Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of Frequency, Instrumental Family, and Cochlear Implant Type on Timbre Recognition and Appraisal

The purpose of this study was to compare postlingually deafened cochlear implant recipients and normal-hearing adults on timbre (tone quality) recognition and appraisal of 8 musical instruments representing 3 frequency ranges and 4 instrumental families. The implant recipients were significantly less accurate than the normal-hearing adults on timbre recognition. The implant recipients gave significantly poorer ratings than did the normal-hearing adults to those instruments played in the higher frequency range and to those from the string family. The timbre measures were weakly correlated with speech perception measures, but were significantly correlated with 3 cognitive measures of sequential processing.
Induction of Drosophila Behavioral and Molecular Circadian Rhythms by Temperature Steps in Constant Light

In constant light, where Drosophila rhythms are normally disrupted, temperature cycles induce circadian rhythms at both the molecular and behavioral level. The authors investigated the process by which the thermoperiod induces the rhythms using temperature steps. A 10 °C temperature step-up induced a single locomotor activity peak ca 9 h after the temperature transition, whereas a 10 °C step-down induced a strong activity peak ca 24 h after the transition, and the peak recurred for several cycles, suggesting that the underlying clock is reset. Arrhythmic per01 , tim 01 , dClkJrk , and cyc01 mutant flies failed to show the rhythm after the step-down, suggesting that per, tim, dClk, and cyc are necessary for the step-down—induced rhythm. After the step-up, per01 flies exhibited an activity peak similar to that of wild-type flies, suggesting that the peak can be induced by the step-up in absence of PER. mRNA levels of per, tim , dClk, vri, and Pdp1ε were changed in response to the temperature steps, but the changes differed depending on the direction of temperature steps, suggesting that steps-up and steps-down have different roles in the initiation of the oscillation. Probably, alternating 12-h temperature steps-up and steps-down will induce opposite changes in mRNA levels of clock genes, eventually producing stable molecular oscillations. Although TIM shows responses to temperature consistent with the changes of its mRNA, this is not the case for PER, consistent with posttranscriptional regulation. Changes of the mRNA levels were significantly altered but still observed in per 01 flies but not observed in dClkJrk flies, except for per mRNA. This suggests that dCLK is involved in the temperature-induced changes in the levels of most clock gene mRNA but that per is regulated via a different mechanism.
Systematic destruction of K-feldspar in deeply buried rift and passive margin sandstones

Systematic patterns of detrital K-feldspar decline with increasing burial depth are revealed during deep burial (1.5–4.5 km) of sandstones in diverse sedimentary basins from three rift and two passive margin settings in the North Sea and USA Gulf Coast. K-feldspar destruction is predominantly by dissolution, though in-situ alteration to albite also occurs. Dissolution can remove up to 15% solid volume of the rock by 4.5 km, so that primary arkosic sandstones become diagenetic quartzarenites at depth, with increased secondary:primary porosity ratios. The quantity of K-feldspar destroyed during temperature increase is very variable: 0.05–1.0% solid volume/°C. Compaction continues during deep burial and petrographic textures diagnostic of secondary porosity are destroyed (so that many sandstones preserve <10% secondary porosity). Alternative explanations for K-feldspar reduction with depth, including changes in original sediment provenance controlling the observed variation of feldspar with depth, or that source areas changed during deposition, can be refuted. Deeply buried sandstones are not reliable records of depositional composition. Exceptions to this scenario of detrital K-feldspar dissolution are noted. Proximity of K-rich evaporites, high SiO2 and K+ activity due to the breakdown of volcanic clasts or very low PCO2 can stabilize both K-feldspar and a suite of K-rich cements.
Decision Support Procedure for Medical Equipment Maintenance Management

