Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multimodal Depression Severity Score Prediction Using Articulatory Coordination Features and Hierarchical Attention Based Text Embeddings

Multimodal approaches to predict depression severity is a highly researched problem. We present a multimodal depression severity score prediction system that uses articulatory co-ordination features (ACFs) derived from vocal tract variables (TVs) and text transcriptions obtained from an automatic speech recognition tool that yields improvements of the root mean squared errors compared to unimodal classifiers (14.8% and 11% for audio and text, respectively). A multi-stage convolutional recurrent neural network was trained using a staircase regression (ST-R) approach with the TV based ACFs. The ST-R approach helps to better capture the quasi-numerical nature of the depression severity scores. A text model is trained using the Hierarchical Attention Network (HAN) architecture. The multimodal system is developed by combining embeddings from the session-level audio model and the HAN text model with a session-level auxiliary feature vector containing timing measures of the speech signal. We also show that this model tracks the severity of depression for subjects reasonably well and we analyze the underlying reasons for the cases with significant deviations of the predictions from the ground-truth score.
CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS AND LARVICIDAL ACTIVITY OF VOLATILE OIL FROM Solenostemon monostachyus (P Beauv.) Briq. AGAINST Anopheles gambiae

Synthetic larvicides have been used to control malarial vector. However, increasing resistance of mosquito larvae to the synthetic larvicides poses great problem in the vector control. Natural control with plant essential oil may serve as an alternative. This study investigates the chemical constituents and larvicidal activity of volatile oil obtained from Solenostemon monostachyusagainst the larvae of Anopheles gambiae. The volatile oils were extracted using hydro-distillation in a Clevenger type apparatus and analyzed using GC-MS. The larvicidal assay was carried out against Anopheles gambiae larvae at concentration range of 12.5- 400 μg/mL. The analysis of the volatile oil showed that the major constituents of the oil were Caryophyllene oxide (21.6%), β-Caryophyllene (19.6%), β-Pinene (9.8%) and Germacrene D (7.3%). Results showed that larval mortality increases with increasing exposure period to the volatile oils from S. monostachyus. The larvicidal activity demonstrated that the mosquito larvae were susceptible to the volatile oil with LC50 of 23.44 μg/mL. The results suggest that S. monostachyus essential oil has potentials for the control of Anopheles gambiae. Therefore the plant may serve as a potential source of raw material for a new and eco-friendly larvicide.
Stock market participation in less developed countries: a perception-based evidence from Uganda

Abstract This study aims to examine the contribution of participation costs (floatation costs, compliance costs and marketing costs) to stock market participation using evidence from Uganda—a developing country. Using a cross-sectional and correlational research design, data were collected through a questionnaire survey of 219 small and medium enterprises. We used correlation coefficients and linear regression to test our hypotheses. The hierarchical regression analysis results suggest that participation costs such as floatation costs, compliance costs, and marketing costs are significant predictors of stock market participation while firm age and firm size (control variables) are non-significant. The study uses a cross-sectional research design. The major weakness with cross-sectional research designs is that, it is difficult to monitor changes in behavior over time. To the practitioners and policymakers, this study suggests that the Ugandan Capital Market Authority should review the costs (floatation costs, compliance costs, and marketing costs) involved in accessing finance through the stock exchange. This will go a long way in making the stock market an alternative financing option, especially in this era of rising costs of capital provided by other financial intermediaries. The study examines the behavior of the elements of participation costs in explaining stock market participation, an aspect that has not been adequately highlighted in previous studies. Results indicate that among elements of participation costs, floatation costs are more significant, followed by compliance costs. Market costs turnout to be the least participation cost in explaining stock market participation.
Grandparenting Role on Math Online Learning in Chinese Multigenerational Households

Under the COVID-19 pandemic, online learning has become m sore frequently used and has carried over cultural characteristics. In China, grandparents exert a great impact on parent–child relationships and on children’s online learning process. This study proposed six models and examined the roles of various Chinese family members (father, mother, grandparents) and their online accompaniment time in promoting preschoolers’ math learning. A total of 3552 participants were recruited to finish online questionnaires about demographics, household adult–child interactions, online company time investment, and math language performance. We found that the relationships between father time investment online and children’s math language performance were mediated by the amount of time that maternal grandparents spent with children on online learning. To contextualize these findings, we discussed the unique Chinese cultural aspects of the grandparent–parent–children relationship during the development of online math language performance in Chinese families.
Equidistribution in higher codimension for holomorphic endomorphisms of ℙ

