gradual decrease in DNA and RNA content that persists into adulthood. This developmental pattern is associated with accelerated ribosomal RNA (rRNA) synthesis during the second week of life, followed by a gradual decline in rRNA levels that continue into adulthood. Levels of DNA methylation at the ribosomal DNA (rDNA) promoter are lower during the second week of life compared to earlier development or adulthood. Exposure to brief daily separation (BDS), a mouse model of early life stress, increased DNA methylation at the ribosomal DNA promoter, decreased rRNA levels, and blunted hippocampal growth during the second week of life. Exposure to acute (3 hrs) maternal separation decreased rRNA and increased DNA methylation at the rDNA proximal promoter, suggesting that exposure to stress early in life can rapidly regulate the availability of rRNA levels in the developing hippocampus. Given the critical role that rRNA plays in supporting normal growth and development, these findings suggest a novel molecular mechanism to explain how stress early in life impairs hippocampus development in the mouse.