Hospitals outsource several activities of the service support in order to focus on the core healthcare production as maintenance service. Recently, faced to the sophistication and the costs of medical equipment that continue to escalate, governments have implemented new reforms to control costs and improve the efficiency and the quality. Hospitals become interested in minimizing the total operational cost, by optimizing healthcare production planning and their support activities. Reorganizing the medical equipment maintenance service becomes a priority for the hospital managers to reduce the cost and the dependency on external parties while ensuring that the medical devices are safe, accurate, and operating at the required level of performance. In this article, we propose an efficient procedure to take the appropriate decisions for medical equipment maintenance such as the selection of maintenance strategy, the insourcing/outsourcing, and the selection of contracts’ type and content. A practical application of this procedure in the Tunisian context is considered. Nevertheless, our procedure is general and can be tailored to hospitals in both developed and developing countries.
Nitric oxide synthase derangements and hypertension in kidney disease

Purpose of reviewNitric oxide deficiency occurs by multiple mechanisms and contributes to the pathogenesis of progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and its cardiovascular complications. This article concentrates on recent developments on the regulation of the endogenous nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) in CKD and on the importance of the nitric oxide synthases in kidney disease progression, particularly in diabetic nephropathy. Recent findingsThe increased plasma ADMA seen in renal disease is generally predictive of severity of CKD progression and cardiovascular risk. However, some assumptions about the control of ADMA have been challenged: the primacy of the kidney as a metabolic organ for plasma ADMA regulation has come under scrutiny and the relative importance of the two isoforms of the ADMA-metabolizing enzymes dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolases (DDAHs) is being re-evaluated. Alterations in NOS also contribute to CKD progression with the endothelial isoform playing a major role in diabetic nephropathy. SummaryImproving our understanding of ADMA regulation is important since pharmacologic targeting of DDAH is underway. The major role of endothelial NOS-derived nitric oxide in diabetic nephropathy should lead to novel therapies. The beneficial actions of dietary nitrate supplementation on blood pressure and kidney disease are of considerable clinical relevance.
A Survey of Data Mining and Machine Learning Methods for Cyber Security Intrusion Detection

Cyber security is that the body of technologies, processes and practices designed to safeguard networks, computers, programs and knowledge from attack, harm or unauthorized access. During a computing context, the term security implies cyber security. This survey paper describes a targeted literature survey of machine learning (ML) and data processing (DM) strategies for cyber analytics in support of intrusion detection. This paper focuses totally on cyber intrusion detection as it applies to wired networks. With a wired network, associate oppose must experience many layers of defense at firewalls and operative systems, or gain physical access to the network. The quality of ML/DM algorithms is addressed, discussion of challenges for victimization ML/DM for cyber security is conferred, and some recommendations on once to use a given methodology area unit provided.
Positive effects of short-term growth hormone treatment on lean body mass and BMC after a hip fractureA double-blind placebo-controlled pilot study in 20 patients

Background A catabolic state develops after a hip fracture, with loss of muscle and bone tissue. Growth hormone (GH) treatment has been shown to exert anabolic effects during other catabolic states. We investigated whether GH given postoperatively to elderly hip fracture patients could increase serum insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and reduce the loss of lean body mass and bone mineral content (BMC) without considerable side effects. Patients and methods We randomized 20 patients operated on for a hip fracture to a double-blind placebocontrolled 4-week study with daily subcutaneous injections of GH or placebo. The patients were followed for another 2 months after termination of GH treatment. Results Serum IGF-I and the IGF-I binding protein 1 (IGFBP-1) were measured by specific radioimmunoassay (RIA) technique. BMC and lean body mass were assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and quantitative computed tomography. Serum IGF-I increased significantly during GH treatment, which also preserved lean body mass and BMC without serious adverse events.
Low-phytic acid corn improves nutrient utilization for growing pigs.