In this paper, we discuss the equidistribution phenomena for holomorphic endomorphisms over $\mathbb{P}^k$ in the case of bidegree $(p,p)$ with $1<p<k$. We prove that if $f:\mathbb{P}^k\to\mathbb{P}^k$ is a holomorphic endomorphism of degree $d\geq 2$ and $T^p$ denotes the Green $(p,p)$-current associated with $f$, then there exists a proper invariant analytic subset $E$ for $f$ such that $d^{-pn}(f^n)^*(S)\to T^p$ exponentially fast in the current sense for every positive closed $(p,p)$-current $S$ of mass 1 such that $S$ is smooth on $E$.
Linear Matrix Inequalities for Robust Strictly Positive Real Design

A necessary and sufficient condition is proposed for the existence of a polynomial p(s) such that the rational function p(s)/q(s) is robustly strictly positive real when q(s) is a given Hurwitz polynomial with polytopic uncertainty. It turns out that the whole set of candidates p(s) is a convex subset of the cone of positive semidefinite matrices, resulting in a straightforward strictly positive real design algorithm based on linear matrix inequalities.
Existence and Properties of the φ Meson

This experiment is part of a continuing study of the K--p interaction at 2.23 Bev/c. The data were collected in two exposures at the 20 in. BNL hydrogen chamber at Brookhaven's AGS, one taken in February 1962, and the other in January 1963.
Roles of Follicle-Stimulating Hormone on Bone Metabolism in Late Postmenopausal Women

Background The effects of elevated follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels on physiological changes in the bone remain unclear. This study aimed to clarify the association between FSH concentrations and bone mineral density (BMD) and bone turnover markers (BTM) in late postmenopausal women. Methods A total of 169 Korean women were enrolled. The participants’ ages ranged from 60 to 84 years (mean age, 69.0±5.1) and reported a mean duration of 19.4±6.6 years since menopause (YSM). The participants showed an average body mass index (BMI) of 24.4±2.8 kg/m2. Age, YSM, estradiol, testosterone, and BMI were confounders in the Pearson’s partial correlation. A test for trends across the quartiles of FSH levels was performed for each variable. Results The mean FSH and estradiol concentrations were 61.5 IU/L and 2.9 pg/mL, respectively. Serum FSH concentration was not significantly associated with BMD (lumbar, r=0.09, P=0.30; total hip, r=0.00, P=0.96; and femoral neck, r=0.05, P=0.62). BTM across the FSH quartiles did not show any trend association (bone-specific alkaline phosphate, P=0.31; cross-linked C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen, P=0.90). Instead, FSH levels were negatively correlated with BMI (r=−0.34, P=0.00). In the multivariate regression model adjusted for age, testosterone, and estradiol, only BMI showed a negative value across the FSH quartiles (β coefficient −0.11, P=0.00). Conclusions This study identified that high FSH concentrations were not associated with bone loss or high bone turnover in women in the late postmenopausal period.
Effect of the Coupling Agent (3-Aminopropyl) Triethoxysilane on the Structure and Fire Behavior of Solvent-Free One-Pot Synthesized Silica-Epoxy Nanocomposites

Uniformly distributed silica/epoxy nanocomposites (2 and 6 wt.% silica content) were obtained through a “solvent-free one-pot” process. The inorganic phases were obtained through “in situ” sol-gel chemistry from two precursors, tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and (3-aminopropyl)-triethoxysilane (APTES). APTES acts as a coupling agent. Surprisingly when changing TEOS/APTES molar ratio (from 2.32 to 1.25), two opposite trends of glass transformation temperature (Tg) were observed for silica loading, i.e., at lower content, a decreased Tg (for 2 wt.% silica) and at higher content an increased Tg (for 6 wt.% silica) was observed. High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM) showed the formation of multi-sheet silica-based nanoparticles with decreasing size at a lower TEOS/APTES molar ratio. Based on a recently proposed mechanism, the experimental results can be explained by the formation of a co-continuous hybrid network due to reorganization of the epoxy matrix around two different “in situ” sol-gel derived silicatic phases, i.e., micelles formed mainly by APTES and multi-sheet silica nanoparticles. Moreover, the concentration of APTES affected the size distribution of the multi-sheet silica-based nanoparticles, leading to the formation of structures that became smaller at a higher content. Flammability and forced-combustion tests proved that the nanocomposites exhibited excellent fire retardancy.
Teamwork Makes the String Work: A Pilot Test of the Loose String Task with African Crested Porcupines (Hystrix cristata)

