Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Relationship Among Signal Fidelity, Hearing Loss, and Working Memory for Digital Noise Suppression

Objectives: This study considered speech modified by additive babble combined with noise-suppression processing. The purpose was to determine the relative importance of the signal modifications, individual peripheral hearing loss, and individual cognitive capacity on speech intelligibility and speech quality. Design: The participant group consisted of 31 individuals with moderate high-frequency hearing loss ranging in age from 51 to 89 years (mean = 69.6 years). Speech intelligibility and speech quality were measured using low-context sentences presented in babble at several signal-to-noise ratios. Speech stimuli were processed with a binary mask noise-suppression strategy with systematic manipulations of two parameters (error rate and attenuation values). The cumulative effects of signal modification produced by babble and signal processing were quantified using an envelope-distortion metric. Working memory capacity was assessed with a reading span test. Analysis of variance was used to determine the effects of signal processing parameters on perceptual scores. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to determine the role of degree of hearing loss and working memory capacity in individual listener response to the processed noisy speech. The model also considered improvements in envelope fidelity caused by the binary mask and the degradations to envelope caused by error and noise. Results: The participants showed significant benefits in terms of intelligibility scores and quality ratings for noisy speech processed by the ideal binary mask noise-suppression strategy. This benefit was observed across a range of signal-to-noise ratios and persisted when up to a 30% error rate was introduced into the processing. Average intelligibility scores and average quality ratings were well predicted by an objective metric of envelope fidelity. Degree of hearing loss and working memory capacity were significant factors in explaining individual listener’s intelligibility scores for binary mask processing applied to speech in babble. Degree of hearing loss and working memory capacity did not predict listeners’ quality ratings. Conclusions: The results indicate that envelope fidelity is a primary factor in determining the combined effects of noise and binary mask processing for intelligibility and quality of speech presented in babble noise. Degree of hearing loss and working memory capacity are significant factors in explaining variability in listeners’ speech intelligibility scores but not in quality ratings.
Acute vasoconstriction: decrease and recovery of cerebral blood flow after various intensities of experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage in rats.

OBJECT Immediate vasoconstriction after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) has been observed in a number of experimental studies. However, it has not yet been examined which pattern this acute-type vascular reaction follows and whether it correlates with the intensity of SAH. It was the purpose of the present study to vary the extent of SAH using the endovascular filament model of SAH with increasing filament sizes and to compare the course of intracranial pressure (ICP), cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP), and regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF). METHODS Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to SAH using the endovascular filament model. Subarachnoid hemorrhage was induced using a 3-0, 4-0, or 5-0 Prolene monofilament (8 rats in each group). Eight animals served as controls. Bilateral rCBF (laser Doppler flowmetry), mean arterial blood pressure, and ICP were continuously monitored. Thereafter, the rats were allowed to wake up. Twenty-four hours later, the animals were killed, their brains were removed, and the extent of SAH was determined. RESULTS After induction of SAH, ICP steeply increased while CPP and rCBF rapidly declined in all groups. With increasing size of the filament, the increase of ICP and the decrease of CPP were more pronounced. However, the decline of rCBF exceeded the decline of CPP in all SAH groups. In a number of animals with minor SAH, an oscillating pattern of rCBF was observed during induction of SAH and during early recovery. CONCLUSIONS The disparity between the decline and recovery of CPP and rCBF suggests that acute vasoconstriction occurs even in SAH of a minor extent. Acute vasoconstriction may contribute significantly to a perfusion deficit in the acute stage after SAH. The oscillating pattern of rCBF in the period of early recovery after SAH resembles the pattern of synchronized vasomotion, which has been thoroughly examined for other vascular territories and may yield therapeutic potential.
Conservatism, disclosure and the cost of equity capital

This study seeks insights into the economic consequences of accounting conservatism by examining the relation between conservatism and cost of equity capital. Appealing to the analytical and empirical literatures, we posit an inverse relation. Importantly, we also posit that the strength of the relation is conditional on the firm’s information environment, being the strongest for firms with high information asymmetry and the weakest (potentially negligible) for firms with low information asymmetry. Based on a sample of US-listed entities, we find, as predicted, an inverse relation between conservatism and the cost of equity capital, but further, that this relation is diminished for firms with low information asymmetry environments. This evidence indicates that there are economic benefits associated with the adoption of conservative reporting practices and leads us to conclude that conservatism has a positive role in accounting principles and practices, despite its increasing rejection by accounting standard setters.
THE EVALUATION ON THE FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF PAPER AND PULP COMPANIES IN INDONESIA

