Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Trade-Off in the Sound Localization Abilities of Early Blind Individuals between the Horizontal and Vertical Planes

There is substantial evidence that sensory deprivation leads to important cross-modal brain reorganization that is paralleled by enhanced perceptual abilities. However, it remains unclear how widespread these enhancements are, and whether they are intercorrelated or arise at the expense of other perceptual abilities. One specific area where such a trade-off might arise is that of spatial hearing, where blind individuals have been shown to possess superior monaural localization abilities in the horizontal plane, but inferior localization abilities in the vertical plane. While both of these tasks likely involve the use of monaural cues due to the absence of any relevant binaural signal, there is currently no proper explanation for this discrepancy, nor has any study investigated both sets of abilities in the same sample of blind individuals. Here, we assess whether the enhancements observed in the horizontal plane are related to the deficits observed in the vertical plane by testing sound localization in both planes in groups of blind and sighted persons. Our results show that the blind individuals who displayed the highest accuracy at localizing sounds monaurally in the horizontal plane are also the ones who exhibited the greater deficit when localizing in the vertical plane. These findings appear to argue against the idea of generalized perceptual enhancements in the early blind, and instead suggest the possibility of a trade-off in the localization proficiency between the two auditory spatial planes, such that learning to use monaural cues for the horizontal plane comes at the expense of using those cues to localize in the vertical plane.
A Study of the Cross-state Effects of Smoking Bans on Gaming Revenues : The Delaware / New Jersey Experience

As smoke free laws on public places are being implemented around the country, the economic effects of such policies on the hospitality industry is questioned. The economic impact of Clean Indoor Air Policies (CIAP) on bar and restaurant revenues has been proven to be negligible; smoking bans improve the working conditions of the employees and do not appear to significantly affect revenues (Bartosch and Pope 1999). However, the benefits of CIAP come at a cost; smoke free laws appear to be negatively affecting the gaming industry.
Two new species of forget-me-nots ( Myosotis, Boraginaceae) from New Zealand

Abstract Two new species of forget-me-nots, Myosotis chaffeyorum C.A. Lehnebach sp. nov. and Myosotis mooreana C.A. Lehnebach sp. nov. are described and illustrated. These species are endemic to New Zealand and restricted to the mountains of north-west Nelson (South Island). Both species are uncommon and Myosotis mooreana is known from the type locality only. Their conservation status is rated as “Nationally Critical”. A table listing differences between these two new species and other similar species and an identification key are provided.
Full Genome Sequence of a Reassortant Human G9P[4] Rotavirus Strain

ABSTRACT This is a report of the complete genomic sequence of a reassortant rotavirus group A G9-P[4]-I2-R2-C2-M2-A2-N2-T2-E6-H2 strain designated RVA/Human-wt/USA/ LB1562/2010/G9P[4].
Novel 4-terminal perovskite/SiC-based rear contact silicon tandem solar cell with 27.6 % PCE

In this work, a novel 4-terminal perovskite / SiC-based rear contact silicon tandem device has been proposed for long-term cost reduction and higher efficiency. The novel tandem device proposed in this work shows ultra-high power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 27.6 % and 22.7 % with 300 μm and 10 μm thick rear contact Si solar cell, respectively. The realistic TCAD simulation has been performed for Methylammonium lead triiodide perovskite cell. To simulate and predict the realistic behavior of the device, all the fundamental recombination mechanisms have been included in CH3NH3PbI3 film during the simulation. The perovskite device which is used as top cell shows PCE of 19.9% which is almost equivalent to experimentally available record efficiency of 20.1%. The charge carrier decay constants for CH3NH3PM3 used in the simulation have been obtained from experimentally available data.
Integrated Demand Side Management Game in Smart Energy Hubs

