Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Contralateral Signal on Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions and Psychophysical Tuning Curves at 1 and 2 kHz

The main aim of this work was to determine the in uence of contralateral stimulation (CS) on the psychophysical tuning curves (PTCs) and distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs). PTCs and DPOAEs were measured in two modes: in the presence or absence of CS. The contralateral signal was a wideband noise (bandwidth 0.2 10 kHz) at a level of 50 dB sound pressure level (SPL). The primary tones (F1 and F2) were presented at levels of L1 = 60 dB SPL, and L2 = 50 dB SPL. The signal frequency used in the measurements of the PTC was 1 kHz or 2 kHz. For both PTC signal frequencies the CS signi cantly reduces the sharpness of the PTCs. The average change in level of DPOAE under the in uence of CS throughout the whole range of frequencies takes an e ect of suppression. The CS has a signi cant e ect on decreasing the value of the quality factor (Q10Roex) of PTCs (F (1, 9) = 19.36, p = 0.002). The CS caused a decrease in the level of DPOAE in 88% of cases. The maximum suppression of the DPOAE level occurs for the F2 frequency from 1 kHz to 2 kHz.
Ultrastructure of the male gonad and male gametogenesis in the clam shrimp Eulimnadia texana (Crustacea, Branchiopoda, Spinicaudata)

The ultrastructure of the male gonad of Eulimnadia texana (Branchiopoda, Spinicaudata) has been observed for the first time to investigate the sexuality of a well-studied case of androdioecy in the animal kingdom. The male gonad is a double structure located in the hemocoel throughout the entire body length on each side of the midgut. Male gametes originate from the wall and mature centripetally toward the lumen; the proliferative activity is very high and continuous and therefore the mature gonad is full of numerous germ cells. Inside the lumen several degenerative stages are found mixed with sperm cells and spermatids, the latter two being not easily distinguishable because of the slight differences between them. The evolutionary meaning of the degenerative process in E. texana male gametes is difficult to explain, and we propose some hypotheses about its possible role or cause in the studied population: (a) to help build spermatophores, (b) to act as a trophic component for viable sperm, (c) as a manifestation of inbreeding depression, and/or (d) to regulate the number of sperm cells.
Azamacrocycle Complexes: Synthesis and Xanthine Oxidase and Antioxidant Activity

Aims: Gout is caused by high uric acid in the blood that leads to excess uric acid crystallizing in the joints causing swelling and pain. Uric acid is produced from the breakdown of the purine which is released when cells die or introduced from the food we eat. The enzyme that helps in breakdown of purine to uric acid is xanthine oxidase (XO). Since XO makes the conversion of purine into uric acid happen, preventing its activity results to slow down of uric acid production. Such is the role of xanthine oxidase inhibitors (XOI). In this context we aimed to synthesize new complex which can be potent towards XOI and antioxidant properties.Study Design: Based on the literature we have designed azamacrocyclic complexes for advanced biological applications.Place and Duration of Study: Department of Chemistry, Research Laboratory, Yuvaraj’s College, University of Mysore, Mysore for synthesis and for biological activities Mahajana Life Science Research Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Microbiology and Biochemistry. June 2012-may 2013.Methodology: The macrocyclic metal complexes were synthesized by the template condensation of diamine and formaldehyde in MeOH. After stirring for 10 min a solution of 1, 4-diaminobutane, metallic salt and 2, 4-pentanedione in MeOH was added and the resulting mixture was refluxed.Results: Macrocylic metal complexes containing phenylene bridges have been synthesized and subjected to biological activities. Among the four synthesized complexes (3a-3d), 3d exhibited 83.2% of XO inhibition and also showed potent antioxidant activity. The same was also evident from structure activity relationship with atomic contact energy values of -285.78 compared to allopurinol with -200.02. Conclusion: From the present study, we infer that, aza macrocyclic metal complexes could lead to the development of newer therapeutics for gout and other inflammatory diseases which are caused by oxidative stress.
Colloquium : The glass transition and elastic models of glass-forming liquids

Basic characteristics of the liquid-glass transition are reviewed, emphasizing its universality and briefly summarizing the most popular phenomenological models. Discussion is focused on a number of alternative models which one way or the other connect the fast and slow degrees of freedom of viscous liquids. It is shown that all these ``elastic'' models are equivalent in the simplest approximation.
The structural wings of Matthew effects: The contribution of three-level network data to the analysis of cumulative advantage