Comparative researchers have heavily focused their studies of social cognition on species that live in large social groups, while neglecting other potential predictors of social cognition. African crested porcupines (Hystrix cristata) are relatively rare among mammals in that they are cooperative breeders that pair for life. Little is known about their social cognition, but they are good candidates for exploring cooperative behavior due to the need to coordinate behavior to cooperatively raise young. Cooperation, as defined in this study, is the process by which two or more participants perform independent actions on an object to obtain a reward for all parties. Humans are thought to outperform all other species in the frequency and magnitude of cooperative behaviors. Yet, only by studying a variety of species can researchers fully understand the likely selection pressures for cooperation, such as cooperative breeding. Here, we pilot tested the feasibility of the popular loose-string task with a mated pair of African crested porcupines, a task that required the porcupines to cooperatively pull ropes to access an out of reach platform baited with food rewards. Other species presented with this task were able to work together to receive rewards but did not always demonstrate understanding of the role of their partner. The porcupines achieved success but did not appear to coordinate their actions or solicit behavior from their partner. Thus, similar to other species, they may achieve success in this task without taking their partner’s role into account. This study demonstrates that the loose string task can be used to assess cooperation in porcupines. However, further experiments are needed to assess the porcupine’s understanding of their partner’s role under this paradigm.
Relationship between the Duration of Urban Nature and a Lower Waist-Hip Ratio

Obesity is a prevalent health issue. Evidence suggests that the availability of urban nature may reduce the risks of obesity. However, several knowledge gaps remain. This study explores the relationships between the dose (distance, duration and frequency) of urban nature and demographic factors towards obesity risks among people in Thailand. A total of 111 participants in three urban and peri-urban nature locations answered a survey regarding their distance from green spaces, frequency of visits, and duration of their typical stay, as well as their socio-demographics, and waist-hip ratio (WHR). The results suggested that at least 1–2 h per typical visit to nature predicted low-risk WHR in women. Male participants are more likely to have a high-risk WHR. Increasing age predicted low-risk WHR. Spending more time in green spaces predicted lower odds of high-risk WHR, while distance did not predict the odds. This research is one of the first to study the relationship between time spent in nature and obesity, and one of the first nature and health studies conducted in Thailand. Given that Thailand is one of the countries most affected by obesity in Southeast Asia, this study is relevant and essential. Future research should explore the quality factors of the park with longer duration of stay.
Does corporate social responsibility help the longevity of centenarian family firms in Europe?

Using a sample of 21 centenarian family firms from European countries over the 2008-2020 study period, we verify if corporate social responsibility (CSR) engagement can help the longevity of the centenarian family firms. In particular, consistent with the stakeholder theory and resource-based view, we find that the corporate social performance (CSP) has a positive impact on the corporate financial performance of family firms, even during a period affected by international financial crisis that stressed the survival of firms. Hence, based on the concept of CSR as a co-specialized asset that improves other assets, such as resilience, corporate identity, reputation and stakeholder influence capability, our results show that CSR engagement represents a key to longevity and a solution to the potential trade-off between the socioemotional wealth and the financial performance of centenarian family firms
π 0 − η − η ′ mixing in a generalized multiquark interaction scheme

We investigate the isospin symmetry breaking effects within a recently derived Nambu-Jona-Lasinio related model by fitting the measured pseudoscalar meson masses and weak decay couplings $f_\pi$, $f_K$. Our model contains the next to leading order terms in the $1/N_c$ expansion of the effective multi-quark Lagrangian, including the ones that break the chiral symmetry explicitly. We show the important phenomenological role of these interactions: (1) they lead to an accurate fit of the low-lying pseudoscalar nonet characteristics; (2) they account for a very good agreement of the current quark masses with the present PDG values; (3) they reduce by $40\%$ the ratio $\epsilon/\epsilon'$ of the $\pi_0-\eta$ and $\pi_0-\eta'$ mixing angles, as compared to the case that contemplates explicit breaking only in the leading order, bringing it in consonance with the quoted values in the literature. The conventional NJL-type models fail in the joint description of these parameters.
Low-Complexity Adaptive DPD: From Online Optimization to Meta-Learning

In this paper, we investigate low-complexity and adaptive digital predistorsion (DPD) techniques in order to enhance wireless communication system latency, complexity and power consumption. Specifically, we introduce efficient meta-learning based solutions for time-varying power amplifier (PA) linearization that allow to reduce hardware complexity. Our first proposed solution consists in a meta-learning based neural network (NN) model that is capable to perform, offline, an optimal initialization of the NN based DPD. This leads to an efficient and fast adaptation of the DPD to the time-varying PA characteristics, i.e., few shots are needed during online calibration. Interestingly, we introduced a different approach, referred to as DPD NN Weights Selector (DPDNNWS), that offers the ability to approximate more accurately the current PA characteristic. These solutions have been compared in terms of complexity and performance w.r. t Error Vector Magnitude (EVM) and Adjacent Channel Leakage Ratio (ACLR). Performance of the proposed approaches are benchmarked with the conventional learning based DPD approach. To offer low-complexity DPD, a dedicated NN structure is designed to derive DPD functions using few neurons. Our numerical simulations demonstrated that our proposed DPDNNWS and meta-learning approaches provide satisfying results when used online for several PA models. Contrary to conventional DPD, these approaches can be used to reduce hardware complexity implementation and data usage during online adaptation. Indeed, through numerical evaluation, it appears that meta-learning can reach satisfying performance using only 3000 IQ symbols during online adaptation. Besides, the DPDNNWS approach exhibits performance close to a linear power amplifier. Both solutions allow to achieve excellent performance compared to the state of the art solutions.
Selection of Non-Saccharomyces Wine Yeasts for the Production of Leavened Doughs