The presence of energy hubs and the advancement in smart grid technologies have motivated system planners to deploy intelligent multicarrier energy systems entitled “smart energy hub” (S.E. Hub). In this paper, we model S.E. Hub, and propose a modern energy management technique in electricity and natural gas networks based on integrated demand side management (IDSM). In conventional studies, energy consumption is optimized from the perspective of each individual user without considering the interactions with each other. Here, the interaction among S.E. Hubs in IDSM program is formulated as a noncooperative game. The existence and uniqueness of a pure strategy Nash equilibrium (NE) is proved. Additionally, the strategies for each S.E. Hub are determined by proposing a distributed algorithm. We also address the IDSM game in a cloud computing (CC) framework to achieve efficient data processing and information management. Simulations are performed on a grid consisting of ten S.E. Hubs. We compare the CC framework with conventional data processing techniques to evaluate the efficiency of our proposed approach in determining NE. It is also shown that in the NE, the energy cost for each S.E. Hub and the peak-to-average ratio of the electricity demand decrease substantially.
Effects of the Selective KACh Channel Blocker NTC-801 on Atrial Fibrillation in a Canine Model of Atrial Tachypacing: Comparison With Class Ic and III Drugs

Abstract: The present study examines the effects of NTC-801, a highly selective acetylcholine (ACh) receptor-activated potassium (KACh) channel blocker, on atrial fibrillation (AF) in a canine model with electrical remodeling. An experimental substrate for AF was created in dogs via left atrial (LA) tachypacing (400 bpm, 3–5 weeks). NTC-801, dofetilide, and flecainide were intravenously infused for 15 minutes, and the effects on AF inducibility, atrial effective refractory period (ERP), and atrial conduction velocity were examined. The effect of NTC-801 on AF termination was also evaluated. Atrial ERP was shortened and AF inducibility was increased after LA tachypacing. NTC-801 (0.3–3 µg·kg−1·min−1) prolonged atrial ERP irrespective of stimulation frequency and dose-dependently decreased AF inducibility. Dofetilide (5.3 µg·kg−1·min−1) and flecainide (0.13 mg·kg−1·min−1) did not significantly inhibit AF inducibility and minimally affected atrial ERP. Flecainide decreased atrial conduction velocity, whereas NTC-801 and dofetilide did not. NTC-801 (0.1 mg/kg) converted AF to normal sinus rhythm. In summary, NTC-801 exerted more effective antiarrhythmic effects than dofetilide and flecainide in a canine LA-tachypacing AF model. The antiarrhythmic activity of NTC-801 was probably due to prolonging atrial ERP independently of stimulation frequency. These results suggest that NTC-801 could prevent AF more effectively in the setting of atrial electrical remodeling.
Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI): A validation study in an Italian teacher group

The aim of this study was to validate the Italian version of the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI; Kristensen, Borritz, Villadsen, & Christensen, 2005), a public domain questionnaire evaluating the level of physical and psychological fatigue experienced by individuals with respect to personal, work-related, and client-related burnout. Participants in the study were 1,497 teachers (89.3% female). The dimensionality of the CBI was explored by means of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The scale’s internal consistency was also examined. Concurrent validity was explored by investigating the associations of the CBI dimensions with the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES; Schaufeli & Bakker, 2004) and an ad hoc measure of self-efficacy. Results of CFA supported a model of measurement composed of three correlated factors: personal, work-related, and student-related burnout. Associations among the CBI factors, UWES, and self-efficacy scores were found to be in the expected directions and reliability of scales was consistent. Results suggest that the Italian version of the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory is psychometrically robust and could be adopted for empirical uses.
Status epilepticus in the elderly: etiology, seizure type and outcome

ABSTRACT‐ We have studied status epilepticus among 342 patients who had their first seizures after the age of 60 years. One hundred and two patients (30%) had status epilepticus. Cerebrovascular disease (35%) was the leading cause of status, followed by head trauma (21%), multifactorial etiology (11%), metabolic disorders (10%), brain tumors (8%) and CNS infection (2%). The etiology of status remained undetermined in 13 patients (13%). The majority (80%) had partial status or generalized status with focal onset. Overall mortality was 35%.
In vitro antioxidant activity of coumarin compounds by DPPH , Super oxide and nitric oxide free radical scavenging methods