In 2013, the government has made the pulps and papers industries into a strategic sector. The decision to make the pulp and papers as the strategic sector, proved that the government is serious in developing companies in this sector. However, in the same year the producer’s margin in the Asia market has dropped. Hence, due to the two reasons, the financial performance of the Pulps and Papers in Indonesia need to be evaluated. The objective of the research is to evaluate the financial performance of the pulps and papers companies in Indonesia. The method is using the financial ratio and economic value added that is obtained from the financial data report. The data are entered and processed using Excel software. The result obtained is that in a long term, the Tjiwi Kimia paper company has the best financial performance in solvability and profitability, while Indah Kiat Pulps and Papers Company have the best long term liquidity. In a long term, there are no companies have the best economic value added. In 2013, Indah Kiat Pulps and Papers have the best financial performance in terms of liquidity, profitability and economic value added production, while Tjiwi Kimia Company has the best solvability. Keywords: economic value added, financial performance evaluation, pulp and papers, financial ratio, financial report
Study on effect of training for downlink massive MIMO systems with outdated channel

In this paper, we analyze the effect of uplink and downlink training on the downlink achievable rate for massive MIMO systems with outdated channel. Even though both uplink and downlink training have the same training overhead, the achievable rate is more dominated by the uplink training than downlink training. As the number of antennas goes to infinity, the performance gain of the downlink training is negligible. This fact implies that non-coherent detection is more desirable for massive MIMO systems in terms of throughput. The rate loss caused by outdated channel is also dominated by the uplink training. Our analysis gives a good insight to implement practical massive MIMO systems.
Sky detection‐ and texture smoothing‐based high‐visibility haze removal from images and videos

To address the gloomy sky and the low contrast caused by the left fog in the existing image dehazing methods, we propose a robust haze removal algorithm for images and videos. First, a sky detection‐based adaptive atmospheric light estimation method is designed for brighter and cleaner restoration results for the sky regions. Second, in order to reconstruct a transmission map in line with the depth variation, we preprocess the input image with texture smoothing to keep the color consistency inside the same planar object and devise a texture smoothing‐based robust transmission estimation method, with which the contrast and color saturation of fog‐free image are greatly promoted. Finally, the restored results are post‐processed with the joint bilateral filter for the purpose of noise removal. What's more, a guided filter‐based temporally coherent atmospheric light smoothing strategy and a Gaussian filter‐based spatial‐temporally coherent transmission smoothing strategy are put forward for video dehazing, which can ensure the spatial as well as temporal continuity of the haze‐free videos. Experimental results show that the recovered haze‐free images and videos have high contrast and color saturation with cleaner sky regions, and the haze‐free videos are free of jittering and flickering phenomena.
Towards Comparison of Deadband Sampling Types

The deadband sampling can be used in networked control systems to reduce the number of triggered events. The purpose of this paper is to define the influence of different factors on the efficiency of deadband sampling. Different deadband criteria, control algorithms and configurations of closed control loops using deadband samplings are compared on the basis of extensive simulations. The control loop performance and the number of triggered events are evaluated simultaneously.
Novel Depots of Ketorolac Esters Have Long-Acting Antinociceptive and Antiinflammatory Effects

No long-acting nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug is clinically available for the treatment of pain. In this study, we evaluated the antinociceptive and antiinflammatory effects and duration of action of several novel depots of ketorolac esters, such as ketorolac propyl ester, pentyl ester, heptyl ester, and decyl ester, and observed whether they had a long-acting effect. Four studies in Sprague-Dawley rats were performed. In Studies 1–3, the antinociceptive and antiinflammatory effects of IM ketorolac tromethamine and its base and propyl ester were evaluated. In Study 4, the antinociceptive and antiinflammatory effects of several other ketorolac esters were evaluated. We found that ketorolac tromethamine 24, 80, and 240 &mgr;mol/kg (in saline) produced significant antinociceptive and antiinflammatory effects with duration of action of approximately 6–8 h. The four ketorolac esters at a dose of 240 &mgr;mol/kg (in oil) produced significant long-acting antinociceptive and antiinflammatory effects, with duration of action of approximately 52–76 h. We concluded that IM injection of novel depots of ketorolac esters in rats produce long-acting antinociceptive and antiinflammatory effects that are 6.5- to 9.5-fold longer than the traditional dosage form of ketorolac tromethamine.
Performance of Monthly Income Scheme in Mutual Fund Industry in India