The article presents a three-level network approach to the Matthew effect as a multilevel complement to Burt’s (2005) conception of the relationship between networks and performance. We first introduce a three-level dataset and the specificity of this data structure for explorations of cumulative advantage. Second, we present a population of scientists and provide a heuristic visualization—as “paragliders”—of their position in this multilevel structure. Third, we cluster these actors into groups of performance to better understand who is in a multilevel position to make progress with performance measurements over time. We use Ronald Burt’s representation of the combined effect of brokerage beyond group and closure within group to show that several of these performance groups do not follow his own principles very closely. Fourth, we provide evidence, for one of these groups, of the usefulness of combining constraint in the personal network of its members with constraint in their “extended” network—that is, for looking at the relationship between performance and borrowing from “dual alters” in the extended network. This shows that, when it is present, network lift from three-level structural wings is provided by different levels for different actors. Hypotheses induced by the paraglider metaphor can thus be tested progressively to provide new understandings of the structural conditions under which the Matthew effect of cumulative advantage operates. Finally, we list limitations of this three-level approach to the Matthew effect as examined here and suggest further developments for this approach.
Visual Inspection of Glass Bottlenecks

Automated inspection using multiple views has been recently developed to automatically detect flaws in manufactured objects. The main idea of this strategy is that, unlike the noise that appears randomly in images, only the flaws remain stable in a sequence of images because they retain their position relative to the movement of the object being analyzed. In this paper the design of a prototype for image sequence acquisition and inspection of glass bottlenecks using this methodology is proposed. The inspection device considers light sources inside the bottle for better capture of potential defects. Using a single camera we record an image sequence of the bottleneck rotating the bottle along its principal axis. No camera calibration process is considered. We also present a novel approach for defect detection based on tracking potential flaws along multiple views. Our inspection system achieves over a 98% of true positives and 2.4% of false positives rates under uncalibrated image sequences. These results allow us to conclude that uncalibrated images sequences can be used effectively as a mean to evaluate the product quality where the images of the test object do not significantly differ from each other in the sequence.
Spatial Distribution of Natural Enrichments of Arsenic , Selenium , and Uranium in a Minerotrophic Peatland

Gola di Lago is a small (ca. 3 ha), minerotrophic peatland in Canton Ticino, southern Switzerland. Chemical analyses of peat show remarkable concentrations of As, Se, and U. Coring at regular intervals (19 sites) revealed several zones of pronounced accumulation, with As concentrations up to 350 mg kg-1 (2000 mg kg-1 on a mineral matter basis). Both Fe and S are also enriched at this depth, suggesting that redox-related transformations have affected all three elements. High concentrations of Se (up to 28 mg kg-1) and U (up to 470 mg kg-1) were also detected, representing on a mineral matter basis 350 and 2900 mg kg-1, respectively. An intermittent stream entering the peatland contained up to 400 μg of As L-1, but the permanent stream leaving the mire contains <2 μg L-1. A threedimensional map of the spatial distribution of As shows that the main source of As is the intermittent stream and not the basal, mineral sediment underlying the peatland. Arsenic is highly enriched not only in shallow peat layers at the interface between the stream and peatland today but also in deeper peat layers in the center of the mire, at what must have been the stream-peat interface in the past. By sequential extraction of fresh peat samples, 100% of the As could be extracted from a shallow sample but only 19% from a sample taken from the deeper layers. In both cases, most of the As was associated with the organic matter fraction (73% and 57% respectively). Although this peatland is an effective geochemical trap for As in the stream waters, the mechanisms of removal remain unclear.
Active Self Calibration of a Multi Sensor System

The combination of a multi camera system with different sensor types like PMD cameras or motion sensors is called multi sensor system. Such systems offer many different application scenarios, e.g. motion studies of animals and sportsmen, 3D reconstruction or object tracking tasks. In order to work properly, each of this applications needs an accurately calibrated multi sensor system. Calibration consists of estimating the intrinsic parameters of each camera and determining the relative poses (rotation and translation) between the sensors. The second step is known as extrinsic calibration and forms the focus of this work. Self-calibration of a multi sensor system is desirable since a manual calibration is a time consuming and difficult task.
Interstellar extinction and polarization - a spheroidal dust grain approach perspective

We extend and investigate the spheroidal model of interstellar dust grains used to simultaneously interpret the observed interstellar extinction and polarization curves. We compare our model with similar models recently suggested by other authors, study its properties and apply it to fit the normalized extinction A(λ)/AV and the polarizing efficiency P (λ)/A(λ) measured in the near-infrared to far-ultraviolet region for several stars seen through one large cloud.
Trust and Quality of Growth: A Note

The transition from Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has substantially shifted the policy debate from growth to inclusive growth. In this short note, we revisit the trust-growth nexus by exploiting a dataset on quality of growth (QG), recently made available to the scientific community. The empirical evidence is based on interactive contemporary and non-contemporary quantile regressions. Inequality and human development modifying variables are used as additional controls. The findings broadly support the positive role of trust in QG. In addition, relatively high thresholds of inequality are needed to change this positive trust-QG nexus in some distributions.
Responding in the Presence of Nontrained Stimuli: Implications of Generalization Error Patterns

