Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Spatial speech-in-noise performance in simulated single-sided deaf and bimodal cochlear implant users in comparison with real patients

Abstract Objective Speech reception thresholds (SRTs) in spatial scenarios were measured in simulated cochlear implant (CI) listeners with either contralateral normal hearing, or aided hearing impairment (bimodal), and compared to SRTs of real patients, who were measured using the exact same paradigm, to assess goodness of simulation. Design CI listening was simulated using a vocoder incorporating actual CI signal processing and physiologic details of electric stimulation on one side. Unprocessed signals or simulation of aided moderate or profound hearing impairment was used contralaterally. Three spatial speech-in-noise scenarios were tested using virtual acoustics to assess spatial release from masking (SRM) and combined benefit. Study sample Eleven normal-hearing listeners participated in the experiment. Results For contralateral normal and aided moderately impaired hearing, bilaterally assessed SRTs were not statistically different from unilateral SRTs of the better ear, indicating “better-ear-listening”. Combined benefit was only found for contralateral profound impaired hearing. As in patients, SRM was highest for contralateral normal hearing and decreased systematically with more severe simulated impairment. Comparison to actual patients showed good reproduction of SRTs, SRM, and better-ear-listening. Conclusions The simulations reproduced better-ear-listening as in patients and suggest that combined benefit in spatial scenes predominantly occurs when both ears show poor speech-in-noise performance.
Remote sensing of cytotype and its consequences for canopy damage in quaking aspen

Mapping geographic mosaics of genetic variation and their consequences via genotype x environment interactions at large extents and high resolution has been limited by the scalability of DNA sequencing. Here, we address this challenge for cytotype (chromosome copy number) variation in quaking aspen, a drought‐impacted foundation tree species. We integrate airborne imaging spectroscopy data with ground‐based DNA sequencing data and canopy damage data in 391 km2 of southwestern Colorado. We show that (1) aspen cover and cytotype can be remotely sensed at 1 m spatial resolution, (2) the geographic mosaic of cytotypes is heterogeneous and interdigitated, (3) triploids have higher leaf nitrogen, canopy water content, and carbon isotope shifts (δ13C) than diploids, and (4) canopy damage varies among cytotypes and depends on interactions with topography, canopy height, and trait variables. Triploids are at higher risk in hotter and drier conditions.
PKMYT1, exacerbating the progression of clear cell renal cell carcinoma, is implied as a biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is one of the most lethal urological malignancies with high tumor heterogeneity, and reliable biomarkers are still needed for its diagnosis and prognosis. WEE family kinases function as key regulators of the G2/M transition, have essential roles in maintaining cellular genomic stability and have the potential to be promising therapeutic targets in various tumors. However, the roles of WEE family kinases in ccRCC remain undetermined. In the present study, we first explored multiple public datasets and found that PKMYT1 was up-regulated in both RCC tumors and cell lines. Expression levels of PKMYT1 were highly associated with pathological stage and grade. Kaplan-Meier curves showed that high PKMYT1 expression was associated with lower overall survival and disease-free survival. Receiver operating characteristic curves revealed that the expression of PKMYT1 could better distinguish ccRCC from normal samples. Functional enrichment analysis demonstrated that cell cycle- related pathways and epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) might be potential mechanisms of PKMYT1 in ccRCC tumorigenesis. Moreover, knockdown of PKMYT1 in vitro attenuated the proliferation, migration and invasion of RCC cell lines, promoted cell apoptosis and prevented the EMT phenotype in vitro. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that PKMYT1 has the potential to act as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for RCC patients. Targeting PKMYT1 may be considered as a new potential therapeutic method and direction in RCCs.
Screen Use and Mental Health Symptoms in Canadian Children and Youth During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Key Points Question What are the associations between different types of electronic screen use and mental health symptoms in Canadian children and youth during the COVID-19 pandemic? Findings In this longitudinal study of 4 cohorts, 2026 children with 6648 observations were included. Compared with children with lower levels of screen use, children with higher levels of screen use had significantly higher levels of mental health symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Meaning These findings suggest that policy intervention, as well as evidence-informed social supports, may be required to promote healthful screen use and mental health in children and youth during the pandemic and beyond.
Functional Reuniens and Rhomboid Nuclei Are Required for Proper Acquisition and Expression of Cued and Contextual Fear in Trace Fear Conditioning