Many coumarins and their derivatives exert anti-coagulant, anti-tumor, anti-viral, antiinflammatory and antioxidant effects, as well as anti-microbial and enzyme inhibition properties. The different substituents in the coumarin nucleus strongly influence the biological activity of the resulting derivatives. Although some coumarins have been already characterized to evoke a particular biological activity, the challenge would be the design and synthesis of new derivatives with high specific activity against different forms of free radicals and define their mechanism of action to achieve new therapeutic drugs against disorders results from oxidative damage. The present research work highlights the current progress in the development of coumarin scaffolds for drug discovery as novel anti-oxidant agents. The major challenges about coumarins include the translation of current knowledge into new potential lead compounds and the repositioning of known compounds for the treatment of oxidative disorders. In present article, various coumarin compounds were evaluated for in vitro antioxidant activity by DPPH, Super oxide and nitric oxide free radical scavenging assay methods. From results of DPPH, super oxide and nitric oxide methods, it found that compound I and II displayed strong antioxidant (P < 0.001) activity compared to the ascorbic acid.
Selective action of noradrenaline and serotonin on neurones of the spinal superficial dorsal horn in the rat

The superficial dorsal horn of the spinal cord (SDH; laminae I and II) receives strong input from thin primary afferent fibres and is involved in nociception, pain, temperature sensing and other experiences. The SDH also is the target of serotonergic and adrenergic projections from the brain stem. The interaction between descending pathways that utilize particular mediators and the neurone population of the SDH is poorly understood. To explore this issue, in rat spinal cord slices during whole‐cell recordings from identified SDH neurones, noradrenaline (NA) or serotonin (5HT) were briefly applied in the superfusing artificial cerebrospinal fluid. The action of these agents proved specifically related to the type of SDH neurone and its dorsal‐root afferent input. Vertical, radial and tonic central lamina II cells consistently expressed outward current to both NA and 5HT, but transient central and Substance P (SP)‐insensitive lamina I cells were unaffected directly by either NA or 5HT. Extended islet cells responded with outward current to NA and inward current to 5HT. Lamina I SP‐sensitive cells expressed an outward current regularly to NA. 5HT had inhibitory effects on Aδ and C fibre input to all types of SDH neurones. NA inhibited C fibre input to transient central neurones. The present results support the idea that descending systems may have multiple functions, including but not limited to nociceptive modulation.
Prevalence and predictors of adverse events in older surgical patients: impact of the present on admission indicator.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY to examine the effects of the present on admission (POA) indicator on the prevalence of and factors associated with postsurgical adverse events in older patients. DESIGN AND METHODS this is a secondary data analysis of 82,898 surgical patients aged 65 years or older in 252 acute care hospitals in California in 2004. Four adverse events were counted using the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Patient Safety Indicator (PSI) definitions with and without using the POA indicator. We also examined the effects of the POA indicator on the relationships between patient- and hospital-level factors and adverse events, using generalized linear mixed models. RESULTS the use of the POA indicator resulted in a marked reduction in the estimated rates of all 4 adverse event rates. Adjustment for POA conditions also influenced factors associated with adverse events. Compared with those with newly occurring adverse events only, admissions with only POA conditions were more likely to be admitted through the emergency department, be unplanned, and belong to patients with one or more preceding admissions or those with multiple admissions within the same year. IMPLICATIONS adverse event rates estimated from discharge abstracts using PSI methodology could be overstated when the POA indicator was not used. The POA indicator could influence predictors of adverse events. Studies on geriatric safety and outcomes using large administrative data sets should consider using the POA indicator. Further studies are needed on how to determine POA conditions.
A randomized comparison of microwave endometrial ablation with transcervical resection of the endometrium; follow up at a minimum of five years

