Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Premium versus entry-level hearing aids: using group concept mapping to investigate the drivers of preference

Abstract Objectives To investigate the difference in outcome measures and drivers of user preference between premium and entry-level hearing aids using group concept mapping. Design A single-blind crossover trial was conducted. Aided behavioural outcomes measured were loudness rating, speech/consonant recognition, and speech quality. Preference between hearing aids was measured with a 7-point Likert scale. Group concept mapping was utilised to investigate preference results. Participants generated statements based on what influenced their preferences. These were sorted into categories with underlying themes. Participants rated each statement on a 5-point Likert scale of importance. Study sample Twenty-three adult participants (mean: 62.4 years; range: 24–78) with mild to moderately severe bilateral SNHL (PTA500–4000 Hz > 20 dB HL). Results A total of 83 unique statements and nine distinct clusters, with underlying themes driving preference, were generated. Clusters that differed significantly in importance between entry-level and premium hearing aid choosers were: Having access to smartphone application-based user-controlled settings, the ability to stream calls and music, and convenience features such as accessory compatibility. Conclusion This study has identified non-signal-processing factors which significantly influenced preference for a premium hearing aid over an entry-level hearing aid, indicating the importance of these features as drivers of user preference.
Effect of Geometric Imperfections on Single-Layer Barrel Vaults

It is almost impossible to produce a barrel vault assembly with complete precision. With the hundreds of members and joints these structures typically contain, assuming precise manufacturing throughout is unrealistic. It is, therefore, inevitable that some of these components will have some geometric imperfections, primarily in the form of member lack of fit and joint misplacement. This paper presents a study on the effects of geometric imperfections on single-layer barrel vaults. Imperfections are considered in different vault zones in order to identify the critical areas in which imperfection is most damaging. The conclusions of this study could be beneficial to barrel vault design and construction.
Compact MIMO Antennas Using a Ring Hybrid for WLAN Applications

A novel compact multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna using a ring hybrid is proposed in this paper. The proposed antenna is designed for the 2.4 GHz Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) applications. A ring hybrid of arbitrary power division is designed as the orthogonal feeding network to improve the isolation between the ports of the two monopoles. Two meander-line monopoles are used to miniature the proposed antenna. The prototype antennas have been evaluated and compared through the scattering parameters, radiation patterns. The results show that the isolation between the ports of the proposed antenna is better than 23 dB with matched ports at 2.4 GHz. The size of the proposed antenna has also been reduced by 15.7%. The proposed antenna offers reasonable WLAN performances that make it suitable for MIMO applications.
Integral sliding mode control for non-linear systems with mismatched uncertainty based on quadratic sliding mode

In this study, uncertainty and disturbance compensations are addressed for non-linear systems by an integral sliding mode (ISM) design. It is divided into two steps for implementation of the ISM control. First, an ISM switching surface in quadratic form is designed to construct the attractiveness and reachability. Then, the control law design ensures the stability of the sliding mode on the switching surface. The compensation design is applicable for both matched and mismatched perturbations. Preliminary results show that more relaxed design assumptions of this design, compared with other methods. In the end, the effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated with simulation results.
Nonlinear dynamic analysis of reinforced concrete building structures

This state-of-the-art paper discusses nonlinear dynamic analysis of reinforced concrete building structures. Nonlinear analysis of a reinforced concrete building is difficult (a) because inelastic deformation is not confined at critical sections, but spreads throughout the structure; and (b) because stiffness of the reinforced concrete is dependent on a strain history.The paper reviews the behaviour of reinforced concrete members and their subassemblies observed during laboratory tests. Then different hysteresis and analytical models of reinforced concrete members are reviewed, and their application to the simulation of building model behaviour is discussed.
Speech sound discrimination by Mongolian gerbils