Mutual funds are an integral part of the stock market. It has become the investment avenue for large number of investors in the past 10 years. Also the stock market volatility is high in these years. Thus in order to analyze the performance of top funds under importance schemes, a research has been done. Ten mutual funds in the income fund category were selected based on their returns. The main focus of this research is to find the risk and return features and study the performance of the funds and to compare it with the market return. The research is limited NAV data for ten income funds available for (2005-2015). The findings will be useful to bring out insight into investment avenues.
ISUAL multi-band observations of elves

The Imager of Sprites and Upper Atmospheric Lightning (ISUAL) experiment on the FORMOSAT-2 satellite inferred the global occurrence rates of sprites, halos and elves to be ∼1, ∼1 and 35 events/min, respectively [1, 2]. Hence, elve is the most abundant type of transient luminous events (TLEs). From analyzing brightness observed by ISUAL Imager through different filters (1PN<inf>2</inf>, 762, 630, 557.7, 427.8 nm), the relative intensity of the OH (9,3), O<sup>1</sup>D, O<sup>1</sup>S, 1NN<inf>2</inf><sup>+</sup> and O<inf>2</inf> Atmosphere band (0,0) emissions in elves will be discussed.
Review article: Leaving the emergency department without being seen

Patients who leave the ED without being seen (LWBS) are unlikely to be satisfied with the quality of the service provided and might be at risk from conditions that have not been assessed or treated. We therefore examined the available research literature to inform the following questions: (i) In patients who attend for ED care, what factors are associated with the decision to LWBS? (ii) In patients who attend for ED care, are there adverse health outcomes associated with the decision to LWBS? (iii) Which interventions have been used to try to reduce the number of patients who attend for ED care and LWBS? From the available literature, there was insufficient evidence to draw firm conclusions; however, the literature does suggest that patients who LWBS have conditions of lower urgency and lower acuity, are more likely to be male and younger, and are likely to identify prolonged waiting times as a central concern. LWBS patients generally have very low rates of subsequent admission, and reports of serious adverse events are rare. Many LWBS patients go on to seek alternative medical attention, and they might have higher rates of ongoing symptoms at follow‐up. Further research is recommended to include comprehensive cohort or well‐designed case–control studies. These studies should assess a wide range of related factors, including patient, hospital and other relevant factors. They should compare outcomes for groups of LWBS patients with those who wait and should include cross‐sectoral data mapping to truly detect re‐attendance and admission rates.
Restoration of the response of the middle cerebral artery of the rat to acidosis in hyposmotic hyponatremia by the opener of large-conductance calcium sensitive potassium channels (BKCa)

Hyposmotic hyponatremia (the decrease of extracellular concentration of sodium ions from 145 to 121 mM and the decrease of hyposmolality from 300 to 250 mOsm/kg H2O) impairs response of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) to acetylcholine and NO donor (S-nitroso-N-acetyl-DL-penicillamine). Since acidosis activates a similar intracellular signaling pathway, the present study was designed to verify the hypothesis that the response of the MCA to acidosis is impaired during acute hyposmotic hyponatremia due to abnormal NO-related signal transduction in vascular smooth muscle cells. Studies performed on isolated, cannulated, and pressurized rat MCA revealed that hyposmotic hyponatremia impaired the response of the MCA to acidosis and this was associated with hyposmolality rather than with decreased sodium ion concentration. Response to acidosis was restored by the BKCa but not by the KATP channel activator. Patch-clamp electrophysiology performed on myocytes freshly isolated from MCAs, demonstrated that hyposmotic hyponatremia does not affect BKCa currents but decreases the voltage-dependency of the activation of the BKCa channels in the presence of a specific opener of these channels. Our study suggests that reduced sensitivity of BKCa channels in the MCA to agonists results in the lack of response of this artery to acidosis during acute hyposmotic hyponatremia.
First-hand experience of extreme climate events and household energy conservation in coastal Cambodia

The link between household energy conservation and climate change is clearly identifiable, although energy consumers may not necessarily recognize the connection. Conservation of household energy has been conceptualized as a consequence of various reasons including pro-environmental behaviour, financial or habitual, and as a response to first-hand experience of climate hazards. While previous research has overly focused on the relationship between pro-environment and energy conservation at the household level, only few studies have examined the relationship between past experience of climate hazards such as droughts, storms and floods and household energy conservation, in the context of developing countries. Using complementary log-log regression analysis, this study aims to examine the association between first-hand experience of extreme climate events and household energy conservation behaviour among coastal residents in Cambodia. The results suggest that first-hand experience of climate hazards has positive association with reduced energy consumption by households in coastal communities in Cambodia. Furthermore, awareness of climate change influenced household energy conservation. Individuals who noticed changes in ambient temperature changes as well as changes in rain fall season over the past five years were more likely to reduce household energy consumption. Likewise, those who indicated that climate change is occurring rapidly were more likely to reduce energy consumption. On the whole, women and rural residents were less likely to report household energy reduction. While individual actions are necessary and constitute the significant first step in reducing energy consumption, policies aimed at shifting public actions towards sustainable energy use must reinforce beyond household level to ensure energy efficiency.
Türkiye, Avusturya ve Almanya Öğretmen Yetiştirme Sistemlerinin İncelenmesi