This paper presents a 5-year follow-up of a randomized, controlled trial, which compared microwave endometrial ablation (MEA) with transcervical resection of the endometrium (TCRE) for women with heavy menstrual bleeding.Two hundred sixty-three women were randomized to receive either MEA (n = 129) or TCRE (n = 134). For the current study, participants who were at least 60 months postprocedure were sent a questionnaire concerning satisfaction with and acceptability of their treatment method, menstrual status, changes in health-related quality of life, and any further surgery received. This was the same questionnaire that had been sent at 1- and 2-years of follow-up. Two hundred thirty-six of the original 263 study participants (90%) returned a completed questionnaire, including 116 MEA patients and 120 TCRE patients. Total or general satisfaction was reported by significantly more of those who underwent MEA compared with those who had TCRE (86% vs. 74%). Similarly, 83% and 75%, respectively, reported a cure or acceptable improvement in their symptoms, 97% and 91% expressed overall treatment acceptance, and 97% and 89% said that they would recommend the procedure to a friend. Both groups had similar, significant improvement in bleeding and pain scores, and 96% overall reported amenorrhea or lighter periods. Significantly more women in the TCRE group experienced dyspareunia compared with the MEA group (11% vs. 6%, respectively). Premenstrual symptoms improved significantly for both groups. Quality-of-life scores were improved for all participants. Disruptions to work or leisure activities were significantly lower in both treatment groups. In all, 24% of the patients who had MEA and 28% of those who had TCRE had undergone further gynecologic surgery in the follow-up period. This includes a 16% hysterectomy rate for the MEA cohort and 25% hysterectomy rate for women who had TCRE. Nearly all of the 20 hysterectomies among women in the MEA arm occurred within 24 months of the initial procedure. Reasons for hysterectomy were bleeding, combined bleeding and dysmenorrhea, cyclic pain, and miscellaneous conditions, including 1 woman in the TCRE arm who was operated on for endometrial carcinoma.
Treatment of gingivitis with hyaluronan.

OBJECTIVES Hyaluronic acid (hyaluronan) is a glycosaminoglycan with anti-inflammatory and antiedematous properties. It was evaluated in a gel formulation for its effect in the treatment of plaque-induced gingivitis. METHOD In a randomised double-blind study, 50 male subjects with plaque-induced gingivitis were divided into two groups and used a verum or placebo gel twice daily additionally to oral hygiene for a 3-week treatment period. Clinical indices (API, Turesky index, PBI) and crevicular fluid variables (peroxidase, lysozyme) were determined at baseline and after 4, 7, 14 and 21 days, respectively. RESULTS Significant improvements could be found for all clinical variables in both groups. The verum group showed significant improvement in the study area for the plaque indices beginning with day 4 (P = 0.011) and the PBI beginning with day 7 (P = 0.001) in comparison with the placebo group. The crevicular fluid variables were significantly improved in the centre of the studied inflammation area in the verum group. Here all studied sites had significant decreases in peroxidase (176.72-128.75 and 188.74-128.75 U/L) and lysozyme (1.27-0.27 and 1.30-0.33 mg/L) activities after 7, 14 and 21 days (P between 0.034 and < 0.001), whereas in the placebo group only one site showed a significant decrease for lysozyme (1.74-0.75 mg/L) after 7 and 21 days (P = 0.048 and 0.025). CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that a hyaluronan containing gel has a beneficial effect in the treatment of plaque-induced gingivitis.
Generalized Rayleigh criterion for non-axisymmetric centrifugal instabilities