The present study establishes the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) as a model for investigating the perception of human speech sounds. We report data on the discrimination of logatomes (CVCs1 - consonant-vowel-consonant combinations with outer consonants /b/, /d/, /s/ and /t/ and central vowels /a/, /a:/, /ε/, /e:/, /I/, /i:/, /ɔ/, /o:/, /℧/ and /u:/, VCVs2 - vowel-consonant-vowel combinations with outer vowels /a/, /I/ and /℧/ and central consonants /b/, /d/, /f/, /g/, /k/, /l/, /m/, /n/, /p/, /s/, /t/ and /v/) by young gerbils. Four young gerbils were trained to perform an oddball target detection paradigm in which they were required to discriminate a deviant CVC or VCV in a sequence of CVC or VCV standards, respectively. The experiments were performed with an ICRA-1 noise masker with speech-like spectral properties, and logatomes of multiple speakers were presented at various signal-to-noise ratios. Response latencies were measured to generate perceptual maps employing multidimensional scaling, which visualize the gerbils’ internal representations of the sounds. The dimensions of the perceptual maps were correlated to multiple phonetic features of the speech sounds for evaluating which features of vowels and consonants are most important for the discrimination. The perceptual representation of vowels and consonants in gerbils was similar to that of humans, although gerbils needed higher signal-to-noise ratios for the discrimination of speech sounds than humans. The gerbils’ discrimination of vowels depended on differences in the frequencies of the first and second formant determined by tongue height and position. Consonants were discriminated based on differences in combinations of their articulatory features. The similarities in the perception of logatomes by gerbils and humans renders the gerbil a suitable model for human speech sound discrimination. Highlights Perceptual maps of vowels and consonants in Mongolian gerbils are derived Gerbils perceive vowels and consonants in the same way as humans Gerbils discriminate vowels based on frequency differences of the formants Gerbils discriminate consonants based on differences in articulatory features
Missio hominum guided by an understanding of Ubuntu for missio Dei: Nico Smith’s discovery

Missio hominum as a theological framework within the discipline of missiology in understanding missio Dei still lacks proper exploration. Few attempts have been made by theologians in the past but in different disciplines other than missiology. The exception is the previous studies by Nico Smith who investigated and conceptualised the subject at great length. This article builds on Smith’s perspectives on missio hominum with the aim of providing an in-depth understanding of the subject in an African context. This shall be achieved by juxtaposing missio hominum with an African concept of Ubuntu through a literary analysis. Ubuntu is imperative in understanding the significance of human beings within the Christian mission in fulfilling the purpose of missio Dei.Contribution: This article makes two important contributions in the field of missiology – first, by illustrating through missio hominum that human beings are God’s partners in accomplishing his mission on earth, and second, by illustrating through Ubuntu that human beings should partner with one another for the same purpose.
Protective Effects of Silanol Group Binding Agents on Quartz Toxicity to Rat Lung Alveolar Cells

Abstract In the rat model of fibrosis-associated lung cancer induced by crystalline silica, carcinomas derived from alveolar type II cells are the most common tumor type. To investigate the mechanisms responsible for crystalline silica effects on alveolar epithelial cells, we have studied the toxicity of α-quartz to the fetal rat lung epithelial cell line, FRLE. Chemical modification of quartz surface was obtained by treating the α-quartz sample Mil-U-Sil 5 (MQZ) with poly(2-vinylpyridine-N-oxide) (2-PVPNO) and poly(4-vinylpyridine-N-oxide) (4-PVPNO). 2-PVPNO and 4-PVPNO were shown to bind to the MQZ surface (3.2 ± 0.1 μg/mg MQZ for 2-PVPNO and 3.4 ± 0.7 μg/mg MQZ for 4-PVPNO, respectively). In the cytotoxicity assay, FRLE cells were plated in minimum essential medium (MEM) with 10 percent fetal bovine serum (FBS); after 24 hours the medium was changed to MEM/1 percent FBS containing either MQZ or anatase at doses from 1.5 to 100 μm/cm2 dish surface area. After 24 hours the medium was changed to MEM/10 pe.
Characteristics of Turbulence in the Downstream Region of a Vegetation Patch

In presence of vegetation patches in a channel bed, different flow–morphology interactions in the river will result. The investigation of the nature and intensity of these structures is a crucial part of the research works of river engineering. In this experimental study, the characteristics of turbulence in the non-developed region downstream of a vegetation patch suffering from a gradual fade have been investigated. The changes in turbulent structure were tracked in sequential patterns by reducing the patch size. The model vegetation was selected carefully to simulate the aquatic vegetation patches in natural rivers. Velocity profile, TKE (Turbulent Kinetic Energy), turbulent power spectra and quadrant analysis have been used to investigate the behavior and intensity of the turbulent structures. The results of the velocity profile and TKE indicate that there are three different flow layers in the region downstream of the vegetation patch, including the wake layer, mixing layer and shear layer. When the vegetation patch is wide enough (Dv/Dc > 0.5, termed as the patch width ratio, where Dv is the width of a vegetation patch and Dc is the width of the channel), highly intermittent anisotropic turbulent events appear in the mixing layer at the depth of z/Hv = 0.7~1.1 and distance of x/Hv = 8~12 (where x is streamwise distance from the patch edge, z is vertical distance from channel bed and Hv is the height of a vegetation patch). The results of quadrant analysis show that these structures are associated with the dominance of the outward interactions (Q1). Moreover, these structures accompany large coherent Reynolds shear stresses, anomalies in streamwise velocity, increases in the standard deviation of TKE and increases in intermittent Turbulent Kinetic Energy (TKEi). The intensity and extents of these structures fade with the decrease in the size of a vegetation patch. On the other hand, as the size of the vegetation patch decreases, von Karman vortexes appear in the wake layer and form the dominant flow structures in the downstream region of a vegetation patch.
Electromagnetic theory and the foundations of electric circuit theory