Abstract Background The reuniens (Re) and rhomboid (Rh) nuclei (ReRh) of the midline thalamus interconnect the hippocampus and the medial prefrontal cortex. The hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex are both involved in the acquisition of trace fear conditioning, in which a conditioned stimulus (tone) and an aversive unconditioned stimulus (footshock) are paired but separated in time with a trace interval. Earlier, we demonstrated that ReRh inactivation during trace conditioning impaired the acquisition of cued fear. In contrast, ReRh inactivation during both conditioning and test resulted in heightened fear to tones during retrieval. Because there was a generalized contextual fear on top of heightened fear to tones in the latter experiment, here we aimed to examine the specific importance of the functional ReRh in cued fear and contextual fear through introducing prolonged contextual exposure. Methods The ReRh were pharmacologically inactivated with muscimol (or saline as controls) before each experimental session. Results We showed that although ReRh inactivation before trace fear conditioning impaired the acquisition of cued fear, the animals still acquired a certain level of fear to the tones. However, without the functional ReRh throughout the entire behavioral sessions, these animals showed heightened contextual fear that did not decline much with the passage of time, which generalized to the other context, and fear to tones reoccurred when the tones were presented. Conclusions Our results suggested that functional ReRh are important for proper acquisition and expression of fear to context and tones acquired under trace procedure.
Clinical Application of a 3D-Printed Positioning Module and Navigation Template for Percutaneous Vertebroplasty

Background This study aimed to evaluate a personalized 3D-printed percutaneous vertebroplasty positioning module and navigation template based on preoperative CT scan data that was designed to treat patients with vertebral compression fractures caused by osteoporosis. Methods A total of 22 patients with vertebral compression fractures admitted to our hospital were included in the study. Positioning was performed with the new 3D-printed positioning module, and the navigation template was used for patients in the experimental group, and the traditional perspective method was used for patients in the control group. The experimental group consisted of 11 patients, 2 males and 9 females, with a mean age of 67.27 ± 11.86 years (range: 48 to 80 years), and the control group consisted of 11 patients, 3 males and 8 females, with a mean age of 74.27 ± 7.24 years (range: 63 to 89 years). The puncture positioning duration, number of intraoperative fluoroscopy sessions, and preoperative and postoperative visual analog scale (VAS) scores were statistically analyzed in both groups. Results The experimental group had shorter puncture positioning durations and fewer intraoperative fluoroscopy sessions than the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (P < .05). There were no significant differences in age or preoperative or postoperative VAS scores between the two groups (P > .05). Conclusions The new 3D-printed vertebroplasty positioning module and navigation template shortened the operation time and reduced the number of intraoperative fluoroscopy sessions. It also reduced the difficulty in performing percutaneous vertebroplasty and influenced the learning curve of senior doctors learning this operation to a certain degree.
Impact of the Front-of-Pack Label Nutri-Score on the Nutritional Quality of Food Choices in a Quasi-Experimental Trial in Catering