Background: Non-conventional yeasts (NCY) (i.e., non-Saccharomyces) may be used as alternative starters to promote biodiversity and quality of fermented foods and beverages (e.g., wine, beer, bakery products). Methods: A total of 32 wine-associated yeasts (Campania region, Italy) were genetically identified and screened for decarboxylase activity and leavening ability. The best selected strains were used to study the leavening kinetics in model doughs (MDs). A commercial strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was used as the control. The volatile organic profiles of the inoculated MDs were analyzed by solid phase microextraction/gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME/GC-MS). Results: Most of strains belonged to the NCY species Hanseniaspora uvarum, Metschnikowia pulcherrima, Pichia kudriavzevii, Torulaspora delbruekii, and Zygotorulaspora florentina, while a few strains were S. cerevisiae. Most strains of H. uvarum lacked decarboxylase activity and showed a high leaving activity after 24 h of incubation that was comparable to the S. cerevisiae strains. The selected H. uvarum strains generated a different flavor profile of the doughs compared to the S. cerevisiae strains. In particular, NCY reduced the fraction of aldehydes that were potentially involved in oxidative phenomena. Conclusions: The use of NCY could be advantageous in the bakery industry, as they can provide greater diversity than S. cerevisiae-based products, and may be useful in reducing and avoiding yeast intolerance.
The Characterization of Columnar Apple Gene MdCoL Promoter and Its Response to Abscisic Acid, Brassinosteroid and Gibberellic Acid

Columnar apple was an important germplasm resource to develop compact cultivars for labor-saving cultivation and to study fruit tree architecture. MdCoL is a strong candidate gene for controlling the columnar phenotype in apple. In this study, a 2000 bp upstream region of MdCoL was cloned as a full-length promoter, named MdCoLp1. To gain a better understanding of the characterization of the MdCoL promoter, cis-acting elements and the binding sites of transcription factors were predicted and analyzed, and four binary expression vectors consisting of the GUS reporter gene under the control of the MdCoL promoter was transformed into Arabidopsis thaliana to analyze the response to abscisic acid (ABA), brassinosteroid (BR) and gibberellic acid (GA3) of MdCoL promoters. Multiple transcription factors involving TCP, BEL1 and BES1/BZR1 and other transcription factor (TF) binding sites were predicted on the promoter of MdCoL. Histochemical staining showed that both full-length and 5′ truncated promoters could initiate GUS expression. The GUS activity was the most in leaf and stem, and mainly concentrated in the fibrovascular tissue, followed by root, and the least activity was observed in silique and flower. In addition, MdCoL expression was mainly localized in the quiescent center (QC) and lateral root growing point of root tip and the vascular tissue of stem and leaf by in situ hybridization. The results of exogenous hormones treatment showed that ABA and BR could activate the activity of the MdCoL promoter, while GA3 had opposite effects. In columnar apple seedlings, ABA treatment could upregulate the expression of MdCoL, but GA3 and BR restrained the transcription level of MdCoL. These results provide the foundation for deciphering the regulatory network of hormones affecting MdCoL transcription.
Cross-national measurement invariance of the Purpose in Life Test in seven Latin American countries

The Purpose in Life Test (PIL) is a measure of purpose in life widely used in many cultures and countries; however, cross-cultural assessments are scarce. The present study aimed to evaluate the cross-cultural measurement invariance of the PIL in the general population of seven Latin American countries (Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Mexico, Paraguay, Argentina, and Uruguay). A total of 4306 people participated, selected by non-probabilistic convenience sampling, where Uruguay has the highest mean age (M = 41.8; SD = 16.6 years); while Ecuador has the lowest mean age (M = 24.6; SD = 7.8 years). Furthermore, in each country, there is a higher proportion of women (>60%) than men (<40%). Using Multi-Group Confirmatory Factor Analysis, the factorial structure does not show evidence of invariance among the included countries. However, based on the Multi-Group Factor Analysis Alignment, there is evidence that a three-dimensional structure of the PIL (Meaning of existence, Freedom to make meaning in daily life and Will to find meaning in the face of future challenges) is the same in the participating countries. Results based on item response theory indicate that most PIL items can significantly differentiate responses according to the level of life purpose. In addition, people with low life purpose will tend to choose the lower response alternatives on the PIL; while people with higher life purpose will choose higher response alternatives. The findings indicate that the PIL has the potential to increase knowledge about how people conceive and experience their purpose in life in different countries.