The familiar equations which are used to solve for the currents and charges in linear networks summarize the inductive analysis of countless observations made upon such networks. Having been arrived at by inductive methods, these familiar equations of Ohm, Faraday and Kirchhoff are substantially independent of the more general electromagnetic theory of Maxwell and Lorentz. The present paper examines the foundation of electric circuit theory from the standpoint of the fundamental equations of electromagnetic theory and a derivation of the former from the latter is made, in the course of which the assumptions, approximations and restrictions tacitly involved in the equations of circuit theory are explicitly stated. The treatment is sufficiently extended as to show how the familiar equation for the simple oscillating circuit and the so-called telegraph equation can be deduced from the Maxwell-Lorentz statement of electromagnetic theory.
Using Statewide Electronic Health Record and Influenza Vaccination Data to Plan and Prioritize COVID-19 Vaccine Outreach and Communications in Wisconsin Communities.

The University of Wisconsin Neighborhood Health Partnerships Program used electronic health record and influenza vaccination data to estimate COVID-19 relative mortality risk and potential barriers to vaccination in Wisconsin ZIP Code Tabulation Areas. Data visualization revealed four groupings to use in planning and prioritizing vaccine outreach and communication based on ZIP Code Tabulation Area characteristics. The program provided data, visualization, and guidance to health systems, health departments, nonprofits, and others to support planning targeted outreach approaches to increase COVID-19 vaccination uptake. (Am J Public Health. 2021;111(12):2111-2114. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2021. 306524).
Trait Anxiety as a Risk Factor for Impulse Control Disorders in de novo Parkinson’s Disease

Background: In addition to the well-known motor symptoms, patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) also frequently experience disabling non-motor symptoms including impulse control disorders (ICDs). ICDs are characterized by a loss of voluntary control over impulses, drives, or temptations regarding excessive hedonic behavior. Objective: The present study examined whether depression and anxiety in de novo PD patients predict the prospective development of ICDs. Methods: We selected 330 de novo PD patients from the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative database who were free of ICDs at the start of the study. ICD presence at baseline and follow-up assessments was evaluated via the shortened version of the Questionnaire for Impulsive-Compulsive Disorders (QUIP-S). Baseline depression and anxiety were measured via the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) and State-Trait-Anxiety Inventory (STAI-Y), respectively. Results: A total of 149 participants (45.2%) developed an ICD at follow-up and average time of ICD onset was 35 months after baseline. Results of a Cox regression analysis showed that STAI-Y scores but not GDS-15 scores significantly predicted ICD presence. Specifically, scores reflecting higher trait anxiety were associated with an increased risk of developing an ICD. This effect was not confounded by age, gender or UPDRS motor score. We also replicated the well-established result that dopamine agonist use is predictive of ICDs. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that higher anxiety levels in de novo PD patients represent a risk factor for ICD development during the course of the disorder. This highlights the need for early and routine based anxiety screening in these patients.
Novel fabrication of a pressure sensor with polymer material and evaluation of its performance

Fabrication of a micro, essentially polymer pressure sensor is presented. Both the sensor cavity and the sensor diaphragm were made of SU-8 which can be readily spun coated on the substrate at the desired thickness and patterned by lithography. The thickness of the diaphragm and the height of the sensor cavities, allowing deformation of the diaphragm, can be readily varied from a few to hundreds of microns by spin coating different thickness of the SU-8 layer. This allows fabrication of a cavity with much greater height and measurement of pressure with a much wider range. However, the sensor material, which can readily sense deformation of the diaphragm, is a piezoresistive film. This has precluded the possibility of fabricating the cavity and diaphragm first, which is a low temperature process, and then depositing the piezoresistive sensor on the above, which is a high temperature process. The fabrication strategy has to be reversed, i.e., starts with the high temperature process of depositing the sensor layer and then the low temperature process. The fabrication process is simple. The fabricated sensor has been evaluated and has a higher sensitivity than that of the polysilicon sensor, has rapid response, and is thermally stable. The sensor is reliable and can be widely applied or integrated in the microfluidic system or biochip where pressure information is required.
Lifestyle in Female Teachers: Educational Intervention Based on Self-Efficacy Theory in the South of Fars Province, Iran