The front-of-pack labelling Nutri-Score has recently been implemented as a policy measure to improve the healthiness of food choices. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of the Nutri-Score label in catering. A quasi-experimental trial was conducted in France between 16 December 2019 and 13 March 2020 in two staff restaurants (one intervention and one control site) from the same company. After a control period of seven weeks, the Nutri-Score label was affixed on all proposed products in the intervention site. Overall effects of the intervention were investigated using a difference in difference approach with generalised linear models. Over the 13 weeks of the study, 2063 participants who frequented the restaurant cafeteria at least once were included (1268 and 795 in the intervention and control site, respectively), representing 36,114 meals. Overall, the intervention led to a significant improvement in the nutritional quality of meals (p = 0.008) and a significant reduction in the intake of calories, sugars and saturated fat (p < 0.0001). Mixed effects models showed a qualitative improvement of food choices initially, and an adaptation of the quantities consumed over time, suggesting for the first time longer-term effects of the label on dietary behaviour.
HRCT quantitative analysis of airway remodeling and airway trapping in the small airway asthma phenotype and its correlation with pulmonary function

Abstract Objectives We aimed to explore whether large airway remodeling and small airway structural changes exist in subjects with small airway asthma phenotype and to evaluate the relationships between quantitative high-resolution computed tomography (qHRCT) parameters and lung function. Methods We enrolled 15 subjects with small airway asthma phenotype and 18 healthy controls. The two groups were matched by age, sex and body square area (BSA) with propensity score matching (PSM). Pulmonary function and qHRCT parameters [wall thickness (WT), wall area (WA), lumen area (LA), wall area percentage (WA%) of the 4th–6th generations in the right upper lobe apical segmental bronchus (RB1), adjusted by BSA, WT/BSA, WA/BSA, and LA/BSA, relative volume change −860 HU to −950 HU (RVC−860 to −950) and the expiration to inspiration ratio of mean lung density (MLDE/I)) were compared between the groups. Correlation analysis was employed to assess the relationship between qHRCT parameters and pulmonary function. Results The small airway asthma phenotype had significantly higher WA%, RVC−860 to −950 and MLDE/I and lower LA/BSA than the healthy control. Additionally, we found moderate to strong correlations between impulse oscillation (IOS) indices and WA6% and WT6/BSA. No significant correlation was found between bronchial parameters and air trapping parameters (p > 0.05). Conclusions Combining physiological tests with imaging approaches can lead to better evaluation of small airway disfunction (SAD) in asthmatic patients. Additionally, despite nonexistent airflow obstruction in patients with small airway asthma phenotype, large airway remodeling and small airway structural changes may appear simultaneously in the early stage of disease.
Macrolide-Resistant Mycoplasma genitalium Impairs Clinical Improvement of Male Urethritis After Empirical Treatment

Clinical improvement of azithromycin-treated nongonococcal urethritis cases is lower for Mycoplasma genitalium (MG) harboring macrolide resistance-associated mutations compared with wild-type M. genitalium, but is unhampered in ceftriaxone-treated gonococcal urethritis. Background Mycoplasma genitalium (MG) is associated with urethritis in men and could play a role in clinical outcome. We examined clinical improvement of symptoms in men receiving empirical treatment for urethritis and correlated the outcome with Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), MG, and MG macrolide resistance-associated mutations (MRAM) status. Methods At the sexually transmitted infection clinic in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, empirical treatment for gonococcal urethritis is 1 g ceftriaxone and for nongonococcal urethritis 1 g azithromycin. In 2018 to 2019, we tested urine samples of men with urethritis for CT, NG, and MG using transcription-mediated amplification assays. Mycoplasma genitalium–positive samples were tested for MRAM using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Two weeks after receiving therapy, men were sent a text message inquiring after clinical improvement. Results We evaluated 2505 cases of urethritis. The positivity rates of NG, CT, and MG were 26% (648 of 2489), 29% (726 of 2489), and 23% (522 of 2288), respectively. In 768 of 2288 of the cases (34%), no causative agent was detected. Most cases were infected with a single pathogen: NG, 417 of 2288 (18%); CT, 486 of 2288 (21%); and MG, 320 of 2288 (14%). The prevalence of MRAM among MG-positives was 74% (327 of 439). For 642 (25.6%) cases, we could evaluate clinical improvement after treatment of whom 127 (20%) indicated no improvement; 9% (15 of 174) in NG cases, 18% (35 of 195) in CT cases, 14% (4 of 28) in MG wild-type cases, and 40% (38 of 94) in MG-MRAM cases. Clinical improvement in MG-MRAM cases was significantly lower compared with all other groups (P < 0.001). Conclusions Presence of MG-MRAM is associated with lack of clinical improvement in azithromycin-treated nongonococcal urethritis.
Assessment of the control measures of the category A diseases of Animal Health Law: sheep and goat pox