Thirty-five crossbred barrows averaging 14.5 kg initial BW were used in a 5-wk experiment to compare the P availability and nutritional value of a low-phytate hybrid corn (LPC, 0.26% total P, 0.08% phytic acid P) homozygous for the lpa 1-1 allele with a nearly isogenic normal hybrid corn (NC, 0.25% total P, 0.20% phytic acid P). The pigs were fed individually twice daily in metabolism pens. Three semipurified diets were created in which corn was the only source of phytate. Diet 1 contained 72% NC, 0.15% estimated available P (aP) and 0.55% Ca. Diet 2 contained 72% LPC, 0.24% aP, and 0.55% Ca. The only differences between Diets 1 and 2 were the source of corn and the levels of aP. No inorganic P (iP) was added to these diets in order to measure the animal response to the different levels of aP in the corn hybrids. Diet 3 was NC Diet 1 supplemented with iP to equal the level of aP in LPC Diet 2. Diets 4 and 5 were practical corn-soybean meal diets formulated with each corn to meet all minimum nutrient requirements and contained 0.30% aP and 0.65% Ca. For the semipurified diets, pigs fed LPC Diet 2 had higher (P < 0.01) growth performance, bone breaking strength, P absorption and retention, Ca absorption and retention, and N retention than pigs fed NC Diet 1. However, when the NC diet was supplemented with iP to equal the aP in the LPC diet, most criteria were similar (P > or = 0.2), indicating an equal nutritional value for both corn hybrids after adjusting for phytate level. The only treatment difference, other than P excretion, between the practical corn diets supplemented with soybean meal was a higher (P < 0.05) bone breaking strength for pigs fed LPC Diet 5 compared with NC Diet 4. The use of LPC in pig diets reduced P excretion in swine waste by 50 and 18.4% in the semipurified and practical diets, respectively, compared with NC. Using our in vitro procedure designed to simulate the digestive system of the pig, the availability of P for pigs was estimated at 56% for LPC and 11% for NC.
Trends in antifungal susceptibility and virulence of Candida spp. from the nasolacrimal duct of horses.

This was a cross-sectional study to investigate the antifungal susceptibility and production of virulence factors in strains of Candida isolated from the outlet and the lumen of the nasolacrimal duct of horses in the state of Ceará, Brazil. The samples were obtained from 103 horses. Sterile cotton swabs were used to collect the material from the outlet of the nasolacrimal duct and urethral probes, for the instillation of 2 ml of saline solution, were used to collect samples from the lumen of the nasolacrimal duct. A total of 77 Candida isolates were obtained, with C. famata, C. tropicalis, C. guilliermondii, and C. parapsilosis sensu lato as the most prevalent species. One isolate (C. glabrata) was resistant to caspofungin. One isolate was resistant only to fluconazole (C. parapsilosis sensu lato), 11 were resistant only to itraconazole (7 C. tropicalis, 2 C. guilliermondii, 1 C. famata, 1 C. parapsilosis sensu lato), while eight C. tropicalis showed resistance to both azoles. Overall, 28 isolates produced phospholipases and 12 produced proteases. These results highlight the importance of investigating the antifungal susceptibility and virulence trends of Candida spp. from the microbiota of the nasolacrimal duct of horses.
Cutaneous human papillomavirus 88: Remarkable differences in viral load

A human papillomavirus (HPV) was cloned from a patient with multiple squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) and identified as HPV88, recently categorized into a new species within the genus Gamma. The HPV88 viral load in an SCC of the index patient exceeded 1 million copies/cell. By contrast, a survey of 447 skin lesions (79 actinic keratoses, 73 seborrhoeic keratoses, 169 basal cell carcinomas and 126 SCCs) and 362 healthy skin biopsies found detectable HPV88 DNA in only 7 specimens. All these had very low viral loads (<1 copy/103 cells) implying extreme biological variability in viral load. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Impact of Nursing Information Systems on residential care provision in an aged care provider

The challenge of an ageing population has placed a great pressure on the Australian aged care sector in the coming decades. Technology-enabled solutions such as health information systems (HIS) can be seen as a way to improve care quality, safety and process efficiency. Compared to the overall healthcare sector, the adoption of HIS in the aged care sector has been slower. One reason for this is that aged care providers are not well informed therefore not yet convinced of the positive impacts of technology solutions on their service provision. This paper reports findings from an evaluation of the impact of HIS adoption at an aged care provider in Victoria. The evaluation was conducted in two distinct areas, residential aged care and residential disability services. Overall, the findings show positive impacts of the system on individual work of the care staff and on service provision of the organisation as well as suggesting opportunities for improvement in later implementation stages. The evaluation will also inform other aged care and disability service providers of the benefits of HIS and useful lessons in adoption of technology solutions.
The optimal solutions to the continuous and discrete-time versions of the Hirschman uncertainty principle