The well-known Rayleigh criterion is a necessary and sufficient condition for inviscid centrifugal instability of axisymmetric perturbations. We have generalized this criterion to disturbances of any azimuthal wavenumber m by means of large-axial-wavenumber WKB asymptotics. A sufficient condition for a free axisymmetric vortex with angular velocity $\Omega(r)$ to be unstable to a three-dimensional perturbation of azimuthal wavenumber m is that the real part of the growth rate \[\sigma (r) =-{\rm i}m\Omega(r)+\sqrt{-\phi(r)}\] is positive at the complex radius $r{=}r_0$ where $\partial \sigma (r)/\partial r{=}0$, i.e. \[\phi'(r_0) =-2{\rm i}m\Omega'(r_0)\sqrt{-\phi(r_0)},\] where $\phi{=}(1/r^3)\partial{r^4\Omega^2}/\partial {r}$ is the Rayleigh discriminant, provided that some a posteriori checks are satisfied. The application of this new criterion to various classes of vortex profiles shows that the growth rate of non-axisymmetric disturbances decreases as m increases until a cutoff is reached. The criterion is in excellent agreement with numerical stability analyses of the Carton & McWilliams (1989) vortices and allows one to analyse the competition between the centrifugal instability and the shear instability. The generalized criterion is also valid for a vertical vortex in a stably stratified and rotating fluid, except that ϕ becomes $\phi{=}(1/r^3)\partial{r^4(\Omega+\Omega_b)^2/\partial r$, where $\Omega_b$ is the background rotation about the vertical axis. The stratification is found to have no effect. For the Taylor–Couette flow between two coaxial cylinders, the same criterion applies except that $r_0$ is real and equal to the inner cylinder radius. In sharp contrast, the maximum growth rate of non-axisymmetric disturbances is then independent of m.
A neuropsychological rehabilitation program for patients with Multiple Sclerosis based on the model of the ICF.

BACKGROUND Forty to sixty percent of MS patients suffer from cognitive impairments. Cognitive deficits are a great burden for patients affected. In particular they may lead to a reduced quality of life, loss of work and problems with the social environment. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate a specific neuropsychological rehabilitation program for MS patients according to the ICF to be able to meet more properly individual requirements on the therapy level of function as well as of activities and participation. METHODS Forty patients with MS were randomised in an intervention (IG) - and a control group (CG). The outcome measure of the IG, who started an intensive computer based home training of attention and attended psychological counselling was compared to the untrained CG. RESULTS In specific domains of attention (simple and cued alertness and divided attention) significant group differences between CG and IG could be found. The IG reported an improvement of mental fatigue and retardation. CONCLUSION These findings support the idea that a neuropsychological rehabilitation program, which based on the model of ICF, could improve cognitive impairment and could also have a positive influence of activities and participation.
Climate change‐induced vegetation shifts lead to more ecological droughts despite projected rainfall increases in many global temperate drylands

Drylands occur worldwide and are particularly vulnerable to climate change because dryland ecosystems depend directly on soil water availability that may become increasingly limited as temperatures rise. Climate change will both directly impact soil water availability and change plant biomass, with resulting indirect feedbacks on soil moisture. Thus, the net impact of direct and indirect climate change effects on soil moisture requires better understanding. We used the ecohydrological simulation model SOILWAT at sites from temperate dryland ecosystems around the globe to disentangle the contributions of direct climate change effects and of additional indirect, climate change‐induced changes in vegetation on soil water availability. We simulated current and future climate conditions projected by 16 GCMs under RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 for the end of the century. We determined shifts in water availability due to climate change alone and due to combined changes of climate and the growth form and biomass of vegetation. Vegetation change will mostly exacerbate low soil water availability in regions already expected to suffer from negative direct impacts of climate change (with the two RCP scenarios giving us qualitatively similar effects). By contrast, in regions that will likely experience increased water availability due to climate change alone, vegetation changes will counteract these increases due to increased water losses by interception. In only a small minority of locations, climate change‐induced vegetation changes may lead to a net increase in water availability. These results suggest that changes in vegetation in response to climate change may exacerbate drought conditions and may dampen the effects of increased precipitation, that is, leading to more ecological droughts despite higher precipitation in some regions. Our results underscore the value of considering indirect effects of climate change on vegetation when assessing future soil moisture conditions in water‐limited ecosystems.
Random transverse field Ising spin chains.

A renormalization-group analysis of the spin-1/2 transverse field Ising model with quenched randomness is presented; it become exact asymptotically near the zero temperature ferromagnetic phase transition. The spontaneous magnetization is found to vanish with an exponent \ensuremath{\beta}=1/2(3- \ensuremath{\surd}5 ), while in the disordered phase the typical and average spin correlations are found to decay with different correlation lengths, which diverge with exponents \ensuremath{\nu}\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}=1 and \ensuremath{\nu}=2, respectively.