Abstract EFSA received a mandate from the European Commission to assess the effectiveness of some of the control measures against diseases included in the Category A list according to Regulation (EU) 2016/429 on transmissible animal diseases (‘Animal Health Law’). This opinion belongs to a series of opinions where these control measures will be assessed, with this opinion covering the assessment of control measures for sheep and goat pox. In this opinion, EFSA and the AHAW Panel of experts review the effectiveness of: (i) clinical and laboratory sampling procedures, (ii) monitoring period and (iii) the minimum radii of the protection and surveillance zones, and the minimum length of time the measures should be applied in these zones. The general methodology used for this series of opinions has been published elsewhere; nonetheless, the transmission kernels used for the assessment of the minimum radii of the protection and surveillance zones are shown. Several scenarios for which these control measures had to be assessed were designed and agreed prior to the start of the assessment. Different risk‐based sampling procedures based on clinical visits and laboratory testing are assessed in case of outbreak suspicion, granting animal movements and for repopulation purposes. The monitoring period of 21 days was assessed as effective. The estimated probability of transmission beyond the protection zone of 3 km radius from an infectious establishment is 9.6% (95% CI: 3.1–25.8%) and 2.3% (95% CI: 1–5.5%) for the surveillance zone of 10 km radius. This may be considered sufficient to contain the disease spread (95% probability of containing transmission corresponds to 5.3 Km). To contain 99% of the spread, the radius should be increased to 19.4 km (95% CI: 9.8–26.8). This may increase the number of farms in the surveillance zone, since the area would increase fourfold.
Production Rates of Highway Construction Activities

This study was conducted to analyze and update the highway construction productivities in Indiana. In this study, the highway construction production rates and various measures of production rates were obtained to capture the main features of the highway construction production. The statistics include means, standard deviations, confidence intervals, mean baseline production rates, and production rates for different probabilities. The major factors that affect highway construction production rates were examined and their effects were analyzed. It was found that the production rates were affected by weather conditions in terms of temperatures and seasons, contractors, locations of construction projects, and types of highways.
An Evaluation of the Effects of Quality Improvement Activities on Business Performance

Research was undertaken on the effects of quality improvement activities on business performance. The investigation began by developing a classification system to ensure all business performance benefits (tangible and intangible) were included for analysis. Questionnaires and structured interviews, involving the participation of over 200 companies, were used as the main tools for the investigation. An analysis of the results enabled a TQM quality activity model to be developed which classify 65 quality activities by their prime effect. This model was designed to assist companies in the planning of TQM and the targeting of quality activities. The research identified the difficulties organizations and researchers have in measuring the effects of quality activities.
A Primer on the Conditional Mediation Analysis in PLS-SEM

Conditional mediation (CoMe) analysis integrates mediation and moderation analyses to examine and test hypotheses about how mediated relationships vary as a function of context, boundaries, or individual differences. Although CoMe analysis can be a crucial element of empirical studies that seek to advance theory in information systems, applications of such analysis are scarce, in general, and in partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), in particular. This paper clarifies conceptual fundamentals of and develops guidelines for CoMe analysis within the PLS-SEM context. Furthermore, the paper outlines the illustrative use of CoMe analysis in PLS-SEM and presents detailed step-by-step procedures to do so in the PLS-SEM setting. Overall, this paper provides researchers and practitioners with the required knowledge to properly carry out, report, and interpret CoMe analysis in PLS-SEM.
Accounting comparability and accruals-based earnings management: Evidence on listed firms in an emerging market