We have previously developed an uncertainty measure that is suitable for finitely-supported (N samples) discrete-time signals. A specific instance of our measure has been termed the "discrete Hirschman (1957) uncertainty principal" in the literature, and we have adopted this terminology for our more general measure. We compare the optimal signals of this discrete version to the already determined optimal signals of the (continuous-time) Hirschman uncertainty principal. From our comparison, we conclude that a basic premise in signal processing, that if we sample densely enough, the discrete-time case directly corresponds to the continuous-time case, is not correct in this instance. The arithmetic of N, which seems to have no analog in continuous time, is crucial to the construction of the Hirschman optimal discrete representation. We suggest that more work in this important area be performed to determine what impact this has, and to find out how widespread this problem may be.
Organizational Commitment, Job Satisfaction, and Effort in the Service Environment

Abstract Investigations of the causal relationship between organizational commitment and job satisfaction have yielded contradictory findings. Little empirical research has looked at this complex relationship in the context of work effort. The purpose of this study was to determine how these variables interact in the service environment. Using a sample of 425 employees in two service organizations, the author tested two structural equation models. The hypothesized model with organizational commitment as a moderator between job satisfaction and service effort fit better than a model with job satisfaction as moderator did. Conceptual implications are discussed, and suggestions for future research are made.
The relationship between peak isokinetic torques of hip , knee and ankle joints with single and double leg jump performance in young men

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between single and double leg jump performance with peak isokinetic torques (PIT) of hip, knee and ankle joints in young men. 27 males with mean age, height and weight of 23±3.5 years, 178.5±7.8 cm and 75.7±10.7 kg respectively participated in this study voluntarily. PIT of hip, knee and ankle joints was measured using isokinetic Biodex system pro 4. Also, the jump performance was assessed using digital vertical jumping system and single and double leg vertical jump methods. Pearson correlation test with p<0.05 was used for statistical analysis. Results showed that there were significant correlations between single leg jump performance with flexion (r=0.58, p=0.001) and extension (r=0.71, p=0.0001) PIT of hip joint in guide leg and support leg (r=0.45, p=0.018 and r=0.64, p=0.0001) and flexion (r=0.63, p=0.0001) and extension (r=0.69, p=0.0001) PIT of knee joint in support leg. Also there were significant correlations between double leg jump performance with flexion (r=0.53, p=0.005) and extension (r=0.60, p=0.001) PIT of hip joint in guide leg and support leg (r=0.58, p=0.001 and r=0.59, p=0.0001), flexion (r=0.67, p=0.0001) and extension (r=0.73, p=0.0001) PIT of knee joint in support leg and plantar flexion (r=0.41, p=0.033) PIT of ankle joint in support leg. So in designing a specific training program to improve jump performance in different sports, we should consider the strength of hip, knee and ankle joints based on the nature of sport and the type of jumping it uses.
Viral abundance, production, decay rates and life strategies (lysogeny versus lysis) in Lake Bourget (France).