4+4+4 mandatory intermittent education program has never been implemented in Turkeypreviously; as a result, some changes regarding both education system and teacher training system are expected to take place along with establishment of this program.In order to be well-prepared for the implications of those changes, applications of other countries for both in education and teacher training system should not be ignored.The information obtained will be helpful to contribute for regulation of teacher education programs based on 4+4+4 education system.This study aims to provide an analysis of the countries’ (Turkey, Austria, and Germany) similar education systems and applications for teacher educations. Austria and Germany have been more experienced about the Turkish new education system and this experience will be helpful renewing teacher training programs as well.The article investigates teacher training programsincluding content of those programs in terms of practicum, internship, and theoretical courses; requirements for teaching profession. Document analysis is the main method of the study. According to the analysis, it is found that teacher training programs in Turkey, Germany and Austria have similarities and differences in terms of structure and content of the programs. In the light of the results obtained through the analysis, it was recommended to revise Turkey teacher training programs in terms of new education system, to support differences between teachers as well as other countries and to improve elements that encourage teachers to renew themselves.
The Diagnostic Evaluation of a Patient With Dementia

Purpose of Review: This review outlines a practical approach to the history, mental state, neurologic examination, and laboratory tests in the diagnosis of dementia.Recent Findings: Proposed new diagnostic criteria for Alzheimer disease recognize that nonamnestic presentations with symptoms that predominantly affect language, visuospatial abilities, or executive function may occur, particularly with onset before the age of 65. New criteria assign greater likelihood to diagnosis if progressive cognitive decline is documented through serial assessment, or if biomarkers are supportive. In patients aged 80 or older, more than one cause of dementia is often present, for example, Alzheimer disease plus vascular dementia. Clinical diagnostic criteria for non-Alzheimer dementias are evolving, particularly in areas such as frontotemporal dementia. Imaging and CSF biomarkers have been proposed in recent diagnostic criteria for Alzheimer disease. Although biomarkers can provide a higher level of certainty that Alzheimer pathology may or may not be present, biomarkers for non-Alzheimer dementias are lacking.Summary: The availability of biomarkers does not replace or diminish the need for a thorough clinical evaluation. A structured clinical approach helps to define the diagnosis and collects information essential for establishing a comprehensive care plan for patients with dementia and their families.
Phoenix rises from the ashes: creating and destructing value through reflection

This case study focuses on the creation and destruction of value from a reflexive perspective. More specifically, we examine how reflection reinterprets the meaning of the relationship between creation and destruction of value. The study's theoretical framework draws from discussions on the creation and destruction of value, while adding a new perspective based on retroactive sensemaking and purposeful reflection. The study data consist of personal interviews that were examined using qualitative content analysis. Our study shows how reflection can be a key dimension of value creation and destruction. In essence, it demonstrates how reflexive activity - performed by both the producer and the customer after the interactive co-creation and co-destruction phase - can reproduce a new understanding of their relationship.
Good and Prolonged Response to Low Dose Capecitabine as Second LineTherapy in a Patient with Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Sorafenib is the only validated pharmacological treatment option for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the context of Child-Pugh class A liver function. Effective and safe systemic treatments for advanced disease with severe underlying cirrhosis (Child-Pugh class B and C) are not yet available. A few reports have described capecitabine as an option after failure of sorafenib or for patients who were not eligible for clinical trials. Here, we present a case of good response to low dose capecitabine in a patient with advanced HCC.
Five Concerns with the Five-Factor Model

The new Fama–French five-factor model is likely to become the new benchmark for asset pricing studies. Although the five-factor model exhibits significantly improved explanatory power compared to its predecessor, the classic three-factor model, the authors identify five concerns with regard to the new model. First, it maintains the capital asset pricing model’s relation between market beta and return, despite mounting evidence that the empirical relation is flat, or even negative. Second, it continues to ignore the, by now widely accepted, momentum effect. Third, there are a number of robustness concerns with regard to the two new factors, profitability and investment. Fourth, whereas risk-based explanations were key for justifying the factors in the three-factor model, the economic rationale for the two new factors is much less clear. Fifth and finally, it does not seem likely that the five-factor model is going to settle the main asset pricing debates or lead to consensus.