The technology of applied behavior analysis has documented impressive advances in procedures for changing behavior. Behavior change is often functional, however, only if it endures over time and is performed in nontrained situations. One approach to building a technology that meets these standards has been systematic analysis of generalization “successes. ” The present paper extends this approach through an analysis of generalization failures (i.e., the patterns of generalization errors). A format is provided for categorizing the errors made in generalization situations, and linking these errors back to stimulus characteristics present during training. Stimulus control serves as the pivotal concept that directs this error analysis, and provides the bridge between infrahuman research on generalization and the broader applied issue of obtaining performance across nontrained situations. Implications of the error analysis are defined for building a technology of generalization, and for developing an effective research methodology for studying generalized responding in applied settings.
Set of guidelines for persuasive interfaces: organization and validation of the criteria

This study presents an attempt to organize and validate a set of guidelines to assess the persuasive characteristics of interfaces (web, software, etc.). Persuasive aspects of interfaces are a fast growing topic of interest; numerous website and application designers have understood the importance of using interfaces to persuade and even to change users' attitudes and behaviors. However, research has so far been limited by a lack of available tools to measure interface persuasion. This paper provides a criteria-based approach to identify and assess the persuasive power of interfaces. We selected164 publications in the field of persuasive technology, and we used those publications to define eight criteria: credibility, privacy, personalization, attractiveness, solicitation, priming, commitment, and ascendency. Thirty experts in human-computer interaction (HCI) were asked to use guidelines to identify and classify persuasive elements of 15 interfaces. The average percentage of correct identification was 78.8%, with Randolph's kappa coefficient = 0.61. These results confirm that the criteria for interactive persuasion, in their current form, can be considered as valid, reliable, and usable. This paper provides some inherent limitations of this method and identifies potential refinements of some definitions. Finally, this paper demonstrates how a checklist can be used to inspect the persuasiveness of interfaces.
Inhibition Effects of Cobalt Nano Particles Against Fresh Water Algal Blooms Caused by Microcystis and Oscillatoria

Cyanobacterial blooms deplete nutrients, reduce water clarity, exhaust carbon di oxide and produces secondary metabolites which negatively affect aquatic organisms and water quality. Control of algal blooms using metal nano particles is one effective method for the safety of water environment. Cobalt nano particles (CoNPs) were synthesized and tested against microalgae isolated from fresh water cyanobacterial blooms by assessing the effects on growth rate, biomass concentration, photosynthetic pigments concentration and antioxidant enzyme activity. Microcystis and Oscillatoria were identified as the predominant isolates from algal blooms and treated with varying concentrations (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 mg·L -1 ) of CoNPs. Steady decline in the growth rate of microalgae was observed at the end of 5 days indicating the toxicity of CoNPs on microalgal growth. At the end of cultivation period, 78% and 88% of reduction in biomass concentration of Microcystis and Oscillatoria were observed at 5 mg·L -1 of CoNPs. The chlorophyll content was reduced from 1.53 to 0.24 mg·L -1 in Microcystis and 1.63 to 0.29 mg·L -1 in Oscillatoria . There was a 69.3% and 73.2% decrease in carotenoid content of Microcystis and Oscillatoria respectively. Both protein and carbohydrate contents of the microalgae were reduced with increasing concentration of nano particles. The decrease in Super oxide dismutase (SOD) activity with increased nanoparticle concentration reveals the formation of stress in the microalgae. The increasing GSH activity proved the effect of CoNPs on the activation of antioxidative enzymes to protect the cells. This study demonstrates the efficiency of cobalt nano particles (CoNPs) on inhibition of fresh water algal blooms thereby reducing the eutrophication problem.
Association Rule Mining Methods as Means of Forming the System of Life Quality Indicators

The paper is devoted to comparing of the association rules mining methods and choosing the best method for the formation of the indicators system that affects the quality of life. Three methods are considered: AprioriTiD, FPG and ABBM. For each method, such metrics are calculated as support, confidence, lift and running time, the values of which allow you to discover the best method. It results in the extraction of useful association rules showing how life quality indicators are related to each other. Later on it can be used to solve the problems of analyzing and forecasting.
Food Habits of the Juvenile and Adult Orangebelly Darter, Etheostoma radiosum, In Glover Creek, Oklahoma

* Present address: Kenai Fishery Assistance Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 5089, Kenai, Alaska 99611. ** Present address: Arizona Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, 210 Biological Sciences East, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721. † Cooperators are the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, Oklahoma State University, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Proc. Okla. Acad. Sci. 69:39 43 (1989) Food Habits of the Juvenile and Adult Orangebelly Darter, Etheostoma radiosum, In Glover Creek, Oklahoma
Simultaneous Two-View Calibration of Biplane Fluoroscopic Imaging Systems