We have investigated the ecology of viruses in Lake Bourget (France) from January to August 2008. Data were analysed for viral and bacterial abundance and production, viral decay, frequency of lysogenic cells, the contribution of bacteriophages to prokaryotic mortality and their potential influence on nutrient dynamics. Analyses and experiments were conducted on samples from the epilimnion (2 m) and the hypolimnion (50 m), taken at the reference site of the lake. The abundance of virus-like particles (VLP) varied from 3.4 × 10⁷to 8.2 × 10⁷ VLP ml⁻¹; with the highest numbers and virus-to-bacterium ratio (VBR = 69) recorded in winter. Viral production varied from 3.2 × 10⁴ VLP ml⁻¹ h⁻¹ (July) to 2 × 10⁶ VLP ml⁻¹ h⁻¹ (February and April), and production was lower in the hypolimnion. Viral decay rate reached 0.12-0.15 day⁻¹, and this parameter varied greatly with sampling date and methodology (i.e. KCN versus filtration). Using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis, viral lysis was responsible for 0% (January) to 71% (February) of bacterial mortality, while viral lysis varied between 0% (April) and 53% (January) per day when using a modified dilution approach. Calculated from viral production and burst size, the virus-induced bacterial mortality varied between 0% (January) and 68% (August). A weak relationship was found between the two first methods (TEM versus dilution approach). Interestingly, flow cytometry analysis performed on the dilution experiment samples revealed that the viral impact was mostly on high DNA content bacterial cells whereas grazing, varying between 8.3% (June) and 75.4% (April), was reflected in both HDNA and LDNA cells equally. The lysogenic fraction varied between 0% (spring/summer) and 62% (winter) of total bacterial abundance, and increased slightly with increasing amounts of mitomycin C added. High percentages of lysogenic cells were recorded when bacterial abundance and activity were the lowest. The calculated release of carbon and phosphorus from viral lysis reached up to 56.5 µgC l⁻¹ day⁻¹ (assuming 20 fgC cell⁻¹) and 1.4 µgP l⁻¹ day⁻¹ (assuming 0.5 fgP cell⁻¹), respectively, which may represent a significant fraction of bacterioplankton nutrient demand. This study provides new evidence of the quantitative and functional importance of the virioplankton in the functioning of microbial food webs in peri-alpine lakes. It also highlights methodologically dependent results.
Socially Optimal Subsidies for Entry: The Case of Medicare Payments to HMOs

The U.S. Medicare program has increased its spending on private Medicare plans in anticipation of larger consumer surplus and higher efficiency. To evaluate the welfare consequences of such policy interventions, I develop an empirical model with endogenous entry. Counterfactual simulation reveals the following: subsidizing HMO entry can be justified to enhance national welfare (no excessive entry); the level of price subsidies in 2008, however, is far beyond the optimal level; and the geographic inconsistency between the subsidies and the Medicare fee-for-service costs is another source of inefficiency. Resolving this geographic inconsistency significantly raises national welfare by restructuring entry.
Plasma Corticosteroid, Circulating Leukocyte and Milk Somatic Cell Responses to Escherichia coli Endotoxin-Induced Mastitis 1

Summary A mammary quarter in each of 4 cows was infused with 0.5 mg E. coli endotoxin to determine its effect on plasma corticosteroids, circulating leukocytes and milk somatic cells. At 1.5 hr following endotoxin infusion, segmented neutrophils decreased 23%, and by 5 hr dropped 93%. A shift left in the differential circulating leukocyte count began at 2.5 hr and reached maximum proportions between 18-24 hr postendotoxin infusion. Circulating lymphocytes, monocytes and eosinophils were all depressed in response to endotoxin. Plasma corticosteroid concentrations increased (P < 0.01) 2 hr following endotoxin infusion, reached maximum concentrations at 4 hr, then returned to prein-fusion concentrations by 12 hr. The initial decrease in circulating lymphocytes at 2.5 hr was not attributed to the lytic effect of the plasma corticosteroids, since depressions in circulating lymphocytes occurred too soon (0.5 hr) after the increase in plasma corticosteroids. The high plasma corticosteroid concentration appeared to have little effect at restoring leukocyte equilibrium, since the concentration of neutrophils and total leukocytes continued to decline up to 4 hr past the initiation of the plasma corticosteroid response. Serum glucose concentrations coincided with peak plasma corticosteroid concentration and appeared to be one of the primary physiological effects mediated by elevated plasma corticosteroid concentrations. Three hours following endotoxin infusion or 1.5 hr after the noted depression in segmented neutrophils, the concentration of milk somatic cells increased from 5.7 × 104 cells/ml milk at 0 hr to 37.5 × 104 cells/ml. However swelling of infused quarters was detected as early as 2 hr postinfusion and was attributed to diapedesis and lysis of neutrophils. Total milk somatic cell concentrations reached maximum proportions at 18 hr, averaging 54 × 106 cells/ml milk. The authors thank Miss Barbara A. Becker, Mr. D. Carroll, Mr. S. T. Kirk, and Mr. A. J. Kral for their excellent technical assistance.