Introduction Today, improving lifestyles and promoting health are basic needs for human society. The main goal in promoting health is to achieve healthy lifestyle behaviors, and self-efficacy is one of the factors influencing people's lifestyle. Therefore, the impact of educational intervention based on self-efficacy theory on improving lifestyles of the female teachers in Galledar was investigated. Method This study was a semiexperimental study with educational intervention with a control group that was performed on 120 teachers in Galledar. Data collection tools included demographic information questionnaires, health-promoting lifestyle questionnaires, and Sherry's self-efficacy questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS 25 software. Result The mean age and standard deviation of teachers in the control and intervention groups were 33.40 ± 5.68 and 32.83 ± 6.46 years, respectively. Health-promoting lifestyle variables are significant correlation with self-efficacy and overall lifestyle index. Six dimensions which consisted of spiritual growth and self-actualization, health responsibility, interpersonal relationships, stress management, exercise and physical activity, and nutrition showed significant statistical differences before and after educational intervention (P = 0.001). Conclusion Due to the sensitive role of teachers as an effective human force in the development and evolution of society and their students' role modeling, the authorities should formulate policies, regulate educational interventions, and design strategies for promoting self-efficacy beliefs and promoting a healthy lifestyle for all teachers. We suggest that other methods and theories of behavior change be used in future studies to promote a healthy lifestyle.
Lateral response of monopile supporting an offshore wind turbine

One of the geotechnical challenges for a monopile-supported offshore wind turbine is to create a foundation design procedure that incorporates the effects of cyclic loading from wind and waves in a safe and easy way. Improved procedures may enable the use of monopiles on deeper waters, but still secure a robust and cost-beneficial foundation design. In order to develop new design procedures it is essential to understand the pile–soil interaction. With centrifuge tests as the basis, this paper discusses the effects of the soil–pile interaction, with the focus on accumulation of displacements and change in secant stiffness in dense sand. Hence a centrifuge test series simulating idealised cyclic loads on a monopile supporting an offshore wind turbine was carried out. The validity of these centrifuge tests is discussed, and a simple design procedure is presented for prediction of the accumulation of displacements and change in secant stiffness based on the results from the centrifuge tests.
Empowerment in project teams: a multilevel examination of the job performance implications

An integrative multilevel model of empowerment and job performance behaviours is advanced, building on social cognitive theory (SCT). Empowerment climate is hypothesized as influencing individual and team performance behaviours directly and partially through individual and team (psychological) empowerment. Using survey responses from 380 individuals, nested in 115 project management teams, we tested the direct, indirect and cross‐level relationships delineated in the multilevel model, using a combination of OLS regression models and hierarchical linear modelling (HLM). Empowerment climate positively related not only directly to both task and contextual performance behaviours but partially through both individual and team empowerment. At the team level, empowerment climate also positively related directly to taskwork and teamwork behaviours and partially through team empowerment. The results suggest that empowerment climate and psychological empowerment play complementary roles in engendering individual and team performance behaviours and are therefore not mutually exclusive. The findings are also evident of convergence in management practices across cultures as well as different work contexts and further provide concrete targets of manipulation by organizations and leaders desirous of empowering individuals and teams in the project context.
The Vulvar Cancer Risk in Differentiated Vulvar Intraepithelial Neoplasia: A Systematic Review

Simple Summary We aimed to systematically review current literature on the risk of developing vulvar squamous cell carcinoma in patients with differentiated vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia. Amongst clinicians, this latter entity is known as a rare premalignant vulvar lesion, which is often found adjacent to vulvar cancer. Knowledge on the exact cancer risk in differentiated vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia can help guide clinicians in the treatment and surveillance of these patients. This review confirms that patients with differentiated vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia have a high risk of developing vulvar squamous cell carcinoma and that cancer progression can occur rapidly. The results of this study highlight the importance of clinical awareness and prompt identification of differentiated vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia, given its high malignant potential. Therefore, further research on this disease should be encouraged. Abstract Differentiated vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (dVIN) is the precursor of human papillomavirus (HPV)-independent vulvar squamous cell carcinoma (VSCC). Given the rare incidence of dVIN, limited information on the exact cancer risk is available. We systematically reviewed the primary and recurrent VSCC risk in patients with dVIN, as well as the time to cancer development. A systematic search was performed up to July 2021 according to the PRISMA guidelines. Five reviewers independently screened articles on title, abstract and full text, followed by critical appraisal of selected articles using the Quality in Prognostic Studies (QUIPS) tool. Of the 455 screened articles, 7 were included for analysis. The absolute risk for primary VSCC in dVIN varied between 33 and 86%, with a median time to progression to VSCC of 9–23 months. The risk of developing recurrent VSCC in dVIN associated VSCC was 32–94%, with a median time to recurrence of 13–32 months. In conclusion, patients with dVIN have a high risk of developing primary and recurrent VSCC with a short time to cancer progression. Increased awareness, timely recognition, aggressive treatment and close follow-up of HPV-independent vulvar conditions including dVIN is therefore strongly recommended.