We present a novel method for calibrating biplane fluoroscopy systems using sequences of paired views. This method uses standard techniques to estimate the system calibration on a frame-by-frame basis, then uses a global parameter optimization (bundle adjustment) to improve the quality and consistency of the solution. The method is validated using images of a new calibration phantom. The system is calibrated using a random subset of the available frames, and the resulting calibration is applied to a separate set of evaluation frames to reconstruct the visible phantom features into three dimensions. The mean 3D geometric error after reconstruction was found to be 0.78mm for the local, single-frame approach and 0.75mm for the global approach.
UArizona at the MADE1.0 NLP Challenge

MADE1.0 is a public natural language processing challenge aiming to extract medication and adverse drug events from Electronic Health Records. This work presents NER and RI systems developed by UArizona team for the MADE1.0 competition. We propose a neural NER system for medical named entity recognition using both local and context features for each individual word and a simple but effective SVM-based pairwise relation classification system for identifying relations between medical entities and attributes. Our system achieves 81.56%, 83.18%, and 59.85% F1 score in the three tasks of MADE1.0 challenge, respectively, ranked amongst the top three teams for Task 2 and 3.
SPLINE-BASED MESHING TECHNIQUES FOR INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS

Isogeometric Analysis (IgA) has become an accepted framework for the modelling, simulation and optimization (MSO) of engineering processes. However, the fully automatized generation of analysis-suitable parameterizations of geometries as they arise in practical workflows is still a challenging task, which often requires application-specific parameterization approaches. In this article we present a practical approach [6] based on the principles of Elliptic Grid Generation (EGG) for the efficient on-demand generation of analysis-suitable spline-based parameterizations. Starting from a (point cloud) description of the boundary provided by the existing MSO-pipeline, an inverse nonlinear Poisson-type problem is solved to obtain a folding-free (planar) parameterization of the entire domain. The non-linearity is efficiently treated with a globalized hierarchical Newton approach. Automatized boundary contour reparameterization techniques are employed to improve the parametric properties from a numerical viewpoint, such as orthogonal isolines and equally-sized cells. The use of curved instead of straight-sided elements allows us to arrive at an accurate description of the target domain with fewer elements and thus potentially lower computational effort. Numerical experiments with screw-compressor geometries demonstrate that the proposed algorithm reliably produces high-quality parameterizations typically within 3−4 Newtoniterations, even in the presence of extreme aspect-ratios. This makes it particularly attractive for the on-demand application within an automatized industrial MSO-pipeline. To support the demands of modern high-performance computing hardware, only a moderate number of sufficiently large and structured patches is generated which can be mapped one-by-one to the different devices (CPUs/GPUs) with only little communication overhead. Topology changes are avoided in time-dependent and shape-optimization settings. Finally, the spline-based geometry description can be transformed into a classical mesh by performing a large number of function evaluations in the mapping operator. Its continuous nature allows for feature-based (structured and unstructured) refinement and arbitrary element densities without increasing the complexity of the meshing process.
Scale-Up of Microwave-Assisted Polymerizations in Continuous-Flow Mode: Cationic Ring-Opening Polymerization of 2-Ethyl-2-oxazoline

Microwave-assisted polymerizations is a growing field of interest because the use of microwave irradiation instead of thermal heating was demonstrated to result in faster, cleaner, and higher yielding reactions. To overcome the one-at-a-time nature of preparing polymerizations in single microwave vials and the possible scale- up method for microwave-assisted polymerizations, the use of continuous-flow reactions under microwave irradiation seems to be ideal. In this contribution, we report for the first time the use of different continuous-flow microwave reactors for polymerizations, using the cationic ring-opening polymerizations of 2-ethyl-2-oxazoline as a model system. In addition, the observed broader molecular-weight distributions were correlated to residence time distributions of the continuous-flow reactors that were determined using methyl orange as the flow marker.
Actigraphic Detection of REM Sleep Based on Respiratory Rate Estimation

Abstract— The use of wrist actigraphy in sleep research has for long been limited to the classification of sleep/wake; little progress has been made in the evaluation of the sleep stages. We propose and evaluate two novel algorithms: a method for respiratory rate estimation based on spectral analysis of actigraphic data, and a method for estimating REM sleep based on the detected respiratory rates. Using simultaneous recordings of polysomnography and actigraphy data acquired from 34 subjects, we found that our proposed method successfully estimated respiratory rate with low mean absolute error (0.52 counts/min), and REM sleep with high positive predictive value (64.5%), but low sensitivity (11.0%). While the low sensitivity hinders the immediate clinical use of our algorithms, our findings are important in indicating for the first time that actigraphs have the potential to detect REM sleep.