Abstract Users of financial statements are in a better position to evaluate the performance of the firm in question if its accounting system and methods are comparable with those of other firms. Even though accounting comparability is markedly beneficial, the empirical studies on its impact on earnings management are scant, especially in the context of developing countries that have not applied International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). In the present study, we examined the association between comparability and accruals-based earnings management, considering the moderating impacts of financial constraints in the context a developing economy. The article used a sample of 502 Vietnamese non-financial listed firms from 2010 to 2019. Three proxies of comparability and two measures of accruals-based earnings manipulation, together with several empirical strategies, are employed. First, the research provides evidence suggesting that comparability reduces firms’ tendency to engage in earnings management. Furthermore, there is evidence suggesting that firms could give more weighting to the comparability with a small number of firms rather than various firms in the same industry. Second, we are the first to identify that financial constraints have a moderating effect: more constrained firms do not reduce earnings manipulation as their accounting comparability improves. Based on research findings, we provided implications to stakeholders and propose directions for future studies.
Correlation and path coefficient analyses of some yield related traits in finger millet (Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn.) germplasms in northwest Ethiopia

The associations among yield components and their direct and indirect influence on the grain yield of finger millet were investigated. For this purpose, eighty-eight finger millet (Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn. ) genotypes were tested using an augmented randomized complete block experimental design with two replications at Adet Agricultural Research Center in 2008. Accordingly, phenotypic and genotypic correlations among the traits and their path coefficients were estimated. Grain yield was significantly correlated with its component characters like plant height (rp=0.446** and rg=0.574**), number of ears per plant (rp=0.364** and rg=0.443**), number of fingers per ear (rp=0.329** and rg=0.532**), finger length (rp=0.361** and rg=0.426**), biomass yield (rp and rg=0.839**), harvest index (rp=0.336** and rg=0.476**) and thousand kernel weight (rp=0.225* and rg=0.267*). Phenotypic path analysis showed biomass yield (0.835) and finger length (0.159), number of fingers per ear (0.016), and number of ears per plant (0.038) to exert positive direct effects on grain yield, while plant height, days to heading and days to maturity exhibited negative direct effects. Genotypic path analysis also revealed that biomass yield (2.240), number of tillers per plant (0.359) and finger length (0.242) exerted positive direct effects on grain yield. Thus, the correlation analysis showed plant height, number of ears per plant, number of fingers per ear, finger length, biomass yield, harvest index and 1000 kernel weight to be important yield components that can be used to improve the yield potential of finger millet genotypes. Key words: Finger millet, path coefficient, yield related traits, correlation.
Teaching IT professional practice with virtual teams

The ability to communicate effectively as part of a virtual team working in the online environment is a valuable skill to have in the modern e-workplace. Such skills can be difficult to develop in undergraduate students. This paper reports on a professional practice unit situated in a web 2.0 environment that aims to develop students' teamwork skills. The paper also reports on research that sought to gain understanding of the student experience of interacting online in virtual teams. The results showed that students value the virtual teamwork experience, finding it useful and relevant for their future careers. The student perceptions of various aspects of virtual teamwork have improved with each subsequent offering of the unit.
The High Temperature Deformation Properties of Gold and Thermocompression Bonding

The flow stress of a high purity gold has been determined so that the contribution of plastic flow to the gold<jold thermocompression bonding process can be evaluated. These compression tests at 25°C, 158°C, 311°C, and 458°C indicate that for deformations over 15% the flow stress and the work hardening coefficient decrease rapidly with increasing temperature. Correlation of the compression test results and beam lead bonding experience indicates that high purity golds having a hardness of about 30 DPH would be expected to reach a steady state uniaxial flow stress of 70-90 MPa (10,000-13,000 psi) when deformed during bonding at 300°C.